The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Happy Harry shocks Chelsea as QPR win in style
CHELSEA’S four-match winning run in the Barclays Premier League ground to a spectacular halt as struggling west London rivals QPR claimed their first victory at Stamford Bridge for two decades.
Shaun Wright-Phillips, an early substitute for the injured Junior Hoilett, struck a brilliant 78th-minute winner against the club he left in 2008 to further erode the Blues’ fading title hopes.
Wright-Phillips’ second goal of the season topped a fine performance from QPR.
It was a crucial victory which ended their threematch losing run, giving Har r y Redknapp his second win since becoming manager last month and while they remain bottom of the table on goal difference, the result invigorated their relegation battle.
Ever ton substitute Victor Anichebe plunged Newcastle deeper into crisis as a difficult day on Tyneside ended in depressing style.
The striker steered home Nikica Jelavic’s cross to complete a comeback which saw the Toffees condemn the Magpies to a ninth defeat in 11 Barclays Premier League games.
It had all started so well for the home side when Papiss Cisse headed them in front with just 72 seconds played but Leighton Baines’ stunning free-kick cancelled out the advantage two minutes before the break to set the stage for Anichebe to win it on the hour.
Liverpool may have brought in reinforcements to ease the apparent burden on striker Luis Suarez but their leading scorer appears not to notice or care as he hit two to beat Sunderland 3-0 at Anfield.
The Uruguay international took his tally to 15 in 19 Barclays Premier League matches – the last Reds player to reach that total was Fernando Torres in 2009-10, scoring 18 a year after they almost won the title.
Raheem Sterling opened proceedings with a welltaken lob over goalkeeper Simon Mignolet as Liverpool began the new year with a home victory after recording just six in the league in the whole of 2012.
Having new £12million signing from Chelsea Daniel Sturridge watching from the Main Stand was probably the prompt Liverpool’s forward line needed to shine.