The Centre Circle

Wolfsburg's giant Bosnian striker is in talks with officials from Manchester City I understand. Speculation about the future of Dzeko had included potential moves to Man Utd Liverpool, AC Milan and Tottenham amongst others who need to offer a set fee of £34 million (40 million Euros) to secure a transfer, due to a time clause in his Wolfsburg contract which expires on Monday. It now appears than Manchester City are now favourites to sign the front man who scored 29 goals in all competitions last season. Steve McLaren the new Wolfsburg coach will be loathed to lose his star player, but as people know, when Man City come knocking with their unlimited store of cash, it is time to bargain hard and to start to look for an alternative.

If he signs with City, then it will throw fresh doubt onto the future of Emmanuel Adebayor (for whom Dzeko would be seen as a direct replacement), as it seems he has fallen out of favour at the Manchester club. Mancini was apparently not impressed with his effort in the closing weeks of last season, as they failed to secure a Champions League qualifying spot and had to settle for the Europa League.

At the Emirates, Arsenal took early control but it was Wolves who had the best early chance, Michael Mancienne, on loan from Chelsea hitting a 25 yard drive which shaved the bar. Eduardo should have then scored as Arsenal responded, miss-kicking when in front of goal. In the second half Carl Henry was harshly red carded for a tackle on Rosicky. Arsenal pressed and pressed and in the dying moments the pressure exerted finally paid off. Substitute Nicklas Bendtner broke Wolves hearts scoring in the 94th minute with a diving header from a Sagna cross. A priceless goal in their pursuit of Chelsea and Man Utd, and the umpteenth time that Arsenal had scored in the last 10 minutes of the game this season. How important will this goal be come the end of the season? Arsenal now go to the Nou Camp in good spirits, and are just 3 points behind Chelsea.

There was a crazy game at Sunderland. The home team hit very early at The Stadium of Light with two Spurs old boys doing the damage. Frazier Campbell’s diving header was saved by Gomes after 30 seconds but Darren Bent buried the rebound against his old club. Then the north east club got a penalty. Walker handled after Gomes palmed out a Steed Malbranque shot and Darren Bent finished expertly from the spot to get his second. Then Sunderland got a second penalty, Campbell was brought down by Modric, but this time Bent couldn’t complete a first half hat-trick as Gomes made a great save. Into the second half and amazingly there was a third penalty given to Sunderland by referee Lee Mason. Palacios fouled Jordan Henderson and Gomes saved his second spot kick of the afternoon from Bent who was never destined to get a third. Sunderland then had a goal disallowed from Anton Ferdinand after Campbell apparently fouled Gomez. Spurs gave their fans hope when Peter Crouch pulled one back, nodding home from a Nico Kranjcar cross however Sunderland clinched their three points with a rasping volley from Bodo Zenden.

At Stoke, Ricardo Fuller kept up his good form from the previous week by latching onto a Kitson header and finishing expertly with the outside of his right boot. Stoke’s Liam Lawrence then wrapped up the points late in the second half, side-footing a neat finish. The game was marred was by a nasty head injury to Hull’s George Boateng who was taken off on a stretcher and onwards to hospital.

Aston Villa took the lead at the Reebok Stadium via a superb curling strike from Ashley Young. Slack defending allowed the Villa winger to place a shot into the top corner past a despairing Jaaskelainen. Hard though Bolton tried, they were unable to find an equaliser with Villa who took the three points and moved closer to Spurs at that time in fourth spot.

At Portsmouth, David Dunn for Blackburn went close in the first half when he struck a post. At the other end Jamie O’Hara’s header was cleared off the line by Gael Givet. Just before half-time Blackburn hit the post for a second time, Chris Samba this time the unlucky player. Portsmouth were hampered in the second half when Van den Borre was sent off for his second bookable offence but they held on for a 0-0 draw which preserves their Premiership status, for now…

At Turf Moor in the late game, Man City raced into an unassailable 3-0 after just seven minutes. First Adebayor chested down the ball when half cleared from a corner and lashed home, then Bellamy sped between two Burnley defenders and finished well. Tevez added the third who tapped home after Jensen was unable to handle an Adebayor shot. After 20 minutes, it was 4-0. Patrick Viera headed home after an Adam Johnson corner.  This was starting to look embarrassing and it got worse for sorry Burnley as Adebayor got his second and City’s fifth breaking the offside trap to finish sweetly. City made it six in the second half, Vincent Kompany, finishing with his head from a corner. By now the only thing threatening a thumping City win was the weather, the rain starting to form puddles on the pitch. After 71 minutes the Burnley fans finally had something to cheer as Steven Fletcher struck a consolation high into the net from the left hand side of the penalty area. The rest of the game fizzled out as Man City declared on six, a win that moves them up to fourth in the league.

Arsenal 1-0 Wolves

Sunderland 3-1 Tottenham

Stoke 2-0 Hull City

Bolton 0-1 Aston Villa

Portsmouth 0-0 Blackburn

Burnley 1-6 Man City

At Fulham, it was always going to be difficult for the home side to reach the heights after their magnificent win against Juventus on Thursday. And so it proved with Man City taking the lead from a counter attack after a Zoltan Gera effort was cleared off the line. Craig Bellamy hit the post, with Roque Santa Cruz tucking away the rebound. One nil down and just before half time and it was to get worse for Fulham as Bellamy fed Carlos Tevez who cut inside central defender Chris Smalling before shooting Man City into a two goal lead. Into the second half and Adam Johnson nearly made it 3-0 when a swerving shot from Adam Johnson clipped the outside of the right hand post, however Fulham were to get a penalty when an unwitting Gareth Barry handled in the box. A touch unlucky for the England midfielder. Danny Murphy converted the spot kick to give Fulham hope and they could have had a second when the ball hit Vincent Kompany on the arm but this time referee Lee Probert failed to award a second penalty and Man City hung on to win 2-1 and to move two points behind Spurs. It is starting to look more like a straight fight between these two for the coveted 4th place.