![image: [ Mike Nicholls on his way to scoring his second goal ]](/olmedia/45000/images/_46358_CHELSEA300.jpg)
Arsenal-Leeds confrontations are always tense matches, all the more so since George Graham took over at Elland Road. Both sides have collected 21 yellow cards this season, and the stage was set for a close physical match.
Arsenal had much of the play in first half, but found their attacks frustrated by the uncompromising Leeds defence. However, Marc Overmars put the Gunners ahead on the hour with a shot from the edge of the box. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink equalised nine minutes later, but Marc Overmars scored again to put Arsenal 2-1 up in the 72nd minute. The result means Arsenal leapfrog Leeds into fifth place.
Aston Villa and Leicester derbies are similarly tense, with a similar mangerial ingredient - Leicester supporters still have not forgiven Brian Little for quitting them for Villa, and taking several players with him.
Leicester's Garry Parker opened the scoring in the 53rd minute with a penalty. So it was fitting that a former Leicester player, Julian Joachim, should level the scores for Aston Villa. Brian Little still has not beaten his former team.
Bolton may be struggling, but the Reebok stadium, opened on Saturday by Deputy Prime Minister John Presott, is something of a fortress. With a politician's refusal to committ himself, Mr Prescott professed an admiration for both Bolton and Southampton, and he proved to be the most accurate pundit as the two sides ground out a 0-0 draw.
There have been more sendings off than Bolton goals at the Reebok stadium. Southampton played the last hour with 10 men after Francis Benali was given the red card, to make it 10 sendings off, to nine Bolton home goals. To make the result worse for Bolton, they are now back in the bottom three.
Coventry must have fancied their chances at Stamford Bridge. They have beaten Manchester United and Liverpool in their last two games, and Chelsea might have been suffering the after-effects of that FA Cup thumping by Manchester United.
Coventry took the lead through Paul Telfer. But Ruud Gullit put on 20-year-old Mark Nicholls who scored two before spurning the chance for his hat-trick by setting up Roberto Di Matteo for the third. It still leaves Chelsea seven points behind Manchester United.
Any thoughts that Crystal Palace might have had of overcoming their victory-shyness at Selhurst Park against troubled Everton were quickly dispelled. Nicky Barmby and Duncan Ferguson made it 2-0 in the first 12 minutes.
Crystal Palace reduced the deficit with a Bruce Dyer penalty after 17 minutes. But Everton's new striker, Michael Madar, reclaimed the Toffees' two-goal lead in the 34th minute. The result lifts Everton out of the bottom three and both sides now have 23 points.
Liverpool have often struggled against Wimbledon, but Jamie Redknapp scored twice in the second half to maintain Liverpool's faint title hopes. They are now fourth.
This has probably been Newcastle's worst week since they came back into the Premiership. The villains of the FA cup after their row with Stevenage, they had lost their last three league games. Sheffield Wednesday made it four.
Their Italian pair of Carbone and Di Canio combined to put the Owls one up in the first minute. Jon Dahl Tommassen equalised in the 20th minute, but Wednesday dominated the rest of the half, and went 2-1 up through defender Jon Newsome in the 51st minute after he had been presented with the ball by Magpies defender, Des Hamilton. Newcastle are only eight points above bottom place Barnsley.
West Ham went on a goal spree at home to Barnsley, who had conceded just one goal in their previous three games.
But the Premiership's basement club restored their goal against average by losing 6-0 for the second time this season. Frank Lampard opened the scoring in the fifth minute, new signing Abou got the second and Barnsley ended the first half only two down. But Abou and Moncur scored twice in five minutes in the second half before Hartson and Lazarides completed the rout.
It was a similar goal feast in the Nationwide League Division One where three teams scored five or more. Birmingham beat Stoke 7-0 at the Victoria Ground, Wolves beat Norwich 5-1 and Huddersfield beat Oxford by the same score.
With five of the top six playing each other, none wanted to lose, but Middlesbrough who started on top were embarrassed at fourth placed Charlton, losing 3-0. Port Vale took the lead at Nottingham Forest, who had started the day second, but Pierre Van Hooydonk scored twice to give Forest the victory.
Sunderland in fifth entertained third placed Sheffield United, who took the lead in a classic game at the Stadium of Light. Sunderland went 3-1 up, Sheffield hit back immediately, but Sunderland scored again to make the final score 4-2.
Burnley, at the bottom of Division Two, beat league leaders Watford 2-0. Both goals were created by manager Chris Waddle for striker Andy Cook.
Stevenage came back down to earth with a bump after last week's FA Cup giant-killing efforts against Swindon. Maybe the week's row with Newcastle put them off, but all they could achieve was a 2-2 draw with Chesham in the first round of the FA trophy.
In Scotland, Rangers shrugged off last week's Old Firm defeat beating Aberdeen to maintain their lead at the top of the Premier League.
Celtic missed the chance to beat Motherwell at Fir Park when substitute Darren Jackson missed a second half penalty. The final score, 1-1, leaves Celtic three points behind Rangers at the top of the table. Hearts, in third, could overtake them when they play on Sunday.
Continental flair no match for United
(10 Jan 98 | Sport)
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