Football news, match reports and fixtures | theguardian.com

Arjen Robben scores before being carried off in Bayern Munich win
West Brom 2-3 Manchester City
West Brom 2-3 Manchester City
Premier League clockwatch – as it happened | Scott Murray
Stoke City 0-0 Cardiff City | Premier League match report
Fulham 1-2 Tottenham
Sunderland 3-4 Chelsea
Swansea City 3-0 Newcastle
Southampton 2-3 Aston Villa | Premier League match report
Manchester United 0-1 Everton
Liverpool 5-1 Norwich City
Manchester United v Everton – as it happened | Daniel Harris
Arsenal 2-0 Hull City
Swansea City v Newcastle United – as it happened!| Paul Doyle
Lions-Falcons London game to get 1.30pm GMT kick off
World Cup stadium in Curitiba is in 'a mess', warn Fifa sources
Forest's Chalobah 'racially abused' at Millwall
England to use Brazuca World Cup ball despite kit deal problems
Premier League: Wednesday's matches – in pictures
Pepe Reina says he would welcome Barcelona return
What hobby would you spend £6,000 on? | Open thread
Manchester United would like a Football League B team, says Woodward
The Fiver | A sense of intense ire
World Cup: fans' £6,000 bill for 13,500 mile odyssey if England reach final
MLS Best XI: who do you think should have made the league team?

Arjen Robben scores before being carried off in Bayern Munich win

Posted: 04 Dec 2013 02:29 PM PST

• Initial fears over ligament damage prove premature
• Bayern beat Augsburg 2-0 in the German Cup

Arjen Robben scored an early goal and was later carried off after a nasty collision as Bayern Munich won 2-0 at Augsburg in the German Cup on Wednesday.

There were initially worries that the Dutchman may have suffered ligament damage but Bayern said on their website that a first diagnosis had revealed a deep gash.

Robben put Bayern ahead in the fourth minute, typically wriggling his way through the Augsburg defence and cleverly flicking home a rebound after his initial shot was saved by goalkeeper Marwin Hitz. It was Robben's fourth goal in Bayern's last five games in all competitions, but his evening turned sour 10 minutes later.

Robben again burst clear of the Augsburg defence and was upended by a lunging foot-first challenge from Hitz before being carried off on a stretcher grimacing in pain. Augsburg escaped a penalty when the linesman waved for offside. "I was really sorry, I apologised immediately," Hitz said after the match.

Thomas Müller, who replaced Robben, headed the second in the 78th minute to send the current into the quarter-finals.

West Brom 2-3 Manchester City

Posted: 04 Dec 2013 02:18 PM PST

• Click here for the best images from tonight's matches

The hope will be that a sizeable monkey is off Manchester City's back with what is only their second away win of the campaign.

With Vincent Kompany completing his first 90 minutes since early October due to a thigh injury this was a satisfying evening for the manager, Manuel Pellegrini.

Before coasting to the three points against a largely insipid West Bromwich Albion the record away from home was four defeats and a draw to go with the single win, the 3-1 triumph at West Ham United in October.

It is just under a year since managing two league wins on the road, last December's 4-3 victory at Norwich City and the 2-0 win at Arsenal in January. But at Southampton on Saturday they can now end that sequence.

Delays on the M6 meant this 15th game of the campaign for each side began a quarter of an hour late. The surprise team news came in Pellegrini's decision not to start with Álvaro Negredo, the Spaniard who is flying through a debut season for City, having accrued 15 goals so far.

It was his replacement Edin Dzeko who proved the key linkman in City's opener. It came only nine minutes in and was created when the forward slid the ball to Pablo Zabaleta and the right-back pulled it back for Sergio Agüero to slot an outstanding 17th in 18 appearances past a helpless Boaz Myhill. Kompany lined up alongside Martín Demichelis with the two central defenders the eighth differing partnership fielded by Manuel Pellegrini in the competition so far.

The rustiness that might have been expected from the captain was illustrated in a fly-hack clearance during a first half in which Kompany in the main could stroll through.

Agüero, who remains on Real Madrid's radar for a potential January bid, again shredded the opposing defence when latching onto a Dzeko layoff: his shot fizzed marginally wide to serve as a further warning to Steve Clarke's side.

City's second arrived on 24 minutes and was the latest illustration of the fast and thrilling play that can be the division's most attractive.

Agüero, this time, began the move. He passed to the rejuvenated Samir Nasri who pin-balled possession onto Aleksandar Kolorov. The left-back, in for Gael Clichy who was apparently not injured but not among the reserves, weighted a perfect delivery for Yaya Touré and he made it 2-0.

Given the travails on their travels and despite City's domination the sense was that a third was still required to seal the result. Dzeko might have done so from a corner but his header, directed backwards as he faced away from the goal, failed to test Myhill.

Fernandinho, too, had an opportunity that he had started to finish and give his side the cushion. The Brazilian, who is proving a shrewd summer buy, raced up-field, fed Agüero, and carried on the run to receive the ball back from the striker but could not keep the attempted volley down.

During the opening stanza any threat Clarke's team carried came from aiming direct balls in on Costel Pantilimon's goal. Only once did this concern the visiting defence – when Zabaleta dallied in the area but a cool touch allowed him and Kompany to clear the danger.

Saido Berahino also cut inside to let go a shot but Kompany suggested his confidence in recovery by flinging himself at the ball to block it. Still, as the half drew to a close, these were signs that the Baggies were awakening and that City should take care.

At the break Pellegrini might have reminded his men of how they had been coasting at Cardiff City but had allowed two soft goals to lose that one 3-2 in their opening away game. Or pointed to the reverses at Aston Villa and Chelsea, two matches that City also somehow contrived to lose.

West Brom certainly began like they believed and gave City a scare when Chris Foy turned down a loud penalty appeal after Shane Long went down following a coming together with Kompany. Moments later, Long again fell in the area when Demichelis challenged him but this was less of a close call.

It was, in fact, Touré who scored from the spot, his penalty following Claudio Yacob's foul on Kolarov, confirming the win. There was a consolation for West Brom with Pantilimon's late own goal before Victor Anichebe's finish in added time gave City a jittery finish but they held on.

Jamie Jackson

West Brom 2-3 Manchester City

Posted: 04 Dec 2013 02:15 PM PST

Premier League: City held on to secure victory at West Brom with Yaya Touré scoring twice

Premier League clockwatch – as it happened | Scott Murray

Posted: 04 Dec 2013 02:08 PM PST

Minute-by-minute report: Arsenal, Chelsea, City, Liverpool and Everton all won, with the Toffees, winners at Old Trafford, registering the standout result of an evening which saw 32 goals in nine matches. Scott Murray was watching

Scott Murray

Stoke City 0-0 Cardiff City | Premier League match report

Posted: 04 Dec 2013 02:08 PM PST

• Click here for the best images from tonight's matches

Climbing two places apiece was more than these teams deserved for their efforts on Wednesday night but, after the form they have been in, neither Stoke City nor Cardiff City should complain unduly.

Stoke's need for a new striker was underlined as Peter Crouch spent more time grappling with opponents and claiming infringements than managing goal attempts but, after one win since August, Mark Hughes, like his opposite number Malky Mackay, the Cardiff manager, will be relieved to gain the point that lifts both sides above West Ham United and Norwich City.

The Cardiff fans welcomed the opportunity to see their side play away to a team bedecked partially in red as it offered them the chance to run out in their traditional colours, nowadays their change kit. "We're Cardiff City, we'll always be blue," they sang with gusto. The travelling supporters have not had much to shout about on the road this season, with only four goals in six away matches, but with Stoke's trouble in finding the net this was unlikely to be a goalfest.

