• Premier League round-up

Szczesny howler hurts Arsenal while Chelsea hit five

ESPN staff
October 2, 2011
Rafael van der Vaart opened the scoring for Tottenham but there were shades of handball involved © Getty Images
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Arsenal's season took a step closer to crisis point on Sunday after they were beaten 2-1 by fierce rivals Tottenham at White Hart Lane, leaving the Gunners down in 15th place in the Premier League table, already eight points outside the top four.

Arsene Wenger's side began the campaign talking of a title challenge but they have now lost to arguably their two biggest rivals for Champions League qualification, Liverpool and Tottenham, after they were deservedly beaten at White Hart Lane. Aaron Ramsey thought he had earned the visitors a point when he cancelled out Rafael van der Vaart's opener, but a poor error by Wojciech Szczesny handed Harry Redknapp's men the points when he let Kyle Walker's speculative effort slip through his grasp.

Predictably, Tottenham named former Gunner Emmanuel Adebayor - a man who previously scored eight goals in nine games against them - in their starting line-up alongside Jermain Defoe, with a midfield quartet of Gareth Bale, Scott Parker, Luka Modric and Van der Vaart providing the bullets. Arsenal were also able to name a strong XI after Theo Walcott and Gervinho passed late fitness tests, meaning there was no place in the squad for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

In a fixture that always provides goals, both teams were guilty of first-half profligacy, first when Scott Parker shot straight at Szczesny from point-blank range, and then when Gervinho completely missed the target after Robin van Persie's superb cutback.

The breakthrough finally arrived five minutes before half-time, although it was not without controversy. Adebayor crossed for Van der Vaart, who chested and volleyed home but only after an arm had aided his control. The Dutchman also buried himself into the crowd to celebrate which, by the laws of the game, should have earned him a second booking.

Arsenal showed character in the second period though and were level in the 51st minute, with Ramsey tapping home to convert Alex Song's excellent run and cross down the left flank.

Parity should have only lasted six minutes when Adebayor was played clean through by Bale, only for the Togolese forward to be denied by a world class save by Szczesny. The Arsenal keeper was having a fine game, but on 73 minutes he ruined all his good work, displaying powderpuff hands to palm Walker's 25-yard winner into the bottom corner.

Frank Lampard notched a hat-trick © Getty Images
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Four goals in less than 27 minutes gave Chelsea the platform to complete a comfortable 5-1 victory against Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium. Two goals apiece from Daniel Sturridge and Frank Lampard put Andre Villas-Boas' men in control of the contest with over 15 minutes to go before half-time. Bolton responded straight after the break as Dedryck Boyata headed home, but Lampard completed his hat-trick soon after to end any slim hopes the home fans might have had of an unlikely comeback.

It was Sturridge who set the tone of the match against his former club. The game was barely a minute old when he got on the scoresheet, losing his marker at a corner to nod home from six yards out. The goal was symptomatic of a sloppiness in Bolton's defending, and Lampard took advantage of that again ten minutes later to evade Nigel Reo-Coker and sweep home a flowing passing move that included a number of his Chelsea team-mates.

Sturridge - who refused to celebrate his opening strike out of deference to the club where he spent a successful loan spell last term - then got his second of the game, although it came with a helping hand from Trotters goalkeeper Adam Bogdan. Sturridge cut in from the right wing and unleashed a low drive that Bogdan really should have saved - but succeeded only in palming into the roof of his net at the near post.

Things then got worse for Bogdan as Lampard got his second, reacting quickest after a weak save from the Hungarian to prod home - a goal that led the boos to begin around the ground.

Manager Owen Coyle needed a reaction from his side at half-time and appeared to get one, as on-loan Manchester City defender Boyata rose highest to head home from a corner with barely a minute gone after the restart. But further resistance would not be forthcoming, as Lampard ensured he would go home with the match ball on the hour after a smart finish from eight yards following a slick one-two with Didier Drogba.

Andrew Johnson scored his first hat-trick for seven years © PA Photos
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Martin Jol's day started with newspaper reports surrounding an alleged bust-up with Bobby Zamora, but it ended in rather better circumstances as Fulham thrashed QPR 6-0 at Craven Cottage. The Cottagers were the only side in the top four English divisions not to have won a league game prior to kick-off, but they corrected that statistic in fine style thanks to Andrew Johnson.

It was Johnson, not Zamora, who stole the show, scoring a hat-trick and creating two others in a game that Fulham had sewn up by half-time. The former Crystal Palace man opened the scoring after 78 seconds, and then forced a foul from Paddy Kenny, allowing Danny Murphy to convert from the spot.

Zamora contributed heavily for the third, crossing low for his predatory partner to double his personal tally. Johnson was determined to claim Fulham's first Premier League hat-trick during the second period, and he completed the feat on the hour thanks to Murphy's quick free-kick. The striker then crossed for Clint Dempsey to make it five before Zamora completed the rout.

In the day's other game, Swansea moved up to 10th in the table after they recorded a 2-0 victory over Stoke at the Liberty Stadium. The Swans moved ahead through a first-half Scott Sinclair penalty after a foul on Wayne Routledge, and the points were secured five minutes from time when Danny Graham ran unchallenged to slot past Asmir Begovic.

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