Barclays Premier League Live :November 19, 2011
Free-scoring Manchester City maintained their grip at the top of the Premier League with a 3-1 home win over Newcastle United on Saturday to take their goals tally to 42 from 12 games.
Mario Balotelli and Sergio Aguero scored penalties and Micah Richards was also on target to condemn third-placed Newcastle to their first defeat of the season and leave City as the only unbeaten side in the top flight.
City have 34 points from a possible 36 this season and have piled up a staggering goal difference of 31 to lead second-placed Manchester United by five points.
The champions did enough to earn a 1-0 victory at Swansea City in the late kickoff — their third consecutive one-goal win since their 6-1 drubbing by City at Old Trafford.
Javier Hernandez scored the only goal in the 11th minute in South Wales from a cross by Welshman Ryan Giggs to inflict a first home defeat on the Premier League newcomers.
Arsenal maintained their improvement with a fifth consecutive league victory thanks to Robin van Persie’s double in a 2-1 win at Norwich City, which moved the London club above Liverpool into sixth place with 22 points.
Liverpool (19 points) face fourth-placed Chelsea (22) on Sunday, with Tottenham Hotspur (22), who are fifth, at home to eighth-placed Aston Villa on Monday.
Bottom club Wigan Athletic ended a run of eight successive league defeats in a 3-3 home draw with fellow strugglers Blackburn Rovers, who equalised with an injury-time penalty despite playing most of the second half with 10 men.
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez labelled Blackburn’s second goal “scandalous” after Rovers forward Yakubu appeared to use his hand to restart play from a corner.
Bolton Wanderers remained in the relegation zone after a 2-1 defeat at West Bromwich Albion but Everton eased away from the bottom three courtesy of a 2-1 home win over fellow strugglers Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Promoted Queens Park Rangers won 3-2 at Stoke City while Sunderland drew 0-0 at home to Fulham.
UNSTOPPABLE CITY
While the 194.9 million pounds English record loss Manchester City reported for the 2010/11 financial year on Friday highlighted how much their route to the top of the league has cost, the payback is that they look unstoppable.
Roberto Mancini could again afford to juggle his squad but his selection dealt with Newcastle relatively easily.
“I’ll make no bones about it, they are the best side we’ve played by some distance, very very powerful,” Newcastle manager Alan Pardew told reporters.
City’s goal tally after 12 games is the best in the top flight since Tottenham Hotspur netted 44 in their first dozen games in 1963 but Mancini warned against getting carried away with the idea his side will stroll to the title.
“As a team, we’re strong now but we should think the season is long, probably there will be a difficult moment and for this reason it is important now if we can score goals, if we can win games in a row, it is very important,” he told reporters.
Newcastle looked set to reach the break on level terms until Ryan Taylor blocked Yaya Toure’s shot with his hands and Balotelli side-footed home the resulting penalty.
On the stroke of halftime, Richards, a rare home-grown player at the world’s richest club, nipped in to seize on a loose ball and double City’s advantage.
Richards was involved again in the 72nd minute when he was bundled over in the area and Sergio Aguero stroked the spot kick past Tim Krul. Dan Gosling got a late consolation for the visitors.
While City cannot stop scoring, fierce rivals United are chiselling out wins as they try and keep pace.
They were never at their best against a Swansea side whose passing game impressed United manager Alex Ferguson but rarely looked troubled at the back apart from one let-off in the first half when Scott Sinclair mis-kicked in front of goal.
“We were comfortable against a team who keep the ball well,” Ferguson said. “We showed concentration and that is what we needed because a few weeks ago that was the criticism we were getting.”
Arsenal had to come from a goal down at promoted Norwich after a defensive howler from Per Mertesacker allowed Steve Morison to fire the home side ahead after 16 minutes.
Dutchman Van Persie equalised with a tap-in after 26 minutes and struck again before the hour with a deft finish to take his league tally this term to 13 and his calendar year total to 31.
“Robin is exceptional but we all know within the club that he’s an exceptional player,” manager Arsene Wenger told Sky Sports. “Sometimes, what was in the way was the fact he was injured. Since he plays, he shows just how good he is.”
