Monday, 9 December 2013

Football news, match reports and fixtures | theguardian.com

Football news, match reports and fixtures | theguardian.com

Former Costa Rica coach has World Cup warning for England

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 03:00 PM PST

• Bora Milutinovic, who stunned Scotland in 1990, talks of shock
• 'England have good players but can they show it on the field?'

The man who coached Costa Rica to a shock 1-0 win over Scotland in 1990 that helped them qualify from their World Cup group has warned England the Central American side will be no pushovers next summer.

Costa Rica are, on paper, the weakest of England's opponents in group D, which also includes the Euro 2012 runners-up, Italy, and seeded Uruguay, currently the sixth best side in the world, according to Fifa's rankings. But Bora Milutinovic, who has coached five different sides at World Cups, said Costa Rica had the right mentality to defeat England if Roy Hodgson's side underestimated them.

"At this World Cup there will be some great coaches," he said. "Roy Hodgson is a great coach and England have some good players. The question, for me, is whether they can show it on the field. I don't know if they can. But I think Costa Rica have the mentality to beat England. In fact, I know they do because of what happened with my side in 1990."

At Italia 90 his Costa Rica side defeated Scotland and Sweden to advance to the second phase in a group in which they also lost narrowly 1-0 to Brazil.

"We played against Scotland, a great Scotland, with many good players, in Genoa and we won, 1-0," he recalled. "Then we also played Sweden. If someone asked us before the game if we could win, and we said we could, they'd have looked at us as if we were crazy. They would have called us crazy but we did win and won well.

"Because you never know, because you can never predict what will happen, this is why football is the greatest sport. Of course, England will be favourites but the Costa Rica players will look back on 1990 and know it is possible, that they can win."

England will face Costa Rica in Belo Horizonte – the city in which they lost to the USA in 1950 – in their final group match on 24 June.

Milutinovic coached Mexico at the 1986 World Cup, the USA at their home World Cup in 1994, Nigeria in 1998 and China in 2002. The 69-year-old Mexican-Serbian is the only man apart from Carlos Alberto Parreira, who will be Brazil's technical director next summer, to coach five different sides at the World Cup finals.

Following the draw Hodgson warned that Costa Rica should not be underestimated. "It is going to be quite difficult to put a positive spin on the quality of our opponents," he said. "Costa Rica might be the least known but they are a very strong team."

Milutinovic said that England had to develop a winning mentality if they were to fulfil their potential. "I tell you something: for me the biggest surprise in world football is that a big country, a great football country, like England, can think it doesn't have a chance. Of course you have a chance but you need to believe, you need to trust in your character, as players and as a team, your quality. You have players the world knows and when you have good players anything is possible."

Owen Gibson

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David Moyes tells Manchester United faithful he is not about to panic

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 02:30 PM PST

• 'I tried to chuck the kitchen sink at them'
• A section of United fans booed at the end

David Moyes has taken full responsibility for Manchester United being 13 points behind the leaders, Arsenal, admitting that he is failing to get the best from his players. However the manager is ready to move in January to strengthen his squad, believing it will be an easier transfer window to operate in than last summer's when he had just started the job.

United's 1-0 defeat by Newcastle United on Saturday at Old Trafford was a second consecutive loss at home following Wednesday's reverse to Everton by the same score.

Yohan Cabaye's 61st-minute strike left United nine points from the relegation zone and seven off a Champions League place, currently occupied by their fierce rivals Manchester City.

Following an insipid display Moyes said: "I need to make sure I'm getting the best out of the players and we're performing as well as we can do. I think we can play better but there were a lot of games last year where Manchester United didn't play particularly well and maybe in a game like that sneaked it with a goal."

Moyes's acceptance that he is failing to ignite his side was underlined when he attempted to turn the match after Cabaye's goal. The Scot introduced Anderson, Wilfried Zaha and Antonio Valencia in the space of eight minutes yet United remained toothless despite their tradition of pulling out results late in games.

Asked if this was a worry, Moyes said: "It is a concern because I tried to chuck the kitchen sink at them. I tried to put Antonio on to go without a right-back [for Rafael da Silva] and get Adnan [Januzaj] to come in. We looked to try to find openings to give us a chance and we nearly put on as many attacking options as we could to try to get those chances."

At the close boos could be heard, though a section of fans waited near the tunnel to applaud Moyes. With Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement and David Gill having moved aside as chief executive Moyes is confident that supporters comprehend the bigger picture at the club.

"I think they all understand it and most of them know exactly," he said. "Of course no one expects Manchester United to lose games, no more so than me, but it is a fact and my job is to make it better. The Manchester United supporters know about the transition. They're well aware of it. I don't think they hoped we'd be in this position but we've got roughly the same squad that was champions last year and we've not changed an awful lot in that period."

After failing to buy Cesc Fábregas and Leighton Baines in the summer, Moyes is hopeful that the winter window will be more productive. "In any transfer window you don't want to be bringing in a full batch of players so I think there is a period of time that it takes," he said. "The last one would be a difficult one after just joining the club so we've got a window in January where we think if it's right for the club we will do so. If not we will look again in the summer. This club is always looking to bring in the best talent and that won't change."

Despite United's precarious position Moyes insisted he does not have to buy. "I don't think I'll feel under pressure personally to do it as I'll try to do the right things," he said. "I tend to take my time and try to assess what are the best talents to bring in. You can see from the players I brought in at Everton – the other night you would say they were all very good choices."

Jamie Jackson

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Manchester United's David Moyes takes blame as decline is laid bare

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 02:30 PM PST

• Manager refuses to criticise players after loss to Newcastle
• Jonny Evans admits to lack of confidence in squad

Monday marks an uncomfortable one-year anniversary that shines a light on Manchester United's strife. Twelve months after Sir Alex Ferguson's team dispatched Manchester City 3-2 at the Etihad Stadium to throw down a marker and move six points clear of the reigning champions, David Moyes's United side are closer to relegation than to the leaders Arsenal and in a dogfight for Champions League qualification.

The chief concern is the side's style of play and how this translates into results. United have become a touch slower, more sideways, and lack verve beyond Wayne Rooney, who was suspended for Saturday's 1-0 defeat by Newcastle United, and Robin van Persie, who is struggling for match fitness after a groin problem.

At full-back there is scant evidence of the marauding that marked Ferguson's teams, with Rafael da Silva down the right corridor against Alan Pardew's side producing one of his poorest offerings. On the opposing flank Patrice Evra is still reliable but is 32 and the word is that he harbours discontent at Moyes's ongoing admiration of Everton's Leighton Baines.

The fault lines continue into midfield and out wide. When Michael Carrick is injured, as he currently is, the quality deficit in central areas is a siren call warning that the failure to make a signing there in the previous window – when Cesc Fábregas and Ander Herrera were the targets – must not be repeated, whoever is pursued next month.

There is, though, a major caveat to all of this: these are the same players – minus Paul Scholes – who secured United's 20th title and who have been strengthened by the £27.5m arrival of Marouane Fellaini and Adnan Januzaj's emergence.

So how United have contrived to be 13 points behind Arsenal becomes the burning question. At the centre of a myriad of factors stands Moyes. The Scot is honest enough to know that whatever the travails of the summer transfer market and the "transition" continually pointed to, he is the man charged with being the firefighter who should lead United forward.

After the defeat by Newcastle, Moyes fronted up to offer a mea culpa, saying it was down to him to find better displays from his squad.

Refusing to blame the players, he said: "The one thing they did from the off was to try to make it happen. They were all committed and trying to win the game but we lacked that final bit of quality at the end or the final pass in the final third or a little bit of luck if something had broken and gone in."

Yet the citing of ill-fortune for Yohan Cabaye's 61st-minute winner is hardly the United way. "They got that little bit of luck with Evra's header off the back of [Moussa] Sissoko's head that played him in and set up an opportunity. The last game or two we've just lacked that," Moyes said.

On arrival in July, Moyes cleared the backroom of Mike Phelan, Rene Meulensteen and Eric Steele, the Ferguson lieutenants trusted by the players, for his own staff of Steve Round, Phil Neville, Chris Woods and Jimmy Lumsden. Despite this not inconsiderable change and the Moyes transition mantra, a confusing contradiction comes in the assertion made by United's manager post-Newcastle that he has not altered much.

It all adds to the emerging picture of a Moyes whose thinking can be muddled on and off the field, as the fog that engulfed United after the departures of Ferguson and the chief executive, David Gill, begins to clear.

