Friday 8 November 2013

Top guns


Ten weeks into the 2013-14 Premier League season Arsenal are 5 points ahead of Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham. Since their 3-1 home defeat on day one, right up to their 2-0 home victory over Liverpool, the only points dropped by the Gunners was in a 1-1 draw at W.B.A.
Chelsea had been unable to defeat their closest rivals drawing 0-0 at Manchester United and 1-1 at Tottenham and suffering a 1-0 defeat at Everton until a last minute blunder handed them a 2-1 win over Manchester City at the Bridge, but that was followed by a disappointing 2-0 loss at Newcastle.
Liverpool began with three 1-0 wins including at home to Manchester United before drawing 2-2 at Swansea and suffering a shock 1-0 defeat at home to Southampton. The partnership of Sturridge and Suarez helped the Reds to several healthy wins marred by a 2-2 draw at Newcastle and their setback at Arsenal.
Tottenham began with a 1-0 win at Crystal Palace thanks to a controversial penalty but that has been their only win in London, losing 1-0 at neighbours Arsenal and drawing 1-1 at home to Chelsea before being hammered 3-0 at home to West Ham.
Manchester City have been formidable at home, thumping Newcastle 4-0, crushing Manchester United 4-1 and beating Everton 3-1 before humiliating Norwich 7-0, but away from home they have lost 3-2 to Cardiff and Aston Villa and drawn 0-0 at Stoke City.
Southampton have won at Liverpool and drawn 1-1 at Manchester United. Their only defeat has been by a single goal at Norwich, though they will be disappointed with their home draws against Sunderland 1-1 and West Ham 0-0 earlier in the season.
Everton began with three draws against Norwich, Cardiff and West Brom before picking up their first win 1-0 at home to Chelsea. Since then their only loss of points have been a 3-1 defeat away to Manchester City and a goalless match at home to Tottenham.
Manchester United are in 8th place after ten matches having dropped home points in a goalless draw against Chelsea, a 2-1 defeat to West Brom and a 1-1 draw against Southampton.
Newcastle have had a mixed season so far, starting slowly before winning 2-1 at Aston Villa, but then going down 3-2 at home to Hull. Their 2-1 setback at lowly neighbours Sunderland was followed by a handsome 2-0 home win over Chelsea.
Hull City have had mostly close matches with predictable results and lie in the middle of the Premier League table. They lost home points in draws against Cardiff 1-1 and Aston Villa 0-0 but earned a 3-2 win at Newcastle.
West Bromwich Albion drew 0-0 at Everton and famously conquered Manchester United 2-1 at Old Trafford but crashed 4-1 at Liverpool.
Cardiff City celebrated their home debut with a 3-2 victory over Manchester City and sent Everton home with a goalless draw a week later but in recent matches they have lost 2-1 at home to Newcastle and were taken apart 4-1 at Chelsea, though a 1-0 win at home to Swansea would have put the smile back on their faces.
Swansea City drew 2-2 at home to Liverpool but have otherwise found it difficult to match the big boys. They have had 2-0 wins at West Brom and Crystal Palace and have put 4 past Sunderland without reply at the Liberty Stadium.
Aston Villa began by punishing Arsenal 3-1 at the Emirates but then suffered 3 straight defeats and since their 3-2 triumph at home to Manchester City 5 matches ago have failed to score.
West Ham United opened with a 2-0 win at home to Cardiff, but since then have only enjoyed one win, hammering Tottenham 3-0 at White Hart Lane.
Fulham have avoided the relegation zone thanks to 1-0 wins away to Sunderland and at home to Stoke and a spectacular 4-1 victory at Crystal Palace but have otherwise been mostly on the receiving end.
Stoke City earned narrow wins at home to Crystal Palace and away to West Ham but since then drawn or suffered narrow defeats including 3-2 at Manchester United.
Norwich City have enjoyed 1-0 wins at home to Southampton and away to Stoke but been finding it difficult to defend against the bigger teams recently losing 3-1 at home to Chelsea, 4-1 at Arsenal and finally 7-0 at Manchester City.
Sunderland earned a 1-1 draw at Southampton, but several defeats later parted company with manager Paolo di Canio and picked up their first win of the season 2-1 at home to Newcastle.
Crystal Palace who are currently managerless after the departure of Ian Holloway have lost most of their matches by 2 goals and are rooted to the bottom of the table with 3 points from their 3-1 win at home to Sunderland.

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