Showing posts with label Wolverhampton Wanderers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wolverhampton Wanderers. Show all posts
Wayne Rooney scored twice as Manchester United responded to their crushing European disappointment with a comfortable 4-1 Premier League win over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford.
Nani scored United's first and set up Rooney for the second - the Englishman's first domestic goal in almost three months - to move the defending champions within two points of leaders Manchester City, who play at Chelsea on Monday.
Steven Fletcher continued his fine recent form by pulling a goal back a minute into the second half, but it was not enough to see Wolves claim what would have been a vital point.
Nani and Rooney then both struck again to make it five wins from United's last six league games. Rooney's second goal was his 113th in the league for United, moving him into the top 10 of the club's all-time goal scorers ahead of Tommy Taylor.
For all their characteristic work rate and togetherness, Wolves never looked likely to repeat their 2-1 win over United at Molineux in February once Fletcher's first-minute effort flew wide of David de Gea's near post.
The Red Devils soon took hold of the game and could have been ahead on seven minutes when Antonio Valencia - starting in place of Ashley Young - crossed for Michael Carrick, who sent his diving header just over from 12 yards.
Alex Ferguson's side took the lead on 17 minutes as an eventual result of Wolves keeper Wayne Hennessey's miscued clearance. That led to the Welsh keeper saving Rooney's effort at the near post at the expense of a corner, and after that set piece was not cleared sufficiently Nani roamed across the edge of the box before firing a clinical low strike into the bottom corner for his fourth league goal of the season.
Nani was then sent free down the left after an excellent through ball from Danny Welbeck, but Phil Jones was put under enough pressure not to be able to turn in the Portuguese's cross for what would have been his third goal in as many games.
Nani turned provider as the half-hour mark approached with a goal very similar to his opener. Once again Wolves could not fully clear a corner and Nani rolled the ball across to Rooney, whose low finish was too quick for Hennessey to keep out.
That goal took Rooney's league goal tally into double figures for the season, despite it being his first domestic strike since the 3-1 win over Chelsea on September 18.
United continued to dominate proceedings but could not extend their lead before half-time, and soon after the restart they were given a fright when Fletcher outjumped Patrice Evra to head Matt Jarvis's cross back over De Gea and in for his fifth goal in six games.
Nani restored United's two-goal cushion in 57 minutes. Antonio Valencia had given left-back Stephen Ward a torrid time for much of the afternoon, and on this occasion the Ecuadorean ran at the Irishman before firing a low cross in that Nani prodded home from the edge of the six-yard box.
Five minutes later, Rooney had his second of the game again thanks to Valencia. The cross came to the England striker at the far post and he fired a delightful half-volley on the turn that gave Hennessey no chance of saving it.
Ferguson felt comfortable enough at 4-1 up to bring 19-year-old left-back Ezekiel Fryers on for his Premier League debut, and the youngster helped United close out a game which may not provide much of a tonic for their European failure but aid least aids them in their league title defence, now unquestionably their top priority.
A brace from Robin van Persie gave Arsenal an easy 2-0 win at home to Wolves, keeping the Gunners four points behind leaders Manchester United and sending Mick McCarthy’s side bottom of the Premier League.
The in-form Dutchman - who now has 10 goals in his last seven league games - beat the impressive Wayne Hennessey with clinical finishes in either half of a match the Gunners dominated, thanks in part to a virtuoso performance from new England midfielder Jack Wilshere.
Arsenal’s win keeps the pressure on United, with the Gunners four points behind, while Wolves slip behind West Ham after the East London side snatched a 3-3 draw at West Brom.
While Wolves had bits and pieces of possession and occasionally threatened from set pieces, Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny was largely a spectator as his side asked all the questions.
Cesc Fabregas had the ball in the back of the net in the fourth minute but the whistle had already gone for a foul on Wilshere, and while Arsenal were frustrated by the lack of advantage they were soon ahead thanks to a wonderful finish by Van Persie.
Fabregas found the Dutchman with an excellent ball from the right side of the box and, with his back to goal and on the turn, the in-form striker spun into an acrobatic volley which he put low into the bottom right.
Andrei Arshavin missed a gilt-edged chance to make it two soon afterwards, miskicking his far-post volley wide after the otherwise excellent Hennessey flapped at a Van Persie corner.
