Football news, match reports and fixtures | theguardian.com

Manuel Pellegrini makes taking over a big club look easy
Championship roundup: Blackpool lose again to remain in 'worrying' slump
Mark Hughes has sparked creativity at Stoke City – now they need goals
Western Sydney Wanderers 1-0 Sydney FC | A-League match report
Stability sacrificed amid fall and fall of the Premier League managers | Paul Wilson
Jermain Defoe heading for a dead end moving from Tottenham to Toronto | Daniel Taylor
Atlético Madrid 0-0 Barcelona
Said & Done – the week in football: Hitzlsperger, Bolton and Bologna
David Moyes hails Adnan Januzaj for inspiring win against Swansea City
When will football kick out bigotry once and for all? | Kevin McKenna
Ipswich Town 1-3 QPR | Championship match report
Atlético Madrid v Barcelona – as it happened! | Ian McCourt
Cristiano Ronaldo's award, F1 on film, and the best of Brian Johnston
David Moyes – four things he can do next to lift Manchester United | Jamie Jackson
Change is needed in Scottish football for sound running of clubs | Ewan Murray
Man United 2-0 Swansea
Sam Allardyce gains respite from West Ham's win at Cardiff
Manchester United v Swansea City – as it happened | Scott Murray
Premier League: Manchester United v Swansea City – in pictures
Filip Kiss scores two goals as Ross County rescue point at Partick
Hearts 0-1 Motherwell | Premier League match report
Football league: your thoughts
Hudderfield Town 1-0 Millwall | Championship match report
Southampton 1-0 West Bromwich Albion | Premier League match report
Manchester United fans in Red Issue poll give David Moyes time

Manuel Pellegrini makes taking over a big club look easy

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 03:00 PM PST

Chilean manager is confident his new side can win the Premier League title playing the attractive football he holds dear

Manuel Pellegrini pipping David Moyes to the most recent manager-of-the- month award was hardly a surprise; the only question is to what extent it presages the rest of the season. The Manchester City manager has been in England for six months now and, though he is reluctant to make any promises or predictions at what he describes as only half-time in terms of the title campaign, he already looks a good fit with a team he has revitalised.

Quite possibly he would have been a good fit for Manchester United as well, had the Old Trafford hierarchy been willing to cast their net for a successor to Sir Alex Ferguson a bit wider than Scotland, for the first Chilean to manage in the Premier League is making every aspect of taking over a leading club look quite easy.

Those who criticised the appointment on the grounds that Pellegrini had never won anything – at least on this side of the Atlantic – have already had to accept that his winning something this season looks a distinct possibility. Those who gloated that United won the title by 11 points last season and Pellegrini would need at least three years to bridge that gap have been silenced, although the more that statistic is pondered the more one is forced to wonder what City and the rest of the chasing pack were actually doing this time last year. At least City recognised the need for improvement and acted shrewdly.

Pellegrini made three expensive investments in Fernandinho, Álvaro Negredo and Jesús Navas and all three have paid off handsomely. Even allowing for the fact that Stevan Jovetic's career in England has not really got off the ground that still makes Moyes' dealings in the transfer market look clumsy and indecisive. And while United took a gamble on a manager with no record of top-level success who presently looks painfully out of his depth, City's advisers, Txiki Begiristain and Ferran Soriano, knew from what they had seen in Spain that Pellegrini was unlikely to flounder.

Though his only titles have been won in Argentina and Ecuador, Pellegrini did well enough with Villarreal to get a crack at the Real Madrid job and once at the Bernabéu, even though he disagreed with the galáctico policy and would have preferred to do his own team-building, he was denied a title by only three points and the superlative Barcelona team of 2010 after his side had posted record totals of 96 points and 102 goals.

"We did pretty good work that season but we had an incredible Barcelona team against us and we needed to do better," Pellegrini says. "It was a shame I had just one season at Real Madrid [he was unceremoniously dumped when José Mourinho became available after winning the Champions League with Internazionale], but when I finished I had lots of offers to go to different countries and important clubs everywhere.

"I could have come to England at that moment, I had the option but I chose to stay in Spain. I chose Málaga because it was a challenge and I was very happy there but of course you cannot win the title with Málaga or Villarreal. It is impossible. But Manchester City can win a title in England. I am sure of that.

"And I am also sure they can win it playing attacking football, the way I always want my teams to play. The style of football has been the same at Villarreal, Real Madrid, Málaga and now Manchester City. That is why City came for me, I think. They wanted the team to play the way I wanted. That in turn made it easy for me, knowing that a club was looking to hire me. It was not my agent touting me, it was the other way around and that was a very important part of my decision."

