Premier League: Everton finally earn first win
Everton became the last of the 92 teams in the football leagues to earn a league victory this season as they ended Birmingham City’s year long unbeaten run at St. Andrew’s.
David Moyes’ side’s winless campaign ended as they won 2-0 courtesy of an own goal from City defender Roger Johnson and an injury time header from Tim Cahill following a Leighton Baines cross.
The Merseysiders climb off the foot of the Premier League table with the victory, and as a bonus, have plunged city rivals Liverpool into the relegation zone ahead of the Reds’ clash with Blackpool at Anfield tomorrow.
Elsewhere, Rafael van der Vaart’s growing influence on Tottenham Hotspur became more apparent as the Dutchman struck twice to earn a 2-1 win over Aston Villa.
Marc Albrighton had given Gerard Houllier’s side the lead, before Van der Vaart took over, and a strike in first half stoppage time was followed up by a terrific second a quarter of an hour from the end.
Fulham drew their sixth game out of seven in the league this season as they were held to a 1-1 draw by West Ham at Upton Park.
Clint Dempsey – who famously scored past Hammers goalkeeper Robert Green for the USA at the World Cup – opened the scoring for Fulham, but Frederic Piquionne grabbed the hosts’ equaliser to make it four games unbeaten for Avram Grant’s men.
There was another 1-1 draw at The Hawthorns as West Brom prolonged their impressive unbeaten run with a draw against Bolton. Johan Elmander’s strike for the visitors was cancelled out by a James Morrison header, while Jonathan Walters’ first Premier League goal was enough for Stoke City to edge out Blackburn Rovers 1-0 at the Britannia Stadium.
A burst water pipe in the visitors' changing room ensured that Sunderland’s match with Manchester United at the Stadium of Light kicked off 20 minutes late, and when it got going it was a bit of a damp squib. It ended goalless, with Sunderland the better side and going closest through a Bolo Zenden effort that hit the post. Sir Alex Ferguson was left to rue his decision to omit the in form Dimitar Berbatov from the starting line-up, as his side drew their fourth successive away league game.
The day’s early kickoff saw hosts Wigan beat Wolves 2-0 thanks to goals from Jordi Gomez and Hugo Rodallega.
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