LONDON, Oct 2, (AFP): Kyle Walker’s first goal for Tottenham sealed a 2-1 victory for Harry Redknapp’s side over their north London rivals Arsenal at White Hart Lane on Sunday.
Walker caught out Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny with a 30-yard strike in the second half after Aaron Ramsey had cancelled out Tottenham midfielder Rafael van Der Vaart’s first half opener.
The result means Tottenham move up to sixth place, five points ahead of their hated neighbours after a derby victory that brought an abrupt end to Arsenal’s recent revival.
This was the Gunners’ fourth defeat in seven Premier League games and they are 15th in the table, just two points off the relegation zone.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger’s frustration was evident in a fractious exchange with Clive Allen, the Tottenham coach, on his way down the tunnel after the final whistle.
The visitors had appeared capable of claiming at least a point until Walker drilled in a powerful long range shot that found its way through the arms of Szczesny, summing up the Gunners’ difficult start to the campaign.
Wenger marked the 15th anniversary of his appointment as manager two days before this game by praising his side’s spirit and mental strength after three successive victories over Shrewsbury, Bolton and Olympiakos.
But that run was always under threat against an in-form Spurs side inspired by former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor.
Spurs had started the game brightly and should have gone ahead in the seventh minute when Van der Vaart released Scott Parker into the visiting area only for the midfielder to place his shot too close to keeper Szczesny.
Arsenal responded with a left shot from Theo Walcott that Spurs keeper Brad Friedel tipped wide of the post.
And when Van der Vaart failed to convert a good opportunity at the near post midway through the half, Wenger’s side again reacted well, this time through Robin van Persie, who created a clear opportunity with a clever pull back that was wasted when Gervinho connected with a tame shot wide.
Arsenal were looking nervy in front of goal and when Gareth Bale sent a powerful shot narrowly over at the start of the second half, Tottenham showed signs of taking control of the game.
Both sides had chances to score but it took the combination of Adebayor and Van der Vaart to conjure the opener.
Adebayor’s chipped pass found his team mate in space on the edge of the Arsenal area and the Holland striker brought the ball under control and finished with a left foot shot.
Arsenal centre back Per Mertesacker immediately appealed for handball but referee Mike Dean adjudged that Van der Vaart had collected the ball on his chest although television replays suggested the decision was marginal.
The Gunners matched the hosts chance for chance and this time were rewarded for their efforts when Ramsey struck six minutes into the second half.
The opening came after Younes Kaboul had only half cleared an Arsenal corner and Alex Song was allowed to run to the byline and deliver a low cross that the Wales captain turned home from close range.
Now Arsenal were in the ascendancy and Redknapp’s growing concern was reflected in his decision to introduce Sandro to shore up his midfield in place of Van der Vaart.
The switch helped steady the home side, although Redknapp could hardly claim that Walker’s 73rd minute strike was the result of a tactical masterplan.
The full back chanced his arm after Luka Modric’s attempted shot had been deflected back towards the halfway line, advancing to within 30 yards of goal before unleashing a powerful drive that Szczesny should have kept out.
Chelsea 5, Bolton 1
In Bolton Frank Lampard marked his 350th league appearance for Chelsea with an impressive hat-trick as the Blues underlined their title credentials with a 5-1 victory at struggling Bolton.
As well as Lampard’s treble, Daniel Sturridge, who spent a successful loan spell at Bolton last season, claimed two goals during a first half in which Chelsea raced into a 4-0 lead.
Andre Villas-Boas’s side are now back in third place, three points behind leaders Manchester United.
The rout also added to the growing pressure on Wanderers manager Owen Coyle.
Bolton have lost 11 of their last 12 league games and conceded 21 goals in seven games, the worst record in the Premier League and the primary reason the club sits at the foot of the league table.
Bolton’s sixth straight Premier League defeat was effectively wrapped up inside the opening 15 minutes.
Only two minutes had gone when a flowing move saw Dedryck Boyata concede a corner, heading Jose Bosingwa’s right-wing cross behind.
Juan Mata swung over a centre which found the head of Sturridge, unmarked only six yards from goal, and handed the visitors the lead.
It was the start of relentless attacking play from Chelsea which, deservedly, brought them a second goal soon after with an eye-catching, flowing build-up.
Lampard started the move with a pass to Mata who exchanged a one-two, via a neat back-heel, with Ramires. The ball was worked out to Sturridge and, with the Bolton defence once again static, Lampard had the simple task of sweeping in the ball from six yards.
Chelsea kept pressing forward and Lampard’s shot was saved, at the second attempt, by home goalkeeper Adam Bogdan while Mata skied over from 12 yards after yet more woeful Bolton defending.
Wanderers were being overrun and the threatened deluge came with two more Chelsea goals in the space of 60 seconds just before the half-hour mark.
First, Sturridge cut in from the right, past the hapless Boyata, and scored from a wide angle, thanks to terrible goalkeeping from Bogdan who helped the shot into the corner of his goal.
