Premier League: West Brom bounce up to fourth place
West Bromwich Albion’s excellent campaign continued as they beat Fulham 2-1 at the Hawthorns, a result that propelled the Baggies into the Champions League places.
Things didn’t start too well for the hosts though, as former West Brom midfielder Zoltan Gera struck a long range effort that bounced back off a post, onto the back of goalkeeper Scott Carson and into the net to give Fulham the lead.
However, the hosts turned it around and were in front by half time, as first Youssuf Mulumbu raced onto a Chris Brunt pass to fire past Mark Schwarzer, before Marc-Antoine Fortune turned home a Jerome Thomas cross to put Roberto Di Matteo’s side into a lead that they never looked like letting slip.
Elsewhere, champions Chelsea cruised to a routine 2-0 home win over Wolves.
Florent Malouda and Salomon Kalou struck in either half as the Blues extended their lead at the top of the table to five points, and made it five home wins from five in the league this season.
Sunderland rose to seventh with a hard fought victory over Aston Villa at the Stadium of Light.
The visitors had started the better, only for Villa defender Richard Dunne to slice a Steed Malbranque cross into his own net for what proved the game’s only goal. The Irish defender has now scored eight own goals in his Premier League career, one record that he won’t be too proud of.
Also climbing the table are Birmingham City, who beat Blackpool 2-0 at St. Andrews.
Blues scored in each half through Liam Ridgewell and Nikola Zigic – the latter profiting from a Charlie Adam error – to rise to 11th in the table, while there was a bad tempered Lancashire derby at the DW Stadium, where Wigan’s James McCarthy was stretchered off as the hosts drew 1-1 with Bolton – Hugo Rodallega and Johan Elmander with the second half goals.
Tottenham (Rafael van der Vaart) and Everton (Leighton Baines) drew 1-1 at White Hart Lane in the day’s early kick off, while West Ham’s clash with Newcastle kicks off at 17:30 GMT.
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