Though Pellegrini's wife and family have remained in Chile, visiting Europe whenever possible, the manager is enjoying life in England. "It is a traditional country, a polite country and it is well-organised," he says. "I like all of that. And of course the Premier League is the best league in Europe at the moment."

Does the City manager really mean that, when there appears to be greater strength in the German and Spanish competitions, or is that just the politeness of a guest in the country? "Other countries might have strong teams," he says, "but in terms of a league England is very good. All the stadiums are full, the pitches in perfect condition, the fans have a lot of facilities and it is well-organised. English football has a lot of things going for it. Maybe six or seven years ago I was not so sure, because the Spanish league was very competitive too, but now there's a big difference between the two leagues."

City can go top of the Premier League with a win at Newcastle on Sunday and, with 57 goals so far, even have a chance of beating the record of 103 in a season, though a seasoned campaigner like Pellegrini does not look that far ahead. "Promise that and you can guarantee it will be nil-nil at Newcastle," he says, wisely.

At 60 he hopes he can carry on for at least five more years in management, assuming he can still find clubs who want him. He believes football managers the world over are under pressure to deliver results. There is nothing remotely new there but he feels England is catching up with Spain and Italy in regarding managers as among the most disposable components of a football club.

"I think some years ago English clubs were more patient with their managers," he says. "They were not as easily sacked from their job, they were allowed more time. Maybe now the patience is not so long as before but I still think you can establish your work here more than in other countries. Most of the pressure comes from within, in any case. It's what I call my pressure. I know if the team is playing in the way I want them to play, and that has been the same in Madrid, Málaga and Manchester.

"I know there are some big clubs in Europe and I have been lucky enough to have been associated with some of them, but I always say you don't know what pressure is until you have managed one of the big clubs in Argentina. If you go into the Superclásico [River Plate v Boca Juniors, Pellegrini took the former to the championship in 2002-03] and lose, you practically have to go into hiding.

"Football everywhere else seems quite relaxing after that. I would recommend River Plate to any young manager who has the chance. It is a very good test for normal jobs you will do in the future."

Paul Wilson

Championship roundup: Blackpool lose again to remain in 'worrying' slump

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 02:33 PM PST

• Middlesbrough beat Paul Ince's side 2-0 at Bloomfield Road
• Rudy Gestede scores as Blackburn beat Doncaster 1-0

Blackpool 0-2 Middlesbrough

Assistant Steve Thompson admitted Blackpool's recent slump is "worrying" after their winless run stretched to nine games, and admitted the club are powerless to stop star asset Tom Ince leaving. "The players are working hard but we're lacking quality in the final third. We don't want Tom to go, but if someone offers a lot of money there's not a great deal we can do. But we need good players to kickstart our season." Middlesbrough's Aitor Karanka said: "It was very good result and performance. When I came in we were three points away from relegation, now we're not far from the play-offs – but my mentality stays the same."

Watford 0-1 Reading

Nigel Adkins praised Reading's togetherness after their five-game search for a win in all competitions ended with victory at Vicarage Road. "We've got a lot of players out injured and we've had a couple of disappointing results over Christmas, but the resolve that the players have demonstrated again in the second half has shown the togetherness of everybody. We're really looking forward to the second half of the season." The defeat was Beppe Sannino's first since succeeding Gianfranco Zola. "I'm disappointed for the supporters and for my group. We started playing 45 minutes too late."

And the rest

Blackburn are still two points off the play-off places after Rudy Gestede's header was enough to beat strugglers Doncaster 1-0. ■ Bolton came from behind at home to Nottingham Forest to draw 1-1. ■ Brighton ended Birmingham's unbeaten run with a 1-0 win at the Amex via a David López strike. ■ Uwe Rösler's Wigan eased past Bournemouth 3-0 with goals from Marc-Antoine Fortuné, Jordi Gómez and an Elliott Ward own goal. ■ Striker Danny Ings continued his scoring form as Burnley won 2-1 at Yeovil.

Mark Hughes has sparked creativity at Stoke City – now they need goals

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 02:30 PM PST

The new Stoke City manager has inspired his team to play with greater freedom but his revolution needs a scoring habit

Mark Hughes knew that his first season at Stoke City was going to be about evolution rather than revolution. Old habits die hard and Hughes had no intention of tearing everything up that the players had been doing – in some cases for five years and more – under Tony Pulis, the man he replaced as manager last summer. What Hughes quickly discovered, however, was that he was preaching to a group waiting to be converted.