After Cabaye's finish, Moyes turned to two players who have hardly had a kick under him to try to win the game. Wilfried Zaha's career minutes for United totalled only 78 (in a Capital One Cup tie) before he was thrown on along with Anderson, who in six years at United has managed 70 league starts.

Why Moyes preferred Zaha, whose ability is yet to convince the staff, to Ashley Young, who was also on the bench, is a puzzle. With Fellaini and Carrick out through injury and Ryan Giggs rested, Moyes might have made a case for having little choice over bringing on Anderson.

Yet he insisted on praising the quality of the Brazilian – and Zaha – when saying: "I do think the squad has got the depth and that's why I played them. I felt that we've had a lot of games and those boys were worthy of inclusion and that's why we've involved them."

Saturday's defeat, the first by Newcastle on United's turf since 1972, followed Wednesday's 1-0 reverse to Everton, when the Merseyside club ended a 21-year wait for a triumph at Old Trafford. West Bromwich Albion's 2-1 victory in September ended a similar sequence that had stretched back to 1978.

One by one visiting teams' fears are tumbling as a realisation dawns that United have lost their aura and become just another average proposition. Where once a kind of hyperconfidence and alpha-male strut from United defeated teams before a ball was kicked in their cathedral, now Moyes's players view every opponent as a potential banana skin.

Jonny Evans accepts as much. "Obviously the lads have lost a bit of confidence," the defender said. "You can tell that with the possession and creativity. Usually whenever we're chasing a goal at Old Trafford, especially at the Stretford End, we put teams under an enormous amount of pressure but with the lack of confidence and creativity we didn't produce that. It is hard to put your finger on it. If you look back at the game, we lacked a bit of sharpness in our passing. We were sloppy in possession, which allowed Newcastle to get control."

Moyes's challenge now is to somehow avert a season of hell for United.

Man of the match Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle United)

Jamie Jackson

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John Gregory resurfacing backed by Crawley Town's secure grip | Mark Tallentire

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 02:30 PM PST

League One side earn draw at Bristol Rovers in former Aston Villa manager's first game back in English football

The runup to a game at Bristol Rovers was when John Gregory decided to check out of Wycombe Wanderers 15 years ago, leaving to take over at Aston Villa, and on Saturday the Memorial Stadium was where he reannounced his presence as a manager in the lower leagues.

More than six years have elapsed since Gregory last worked in the English game, at Queens Park Rangers, and 10 have passed since he was sacked by Derby County amid claim and counterclaim, having arrived at Pride Park six days after quitting Villa citing the pressure of the job.

A couple of assignments in the Israeli league and another in Kazakhstan are all that appear on his CV since the Loftus Road experience and so it came as a surprise that Gregory has resurfaced at League One Crawley. Many thought the man who was mentioned in dispatches to replace Glenn Hoddle as England manager in 1999 had been consigned to history.

"I always believed I would get back," the 59-year-old Gregory said after Saturday's hard-fought FA Cup draw at Bristol Rovers. "It was just a question of the right kind of club and whether I actually wanted to get involved. Once I had spoken to the board, I had no hesitation in coming."

Four days on the training ground and 45 minutes supervising a warm-up – "Richie Barker has left me some very good players" – were all the input Gregory had for this opener and he lost the captain, Josh Simpson, with a hamstring problem before kick-off.

Even so his new team earned a replay against a side from the lower reaches of League Two, which ensured they are in the hat for the third round for the fourth successive year. So far, so good.

"I'm delighted with how everyone's gone about their jobs this week," Gregory said. "It's great being back in the pouring rain in the FA Cup instead of being in my shorts and flip-flops over in Israel. It was slightly different but yeah, we loved it today, and really gave a good account of ourselves. Hopefully we get a nice sexy draw and get everyone motivated ready for the replay." Away at Birmingham, sexy or not, is Crawley's potential reward.

The replay takes place on Tuesday week but the main task for Crawley, who have moved through two divisions in three seasons, is to work on a league position of 15th. They are five points from the relegation places and nine from the play-offs, and reaching the latter is the minimum aim this season.

To that end Gregory welcomes the fact that he joined a club who are "financially secure" after his experiences at QPR, where he was caught up in the crossfire of a boardroom war, and Derby – "the right club at the wrong time". These followed on from the high-water mark of his Villa days, where he peeled off nine wins in his first 11 games to take them into the Uefa Cup and followed up with an FA Cup final appearance at the old Wembley in 2000.

Little has changed on the face of things, though the hair is a little greyer, and a tracksuited Gregory sent out his side in a 4-4-2 and spent most of his time in the technical area trying to influence proceedings, even joining the officials as they walked off at half-time to make a point about a perceived injustice.

Rovers came into the game more in the second half and, although both goalkeepers had work to do and did it well, the nearest anyone came to scoring were a flashing 20-yard shot from Oliver Norburn that hit the Crawley bar after an hour and a headed clearance off the line by Kyle McFadzean deep into injury time.

"I was quite happy to hear the final whistle," Gregory admitted. "We were blowing a bit by the end. We've got almost a month to sort ourselves out and we've got our eyes on people. The staff have done their homework and I know a lot of people. This group of players are here and I'm quite happy to work with them. I'm not going to bring players in unless they are better than what we've got. Even people on loan, you have to be very careful … some of the young boys from London clubs. We're about being passionate. I don't want anyone who's not prepared to battle for Crawley Town."

The parameters have been set, the logistics come next.

Mark Tallentire

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José Mourinho baffled why Chelsea strikers failed to quell Stoke City

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 02:30 PM PST

• Manager refuses to criticise Torres, Ba and Eto'o
• Mark Hughes delighted with display against 'one of top teams'

José Mourinho is supposed to be the man with all the answers, yet as he reflected on this dramatic defeat for Chelsea, the Portuguese was the picture of cluelessness. His mood darkened by the visitors' failure to "kill the game" after an early period of near domination, the manager admitted he had run out of ways to coax a greater return from those whose job it is to score goals for the team.

Although publicly Mourinho refuses to castigate Fernando Torres, Demba Ba and Samuel Eto'o – "they are giving their best so I can't criticise" – privately the manager is known to have become increasingly exasperated with their collective return. To put it into context, Romelu Lukaku, who Mourinho allowed to join Everton on loan in September, has scored exactly twice as many league goals this season as Torres, Ba and Eto'o combined.

It was perhaps unfair for the spotlight to once again fall on that trio after a match in which there was a collective failure on the part of those in blue to seal a fourth league win in succession, after André Schürrle had given them the lead with a neatly taken finish after only 10 minutes. But given all three featured in the contest – Torres from the start, with Ba and Eto'o coming on as second-half substitutes – and rarely looked like adding to a paltry total of four league goals between them this season, such scrutiny was less than surprising, especially with Mourinho making his concern over their form so evident.

"I don't know," he said, simply and grimly, when asked how he planned to increase his strikers' scoring rates. "I work, we try our best, the strikers try their best, so I don't know what to do.

"If you tell me [Sergio] Agüero has scored 10 or 12 goals, [Wayne] Rooney eight or 10, [Oliver] Giroud eight or 10, [Daniel] Sturridge eight or 10, [Luis] Suárez 10 or 12, and ask if I would like my strikers to score eight, 10, 12 goals, then yes, I would. If they had we would be top of the league. That's the reality."

Mourinho then reiterated Chelsea's plan not to sign a forward during next month's transfer window, with manager and club believing there will not be a player available who is of the standard required and would not be cup-tied for the knockout stages of the Champions League. Many observers would point out that Radamel Falcao, who Chelsea were interested in signing during the summer, fulfils both criteria but the view from inside Stamford Bridge is that the Colombian will not be allowed to leave Monaco before the end of the season at the earliest.

So it is a case of Mourinho sticking with what he has. In fairness to Torres, he has shown glimpses of his former, glorious best this season, scoring five times in all competitions, only for injuries and suspensions to check his momentum. The 29-year-old was anonymous against Stoke City, however, failing to manage a single shot on goal before being replaced by Ba on 59 minutes. He and Eto'o subsequently registered one shot between them – and even that was off-target.

But, as Mourinho acknowledged, responsibility for this defeat – Chelsea's third in the league this season and one he claimed had put their title challenge "in trouble" – cannot be pinned on the strikers alone. There was a general drop in focus and intent that allowed Stoke, who were overwhelmed in the early stages by the movement of Schürrle, Juan Mata and Eden Hazard (Chelsea's top scorer in all competitions with eight goals), to come back into the contest. That their equaliser, by Peter Crouch, resulted from Chelsea's inability to properly defend a corner only added to Mourinho's frustrations, given he had been critical of such failings during last week's win at Sunderland.

