LONDON, 29 October 2004 — Arsenal enjoyed a happy return to Manchester with a 2-1 win over City as Premier League sides dominated the nine League Cup third-round matches on Wednesday.
The champions were joined in the last 16 by holders Middlesbrough, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Crystal Palace, Everton, Fulham and Southampton. Arsenal, showing 11 changes from the team that started their traumatic 2-0 league defeat at Manchester United on Sunday, had to wait until the 78th minute for the opening goal against City.
Dutchman Robin van Persie claimed it with a neat low finish to a flowing move, his first goal for the club.
Youngster Daniel Karbassiyoon doubled Arsenal’s lead before former England striker Robbie Fowler grabbed a stoppage-time consolation for the hosts with his 200th career goal.
A strong Chelsea side edged to a 1-0 win over London rivals West Ham United, Serbian striker Mateja Kezman netting his first goal for the club in the 57th minute. Chelsea’s England midfielder Frank Lampard had a penalty saved but Jose Mourinho’s team held on to reach the last 16.
Tottenham came from behind to beat Bolton Wanderers 4-3 after extra time in a thrilling match at the Reebok Stadium, avenging their 2- 1 defeat by Sam Allardyce’s team in the Premier League on Saturday.
Spurs fell behind to a Ledley King own goal but England striker Jermain Defoe leveled before halftime. Jay-Jay Okocha restored Bolton’s lead from the penalty spot, only for Tottenham defender Goran Bunjevcevic to score from close range on 84 minutes and send the game into extra time.
Newcastle beat Norwich City 2-1 thanks to goals by England midfielder Jermaine Jenas and a Shola Ameobi penalty, and Lee Carsley and Marcus Bent were on target in Everton’s 2-0 win over Preston North End.
Third division Colchester United took a surprise 1-0 lead at Southampton, who were rescued by a second-half hat trick from substitute Dexter Blackstock that inspired the Premier League side to a 3-2 victory.
Szilard Nemeth and James Morrison earned Middlesbrough a two-goal cushion at halftime against Coventry City and Danny Graham sealed a comfortable 3-0 victory. Crystal Palace battled to a 2-1 win at Charlton Athletic in a bruising south London derby, Sandor Torghelle claiming the winner before being sent off, while Fulham’s Mark Pembridge scored the only goal of the game to sink Birmingham City.
Aberdeen End Celtic’s Unbeaten League Run
In Glasgow, Aberdeen ended Celtic’s unbeaten Premier League record on Wednesday with a 3-2 win at the champions that also breathed new life into Rangers’ title hopes after their 2-1 win at Dunfermline Athletic.
Aberdeen, who ended Celtic’s 77-match three-year unbeaten home run with a 2-1 win at Celtic Park in April, exposed poor defending to open up an early lead courtesy of Darren Mackie’s fifth minute goal and Fernando Pasquinelli’s tap-in a minute later.
Celtic dominated afterwards and two terrific strikes from John Hartson (44, 69) appeared to have earned them a draw until substitute John Stewart delivered the classic sucker punch on the break when he drilled home the winner deep into injury time.Martin O’Neill’s side lead the standings on 28 points from 11 games.
Craig Brewster gave Dunfermline a 16th minute lead on their berated artificial East End Park pitch but Jean Alain Boumsong’s 47th minute header and a penalty from Nacho Novo on 58 earned Rangers the three points. Hibs are fourth on 18 points after a 2-1 home win against Livingston while Hearts, watched by their prospective new owner in Lithuanian businessman Vladimir Romanov, are a further two points behind after a 1-1 draw at bottom-placed Dundee United.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle moved off the foot of the table with a 2-1 win against Dundee while Kilmarnock won 1-0 at Motherwell.
