ASTON VILLA 2 - ARSENAL 2

Zat Knight rifled home an injury-time equaliser to rescue a well-deserved 2-2 draw against Arsenal. and provide a significant boost for Aston Villa's fight for Champions League qualification. Martin O'Neill's side had battered the Londoners throughout the first half but somehow found themselves two goals down only to mount a superb fightback.

 

Goals either side of half-time by Denilson and Abou Diaby for Arsenal were not a fair reflection of the game and, after Gareth Barry's penalty pulled a goal back, Knight smashed home a stoppage-time leveller to maintain Villa's three-point lead over the Gunners.

 

Villa captain Martin Laursen was missing and Gareth Barry was made skipper for Villa. Arsene Wenger was without captain Cesc Fabregas through injury and striker Emmanuel Adebayor due to suspension.

 

BOLA BOYZ   ARSENAL 

LIVERPOOL 3 - BOLTON 0

Liverpool reclaimed the top spot of the Premier League with a 3-0 victory over Bolton at Anfield. Chelsea's victory earlier in the day put the London side in pole position until Robbie Keane's double and a goal from Albert Riera ensured the Reds went back to the head of the pack.

 

The win meant Liverpool have completed all of 2008 unbeaten at home in the league. Missing Alvaro Arbeloa with a hamstring injury, manager Rafael Benitez re-jigged his back line, moving Jamie Carragher to right-back with Sami Hyypia slotting into the centre of defence. Liverpool also restored Yossi Benayoun to midfield at the expense of Lucas, who was joined on the bench by fit-again Javier Mascherano.
 

BOLA BOYZ  LIVERPOOL

STOKE 0 - MAN UTD 1

A late goal by Carlos Tevez ensured Manchester United returned to Premier League action with a 1-0 win at Stoke City. The home side had earlier been reduced to 10 men with Andy Wilkinson picking up two yellows.

 

The striker scored the vital goal with seven minutes remaining to end Stoke`s brave resistance, shortly after Andy Wilkinson was ordered off. However it took United a while to get going after they only arrived back on Monday from Japan.

 

BOLA BOYZ MAN UTD 

CHELSEA 2 - WEST BROM 0

Chelsea went back to the top of the Premier League with a comfortable 2-0 win over rock-bottom West Brom at Stamford Bridge. Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard were on target for the Blues as they recorded their first home league win in four games.

 

The Blues took just three minutes to go in front with Drogba, making his first league appearance since the end of September, heading home a cross from Joe Cole. It was the Ivorian's second goal of the season and his first in the Barclays Premier League this term. Lampard, captain in the absence of the suspended John Terry, scored Chelsea's second goal in the first half injury time.

 

BOLA BOYZ  CHELSEA

ASTON VILLA CANNOT WIN TITLE - WENGER

Arsene Wenger realised it is a big game, but turned down the idea of Aston Villa winning the Premier League. The Gunners manager however accepted that Villa is a serious threat for the top four positions challenge.

 

Without Fabregas and suspended striker Emmanuel Adebayor, Arsenal will travel to Villa Park looking for revenge after Gabriel Agbonlahor helped inflict a shock result when the two teams met last month.

 

BOLA BOYZ   ARSENAL

REAL MADRID WANTS PENNANT

Sky Sports News sources understand Liverpool are considering a bid from Real Madrid for Jermaine Pennant. As revealed by skysports.com, Pennant was attracting interest from La Liga and now Real have made a bid for Liverpool man as they look to bring in a new winger in the January transfer window.

 

New Real coach Juande Ramos has made a new right-sided winger one of his top priorites and they have been linked with a host of players including Ashley Young, Aaron Lennon and CSKA Moscow's Milos Krasic. Real have been priced out of the move for the trio and now they have turned their attentions to forgotten Liverpool man Pennant. Pennant has made just four appearances for Liverpool this season and it appears he does not figure in Rafa Benitez's long-term plans.

 

BOLA BOYZ  LIVERPOOL

MICHAEL ESSIEN IS GHANA'S BEST

Michael Essien has been named Ghana Footballer of the Year after a media poll in Accra. Inter Milan's Sulley Muntari and Hearts' Laryea Kingston came second and third respectively.

 

Essien is a regular African Footballer of the Year finalist, has been sidelined since mid-year after picking up an injury while playing for Ghana against Libya in 2010 World Cup qualifier. His absence has been a major factor for Chelsea's inconsistent form lately.