Galvanised by Crouch's strike, Stoke were much improved after the break, taking the lead through Stephen Ireland's curled shot on 50 minutes only to see Schürrle strike again soon after. That appeared to be that as a frantic encounter edged towards stoppage time but Oussama Assaidi, on a season's loan from Liverpool, lashed an unstoppable winner past Petr Cech.

With that, Stoke achieved their first victory over Chelsea since 1975. "A result like this gives what I'm trying to do here more credibility," said Mark Hughes, the Stoke manager. "I'm delighted with what we did against one of the top teams in the Premier League."

As things stand, Chelsea are the third best team in the division, with Mourinho claiming it was always foolish to describe them as favourites to win the championship. As ever, though, there is pressure to deliver, with three men in particular expected to do more for the cause.

Man of the match Stephen Ireland (Stoke City)

Sachin Nakrani

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West Brom's Steve Clarke calls for hard work after Norwich defeat

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 02:30 PM PST

• 'Three defeats in a week is sore, it's painful, hard to take'
• Norwich City's Chris Hughton praises fit-again Gary Hooper

Steve Clarke has told his West Brom side there will be no substitute for hard work as they look to turn around a "painful" run of results. This defeat was their third in succession, after those by Newcastle and Manchester City, although Albion had more than enough chances to take at least a point against Norwich.

It also extended a longer sequence of one win from their past nine Premier League games and leaves them only two points above the relegation zone. West Brom's next matches are away to Cardiff and at home to Hull and Clarke has told his players they need to roll up their sleeves to get their season back on track.

"There is no other way," he said. "It's been a difficult week for us. Three defeats in a week is sore, it's painful, it's hard to take but next week we have to go to Cardiff, we have to be resilient and we have to start getting points on the board. There is no easy solution. This was two teams who had not been getting the best results recently, feeling each other out. From nowhere they got that first goal, it gave them something to hang on to and set us back a bit."

That first Norwich goal came courtesy of a superb finish from Gary Hooper, who raced away from Diego Lugano – the Uruguayan defender's hesitant performance will surely have caught England manager Roy Hodgson's eye – on to a Leroy Fer pass to smash an unstoppable drive beyond Boaz Myhill. It was the former Celtic striker's third Premier League goal, and his fifth in total, and the Norwich manager, Chris Hughton, believes the 25-year-old is starting to find his best form after an injury-hit start to life at Carrow Road.

"He is now physically fit. As a striker, to get injured one week before the start of the season when you have just arrived makes it very difficult. His CV shows he is someone who is a very good finisher but of course you have to have opportunities, so we have to give him a service that will allow him to do that."

Fer scored the second goal on the counterattack and a clean sheet was more than welcome for Norwich, who conceded five goals to a Luis Suárez-inspired Liverpool in midweek and were given a seven-goal drubbing by Manchester City last month. Hughton hopes his side can find some consistency at the back. He said: "It's a balancing act, we have brought in a few new players. During our best period last season we had a very consistent back four and midfield four.

"But we found it tough from Christmas onwards. It's something we have to work on but there is a balance between being a good team defensively and having what it takes to win games."


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Southampton's Dani Osvaldo scorches Manchester City to warn England

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 02:30 PM PST

• Mauricio Pochettino delighted by Italy striker's growing impact
• City may rest Sergio Agüero and Yaya Touré against Bayern

There is much excitement about the potential contribution of Southampton players to England's World Cup odyssey but the club is also nurturing a predator who risks ruining the Three Lions' trip to the Amazon.

Italy's Dani Osvaldo made a mockery of Manchester City's defence here before scoring a superb goal to earn Southampton a deserved point, and the watching Ray Lewington, Roy Hodgson's assistant, will surely have added his name to the list of fearsome strikers of whom England must beware next summer. Mind you, Southampton's manager quipped that Osvaldo may not be as dangerous as a certain Uruguayan centre-forward who awaits in Brazil. "He will not bite anyone like Luis Suárez," joked Mauricio Pochettino, before adding: "But he does have fire." And how that fire has raged.

One of the reasons that Southampton were able to sign Osvaldo last summer – in addition to the fact they were prepared to pay £15m for him – was that other suitors were scared off by the striker's reputation. This, after all, is a player who has twice got himself in trouble for punching team-mates. When at Bologna he decked Nicola Mingazzini in a pre-season training session and, two years ago, he was fined and suspended for clobbering his Roma colleague Erik Lamela, reportedly for refusing to pass to Osvaldo. Lamela is now at Tottenham Hotspur, who, intriguingly enough, are the next visitors to St Mary's.

"He has a reputation and he deserves it," says Pochettino, who knew what he was getting having worked with Osvaldo at Espanyol. "He is a player of character, with a lot of passion, a lot of heart and who is very emotional. But he is growing every day and we are happy with how he is doing and with his behaviour. He is a friendly guy and a good team-mate."

The Southampton centre-back Dejan Lovren agrees. "We are really happy that we have him in our team," he says. "He has the character. It is a little bit of a strange character but in a good way, so we need him."

Osvaldo scored 22 goals in 47 matches for Pochettino at Espanyol and was even more prolific at Roma, but he had struggled to adapt to the speed of the Premier League, scoring only twice in 12 matches before the visit of City.

However, Pochettino evidently has faith in him and the manager's decision to pick him ahead of Rickie Lambert again was vindicated just before half-time when Osvaldo bewildered Vincent Kompany before scoring with an exquisite lob from the corner of the box. That rewarded a promising display from the striker and an excellent all-round performance by Southampton, and cancelled out an earlier goal by Sergio Agüero.

Like the City striker, Osvaldo was born in Argentina but he qualifies for Italy through ancestry and has won 12 caps for the Azzurri, during which he has scored four goals. He is very much in the World Cup plans of the Italy manager, Cesare Prandelli. "It is a good thing for England that he is here," reckons Pochettino. "So you can follow him and watch him, and see how he develops and take note of his characteristics."

The points lost by City at Southampton raise the stakes of Saturday's showdown with Arsenal even higher. Players such as Yaya Touré and Agüero looked in need of a rest and the manager, Manuel Pellegrini, suggested he may omit them from Tuesday's Champions League clash at Bayern Munich, with City having already qualified for the next round and unlikely to achieve the 3-0 victory they would need to oust the Germans from top spot in the group.

"We are in this moment qualified and that was our target," said Pellegrini. "We will not sacrifice the game because we can be at the top of the group … but I know what is more important. What is more important is Arsenal."

Man of match Adam Lallana (Southampton)

Paul Doyle

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Malky Mackay feels pressure rise after Cardiff lose to Crystal Palace

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 02:30 PM PST

• Mackay 'still has confidence' in side after five winless games
• Crystal Palace feel the benefit of Tony Pulis's arrival

There is usually a quiet dignity to Malky Mackay, an admirable refusal to sling mud, but even he now concedes that the pressure from on high at Cardiff City is cripplingly real. The Scot has received a wealth of sympathetic comments from the likes of Arsène Wenger and Tony Pulis, regarding his fractured relationship with Cardiff's eccentric owner, Vincent Tan. After a limp defeat at Crystal Palace on Saturday, he was forced to defend himself against the hostile atmosphere from above.

"The spotlight's been there [from Tan] for the past seven or eight weeks," he said. "I don't know how that changes now. But I'm the manager here for a reason. I've got a group here that I've got belief in because we've gone forward together over the last two and a half years and we've shown an upward trend.

"Were we cast adrift at the bottom of the league I might have different thoughts, but at the moment I've got a group that, on the whole, are competing at this level."

The defeat at Selhurst Park was Cardiff's fifth game without a win. Moreover, they have secured only one victory in their past nine league games, against Swansea. Cardiff have consequently tumbled to the lip of the Premier League relegation zone and, with Tan having dismissed Iain Moody, Mackay's trusted head of recruitment, the uncertainty that hangs over Mackay reminds him of his days in charge at Watford.

Four years ago, in his first managerial role, he watched helplessly as Watford were taken to the brink of administration by a financial struggle involving the club's former chairman and their majority shareholder; only the hasty repayment of a £4.88m loan spared the club from potential demise.

"At Watford we were half an hour from administration," Mackay said. "But different jobs bring different challenges at different times of your career. It's not any different in the Premier League than it is in the Championship. Being manager of a football club these days is a precarious job. It's results-based. But I've got faith and confidence in my squad and my staff, and in our ability."

