EPL 09/10: Reds triumph over United and round-up

Liverpool earned a 2-0 victory over fierce North West rivals Manchester United to lift the recent misery surrounding Anfield.

The first half had been a tight affair, failing to meet the level of expectancy surrounding the fixture, and ended goalless as Edwin van der Sar saved a Fabio Aurelio free-kick, while Wayne Rooney could not generate power in a header.

The goal brought the game to life in a thrilling conclusion and United were incensed as Jamie Carragher avoided a red card when pulling down Michael Owen, who was severely booed when entering the game from the bench on his return to Anfield.

United’s frustrations increased shortly after as Nemanja Vidic was dismissed for a second booking when hauling down Dirk Kuyt to earn his third successive red card against Liverpool.

Javier Mascherano followed shortly after as the Argentine had a rush of blood to the head with a slide challenge on United goalkeeper Van der Sar, which warranted a second booking.

Ngog then made sure of the points in front of a jubilant Kop as the Frenchman kept his composure to apply the finishing touch to a swift counter-attack deep into stoppage time.

Arsenal threw away a two-goal lead against West Ham at Upton Park on Sunday in a game they looked certain to win.

Hammers goalkeeper Robert Green gifted Robin van Persie the opener on 16 minutes when he palmed a cross into the path of the Dutchman leaving the striker the simplest of tasks of tapping home into an empty net.

The visitors doubled their lead eight minutes before the break when William Gallas rose highest to head in from a corner.

Arsenal looked the likeliest to extend their advantage after the break but it was the introduction of Alessandro Diamanti, now minus the dreadlocks, and Zavon Hines that turned the game on its head.

It was Diamanti that swung in a vicious free-kick from the left that Vito Mannone could only parry back into the six-yard box and Carlton Cole was on hand to head in on 74 minutes.

Cole was involved in the second when Arsenal’s Alex Song was, harshly, adjudged to have bundled over the striker in the area to give Diamanti the chance to smash home from the spot six minutes later.

The Hammers held onto their precious point despite captain Scott Parker being dismissed for two bookable offences with five minutes remaining.

Manchester City gave away a two-goal lead in a pulsating 2-2 draw with Fulham at Eastlands.

An open first half saw no goals at either end but after Bobby Zamora missed a sitter early on in the second period, Fulham were made to pay.

Joleon Lescott turned in his first goal in City colours moments later as the home side took the lead on 53 minutes and Martin Petrov continued his goal-scoring form seven minutes later as City mounted a two-goal cushion.

The hosts looked to be cruising towards three points, but just two minutes after Petrov’s strike on the hour mark Damien Duff put Fulham back in it as he punished City for lacking concentration.

A late Ivan Klasnic strike sealed a win for Bolton in a frantic North West derby against Everton at the Reebok Stadium.

Gary Megson’s side heaped more woe on the Toffees after their 5-0 demolition at the hands of Benfica in midweek, despite Everton coming from two goals down to equalise in the second half.

South Korean midfielder Lee Chung-Yong opened the scoring on 16 minutes, half-volleying past Tim Howard after Sam Ricketts had pulled the ball across goal from the right.

Gary Cahill then doubled the lead with a header from a Matthew Taylor free-kick, before Everton striker Louis Saha pulled one back for the away side with a superb shot into the roof of the net from outside the area.

Marouane Fellaini struck a fierce equaliser for the Toffees 10 minutes after the break, before substitute Klasnic, who was out cold minutes before, latched onto a Kevin Davies flick-on and smashed the ball low into the net.