• Premier League

Ten-man Arsenal go top, Pompey beat Hull

ESPN staff
March 20, 2010
Robert Green could do nothing to keep out Denilson's strike © Getty Images
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Saturday Football Gallery

Arsenal climbed to the top of the Premier League with a battling 2-0 win over West Ham United.

Denilson's early goal set Arsenal on their way to three points at the Emirates, but it was not all plain sailing for the Gunners as Thomas Vermaelen was sent off on the stroke of half-time after being adjudged to have fouled Franco. The offence handed West Ham a penalty, but Alessandro Diamanti saw his effort superbly saved by Manuel Almunia.

Arsenal came under pressure in the second half, Carlton Cole hit a post and Benni McCarthy headed wide, but the nerves were eased when Cesc Fabregas slotted home from the spot after Matthew Upson handled in the area.

Iain Dowie was denied the dream start to his Hull tenure as Jamie O'Hara and Nwankwo Kanu struck in the 88th and 90th minutes to steal a 3-2 victory for Portsmouth.

Caleb Folan, who had scored just once in his last 19 matches for the Tigers, appeared to have won it for Dowie's men with a goal in either half, but Pompey fought back to keep Hull three points adrift of safety.

Both sides had chances throughout Saturday's contest at Fratton Park, but it was Hull who took the lead in fortunate circumstances after a series of deflections. Jimmy Bullard's corner was cleared as far as Craig Fagan, who drove the ball into the back of David James's net courtesy of a flick off Folan.

Portsmouth skipper Michael Brown vowed on Saturday morning to fight until the end of the season despite the club's nine-point deduction for falling into administration, and that is exactly what Avram Grant's men did as they levelled by half time, Tommy Smith backheeling into the net after a melee in the Hull penalty area.

Chances kept arriving at either end, but it was Folan who bagged his second of the match with 17 minutes remaining to hand the Tigers the lead for a second time.

However, O'Hara produced a sublime free kick to level with two minutes left, and Kanu slid home 60 seconds later for a dramatic win that could prove disastrous for Hull.

Wigan are now seven points clear of the drop zone after they snatched a late winner to triumph 1-0 at home to relegation rivals Burnley. Brian Laws has had little to cheer during his Burnley reign, failing to pick up a win in his previous six matches, but his side had the best of the first half at the DW Stadium as Wigan were restricted to just one Gary Caldwell header.

However, Wigan were denied a blatant penalty in the second period as James McCarthy's legs were taken away by Leon Cort, but the Latics were not left to rue the moment as Hugo Rodallega scored deep into injury time with a brilliant diving header.

Tottenham are now four points clear of Liverpool in the race for the Champions League spots after they overcame 10-man Stoke 2-1 in a bad-tempered affair. Quality football was at a premium in the first half at the Britannia Stadium, and Spurs' cause was not helped by an injury to in-form striker Roman Pavlyuchenko. Tottenham lost Jermain Defoe on Friday due to a hamstring tear and Pavlyuchenko, who had scored seven goals in his last five matches, added to Harry Redknapp's woes by limping off in the first half.

Eidur Gudjohnsen responded to those problems though, showing why the Tottenham manager gambled on his January capture by linking with Peter Crouch to break the deadlock just 60 seconds into the second half. The goal sparked a mini-capitulation from Stoke as Dean Whitehead got himself sent off for a dangerous challenge four minutes later, and Spurs appeared to have the game at their mercy as they dominated possession.

However, Benoit Assou-Ekotto pressed the self-explode button to concede a penalty for a tug on Dave Kitson, which Matthew Etherington converted from the spot, and it needed a Niko Kranjcar winner 13 minutes from time to settle the contest.

John Carew's brace rescued Aston Villa © Getty Images
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John Carew struck eight minutes from the end against Wolves to rescue a 2-2 draw for Aston Villa as Martin O'Neill's men blew a big chance to turn up the heat on their rivals for the fourth Champions League spot at Villa Park. With Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester City all facing tough away fixtures this weekend, Villa had the chance to move level with Spurs in fourth spot with victory over their local rivals.

They got off to a flying start too, taking the lead after 16 minutes in controversial circumstances as Carew tapped in Ashley Young's cross from an offside position. An onslaught seemingly beckoned, but instead it was Wolves who struck back through the prolific Jody Craddock, before James Milner bundled home an unfortunate own goal to stun the home crowd.

However, Carew played right on the boundaries of the rules again to divert Steve Sidwell's shot home for a late equaliser, this time from an onside position, earning Villa a draw that will do their European aspirations little good.

Elsewhere, Everton beat Bolton 2-0 thanks to late goals from Mikel Arteta and Steven Pienaar. David Moyes has endured a rotten season as far as injuries are concerned, and he had more problems to deal with in the first half against Bolton as Victor Anichebe got stretchered off with what looked like a serious hip injury.

Arteta knows all about serious injuries after having the majority of his season taken away from him, but he grabbed a 72nd-minute winner with a marvellous free kick just moments after Gretar Steinsson had seen red for a professional foul on Yakubu, before Pienaar wrapped things up in injury time.

And Sunderland are now 10 points clear of the drop after Darren Bent and Craig Gordon inspired a 3-1 win over Birmingham. Bent scored his 20th and 21st goals of the season to send out yet another message to England boss Fabio Capello ahead of the World Cup.

Bent scored a hat-trick in Sunderland's recent win over Bolton, and he started in similarly electric form against Birmingham. Five minutes was all it took for the former Ipswich and Charlton man to open his account, before a dynamic Mario Melchiot run six minutes later ended with Bent cutting inside onto his left foot for 2-0.

Cameron Jerome should have had a brace of his own for Birmingham, first blazing over from six yards and then hitting Craig Gordon's feet when clean through. Finally the burly forward did find the net, converting his most difficult chance of the day to halve the deficit with half an hour remaining, but Fraizer Campbell ended the contest late on.

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