By Andrew Discenza

Arsene Wenger has been rightly questioned after a shocking substitution contributed to Arsenal’s capitulation and 2-1 loss to Manchester United. Captain Robin van Persie voiced his displeasure along with much of the Emirates faithful when Wenger chose to replace the scintillating Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – instrumental in much of Arsenal’s attack including the goal – with the oft-ineffectual Andrei Arshavin. The move proved disastrous as the Russian was shrugged far too easily off the ball by Antonio Valencia, and failed to contain the Ecuadorian as he set up Danny Welbeck for the winner. The Arsenal manager has since admitted it was a tactical mistake, but a blunder of this magnitude, compounded with his reluctance to sign reinforcements desperately needed to challenge for a 5-points distant Champions League spot, will have the club shaking to its very foundations.

Have your say: Is Wenger in need of a wake-up call?

Mario Balotelli may have won the penalty and dispatched it coolly from the spot to give Manchester City a last-gasp winner over Tottenham, but should have been sent from the pitch for a vicious stamp on Scott Parker. Having come on as a substitute he quickly picked up a booking, before tangling with Parker, who went down. As Balotelli stumbled backwards, his legs made accidental contact with the head of the Spurs man, but then the Italian found his footing and quite deliberately lashed out, stamping his studs needlessly into the skull of Parker, with referee Howard Webb seemingly blind the events unfolding before him.

Clint Dempsey’s sensational hat-trick lead Fulham to a 5-2 rout of Newcastle. The American improvised an alert chested finish from Bobby Zamora’s saved effort, before the Englishman sent a well-timed through ball in behind for Dempsey to crack a confident shot past the keeper. It was Dempsey’s pass that lead to the penalty, before Zamora set him up for the third time. The striker’s ball over the top caught Newcaste on the break, and Dempsey left no doubt in the minds of the supporters with an emphatic finish.

Tim Cahill’s day was bittersweet as he found the net for the first time in 13 months but couldn’t keep the lead for Everton. The Australian was in the right place to poke in for the opener, but when Shane Duffy’s header came to him on his own goal line he could only blast his clearance into the onrushing David Goodwillie and into the net.

Robby Keane may not have celebrated his brace against former side Wolves, but it would have been well-deserved as he netted two superb goals to earn Aston Villa a 3-2 win. His first was a low drive from just outside the area, hit so quickly on the turn that Wayne Hennessey couldn’t get properly down in time. Then with six minutes left he found a lovely winner, collecting the ball outside the area before smashing a rising shot that rattled in off the crossbar.

Jermaine Pennant got away with blatant simulation in the foul that lead to Stoke’s equalizer against West Brom. The winger went sprawling to the ground long after any contact from Youssuf Mulumbu, and the plainly ashamed look on the 29-year-old’s face spoke to the absurd distance between the two players when he went down.

Golazos Galore!

QPR’s win over Wigan was a joy to watch if only for the three gorgeous goals that highlighted the match. Akos Buzsaky came close early, then made good with a stunning freekick, unleashing a wickedly serving shot that flew in off the post. Huga Rodallega then matched the feat with a wonderful dead-ball of his own, choosing to send the ball crashing into the opposite corner. Late on Tommy Smith saw an opening from fully 30 yards and struck the ball to perfection, sending it rocketing into the top corner.

Sunderland outclassed Swansea 2-0 with two strikes of real quality. Stephane Sessegnon continues to show his value when he started a slick one-two at the edge of the area, and finished it off with a delightful volley that he curled into the top corner from a severely acute angle. Craig Gardner sealed the win with a truly glorious volley, controlling and letting the ball bounce before sending it deliberately dipping over the goalkeeper to nestle in the top corner.

Gareth Bale curled in a golazo despite Tottenham’s 3-2 loss at Manchester City. Aaron Lennon laid the ball off to the Welshman who struck it first-time, bending a beauty over the goalkeeper to dip just under the crossbar.

Newcastle scored a pair of good goals despite a 5-2 drumming at Craven Cottage. Danny Guthrie was allowed to stride through the center of the field before striking a vicious long-range shot that flew into the corner. Hatem Ben Arfa then scored from a jinking solo run, cutting inside his defender to blast past the goalkeeper at the near post.

Gretar Rafn Steinsson confirmed Bolton’s shocker over Liverpool, sweeping home a half-clearance with a crisp, sweet volley that sang into the bottom corner.

Wolves scored a fine team goal when Emmanuel Frimpong showed outrageous control with the ball in the air, beating a defender before finding Michael Kightly who cut inside to leave his man behind and curl the ball coolly into the corner.

Have your say: Which was the best golazo of this weekend?