Geoff Cameron did turn the ball over the line just before half-time but was correctly adjudged to be offside as Peter Crouch turned back Oussama Assaidi's header from Marko Arnautovic's right-wing cross. Arnautovic, returning to action after a hamstring injury, was at the heart of much that Stoke created in an attritional first half befitting two sides jostling just above the relegation zone.

The Austrian played a wonderful pass midway through the half, but Assaidi's first touch deserted him as he bore down on Cardiff's goalkeeper David Marshall.

Peter Coates was shown being awarded the freedom of the city during the interval; but the Stoke chairman will have been relieved that his team's defence allowed Cardiff very little liberty. Jordon Mutch had one glancing header parried away by Asmir Begovic but generally Cardiff played their best outside the Stoke danger area.

Fraizer Campbell, at times a very lonely front man for Cardiff, appealed for a penalty nine minutes into the second half when, running goalside of Marc Wilson, their legs became entwined. But referee Michael Oliver shrugged off the claim, much as he had Crouch's in the first half when the Stoke forward found Kévin Théophile-Catherine blocking his path.

Both Crouch and Campbell were cautioned just before the hour mark when the former nudged an arm at the latter as players jostled on the edge of the penalty area awaiting a Stoke free-kick, with the already-cautioned Charlie Adam involved. With an object thrown from the crowd moved to one side by a steward, the mood grew more hostile.

Crouch, his gander up, headed powerfully over from Assaidi's cross. The longer the game went on, there appeared more chance of a red card, as Adam, who had been booked for kicking Campbell in the first half, left an elbow in on Mutch as the ball sailed out for a throw-in.

Fulham 1-2 Tottenham

Posted: 04 Dec 2013 02:00 PM PST

• Click here for the best images from tonight's matches

This was a game of firsts. Ashkan Dejagah chose some moment to score his first goal for Fulham and his nerveless finish from Dimitar Berbatov's wonderful pass looked set to fire the Rene Meulensteen era at the club.

His timing was in. The owner Shahid Khan was in attendance to see the team in the first game since Martin Jol's sacking. And yet Tottenham Hotspur salvaged something in dramatic fashion, when Vlad Chiriches' wild equaliser was topped by the substitute Lewis Holtby's brilliant winner.

Chiriches had addressed a corner that had been cleared to him from very long range and he tried his luck. His sweet low strike kept going and going, and it flashed into the bottom corner of Maarten Stekelenburg's net. It was Chiriches's first goal in Tottenham colours since his arrival in the summer. Fulham looked stunned.

Tottenham, though, were not finished and Holtby completed the stunning turnaround when he jinked in from the right and unloaded a vicious left-footed drive that beat Stekelenburg.

Tottenham were not entirely pretty but the result meant everything for them and André Villas-Boas. This was a first Premier League win in five matches.

Jol would mutter darkly about how Craven Cottage had come to feel like an away ground for his team and one of the factors behind his removal was to lift in the mood among the fans.

Fulham's situation is perilous after the joint-worst start to a season in their top-flight history, equalling the relegation campaign of 1967-68. Meulensteen has it all to do.

His team selection featured the return of Dimitar Berbatov from illness and Fulham made an excellent start, which fired the home crowd. Having failed to muster a shot on target at West Ham United on Saturday, which represented the final nail for Jol, they fashioned a early flurry which nearly put them ahead. Craven Cottage felt like a happier place.

Berbatov glanced a header at Hugo Lloris from Giorgos Karagounis's free-kick but his first big chance came on 13 minutes after a surging run from Alex Kacaniklic, which had been embellished by a nutmeg. Kacaniklic's pass had Berbatov through only for his touch to desert him.

Karagounis forced Lloris to work with a low shot from distance before Berbatov went agonisingly close. From Pajtim Kasami's cross, he found time and space to bring down the ball and hook a shot for the corner. Lloris's reflex save was magnificent. Dejagah also headed narrowly over the crossbar on 25 minutes.

The tempo was high and errors from both teams made for a helter-skelter contest. There were lots of chances. Jermain Defoe, preferred to Roberto Soldado, had drawn an early save from Stekelenburg after a loose pass from John Arne Riise but Tottenham's gilt-edged opening came when Sascha Riether miscontrolled a high punt forward from Michael Dawson, following a Fulham corner. Aaron Lennon and Defoe combined to set up Paulinho, who stepped inside two challenges and blazed his shot over the crossbar.

Tottenham battled back and there were flickers from Erik Lamela, who had started on the right but was switched to the left midway through the first half. He shot first-time and past the post from Defoe's astute cutback while, after a driving run, his deflected shot forced Stekelenburg into a flying save.

The entertainment value was high and it went some way to warming the spirits on a bitterly cold night. Villas-Boas introduced Holtby for Etienne Capoue at half-time, ostensibly an attacking change but it did see him drop Paulinho into a deeper midfield role.

Both teams pressed. Victory stood to mean so much for different reasons. Tottenham went close early in the second-half through Defoe and Sandro but it was Fulham who scored the opening goal. It was deserved.

Dawson will not enjoy the inquest. His poor ball dropped Paulinho into trouble and when Scott Parker robbed him, Tottenham looked stretched. It still needed a moment of high quality, however, from Berbatov to weight the diagonal pass that put Dejagah away. Confronted by Lloris, his low finish into the far corner was marked by composure.

Villas-Boas desperately needed a response and it came from an unlikely source and in unlikely fashion. Kyle Walker's corner was poor and it was easily cleared by the first man and there appeared little on when Chiriches swung his left boot at the ball from 30 yards. But the contract was sweet and the shot flew low into the bottom corner.

There was more. Walker passed to Holtby and, after one touch, he brought the hammer down on a left-footed drive that fizzed past Stekelenburg.

Fulham hit the post in the dying moments to leave Meulensteen with a sinking feeling and there was to be no late equaliser.

It felt harsh for Fulham but nobody at Tottenham was complaining.

David Hytner

Sunderland 3-4 Chelsea

Posted: 04 Dec 2013 02:00 PM PST

• Click here for the best images from tonight's matches

Eden Hazard ensured it was business as usual for Chelsea last night, scoring twice and creating another goal for Frank Lampard as they won at Sunderland for the ninth successive time.

Hazard was irrepressible as they equalled the top division's record of away victories against the same opponents – a record which Chelsea already hold – but this was not as straightforward as other successes during their dominance on Wearside.

Jozy Altidore and John O'Shea exposed failings in Chelsea's defence with goals, while Phil Bardsley added their third goal just two minutes after scoring Chelsea's fourth with his own goal.

Chelsea's stranglehold over Sunderland had no meaningful influence on this match since many of the players involved last night were still at school when Chelsea won the first of those successive victories here.

And, if they were aware of the statistic, there was certainly no inferiority complex evident among the Sunderland players in the early stages. They went back to the bottom of Premier League 24 hours earlier when Crystal Palace won, but were ahead within 14 minutes here.

Chelsea looked to have escaped when a free-kick from a dangerous position on the edge of the area was blocked, but Jack Colback found Altidore from the rebound. With a confidence not warranted by his solitary goal this season, the American international took advantage of the generous space he was given by Gary Cahill to turn and score in the bottom corner.

It was a remarkable start by Sunderland, who had the worst hit rate in the Premier League after directing only 30 shots on target in their previous 13 games.

However, Chelsea had failed to take note of an earlier warning from Sunderland when Fabio Borini took advantage of equally lax marking before firing a shot across the face of the goal.

Chelsea's only attacking response in the opening stages was a wayward shot from Lampard, who was to score the equaliser in the 17th minute in a manner that would have concerned Gus Poyet, whose reaction to his team's goal had been subdued.

Perhaps the man who played 110 times in three seasons at Chelsea sensed what lay ahead because Sunderland's defence was opened up alarmingly as Lampard was left unmarked in front of goal to head in Hazard's cross. But Poyet still had to be encouraged by both his team's reaction to the equaliser and continuing uncertainty in the Chelsea back four, seen again in a 31st-minute misunderstanding between Cahill and John Terry.

