Stewart Downing is the goal hero for Liverpool as the Reds register a 1-0 win over Samuel Eto’o’s Anzhi. A solitary Gabriel Obertan goal is enough for Newcastle to see off Brugge, while Gylfi Sigurdsson notches for Spurs in a 1-1 draw at Maribor. Elsewhere, Guy Demel and Matt Taylor are out of West Ham’s trip to Wigan, Kieran Gibbs remains sidelined for Arsenal, and the injuries begin to lessen for Martin Jol’s Fulham:
Liverpool 1 Anzhi 0
Brendan Rodgers replaced three of the side that won against Reading last Saturday for the visit of big-spending Russian outift Anzhi. Raheem Sterling, Suso and Joe Allen dropped out, affording Stewart Downing, Oussama Assaidi and Jonjo Shelvey a chance to impress. Sterling came on after the break, as Rodgers subbed off Glen Johnson ahead of Sunday’s Merseyside derby – Downing moved to left-back as a result of the switch. The winner was something of a collector’s item, as Downing cut on from the flank to fire home with his right foot after Shelvey supplied the assist; the latter then made way for Allen with 10 minutes left on the clock. Although the goals remain hard to come by, the Reds seem to be tightening up at the back – this was their third consecutive clean sheet in all competitions.
Maribor 1 Tottenham 1
Andre Villas-Boas made three changes from the side that lost 4-2 at home to Chelsea last Saturday. At the back, Hugo Lloris replaced Brad Friedel in goal, while Jan Vertonghen partnered Steven Caulker at centre-half; this saw William Gallas drop to the bench and Kyle Naughton come in at left-back. The other alteration was in the attacking midfield three, where Clint Dempsey made way for Andros Townsend on the left flank. Townsend was replaced by Iago Falque at the break, while Villas-Boas made two further substitutions late on; Sigurdsson was replaced by Dempsey with 15 minutes remaining after grabbing the equaliser, and Jake Livermore come on for Sandro on 84 minutes.
Newcastle 1 Club Brugge 0
Alan Pardew made as many as nine changes for last night’s match ahead of Sunday’s home game with West Brom. Davide Santon and Cheick Tiote were the only survivors from the side that drew 1-1 at Sunderland – Santon shifted over to right-back as Pardew rolled out a 4-3-3, with the likes of Papiss Cisse and Steven Taylor also afforded starts. Whilst Santon’s Fantasy owners will be confident of the Italian starting against the Baggies, Taylor and Cisse’s owners may be a little more apprehensive, after Mike Williamson and Shola Ameobi were picked ahead of them for the Tyne-Wear derby. It may well be that Pardew simply handed Taylor a chance to continue his recent comeback from injury, while Cisse was afforded another chance to regain his lost confidence, though. Pardew switched to 4-4-2 after the break, with Shola Ameobi climbing off the bench to partner Cisse up top but it was Sammy Ameobi who played a part in the game’s only goal, teeing up Gabriel Obertan to put the hosts ahead. Fabricio Coloccini and Yohan Cabaye climbed off the bench on 73 minutes and 80 minutes respectively as Pardew battened down the hatches to secure a vital win.
Post-match, Pardew was full of praise for Obertan, suggesting the winger has been more than unlucky to miss out on regular first-team action of late:
“He really hasn’t done much wrong and at the minute, he is being kept out by our best player, Ben Arfa. He keeps pushing and pushing and it’s a nice option for me – it’s a bit frustrating for Gabby, but he can’t do much more. He’s only 23, that kid, and he was brilliant tonight.”
Sam Allardyce has ruled out Guy Demel and Matt Taylor for West Ham’s trip to Wigan this weekend. Demel’s absence could see James Tomkins continue in the right-back role, while Joey O’Brien is fit and available and will vie with George McCartney at left-back, as the Hammers go in search of their first clean sheet in five matches. Matt Taylor is also sidelined for the Hammers and, with Ricardo Vaz Te out for three months with a shoulder injury, Yossi Benayoun could be set to continue in the first XI for the Latics clash – the Israeli provided an assist in his first start of the season against Southampton last weekend.
Arsene Wenger’s squad news ahead of Arsenal’s home clash with QPR could have Carl Jenkinson’s owners on alert after the Frenchman admitted:
“‘Sagna could be back. Wilshere I have to consider”
Jenkinson has played every minute of the season so far for the north London outfit and has now risen from 4.5 to 5.2 in Fantasy Premier League, with over 500,000 Fantasy managers snapping up his services. Sagna has slipped to 5.4 as a result of being sidelined but while it’s not yet certain he will start against Mark Hughes’ side, he is clearly edging closer to a first-team return, with many expecting him to oust the former Charlton man as soon as he is match-fit. Wenger also admitted Kieran Gibbs is still unavailable due to a thigh problem, with Andre Santos set to continue at left-back in his absence.
Martin Jol gave Fantasy managers a handy injury update yesterday ahead of Fulham’s weekend trip to Reading. The Dutchman revealed he almost has a fully-fit squad to choose from for the Madejski showdown:
“‘Everything is fine; almost everyone is back in contention. Simon Davies is still out, but that’s it. “
The news means that Damien Duff and Bryan Ruiz are set to come into contention after the pair missed out with illness and a groin strain respectively last weekend. Duff will likely replace Hugo Rodallega on the right, though Ruiz’s versatility could see him move to the role in “the hole” or fill in on the left flank, should Jol decide to hand him an instant return. With Kieran Richardson starting on the left against Villa last Saturday, cut-price favourite Alex Kacaniklic looks to have a real fight on his hands to nail down a regular role as the injury worries decrease for Fulham.
Martin O’Neill has admitted he plans to shift Craig Gardner out of the Sunderland back-four once Phil Bardsley is fully-fit:
“‘Craig has done a very good job at right-back, and we have needed him to do so while Phil has been out. One thing we have missed while he has been playing at right-back, though, is the goal threat he gives us from midfield. I know he wants to play in midfield and as soon as I am able, I will move him forward again.”
Gardner has filled in for Bardsley in the first eight Gameweeks but the latter made the bench for last week’s Tyne-Wear derby and could well be set to start at Stoke this weekend. with Lee Cattermole also available after serving a three-match suspension, O’Neill has plenty of options in the middle of the park, with Seb Larsson also preferred centrally this season. Bearing in mind that only Steven Fletcher has scored for the Black Cats this term, O’Neill could be set to shake things up as Sunderland head to the Britannia with a record of six goals and one victory in their seven fixtures so far.
