Liverpool 0 – 1 Man Utd

There was an unbelievable pace to the opening period as Liverpool started the way they normally try to – at 100mph. The home side were pressing high up the pitch and really trying to impose themselves. This led to a few half chances, Kuyt with a flicked shot that went over and a long range effort from Hyppia, but nothing substantial.

The game had just settled down after the 25mins when Torres’ header was cleared off the line form a Liverpool corner. United were hardly on the ropes but were cagey in attack, leaving few holes for Liverpool to exploit.

Liverpool again saw the ball cleared off the line on 30mins when Van Der Saar came for a high ball but badly misjudged it and luckily for him Evra was quick to recover.

It wasn’t a game for the forwards as Rooney, Ronaldo and Torres were hardly involved as the congested, midfield battle carried on.

Liverpool were looking the better as the half drew to a close but United, being United!, managed to nick one on 42mins. A well-worked corner saw Rooney’s shot come across Tevez who poked it over a helpless Reina and give an undeserved lead to the visitors.

The home side looked to right this wrong immediately after the break as they started on the front foot with shots on goal from Gerrard and Torres within minutes of the re-start.

There was a lot more room in the second half as Liverpool really pressed for an equaliser but a conservative-looking United refused to commit men forward.

The closest Liverpool came was when Babel (on for Kewell) went just wide from 20 yards on 75mins. United followed that with the best move of the game as Ronaldo broke and picked out Rooney in the box only for the England striker to hit wide.

Untied’s organisation and defending was commendable as Liverpool threw bodies forward. But the visitors signalled their intent on 82mins when they brought Carrick on for Tevez and they stubbornly held on to their lead from there.

You could say United did “A Liverpool” to Liverpool. Sir Alex backed up his statement that this year’s league could be decided by such meetings of the top four by making sure his side definitely didn’t lose.

Man of the Match: Owen Hargreaves – a great defensive midfield performance with crucial interceptions, well timed tackles and an excellent work-rate.

Movie Round-up

The Transporter (2002 / France/USA)

An action film that does everything right, it doesn’t take itself too seriously and it keeps things simple. The fight scenes are frenetic and often balletic (in the finest Hong Kong tradition) and the stunts steer clear of the Bond-style hyperbole in favour of the more traditional. Highly recommended.

Arlington Road (1999 / USA)

A decent thriller that uses a “is he? / isn’t he?” dynamic to good effect. Once this is resolved it does lose something but the high level of acting carries the film through to it’s exciting finale.

American Gangster (2007 / USA)

A visually appealing and well directed film which heavily focuses on the plot to the detriment of everything else. It spins a good yarn but the two leads could’ve done with a tense scene or some dramatic dialogue to really stretch them. It also feels about 20mins too long, especially the overly lengthy introduction, but its well worth a watch.

Candyman (1992 / USA)

A supernatural thriller which has an extra touch of class over most of its horror-genre contemporaries. The genuinely clever plot coupled with a well cultivated, and often disturbing, atmosphere keeps you gripped throughout. Thoroughly deserving of its cult status.

Aston Villa 1 – 3 Portsmouth

Two teams with high ambitions this year following their very respectable starts to the season clashed in a game that could be considered a six pointer in terms of the race for European places.

Neither team had yet gotten a grip on the game when on 8mins Pompey got a fortuitous lead. The ball came out to Pamarot, following a corner, whose deflected shot landed at the feet of Benjani who then in turn was tackled by Gardener only to see the ball roll into the net.

Villa pressed for the equaliser only for Laursen to waste their two best chances with tame headers from set-pieces that saw the big Dane take advantage of slack defending by Portsmouth,

Pompey weren’t on their game at all and could barley hold on to the ball as they looked a shadow of their usually solid selves. Both Agbonlahor and Carew had shots saved and blocked respectively before Muntari got the visitors the most unlikely and undeserved of second goals on 39mins

The Ghanain made room for himself before unleashing a beautifully bent left-foot shot from 20 yards that made it 2-0. James further frustrated Villa by making two great saves before the break.

The home side were required to chase the game in the second half which left a lot of room for Pompy on the break. Villa showed great urgency but ironically the visitors began to play for the first time in the match.

Carew had a header just wide on 55 mins but really Villa didn’t threaten a Portsmouth side that were getting better as the game wound on.

