English Premier League: Biggest Winners from Midweek Fixtures - Part 2
Continuing the count for the biggest winners from the latest midweek fixtures in the Premier League, here is the Part 2 of the series:
Leon Best
In the absence of Andy Carrol, Alan Pardew gave Leon Best his Premier League debut and what dividends did that decision pay. Leon went on to score a hat trick in his very first game and gave the world a glimpse of what can possibly be another superstar in
the future.
Newcastle
1/5 of Newcastle’s league fixtures this season have been either a victory for the Toons by a five goal margin or an equally damning defeat. For the third time in this season, Newcastle scored five or more goals in a single Premier League game. No other team
has achieved the feat this season.
Wigan
Their league position may not suggest so but the Latics have only lost 1 of their last six fixtures and are slowly but steadily moving up the table.
Birmingham City
Birmingham have just been able to keep their head above troubled waters this season as they sit just one point above the relegation zone. Of the four victories they have mustered this season, two have come against Blackpool.
Without the six points Alex McLeish’s side secured against the premiership new boys they would have been in the bottom three.
By the looks of things, Birmingham may just be able to survive in the Premier League but not before they entangle themselves in a mighty battle of survival.
Everton
Luis Saha successfully demonstrated in the midweek what difference a goal scoring striker makes in the match. If Everton had not been able to win against Spurs in the midweek, they would have been just one point above the relegation zone. But for this week,
they deserve a mention in the winners' column as they put out a dogged and resilient performance against the Spurs to come away with a precious win.
Manchester City
The match at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night was played between Arsenal and Manchester City and yet the winners were Manchester United, without even kicking a ball. A draw between the two title rivals could not have favoured anyone else more in the
league than it did to United.
For yet another time in the league, Mancini’s ultra defensive tactics cost the match the excitement and flair the fans expected from it. Once again, Roberto Mancini emphasized the fact that his aim this season extends no further than finishing in the top
four.
Mancini was deprived of David Silva and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Mario-Balotelli-c23937 for this game yet the squad he fielded at the Emirates was worth more than 170 million pounds. Unfortunately, it featured 3 defensive midfielders and 2 attackers instilled with a mentality to defend
rather than attack. Since his appointment at the City of Manchester Stadium, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Mancini-c23323’s side have played 7 matches against a side in the top four of the league and have failed to score a single goal in any of those meetings.
0-0, 0-0 and 0-3 against the Gunners, 0-0 and 0-1 against Manchester United and 0-1 and 0-0 against Tottenham Hotspur. That is more than 630 minutes of football without scoring a single goal. When you have such a wide array of attacking talent at your disposal,
such a performance is criminal.
Yet Mancini’s side are appearing in the winner’s column because they conjured a draw from a game that seemed to be beyond them. Even after the draw, they are still at the second position in the league.
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