Arsenal somehow failed to extend their lead on the half-hour when, after a super run from Arshavin, Theo Walcott was denied by an excellent stop from Hennessey and Fabregas’s low finish on the rebound was blocked on the line by Richard Stearman.
Hennessey was again called into action, denying Arshavin after he sprung the offside trap to get on to Walcott’s through ball, and in stoppage time at the end of the half Hennessey again earned his coin with a superb stop with the boot from Van Persie’s low finish.
Arsenal started the second half like they were the team trailing, and seconds in Walcott was guilty of a dreadful miss, putting wide with the goal at his mercy after another hypnotising run from Wilshere.
In an advanced role behind the strikers, Wilshere was wreaking havoc and almost created another, his mazy dribble and low ball hitting Stearman but kept out by Hennessey with Alex Song lurking.
Arshavin half-volleyed just wide after buying himself space with a flicked first touch and eventually Arsenal got their second in trademark fashion: a spinning through ball from halfway by Fabregas released Walcott, who used his searing pace to stretch Wolves to breaking point before sliding the ball across to Van Persie, who just had the keeper to beat and did so with a rasping finish.
It was Walcott’s fourth assist of the season, and his fourth for Van Persie, as Arsenal hit peak attacking form before the title run-in.
It was the least Arsenal deserved and the next 10 minutes saw them pound the Wolves area, as Fabregas, Walcott and Van Persie caused problems without testing Hennessey.
The latter stages saw Arsene Wenger opt for a more Wolves-friendly physical front two of Marouane Chamakh and Nicklas Bendtner, but it was Walcott who had the best chances, curling one wide and another straight at Hennessey after cutting inside from the left flank vacated by the tiring Arshavin.
The last minute saw Wolves sub Sylvan Ebanks-Blake spurn their only real chance of the match, putting it over from 12 yards after good work by Ronald Zubar down the right, but anything would have been flattering to McCarthy’s side, who now lie three points shy of safety.
Manchester United suffered their first Premier League defeat of the season in a shock 2-1 loss at bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers.
In a top versus bottom clash that all but the most optimistic Wolves fan assumed would be a United walkover, two goals from George Elokobi - although Kevin Doyle will try to claim the second - overcame Nani’s opener as the champions struggled to create opportunities against their stubborn hosts.
Defender Elokobi had never scored in the Premier League before but it was United who were bereft of ideas as they lost their first league game at the 25th time of asking.
Despite the result Sir Alex Ferguson’s side are four points clear of second-placed Arsenal after the Gunners threw away a four-goal lead at Newcastle, while Wolves stay at the bottom following Wigan’s win, behind West Ham only on goals scored.
United had a fabulous start when, on three minutes, Nani scored a trademark goal, cutting inside from the right and - with everyone expecting the cross - firing a wicked drive inside Wayne Hennessey’s exposed near post.
Wayne Rooney should have made it 2-0 soon afterwards but fired straight at Hennessey after excellent hold-up play from Dimitar Berbatov. After that, though, United’s performance was nothing short of abject as they barely created a meaningful opportunity.
Wolves levelled on 10 minutes as United fell asleep at a quick corner routine, Elokobi flicking an excellent header into the bottom right with the visiting defence all over the place.
Down the other end Christophe Berra was granted a reprieve by 25-year-old referee Michael Oliver when he appeared to block Nemanja Vidic as he arrived to meet a corner.
That was on the quarter hour and, for the rest of the half, it was all Wolves, with Jamie O’Hara testing Edwin van der Sar at the near post and a superb Nenad Milijas free-kick deflected just wide with the soon-to-retire Dutch keeper stranded.
The cultured left boot of Serbia midfielder Milijas had a huge say in Wolves’ second goal five minutes before the break, which came about from his wonderful inswinging free-kick from the right, flat and almost impossible to defend as both Elokobi and Doyle claimed the goal.
Doyle stooped into a header but it appeared to strike the shoulder of the Cameroonian full-back: it was impossible to tell but Elokobi mock harassed the Irishman into letting him have the goal.
Nani headed one over just before the break, although with his lack of aerial ability it was generous to afford it half-chance status, and United were sent out early for the second half as Ferguson opted for the low-level humiliation that worked at Blackpool.
There was no such joy this time though as United, for all their possession, never really tested Hennessey in the second 45 minutes.
Just before the hour mark half-time substitute Paul Scholes slid a Rafael cross well wide, while Berra blocked Rooney’s effort after his keeper failed to claim a routine cross.
