• Premier League Plays of the Day

Plays of the Day: If not sent off at first, try try again

Lee Cattermole did everything he could to make sure he was sent off in Sunderland's draw at Newcastle © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Ferguson hails 'massive result' in race for title
  
• News: Redknapp targets third place after United defeat
  
• News: Young spurs United to victory as Toon deny Sunderland
  

Black Cat out of lives
You could hear the chuckles in pubs around the country before the game even started between Newcastle and Sunderland on Sunday.

Lee Cattermole? Tyne-and-Wear derby? Recipe for disaster.

Within 40 seconds (we're surprised it took that long) those predictions proved to be true as Cattermole lunged in on Cheik Tiote, twisting his rival's knee with a challenge that easily could have seen red. As it was, Cattermole got off with just a booking, meaning he would miss two games after picking up his 10th yellow of the season. Clearly not satisfied with that, Cattermole then talked his way to a sending off after the final whistle.

Captain reliable.

The Dean of Mean
Referee Mike Dean has a reputation for dishing out punishment in the Premier League, and he lived up to his billing with a card-happy opening quarter to the game at St James' Park. Dean brandished his yellow card no fewer than six times in the opening 25 minutes, although in fairness his cause was not helped by the antics of Cattermole and James McClean - both guilty of horrendous lunges.

One can only imagine how Paul Konchesky would have relished such an encounter.

A spot of luck
Sunderland arrived on Tyneside as the only team in the Premier League not to have scored a penalty. Imagine their delight then when referee Dean rocked up as Sunday's official. Clearly keen to become the first ref to award 10 penalties in the top flight this season, Dean was clinical in putting his whistle to his lips at the first sight of a shirt tug by Mike Williamson. Then, as if that wasn't enough, he awarded another to Newcastle in the second half.

Apparently Fergie's already enquired about Dean's availability for an April 30th date at the Etihad Stadium.

Better with 10 men?
We've all done it. We've all watched our team at one stage or another, singled out one particular player who acts as our figure of hate and declared: "We'd be better with 10 men than with that guy on the pitch."

At White Hart Lane that actually proved to be true during the first half of Tottenham's 3-1 defeat to Manchester United. Searching for the opener, Spurs created the chance they'd been looking for when the ball dropped to Louis Saha, six yards out in front of an open goal. However, as the Frenchman shot goalwards Emmanuel Adebayor was on the line, and he blocked the ball with the use of his hand to stop Spurs taking the lead.

Flashbacks to Grzegorz Rasiak were lost on nobody.

Spurs' bogey man
Wayne Rooney likes playing Tottenham. Having returned to the United line-up after recovering from a throat infection, Rooney netted his 18th league goal of the season against the run of play to give his side the lead on the stroke of half-time. It was his seventh goal in eight matches against Spurs.

The anti-comeback kings
When Ashley Young netted his first goal to give United a two-goal advantage on the hour-mark, Harry Redknapp must have given up all hope of three points. The last time Spurs came from two goals down to win a Premier League game was over 11 years ago, when they beat Everton 3-2 in September 2000.

The final insult
Chelsea opted to part company with much-maligned boss Andre Villas-Boas on Sunday, or should we say Andre Villa-Boas. Even in the act of sacking their manager Chelsea did not quite get things right, spelling his name wrong on their official website, although maybe it was all he deserved after winning just 19 of 40 games in charge, the lowest win percentage since Glenn Hoddle.

Apparently the Tranmere job is vacant, Andreas...

Do not let him shoot, literally
Pavel Pogrebnyak's first shot on target as a Fulham player resulted in a goal against Stoke. His second effort to fall between the sticks also yielded a goal against QPR. At home to Wolves on Sunday strikes three, four and five from Pogrebnyak also found the net, meaning he has scored with his first five shots on target in English football.

Plays of the Day will provide a comparison with Fernando Torres as soon as the Spaniard's fifth effort arrives.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.