Several of Cardiff's performances this season have been laudable, yet they have not scored outside Wales since Jordon Mutch's 10th-minute opener in a 4-1 defeat at Chelsea in October; it has been 440 minutes. Mutch supported the striker Fraizer Campbell against Palace but, after Campbell's fifth-minute header was brilliantly saved, Cardiff looked wooden.

Palace, on the other hand, buzzed with energy and deserved the goals they scored in either half through Cameron Jerome and Marouane Chamakh. Jerome's header was unstoppable and Chamakh's second goal in as many games – a right-foot shot which he intentionally sliced into the bottom corner – was cleverly dispatched.

"From a personal point of view and the team's point of view, it's magnificent that someone like [Pulis] has come in," said Jerome. "Since he's come in, he has carried on the momentum that [caretaker manager] Keith Millen built up. The boys have responded well to him and we're getting good results now."

The introduction of Andreas Cornelius and Peter Odemwingie, who are among £33m worth of talent to have joined Cardiff since July, proved futile for the visitors. Cornelius is in his first season in English football and, although he has been hampered by injury, he patently has much to learn.

"He's young but he's a long-term option," said Mackay. "He's not a proven, hit-the-ground-running striker. That's not what £7m gets you. At this level, clinical centre-forwards who are proven cost £20m to £25m. It is not an easy position to fill, but we are constantly looking at that area."

In the past, that term "we" was significant: Moody identified and secured 25 signings for Mackay which helped transform the club from an ambitious second-tier side into a League Cup finalist and top-flight team, before his exit in October. Now Moody is headhunting for Cardiff's relegation rivals, Palace. The two men exchanged pleasantries at Saturday's match, and it is likely Mackay will rue his friend's departure even more when the transfer window cranks open in January.

Man of the match Cameron Jerome (Crystal Palace)

Jonny Weeks

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Liverpool's Brendan Rodgers salutes Raheem Sterling and Joe Allen

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 02:30 PM PST

• Manager stresses impact of players other than Luis Suárez
• 'I love seeing gifted players work hard in a system'

Liverpool, more than most, are aware that the men who top the bill have a tendency to overshadow the supporting cast. The class of 2009, their finest side in the Premier League era, were unfairly dismissed in some quarters as a "two-man team", with the focus on Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres so pronounced that players of the calibre of Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano could be overlooked.

Now Luis Suárez's tendency to illuminate Anfield means the brightest star, together with his usual sidekick Daniel Sturridge, invariably obscures others. The accusation that Liverpool are either a one- or a two-man team is as familiar as the strains of You'll Never Walk Alone. Every match at Anfield seems to revolve around the Uruguayan, who, in the past four games alone, has scored 10 goals and played pivotal parts in three others.

And yet, with Liverpool second in the league and the second highest scorers, Brendan Rodgers was justified in stressing the significance of the collective and entitled to highlight less ostentatious individual contributions. "There were parts of the game where I loved watching the team," the Liverpool manager said. "I love the fluency and some of the cleverness and just seeing gifted players work hard in a system is great to watch."

Rodgers has reverted to his favourite formation, recalibrating to 4-2-3-1 because of Sturridge's ankle injury, with the trio deployed behind Suárez offering added flexibility. Raheem Sterling, having started on the left, was soon switched to the right to use his speed against George McCartney. The teenager's finishing was faulty but Rodgers believes Sterling adds another element.

"His pace in pressing is important," Rodgers said. "He can stretch teams and that can always open up the space. You can see his confidence returning and, even though he hasn't scored, he gave the team an extra dimension." His resurgence is proof that, to paraphrase Harold Wilson, a week is a long time in football.

Results have a tendency to change opinions. Last Sunday at Hull, Rodgers was lamenting Liverpool's lack of strength in depth. After two comprehensive home wins, he was saluting two men who were on the margins. Sterling's start on Saturday was only his fourth of the league campaign, Joe Allen's only his third. The Welshman was a counterintuitive pick against Sam Allardyce's supersized side.

"He was excellent," Rodgers said. "Technically, it is important for us to dominate the game. We have a number of small players but if we have the ball and the other team hasn't, I think they struggle." Indeed, the difference between finesse and physicality was epitomised by the crass contribution of the clodhopping Kevin Nolan, who was sent off for raking his studs down Jordan Henderson's calf.

The unfortunate midfielder may have been Nolan's victim simply because Philippe Coutinho proved too elusive. Evading opponents, it appears, is a lifelong habit. "The great thing is that I was watching some videos of him from when he was 12 and 13 playing futsal and there is no difference," Rodgers said. "He plays like a street kid, he plays like a boy but his performances are like a man; he's a brilliant player."

With Sturridge sidelined, Coutinho has adopted his preferred role as the central creator. The harder task is securing the same spot for his country. He has been capped only once but has an eloquent advocate in Rodgers who, having been on Luiz Felipe Scolari's coaching staff at Chelsea, has an unofficial sideline as an adviser to the Brazil manager. "Big Phil" is being told to select a rather smaller Philippe.

"I am constantly on to Scolari about him," the Northern Irishman said, before suggesting he is not fulfilling all of his scouting duties. "Felipe has just asked me to keep an eye on the Brazilian boys – even ones at other clubs – but I'm only concerned about the ones here."

Coutinho's problem lies in the competition for the most prestigious shirt in international football. Past Brazil No10s have included Pelé, Zico, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and Kaká. The current crop aren't bad either. "They have Neymar, Oscar and Bernard so they have a raft of talent," Rodgers said. "But he is an exceptional player for 21 years of age." And he is a reminder that a manic, magnificent Uruguayan is not the only attraction at Anfield.

Man of the match Luis Suárez (Liverpool)

Richard Jolly

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Sunderland's Gus Poyet attempts to draw a line after Tottenham defeat

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 02:30 PM PST

• On that performance we would not stay up, says Gus Poyet
• André Villas-Boas says Jermain Defoe is staying at Spurs

Gus Poyet has realised, eight Premier League matches into his reign, that the extent of Sunderland's problems is far greater than simply repairing a dressing room scarred by his volatile predecessor.

After watching Tottenham Hotspur inflict a fifth defeat since he took over, the Uruguayan cut a despondent figure when he admitted his side will be playing in the Championship unless they eradicate defensive errors hampering the improvements he has made. Unlike Paolo Di Canio, Poyet was in no mood to single out individuals, but he was more than happy to discuss the failings of a side rooted at the foot of the Premier League.

"On that performance we would not get enough points to stay up," Poyet said. "On a normal day Spurs could have won 5-1. Then it would be even worse. The problem is that we are making too many mistakes. There needs to be a moment when we say: 'That is it,' and there are no more excuses or bad luck. That's where we are hurting at the moment.

"It is not about individuals not getting the message, it is the group. If it was one player it would be easy for me, because you drop him. It is the group that need to get it, the players altogether because they have to learn if one person makes a mistake their team-mates need to react."

Sunderland's past seven home games have been against teams challenging for a Champions League place. If Poyet is to lead the club to safety he knows the next run of fixtures through until February provides him with a more generous chance of success.

They face their fellow strugglers West Ham United and Norwich City in their next two league matches. Stopping just short of labelling both "must-win", Poyet said: "Now, I think a line has been drawn. Does the season start here? If it doesn't start today we have got a massive problem. Playing that way doesn't save you, I promise you. All the teams who have played like that in the last 10 years have gone down.

"I pick the team but I always say that we need to do it altogether. I have responsibility which is why I am here, but the players have responsibilities too."

While Sunderland's problems remain, Tottenham are showing signs of improvement. Criticism of André Villas-Boas grew after the 6-0 drubbing at Manchester City but they have followed up a draw with Manchester United with back-to-back wins over Fulham and Sunderland.

Adam Johnson fired Sunderland ahead eight minutes before half-time before Tottenham regrouped to level when the excellent Brazilian Paulinho poked in from close range. Shortly after the interval Mousa Dembélé, allowed to run deep into the home defence by Jack Colback, saw his cross turned clumsily beyond Vito Mannone by John O'Shea. It was the fifth own goal scored by Sunderland this season and meant 11 points have been lost from winning positions.

Tottenham, despite the clamour for them to start with two strikers, created more than enough chances to win comfortably, with Jermain Defoe hitting the woodwork twice. Their dominance could have been undone, however, had a late handball in the area by Sandro drawn punishment from the referee.

