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| September 2003 Arsenal’s advantage at the top is reduced after they drop their first point of the campaign, to Portsmouth, and Manchester United’s win at Charlton, in which Cristiano Ronaldo had his first 90 minutes for United, keeps them second. Chelsea’s defeat of Spurs takes them above Pompey into fourth place. Wolves stay bottom after losing to Southampton and Leicester claim a first win of the campaign, over Leeds, who are looking fragile with a points total of just five from 15. Middlesbrough stay second-bottom after they lose at Bolton. Nicolas Anelka hits two penalties, in a second-half hat-trick, that sinks Aston Villa and takes City into third place. Leicester’s first win of the campaign, over a fragile-looking Leeds, who have just five points from 15, moves The Foxes out of the bottom three. Newcastle stay above the bottom three by virtue of the ill-tempered draw at Everton in which there are 10 players booked and two sent off, Gary Naysmith and Laurent Robert. An Alan Shearer brace takes his tally against Everton to an astonishing 16 goals, including seven penalties. Duncan Ferguson’s penalty makes him the first Everton player to reach 50 Premiership goals. Chelsea make it nine goals in two games with a comprehensive victory over bottom club Wolves while defeats for Leicester and Leeds, by Liverpool and Birmingham, respectively, means that trio of clubs are the early season relegation candidates. The top two meet in a goalless draw at Old Trafford in which Patrick Vieira is sent off and the game is marred by unsavoury scenes at the end when Ruud Van Nistelrooy is goaded by a number of Arsenal players after he misses a penalty, which they accuse him of diving to win. Manchester United beat Leicester, who stay in the bottom three. Arsenal beat Newcastle to stay top and Chelsea keep up their momentum by beating Aston Villa, to move into second place, on goal difference. SIDEBAR Louis Saha’s goal in Fulham’s 2–2 draw with Birmingham was his 50th for The Cottagers. Alan Shearer’s first penalty against Everton was his 150th goal for Newcastle. |
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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. |
