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| September 2001 Gerard Houllier ‘anoints’ Jerzey Dudek as his number 1 goalkeeper. Former Liverpool player, Don Hutchison, becomes West Ham’s record signing when he moves from Sunderland for £ 5 million. Bolton manager Sam Allardyce and Fulham striker Louis Saha take the first monthly awards of the season. Wanderers retain top spot by drawing with Leeds, who drop a place to third. Liverpool crash to Aston Villa, and have Steven Gerrard sent off for a lunge at George Boateng, and slump to just above the relegation places. Veron, Cole and Fortune all net their first goals of the season, and David Beckham’s strike makes him Manchester United’s top scorer, as they beat Everton to move three places up to second, sending the Goodison outfit four places down to fifth. West Ham drop to 17th after drawing with Derby County. Colin Cooper nets Middlesbrough’s first goal of the season but Newcastle hit back to crush the home side, who plunge to the foot of the table, pointless. Leicester claim a first point of the campaign, against Ipswich, and climb to 18th. Southampton, still goalless, drop to 19th after their third consecutive 2–0 defeat, at Tottenham. Roy Keane is sent off, for the ninth time as Manchester United lose to Newcastle. Shearer doesn’t score but Wes Brown’s own goal is the decisive goal. United drop three places, to fifth, one place below The Magpies, who climb above the champions. Bolton lose for the first time, to Southampton, and drop to third, Saints move up a place to 18th. Leeds go top by beating Charlton Athletic, with former ‘Addick’ Danny Mills a scorer. Middlesbrough win for the first time, against West Ham, and move one place off the bottom to be replaced by The Hammers. Leicester beat Derby to climb out of the relegation zone but Robbie Savage ‘winds-up’ the Foxes’ fans and is involved in a tunnel fracas. ’Boro, with goals in the last five minutes, from Paul Ince and Jonathan Greening, comeback to beat Leicester and move out of the drop zone, leaving City in the bottom three. Jari Litmanen hits the winner against Spurs but the headlines are made by Michael Owen’s departure from Anfield on crutches. Francis Jeffers scores his first Arsenal goal, against Bolton, but The Gunners drop a place, to third, and are leapfrogged by Wanderers. Leeds stay top after beating Derby, who drop three places, into the relegation zone. Southampton drop into the bottom three after losing to Villa. Leeds stay top after beating Ipswich but Manchester United stage one of the greatest comebacks in Premiership history when they overturn Spurs’ 3–0 interval lead, with a second-half ‘blitz’, that has ‘Fergie’ declaring it’s his best away result as United’s manager. United move up to third. Thierry Henry takes his goal tally to six with a brace that beats Derby, to send The Rams down a place to 19th, and moves The Gunners up to second but Martin Keown is sent off, the 36th Arsenal red card in Arsene Wenger’s tenure. Bolton slump to fifth after losing to Sunderland, for whom Kevin Phillips scores his 100th Sunderland goal, in 147 games. Southampton, with Marian Pahars scoring for the third game in a row, beat Middlesbrough to move out of the bottom three. But West Ham slip into the drop zone after being thrashed by Everton |
 |
The
above article is an extract from The Breedon Book of Premiership Records by Brian Beard. For details of this essential addition to the bookshelves of any football fan click HERE. |