The ball eventually reached Andrea Dossena, whose powerful angled shot was probably swerving wide before Petr Cech made sure.

Dossena was less impressive within a minute when his unnecessary foul on Juan Mata led to a free-kick that produced a chance for Fernando Torres, who sliced his shot wide.

Chelsea did lead, though, from the 36th minute through Hazard, the creator of their first goal. This time, he only needed the distraction of an overlap from César Azpilicueta, again keeping out Ashley Cole, to enable him to cut inside two opponents and finish decisively from the edge of the area.

With Hazard also forcing Vito Mannone to make a save at his near post, Chelsea ended the half on top, but Poyet is building a solid team spirit at Sunderland and they hit back within five minutes of the restart. Again, they were assisted by a lack of concentration from Chelsea as they failed to deal with a miscued corner from Emanuele Giaccherini. Two Chelsea players had an opportunity to clear before the ball found its way to O'Shea, whose shot on the turn beat Cech from near the penalty spot.

They should have been level for only six minutes, but Torres wasted a glorious chance, shooting over after Hazard's shot was beaten out by Mannone.

Torres, the last striker to score an away goal for Chelsea in the league – a year ago at Sunderland – was soon substituted, but by then they were ahead again through a gem of a goal. Lampard and Hazard again combined superbly in the 62nd minute, with the England international's backheel setting up Hazard for another decisive finish.

Chelsea's fourth goal was put into his own net by Bardsley, who made amends within two minutes when he scored at the other end to set up a tense climax, as Chelsea coped with intense pressure from Sunderland before securing that ninth win in a row at Sunderland.

Swansea City 3-0 Newcastle

Posted: 04 Dec 2013 01:59 PM PST

• Pictures: all the best images from Wednesday's matches

Newcastle United's four-match winning run was brought to an abrupt end on a bitterly cold evening in south Wales as Swansea City, inspired by Jonjo Shelvey, recorded a rare and much-needed home victory. Nathan Dyer's well-struck volley at the end of the first half, followed by a own goal from Mathieu Debuchy and a brilliant third from Shelvey, allowed Swansea to celebrate three points at the Liberty Stadium for only the second time in 12 matches.

It was a frustrating night for Newcastle but Swansea looked the much more accomplished team and in Shelvey they possessed the outstanding player on the pitch. The former Liverpool midfielder was at the heart of all of Swansea's best moments and he rounded off a fine individual performance with a superb goal. Receiving a square pass from Dyer, Shelvey swept a 25-yard shot beyond Tim Krul, who had denied him moments earlier, and into the top corner.

For all Swansea's possession and neat passing in the early stages -– and there were some lovely interchanges and flicks to enjoy during that period - it was Newcastle, with their first meaningful attack of the game, who came closest to taking the lead. Debuchy delivered a cross from the right that picked out Loïc Rémy, whose textbook downward header was destined for the bottom corner of the net until Michel Vorm, returning to the side after a knee problem, made a superb one-handed save to keep the ball out.

Swansea's lack of penetration was not helped by the absence through injury of Michu and Wilfried Bony, who have scored 16 goals between them this season. Alvaro Vázquez, a loan signing from Getafe, was thrust into the central-striking role but lasted only 29 minutes before limping off with a groin strain. The Spaniard's 13 appearances for the club – the majority from the bench – have failed to yield a goal.

Dyer, Vázquez's replacement, took little time to make his mark. On the stroke of half-time Alejandro Pozuelo whipped in a left-footed centre that had Krul frantically back-pedalling and stretching every sinew to get a hand on the ball. The Newcastle goalkeeper could only succeed, however, in palming the ball into the area where Dyer was loitering, just outside the six-yard box, and the winger finished ruthlessly, hammering a first-time volley into the empty net.

Newcastle pressed for an equaliser. Shola Ameobi's volley was comfortably saved by Vorm, Rémy should have done better with a free header and the Newcastle striker also had appeals for a penalty turned down when a shot struck Ben Davies on his hand. Another penalty shout – this time Yoan Gouffran alleging he had been pushed by Ashley Williams – culminated in Swansea's second.

Sprinting clear on to Pozuelo's pass, Shelvey was about to shoot when Debuchy tackled him from behind, the ball came back off Krul's legs, struck the Newcastle defender and ended up in the back of the net. Shelvey later got his reward, with a beauty eight minutes from time.

Stuart James

Southampton 2-3 Aston Villa | Premier League match report

Posted: 04 Dec 2013 01:55 PM PST

Southampton's eye-catching start to the season is in danger of unravelling as the Festive season approaches. If defeats by Arsenal and Chelsea might have been anticipated, surrendering an unbeaten home record to Aston Villa was a shock to the system – and Manchester City are the visitors on Saturday.

This rip-roaring contest was decided with a goal of brutal brilliance. Villa had twice led despite Southampton's monopoly on possession only to be pegged back when, 10 minutes from time, Fabian Delph darted forward to thunder a blistering winner beyond Paulo Gazzaniga from distance for his first Premier League goal.

So Southampton missed an opportunity to restore some momentum after those away defeats, although they had promised much in a breezy opening with Adam Lallana gliding dangerously into Villa territory.

However, it was Southampton who ended the opening period trailing, their manager, Mauricio Pochettino, responding by making a change before the break, with Dani Osvaldo being summoned from the bench to partner Rickie Lambert to bolster an attack lacking cutting edge.

Lallana, a rare plus for England in the November internationals, had dropped a cross on to the top of the crossbar early on, having previously forced Brad Guzan into a smart point-blank save, but it was Villa who opened the scoring on the break.

Their goal had been sprung from deep, Delph slid Gabriel Agbonlahor down the left channel and away from a flat-footed Maya Yoshida. Dejan Lovren, initially wary of Liubor Kozák behind him, moved in to block a potential shot, but Agbonlahor veered inside away from the challenge to slip the ball crisply beyond Gazzaniga for his first goal since May. Pochettino may have had pause to rue his decision to break up the established centre-half partnership of Lovren and Jose Fonte, with the Portuguese starting as a substitute.

Karim el Ahmadi might have added to the lead early in the second half, and soon afterwards Southampton hit back. Nathaniel Clyne had created their best chance up to then, his cross met by Lambert with Guzan making a magnificent save. When the right-back fired over an almost identical delivery, Jay Rodriguez found space between the centre-halves to direct a fine header into the corner of the net.

That equaliser should have been the prelude for an all-out assault on the Villa goal but instead Villa again struck on the counter-attack. El Ahmadi was rewarded for his persistence in regaining possession from Jack Cork and from his centre Kozák's was not to be denied by Gazzaniga's attempt to block . However , the Czech's celebrations were cut short when he was replaced immediately by Christian Benteke, to whom he had been preferred in the starting line up. But five minutes later Southampton were level again, Lambert nodding across the six-yard box for Osvaldo to convert from close-range.

Logic suggested the tide should have turned for good at that moment, but this was not that kind of occasion – and the stage was set for Delph.

Dominic Fifield

Manchester United 0-1 Everton

Posted: 04 Dec 2013 01:54 PM PST

• Click here for the best images from tonight's matches

For David Moyes, the night was overflowing with indignities. He can be sure now what Everton's supporters make of him after a caustic burst of chanting from the away end and there must be something deeply troubling from his perspective about the fact Everton, finally, have reminded themselves what it is like to win at Old Trafford. Moyes, remember, never managed it, nor at Arsenal, Chelsea or Liverpool, in 46 league attempts.

His team are now 12 points behind Arsenal and while a club with United's history should still consider that surmountable, the bottom line is that something drastically has to change if they are to stand any chance.

