READING v ARSENAL, 0-4 Sun 22 Oct 2006
Arsenal reinforced their claim to be genuine contenders for the Barclays Premiership trophy by dismantling top-flight newcomers Reading.
Thierry Henry, who scored twice, Alexander Hleb and Robin van Persie supplied the goals as the Gunners reigned supreme at the Madejski Stadium - the venue where both Manchester United and Chelsea had been forced to battle all the way for points.
United had needed a second-half equaliser from Cristiano Ronaldo to salvage a draw and Chelsea a heavy deflection to take the points on a day when Stephen Hunt's clash with Petr Cech made all the headlines.
Hunt's first-minute challenge left Chelsea goalkeeper Cech with a fractured skull but the Irishman retained his place in the starting line-up for this one, having been cheered heartily before kick-off by the home support.
The first minute was once again hugely significant, however, as it took the slick-passing visitors just 58 seconds to take the lead.
Cesc Fabregas was the architect with a run into the box on the right that saw him easily evade the challenge of ex-Highbury trainee James Harper and lay the ball back for Henry to fire past Royals goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann, who had not let in a single goal at that end since September last year.
That another would follow before the break was no surprise, though, as Arsenal dominated possession and the home side were able to make only occasional inroads at the other end.
Hunt was still willing to charge round the pitch and received a finger-wag of disapproval from Jens Lehmann after contact was briefly made as the Irishman chased a ball into the box.
But Ibrahima Sonko, who had hospitalised Cech’s replacement Carlo Cudicini in a stoppage-time collision last week, did not look his usual robust self and backed off to allow Van Persie to end a run from his own half with a shot.
That went well wide and there was a bigger let-off when Justin Hoyte, whom Hunt had previously nudged into an advertising hoarding, fired across goal and wide following Tomas Rosicky’s defence-opening flick.
But in the 39th minute, when Hleb came in from the right and played a one-two with the Czech, Hahnemann was beaten again with a rising drive that was simply too hot to handle.
Reading had only occasionally created problems at the other end but Lehmann had been required in the 25th minute to tip over a pile-driver from Seol Ki-Hyeon after the German had punched a corner to where he had been lurking on the edge of the box.
It was to prove their only on-target effort of the afternoon. Arsenal managed 10 times as many.
Reading replaced the ineffective Ulises de la Cruz at the break with Brynjar Gunnarsson but within four minutes of the restart Van Persie had made it 3-0.
It was the result of a fine passing movement down the right involving Henry and Hleb and once the home defence had been well and truly opened the Dutchman was left with a simple finish.
Reading were ahead on corners, however, as a Seol cross saw the ball skid just beyond the back post off a defender before the back-pedalling Kevin Doyle headed the home side’s seventh wide.
It was a different story from open play, though, as the exposed Hahnemann could only spill a Henry drive into Rosicky’s path. The goal was at his mercy but somehow the summer signing fired wastefully over.
Hunt was still trying to make things happen but when the ball broke kindly for him in the box, after Kolo Toure had blocked Doyle, he could only fire a snap-shot over.
In the 71st minute, Henry made it 4-0 from the penalty spot as Hahnemann upended Fabregas after the Frenchman had provided the pass for the teenager.
However, Hahnemann denied Rosicky a minute later after the midfielder had been put through.
The Royals seemed demoralised and could not wait for the final whistle as Arsenal sent Theo Walcott and Emmanuel Adebayor on for the last quarter of an hour, with Alexandre Song joining them later.

BLACKBURN ROVERS v BOLTON WANDERERS, 0-1 Sun 22 Oct 2006

Jussi Jaaskelainen saved two penalties in two minutes as Bolton Wanderers secured a remarkable 1-0 victory over local rivals Blackburn Rovers.
The Finland shot-stopper came to the rescue with Blackburn chasing the game after Ivan Campo’s goal.
Jaaskelainen first blocked Benni McCarthy’s effort in the 87th minute, then repeated the feat from substitute Jason Roberts’ attempt 60 seconds later.
Bolton skipper Kevin Nolan was then sent off for dissent as they stretched their unbeaten run to seven games to stay on the shoulders of Manchester United and Chelsea.
Blackburn, superb winners in the UEFA Cup against Wisla Krakow, will wonder how they lost this match.
Morten Gamst Pedersen and Andre Ooijer both went close inside the opening 16 minutes.
Then Robbie Savage almost made the breakthrough in the 19th minute, his 25-yard free-kick being superbly tipped over the top by Jaaskelainen.
Bolton, though, launched two swift counter-attacks in quick succession.
El-Hadji Diouf sent his effort into goalkeeper Brad Friedel’s arms after being released by Nicolas Anelka.
Then, in the 21st minute, the Senegal striker’s header came back off the post, again following good work by his French team-mate.
Blackburn were looking dangerous from set-pieces and Pedersen rattled in a free-kick from distance in the 26th minute that came back off Jaaskelainen’s body.
It was an entertaining game, with Nolan seeing his powerful shot deflected for a corner after good work by Anelka.
Play swung back down the other end and Shabani Nonda headed off target after being released by David Bentley.
Jaaskelainen was called into action in the 37th minute when he reacted superbly to turn over a 35-yard piledriver from Tugay.
Bolton veteran Gary Speed then cleared off the line after a header from Zurab Khizanishvili hit the goalkeeper.
Nonda, on loan from Roma, was being allowed plenty of space but his header in the 43rd minute landed on the roof of the net.
Bentley squandered a great chance of giving Blackburn the lead on the stroke of half-time.
He was left clear at the far post as Brett Emerton played the ball in following a surging run but Jaaskelainen was able to smother his weak effort.
Tugay strode forward in the 50th minute and tried his luck only to see his effort clear the bar.
Jaaskelainen kept Bolton on level terms two minutes later when he reacted smartly to push away a shot from McCarthy, who had latched onto a ball from Lucas Neill.
Bolton retaliated and Campo released Diouf but he was wasteful, shooting over the bar.
Pedersen then tried to curl a shot beyond Jaaskelainen but the goalkeeper was equal to it.
Blackburn appeared to be turning the screw in front of a crowd of 27,662.
But then Bolton unexpectedly took the lead in the 61st minute through Campo.
He was left unmarked in the six-yard box as Diouf swung in a corner from the left, and headed firmly past the stranded Friedel.
Campo wheeled away in delight after scoring his fourth goal of the season.
Bolton almost added a second in the 66th minute when Friedel beat away a shot from Nolan following Kevin Davies’ lay-off.
Blackburn boss Mark Hughes made a double substitution in the 74th minute, bringing on Roberts and Aaron Mokoena for Pedersen and Savage.
But the match took a dramatic turn in the 87th minute when Jaaskelainen saved McCarthy’s penalty after Roberts had been bundled over by Quinton Fortune.
Incredibly, Blackburn were awarded another penalty a minute later and again Jaaskelainen kept it out.
Roberts dusted himself down after being blocked by Speed only to produce a carbon copy of McCarthy's tame effort, the Finn diving the same way to repel the ball for a second time.
Nolan, however, was then sent off for dissent as Bolton held on.

