EPL Report

International week is over and done with for another year, so it can only mean one thing…. The EPL Report is back!

The English Premier League returned with a bang this weekend with match day 12 providing no end of action up and down the country, that is except in Sunderland were the only true winners of the 0-0 draw were the fans. Lets face it, when the final whistle brew on this snooze-fest, every fan in that stadium must have been filled with relief that it was over. No such thing can be said at the DW Stadium where the leagues two bottom teams, Wigan and Blackburn, entertained their long suffering fans with a 3-3 draw. Yakubu grabbed the equaliser from the penalty spot NINE minutes into injury time at the end of the game. Blackburn earned the penalty as Paul Robinson came up for the final corner and got accidently booted in the chops. Wigan, now five points from safety, must have been kicking themselves to concede so late in the game. No actually, they were kicking Paul Robinson….

There were five penalties awarded in the top league this week, two of which were awarded at Goodison where Everton came out 2-1 victors over Wolves. An 83^rd minute penalty from Leighton Baines secured the three points for the Toffee Men as Wolves slipped to their perennial 17^th place in the league. How in the name of all that is sacred has Mick McCarthy still got a job? Two more penalties were awarded at the United stadium as Citeh hosted Newcastle in a battle of the two remaining undefeated teams in the top flight. Citeh were on the receiving end of both pens, slotted away by ‘Super’ Mario and Kun Aguero. The Bitters ran out 3-1 winners on the day and kept the pressure firmly on the red half of Manchester at the top of the league. United earlier in the day had travelled to Wales to face Swansea, who are from Wales (funnily enough) and are Welsh. United’s trademark of just doing enough to gain the three points continued as they came away with an unconvincing 1-0 win to remain five points adrift of the Berties.

Norwich continued to impress me on Saturday, as they gave Robin Van Persie a hell of a game. Unfortunately Robin Van Persie was too much for them as he ran out with a hard earned 2-1 at Carrow Road. Van Persie’s recent form has seen him climb the table and he now sits in 7^th with the same points as both Liverpool and Chelsea.  Bolton’s slippery slide into relegation fodder continued as they were on the end of yet another defeat, this time at the hands of Woy Hodgsons West Bwom. Owen Coyle is still performing a minor miracle at the Reebok by convincing Phil Garside that he is in fact the man to save them from relegation, despite being the man to take them there. A lot can be said about QPR, about their slightly mental manager to their incredibly mental central midfielder. But one thing you can not deny when QPR play is that they are entertaining. And their 3-2 victory at Stoke was another indication that their fans may all need minor heart surgery before the season is over.

Super Sunday brought with it one of the Premier clashes on the English Premier League calendar, as Chelsea hosted Liverpool at the Bridge. These two teams have a bitter and slightly twisted recent history which includes dodgy Champions League clashes, high profile transfers and more war-of-words between managers than Prime Ministers Question Time. With all the pre-match talk surrounding Miss Torres and Raul Meireles facing their old team, it was the countries shittest right back (and former Chelsea player) who stole the headlines for Liverpool. Glen Johnsons fantastic strike in the 87^th minute giving the scousers the three points and plunging Andre Villa Boas that little bit closer to feeling the shiny side of Roman’s axe. Let the Guus Hiddink rumours begin, again!

This weeks fixtures were completed on Monday night as Spurs took on Aston Villa at White Hart Lane. The game signalled Harry Redknapp’s return from heart surgery, and an Emmanual Adebayor brace gave Spurs a 2-0 win on the night. ‘Arry must be working frantically behind the scenes to secure the signing of Adebayor on a permanent basis as his goals have fired the North London club into third place, four points behind United with a game in hand. The Daily Waffle’s resident writer, Spurs Boy, must literally be lapping it up as his team are currently the highest placed team in London and are snapping at the heels of the Manchester clubs. Could they take another step closer next week as United host Newcastle and City visit Anfield? Join us next week to find out.