Scoring twice against Arsenal in London should be cause for celebration, but Senegalese Demba Ba trooped off the field dejected after a late Newcastle collapse led to a 7-3 weekend hiding.
Ba, who will be a notable absentee from the Africa Cup of Nations next month after his country failed to qualify, has notched 13 English Premier League goals this season, one less than chart-topper Robin van Persie of Manchester United.
ENGLAND
DEMBA BA (Newcastle United)
Senegal striker Ba found the net twice to take his tally for the season to 13 Premier League goals but finished on the losing side as Newcastle crashed 7-3 at Arsenal. Ba scored Newcastle's first equaliser just before half-time with a deflected free-kick and made it 3-3 with a 69th-minute tap-in before the hosts ran away with the game.
AROUNA KONE (Wigan Athletic)
Kone scored one and made another as Wigan won 3-0 at Aston Villa to haul themselves out of the relegation zone. The Ivorian striker teed up Emmerson Boyce in the 52nd minute and found the score-sheet himself four minutes later, rounding Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan and rolling in his sixth goal of the campaign.
STEVEN PIENAAR (Everton)
South African midfielder Pienaar struck after just 63 seconds of his side's game with Chelsea, driving home right-footed when Nigerian team-mate Victor Anichebe's header came back off the post. Chelsea turned the game around through Frank Lampard, however, to win 2-1 and leave Everton in sixth place.
SEBASTIEN BASSONG (Norwich City)
Former Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Bassong was at the centre of attention at Carrow Road after getting involved in a spat with Samir Nasri that saw the Manchester City midfielder sent off. Nasri went head-to-head with Bassong after the Cameroon international jumped in on him late in the first half, but although the Frenchman was sent off, City went on to win 4-3.
YAYA TOURE (Manchester City)
Toure, shortly bound for the Africa Cup of Nations with the Ivory Coast, played an important role as City won at Norwich to keep pace with league leaders Manchester United. The former Barcelona man notably set up Sergio Aguero for City's third goal with a delightful lofted pass over the home defence.
Source: AFP