Two minutes later Bolton backed off, allowing defender David Luiz to advance the ball 50 yards and shoot from 25 yards, Bogdan weakly parrying the ball into the path of Lampard who slid in his second and Chelsea’s fourth.
Bogdan saved well from Mata before the interval and the second half at least opened with a moment of Bolton optimism.
Petrov’s 46th minute free-kick whistled into the six-yard box and, among a large group of players, Boyata steered a downward header into the Chelsea goal.
It was the start of an improved spell for the home team, but the Blues remained dangerous and, after chances for Didier Drogba and Ramires, Chelsea restored their four-goal cushion after 58 minutes.
It was another superbly worked goal as Lampard exchanged passes with Drogba, who showed excellent control in the area, before playing in Lampard to complete his hat-trick from 12 yards.
As the game inevitably petered out, Kevin Davies thought he had pulled back a goal only to see his shot cleared off the line by Branislav Ivanovic and Chris Eagles unleashed a terrific strike which hit a post.
However, there were also chances which might have brought further goals for Sturridge and Lampard as Chelsea finished well in control.
Fulham 6, QPR 0
In London, Andrew Johnson scored a hat-trick as Fulham demolished west London rivals QPR 6-0 to clinch their first Premier League win of the season at Craven Cottage.
Martin Jol’s side had gone six league matches without a victory, but they ended that barren run in spectacular fashion in their first meeting with QPR for 10 years.
Johnson handed Fulham the lead after just 79 seconds and their strong start continued when Danny Murphy slotted home from the spot mid-way through the first period.
Fulham had scored just four league goals since the start of the season but they matched that total by the 59th minute here as Johnson struck twice more to complete his hat-trick.
Clint Dempsey and Bobby Zamora wrapped up the romp in the second half to leave QPR nursing a chastening defeat.
The Cottagers were ahead in double-quick time as Moussa Dembele played a neat one-two with Zamora before unleashing a fierce drive that Paddy Kenny could only parry onto Johnson, who finished with ease.
Dempsey saw a goalbound effort blocked by a last-gasp challenge by Bradley Orr and, as the home side’s onslaught continued, Johnson came agonisingly close to netting his second after firing a volley inches wide from a Zamora header in the 17th minute.
Fulham did not have to wait long to score their second as Kenny upended Johnson in the box and referee Andre Marriner awarded a 20th-minute penalty, which skipper Murphy duly converted.
Jol’s side increased their lead when Johnson turned home Zamora’s cross in the 38th munute and QPR looked shell-shocked as they trudged off at the break.
Hoops boss Neil Warnock sent on DJ Campbell and Tommy Smith for Adel Taarabt and Shaun Derry at the break, but the changes made no difference.
Kenny was forced to save from Zamora and Steve Sidwell before Johnson notched his third goal with a neat finish from Murphy’s quick free-kick.
Fulham did not rest on their laurels and Zamora laid the ball off to Dempsey to make it 5-0 with an exquisite finish in the 65th minute.
And it got even worse for QPR in the 74th minute when Zamora slotted past Kenny after more poor defending from the visitors.
Swansea 2, Stoke 0
In Swansea, United Kingdom, Swansea’s record signing Danny Graham finally started to repay his transfer fee as the striker’s first goal for the club sealed a 2-0 win over Stoke.
Graham had gone six games without a goal since his £3.5 million transfer from Watford in pre-season, but he ended that barren run with a cool finish in the closing stages at the Liberty Stadium.
That was enough to see off Stoke as Scott Sinclair had already opened the scoring for Swansea with a ninth minute penalty.
It was a frustrating day for Stoke, whose five bookings mean they are set for an FA fine. Andy Wilkinson was one of those to see yellow but was fortunate not to have been dismissed for a horrible waist-high tackle on Nathan Dyer.
Swansea got off to the ideal start when Ryan Shawcross fouled Wayne Routledge in the penalty area in the ninth minute and referee Mike Jones had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, with Sinclair slotting the spot-kick low to Asmir Begovic’s left.
Michel Vorm had little to do in the early stages but the Swansea goalkeeper was alert when called upon as he made a stunning save to deny Jon Walters, tipping the striker’s improvised volley onto the bar and over.
Angel Rangel headed over at the other end after meeting Mark Gower’s corner before Wilkinson was guilty of an awful tackle on Dyer five minutes before the break.
The defender’s challenge was waist high and left the winger on the floor in a heap, but referee Jones somehow deemed it only worthy of a yellow card.
Stoke boss Tony Pulis brought former Birmingham striker Cameron Jerome on for Rory Delap in the second half and the substitute ought to have done better than firing weakly wide after being found by a Walters header.
Glenn Whelan exchanged shoves with Ashley Williams and then hit the woodwork with a low free-kick.
But Swansea remained a threat on the break and it took an outstanding save from Begovic to deny Sinclair his second after he had cut in from the left and got away a curling effort.
And Graham sealed the hosts’ second win of the season as the striker got a lucky ricochet off Jonathan Woodgate and shot past Begovic.