 

BOLA BOYZ  CHELSEA

BOCA JUNIORS WINS APERTURA CHAMPIONSHIP

Boca Juniors have won the Argentine Apertura championship after finishing top of a three-way play-off by the slimmest of margins after losing 1-0 to rank outsiders Tigre in the final match. Boca, Tigre and San Lorenzo all finished the mini-league with three points from two games but Boca took the title on goal difference.

 

Boca had a goal difference of one, compared to zero for Tigre and minus one for San Lorenzo. The play-off was held after the three teams finished level on points after the regular championship, where goal difference is not used to decide the title. It was Boca's 23rd title under the various formats used since Argentine football turned professional in 1931.

 

INTECH2U   MAT KEPOH   TIME FOR LAUGH

UEFA TO PUNISH VIDIC

Nemanja Vidic will miss Manchester United's Champions League clash with Inter Milan at the San Siro after being sent off in the final of the Club World Cup against LDU Quito. The Serbian was shown a straight red card for elbowing Claudio Bieler in the second half of the Red Devils' 1-0 win on Sunday and under FIFA rules the subsequent suspension is carried over to the next match of the club's federation.

 

In this case that means the next match in a UEFA competition and rules Vidic out the European Champion's trip to Milan on February 24, 2009. A FIFA spokesman confirmed that he will get at least a one match ban. However, with FIFA still to ratify the exact punishment, Vidic could face up to a three match ban. That would rule the centre-back out of the entire Champions League tie with Inter and possibly the first leg of the quarter-final should United overcome Jose Mourinho's men.

 

BOLA BOYZ MAN UTD 

FABREGAS OUT FOUR MONTHS

Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas is set to be sidelined until April with a knee injury. The Spaniard had to be substituted at half-time in Arsenal's 1-1 draw against Liverpool on Sunday following a challenge with Xabi Alonso.

 

The full extent of the damage has now been revealed, with Arsene Wenger confirming that he has a partial rupture of the medial knee ligament. Fabregas had only recently returned to fitness following a problem with the same knee and he will now miss most of the rest of the season. He will have to sit out a crucial period of the Premier League as well as Arsenal's UEFA Champions League tie against Roma.

 

BOLA BOYZ   ARSENAL 

FERDINAND APPRECIATES SIR ALEX WORDS

Rio Ferdinand hopes a motivational team-talk from Sir Alex Ferguson will prove to be 'a defining point' in Manchester United's season. United lifted the Club World Cup on Sunday with a 1-0 victory over Liga de Quito in Japan and Ferdinand admits Ferguson made the players aware of the significance of the game.

 

The centre-half revealed the United manager warned the Premier League and European champions that losing in the Club World Cup final would have a negative effect on their campaign.

 

BOLA BOYZ MAN UTD

EVERTON 0 - CHELSEA 0

Chelsea had John Terry sent off at Goodison Park but were able to hold Everton to a goalless draw. The Blues relinquish their 100 per cent away record and miss the opportunity to sit top of the Premier League table at Christmas, while the Toffees remain in the European hunt despite their failure to breach 10-men.

 

The hosts began the game in the more positive fashion, making a mockery of their failings on home turf this season. However, despite Phil Neville and Marouane Fellaini keeping Petr Cech on his toes, the Chelsea rearguard was rarely threatened.

 

BOLA BOYZ  CHELSEA 

ARSENAL 1 - LIVERPOOL 1

Striker Robbie Keane dealt a fresh blow to Arsenal's fading title hopes as he secured a point for Barclays Premier League leaders Liverpool in a 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal had striker Emmanuel Adebayor sent off in the second half, which hampered their hopes of finding a winner after Keane's goal had cancelled out Robin van Persie's strike.

 

Arsene Wenger's men went into the match eight points off the pace, and perhaps more significantly they were - and remain - out of the top four following Aston Villa's win at West Ham. Despite taking the lead through a fine strike from Van Persie after 24 minutes, it proved a false dawn as the Reds levelled before the break when Keane latched onto a long ball up-field and lashed in a thunderous shot.

 

Arsenal were forced to play the final 30 minutes with only 10 men after referee Howard Webb showed Adebayor his second yellow card for a clumsy challenge on Alvaro Arbeloa.

 

BOLA BOYZ   ARSENAL   LIVERPOOL 

MAN UTD 1 - LDU QUITO 0

Ten man United clinched the world title in Japan. A second-half strike from Wayne Rooney handed Manchester United a deserved 1-0 victory over LDU Quito in the Fifa Club World Cup Final at the Yokohama Stadium. The UEFA Champions League holders dominated the first half but were unable to break the deadlock as goalkeeper Jose Cevallos was called into action on several occasions.