MANCHESTER UNITED v LIVERPOOL, 2-0 Sun 22 Oct 2006
Rio Ferdinand struck a spectacular goal to upstage Paul Scholes on his 500th appearance for Manchester United in a 2-0 victory over Liverpool.
Scholes marked the occasion in perfect style with the opener after good work by Ryan Giggs late in the first half.

But the famously private midfielder will be only too happy to let Ferdinand take the headlines after he smashed home a stunning second to settle the match.

United asserted their dominance more and more as a lively game went on, after Liverpool had started the brighter.

The visitors pushed forward straight from the kick-off, but Mark Gonzalez's cross was disappointing. Riise then tried his luck from his own half, but the ball sailed over the bar.

Luis Garcia and Steven Gerrard then closed in on Edwin van der Sar, but the former was penalised for a trip on Ferdinand, replays suggesting the decision may have been harsh.

Wayne Rooney - also reaching a significant landmark, his 100th game for United - produced a delightful ball to pick out Gary Neville in United's first attack, but the full-back's cross was cleared under pressure by Sami Hyypia.

From a Michael Carrick corner shortly afterwards, the ball bounced off the chest of a static Nemanja Vidic to Louis Saha, whose shot was parried by Jose Reina.

Saha then cut inside Steve Finnan and unleashed a fierce curling shot which an uncertain-looking Reina could only parry, before gathering at the second attempt.

Dirk Kuyt was given a golden opportunity for Liverpool as he was picked out by Gonzalez's pin-point cross, but was only able to direct his header into the arms of compatriot Van der Sar.

Saha's header at the other end was tame under pressure from Jamie Carragher, and Reina was able to snatch the loose ball with Rooney bearing down on him.

Scholes then provided the fairy-tale moment with the opening goal seven minutes before half-time.

Giggs crossed through the legs of Finnan to the former England midfielder, unmarked six yards out in the centre of the goal.

His first effort was half-stopped by Reina, but Scholes reacted quicker than Hyypia to stab the loose ball home from virtually beneath the crossbar.

United almost doubled their lead just three minutes later when Saha let fly with another long-range effort, Reina diving full-length to superbly turn the ball around the post.

Xabi Alonso shot narrowly wide from the edge of the box after Gerrard's corner cannoned to him via the chest of Darren Fletcher as Liverpool went in at half-time a goal behind.

Saha shot wide from 20 yards shortly after the restart before Scholes - seeking to emulate the brace he struck against Port Vale 499 appearances previously - also fired wide from a similar range.

Rafael Benitez introduced Jermaine Pennant for Gonzalez after 51 minutes but Gerrard remained in his right-wing berth, with Pennant lining up in an unfamiliar role on the left.

The attendance was announced as a new Premier League record of 75,828, and they were given something more to shout about as Ferdinand doubled the advantage with a fine strike.

Giggs' corner was cleared back to him and he delivered a second cross with his right foot, which Saha attempted to bring under control only for Jamie Carragher to hack the ball away from him.

Ferdinand, though, brought the loose ball down neatly with his right foot before lashing it home with his left for his first goal since an injury-time winner in the corresponding fixture last season.

Benitez responded by introducing a second striker in the shape of Peter Crouch, with Alonso the man to be sacrificed.

Giggs set off on a mesmerising run to try and kill the game off with 20 minutes remaining, but team-mate Rooney ended up in his way and the chance slipped away.

Gerrard shot wide from distance before Crouch picked up a booking for a challenge on Van der Sar after the keeper unusually mis-controlled a back-pass.

Gerrard headed over the bar at the far post from a Pennant free-kick before he and Luis Garcia were both off target with efforts from distance as the Reds' challenge petered out.