"When I came in, I felt I wasn't forcing things on players. Maybe they were ready for change themselves. And they were capable of change. I think that's what I recognised early on," Hughes says. "I just felt these guys have got ability and can play in a slightly different way, just to give them more options and still be effective, and that's been born out."

Opta's statistics certainly point to a tactical shift. Stoke made the fewest number of passes in four of their five seasons in the Premier League under Pulis (in the other campaign – last term – only Reading were below them). With Hughes in charge, Stoke, on average, are making almost 70 more passes per game than they did last season. They have had more possession than their opponents on six occasions – something that happened five times during their first four seasons in the Premier League.

Despite growing complaints from fans, Stoke's style of play was not a factor in the club's decision to part company with Pulis at the end of last season and at no point during Hughes's talks did the subject of how he would set the team up crop up. At the same time, there was a natural assumption that Stoke, under Hughes, would play with greater freedom, even if he was working with broadly the same group of players.

"We've got good players here that have a little bit more license to affect the game in a positive way, rather than the mindset that they're going to be difficult to beat and more destructive than constructive, which is no reflection on Tony," Hughes says.

"We've moved to a different point in terms of how we approach games. We're probably a little bit more adventurous away from home – it hasn't reaped benefits as yet but we think it will. At home we are easy on the eye, people enjoy watching what we're trying to do. But we're only 20 games in, so it's early days. But I'm pleased with what we've done in that period."

At the Britannia Stadium, where Liverpool visit on Sunday, Stoke have beaten Chelsea and lost once in the league. Yet away from home, they have picked up five points out of a possible 30. Hughes has a theory behind that poor return. "Sometimes we revert to type, we're not as brave as we should be, we just try and protect what we've had – we've certainly been guilty of that in some away games," he says. "Hopefully that mentality will change with more success."

Perhaps most frustrating for Hughes is that, even with greater possession, Stoke's achilles heel continues to be putting the ball in the net. Stoke scored 188 times in 190 Premier League matches under Pulis – they were the only one of the 13 clubs that featured in the top flight in those five seasons to fail to average a goal per game – and more than half of the total arrived via set-pieces. Since Hughes took over Stoke are scoring far more frequently from open play – another two goals will equal the 15 they managed in the previous two seasons – but the overall picture is not any better. Stoke have scored 19 in 20 games this season. Despite all the money spent on strikers over the years, they have never found a prolific goalscorer.

"There has been a problem here with chance conversion. I don't think it's improved markedly, so we're trying to address that," Hughes says. "If that means bringing different types of players to do that, then that's what we'll have to do. But we're working in a market that is difficult for us because we haven't got great resources in terms of being able to pay big transfer fees."

Hughes knew those budgetary constraints when he took over and he is certainly not complaining. Peter Coates, Stoke's chairman, has been an extremely generous benefactor – Pulis's net spend in the Premier League was the best part of £80m, which was behind only Manchester City and Chelsea across those five years – but that policy had to change. Stoke aim to become a self-sustaining Premier League club. That means bringing through homegrown talent and recruiting more shrewdly.

It is all part of a wider project that Hughes hopes to be given the chance to oversee. "We're not where we need to be but we're ahead of where I thought we would be at this point," he says. "Maybe in a year, 18 months' time, we'll be in great shape – we haven't had the benefit of enough transfer windows, because we need to add to the group. But the key to it all is time."

Stuart James

Western Sydney Wanderers 1-0 Sydney FC | A-League match report

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 02:02 PM PST

A Brendon Santalab winner at the death secured Western Sydney their first home A-League derby victory over Sydney FC at Parramatta Stadium

Stability sacrificed amid fall and fall of the Premier League managers | Paul Wilson

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 02:00 PM PST

Since the Premier League's launch in 1992 there have been 278 managerial departures and the pace is quickening

Stability, according to Richard Bevan of the League Managers Association, is the key to lasting success in football. Stability is why Sir Alex Ferguson was able to choose his own retirement date at Manchester United after two decades of unprecedented achievement. Stability is why Arsenal are Champions League regulars and were thus in a position to attract a player of Mesut Özil's calibre to transform their title prospects. The case has been proven, the benefits are clear. Managers need time.

If stability is what everyone is looking for, however, statistics suggest it is remarkably elusive. In the 21-year history of the Premier League alone, getting on for 150 managers have been sacked or nudged more politely towards the exit door. The exact number is difficult to pin down, since of 278 managerial departures since the 1992-93 season many have been assistants or caretakers, some have left voluntarily or resigned through ill health, and each of those categories is open to interpretation. But a conservative figure for the number of frontline managers whose contracts have been terminated over the course of the Premier League – excluding the likes of Steve Kean and Owen Coyle who were sacked as Championship managers – would be 140.

