Manchester City, Spurs set up midweek crunch
Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur meet in midweek after Saturday's results made that game look like a straight shoot-out for the riches and opportunities afforded by the world's premier club competition.
Tottenham made heavy weather of beating Bolton Wanderers 1-0 but Tom Huddlestone's first-half strike was enough to keep them in fourth place. They could thank 'keeper Heurelho Gomes for their points as he made a superb save from a Matt Taylor volley but a groin injury to the Brazilian presents a serious concern to Harry Redknapp ahead of Wednesday's trip to Eastlands.
In beating Aston Villa 3-1, City all but ended the hopes of Martin O'Neill's men making it a three-way battle. Villa took an early lead through John Carew but surrendered their lead through a two-goal City salvo. First, Carlos Tevez converted a penalty after Stephen Warnock had fouled Adam Johnson, who also supplied the assist for Emmanuel Adebayor to tap in City's second. Sub Craig Bellamy's late strike confirmed City's trousering of three points.
Burnley's horrible away record has been largely responsible for their demotion to the Championship and the trend continued at Birmingham City where defensive mistakes decided a 2-1 defeat. Goalkeeper Brian Jensen scored an own goal for the Blues' first and then Christian Benitez bundled home to double the lead at half-time. A late Steven Thompson consolation did little to cheer the Clarets' spirits as they prepare to kiss goodbye to Premier League football. Birmingham's win confirmed their status as a top-ten club after a highly progressive season.
Everton's hopes of overhauling embattled rivals Liverpool stalled after a 0-0 draw with Stoke City at the Brittania Stadium that will perhaps only linger in the memory as a possible cure for insomnia. Everton's Phil Jagielka had a goal chalked off when a Mikel Arteta corner was judged to have swerved out of play before landing on the defender's head but that result confirmed Everton's position in eighth. Stoke can stake a claim for tenth should they beat Manchester United next weekend.
Portsmouth, however, were able to add some respectability to their trainwreck of a season with a 3-1 defeat of Wolverhampton Wanderers. With Pompey players playing for FA Cup final places and Wolves' players perhaps eyeing a sunshine summer break, goals from Aruna Dindane, John Utaka and Michael Brown provided a decent send-off to Premier League football at Fratton Park. Wolves, safe from relegation, grabbed their goal through Kevin Doyle.
