Match Report - August 23rd, 2008

Liverpool 2 Middlesbrough 1

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard fired a stunning stoppage-time winner to floor Middlesbrough after they threatened an Anfield shock.

England head coach Fabio Capello suggested in midweek that Gerrard is not fully fit, but he was still going strong late in the game against Boro as Liverpool came from behind to claim three points.

Boro had not won in the league at Anfield since 1976, and when Mido came off the bench to put them ahead with 20 minutes left that record looked likely to be consigned to history.

But Jamie Carragher saw a 20-yard cross-shot deflect home off Emanuel Pogatetz for an own goal with five minutes of regulation time remaining, and then Gerrard rifled home a 20-yard winner deep into injury-time.

A pre-match injury to goalkeeper Brad Jones meant Ross Turnbull was thrust into action at the last moment.

He was put under immediate pressure by Liverpool. After three minutes Fernando Torres surged towards the penalty area and fed Dirk Kuyt whose fierce drive was turned aside at full stretch by Turnbull.

Then Andrea Dossena fired over a swirling cross-shot which Turnbull pushed behind.

Torres saw a flicked header go wide before there was a lengthy delay when Dossena and Jeremie Aliadiere clashed heads, both leaving the field.

Boro's French forward returned with his head heavily bandaged, while Dossena needed a stitch before being allowed back into the fray.

It then took a fine flying save from Jose Reina to touch over an 18-yard shot from Boro's Andrew Taylor.

Tuncay and Afonso Alves gave Liverpool central defenders Carragher and Skrtel plenty to think about before Gerrard almost scored at the other end when his dipping drive flashed just over, following neat build-up play between Torres and Kuyt.

Middlesbrough's England winger Stewart Downing, a possible target for Liverpool, cut inside two defenders from the left before sending a shot just wide of the far post.

The pace barely dropped, and only fine defending by David Wheater twice stopped Torres in the box, the second time after the Spaniard had been put clear by Kuyt.

Torres should then have given Liverpool a half-time lead but his shot was deflected wide by Emanuel Pogatetz.

Boro sent out Turnbull for a half-time warm-up in front of the Kop, the goal the visitors were due to defend in the second period.

But despite having the majority of possession, Liverpool were not making clear chances.

All the effort in the world was there from Keane and Kuyt, but Boro's defence was standing firm.

Liverpool's set-plays were weak and ineffective, and corners in particular were repeatedly wasted.

Boro sent on Mido for Alves on the hour mark, the Teesside club clearly believing they could get something out of the match.

And they almost took the lead after 62 minutes when Mido crossed from the left and Tuncay produced a clever turn and flick before forcing Reina into a sharp save.

Liverpool sent on Ryan Babel, fresh from his Olympic campaign with Holland, in place of Yossi Benayoun after 65 minutes.

Torres immediately went close with a 25-yard strike, but it was Boro who grabbed the lead after 70 minutes.

Xabi Alonso conceded possession and the ball was switched from Aliadiere to Mido, some 30 yards out. His fierce, low drive beat Reina and found the bottom right corner.

Liverpool replaced Dossena with Fabio Aurelio, with Boro sending on Hoyte for Taylor.

Keane was booked for dissent after Liverpool were denied a penalty when Gerrard's fierce drive was deflected wide, seemingly off a Middlesbrough player's arm.

Liverpool sent on Nabil El Zhar for Arbeloa with seven minutes left and they finally managed to pile on the pressure.

They drew level when Carragher made the most of Riley playing an advantage after a shot from Alonso hit Gary O'Neil's arm.

Amid loud appeals for a spot-kick, Carragher unleashed a shot which looked to be going off target but deflected past the unlucky Turnbull off Pogatetz.

Turnbull made a fine save from a Gerrard free-kick in injury-time. But in the fourth minute of added time, Liverpool's talisman smashed home the winner, driving the ball into the right corner of the net from the edge of the penalty area after Wheater's poor defensive header.

Stoke City 3 Aston Villa 2

Mamady Sidibe netted in injury-time as Stoke City claimed a dramatic 3-2 victory over Aston Villa to record their first victory in the Barclays Premier League.

Tony Pulis' side's direct style proved to be effective against Villa and his men claimed a deserved win after a pulsating match at the Britannia Stadium.

Liam Lawrence's 30th-minute penalty was cancelled out by John Carew's neat finish in the 62nd minute before the Potters took the lead again through Ricardo Fuller 10 minutes from time.

Villa skipper Martin Laursen looked to have rescued a point for the visitors three minutes later but Sidibe's header from Rory Delap's throw gave Pulis' battling Potters the points.

A high-tempo start saw Gabriel Agbonlahor put through in the second minute, but new £2.25million signing Abdoulaye Faye slid in to intercept the ball, which City goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen cleared to safety.

Stoke, backed by a vociferous home crowd who were taking in their first match in the English top flight for 23 years, had their first real chance five minutes later after Stiliyan Petrov fouled Dickinson on the left edge of the penalty area.

Lawrence whipped the resulting free-kick into the box but Villa goalkeeper Brad Friedel ignored the physical presence of Fuller and claimed well.