On 61mins Muntari put the game out of sight with another great solo effort, this time dispossessing Reo-Coker, nutmegging Knight and cooly slotting home a low driven effort.

Villa were given some hope when Young was tripped in the box and Barry smashed home the resulting penalty on 10mins. But the energy they displayed in the final 20mins was to account for nothing against an increasingly stubborn Portsmouth.

Indeed it was the visitors who looked the more likely to score as they caught Villa on the break several times. The best of these chances falling to Diop, who having being played in by Mendes managed to miss from 5 yards!

Perhaps an undeserved victory but it only highlighted the gap between Villa and the UEFA cup-spot chasers.

Spurs 2 – 3 Birmingham

This was a typical Spurs game and they started in typical Spurs manner with Muamba being found unmarked from a free-kick after 3mins but fortunately for them it was just inches over his head.

This didn’t dent their confidence though as they piled forward. Berbatov had just tested Taylor when moments later Keane’s one-two off Bent saw him through on goal but he scooped his shot over. Minutes later the Bulgarian was twice close with headed efforts in what was looking like only a matter of time before the visitor’s defence was breached.

Birmingham’s lone striker and long ball game didn’t look to be paying off but on 22mins they were gifted a penalty when McSheffrey went down following minimal contact with Kaboul. McSheffrey made no mistake with spot kick to give his side the most undeserved of leads.

Spurs pinned Birmingham in their own half following this, with Dawson coming closest on 28mins following a corner. Despite tearing their opponents apart in the early stages with their superior pace and movement Spurs began hurling high balls into the box in a desperate attempt to get an equaliser.

Bale’s free kick brought a good save from Taylor on 36mins but Birmingham weathered the storm and saw the home side look deflated coming up to half time.

The second half had just begun when Spurs were handed a lifeline as Djorou clashed with Berbatov in the box. Keane’s penalty was hard and high and acted as a much needed confidence boost for his team-mates.

It wasn’t long before they were ahead. Birmingham had just cleared their lines following a free-kick, on 52mins, when Huddlestone ( on as a second half substitute) played a lovely ball over the top to find Keane’s well timed run and the Irishman’s first time shot was scuffed but found the top corner.

Birmingham were rocked by this and almost conceded again a minute later but Berbatov’s shot came back off the upright. The visitors got their composure back as Spurs continued to apply pressure.

Spurs were their own worst enemy again as Jerome was allowed to run at their defence on 61mins. The awkward looking striker twice got some luck with ricochets as both Tottenham defenders failed to make a convincing tackle. The resulting shot from 20yards was a superbly accurate daisy-cutter that found its way past Robinson and into the corner of the goal.

Berbatov almost restored Spurs’ lead on 64mins but saw his header cleared off the line. Things went form bad to worse when Robbie Keane was given a straight red after a fairly innocuous looking tackle on Muamba.

This seemed to invigorate Spurs as they laid siege to the visitors’ goal. Birmingham couldn’t make their numerical advantage pay off as they continued to give the ball back to Spurs.

It was Birmingham though who made the final push in the closing stages. Kapo, having come on as a substitute, gave them a new outlet and it was his cross, on 87mins, that Forsell directed on to the bar from 6 yards.

It looked to be a draw following Robinson’s injury-time save form Kapo but on 91mins Sebastian Larsson hit a wonder shot from 30 yards that bent into the top corner to give Birmingham the points.

Portsmouth 0 – 0 Everton

A dull, cautious match that barely deserves to be typed up, read the next match review it’s bound to be more interesting!

Everton began by playing particularly deep, inviting Portsmouth on in a manner that was indicative of both teams’ attitudes. Pompey’s forwards were only too willing to accept this invitation and shoot from long range (albeit inaccurately). Benjani did get in the once but Nuno Valente covered Yobo’s error well.

It took a quarter of the match for the visitors to get going but even when Everton were on top the likes of Arteta and Pienaar weren’t seeing enough of the ball to worry Pompey.

The closest it came to a goal was when Muntari whipped in a free kick just on the stroke of half time. The in-swinging ball missed everyone and forced Howard to tip it over.

The home side looked like they might be willing to take the initiative at the beginning of the second half with both Mendes and Kranjar having half chances just after the break.

Everton threw on another forward and switched to 4-4-2 just before the hour in an attempt to nick something. Osman had a chance almost immediately but he missed controlled with only the keeper to beat.

When either side did commit men to attack they found the opposition more than a match for them in what was a tight game between two very hardworking sides.

