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Today in the English Premier League, the first eight matches of the second round were played. Both main favorites - "Man Utd" and "Liverpool" - achieved minimal victories.
In the victory of "Man Utd" club, now under the eyes of new owners, against "Aston Villa," the third goal by Ruud van Nistelrooy this season, scored after a pass from Cristiano Ronaldo, determined the outcome. Despite the modest result, the Manchester team took the initiative from the start of the match and secured a well-deserved victory.
It was a tougher match for the "Liverpool" club. Xabi Alonso's excellent penalty shot in the 24th minute put the European champions ahead, but league debutant "Sunderland," even though finishing the game with ten men, had opportunities to equalize.
In this match, "Liverpool" captain Steven Gerrard suffered a minor injury. The 25-year-old Englishman felt pain in the calf and is likely to miss the UEFA Champions League qualifying match against Sofia's "CSKA." It is still unclear whether one of the planet's best midfielders will be able to help his team in the European Super Cup match in Monaco, where their opponents will be UEFA Cup winners Moscow's "CSKA."
The championship leader became the "Tottenham" club, who won against "Middlesbrough" by scoring two goals in the second half and surpassed both "Man Utd" and "Charlton" in goal difference, neither of which lost points, with Charlton winning at home against "Wigan" with a slim margin.
In the next match, "Newcastle" secured their first point as they played a goalless draw at home against "West Ham." Meanwhile, "West Brom" unexpectedly defeated "Porstmouth" 2-1 at their home, "Blackburn" won at home with the same result against "Fulham," and "Man City" defeated "Birmingham" away.
All of Saturday's results:
1 - 0
66' [1 - 0] Ruud van Nistelrooy
2 - 1
15' [1 - 0] Morten Gamst Pedersen
49' [1 - 1] Brian McBride
71' [2 - 1] Tugay Kerimoglu
1 - 0
42' [1 - 0] Darren Bent
1 - 0
24' [1 - 0] Xabi Alonso
74' Andy Welsh was sent off ("Sunderland")
0 - 0
2 - 0
49' [1 - 0] Jermain Defoe
75' [2 - 0] Ahmed Hossam Mido
2 - 1
2' [1 - 0] Geoff Horsfield
59' [2 - 0] Geoff Horsfield
63' [2 - 1] Laurent Robert
1 - 2
7' [1 - 0] Nicky Butt
20' [1 - 1] Joey Barton
47' [1 - 2] Andy Cole
