A 69th Barton cross gave Carrol his 5th goal of the season as he scored a header. Carrol started the season with an incredible hat-trick and has been ordinary until today. The match was the best of the Premiership but globally, La Liga's Real Madrid were rampant as they subdued their smaller opponents win convincing pin-fall. They practically choked the less fancied Racing Santander to asphyxiation.
Barcelona were a pale shadow of the team that won the 2010 FIFA World Cup, scoring a couple of scrappy goals against Zaragoza through a resurgent Lionel Messi. Apart from the goals, there is nothing to talk about match. On the other hand, Real Madrid looked a little more solid for a team that had a bruising weekend. Higuin outpaced the defenders and slotted the ball under the advancing goalie in the 10th minute.
Cristiano Ronaldo showed his hunger of old as he finished off a Higuin cross, 5 minutes. Ronaldo scored 12 minutes later, taking advantage of his offside position. Madrid are just enjoying their football and are a joy to watch. Racing Santander looked so lost in the Santiago Bernebeu as Ronaldo continued with his individual show and even lost count how many goals he scored. Ozil got the one of the 6 Madrid scored but Pepe Diop had a thunderbolt to unleash in the 73rd minute to save face in a 6-1 scoreline.
Chelsea collected maximum points in a pedestrian affair to go 5 points clear of the top of the Barclays Premier League. They walked past Wolverhampton with a 2-0 scoreline with a Flourent Malouda goal that made the Frenchmen a joint top scorer with Man City's Carlos Tevez, as well as a goal by substitute Salomon Kalou. Didier Drogba was back from injury and the champions did not show they had fresh men who did not play during the week.
Tottenham Hotspur were up against a stubborn and yet determined Everton side. They dealt with the frustration of match officials and will feel lucky to scrap a home point. It was obvious how the Inter Milan match supped some energy out of the team as they struggled to match the Everton strides. It took a rare Tim Howard goalkeeping error. Peter Crouch rose to drop the ball across the goal line for in form Van der Vaart to rip off the net. A point took Spurs to 3rd and 3 points would land them the 2nd spot.
Sunderland had charity to thank as a record own goal from Richard Dunne, his 8th, gifted them the points against a spirited Aston Villa side. Villa fought in vain for the share of the spoils and Sunderland soared in the standings to 8th.
The biggest story in England though, is the Marc-Antoine Fortune and Yousouf Mulumbu goals that sent West Brom the 4th position of the log after a 2-1 win over Fulham at the Hawthorns. Fulham’s woeful away record continued as they had no answers when it mattered most as they have not won away since August 2009. Wigan and Bolton shared the spoils 1-1. Birmingham City were 2-0 victors over Blackpool.
It is still to be seen how a record contract signed by Wayne Rooney will play for Manchester United against Stoke City tomorrow. Liverpool's new owners will be eager to see the impact of their bail-out when The Reds engage Benjani Mwaruwari's Blackburn Rovers at Anfield. The game of the week will always be Arsenal versus Manchester City for one reason. Arsenal are perennial under-achievers on their way down while City are as much underachievers given their resources but they are on the ascendance.
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