Benjani saw an effort flash wide on 61mins and Arteta had a couple of well delivered free kicks but bar that there was little action at either end.

Pompey gave their supporters something to cheer when they felt obliged to give it a go for the last few minutes but ultimately it was a game that typified the phrases “stalemate” and “deadlock.”

Chelsea 1 – 0 West Ham

There wasn’t much to note in the first half of this game bar the unexpected resilience of West Ham as they denied a lethargic Chelsea time on the ball which made for a very tight first 45mins.

The best chance fell to Drogba after 8mins during a spell where the home side had their opponents pinned back. The Chelsea striker bent his shot just wide of the top corner though. From then Chelsea were reduced to long range efforts as West Hams game plan looked to be working nicely.

West Ham became more settled as the half wore on and on 31mins almost had a goal of their own with Solano’s cheeky lob almost catching Cudicini out.

It wasn’t a great spectacle but there was s sparkling piece of play just before the break. After a good move down the right, Drogba dummied a cross at the front post only for Belletti to arrive just too late to provide the finishing touch.

Chelsea stepped it up a gear for the second half and from the off they were causing the Hammers more problems.

The higher tempo saw more space open up with Lampard, Joe Cole and Kalou all finding room to shoot.

It turned into a completely different match to the first half but West Ham were equally as resolute. They never really threatened Chelsea despite the room created for the counter.

Chelsea were looking like they might be frustrated when on 72mins the goal came. A flick on form Drogba found Kalou who headed on for the overlapping Cole who rounded the keeper and found the top corner form a tight angle.

They almost doubled there tally minutes later when Drogba’s diving header went just wide following a great ball in form Wright-Philips.

Chelsea took command of the remaining time, retained possession and killed off the game like any top side showing that their certainly not out of the title race.

West Ham can take something from the game as their performance showed a great work ethic and new level of organisation.

West Ham 1 – 1 Spurs

Allegedly this fixture had “goals galore” written all over it, well perhaps “poor defending ahoy” would have been more accurate.

It was a confident start for Spurs as they looked to get on the front foot early with both Keane and Berbatov busy. They almost got off to the best of starts when Jenas’ shot form 20yards could only be parried by Green and Lennon punced on the rebound and slotted home only to be given offside.

An open, high tempo game was in the offing but the flow was sadly not helped by numerous, needless fouls. The game had just settled when on 19mins, Kaboul gifted the ball to Boa Morte who subsequently drove into the box and picked out the unmarked Carlton Cole to tap home and make it 1-0 (against the run of play it has to be said)

The goal gave a slightly struggling West Ham a new lease of life and they pushed on for a second with Boa Morte twice coming close.

Spurs too had their chance with Berbatov on 26mins, but the Bulgarian unusually mis-controlled and sent a looping shot over.

It was an entertaining, end-to-end first 45mins with both defences looking vulnerable.

On 40mins, Robbie Keane found himself in acres from a through ball and knocked it over the onrushing Green only to be brought down in what looked like a penalty.

Spurs too had a let-off when Mullins’ diving header went just over after poor marking form a corner on 44mins.

The second half saw Spurs try to take it up a gear as the game continued with the energy (and bad temper) of the first half. Twice Malbranque came close for the visitors before, on 55mins, Ramos threw on Darren Bent for Kaboul and went 3-4-3!

West Ham were wary but Spurs new shape didn’t really look like working but fortunately for them they had a stroke of luck on 66mins when Green rushed out to punch a swung in free-kick only to completely miss and leave Dawson to rise highest and head into an empty net.

The game fulfilled it’s promise following that as both sides went for the win. Spurs took the reins after their equaliser with Malbranque having their best effort during this period, but the mercurial midfielder hit Bale’s cutback straight down the throat of Green.

West Ham then had their best period late on as Spurs looked to be fading (perhaps due to Ramos’ allegedly gruelling new fitness regime). Both Parker and Ashton forced good saves from a resilient looking Robinson. Jenas too was called into action as he headed McCartney’s effort off the line on 88mins.

There was almost a sickener for West Ham in injury time when Spurs were awarded a soft penalty following a tangle between Neill and Defoe. But justice prevailed as the arrogant Defoe saw his strike saved much to the delight of the home supporters.

It was a game without a dull moment and a draw was a fair result but both sides will have their work cut out keeping clean sheets.