Everton matched them all the way and Bryan Oviedo's late and dramatic winner did not flatter them. For Moyes, after 11 years at Goodison, perhaps that is the most damning part. "Are you watching David Moyes?" the Evertonians crowed before the final whistle. Other chants carried far more malice but Moyes's greater concern must be the erratic nature of the team he has inherited from Sir Alex Ferguson. They look short in all sorts of areas.

It has been a long, wretched run, but it quickly became apparent that Roberto Martínez's side were at least intent on challenging that record. Romelu Lukaku was a robust opponent even for a man of Nemanja Vidic's ruggedness. There was no lack of ambition from the visitors, in a stadium where Martínez has experienced his fair share of thrashings, and Moyes looked agitated during some of those moments when he moved from dugout to touchline.

The home side threatened only sporadically in the first half, though they could still reflect on the nearest there was to a goal in that period when Wayne Rooney's shot skimmed off Sylvain Distin and came back off Tim Howard's left-hand post, before the Everton goalkeeper gratefully hacked it away.

Rooney, a more familiar target for the small yet boisterous contingent of Evertonians, had already tested Howard by that point and, unsighted, was a tad unfortunate shortly before half-time when Shinji Kagawa's cross went through his legs then bounced back to him off Oviedo. Yet Everton often demonstrated the greater fluency from the centre-circle to attack.

Their midfielders showing great determination to support Lukaku in attack whereas Rooney was sometimes isolated.

Ryan Giggs, playing the first match in his fifth decade against the same opponents that marked his debut as a 17-year-old, was having little of the influence that he had exerted in his previous match, against Bayer Leverkusen. Marouane Fellaini had plenty of the ball but rarely moved it quickly enough and, breaking forward, Everton's counter-attacking posed the home side plenty of problems.

Ross Barkley could have sent Lukaku clear if his pass had not been so careless, having run 40 yards through the middle. Steven Pienaar and Kevin Mirallas were quick and bright on the wings and, more than anything, Lukaku was a powerhouse. At one point the on-loan Chelsea striker went shoulder to shoulder with Vidic, left his opponent on the floor and was probably unlucky the referee, Martin Atkinson, decided it was more than just an old-fashioned 50-50. What can be said with certainty is that it was rare to see Vidic struggling to combat a striker's physical strength so noticeably.

Rooney was often the solitary player in United's colours to carry any real attacking purpose. This was the fourth match in a row Robin van Persie has missed because of injury and United really need more from Danny Welbeck.

Kagawa has a tendency to drift in and out of matches, decorating the occasion rather than dominating it, and Moyes is not the kind of manager who will tolerate players on the edge of the occasion. The Japanese international lasted only 57 minutes and it does not reflect well on him that there was barely a flicker of disapproval when his number flashed up. Nani was also introduced, with Rafael da Silva going off and Antonio Valencia moving to right-back. Valencia, once again, had struggled to make a favourable impression.

Everton were proving to be obdurate opponents. Distin and Phil Jagielka played with great authority in the heart of defence. Oviedo was a capable deputy for Leighton Baines while the amount of time Seamus Coleman spent in the opposition half was another measure of the visitors' confidence to take the game to United. A slight raise of Rooney's elbow, catching Jagielka in the chest, did not carry any real malice but it might well have been a measure of growing frustration as the clock reached an hour. Rooney was shown a yellow card and there was the clear sense inside the ground that something was going to have to change if United were to seize control.

Welbeck headed against the crossbar after Howard had brilliantly saved Patrice Evra's first effort but Mirallas had also struck the woodwork, direct from a free-kick, before Oviedo arrived at the far post to turn in Lukaku's scuffed attempt at goal. For Everton, their first win at Old Trafford since August 1992.

For Moyes, a demoralising night.

Daniel Taylor

Liverpool 5-1 Norwich City

Posted: 04 Dec 2013 01:50 PM PST

• Click here for the best images from tonight's matches

Torture by Luis Suárez has become a matter of routine for Norwich City but that does not diminish his capacity to astonish. The Liverpool striker continued his personal crusade against Chris Hughton's team with four memorable goals as Brendan Rodgers' men responded to defeat at Hull City in convincing style. They were led by a genuine masterclass from their No7.

Suárez took his individual tally against Norwich to 11 goals in four appearances with one outrageous 40-yard strike, an instinctive piece of skill, a glorious half volley and a 25-yard free-kick, becoming the Premier League's leading goalscorer in the process. And to think he only commenced this season on 25 September. He also found time to create the fifth for Raheem Sterling.

The 26-year-old now has 51 league goals in the red of Liverpool. Quite what Norwich have done to warrant this continued, ruthless punishment is unknown but there will be no complaints from Rodgers.

The Liverpool manager had invited scrutiny after Sunday's defeat at the KC Stadium by insisting his squad could not cope with the absence of Daniel Sturridge plus, for 66 minutes, Philippe Coutinho. There were no such reservations here. Norwich could not handle the simply irrepressible Suárez. It is safe to say no team could have done.

The difference was the outstanding Suárez, clearly, but there was also far greater urgency and intent from Liverpool than in their dreadful showing at Hull City on Sunday. The reaction was just what Rodgers had demanded and was not confined to just one man.

Norwich were not that bad, the visitors opened promisingly with Nathan Redmond prominent off the left wing and Jonny Howson forcing Simon Mignolet into an early save.

However, a slight mistake from Leroy Fer was punished with ruthless brilliance by the Uruguay international and the confidence suddenly surged through Liverpool and their No7.

Fer had escaped with a few loose passes around his own penalty area before another careless touch from the Dutch midfielder dropped to Suárez inside the Norwich half. Fer had every reason to believe he would escape again, the striker was around 40 yards from John Ruddy's goal after all, but everyone inside Anfield was stunned as Suárez went for the first time shot and astonished when it flew over Ruddy into the Kop goal.

The goalkeeper was not far off his line when the striker took aim and he continued his habit of torturing Norwich with incredible goals from distance.

Wes Hoolahan missed a decent chance to equalise from a Bradley Johnson cross and, from Liverpool's next attack, Suárez doubled the home side's advantage. Again the finish was immaculate, a hooked volley from close range, but once more Chris Hughton had cause to rue lapses from his players. A miscued corner from Coutinho, whose return to the starting lineup improved the supply to and speed of the Liverpool attack, found Steven Gerrard at the near post. He failed to connect with a glancing header but still the ball sailed through to the unmarked Suárez to apply an emphatic final touch.

Suárez was simply unstoppable, unplayable, and his hat-trick goal was another that left Anfield drooling. A swarm of white shirts closed in on the forward as he attacked Norwich down the inside left channel. He reacted by flicking the ball over Fer, letting it drop on the edge of the penalty area and angling his body to drive a wonderful half volley across Ruddy and into the far corner.

The hat-trick was Suárez's third in four games against Norwich, was a privilege to witness and meant the Uruguayan became the first player in Premier League history to score three trebles against the same team. "I wish Suarez would just leave us alone," tweeted Norwich's Anthony Pilkington. Suárez departed at half-time to a standing ovation and a wave to his family in the Centenary Stand.

Liverpool continued to penetrate easily after the interval. Ryan Bennett cleared off the line from Gerrard's diving header at the end of a flowing move, Ruddy saved brilliantly from a Joe Allen drive from 25 yards, the Welshman recalled at the expense of Lucas Leiva, and Suárez forced another low save from the keeper before scoring his fourth of the night.

Opposition teams have had enough warning of Suárez's ability from free-kicks of late but there is little they can do about them. Ruddy was easily beaten as the striker whipped his set-piece over the Norwich wall and inside the keeper's right-hand post.