Late on Patrice Evra had a penalty shout correctly rejected when he fired a cross against the arm of Ronald Zubar from point-blank range as United huffed and puffed through the latter stages, which included a generous five minutes of injury time awarded by Oliver.
To say Wolves held out would be flattering - they merely had to remain solid - as United’s poor away record threw the title race back open.
Carlos Tevez upstaged debutant Edin Dzeko as Manchester City went top of the Premier League table with a 4-3 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Eastlands.
Nenad Milijas opened the scoring on 12 minutes with one of the scrappiest goals likely to be scored all season before Kolo Toure drew City level five minutes before the break.
Two goals from Tevez - the first evoking Argentine legend Diego Maradona - either side of a strike from Yaya Toure then should have put City out of sight after half-time, but a Kevin Doyle penalty and a Ronald Zubar header gave City boss Roberto Mancini a nervous final few minutes.
City's local rivals Manchester United can return to the top of the league on Sunday with a win at Tottenham.
All the attention was inevitably on Dzeko, making his debut following his £27 million move from Wolfsburg, and the big Bosnian striker took time to get into his long stride.
It was Dzeko's first match since December 22 - when Wolfsburg suffered a shock 3-1 German Cup defeat at home to second-tier Energie Cottbus that almost cost manager Steve McClaren his job - and he certainly looked rusty.
Save for the occasional link-up with Tevez and one blocked effort, the 24-year-old struggled to get involved in the first half, with Tevez and Adam Johnson instead providing what threat there was in a lacklustre first-half for Roberto Mancini's side.
Wolves, by contrast, looked determined to make a game of it right from the kick-off. Mick McCarthy's men ensured the ball was in the City half for much of the opening period and they were rewarded with Milijas's fifth goal of the season to take the lead.
Doyle held the ball up well before feeding Matt Jarvis on the right flank and the winger's cross caused trouble in the City box. Kolo Toure's clearance rebounded off a team-mate and into the path of Milijas, whose effort from close range was saved by Joe Hart, only for the Serbian midfielder to prod home the rebound.
Dzeko's contribution had not been spectacular up to that point, but he won the corner which led to City's equaliser when his shot from the edge of the box was blocked by Christophe Berra.
The subsequent set piece came to Kolo Toure and the defender fired in a low striker that went in via rebounds off goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey and David Jones.
City emerged from the half-time break with renewed vigour, encapsulated by Dzeko's vastly improved showing.
However, it was Tevez who produced the Maradona-esque skill needed to give City a 49th-minute lead. The City skipper slalomed his way through three Wolves defenders before slotting a cool finish past Hennessey to put City ahead.
Five minutes later City were two ahead thanks to Yaya Toure, but the goal was all about Dzeko who played a one-two with Tevez and beat Zubar before slipping a ball into the Ivorian's path and the midfielder clinically converted for his fourth goal of the season and his first at Eastlands.
City looked firmly in control, with Dzeko showing some dazzling skill and excellent hold-up play, but Wolves were handed a lifeline on 68 minutes when Joleon Lescott - a 50th-minute replacement for Kolo Toure - clumsily bundled over Doyle.
The Irishman picked himself up, placed the ball on the spot and calmly stroked his penalty into the bottom corner.
City were content to slow the tempo down and deny Wolves the chance to build momentum, but they had a hang on for the right to move top of the table when Zubar - who had earlier hit the bar with a header from a corner - rose to meet another and this time steer it on target. Nigel de Jong, stationed on the post, hacked the ball away, but referee Lee Mason ruled it had already crossed the line.
Nevertheless City sealed the win after five minutes and can enjoy Saturday night looking down upon the rest of the Premier League.
Wolverhampton Wanderers came from behind to beat Manchester City 2-1 and record just their second Premier League win of the season at Molineux.
Emmanuel Adebayor put the visitors ahead from the penalty spot after Richard Stearman had felled David Silva midway through the first half. Wolves responded on the half-hour mark through a fine Nenad Milijas volley.
City rather lost their way in the second half and Wolves deservedly grabbed the winner 10 minutes after the break as David Edwards kept his cool to slot home from close range following poor defending.
Although they remain second from bottom in the table, the victory is the first earned by Mick McCarthy's side since the opening day of the season and moves them to within just two points of Fulham in eighth. City remain fourth, trailing leaders Chelsea by eight points.
