Aston Villa's Villa Park has been selected as the venue for the Premier League third-place playoff match, if the game will be necessary after Sunday to determine which team will finish third in the league this season.
If after Sunday's Premier League matches Chelsea and Arsenal find themselves level on points, goal difference and goals scored in the Premier League table, a third-place playoff match – the first time in the history of the Premier League will be necessary.
Frank Lampard passed Bobby Tambling as Chelsea's all-time leading scorer, as his two second half goals helped Chelsea come from behind to beat Aston Villa 2-1 and but assuring Chelsea of a top-four finish and with it UEFA Champions League football next season.
Villa, who have been really playing well recently took a surprise 14th-minute lead with Christian Benteke's 19th goal of an season.
Chelsea vs Aston Villa Highlights It was all about Frank Lampard on Saturday noontime as the England international scored twice and surpassed the all-time Chelsea goal-scoring record in Chelsea's 2-1 win over Aston Villa. In a game that saw record's broken, underdogs score first, red cards, and a bad injury, Chelsea were the ultimate winners.
With his contract up at the end of the season, Frank Lampard broke Chelsea's all-time scoring record with a brace in their 2-1 win against Aston Villa. The win virtually ensures a place in the Champions League for Chelsea next season and Lampard's two goals earned him a ride atop goalkeeper Petr Cech's shoulders.
Aston Villa 1-2 Chelsea Premier League 11th May 2013
Frank Lampard was the star of the show at Villa Park on Saturday, with the midfielder netting a brace in Chelsea's 2-1 comeback win. Those goals make the England man, who is set to be released by the Blues this summer, the club's record-goalscorer while they also all but rubber-stamped the west Londoners' participation in next season's Champions League.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea 1-2 Lampard Goals Benteke Ramires Red Cards Video is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter
Aston Villa vs Chelsea 1-2 Lampard Goals Benteke Ramires Red Cards Video is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter Aston Villa vs Chelsea 2013 ( AVFC Chelsea VIDEO BELOW) Final score and result:- Aston Villa vs Chelsea 1-2 ( Benteke/ Lampard*2) Villa Park, Birmingham- 11 May, 2013- Saturday- 12.
Frank Lampard today set a new record for Chelsea, scoring 203 goals — the most number of goals ever scored by a Chelsea player in the history of the club.
Lampard scored a left-footed shot against Aston Villa in the 61st minute to equal the record set by Bobby Tambling. Then late in the game at Villa Park, Lampard slotted in a winner for Chelsea and his record-breaking goal.
We probably don't need to tell you the significance of Super Frank's second goal against Villa today his 203rd for Chelsea since bagging his first in the 87th minute of a 5-1 win over Bolton in December of 2001...
And with that, Bobby Tambling's record was surpassed by a midfielder.
After equalling Chelsea's all-time goal scoring record earlier in the match, Frank Lampard became the outright record holder with a second goal against Aston Villa. His 203rd goal for the Blues moves Lamps past Bobby Tambling's previous record.
Frank Lampard equalled Bobby Tambling's Chelsea goalscoring record in today's lunchtime kick-off against Aston Villa. Lamps bagged his 202nd goal for the Blues in the second-half to level the scores at 1-1.
Due to the FA Cup Final today, the Premier League matches have been moved to tomorrow except for Chelsea's match against Aston Villa this morning (US time). Aston Villa versus Chelsea is being played today because the Blues play in the Europa League final in Amsterdam on Wednesday.
For viewers in the United States, the match kicks off at 7:45am ET on ESPN2 and ESPN3.
Once Newcastle are safe in the Premier League and that could come as early as Sunday afternoon, if Newcastle win and Aston Villa lose at home to Chelsea tomorrow Alan Pardew will be speaking to theNewcastleownerMike Ashley about the season, and how to take Newcastle forward andwhetherhe is still Mike's choice to [.
Aston Villa kicks off this weekend's soccer action, when they host Chelsea at Villa Park in one of the weekend's most important matches.
Villa are coming off of two consecutive victories in the league, and have two matches left in the season to survive the drop, while Chelsea have two matches left to qualify for next season's Champions League.
Frank Lampard is in REAL danger of missing out on Bobby Tambling's record at Chelsea with just three games to go in our season. I personally believe that he WILL start against Aston Villa tomorrow but it could be his last start in a Chelsea shirt unless we get his contract situation sorted out.
I've just finished watching the Chelsea vs Spurs game. I am so relieved. Like a man who ate a curry in Bombay and went on a 37 hour bus journey. I needed that relief.
That draw was good for Arsenal and despite my anger at Adebayor playing like Pele simply due to the fact he wanted to upset us, I am most pleased.
The race for the final two Champions League places next season from the Premier League will go down to the final games of the season after substitute Gylfi Sigurdsson scored an 80th-minute equaliser to snatch a 2-2 draw for Tottenham Hotspur at Chelsea.
With two games to play the table looks like this:
3: Chelsea 69 pts
4: Arsenal 67 pts
5: Tottenham Hotspur 66 pts
Chelsea's last games are Aston Villa away and Everton at home.
Champions League: The most successful countries and cities - originally posted on Soccerlens.com
This year's Champions League will obviously go to Germany and it will be the seventh time a German club will be crowned the champions of Europe. Which makes one wonder, how many Champions League trophies have gone to the other top European football nations.
In a double-stacked week of Premier League fixtures, we're merely halfway through what the English top flight has to offer us this week when it comes to fixtures.
