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Barclays Premier League
25 – 26 February 2012
Saturday 25 February
Chelsea Bolton Wanderers

• Chelsea have won all of their last eight league and cup meetings with Bolton Wanderers.
• Chelsea will be aiming to avoid a run of five Premier League games without a win for the first time since December 2010.
• Bolton Wanderers have lost 17 of the 18 games when they have conceded the first goal in a Premier League game this season.

Manchester City Blackburn Rovers

• Manchester City are unbeaten in their last eight Premier League meetings with Blackburn Rovers.
• Manchester City have not lost a home game in the Premier League since 20 December 2010

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This week's Transfer List notably includes George Thorne's loan move from Premier League West Bromwich Albion to Portsmouth... the day after Pompey went into administration.
A 12-month archive of all transactions is available to subscribers in the player transfers and transfer history section of the 11v11 Football Database.

Date	Player	Club from	Club to	Fee
17/02/2012	ANTHONY, Byron	Bristol Rovers	Hereford United	Loan

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It has been widely reported that Brighton & Hove Albion created FA Cup history yesterday when they 'scored' three own goals in their 6-1 Fifth Round tie defeat at Liverpool.



Although very rare, three own goals by the same team in a game is not unique.

In fact, it happened as recently as last Tuesday (14 February). Peterhead's 6-1 loss at Elgin City in the Scottish Third Division included OG's by David Ross, Rory McAllister and Callum MacDonald.

The Premier League's only own goal hat-trick was especially extraordinary.

In a relegation season, Sunderland lost 1-3 at home to Charlton Athletic in February 2003 with the visitors benefitting from three gifts from their generous hosts in the ...

The recent poor weather and now the forthcoming FA Cup ties mean that some players' bans are dragging on longer than they would wish.
Our latest suspension list can be seen below.
More details are available to our subscribers at the Disciplinary Suspensions section of the 11v11 Football Database

Date	Player	Club	Term
05/02/2012	GIVET,Gael	Blackburn Rovers	Three Match Ban (11/02,25/02,03/03)

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Harry for England!
Premier League performance of the week goes to Harry Redknapp of Tottenham (hopefully soon England.)
The Spurs boss woke up on Wednesday morning with the possibility of ending the day in prison. Instead, he went to his bed dreaming of becoming England’s next manager.
Harry was cleared of two charges of evading tax after a 13-day trial before being installed as odds-on favourite to replace Fabio Capello as England boss following the Italian’s shock resignation.
The week ended with a resounding 5-0 win against Newcastle United that keeps Spurs on track for a Champions League place and maintains the possibility of their first title since 1961. And to continue Harry’s magic touch in the transfer market, the five-goal salvo included a brace from ...

The 11v11 goal of the week was scored by Yakubu for Blackburn Rovers against Queens Park Rangers.

• Along with Wolverhampton Wanderers’ heavy defeat to West Bromwich Albion, the win against fellow strugglers Queens Park Rangers lifted Rovers out of the bottom three, but where would they be without their leading scorer?
• On his return from a three-match ban, Yakubu’s 15^th minute opener took his season total to 14 goals.
• Taking control of Steven Nzonzi’s flick-on with an amazingly deft touch for such a big man, surrounded by QPR defenders, the former Everton hitman spun and fired a right-foot shot into the bottom corner.
• Worth his considerable weight in gold to Rovers’ worrying cause, manager Steve Kean was fully of praise for his burly striker:

“If you look back at ...

The January Window has closed but the world of transfers carries on.
This week's list includes a Senegal international completing his move to Doncaster Rovers and a Namibia international signing for Aldershot Town.
A 12-month archive of all transactions is available to subscribers in the player transfers and transfer history section of the 11v11 Football Database.

Date	Player	Club from	Club to	Fee
09/02/2012	ASSOMBALONGA, Britt	Watford	Braintree Town	Loan

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In something of an upset, Zambia beat the Ivory Coast to win the African Nations Cup with a team of players, most of whom play their domestic football in Zambia. It was a scintillating final marked by a number of missed chances including a missed penalty by Didier Drogba - and then decided on a penalty shoot-out which was finally won 8-7 by the Zambians.

For Zambia the whole tournament was about honouring those who had died in 1993, when the plane carrying the team to Senegal exploded following refuelling in Libreville, the venue for this final.

The game was played with passion, but despite the heightened emotions the players shook hands and played with mutual respect. The result is a testament to the players, to coach Herve Renard and perhaps most of all to Zambia's ...

Our Premier League goal of the week goes to Papiss Cisse (Newcastle United) v Aston Villa.
The Senegal international has joined the illustrious list of centre-forwards who have worn the Newcastle United number nine shirt, a list which includes Alan Shearer, Malcolm MacDonald, Jackie Milburn, Les Ferdinand, Micky Quinn, Andy Carroll and Big Billy Whitehurst.
Just 57 minutes into his Toon debut at St James’ Park, Papiss revived the glory of the Newcasle No. 9 with a spectacular winner at the Gallowgate End to maintain United’s hopes of an unlikely return to European competition.
The ex-SC Freiburg striker controlled Jonas Gutierrez's left-wing cross on his chest before smashing a left-footed volley high into former Newcastle keeper Shay Given's top-right corner to already ...

Release the Ox!

Our Premier League performance of the week goes to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for his superlative performance against Blackburn Rovers.

Despite a 7-1 victory, another Robin Van Persie hat-trick and Thierry Henry’s first Premier League goal back in Arsenal colours, it was the performance of the former Southampton youngster that caught most eyes and many of the headlines

With his first goals in the competition, the son of ex-England winger Mark Chamberlain became the second youngest goalscorer for Arsenal in the Premier League at 18 years and 173 days behind Cesc Fabregas (17 years, 113 days).

AOC also become the youngest player to score two goals in a Premier League game since Wayne Rooney (18 years and 120 days) ...