Lawrence was Stoke's main attacking outlet and he found space down the right flank in the 18th minute before delivering a high cross into the penalty area - but Fuller was unable to make contact.

Villa launched a counter-attack in the 24th minute but Ashley Young was unable to pick out Carew and Stoke cleared the danger.

The visitors had a shout for a penalty turned down in the 27th minute when Agbonlahor went down among a crowd of bodies, but referee Mark Halsey waved away the protests of the Villa players.

Stoke were then awarded a penalty of their own three minutes later after Laursen brought down Delap.

Lawrence took the spot-kick and drilled the ball low into the bottom-left corner past the dive of Friedel.

The home side continued to press and could have been 2-0 up in the 37th minute when Fuller was picked out by a long ball on the edge of the area - but the Jamaican international screwed his shot wide.

Stoke went close again in first-half added time after Delap's long throw-in was headed wide by the unmarked Fuller.

Substitute Salif Diao lashed a shot into the stands from long range after Fuller had laid the ball off.

Stoke adopted a direct style and their pressure was rewarded in the 80th minute with a superb finish from Fuller.

Lawrence released the striker with a perfectly-weighted through-ball and Fuller smashed a low shot from a narrow angle past Friedel.

But Stoke were again unable to hold on to the lead as Laursen finished from close range three minutes later.

Ashley Young fired a low shot at goal after his initial free-kick was cleared and the ball hit several players before it fell perfectly at the feet of the Danish international, who swept home from six yards.

The match looked to be heading for a draw but a long throw from Delap in injury-time found Sidibe - and he rose highest to head home from close range.

Fulham 1 Arsenal 0

Fulham held on for a famous victory over Arsenal which was secured by big defender Brede Hangeland's first goal for the club.

Arsenal's Robin van Persie missed a golden chance before Norwegian Hangeland turned in a corner from Jimmy Bullard in the 21st minute.

Emmanuel Adebayor hit the right post with a header for Arsenal soon afterwards, but that was as close as the Gunners came to an equaliser.

Arsenal tried to impose their possession game in the early stages but were caught out when Zoltan Gera slipped a fine ball through to Bobby Zamora in the inside left channel in the eighth minute.

The former West Ham United striker glided in behind the defenders but chipped a shot over the crossbar from a difficult angle.

And Arsenal were grateful to Gael Clichy for getting back to dispossess Zamora a few minutes later when the former West Ham striker came raiding again - this time down the right.

Arsenal's first shot finally came after 12 minutes when van Persie's pass found Adebayor and the big Togo forward neatly controlled but fired a low drive off-target from 20 yards.

Danny Murphy hit a volley over the bar when the Gunners, briefly down to 10 men with Emmanuel Eboue limping off, could only half-clear Gera's cross.

Arsenal should have gone ahead in the 18th minute. Walcott's cross from the right was miskicked by newcomer Nasri - and van Persie slammed an inviting chance wide.

And the visitors paid a heavy penalty when Fulham grabbed the lead from a corner just a minute later.

Giant defender Hangeland responded faster than any Arsenal defender to Bullard's low driven free-kick, sliding in to toe-poke his first goal for the club.

And Fulham's luck held when Adebayor's header came back off a post from a Bacary Sagna cross.

Arsenal finally started to put some pressure on the Fulham rearguard, and van Persie went close with a header under a challenge from Aaron Hughes.

Zamora was through again when William Gallas tried to play him offside. But the striker hesitated and was robbed by the recovering Clichy.

At the other end, Walcott fired over the bar from distance - a token effort by Arsenal, who looked out of sorts.

It was typical of Arsenal's first-half performance when after Kallio's tackle was deemed a foul on Walcott, van Persie's free-kick from 20 yards flew high over the bar.

Arsenal had clearly been given some sharp words by manager Arsene Wenger at the interval because they began the second half with more purpose.

Yet there was no breaking down the Fulham defence in the opening 10 minutes with Hangeland and Aaron Hughes standing firm and the home midfield quartet repeatedly cutting down space with quick challenges.

Adebayor shook off his first-half lethargy to drive his side forward and newcomer Nasri was all grit and determination.

But it was Fulham who forged another chance on the break just before the hour mark when Seol outwitted Toure and sent in a fine near-post cross which Zamora drilled just too high.

Adebayor's 20-yard shot at the other end was well off target, but at least Arsenal were now getting in some shots and crosses even though Walcott remained almost anonymous on the right.

Fulham were holding onto their lead fairly comfortably, with goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer yet to be tested.

Arsenal sent on Bendtner as substitute for Walcott with 25 minutes left, clearly trying to add muscle to their passing game.

It almost paid off when Van Persie's well-struck low drive went just wide in the 68th minute after a slick move .

Fulham had to withstand Arsenal's bombardment in the last 20 minutes but the visitors did not threaten as might have been expected and the home side always had Zamora lurking for a chance on the break.

Song replaced Toure, shortly after Kallio had limped off for Fulham to be replaced by Chris Baird.

It was all hands to the pump for Fulham with four added minutes at the end but their fans looked more anxious than the players as Arsenal toiled in vain.