That is a lot, if stability is the aim, and there are signs that the trend is accelerating. A dozen Premier League managers lost their jobs in 2013, and eight the year before. In the early years of the Premier League the numbers were sometimes lower – just five in 1997, say, and only three in 1999 – though it is not the case that chairmen and owners used to be more patient. Ten departures in 2004 show that double digits for annual dismissals is nothing new, and eight managers lost their job in 1998.

What is new, and more alarming, is the level of churn at present. Twenty casualties in the past two years have resulted in a situation where only three Premier League managers have been in their present positions for more than two seasons. One of those is Arsène Wenger, of course, but as another is Sam Allardyce the statistic could soon become even starker. Not that the third member of the trio, Alan Pardew — "I've been vulnerable from day one here and I'm still vulnerable" — regards himself the fixture at Newcastle the length of his contract would suggest.

Shortly after becoming the last Englishman to win the league title, Howard Wilkinson was made the FA's technical director and in that capacity said England could learn lessons from the continental system, whereby directors of football took responsibility for sourcing players and spending money, leaving coaches free to change clubs every three or four years when their squads got sick of their voices or their training routines.

Whereas in England a manager with four or five big clubs on his CV would be regarded as slightly dubious, in Italy or Spain it was normal. Over the years that policy was gradually adopted, to the extent that not only were directors of football appointed but clubs began hiring managers on deliberately short contracts. Yet surely the wheel has turned too far when 17 out of 20 clubs have changed managers in the past two years. Wenger has been in his present position longer than all the other Premier League managers put together, and Arsenal have watched fascinated as the rest of the Premier League has paid out an estimated £450m in compensation.

Roberto Martínez, who might never have won the FA Cup with Wigan but for the unusual patience shown by a somewhat old-fashioned chairman, believes copying the continental model might have been a mistake in the first place. "The British game was always very different, unique in fact," the Everton manager says. "There was a tradition that the manager decided the philosophy of the team and that is how he should be judged, not on one or two bad results. I think everyone else in Europe was a bit jealous of what we had in this country but in the past two years or so we have become a bit more trigger happy.

"We have been treating managers as head coaches instead of the part of the British game that is unique, and I hope that we can change it round again. As a manager, if you are going to be a manager and not a head coach, you need time to put your ideas across, to manage your budget, to develop players for the short and long term. We shouldn't be copying other leagues, we should be preserving the British tradition."

As David Moyes is proving at Manchester United, that is easier said than done. Ferguson tried to bequeath him time, tradition and stability, yet it is still going horribly wrong. The bottom line appears to be that stability needs to be preceded by some form of success.

Wenger never looked back after winning the Double in his first full season in England. Ferguson famously took longer to deliver but once the trophies began to arrive they were soon piling up. Martínez's own switch between clubs was undoubtedly made smoother by the kudos of an FA Cup win and, unless Moyes can get his hands on something tangible quite soon, it appears all the patience and goodwill in the world will not help him.

Stability may be the key to success but success is also necessary to buy time for stability. Even Ferguson said so. And success is not something the Premier League is in the habit of sharing around. Most clubs are destined to finish most seasons without a trophy and, if even gaining promotion and remaining outside the bottom three is no longer enough to please some chairmen, what the LMA terms a "drastic turnover of managers" seems bound to continue.

"It would benefit everyone in the game to step back and actually define success," says Bevan, the LMA chief executive. He would say that, though, wouldn't he? Defining success is the easy part. It is the stepping back that would be a Premier League first.

Paul Wilson

Jermain Defoe heading for a dead end moving from Tottenham to Toronto | Daniel Taylor

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 02:00 PM PST

The money may be good but the club are woeful and playing in Canada may end the striker's World Cup hopes

A short video clip was running on Toronto's website in the days before the official announcement. The scene was a typical English cafe as a bald John Bull type in a white polo shirt looked up towards the television news and instinctively sprayed out a mouthful of whatever he was drinking. It never showed what he actually saw but his face was a picture of shock. Then the words flashed on the screen alongside him. "It's a bloody big deal."

Financially, yes. Jermain Defoe will be paid £90,000 a week over the four years of his contract and plainly that has been enough to make him think, a few months after turning 31, it is worthwhile joining a club whose name appears to be synonymous with failure.