The visitors grabbed a late consolation when Johnson headed in from Redmond's cross but the final word deservedly belonged to Liverpool. Suárez was inevitably involved with a low centre that Sterling converted at the back post. In the final minute Rodgers attempted to substitute Gerrard for a standing ovation. His captain said no and made Suárez leave to one instead.

Andy Hunter

Manchester United v Everton – as it happened | Daniel Harris

Posted: 04 Dec 2013 01:49 PM PST

Minute-by-minute report: David Moyes squares off against his former side at Old Trafford. Follow the action, with Daniel Harris

Daniel Harris

Arsenal 2-0 Hull City

Posted: 04 Dec 2013 01:42 PM PST

• Click here for the best images from tonight's matches

At some stage this wave is going to break. But right now Arsène Wenger and his players are riding such a thrilling crest even Nicklas Bendtner is getting in on the act. A man who could have been in rather different circumstances at Crystal Palace this season suddenly finds himself involved, and scoring goals, for the team enjoying the ride at the top of the league.

It was quite a tale of the unexpected as Bendtner broke Hull with his first league goal in Arsenal colours for three years. But apart from that, much of the evening was predictable enough as the home team coasted to another three points, outpassed their opponents and notched up another blank in the goals against column. These are good habits, and the major plus for Wenger was that it was sustained despite five changes to the line-up which played over the weekend.

Wenger had hinted that a tinker or two was necessary to deal with the demands of the upcoming quartet of challenging fixtures, but it still came as a surprise to see Bendtner selected for his first waltz in a Premier League starting XI for Arsenal since March 2011, in place of Olivier Giroud.

His most recent chance, as he ambled ineffectually through a Capital One Cup defeat to Chelsea, had hardly advertised his wares. And since then, Wenger had wondered aloud whether Bendtner's head was focused on the here and now at the Emirates Stadium or a future elsewhere.

As it turned out, his head was in exactly the right place to thump Arsenal into the lead before Hull even had the chance to adjust to the floodlights. It took a minute and a half for the Dane to make a mockery of the pre-match jokes that were doing the rounds.

Three of the changes Wenger made to the team that dismantled Cardiff on the weekend were involved as Hull were sliced apart.

Tomas Rosicky's deft touch confused the visiting defence and in an instant Carl Jenkinson broke to loft a pinpoint cross for Bendtner. His hulking presence made his marker, James Chester, look like he came from the land of Lilliput. Bendtner towered over him to steer a firm header past Allan McGregor.

Hull arrived buoyed by an uplifting win over Liverpool, but were soon breathing heavily as Arsenal seized control and began to attack in swarms. They had the chances to extend their lead before half-time.

Aaron Ramsey, unsurprisingly, was at the heart of the search for more. He was close to a second after McGregor parried, might have had a penalty when he was tripped by Maynor Figueroa and saw a cracking 25-yard drive tipped behind by the Hull keeper.

Bendtner also had a chance to add another, but his rustiness showed as he struggled to control the rebound at close range after an Özil strike was parried. When they combined again the German glanced over Bendtner's cross.

Midway through the half Hull earned some crucial breathing space as Danny Graham's tantalising cross just evaded Yannick Sagbo. Another warning came when Tom Huddlestone sent a fizzing ball across the face of goal, before threatening again with a shot which rocketed off Per Mertesacker. These encouraging moments gave Hull hope they could recover and they began to look more settled all round.

With only a slender scoreline to show for a dominant first half, Arsenal stepped it up after the break and struck another early blow. Nacho Monreal kept the ball in play on the left flank but Hull's players paused as if half-expecting a throw. Özil and Ramsey unstitched the opposition with a stylish exchange, Ramsey's wonderfully crafted pass arced into Özil's stride and the German guided the ball home with a typically sweet touch to double Arsenal's lead.

Some frustration on the part of Steve Bruce would be understandable. At the start of both halves, an untimely sluggishness did for any best-laid plans and Hull soon made two changes, bringing on George Boyd and Liam Rosenior.

Arsenal continued to create chances. Ramsey surged into the box, and a Bendtner header was nodded off the goalline. Santi Cazorla's shot ricocheted off a Hull leg. There was a worrying moment when Sagbo collided with Wojciech Szczesny and accidentally caught him in the head – the first action the Arsenal keeper had been involved in as he came to catch Ahmed Elmohamady's whipped cross.

Hull mustered little to genuinely worry Arsenal, and the league leaders were able to canter on. With this job done, the challenge of staying aboard this cresting wave is about to get a whole lot more interesting.

Attention now turns to Everton, Napoli and Manchester City in the space of seven meaningful days. Arsenal are as rested, and as ready as can be.

Amy Lawrence

Swansea City v Newcastle United – as it happened!| Paul Doyle

Posted: 04 Dec 2013 01:39 PM PST

Jonjo Shelvey was heavily involved as Swansea ended Newcastle's good run

Paul Doyle

Lions-Falcons London game to get 1.30pm GMT kick off

Posted: 04 Dec 2013 12:42 PM PST

NFL: Detroit vs Atlanta will get early kick off at Wembley allowing fans to watch four games back-to-back

Steve Busfield

World Cup stadium in Curitiba is in 'a mess', warn Fifa sources

Posted: 04 Dec 2013 12:18 PM PST

• Building work will not be completed until March or later
• Four out of six unfinished stadiums will be ready by January

Concern over the readiness of some World Cup stadiums has intensified on the eve of the finals draw. While Brazil's deputy sports minister Luis Fernandes attempted to quell mounting concerns by announcing that four of the six stadiums still unfinished would be ready to hand over to Fifa in January, there is a question mark over the Arena da Baixada in Curitiba.

Jérôme Valcke, Fifa's secretary general who is responsible for delivering the World Cup, said on Tuesday that three stadiums – in Curitiba, São Paulo and Cuiabá – would miss the deadline of being finished by the end of the year.

The Corinthians Arena in São Paulo has been delayed by the accident last week in which two construction workers were while the Arena Pantanal in Cuiabá has also been a longstanding concern.

Fifa sources said the situation in Curitiba was "a mess" and suggested that it could be March or later before the stadium, which is due to stage four matches and will seat 41,456, will be ready.

That will leave organisers with little time to install facilities and could force them to put in temporary toilets and food outlets. With the draw on Friday and tickets on sale, insiders admit there is "no plan B" but insist they will not compromise on security.

Fifa and the Brazilian authorities are awaiting a report on the situation in São Paulo but remain confident the stadium will be finished in time to host the World Cup's opening match on 12 June.

Aldo Rebelo, Brazil's sports minister, gave a long and rambling speech in which he appeared to make light of the delays. "There is always a bride and a groom at a wedding and 100% of the time the bride is always late but I have never known a wedding not to happen because of it," he said.

Fernandes was forced to clarify Rebelo's comments and insisted stadiums in Natal, Manaus, Porto Alegre and Cuiabá were ready or almost ready. "Because of the Christmas and New Year holidays, the stadiums will be opened in January," he said. "In all, 10 of the stadiums are now ready, leaving just Curitiba and São Paulo which won't be ready much before February."

Rebelo also admitted to safety concerns but said transport hubs would be safer for fans than anywhere in Europe or the US. "The issue of violence, we know it exists. We do not have the same safety conditions on the streets as in European cities," he said, "but the airports, bus stations and subways will be safer than any other environment in the US or Europe."

He said there were specific risks in cities such as Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Salvador. "We do have cases of violence in our cities, violence with social origins, common crime, robberies. This is something we are trying to fight against," he said. "Nobody will feel comfortable with this violence, with the massed robberies, the rapes, that happen but this is a horrible fact. We are trying to contain this violence. We know our country may be harmed when this violence is seen by the world, as would any country where violence exists."

He added: "We want to be scrutinised and are sure that this will show more positives than negatives. We are a country of joy and tolerance, proud of our mixed-race heritage."