 

The Red Devils were dealt a setback four minutes after the interval when centre-back Nemanja Vidic was handed a straight red card by referee Ravshan Irmatov for catching Claudio Bieler with his elbow. South American club champions LDU Quito began to make their numerical advantage pay but they were undone on 73 minutes as Rooney smashed home the winner after he was teed up by Cristiano Ronaldo.

 

BOLA BOYZ  MAN UTD 

GAMBA OSAKA 3 - MAN UTD 5

Two goals from Wayne Rooney after a late introduction send Manchester United to the Club World Cup final meeting with LDU Quito on Sunday. Earlier, United had already established superiority over Gamba Osaka thanks to first-half headers from Nemanja Vidic and Cristiano Ronaldo. Rooney's arrival led to a frenzied spell of six goals in 18 minutes, the England man netting either side of a Darren Fletcher effort as the Red Devils kept spirited Gamba resistance at bay.

 

Gamba Osaka responded with Masato Yamazaki effort after the first 2 goals, but Rooney and Fletcher buried them further. The Japanese side tried another comeback with goals from Yasuhito Endo and Hideo Hashimoto, but time has really ran out of them.

 

BOLA BOYZ   MAN UTD 

TIME IS RIGHT FOR ARSENAL VS LIVERPOOL

Jose Reina is confident that his team will be able to steal 3 points from Arsenal as they travel to the Emirates Stadium. The Liverpool goalkeeper reckons the time is right for the Premier League leaders to clinch their first win at the Emirates Stadium as they look to extend their advantage at the summit to four points.

 

The Reds head into Sunday's game a point clear of Chelsea, who do not travel to Everton until Monday, and knowing a first win at Arsenal's new ground would open up a healthy cushion.

 

BOLA BOYZ   LIVERPOOL 

SCOLARI OKAY WITH FANS BOO

Luiz Felipe Scolari has admitted that supporters were entitled to boo the side after Chelsea dropped further points at Stamford Bridge and missed the chance to leapfrog Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table.

 

The 1-1 draw against West Ham means that Chelsea have already dropped 14 points at home, the same as the whole of last season, and has left Scolari admitting that he needs to bring about a rapid improvement.

 

BOLA BOYZ   CHELSEA 

LIVERPOOL DENY KEANE SALE ISSUE

Liverpool have issued a denial that Robbie Keane will be sold in the January transfer window, after former Anfield player Mark Lawrenson claimed the striker's future was in doubt. Lawrenson, who currently works as a TV pundit, told Irish radio station Today FM's The Last Word that Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard believes Keane could be set for a move in January.

 

The Guardian Liverpool later explained that Lawrenson's remarks are his interpretation of a private chat between the two of them. They do not accurately reflect Steven's opinion of Robbie Keane and they certainly do not tally with Steven's recollection of the conversation itself.

 

Last week 28-year-old Keane, who has scored just twice in the Premier League since his £20.3m move from Tottenham Hotspurs, dismissed claims that he would be leaving the club and insisted the goals would come.

 

BOLA BOYZ  LIVERPOOL 

DECO WANTS TO IMPROVE HOME SHOW

Deco maintains Chelsea can work out their Stamford Bridge problems and end a run of poor home form. Despite their superb 100% away form which has yielded eight straight victories, Luiz Felipe Scolari's men have managed only three league wins at home.

 

Liverpool brought an amazing 86-match unbeaten league run to an end on October 26 and the Blues are without a domestic win at Stamford Bridge ever since. Portuguese midfielder Deco is convinced the squad will soon put the issue right.

 

BOLA BOYZ   CHELSEA 

HYYPIA BELIEVES TITLE WILL COME

Sami Hyypia insists Liverpool's recent wobble is not a direct result of added pressure placed on the side. The Reds continue to set the pace in the Premier League title race, but three draws in their last four games has allowed the chasing pack to remain hot on their heels.

 

Rafa Benitez will also be concerned by the fact that his troops are struggling to grind out results at Anfield. Goalless stalemates against West Ham and Stoke were followed by a 2-2 draw with Hull on Saturday, ensuring their lead over closest challengers Chelsea remains at only a solitary point.

 

Veteran centre-half Hyypia claims Liverpool remain on course to end their 19-year wait for a top-flight crown, but admits there are issues which need to be addressed ahead of Sunday's clash with Arsenal.

 

BOLA BOYZ   LIVERPOOL