[caption id="attachment_69599" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Kevin Doyle."]
Arsenal were the top scorers in the English Premier League at the weekend, beating second from bottom Blackburn Rovers 7-1 at the Emirates. Robin Van Persie got a hat-trick for The Gunners on a weekend when good football was difficult as several games were played in snowy conditions.
Also in London Irish striker Kevin Doyle got his first goal since October to give Wolves a 2-1 win over Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road. Doyle's goal probably saved his manager Mick McCarthy from getting the sack. In midweek Wolves chairman Steve Morgan went into the dressing room to let the players know he wasn't happy with their performance after their 3-0 home defeat to Liverpool. McCarthy was not impressed with Morgan's actions and the former Irish manager says he has had clear the air talks with his chairman.
Aston Villa goalkeeper Shay Given returned to St James's Park, Newcastle, for the first time since he left theew to join Manchester City in 2009. Robbie Keane scored again for Aston Villa, but the Birmingham club went down 2-1 to the Geordies. Sunderland keep own winning under Martin O'Neill. On Saturday Derry-born James McClean got the winner as the Black Cats won 1-0 away to Stoke.
Manchester City and Manchester United went into the weekend on 54 apiece atop the table after the former lost Tuesday night (vs. Everton, with Darron Gibson the winner) and the latter won (2-0 vs. Stoke). But City are two points clear again at after they beat Fulham 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, and United drew 3-3 with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. The Blues led 3-0 at one stage and it took too two penalties from Wayne Rooney and a late header from Hernandez to get United a share of the points.
In Scotland, Celtic beat Inverness C.T. 2-0 in the 5th round of the Scottish Cup, while Rangers were knocked out, losing 2-0 at home to Dundee United. The 21-year-old Dubliner Gavin Gunning got the Tangerines first goal at Ibrox.