Providing an update on ticket sales, Fifa's marketing director Thierry Weil confirmed each country would receive an allocation of 8% of the tickets for every match they are involved in.

The allocation is in addition to tickets bought through Fifa's central ticketing process and in the Football Association's case the tickets will be distributed through the England fans club.

Owen Gibson

Forest's Chalobah 'racially abused' at Millwall

Posted: 04 Dec 2013 12:08 PM PST

• On-loan Chelsea player reported abuse at half-time
• 'Both clubs hope to uncover the truth as quickly as possible'

Nottingham Forest's Nathaniel Chalobah has alleged he was racially abused by Millwall supporters during the 2-2 draw at The Den on Tuesday.

Chalobah, who secured a point for Forest by scoring in the 66th minute, alleged that the abuse took place before the interval.

Forest said in a statement on their website: "At half-time, the on-loan Chelsea midfielder told Forest's assistant manager David Kelly that he believed he was subjected to racist chanting from a section of the home support in the first half.

"The 18-year-old, who claims to have been initially subject to verbal abuse from the same section after receiving treatment for an injury in the opening minutes, was upset by the alleged abuse and struggled to keep his concentration during the interval as a result.

"Nottingham Forest treat any incident of this nature extremely seriously and will be liaising closely with the relevant authorities in their investigation of this issue. Both clubs are in communication regarding the alleged incident and hope to uncover the truth as quickly as possible for all concerned parties."

A Football Association spokesman confirmed the governing body would be investigating the matter fully by speaking to both clubs, the anti-racism campaigners Kick It Out and the police.

The Metropolitan police said it had been made aware of the claim and would work with both clubs to investigate the matter fully. Millwall were unavailable for comment.

England to use Brazuca World Cup ball despite kit deal problems

Posted: 04 Dec 2013 11:44 AM PST

• Practise with Adidas-made ball to be arranged before finals
• New ball expected to be much better than the 2010 Jabulani

England will draw up plans to practise with the official World Cup ball and insist the FA's deal with rival manufacturers Nike will not hamper Roy Hodgson's preparations for Brazil.

The ball for the 2014 World Cup has been launched with manufacturers Adidas hoping the Brazuca does not come in for the same level of criticism as its offering for the 2010 tournament.

England have a deal with Nike but FA insiders say the squad will be able to practise with the Adidas ball and will hold talks over which ball to use in its friendlies in the build-up to the finals.

An FA spokesman said: "The FA will discuss detailed preparation plans for the World Cup after Friday's draw. As part of this, the FA will speak to Nike and decide on exact plans – including the use of the official ball – and come up with a mutually agreeable arrangement."

In the 2010 World Cup, the Jabulani ball was castigated by players – and Gary Lineker described it on Wednesday as a "hopeless effort" – and that despite Adidas insisting it had been rigorously tested and endorsed by a number of international players.

The 2014 version has also been rigorously tested and widely endorsed but the manufacturers have taken on board scientists' suggestions that the Jabulani was too perfect a sphere and led to erratic flight.

The Brazuca uses an identical bladder and carcass to the widely-praised Tango 12 ball used at Euro 2012 and in the Champions League. There are some differences in the surface structure including six panels rather than eight, all of which Adidas say will provide improved grip and stability.

Iker Casillas, Spain's World Cup-winning keeper who criticised the 2010 ball as "rotten", has endorsed the Brazuca and took part in the testing.

It has been tested at the Fifa Under-20 World Cup with a different print design, and was used in a friendly between Sweden and Argentina in February.

The word "brazuca" is an informal local term meaning "Brazilian", or to describe the Brazilian way of life. It was chosen after a public vote in the host country.

Premier League: Wednesday's matches – in pictures

Posted: 04 Dec 2013 11:35 AM PST

All the best images from around the grounds on a night packed full of Premier League action

Steven Bloor

Pepe Reina says he would welcome Barcelona return

Posted: 04 Dec 2013 10:34 AM PST

• Goalkeeper would replace outgoing Víctor Valdés
• Napoli player is unlikely to return to Liverpool

Pepe Reina, currently on a season-long loan at the Serie A side Napoli, says he would welcome a return to Barcelona next summer.

The Liverpool goalkeeper has been strongly linked with a move to the Primera Division at the end of the campaign to replace the outgoing Víctor Valdés.

Barça's current No1 announced in May that he would leave the Nou Camp at the end of this season and Reina, who began his career at the club before making a name for himself at Villarreal and later Liverpool, would relish a return.

However, the 31-year-old knows the Catalan club will have many targets and has refused to speculate on his future beyond this season.

He told El Mundo Deportivo: "I would love to return to Barcelona. To play at Barça is a privilege. But I imagine that my name is on a list with others. Barça is a top club and Víctor Valdés' departure will have alerted other candidates, so a return will be very difficult.

"Right now I'm not thinking about it. I was fortunate to play there once and I consider myself privileged to have done that. The important thing is that I continue to do well at Napoli."

Reina has three years remaining on his contract with Liverpool, but is unlikely to return to play at Anfield given that Simon Mignolet has firmly established himself as first-choice goalkeeper, although Brendan Rodgers may wish to retain the services of Reina as his No2.

What hobby would you spend £6,000 on? | Open thread

Posted: 04 Dec 2013 10:14 AM PST

World Cup fans face a £6,000 bill if they follow England to Brazil. Tell us what passion you'd fork out thousands for

It's likely to cost fans more than £6,000 if they wish to follow the England squad all the way to the final in Brazil for the World Cup in 2014. As matches will be taking place in different cities, fans could find themselves crossing the country to support their team. Not only is Rio one of the most expensive cities in the world, but prices of flights to Brazil have already risen by more than 70%, so there will be few bargains to be had as you plan your trip. In the unlikely event that England ends up in the final match, it might be that all the money in the world would be worth spending, but would you ever shell out thousands for a hobby or passion? Have you ever spent all your savings following a sport around the world, or taken out a loan to buy something you've always wanted? What would you be willing to spend £6,000 on?

Manchester United would like a Football League B team, says Woodward

Posted: 04 Dec 2013 09:30 AM PST

• Vice-chairman backs idea of Manchester United lite
• It would solve a lot of issues, Ed Woodward adds

Manchester United have become the first major club to back publicly the idea of having a B side competing in the Football League after the executive vice-chairman, Ed Woodward, claimed the 20-times champions believe it would "solve a lot of the issues" regarding the development of youth players.

Woodward's view confirms the belief that there is a will from Premier League clubs to have closer links lower down the pyramid, a subject that forms a key component of the debate initiated by Greg Dyke's Football Association commission. The FA chairman is heading a committee that is investigating ways in which home-grown footballers have a better chance of playing at elite level.

With Dyke having set a target of England reaching the Euro 2020 semi-finals and to win the 2022 World Cup, Woodward is concerned that the current system in domestic football "just isn't as good as it could be".

The breakthrough of Adnan Januzaj, who could qualify to play for England, into United's first-team squad is the exception rather than the rule. Twenty years ago 69% of English players were in the starting lineups at top-flight clubs, a representation that has now dropped to 32%.

Woodward believes the youth system can be improved. "We need to have a look at it. We have strong views at Manchester United on the subject," he told the United We Stand fanzine. "If we could have a B team playing then it would solve a lot of issues. The reserves do deliver some of the objectives, the system just isn't as good as it could be."

But given the resistance from the Football League, a model based on the Dutch system where Ajax had a formal relationship with lower division club Almere City may be more viable.

Woodward is aware that differing models should be looked at. "Barcelona and Real Madrid have a competitive advantage with their system [of B sides]. Ajax have got it," he said. "A team in the division below went bust a year ago. Ajax stepped in and now they are developing their players that way. You can look at different models and what Spurs have with Swindon. You can look at rotating players in the first team.