With Carlos Tevez having returned to Argentina to recuperate from a dead leg, the pre-match attention was focused on striker Mario Balotelli, making his first start for City since his transfer from Internazionale in the summer.
Indeed the Italian was straight into the thick of the action, forcing Kevin Foley into a last-ditch block inside four minutes before seeing a venomous drive fly just over the bar after a neat exchange with Adebayor.
Balotelli was then inches away from grabbing his first league goal, glancing a header just wide from James Milner's cross.
After a difficult start, Wolves soon settled and began to win more of the midfield battles. However they fell behind midway through the first half when Richard Stearman conceded a penalty by bringing down Silva as the Spaniard strove to keep the ball in play right on the by-line.
Adebayor stepped up confidently and sent Marcus Hahnemann the wrong way with his spot-kick.
David Edwards almost replied with Wolves' very next attack, his glancing, near-post header superbly tipped over by Joe Hart.
The Wolves fans did not have to wait long to see their side get back on level terms as Milijas rounded off a fine team move with a sweeping left foot volley straight into the bottom corner.
Matt Jarvis had been giving Micah Richards a torrid time on the left wing, and his teasing cross almost saw Wolves take the lead within seconds of pulling level. Neither Stephen Hunt nor Kevin Doyle could make the vital last yard to turn the ball home.
Four minutes before half-time Adebayor's powerful leap took him high above both Hahnemann and Christophe Berra in the heart of the Wolves area, but could only glance Balotelli's pinpoint cross agonisingly past the far post.
After a highly promising first half, Balotelli had a poor second half, and his performance mirrored that of the entire City side as Wolves turned their increased possession into the vital winning goal on 57 minutes.
Foley hoisted a rather hopeful high ball into the City box, and although Kolo Toure won the header, he failed to clear the danger and Edwards was on hand to snap up the loose ball and sidefoot home.
Hahnemann then tipped a Silva drive past the post before City's finishing went totally awry. Milner, Jerome Boateng and Adebayor all fired shots high into the darkening Midlands sky, with Adebayor's effort the most excruciating for the visiting fans to watch as the Togolese was picked out unmarked and just 10 yards out by substitute Adam Johnson.
City boss Mancini set tongues wagging as to what his plans were as he replaced striker Adebayor with midfielder Pablo Zabaleta with 15 minutes remaining, and the succession of high balls pumped into the area as City's need for a goal became ever more urgent only served to cause more wonderment around the ground.
Jo was introduced with 10 minutes remaining in place of Richards, allowing City to finally get more bodies into the Wolves box, but slack passing and poor crossing meant Hahnemann had a more comfortable final few minutes than he may have anticipated.
Wolves saw out a crucial victory with relative ease, while City's all-too-familiar inconsistency left their fans frustrated once more.
Stoke City and Wolverhampton Wanderers played out an eventful 0-0 draw at Molineux which leaves Wolves not yet safe from relegation to the Championship.
Neither side threatened in a drab first half but Kevin Foley nearly grabbed all three points for Wolves when his left-footed volley two minutes from time sailed inches wide.
Stoke were the quicker side to settle and dominated for long periods of the first half with only Mamady Sidibe's header from six yards to show for it.
The second period was a different affair with Wolves a real threat going forward; but it was the visitors who should have taken the lead.
Matthew Etherington's cross from the left missed everyone in the goal area and fell to Sidibe six yards out. The striker took an almighty swing at the right-footed volley and blazed over the crossbar.
With time running out Mick McCarthy's men looked like they might nick the victory. Chris Iwelumo did wonderfully well to chest a long ball into the path of Foley and the midfielder took a touch before firing a left-footed effort inches wide of the far post with Thomas Sorensen rooted to the spot.
It is a result that suits Stoke more than Wolves, who sit just six points above the Premier League relegation zone with four games to play.
Saturday's win keeps us in the title race.
It was important to forget Barcelona for 24 hours and focus on the Wolves game, and that was not easy. But we did it well - I think we had a good focus. We were a bit jaded physically but we kept going and we didn't make a mistake at the back. In the end we got a deserved victory against a resilient Wolves team who had a great goalkeeper.
I put all our late goals down to our mental tenacity, our unity and the focus of the players who come into the side. Everybody works in the same direction. And as well, we often take advantage of our technical superiority in the final part of the game.
