Check back every Monday for the Euroscore European Round Up.
England
This weeks major talking point came from an incident in the Arsenal v Liverpool match at the London club’s Emirates Stadium. The match ended 1-1 leaving The Gunners in 5th and Liverpool top, two points ahead of Chelsea who have a game in hand. In the 62nd minute Arsenal’s Emmanuel Adebayor, who had picked up an earlier yellow, went in on Liverpool defender Alvaro Arbeloa. The Liverpool player went down dramatically and Arsenal found themselves down to ten men.
At the point this happened Arsenal were taking control and may well have gone on to clinch all three points. We will never know as the game petered out and ended 1-1.
Elsewhere both Blackburn Rovers and Sunderland showed that a change can often be as good as a rest by winning convincingly. Blackburn beat Stoke City 3-0, all three goals coming in the first half, to show new manager Sam Allardyce what they can do. Sunderland continued their mini revival since Roy Keane left by beating Hull City 4-1 away.
Aston Villa continued to show that they are the team to watch with a 1-0 victory at West Ham United which takes them into 3rd place above Manchester United. Manager Martin O’Neill has money to spend in January and looks set to further strengthen his squad. Fulham are up to 8th, nose bleed territory, having convincingly dispatched Middlesbrough 3-0 at Craven Cottage.
Manchester City slipped into the bottom three losing 2-1 at West Bromwich Albion. Speculation mounts over the future of City manager Mark Hughes who will have a huge amount of money to spend in the transfer window if, of course, he is still there. Having said that it must be unsettling to say the least for players and staff alike knowing that the richest club in the world is ready to splash out on replacements.
Newcastle United enjoyed a welcome 2-1 home win over Spurs with a last minute goal from Damian Duff. Portsmouth continued their slump with a 2-1 defeat at Bolton. Today the south coast club announced that midfield star Lassana Diarra is on his way to Real Madrid following a £20m move. The supporters will insist that the money is made available for Tony Adams to spend to stop recent poor form.
Italy
AC Milan thumped Udinese 5-1 with two goals apiece from Pato and Kaka. This week they welcome England’s David Beckham to the San Siro on loan. The win takes them into 3rd place behind Inter and Juventus who both won.
Article comments
1 - John M. Burt
I am writing a novel about the Christmas Truce of 1914, which is how I happened across this site.
As I wrote about the boys who played that legendary game, I thought of my own sons who had played AYSO when they were scarcely younger than those soldiers.
Yes, it was the greatest game of all time, and may it serve as an inspiration to call a Christmas Truce that lasts all year, every year.
2 - Jeff Perkins
Thank you John - very good to hear from you - all the very best for your book - please let me know when it comes out as I would love to read it. Jeff.