Newcastle United were dragged into the gutter on Saturday when midfield stars Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer were sent off for fighting each other in an amazing St James’ Park encounter that eventually saw the Magpies finish with eight men and 3-0 losers to Aston Villa.
While Newcastle were imploding in spectacular style, Thierry Henry was banging in a hat-trick to help Arsenal leapfrog Manchester United into second place in the Premiership with a 4-1 win against relegation-bound Norwich at Highbury.
With United held to a goalless draw against Blackburn, Arsenal were left level on 67 points with the Old Trafford club, 10 points behind leaders Chelsea.
But Chelsea will go 13 points clear at the top with just seven games remaining if they beat Southampton in Saturday’s late kick-off game.
However, the day’s most extraordinary match was at St James’. The home side were already down a man after Steven Taylor was sent off for deliberate handball when Bowyer and Dyer exchanged punches in the centre circle.
Referee Barry Knight, who had angered Newcastle by denying them a penalty before awarding Villa two, both of which Gareth Barry converted, sent off the fighting duo eight minutes from time.
Juan Pablo Angel had earlier given Villa a fifth-minute lead.
Both Dyer and Bowyer later apologised for their punch-up.
”I would like to apologise to the fans, the chairman, the manager, all the players and everybody connected to me personally, my family and everybody that witnessed what went on today on the football pitch,” Bowyer said. ”I am sincerely sorry.”
England international Dyer added: ”I would like to apologise to my teammates, the manager, the chairman, the fans and everyone connected with the club.
”We are teammates, we have disagreements, but we shouldn’t be fighting in front of 50 000 people, especially as it’s a crucial stage of the season.”
Manager Graeme Souness said: ”It’s a first for me. I’ve never witnessed that before. Hard words between players occur in every game of football but it’s very unusual for it to lead to what happened today.
”I have been reassured by Kieron Dyer he did not throw any punches, that he was on the receiving end. I think Lee Bowyer is indefensible, I think he is guilty.”
Both players are likely to be banned for the FA Cup semifinal against Manchester United later in the month.
At Highbury, Arsenal and Norwich shared three goals in an action-packed 11 first-half minutes. Henry opened the scoring in the 19th minute, when following Mathieu Flamini’s flick, the France forward fired home.
Three minutes later, Henry had his second. Lauren picked out Henry on the left of the penalty area and his curling right-foot shot beat Canaries goalkeeper Robert Green.
But from nothing, Darren Huckerby gave Norwich a lifeline on the half-hour mark. His corner was punched weakly by Arsenal ‘keeper Jens Lehmann and Graham Stuart’s miskicked follow-up shot found Huckerby still out on the left.
The striker then stunned a retreating defence, and the Highbury crowd, by unleashing a superb shot into the top right corner.
However, Sweden midfielder Freddie Ljungberg restored Arsenal’s two-goal lead with a 50th-minute far-post header.
Henry then completed his hat-trick with a well-taken shot from six yards out in the 66th minute, with Norwich staying four points adrift at the foot of the table.
At Old Trafford, former Manchester United striker Mark Hughes had the satisfaction of seeing his Blackburn side somehow hold on for a point.
Wayne Rooney and Roy Keane both hit the post in the first half as United dominated.
Rooney and Mikael Silvestre, who had a header cleared off the line by Morten Gamst Pedersen, also brought fine saves from Blackburn goalkeeper Brad Friedel.
After a goalless first half at Anfield, Liverpool broke the deadlock against Bolton four minutes from time through Igor Biscan to close the gap on fourth-placed Everton, in the last automatic Champions League spot, to just a point with a 1-0 win.
Everton are away to relegation-threatened West Brom on Sunday.
At St Andrews, Birmingham, with Jermaine Pennant playing wearing an electronic tag, were undone just short of the hour mark when Stephen Kelly latched on to Michael Carrick’s pass to put Tottenham 1-0 up.
But the hosts equalised when Darren Carter capped a fine solo run with a 66th-minute strike.
Pennant was released from prison on Thursday after serving a third of a three-month sentence for drink-driving offences but he must wear the tag as condition of his parole.
In a tight contest at Selhurst Park, Frank Queudrue’s 35th-minute header from Stewart Downing’s cross gave Middlesbrough their first away victory in the Premiership since November and left Palace a point shy of safety.
At The Valley, Manchester City drew 2-2 with Charlton. — Sapa-AFP