Defoe still harbours hopes of a World Cup spot with England, and there is talk of him moving to the MLS side Toronto in January. Villas-Boas said: "I cannot stop speculation coming. I am extremely happy with Defoe. He is a wonderful professional and a wonderful person and a great goalscorer for the club. People can link him to other clubs, we can't stop that. It doesn't mean that we're going to accept any offer. He's committed to being within the group."

If Defoe and the £26m striker Roberto Soldado, left on the bench on Saturday, can get the goals flowing, Tottenham's chances of climbing back in to the top four will be much stronger. They still have a minus goal difference despite sitting sixth.

Villas-Boas said: "It's something that's happening with us right now. We can't do a lot more. We work on these situations in training and finishing is one of our strongest points. The efficiency hasn't been there for different reasons. It is one of those things in football."

Man of the match Paulinho (Tottenham)


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Fans seriously injured in Brazil

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 02:07 PM PST

• Paranaense v Vasco game stopped for 70 minutes
• Helicopter lands on pitch after 'deplorable' fighting

A Brazilian league match between Atlético Paranaense and Vasco da Gama was stopped for more than an hour on Sunday after fans started fighting in the stands and a helicopter had to land on the pitch to airlift a seriously injured man to hospital.

Fan violence has been rampant in Brazil this year, raising concerns for the World Cup finals in June. "This is deplorable," said the Vasco coach, Adilson Batista. "It's sad to see images like these just before the World Cup in our country. I'm shocked. This is not sport."

A doctor said two other fans were in serious condition and one was treated for a minor injury at the stadium in the southern city of Joinville.

Supporters from Paranaense and Vasco charged each other until police arrived and fired rubber bullets. Television images showed players yelling at the fans and telling them to calm down. Some players put their hands on their heads as they watched the fight. A few fans tried to leave the stands to find safety, including a young woman. A ball girl was shown crying.

"We tried to tell the fans to stop because things would only get worse. We looked at the stands and there were no cops. There was nobody there to stop the fighting," said the Paranaense defender Luiz Alberto, who was shown crying profusely as the altercation was taking place. "I'm playing for 20 years and I've never seen anything like this in person. We will have a World Cup in our country and we know these images will be shown everywhere."

One Paranaense supporter was caught in the middle of several Vasco fans and was hit several times. A Vasco supporter also became separated from his group and was attacked by rivals.

"This is very sad, I've never seen anything like this," the Paranaense midfielder Everton said. "One of the fans was alone on the ground and he was being hit for about 10 minutes without anybody doing anything. They wouldn't stop hitting him."

The match restarted after an hour and 10 minutes

Police were not in the stands when the fighting began behind one of the goals in the stadium. A police official said about 80 private security guards were on hand to make sure the fan groups remained separated.

"It's a private event, so the security was being provided by a security company hired by Paranaense," a police officer told reporters.

The referee stopped the match after 15 minutes, with Paranaense leading 1-0. After the fighting was over, a police helicopter landed near one of the goals to airlift the most seriously injured fan to a hospital.

"Three fans were in serious condition but two of them were conscious," doctor Jose Eduardo Dias said.


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David Moyes must figure fourth place is big ask for Manchester United | Sean Ingle

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 02:00 PM PST

Champions are less creative this season and have spent six hours behind their opponents already during league campaign

For two decades it was one of English football's immutable laws, as unbendable as granite, as certain as the dawn: Manchester United would always canter to a Champions League spot and challenge for the title. Not since 1990-91, when they finished sixth – 24 points behind the champions, Arsenal – have they dropped so far off the pace this early in the season. Now what was blithely assumed by some younger United fans to be a birthright appears as brittle as old bones.

The numbers this season are more in the red than black. Their points tally of 22 is their lowest after 15 matches since 2001-02. They have the same number of league defeats – five – as in the whole of 2012-13. Average goals per game have slumped from 2.26 last season to 1.43. And of the stats Opta track – including possession, cross completion, duels won, shots on target – United are worse this season than last, save for one: they score a higher percentage of goals (36% compared with 31%) from set pieces.

The question is: is this just mid‑season turbulence, which can be corrected mid-flight, or is it something more serious? Ted Knutson, the co-editor of the analytics site Statbomb, has few doubts. "This United team won't finish fourth this season," he says. "The underlying numbers say they are too much off the pace."

Knutson has been banging this particular drum since October. "Nothing has changed. Last season, United had the highest percentage of shots from the best areas and they gave up the lowest percentage of shots from the best areas. That's not what their shot chart looks like now. They are giving up more shots in dangerous areas, and the chances they are creating are not as good."

There are numerous explanations for United's tumble. Some blame the new executive vice chairman Ed Woodward, who was about as successful in the summer sales as a man after a winter coat. Others quite rightly point to the long-term leeching of the Glazers, who have taken £680m out of the club to service their takeover; the failure to sign a single central midfielder between 2007 to when Marouane Fellaini scooted in on deadline day; and the ageing back four. There are also laments for the ones that got away, such as Paul Pogba, as well as the ones who never arrived.

All these reasons are valid, but most are not new: we have heard the orchestra play these tunes a thousand times. But while United have suffered injuries to key players such as Robin van Persie and Michael Carrick, the most substantial change has been to the club's conductor. David Moyes took over a squad that finished 11 points clear last season. Given they are so far behind fourth place, it is only right to ask what has altered.

First, United are less creative and more direct. They have played a slightly higher percentage of forward passes (41.9% compared with 40.1% in 2012-13) but have less success when they pass the ball into their opponent's final third (54% compared with 57.3%). And while football heat maps too often resemble 1990s Global Hypercolor T-shirts with their catarrhy blotches of stat-gunk, United's has noticeably changed, with fewer red patches in central zones – signalling that they are not playing through teams as much – and greater activity on the flanks, particularly on the left, indicating more crossing and less efficiency in attack.

Player tracking data shows that there are fewer runs being made into the box too. United's midfield is an obvious weakness but any side with Wayne Rooney, Van Persie and Shinji Kagawa should be more fluent. At the other end, United are blocking fewer shots (21.8% this season compared with 29.9% in 2012-13), suggesting opponents are having more attacks and shots on the break.

In some ways Moyes is a touch unlucky. Last season United didn't dominate as much as the final Premier League table suggests. In only 50% of games did they have more shots on target and possession than their opponents, and they came from behind nine times to win. It was will, as much as skill, that earned them their 20th league title.

United's inability to break teams down this season is shown by the fact they spent 358 minutes behind. Last season that figure was 416 minutes in total. Losing a goal was usually a signal for Ferguson's sides to unleash sound and fury; too often Moyes's United have gone mute.

Of course taking over from Ferguson was always going to be a staggering challenge, the football equivalent of climbing the Eiger. Before the season started, John Goddard, a professor of financial economics at Bangor University, examined every managerial spell in English football for nearly 50 years to assess how much a side dropped off when great managers – including Don Revie at Leeds and Bill Shankly at Liverpool – departed. Goddard's forecast was that if Moyes performed at the average level of such successors United would finish the season with 73 points. Even that looks like a stretch now.

Then again, United's next four games – against Aston Villa, West Ham, Norwich and Hull – look winnable but that was said about Everton and Newcastle, too. Moyes insists that United can still win the league but the real battle now is surely for the final Champions League spot.

Yet it is still early days. January will bring reinforcements and there are 23 Premier League games remaining but on fans' forums the question that was most asked following Moyes's appointment is being muttered again. A decent man, a decent manager: but the right one for Manchester United?

Sean Ingle

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Everton's Roberto Martínez hails Ross Barkley after Arsenal draw

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 01:48 PM PST

• Barkley 'unique' and 'an English diamond'
• Arsène Wenger frustrated at late equaliser

Roberto Martínez described Ross Barkley as "unique" and a "real English diamond" after the young Everton midfielder had starred in front of the England manager, Roy Hodgson, in his team's 1-1 Premier League draw at Arsenal on Sunday.

Arsène Wenger showed his frustration at an opportunity missed to extend his club's lead at the top of the table to seven points – the advantage still stands at five. The Arsenal manager complained about what he felt were tactical fouls from Everton that went unpunished and he said that the substitute Gerard Deulofeu's late equaliser for the visitors ought to have been disallowed for a high boot from Romelu Lukaku in the buildup.

Wenger gave a rueful smile at the news that his club have been drawn at home to Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup third round. "We don't have enough tough games," he said. "They gave us another one."

But Barkley's game was what quickened the pulses and Martínez, the Everton manager, was generous in his praise. Barkley turned 20 last Thursday and he has three England caps. With more performances like this there will be calls for Hodgson to consider him for the World Cup finals.

