Goal fest again as Atletico crush Recreativo

Arsenal came from a goal down to beat former bogey team Bolton 3-1 and move to the top
of the Premier League table here on Saturday. Goals from Emman

The goals are flowing for Atletico Madrid who capped a fantastic week with a 4-0 home victory over Recreativo Huelva on Saturday to move top of the table on goal difference.

After demolishing PSV Eindhoven 3-0 on Tuesday in their first Champions League match for 11 years, Atletico crushed Recreativo by one goal more.

Argentina's Sergio Aguero, known by the nickname “Kun” and who scored twice against PSV, made it three goals in five days with the opener before Portuguese schemer Maniche, also on target in Eindhoven, added a second.

French striker Florent Sinama Pongolle then scored twice in the final 13 minutes to down his former club.

Pongolle, deputising for the injured Diego Forlan, had two successful seasons at Recre before Atletico came calling in the summer.

With just seven minutes gone, 20-year-old Argentine Aguero, top-scorer last season with 19 goals, ghosted into the area completely unmarked to head home.

Aguero, who is dating a daughter of Argentina's 1986 World Cup hero Diego Maradona, thought he had scored again after 25 minutes but the effort was disallowed with Pongolle penalised for a foul in the lead-up to the goal.

Maniche, back in favour at the club after he looked to be heading for the exit door, showed great technique to drill in an unstoppable shot for 2-0.

Aguero was pulled off after an hour - with coach Javier Aguirre probably keen to rest him after a busy summer for Argentina at the Olympics.

Maniche came off shortly after too with Argentine Ever Banega, on loan from Valencia, making his league debut.

Pongolle stole the show in the closing stages though with two well-taken goals to make it seven goals in two games for Atletico.

Espanyol slip to second following Atletico's win but can reclaim top spot with a point against Getafe in Saturday's late match.

Espanyol had a horrible run at the end of last season winning just three times in their final 20 games but they are the only team in the league with a perfect six points and have yet to concede a goal.

Champions Real Madrid are in action on Sunday at Racing Santander as they look to click into gear.

Real have shipped five goals in during the first two league matches and coach Bernd Schuster has called for his team to tighten up at the back.

While Real have stumbled out of the blocks with three points from six their main title rivals Barcelona are worse off with just one point to their name.

New Barca coach Pep Guardiola is hoping for his first league win on Sunday at Sporting Gijon who prop up the table.

Fightback sends Gunners top

Arsenal came from a goal down to beat former bogey team Bolton 3-1 and move to the top of the Premier League table here on Saturday.

Goals from Emmanuel Eboue and Nicklas Bendtner cancelled out Kevin Davies' opener before Denilson sealed the win with a late third strike for the Gunners.

Davies had a free header to give the hosts an early lead but Arsenal came back with a fine spell to equalise and take the lead themselves.

Eboue and Bendtner each scored in the space of two minutes but Arsene Wenger's men had to withstand heavy pressure in the second half to hold on for the three points.

Fabrice Muamba looked determined to make an impression against his old club and set up an early chance with a robust challenge.

The Bolton midfielder robbed Denilson 30 yards from goal and the ball spilled to Kevin Nolan, whose drive was tipped over by Manuel Almunia.

Arsenal dominated possession from the start and were grateful for Andy O'Brien's well-timed sliding tackle after Nicklas Bendtner had played Emmanuel Adebayor through.

But the Gunners had already had a warning from Davies when he easily won a flick against William Gallas that was bundled out for a corner.

And from the resulting set-piece, Davies rose above Kolo Toure to head Joey O'Brien's corner into the corner of Almunia's goal.

As Arsene Wenger's side looked for a quick response, Brazilian midfielder Denilson rifled over from just outside the box.

In the 22nd minute, Bendtner was the creator again as he clipped through for his fellow striker only for Adebayor's stab at goal to come back off the post.

Just a minute later, it was Alexandre Song's turn to hit the woodwork when his header came back off the post following Cesc Fabregas' corner.

The equaliser finally came in the 26th minute when Bendtner slid the ball through again and Eboue got there ahead of Adebayor to squeeze the ball inside Jussi Jaaskelanen's post.

Ninety seconds later it was two after a wonderful passing move when Adebayor played Denilson through and he crossed for the sliding Bendtner to touch in at the near post.

Bolton finally came up with a decent response when Nolan's strike was pushed away by Almunia after Toure's fine tackle on Ricardo Gardner.

And Nolan went close again just before the interval after being set up by a flick from Davies.

On the stroke of half-time, Davies was booked for a sliding tackle on Gael Clichy that resulted in the French defender being taken to hospital.

Shortly after the restart, yet another fine passing move saw Song's thumping shot palmed wide by Jaaskelainen.

Adebayor should have opened up a two-goal lead when he rose above Danny Shittu to meet a cross from Johan Djourou — Clichy's replacement — but the striker headed wide of goal.

At the other end, Joey O'Brien's low strike flew narrowly wide of Almunia's post.

Bolton boss Gary Megson threw on the Dutch winger Mustapha Riga and he almost made a quick impression with a curling effort that was just pushed around the post by Almunia.

And full-back Bacary Sagna had to be alert to head away Jloyd Samuel's cross with Davies ready to pounce.

Arsenal were sitting back deeper and deeper but Sagna drove just wide after Fabregas' corner was not cleared properly by the Bolton defence.

Almunia flapped at a late Riga cross but held the follow-up from Ricardo Vaz Te before finally sealed their win.

Substitute Theo Walcott cut Bolton open and fed Adebayor to cross for Denilson to touch in a third at the far post.

Roma too strong for Reggina

AS Roma have finally earned their first win of the season, beating Reggina 3-0 at the Stadio Olimpico.

Roma, who last won the Serie A in 2001, went into this game with just one point from two league games and this week’s Champions League defeat by Cluj in the pocket.

But Cristian Panucci put the Romans in the lead just before the break, and Alberto Aquilani doubled the gap six minutes into the second half.

Perrotta netted Roma’s third, in the fourth minute of added time.

Captain Francesco Totti made an appearance, replacing Vucinic in the 78th minute.

Chelsea v Man Utd

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is unsure who should replace suspended centre-back Nemanja Vidic.

Ferguson could shift Wes Brown from right-back and replace him with the fit-again Gary Neville.

But Jonny Evans, 20, is also in the Scot's thinking after he played very well against Villarreal on Wednesday.

"I need to work out whether I go with Evans' ability but lack of experience or whether I opt for Wes' experience and Gary at full-back," said Ferguson.

Neville played just once for United last season - as a substitute in the 1-0 Champions League quarter-final second-leg win over Roma - due to an ankle injury.

"Gary was only playing his second competitive match on Wednesday but he did very well," added Ferguson.

"That will bring him on if I decide to play him on Sunday but Evans was excellent as well."

"Jonny was the big plus. For a young man of 20, he shows great maturity in his game.

"He reads the game well, which is a fantastic asset to have at such a young age.

"He is commanding in the air and a good user of the ball and that gives me confidence that he could step right into the first team with no worries."

While Evans impressed, there were signs of rustiness in Neville's game, particularly in his crossing, but it was his first competitive start since breaking his ankle against Bolton in March 2007.

"I just need games," said the 33-year-old defender. "Having been out for so long I need a run in the side.

"But it is difficult to get that at the moment because Wes Brown has performed so well and deserves to play.

"It is just a case of remaining patient, keeping fit and training well every day.

"I have made steady progress and when you look at the programme of matches we have coming up I am sure there will be enough games for everyone."

Ferguson also has a concern over striker Dimitar Berbatov, who suffered a knee injury in the defeat at Liverpool last weekend