Chelsea, Arsenal suffer shock defeats at the EPL while Liverpool scrape through with a draw
Chelsea, Arsenal suffer shock defeats at the EPL while Liverpool scrape through with a draw
A Carlos Tevez goal handed champions Chelsea their first defeat of the Premier League season here on Saturday as Manchester City scored a 1-0 victory at Eastlands.
Just one day after City manager Roberto Mancini decreed that Carlo Ancelotti's team would repeat as champions, he saw his own club halt the progress of the London club, comfortable winners of their opening five games.
Garreth Barry fights for the ball with Chelsea's Michael Essien during
Manchester City's 1-0 win on Saturday. PICS/GETTY IMAGES,AFP
Sunderland's Darren Bent (left)u00a0 celebrates a goal with Jordan Henderson
during their 2-2 draw with Liverpool
Mancini's pre-match assertion, whether intended as an exercise in "mind games" or not, certainly created a stir with the City manager claiming that the visitors would defend their Premier League title "easily." The second half, however, opened with the promise of more attacking play from both sides and, before the hour was reached, City were in front.
Yaya Toure's pass found Tevez on the halfway line. The Argentinian sped through Chelsea territory -- Chelsea defender Ashley Cole backing away furiously --before beating Peter Cech with a superb 18-yard strike that flew in off the inside of the left-hand post.
Almunia errors sink Arsenal
Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia was guilty of two errors as West Brom shocked Arsene Wenger's team at the Emirates Stadium. Almunia had saved a first-half penalty from Chris Brunt but the visitors went ahead early in the second half when Peter Odemwingie tapped in his third goal of the season from close range.
Gonzalo Jara doubled the lead when Almunia allowed his shot into the near post, then former Arsenal winger Jerome Thomas added another to seal the points to leave the home crowd stunned. Samir Nasri pulled two back but Wenger's side could not take advantage of Chelsea dropping points.
Liverpool's woes continue
Liverpool's troubles continued as they drew 2-2 at home to Sunderland as Steven Gerrard snatched a point after Darren Bent's double.
The first half started brightly for the home side and went into the lead as a result of mistake by referee Stuart Attwell, as Michael Turner played the back to goalkeeper Simon Mignolet so that he could take a free kick.
But Fernando Torres took it as an invitation to go after the ball, and he did, setting up Dirk Kuyt to stab the ball home to the delight of the home support. Attwell looked to his assistant for advice and after a couple of minutes they decided to award the goal.
Sunderland received a way back when Christian Poulsen handled inside the area. Darren Bent stroked the resulting penalty under Pepe Reina to level things.
Bent then added one more in the second half.u00a0 Liverpool's equaliser came when Torres raced down the right hand side and crossing the ball for Gerrard to nod home.
Other EPL results
Birmingham 0 Wigan 0
Blackpool 1 Blackburn 2
Fulham 0 Everton 0
West Ham 1 Tottenham 0
Serie A
AC Milan 1 Genoa 0
Spanish League
Sporting Gijon 0 Valencia 2
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