"When I see Barkley, I see bits of [Michael] Ballack and bits of Gazza, [although] I can guarantee you that he is quite unique," Martínez said. "He has incredible balance with both feet, he is really strong and really powerful. He is developing an incredible awareness. He is someone that you can compare to any other nation … I mean the young Brazilians, Dutch and Spanish players. He has a gift and that talent.

"Ross is an incredible person, so mature and he has a real love for the game. I've never seen an English player with that sort of mentality and I have had the privilege to work with many youngsters who have been successful. We needed to find a role for him, specifically off the ball and then he needs to be able to express himself. We need to give him time. We have to recognise a real English diamond. He isn't ready yet but he has everything to mark a real era in our football."

Martínez did, however, caution against expecting too much too soon from Barkley. "The England manager has to decide what role, if any, he wants for Ross [at the World Cup]," he said. "What we need to do is make sure we give Ross another 50 starts to see his evolution. Any player needs to develop an understanding. In this country, we need to be more protective over our youngsters because, in Ross, we have someone who, if we look after him properly, can give us something unique."

Arsenal dropped points at home in the league for the first time since the opening day defeat to Aston Villa and Wenger struggled to conceal his frustration. "I think Lukaku was offside [in the buildup to the equaliser] and he made a foul," Wenger said. "The referee didn't give it and it doesn't mean that we have to concede afterwards. [Laurent] Koscielny can head the ball but he cannot do it because of Lukaku's attempted overhead kick.

"I just feel that when we got out of Everton's pressure on the ball and into our passing, they stopped us every time with a foul. The disadvantage of putting the pressure so high is that if you are not winning the ball back, you can be outnumbered … so to just make a foul without being punished by the referee is a huge advantage because after that, you can play 10 against 10 in one half again."

Wenger did attempt to take the positive from the point and look at the broader picture. "We have shown consistency until now and an absolutely fantastic attitude. That's why we are different to last season," he said.

"We are, as well, a better team. We are more stable defensively and dangerous offensively."

David Hytner

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A-League: what we learned this weekend

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 12:45 PM PST

Joe Gorman: Adelaide need some killer instinct; Perth's glorious youth; you can't keep a good journeyman down; Heart show some life

Joe Gorman

Ross Barkley proves class as Everton's space invader against Arsenal | Michael Cox

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 12:30 PM PST

Midfielder's greatest quality is the way he constantly varies his position to drag opponents around

Ross Barkley's first outstanding Premier League performance was at Arsenal in April. David Moyes gave him his second start of the 2012‑13 campaign in what turned out to be a goalless draw and the youngster was magnificent throughout, competing fiercely in a highly physical contest and coming closest to breaking the deadlock with a long-range curler. Here, under a different manager and in a very different contest, Barkley was again the most impressive performer at the Emirates.

Roberto Martínez named an unchanged side after the historic victory at Old Trafford, with Barkley again deployed in the advanced midfield position. It is a difficult role, especially because Steven Pienaar and Kevin Mirallas play attack-minded roles down the flanks. Barkley has a responsibility to link consistently with Romelu Lukaku but also to provide a simple forward-passing option for Gareth Barry and James McCarthy. "The gaffer told me to get on Mikel Arteta, in between the [opposition] midfield and defence," he said after the game.

Barkley is an interesting hybrid of a player. He is physically impressive beyond his years, reminiscent of the manner Wayne Rooney shrugged off powerful opponents in his Everton days, but his greatest quality is his appreciation of space, and the way he constantly varies his position to drag opponents around.

That was noticeable throughout Everton's 3-3 draw with Liverpool, when Lucas Leiva failed to stop him, and he performed similarly here, darting either side of Arteta. The Spaniard was often left stranded in front of his defence because of Aaron Ramsey's advanced positioning, and found it difficult to cope with both Barkley and Pienaar, who drifted inside from the left.

Everton's first promising moment came after five minutes when Arteta was attracted high up the pitch towards Barry. Barkley adjusted his position to get space away from Arteta, received a pass and drove determinedly at the Arsenal defence – he played in Kevin Mirallas, whose low cross almost found Barkley in a goalscoring position.

Barkley is happy receiving the ball under pressure, too, capable of holding off challenges before playing a simple pass. His work in advanced positions is always purposeful – his clever backheel released Pienaar for a long-range effort before his powerful shot forced Wojciech Szczesny into a fine save.

The one thing missing is the ability to open up opponents with measured through-balls, and Everton's fine first-half performance did not yield a goal because they rarely penetrated the Arsenal defence. Barkley is yet to register a Premier League assist and some of Lukaku's fine runs in behind the defence went unnoticed.

Such creativity might develop with time. For now Barkley is superb at positioning himself to facilitate the passing game Martínez has so impressively instilled. As Everton's passing patterns continue to thrill, Barkley is usually the man finding the space and providing the angles.

Michael Cox

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Arsenal 1-1 Everton

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 10:04 AM PST

• Pictures: the best images from the Emirates

Briefly, Arsenal's supporters dared to contemplate a seven-point lead at the summit of the Premier League. Mesut Özil had given them the lead and the familiar sound of plastic seats being clanked could be heard as the first early leavers made their way to the exits. Yet Everton had lost only once in the league all season and their ability to come back at the leaders was another measure of their improvement under Roberto Martínez.

That was some shot from Gerard Deulofeu to salvage the draw their performance had merited, continuing where they left off against Manchester United last Wednesday and becoming the first team to take points off Arsenal at the Emirates since Aston Villa on the opening weekend.

Arsenal will reflect they had enough chances to win and, in the late drama, there was still time for Olivier Giroud to cannon a left-foot effort off the crossbar but it was also true that Roberto Martínez's side had matched them all the way. Ross Barkley, in refined company, was the outstanding performer and the story of this match should really start with that moment just after the midway point of the second half when there was the confirmation from Arsène Wenger that it was simply not working.

Managers do not make triple substitutions if everything is according to plan but that was the point the electronic board went up to tell us he was removing three of his midfielders in one go and Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey and Santi Cazorla all made their way to the touchline.

"We were having problems getting the flow of our game," Wenger explained afterwards. "We needed some fresh legs." And fresh ideas.

The changes paid off, at least to an extent, because it was two of the substitutes who set up the opening goal, Tomas Rosicky crossing from the left and Theo Walcott heading across the six-yard area. Giroud, charging in, could not get his foot to the ball but Özil was next in line to sweep his shot high into the net.

With 10 minutes to go, it had looked like Arsenal might be about to tick off another of the boxes for prospective title winners and take full points from a game without any sustained superiority. Instead, Everton refused to be cowed and equalised within four minutes.

Barkley, excelling in front of the England manager Roy Hodgson, was prominently involved again, holding the ball in midfield, evading a challenge and playing it out to Bryan Oviedo on the left. Romelu Lukaku missed the cross, possibly impeding Laurent Koscielny in the process, but when the ball arrived at Deulofeu's feet, on the other side of the penalty area, Arsenal should have been acutely aware that the on-loan 19-year-old has the DNA of a Barcelona player.

"Very arrogant but in a good way," as Martínez put it. Kieran Gibbs offered him too much room and, in a flash, Deulofeu had gone outside him. It was a brilliant diagonal finish, right to left, picking out the top corner.

Buoyed by their first win at Old Trafford since 1992, Everton had played with great confidence. Seamus Coleman underlined his credentials to be regarded as the outstanding right-back in the league. Martínez eulogised afterwards about Gareth Barry and James McCarthy and there was no greater compliment for the two than seeing three Arsenal midfielders removed as a direct consequence.

They played like a team, as Martínez said, that had now overcome the "mental block" that – although he was too polite to say it directly – had existed during the most challenging away fixtures under his predecessor, David Moyes. The solitary regret, perhaps, was that Lukaku could not menace Arsenal's defence in the way he had against United.

He still created plenty of problems but if there was one criticism, after a team performance Martínez described as even better than the one at Old Trafford, it was that their striker was not at his battering ram best. Arsenal, on the other hand, did not always play with such authority but still managed to have the better of the chances. They finished the first half strongly, with Tim Howard saving at Giroud's feet and Ramsey crowded out of another chance.

Howard then saved Cazorla's header early in the second half, as well as keeping out a Ramsey effort at his near post. Özil's probing always made him a difficult opponent but one of the standout lines afterwards was Martínez's observation that Arsenal had slightly adapted their style during that period and were putting in far more high balls than usual.

