Reputations count for little in Premiership
By Vic Mills
LONDON (JP): Reputations counted for little in the Premiership at the weekend as leader Arsenal could only draw, while Manchester United, Newcastle and Liverpool all lost.
As befitting its recent elevation, Arsenal was ruthlessly efficient in the first half at Goodison Park, with Ian Wright scoring from a sublime Dennis Bergkamp pass and Marc Overmars adding a second from close range.
Anything but overawed by its more illustrious opponents, Everton stormed back to level through its 17-year-old fledglings, Michael Ball and Danny Cadamerteri.
The mixture of dashing skill, youthful exuberance and the desire to win made for an intoxicating afternoon.
Which was more than could be said for the fare on offer at Leeds where visitors Manchester United lost its unbeaten record to a 34th minute header from David Wetherall.
The departure of Eric Cantona has left United dangerously short of flair. A shadow of past Old Trafford sides, this present vintage relies heavily on its ability to physically overwhelm teams and grind out results.
United remains second on goal difference from the upwardly mobile Leicester City who continued its promising start to the season with a relatively untroubled 2-0 win at Barnsley with second half goals from Ian Marshall and Graham Fenton.
Newcastle made no secret of its intentions at fourth-placed Chelsea on Saturday by selecting six defenders, three of whom played in midfield alongside the deep-lying David Batty and John Barnes.
The massed ranks were powerless, however, as Gustavo Poyet, rose between Darren Peacock and Stuart Watson to head Chelsea's winner in the 74th minute. Dennis Wise was again the outstanding contributor for the home side.
Unable to rediscover its early season form, Blackburn Rovers stumbled to a dismal nil-all draw at home to Coventry City. The dismissals of Dion Dublin and Jason Wilcox provide what little excitement there was, but in so doing destroyed any cohesion that had developed.
Rovers had enough possession to have won two matches, but lacked both the wit and skill to break down a Coventry defense marshaled superbly by center halves Richard Shaw and Gary Breen.
Humiliating
Disciplined defense was the key at Upton Park, too where West Ham United bounced back from humiliating defeat at Arsenal to beat Liverpool 2-1.
The resurgent rearguard action was aided by new signing Andy Impey on the left-side of five in midfield and the return of Eyal Berkovic. The Israeli playmaker set up the first for John Hartson and scored the winner. Robbie Fowler, partnering Michael Own up front, had equalized with a stunning left-foot volley.
In the week that Fabrizio Ravanelli bade farewell to English football, Stefan Eranio and Francesco Balano did much to restore the tarnished Latin image. The pair scored a goal a-piece in Derby County's emphatic 4-0 win over Southampton.
The contribution of Paolo di Canio and Benito Carbone in Sheffield Wednesday's 2-2 draw at Aston Villa was no less entertaining as their mazy running, fancy flicks and perceptive passes continually troubled the home defense.
Elsewhere in the Premiership, Crystal Palace frittered away a two-goal lead as Bolton came back to take a point, while Tottenham played a goalless draw for the second week running despite playing three wingers in midfield against Wimbledon.
On the European scene, Internazionale remains two points clear at the top of Italy's Serie A after an emphatic 5-1 win at Lecce. Two goals each for Ronaldo and Youri Djorkaeff made it four wins out of four.
In sharp contrast, city rivals AC Milan slumped to fifth from bottom -- their worst start in 59 years -- after going down to a 50th minute free-kick from Vicenza's Arturo Di Nipoli at the San Siro.
Parma, meanwhile, swaps places with Juventus in second place following its 4-0 win over Udinese. The Turin giants needed an injury goal from Filippo Inzaghi to draw at 1-1 at Sampdoria.
Kaiserslautern
In Germany, Kaiserslautern's lead at the top of the Bundesliga was cut to two points after second half goals from Labbadia, Flo and Frey saw Werder Bremen home 3-1.
Bayern Munich missed the chance to go top after it could only draw 1-1 at home to Schalke 04. Duisburg moved third, a point behind Bayern, thanks to goals from Zeyer and Wolters in the 2-1 home win over Arminia Bielefeld.
Ajax extended its lead at the top of the Dutch first division to six points Sunday with a Babangida strike against nearest rivals Heerenveen. A brace a-piece for Cocu, Zenden and Nilis in the 6-0 rout at Volendam saw reigning champions PSV Eindhoven move second a point ahead of Heerenveen and three ahead of Twente Enschede who drew 1-1 at home to NAC Breda.
Malorca stands as the surprise team in the Spanish first division following its 4-1 win at Tenerife. The newly promoted club move second on goal difference from champion Real Madrid who beat Valencia 2-0 with goals each for Luis Enrique and Rivaldo in its 4-1 win at Sporting Gijon.
Finally, to France where Metz, 3-0 winner over Auxerre, extended its lead at the top to three points after Paris St. Germain could only draw 1-1 against Montpellier.