• Premier League

Pressure on Hodgson intensifies as Blackpool stun Reds

ESPN staff
October 3, 2010
Carlos Tevez was in the thick of the action at Eastlands © PA Photos
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The pressure is continuing to mount on Roy Hodgson after Liverpool succumbed to a humbling 2-1 defeat at home to Blackpool.

There were ominous signs early on for the Reds as star striker Fernando Torres limped off with a groin injury after only nine minutes at Anfield.

However, after Sotirios Kyrgiakos saw his header cleared off the line, things got much worse for the hosts just before the half-hour mark when Charlie Adam crashed home a spot kick after Glen Johnson had brought down Luke Varney.

Varney then stunned the kop by doubling Blackpool's lead shortly before the break. Gary Taylor-Fletcher's pass found Varney, who, after timing his run perfectly, slammed his effort into the corner to send the Tangerine faithful delirious.

Liverpool were given a lifeline at the start of the second half when Kyrgiakos headed home Steven Gerrard's free-kick but Ian Holloway's men held on for a shock win.

Two exquisite finishes from Didier Drogba and defender Alex proved to be the perfect tonic as Chelsea overcame fellow title challengers Arsenal 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.

Following their first loss in the league, away at Manchester City, the hosts started as if they had a point to prove. Drogba and Florent Malouda went close but it was the Ivory Coast striker who broke the deadlock five minutes before half-time.

Ramires did brilliantly before Ashley Cole's low cross was flicked in at the near post with consummate ease by the 32-year-old.

Nicolas Anelka wasted a glorious chance to put the result beyond doubt when he missed an open goal after rounding Lukas Fabianski.

But it did not matter, Alex rifling in an unstoppable 30-yard free-kick in the 85th minute as Chelsea recorded their sixth win in seven Premier League matches.

Adam Johnson came off the bench to spare Manchester City's blushes and catapult Roberto Mancini's side up to second in the table, as they edged Newcastle United 2-1 in a thriller at Eastlands.

Johnson had only been on the pitch a matter of minutes before his mazy run ended with the England flyer cutting in from the right and firing his shot past Tim Krul in the 74th minute.

The result, which temporarily sees City move behind Chelsea in the table, was somewhat overshadowed by a horrific injury sustained by Hatem Ben Arfa.

The match was barely three minutes old when Nigel de Jong took man and ball - the result of which left Ben Arfa nursing a suspected broken left leg.

Newcastle boss Chris Hughton opted to leave Andy Carroll on the bench and the visitors had the better of the early exchanges. De Jong's crunching tackle on Ben Arfa then took centre stage, with the Newcastle midfielder requiring oxygen on the pitch before being stretchered from the pitch and taken immediately to hospital.

The opening goal was controversial to say the least. Carlos Tevez made a typically bullish run towards goal only for the back-tracking Mike Williamson to pull off a wonderfully-timed challenge - or so it seemed.

Referee Martin Atkinson saw the incident differently and awarded City a penalty, which Tevez blasted into the roof of the net.

Not to be deterred, Newcastle pressed for an equaliser and were rewarded six minutes later when Jonas Gutierrez followed up on his own half-cleared cross to drill home from 12 yards.

But, after a lacklustre first-half showing from city which drew boos from the Eastlands crowd, Johnson came off the bench to steal the show.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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