With the game still goalless, Everton's best chance fell to Sylvain Distin when McCarthy's cross flicked off a defender's head and reached him at the far post, possibly catching him by surprise.

Lukaku was too slow to react to another right-wing delivery from McCarthy and on this evidence it is clear to see why Barkley invites so many comparisons with the way Paul Gascoigne used to run with the ball, with that wonderful balance and ability to accelerate away from opponents.

Martínez tends to make another comparison with Michael Ballack but he, too, mentioned Gazza. At one point in the first half, Barkley took the ball in a standing position and just glided between Cazorla and Özil, like a champion skier slaloming between two posts. Barkley's touch, out of the back of his legs, to turn McCarthy's pass into Steven Pienaar's path will also linger in the memory.

He and Deulofeu epitomised the confidence of Everton's play and ultimately it means the league leaders having to make do with a five-point lead at the top.

Man of the match: Ross Barkley (Everton)

Daniel Taylor

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Arsenal v Everton – as it happened! | Ian McCourt

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 09:55 AM PST

Minute-by-minute report: A late Gerard Deulofeu goal for Everton prevented Arsenal from moving seven points clear at the top of the table

Ian McCourt

FA Cup third round draw – as it happened | Tom Davies

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 08:37 AM PST

Arsenal drew Tottenham in the third round, while Manchester City travel to Blackburn and Chelsea travel to Derby

Tom Davies

North London derby in FA Cup

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 08:35 AM PST

• Holders Wigan at home to MK Dons on weekend of 4-5 Jan
• Manchester Utd v Swansea, Liverpool v Oldham/Mansfield
• FA Cup third round draw as it happened

Arsenal were handed a mouthwatering tie against north London rivals Tottenham in the third round of the FA Cup, on the weekend of 4-5 January.

Arsenal's most recent piece of silverware came in the 2005 FA Cup but if the Premier League leaders are to repeat that success this season they will have to overcome Spurs at the first hurdle after the two sides were paired together in the pick of Sunday's draw.

The pair are among the most successful clubs in the competition's history, with Arsenal having lifted the trophy on 10 occasions while Spurs have won it eight times.

The only side to have won the FA Cup more times are Manchester United, who will also be involved in an all-Premier League tie in the third round after being paired at home to Swansea.

United might have been hoping for a more favourable cup draw following a hugely disappointing start to the defence of their league title which has seen them lose five times in 15 matches under new boss David Moyes, with their latest setback Saturday's 1-0 loss to Newca stle at Old Trafford.

United have won the FA Cup 11 times, but the last time was back in 2004.

FA Cup holders Wigan start off against MK Dons while the side they beat in May's final, Manchester City, face a short trip to Blackburn.

Liverpool, who moved up to second in the Premier League standings with their 4-1 win over West Ham on Saturday, could face Oldham in their third-round tie – the team that knocked them out last season.

Oldham beat the Reds 3-2 in the fourth round and they will get another crack at Brendan Rodgers' men if they can overcome Mansfield in their second-round replay.

Liverpool also met Mansfield in the third round last season, with Luis Suárez's contentious second goal – when the Uruguay international handled the ball before scoring – earning his side a 2-1 win.

There are a number of other all-Premier League ties, with in-form Newcastle hosting Cardiff, Norwich taking on Fulham and Crystal Palace going to West Brom

The top three sides in the Sky Bet Championship, meanwhile, are all away to top-flight opposition with leaders Burnley at Southampton, second-placed QPR going to Everton and Leicester in third taking on Stoke.

Steve McClaren's Derby, who are up to fourth in the second tier after winning their last five matches, were handed a home time against a Chelsea side looking to win the cup for a fifth time in eight seasons

Nottingham Forest, fifth in the Championship, will also need to claim a Premier League scalp if they are to reach the fourth round after being drawn at home to West Ham.

In ties involving the other top-flight teams, Aston Villa take on Sheffield United, Middlesbrough meet Hull while rock-bottom Sunderland host Carlisle.

Of the non-league clubs still involved in the competition, Kidderminster were drawn against Peterborough, Grimsby face Huddersfield while Macclesfield are up against Sheffield Wednesday.

Another conference side, Wrexham, will go to Charlton if they can overcome League Two pacesetters Oxford in their second-round replay.

In other games, last season's semi-finalists Millwall are at Southend, Brighton welcome Reading, Bolton take on Blackpool, League One leaders Leyton Orient go to Yeovil, Rochdale face Leeds, Ipswich clash with Preston, Bristol City take on Watford, Doncaster face Stevenage and Plymouth go to Port Vale.

Also, Barnsley host Hartlepool or Coventry, Birmingham meet Bristol Rovers or Crawley while Bournemouth take on Fleetwood or Burton.

FA Cup third round draw in full

Barnsley v Hartlepool or Coventry

Yeovil v Leyton Orient

Liverpool v Oldham or Mansfield

Nottm Forest v West Ham

Bristol City v Watford

Southend v Millwall

Middlesbrough v Hull

West Brom v Crystal Palace

Kidderminster v Peterborough

Doncaster v Stevenage

Stoke v Leicester

Southampton v Burnley

Newcastle v Cardiff

Rochdale v Leeds

Wigan v MK Dons

Charlton v Wrexham or Oxford.

Man Utd v Swansea

Port Vale v Plymouth

Norwich v Fulham

Aston Villa v Sheff Utd.

Macclesfield v Sheff Wed.

Sunderland v Carlisle

Bolton v Blackpool

Blackburn v Man City

Everton v QPR

Brighton v Reading

Arsenal v Tottenham

Birmingham v Bristol Rovers or Crawley

Grimsby v Huddersfield

Ipswich v Preston

Derby v Chelsea

Bournemouth v Fleetwood or Burton


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Premier League: Arsenal v Everton – in pictures

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 08:17 AM PST

Photos galore from the Emirates, where Arsenal's 1-1 draw opened up a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League table

Jonny Weeks

Three held in spot-fixing inquiry

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 07:56 AM PST

National Crime Agency acts after press reports that player said he could rig Championship games in return for cash

Police have arrested six people in connection with a second investigation into spot-fixing in English football after a former Premier League defender allegedly told an undercover reporter he had been involved in rigging matches in return for money.

The National Crime Agency confirmed six people were in custody after it acted upon information passed to it by the Sun on Sunday. The newspaper reported that an undercover investigator had met the former Reading and Portsmouth player Sam Sodje, who had allegedly claimed he could arrange for Championship footballers to get themselves booked in games for cash payments.

The 34-year-old was filmed describing how he had twice punched an opponent, Oldham Athletic's Jose Baxter, while playing for Portsmouth in a League One match last February as he sought to receive a red card in exchange for £70,000. Asked on Sunday to reflect on the dismissal, the then Portsmouth manager Guy Whittingham told the BBC: "When you see it in the cold light of day afterwards, and you see what he's done, you can't fathom out why he's done it."

Sodje also claimed in the video, which was filmed secretly, that he had arranged for another player to be paid £30,000 for earning a yellow card in a Championship match, that he could rig Premier League games and was even preparing to fix matches at the World Cup finals in Brazil.

Portsmouth, who released Sodje at the end of last season, said they were "shocked and saddened" by the claims. "Match-fixing of any type goes to the heart of the integrity of the game," said a spokesman for the League Two club. "The player in question no longer plays for the club and we have not been contacted by the authorities, but of course we would co-operate fully with any inquiry.". Sodje could not be reached for comment.

The newspaper reported that Sodje's brother, the Tranmere forward Akpo Sodje, had allegedly said he would be prepared to be paid to be booked. Tranmere said: "As this is an ongoing investigation the club will make no further comment at this time."

The report also detailed how the Oldham player Cristian Montaño allegedly failed to get a yellow card in return for money in a match against Wolves on 22 October and allegedly offered to take part in another rigging incident. Oldham said: "The club will commence an immediate internal investigation to establish all the relevant facts of the case. The club is co-operating with other agencies in this matter and cannot comment on specific facts at this stage."

A spokesman for the NCA said: "An active NCA investigation is now under way and we are working closely with the Football Association and the Gambling Commission. Six people are in custody and are being questioned by NCA officers. We cannot comment further at this stage." The Football Association, the Football League and the Gambling Commission have indicated they will assist police in their investigation.

The NCA is conducting a separate investigation into an alleged international illegal betting syndicate. Michael Boateng and Hakeem Adelakun, both 22, were charged last week with conspiracy to defraud contrary to common law. The pair, who played for Conference South club Whitehawk, were dismissed by their club and will appear in court on Wednesday.