Man City vs Newcastle
Man City vs Newcastle
Man City vs Newcastle
Man City vs Newcastle
Man City vs Newcastle
Arsenal vs Norwich
Arsenal vs Norwich
Arsenal vs Norwich
Arsenal vs Norwich
Arsenal vs Norwich
Burnley vs Leeds
Burnley vs Leeds
Burnley vs Leeds
International Friendly Matches 2011: 12 November 2011
England claimed an unlikely 1-0 win over world champions Spain thanks to a headed goal from stand-in captain Frank Lampard and some resolute defending during the closing stages of a hugely entertaining friendly at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.
Lampard’s winner came in the 49th minute after Spain, who are also European champions, had dominated possession in the first half but failed to create any clear scoring chances.
The goal came after James Milner whipped in a freekick that Darren Bent met with a good header that hit substitute keeper Pepe Reina’s post. As the ball bounced along the line Lampard reacted first to head into the empty net from close range.
Spain striker David Villa had two chances to score after the break, sending his first effort into the side netting in the 57th minute then hitting the post with a shot from the edge of the box 16 minutes later.
The win was England’s first over the reigning world champions since they beat Argentina 3-1 at Wembley in 1980.
“I don’t think it was an upsetting defeat,” said Spain manager Vicente Del Bosque.
“The team put in all the effort they could, they played some good football and controlled the match. We just lacked a bit of spark in the decisive area of the pitch.”
Lampard, winning his 90th cap and captaining England in place of his Chelsea team mate John Terry, added: “We have beaten a great team but we will not be shouting from the rooftops as we are not where we want to be yet.”
PASSING GAME
The second half was far more entertaining than the first in which Spain took control from the kickoff, with their short passing game mesmerising England for long periods, but failed to turn their clear dominance into goals.
With midfielders Xabi and Xabi Alonso controlling almost every move, England were unable to break Spain’s grip on the match because they hardly saw the ball.
When they did, their approach was in total contrast with whoever was in possession looking for the long pass to try and build an England attack with a hit-and-hope approach.
Apart from one quick break after three minutes, when a Milner cross was cleared, and a poor Lampard corner, England hardly made any impression in attack in the early stages.
England manager Fabio Capello’s experimental lineup, with defender Phil Jones playing on the right side of midfield, was looking distinctly unimpressive.
Lampard had England’s only shot of note in the first period, a hugely speculative effort from 30 metres which goalkeeper Iker Casillas, making his 126th appearance to equal Andoni Zubizarreta’s Spain record, saved easily.
Despite the visitors’ technical and territorial superiority, they did not create a chance until the 37th minute when Xabi Alonso found Sergio Busquets who, with only England keeper Joe Hart to beat, skied his shot over the bar.
The glaring miss came at the same end of the pitch where he scored for Barcelona in their 3-1 win over Manchester United in the Champions League final in May.
The tempo increased in the second half with England debutant Jack Rodwell and forward Danny Wellbeck, winning only his third cap, playing well after coming on as substitutes.
Spain, who lost for only the fourth time in their last 23 matches, should have equalised in the 89th minute but substitute Cesc Fabregas missed an easy chance leaving a young England side to celebrate a famous victory.
England vs Spain
England vs Spain
England vs Spain
England vs Spain
England vs Spain
England vs Spain
Formula 1 2011 - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Qualifying
Newly-crowned double world champion Sebastian Vettel drew level with Nigel Mansell in the Formula One record books yesterday when he delivered a stunning fastest lap to secure pole for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The 26-year-old German steered his Red Bull car round the Yas Marina circuit in dazzling fashion to create a dramatic finale and steal pole from Lewis Hamilton, who will start second on the grid alongside him for Sunday’s 55-laps day-night race.
It was Vettel’s 14th pole this year and the 29th of his career, in his 80th Grand Prix.
Briton Mansell reeled off his record 14 poles in a single season with the Williams team in his drivers’ title winning year of 1992.
“I wasn’t very happy with the car on Friday,” said Vettel. “We thought there was more (performance) in the car, but we couldn’t really get to it.
This afternoon was quite a bit better, but this place is tricky in many ways. You practice in day conditions when the sun is up and the track is hot. Then in qualifying, it’s getting dark and cool, so the car behaves differently.
Abu Dhabi GP
Abu Dhabi GP
Abu Dhabi GP
Abu Dhabi GP
Abu Dhabi GP
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