"There is no clear and obvious answer. If you buy a top 18-year-old, a [Cristiano] Ronaldo or [Wayne] Rooney, they could go straight into the first team. Or they could go into the squad at number 25 or 26."

The Football League is thought to remain privately against the idea of B sides or any formal links between top-flight and lower league clubs. The governing body argues that the loan system allows younger players from elite clubs to gain experience in competitive circumstances. There is also a fear that becoming a feeder for a Premier League team could stop a side progressing through the leagues, as Swansea City have recently done.

In September Greg Clarke, the Football League chairman, said: "The Football League is not keen to have feeder clubs. If you look at leagues which do have them, you tend not to get good attendances. We don't like the idea of it and I don't believe it would solve the problem – but we will look at it as nothing is off the table.

"But if there is a proposal it should be put forward as part of the process and be dealt with by the commission. Let's not hijack Greg Dyke's process."

Jamie Jackson

The Fiver | A sense of intense ire

Posted: 04 Dec 2013 09:29 AM PST

Click here to have the Fiver sent to your inbox every weekday at 5pm, or if your usual copy has stopped arriving

THE MOYES DERBY

Saturday last, Aaron Ramsey scored a goal. A very nice goal, scored with the express intention of being scored, to the direct advantage of his team and the direct detriment of its opposition. A goal that can only have made him outstandingly, test1cle-tremblingly delighted. But, instead of displaying this rare and majestic emotion, he affected the sadness of a trillion puppy genocides, inclined nose skywards, elevated hands to n1pples, and instead savoured the plaudits of this #lovelytouch #classybehaviour.

This prompted the Fiver to experience a sense of intense ire, entirely distinct from that which sustains its passage through every day, and one which caused the temperature of its urine to increase by a factor of several thousand kelvin. Mercilessly, painstakingly, painfully squashing emotions for fear of causing offence is how real life is spent and endured, convention, necessity, sensitivity and love precluding the expression of true feelings. Football is not real life.

Football is not real life, and as such, there is no need for emotions to be hidden. It is neither uncool nor offensive to display happiness. Football is played and watched in order to supply happiness, whether by way of happiness, hatred or despair, a vehicle for the propagation of the extreme behaviour largely ruined by real life.

Once upon a time, a man had a wife. They were together a number of years, a number of years in which they experienced relative security and small, discrete portions of happiness – though very little unconfined joy and even less inspiration. Then, after 10 years, the wife's head was turned by a richer, more handsome and aristocratic widower. He called her and she responded in a trice, chasing over to his mansion while fretting whether her attire befitted such exulted company. In thrall, she determined to stay forever, popping back to snaffle the house and kids. The forsaken husband soon found himself a younger, prettier, more imaginative replacement, and wondered how he ever put up with her for so long – but says nothing, because it's real life, and in real life you have to suppress your feelings.

David Moyes reacquaints with Everton tonight for the first time since forsaking them, and expects his achievements there – relative security, and small, discrete portions of happiness, though very little unconfined joy and even less inspiration – to be respected. He forsook the club to join a richer, more successful one, responding to its call in a trice and chasing to a meeting fretting about whether his attire befitted such exulted company. In thrall, he determined to stay forever, popping back to snaffle those he considered to be the best players. Everton soon found themselves a younger, prettier, more imaginative replacement, and must be wondering how they ever put up with him for so long – but do not have to say nothing, because it's football, not real life, and in football, not real life, you do not have to suppress your feelings.

LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE TONIGHT

Follow Manchester United 2-1 Everton, Swansea 1-1 Newcastle and the rest of the night's Premier League action with our MBMs and Premier League clockwatch from 7pm GMT.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Billy Davies sent one of his staff out to tell me to stop taking pics of him. It nearly caused a riot with the Millwall fans … At full-time [he] came straight over to me and started screaming right in my face: 'Where are you from? Where are you from?' The stewards had to pull him away from me. The Millwall fans were going mad and the stewards moved me 'for my own safety' even though they were asking me what that was all about. The police asked me as well" – photographer Dan Westwell on the Nottingham Forest boss after last night's 2-2 draw at the New Den.

"I asked the photographer where he was from. I only asked him a question, 'can you tell me where you're from', because five minutes before that I asked one of my staff where he was from, and it was just an 'excuse me sir, can you tell me where you're from?' That was it" – Davies says there was "no incident".

FIVER LETTERS – STILL WITH PRIZES

"Charles Pulling gets letter o'the day and a copy of FM14, despite calculating that 35,420m is 354km (yesterday's Fiver letters)? Are you just baiting me on purpose? I've tried all sorts of pedantry in an attempt to get my hands on one of your prizes. Maybe the trick is to be less fastidious and more like the Fiver (by making a blatant error in my letter)? 1,057 pedals must surely sympathise?" – Ben Graham (and no other pedals).

"Interesting to read Charles' claim on exactly the same day that Big Paper wonders why we are doing so badly in the OECD Pisa report" – Phil West.

"Instead of being one of the pedants insisting that 35,420m is actually only 35.4km, I will instead point out that Mr Pullings' calculation of needless running doesn't factor in the scorer's team-mates running with him. If each scorer is followed by an average of two team-mates, our total wasted effort becomes a much more grave 106,260m, or 106km. Perhaps it's time for the Fiver to kick off its Stop Scoring campaign?" – Greg van Lunteren (and others).

"I am all for putting a stop to goal celebrations. If I have to see Suárez, Negredo et al scoring a goal then running off to kiss tattoos on fingers, wrists, forearms, elbows etc one more time … I mean seriously, what is that all about. I even see kids in the park doing it now. With no tattoos. Where did it all go wrong, Fiver? Where did it all go wrong?" – Michael George.

"I hate (well, love – I read The Fiver after all) to be a pedant, but Marc Nellis may not be entirely correct in his assertion that Young Fiver was playing on a CPC464 (yesterday's Fiver letters). In his infinite business wisdom, Sugar did release a disc-based machine known as the CPC664, in 1985. It lasted six months before it was succeeded by the CPC6128, which boasted twice as much memory and a rather more familiar set of cursor keys, among its improvements. But, perhaps more pertinently, Bugaboo (The Flea) was never released under that name on any Amstrad hardware. It was reworked and released as Roland In The Caves. Young Fiver has a lot of explaining to do" – Liam McGuigan.

"I read in yesterday's Fiver that John Gregory believes 'you can't stand still in football'. He clearly hasn't watched Fulham lately" – Simon Turner (and others).

• Send your letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. And if you've nothing better to do you can also tweet the Fiver. Today's winner of our letter o'the day is: Michael George, who wins a copy of Football Manager 2014, courtesy of the very kind people at Football Manager Towers. We've got more copies to give away this week, so if you haven't been lucky thus far, keep trying.

JOIN GUARDIAN SOULMATES

We keep trying to point out the utter futility of advertising an online dating service "for interesting people" in the Fiver to the naive folk who run Guardian Soulmates, but they still aren't having any of it. So here you go – sign up here to view profiles of the kind of erudite, sociable and friendly romantics who would never dream of going out with you.

BITS AND BOBS

Paul Ince intends to take disciplinary action against the three Blackpool players sent off in the 90th minute of last night's 1-0 defeat at Yeovil Town. Yes, the very same moral crusader. "It has been, all in all, a crap night," said the unhappy bunny. "It is a crap journey down. The Football League gave us a crap game on a Tuesday night at Yeovil, which was crap."

Dimitar Berbatov wants out at Fulham, according to his Mr 15%. "I don't usually speculate as nobody knows what will happen in January," speculated Emil Dantchev. "What I can tell you is he is not happy."

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli wants drinks breaks introduced for next summer's World Cup. "You are risking a situation where teams will kick the ball out for a corner just to drink something," he snifffed.