Two other men, Chann Sankaran, 33, from Hastings, East Sussex, and Krishna Sanjey Ganeshan, 43, from Singapore, were charged last month with plotting to defraud bookmakers and will also appear in court this week.

The Professional Footballers' Association said in a statement: "These allegations, if proven, unfortunately demonstrate the real issue football faces in terms of corruption and highlights the necessity of the work carried out by the PFA and other stakeholders in the game in educating players of these risks.

"We take the issue of integrity very seriously and will continue in our efforts to eradicate this evil from our game."

Marcus Gayle, the manager of Conference South team Staines Town, has claimed his players were offered match-fixing bribes three weeks ago. The former Wimbledon and Watford player told BT Sport he was furious when he discovered the approach, which was made to one of his players by telephone.

Gayle said: "We reported the incident straight away to the FA. That shows we have done the right thing. Our players are absolutely furious. I never thought match-fixing was possible but now I have changed my mind for obvious reasons, now I am convinced it's all over the place, at least that's how it appears to be to me. After what has happened at my club I am angry and I want to stand up for the integrity of the game, even if that means standing up alone, so be it.

"As a club I believe we have done the right thing reporting it to the FA and I am sure they will be passing on that information to the police. We reported it to the FA 24 hours after I found out about it. It does worry me just how much is going on in the game at the moment, and I am sure it is far more than people think."

Dominic Fifield

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Fulham 2-0 Aston Villa

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 07:31 AM PST

Fulham have unleashed their secret weapon upon those embroiled in the relegation struggle but, rather than a new Dutch manager with fresh ideas and a lofty status as a coach, theirs is a temperamental Bulgarian whose reputation would normally precede him.

Dimitar Berbatov had hardly stirred up to now this season, his mood reflecting a player apparently with little appetite for a scrap near the foot after a career largely spent competing for honours at the other end of the table. His agent had been quoted last week suggesting the time was close for him to jump ship, talk of imminent divorce rather unsettling in the troubled context of this season. Yet if Rene Meulensteen has achieved anything in his first week as manager, he has coaxed form and even drive from the man upon whom his team must rely.

A penny for Martin Jol's thoughts as news of the masterclass to which Berbatov subjected Aston Villa reached the departed Dutchman. The former manager had hoped his team would benefit regularly from this kind of display, with Berbatov creative, constantly involved and, as a result, inspirational in a game the hosts simply had to win. "He makes a difference, absolutely," said Meulensteen, who had spoken to his player in the wake of Emil Danchev's comments on Wednesday. "You saw what he's capable of out there. Berbatov's not a stranger. We had a good chat and we know what games we've got coming up to January, and he's committed to Fulham."

That was not a reflection of an inevitable mid-season departure, but more acceptance that everything has to be geared towards the short term. Berbatov's influence had been felt most obviously at the second goal, sparked by a flick with the outside of his boot, skill summoned on the pirouette just inside the centre-circle, from Giorgos Karagounis's punt which liberated Alexander Kacaniklic. The Swede eventually tumbled despite appearing to back into Leandro Bacuna, with Berbatov's penalty patted home at walking pace.

That was only a second league goal of term, though the strut of old – born of arrogance rather than laziness – was evident every time he was in possession and confronting a youthful Villa back-line. Brad Guzan had done wonderfully well to turn aside an early header at a corner, Berbatov having pulled away at the far post. The American reacted just as smartly to block another attempt with the outside of his right foot after the forward had glided round the clutter and on to Steve Sidwell's lay-off. None of the division's other stragglers boast a player of his type or, indeed, quality. While he was becalmed he had felt like a passenger. Revived and committed, he might single-handedly thrust Fulham out of trouble.

Inevitably, he had also been involved in the hosts' opener with a slick exchange of passes with Ashkan Dejagah, the Iranian eventually slipping a pass between Bacuna and the goalkeeper upon which Steve Sidwell pounced. The former Villa midfielder wrapped his left foot around the loose ball at full stretch to clip it into the far corner. That exorcised the nerves born of those six successive league defeats and had Meulensteen punching the air on the bench. This was a key contest after that deflating run of defeats, with daunting games against Everton and Manchester City to follow before Christmas.

His side will approach those occasions with more heart having hauled themselves level with the cut-off. Theirs had been a seasoned lineup here, at an average 31 years and 25 days with a combined 99 years in their midfield trio, and that experience told against young opponents. Villa had flummoxed Southampton in midweek on the counter yet, once behind, their limitations were exposed this time around. Christian Benteke had flashed one header wide from Gabriel Agbonlahor's centre, the Belgian drawing a save from Maarten Stekelenburg moments later and another smart reaction in stoppage time, but their play was laced with anxiety from the moment they fell behind.

Instead, they cursed Mike Dean's decision to award Fulham their penalty and deny Agbonlahor one of his own despite Aaron Hughes' touch as he lunged to intercept. "I am disappointed at some of the decisions, and I've just spoken to Mike," said Paul Lambert. "He has his views on it, we have ours." Yet he had no complaints about the loss. John Arne Riise had nodded against a post before the end, a swagger returning to the home side's play. Meulensteen appears to have had an immediate impact. Those near the cut-off should beware: Fulham, like Crystal Palace, are reviving under new management and Berbatov is purring again.

Man of the match Dimitar Berbatov (Fulham)

Dominic Fifield

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Fulham v Aston Villa – as it happened | Dan Lucas

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 07:29 AM PST

Minute-by-minute report: A revitalised Fulham recorded their first win in seven games, inspired by Dimitar Berbatov

Dan Lucas

Sporting Kansas City's MLS Cup triumph makes them 'Final Boss'

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 07:22 AM PST

Paolo Bandini: Aurelien Collin scored decisive spot-kick with his first ever professional penalty to earn just deserts for self-proclaimed 'Soccer capital of America'

Paolo Bandini

Inac Kobe Leonessa 4-2 Chelsea Ladies | International Women's Club Championship match report

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 04:53 AM PST

• Inac Kobe Leonessa 4-2 Chelsea Ladies

The England international Rachel Williams almost inspired a dramatic comeback in the final of the International Women's Club Championship in Tokyo, only for Chelsea Ladies to fall just short and lose 4-2.

Despite having numerous chances Chelsea trailed 3-0 to Inac Kobe Leonessa, the Japanese league and cup holders, with only 10 minutes to go before Williams scored one and made one as the Blues almost pulled off the impossible to force the game into extra time.

But it was not to be and, with Chelsea throwing caution to the wind, Inac broke and Emi Nakajima found space in the penalty area to secure the Mobcast Cup.

Inac broke the deadlock in the 10th minute as a precise passing move cut open the Chelsea defence and Nakajima's cut-back was tapped in by Megumi Takase.

A minute later, a swift counterattack almost led to an equaliser as Eniola Aluko's cross found Williams only for the England international's shot to be blocked on the line after she had rounded the keeper.

Inac's second goal arrived from the penalty spot as Beverly Goebel-Yanez stumbled in the box under pressure from Laura Bassett and Emma Wilhelmsson, with the American dusting herself down to send the Chelsea keeper, Marie Hourihan, the wrong way.

The half ended with Chelsea on the front foot and they almost got their reward in the final minute but Williams' header from a Yuki Ogimi corner hit the bar.

Chelsea started the second half positively and a precise through-ball from Williams found Ogimi in space but the Japan World Cup winner fired tamely.

The Tokyo-based side then had a chance to wrap things up as a long ball bounced kindly for Goebel-Yanez, but the striker's chip sailed over.

With Chelsea desperate to get back into the game it was end-to-end action with the Blues full-back Dani Buet drilling the ball agonisingly wide, and Hourihan had to be at her best to deny Kawasumi.

Chelsea should have pulled one back after 70 minutes as Williams once again found Ogimi, who rounded the keeper Ayumi Kaihori only for the Inac defence to clear her shot off the line.

And that miss proved costly moments later when Inac punished the Londoners with a goal of pure class as the South Korea international Ji So-Yun smashed home from the edge of the area after a patient passing move.

But the Blues refused to throw in the towel and with 10 minutes left they were given a lifeline as Williams towered above the Inac defence to head home an Aluko corner.

And it was 3-2 in the 83rd minute as Hannah Blundell's cross was flicked on by Williams and, despite Ogimi's effort being scrambled clear, Blundell tapped the ball home.

But there was to be no dream comeback and the impressive Nakajima rounded off another neat move to ensure the trophy would remain in Japan.


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