I felt it became more difficult against 10 men when Wolves had Karl Henry sent off because suddenly they dropped 10 yards and got everybody in front of their box. We were not so much under the threat of conceding a goal but it looked difficult to create chances. I knew we would continue to try but I was not certain we would score in the final minute!
Nicklas Bendtner scored our goal and he is a player who can take criticism. He responds well to it and has that strength. I believe he is improving, which is not unusual for a young player at 22. There is still room for improvement, but he is becoming more of a team player and is working hard. It is all positive.
A draw would have finished our title hopes because if you're five points behind Chelsea with five games to go, you can forget it. But a three-point gap is feasible because we have a difficult programme but they have a difficult programme as well.
Now we focus on Barcelona and I don't deny it will be a difficult task. We have to raise above the impression they left on us in the first part of the match, to have a game plan and stick to it. I believe we have to be audacious and not hide. I do not deny in the first part of the first leg that Barcelona were over-dominant, but if you look at the chances we created, we had some good ones.
Everton midfielder Dan Gosling has been ruled out for up to nine months with a knee injury, the club have confirmed.
The 20-year-old was hurt in a collision with Wolves goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann late in Saturday's goalless Premier League draw at Molineux.
Physio Mick Rathbone told the club's website: "Our worst fears have been confirmed. Dan has ruptured his cruciate ligament and will unfortunately be out for up to nine months."
Gosling had been enjoying a breakout season with the Toffees, making 17 appearances and scoring three goals.
He also made his debut for the England U21 side with a substitute appearance against Portugal.
"I'm really disappointed for Dan," said Everton manager David Moyes.
"He's been making great progress here at Everton and we look forward to having him back as soon as possible."
Wolverhampton Wanderers pulled seven points clear of the Premier League drop zone after a 3-1 win at West Ham, who barely raised a whimper in a relegation six-pointer.
Goals from Kevin Doyle, Ronald Zubar and Matt Jarvis gave Mick McCarthy's men as straightforward a win as they have had all season, with West Ham as poor as Wolves were competent.
Doyle, Jarvis and midfielder David Jones were in fine form for the Midlanders, whose defence was tightly-organised and well-protected by the impressive Michael Mancienne.
For the Hammers only Scott Parker accepted any responsibility, with Guillermo Franco impressive when he came on as a late sub to test Marcus Hahnemann and score an injury-time consolation.
West Ham's main problem lay in a back four that was nothing short of shambolic.
Matthew Upson and James Tomkins barely completed a clearance between them, bullied by the shorter yet aerially superior Doyle, and it was a shocking error from Tomkins that gave the visitors a 28th-minute lead.
A straightforward long ball should have been meat and drink for the 20-year-old but he let it run across him before hugely under-hitting an attempted back-pass. Doyle needed no invitation and raced on to the loose ball, holding off Tomkins's challenge and rifling a low drive across Robert Green and in off the far post.
Kevin Foley had already hit the underside of the bar with a splendid effort after Doyle beat Upson to a flick-on and, after the opener, Radoslav Kovac was fortunate not to give away a penalty when he kicked David Jones's calf in the box.
Wolves were turning it on, Green forced to palm Jones's low strike behind after a lovely passing move that showed guile and patience as well as muscle.
West Ham did have one chance at the end of the first half, but luck was not on their side when Parker surged forward to play a low curler off the inside of the post.
Zola rang the changes at half-time, with Junior Stanislas brought on for the increasingly pointless Kovac and - seemingly suffering from his earlier howler - Tomkins replaced by Jonathan Spector.
It did not help as two goals in three minutes around the hour mark put the match out of sight for the hosts.
The first was a wonderful individual effort from French full-back Zubar, who rifled Jones's pass inside the far post from a tight angle, with the shot flying at such pace Green was barely able to get down in time to see it whistle in.
The second was a great team goal, with Jarvis placing a low shot inside the right-hand post after a sweet touch to play Jones's through-ball between Upson and Spector.
With half an hour remaining, West Ham's fans started leaving in their droves and, save for a late consolation for Franco - who also forced a smart stop from Hahnemann just after coming on - they missed little.
West Ham gave up the ghost as weakly as they did against a 10-man Arsenal at the weekend, leaving them three points above third-bottom Burnley, but with 19th-placed Hull City having a game in hand on the same total.
Wolves, meanwhile, rise to 15th, seven points clear with seven matches remaining.