However, even with the extra dosage of midweek action waiting in the wings, this past weekend satiated our need for Premier League adrenaline quite nicely, albeit with a slightly-less-super-than-usual Super Sunday.
As you'd likely guess, there's a lot going on here that is beyond me. That's not to say I would call the coach's selection is poor - but it's definitely begging a few questions. G - Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tally Hall (Houston Dynamo), Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Tim Howard (Everton), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)D - DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Matt Besler (Sporting KC)
And there it is. Jurgen Klinsmann going wide and expansive with his camp roster next week. The roster dominated by the return of golden boy Stu Holden and no place for Steve Cherundolo (or Carlos Bocanegra).
GOALKEEPERS (6) : Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tally Hall (Houston Dynamo), Bill Hamid (D.
Robin van Persie was voted for Fans' Player of the Year and given the Sir Matt Busby award. His incredible volley against Aston Villa on the day the title was won was also voted goal of the season.
Having won the Premier League for the first time and recognised as the player awards, Van Persie joked that this was exactly what he expected.
Believe it or not, but there's been plenty of other Premier League news today that doesn't involve Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson or David Moyes!
American goalkeeper Brad Guzan has been named Player of the Year by Aston Villa, by both the club and supporters. The awards are thoroughly deserved in a season where he had so many brilliant saves, and where he pushed out Shay Given to the bench.
Aston Villa keeper Brad Guzan has made it three straight seasons with at least one EPL club naming an American its Player of the Season. At the club's awards banquet last night, the netminder grabbed both MVP prizes (players' and fans'). Here is the full list of Premier League POTS awards by Americans: Friedel, Blackburn 2003McBride, Fulham 2007McBride, Fulham 2008Holden, Bolton 2011Dempsey,
For the second week in a row, Monday features a battle to avoid relegation. Last Monday, it was the 6-1 thrashing by Aston Villa against Sunderland. Today, it's Sunderland at home against Stoke City.
A win for Stoke and they'll be safe in knowing that they'll be in the Premier League next season.
1. David Luiz is trying to develop a tabloid persona as 'the Smirker'. 2. It's getting tight at the bottom. 3. 'Agh win it late, C!' is an appropriate anagram of Wigan Athletic after Callum McManaman's late winner against West Brom. 4. Indeed, it was a day for late lifelines at both ends of the [...]
Robin van Persie was named the fans' player of the year at tonight's end of season awards. The announcement came as no surprise, with Robin set to win the Golden Boot this season too. He has scored so many great goals and so many important goals that he seemed an obvious choice for the Sir Matt Busby player of the year.
By Kirsten Schlewitz / Senior West Coast Beer and Aston Villa Correspondent
In the U.S., the soccer season has barely begun. But over in Europe, most countries are 6-8 weeks away from the end of the season – and the title race has more or less been decided in each of the big leagues.
Aston Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov announced his retirement from football today following his battle against acute leukaemia. Petrov was diagnosed with the condition last year, but is currently in remission.
Here's what Petrov said today in a statement:
"It is with a heavy heart that I am announcing my retirement from the game.
With Wigan Athletic and Aston Villa winning over the weekend, there are now an incredible eight teams who are still in danger of being relegated as the 18th place team in the league this season. And there are only 2-3 matches remaining this season.
Forty points this season may not be enough to guarantee safety.
If you missed any of the seven matches in the Premier League today, watch the match highlights below. While the games weren't as exciting as the final day of the Championship season, for good reason, there was still plenty to enjoy.
There was one match, in particular, that was my match of the day that opened up the entire battle to avoid relegation.
Norwich City 1-2 Aston Villa Premier League 4th May 2013
Gabi Agbonlahor has kickstarted his own season in recent weeks and in doing so, the fleet-footed attacker has also helped his side move closer to securing their top tier status for another season.
City can confirm @keikamara's loan has now ended and will return to @sportingkc with immediate effect. #ncfc twitter.com/NorwichCityFC/... — Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) May 4, 2013
In a move that will be considered shocking by many, Norwich City FC announced today that Kei Kamara's loan has ended and he's returning to Kansas City.
Spurs, Fulham and Aston Villa will head the race for Watford star Matej Vydra if the Hornets fail to make it to the Premier League. The 21-year-old is one of a host of Udinese players currently on loan at Vicarage Road. His 22 goals have been instrumental as Gianfranco Zola's side have pushed for [..
Sad but inevitable news is just reaching us in that Aston Villa's club captain Stiliyan Petrov has announced his retirement from the game as he continues to fight againstleukaemia.
Petrov, who hasn't played for Villa since originally being diagnosed with the disease back in March 2012, signed off with a truly tear-jerking statement on the club's official website here's a few excerpts:
"I've never been a person for making grand statements.
Attempts to keep Benteke away from Arsenal are unconvincing. by FD
Of all the players linked with a summer move to the Emirates, Benteke, the Aston Villa striker, is one of the more interesting. For a start, he's demonstrated his ability to score goals in the Premiership. And he's done that while playing in a struggling side so could surely do an even better job at Arsenal?
Robin van Persie has scored 25 goals in the league for United this season but only one of them has been in front of the Stretford End. Our Dutchman vows to make amends to this statistic.
"I've also scored quite a few goals in the second half at Old Trafford, but in those games it's just so happened that we'd changed ends and we were attacking the Stretford End in the first half," he said.
Brad Guzan and Aston Villa look to have all but won in their battle against relegation.
The Villans picked up a big road victory that moved them five points clear of the drop zone with two games remaining on Saturday, defeating Norwich City, 2-1, at Carrow Road.