Inverness Caley Thistle have named John Hughes as their new boss. "It's very important that I immerse myself in the character and fabric of the football club and community," said Hughes, staying in character.

And He plans to open a museum dedicated to Himself in His hometown of Funchal this month. "He also wants to invest in other ventures in the future on the island," parped a spokesman. "This museum is just the start."

RECOMMENDED VIEWING

Here's the Desdemona from Machete Kills-inspired World Cup ball unveiling.

STILL WANT MORE?

Daniel Taylor interviews Phil Neville. Well worth your time.

This Beautiful Games gallery lives up to its name.

What would today's gay rights movement look like without team sports? Unfortunately, a whole lot more successful, writes Marina Hyde.

Daniel Harris on why the World Cup is going to be sensational for the first time in a generation.

Which football clubs have activated transfer buy-back clauses? The Knowledge has the answer.

A very belated tip of the hat to some Proper Journalism.

Oh, and if it's your thing, you can follow Big Website on Big Social FaceSpace.

SIGN UP TO THE FIVER

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A PUB WHERE YOU SERVE YOUR OWN BOOZE? WHAT CAN GO WRONG?

Daniel Harris

World Cup: fans' £6,000 bill for 13,500 mile odyssey if England reach final

Posted: 04 Dec 2013 08:07 AM PST

A whopping bill and daunting itinerary await supporters wanting to follow England in Brazil in 2014

About 13,500 miles and more than £6,000. That is the daunting itinerary that awaits the English fan if Friday's World Cup draw installs the national team in the most geographically taxing berth on the Brazil 2014 schedule.

It begins with a game in the north-east on 13 June, requires thousands of miles of travel even in the group stage and then, if the team survive that marathon, obliges them to trek up and down the country via the heart of the Amazon, to the south-western resort of Rio de Janeiro, where the final will be held on 13 July.

This slot, known only as A4, is likely to be filled by the first team to be pulled out of the last pot, where England will probably find themselves. Roy Hodgson has already said this is the draw he wants to avoid because it will involve a game in Manaus, where the humid climate will prove a tougher opponent than any rival team.

Fans may well feel the same once they calculate the miles and dollars needed to travel from opening game to final in this most logistically challenging of World Cups.

Breaking with tradition, Brazil has made things unusually complicated and expensive by arranging the three group games in different cities. This would be challenging in any host nation, but in the world's fifth biggest country, it will mean staggering journey times and costs.

Fans of the team in the A4 slot travelling from Europe are going to have to think big. Very big. If they were to follow their team for all seven games to the final (admittedly a highly unlikely prospect in England's case), they will have to spend more than £6,000 and fly more than 13,300 miles – the equivalent of 75 trips between London and Manchester.

That is the relatively low-budget estimate for economy class flights, two-star (or cheaper) accommodation, the cheapest match tickets and a modest daily food and booze allowance of £18 for the month-long tournament, based on prices quoted online in the past week for travel and accommodation in the six cities, one of which is visited twice.

There are better and worse scenarios. Distances between games in most other groups are shorter. In some cases, long-distance buses may even be an alternative way to take in more of the country at a cheaper price. If England fails to advance to the knock-out stage, the price is halved.

But if you want more comfortable lodging or to leave your flight booking until nearer the time, the costs could surge. In the past week alone, the minimum London to Rio return, leaving Heathrow on 10 June next year, has gone up by more than 70% to £1,300.

The biggest single outlay, of course, is the 6,200-mile-plus round trip from Europe to Brazil. You could cut down the cost and travel time by flying via Portugal to Natal, in Brazil's far north-east tip, but many fans are likely to want their first stop to be Rio – England's base camp and one of the most famous resorts in the world.

After the 11-hour journey there, they'll want at least a couple of days to take the edge off the jet lag by sun-worshipping on an Ipanema beach or sipping caipirinhas in São Conrado, where the England team will stay before the tournament begins.

Fans will also need to acclimatise to sky-high prices because Brazil's party capital is one of the country's – and the world's – most expensive cities. The £180 estimate for a two-night stay in Rio is based on a private room for two in a hostel. A sex motel or a favela lodge would be cheaper, but anyone who wants starred accommodation in the famous Copacabana beach district should expect to pay two or three times more.

Fortified by the Atlantic sea breezes, you then fly three-and-a-half hours and 1,295 miles for A4's opening match in Natal. While the footballers labour in the tropical heat, fans will be able to enjoy some of Brazil's most magnificent beaches, buggy rides across the dunes and nightlife that is reputed to be the country's wildest.

After five nights in Natal and a thumping win for team A4 at the Arena das Dunas, which, as the name suggests, looks like something out of the science-fiction film Dune, our dedicated fan then takes the 1,700-mile, six-and-a-half hour flight (with two transfers) to the city in the middle of the Amazon, Manaus. This is hardly a hotbed of football culture – the biggest local team, Nacional is lucky to draw 3,000 supporters, but who cares when you can while away the days until game two with boat rides down the world's greatest river and swims with pink dolphins? Almost everything here has to be shipped from thousands of miles away so to save money on accommodation, our fan is bedding down in a shared room at a hostel.

Another victory and then it is time to move on to Brasilia, a mere 1,210 miles distant and four hours away by air, for the final group match. Brazil's modernist capital is what the future was supposed to look like back in the 1950s, when it was planned by Oscar Niemeyer and Lúcio Costa. Their architecture is still an impressive sight, but the best views are outside the city, where you can find some of the finest hiking trails in Brazil. Camping might help to reduce the accommodation budget, which is estimated here at almost £530 for five nights at a two-star hotel.

The stay is worth every penny for our fans because A4 have won again to storm through to the last 16 as group winners. That means the next game is a relatively short – 382-mile – hop away to Brazil's third-largest city, Belo Horizonte, capital of Minas Gerais state.

No shortage of things to do in this buzzing urban centre of art nouveau buildings and environs, which include the fabulous Inhotim institute of contemporary art and botanical gardens. The positive vibe gets even stronger when A4 triumph again and move into the quarter finals.

That means a flight of 1,160 miles back up to the north east. But what's another three hours on a plane – and the associated economic cost and carbon footprint – when a fan can see their team play in a quarter final in Fortaleza?

This former Dutch colony is another of Brazil's beach-and-party capitals and is notorious for its sex industry. The capital of Ceará, one of the poorest states, it's also relatively cheap. Accommodation at a one-star hotel here is just £40 a night.

By now though, all thoughts of economic rationality are out of the window. A4 have clinched a place in the semi-final. What sort of supporter would abandon the team at this stage?

Fans may have to quit their jobs and take out a loan to make the journey back down to Belo Horizonte for this big game. But in our fictional scenario it is worth every penny. A4's unfancied heroes win in extra time to secure a place in the final against Brazil at Rio's Maracanã stadium.

Watching the final in this most hallowed venue will cost at least £269 for the cheapest match ticket, and about the same price for each night in a two-star hotel in Rio.

After more than 36 hours in planes and almost 10,000 miles of travel to this point, fans will need all the beach time they can get to recharge their batteries before the match they plan to tell their grandchildren about.

On the morning of 13 July, our fan spends the last of their cash on a ticket up to the Christ the Redeemer statue, where they secretly pray for an A4 victory – and then a final beer outside the stadium before kick-off. Two hours later, A4's plucky heroes lose on penalties. All our fan has left from this World Cup to end all World Cups are chewed finger nails and a neatly printed credit card bill waiting for them when they get home.

Was it worth it? The 11-hour return journey to Europe allows more than enough time to think up other ways to spend £6,000 and to reflect on how unaffordable the tournament must seem to Brazilians on the average wage of 1,911 reals (£492) a month.

And then, there are the plans for the next World Cup in Russia – an even bigger country – in 2018. Additional research by Anna Kaiser

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