An article in the Globe and Mail, by the football correspondent and author John Doyle, should tell you everything you need to know about Defoe's new employers. "There's something soul-destroying about TFC's sad, seven-year history," Doyle wrote last May. "The FC stands for 'futility club'. Coaches and executives come and go. Players come and go. But TFC stays stalled. And maybe the only way to categorise it is this way: as a new team, an expansion team about to be born, as it was when founded in May 2006, a year-zero team. It's always year zero in Toronto."

Until a year ago, Paul Mariner was coaching the team, culminating in fans protesting at matches by wearing paper bags over their heads. Mo Johnston, another name from the Panini sticker books, has had spells as manager and director of soccer, was nicknamed Trader Mo and is another one who can be ticked off when Doyle goes through the strange cast of people "who, frankly, seem to know nothing about building a soccer club". Aron Winter, the former Holland international, was the manager before Mariner and now it is the turn of Ryan Nelsen, lured away from the chaos of QPR's relegation season, as a friend of the president (who has since been removed) and with absolutely no background in coaching.

Jason de Vos, a former Canada international, has called it "without a doubt, the most bizarre coaching appointment ever made in Major League Soccer".

As for the results, well, the mayor Rob Ford is not the only person in Toronto clinging on to his job. Nelsen's team won six of their 34 games in the season that finished in October, lost 17, drew 11 and finished second from bottom of the Eastern Conference, getting nowhere near the play-offs – pretty much in line with what it has been like in every year of their existence. In 2012 it was even worse, finishing 19th out of 19 Major League Soccer (MLS) teams. The previous year they were 16th out of 18 but with the worst defence in the competition.

Nelsen tried to steady the team by bringing in a succession of players whom many people might have suspected were no longer in the sport. Robert Earnshaw, 32, was a free agent after leaving Maccabi Tel Aviv. Bobby Convey, once of Reading, followed, aged 30. Steven Caldwell, 33, came in from Birmingham City and has just been named the supporters' player of the year. "The team could be called Ryan Nelsen's retirement home for mediocrities," according to Doyle. "There is no identity to TFC, no iconic player, no team ethos to promote, no populist coach to present. There is nothing. Zilch. Zero year, every year."

Nelsen, the eighth coach to have a go at putting it right, has talked about trying to eradicate "seven years of mistakes". Doyle describes results as "disastrous".

Defoe, to put it bluntly, is joining a club where the limitations are limitless. A club with plenty of cash and a showy front but nothing behind it, like a Kinder chocolate egg with no toy inside – the equivalent in standard, you could say, of a side in the bottom six of the Championship, if you were putting it generously.

Perhaps he is excited by the possibility of being the star man and the satisfaction that might follow if he can help deliver the first sliver of success. Then again it did not really work out that way for Toronto when they made the former Germany international Torsten Frings one of their "DPs" – designated players – or the Dutchman Danny Koevermans.

No, this is about the bags of gold on offer and another reminder that money is how a lot of footballers keep the score these days – enough of it evidently that Defoe is willing, if necessary, to surrender part of his career and sacrifice going to the World Cup, given that he is effectively asking Roy Hodgson to select someone who has now broken free from top-level club football.

Hodgson will not be schlepping over to Canada to watch him at the open-air BMO Field, where the attendances fell last season to a new low of just over 18,000. He has always been an admirer of Defoe, the way he brilliantly comes to life inside the penalty area, and the speed of thought and finishing that has established him in fifth place on the all-time list of Tottenham scorers.

Yet who can blame the England manager for sounding unenthusiastic now the player's priorities have become so blurred? "We will have to see what the competition for places is and what other possibilities I have," Hodgson said when the proposed transfer was mentioned before Christmas. "It won't be quite as simple as saying: 'While you are in America you have got no chance.' But on the other hand I am not prepared to go down the other route and say: 'If you go and play your football in America you are still guaranteed a place on the plane.'"

Hodgson had previously recommended that, if Frank Lampard were leaving Chelsea, as had looked likely last season, and had ambitions to figure in the World Cup, it would not be a good idea for him to choose Los Angeles Galaxy as a resting stop. Those comments attracted enough publicity at the time for Defoe to understand very well the risks, in a sporting sense, about dropping down to this level.

The MLS, as Sir Alex Ferguson notes in his latest autobiography, is too athletic to be derided as a Mickey Mouse league. Yet he still points out there were absolutely no football reasons for David Beckham making the move and that he suspects his old player probably regrets taking himself away from high-end football. As for Toronto – or "Ambitious Toronto", as the English press appear to have renamed them – they may have some money swilling around but their story is so undistinguished to this point it brings to mind an old quote from Rodney Marsh about the West Bromwich Albion side relegated in 2003. "They've made some new signings but it's like putting lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig."

Defoe was apparently persuaded that Canada was the best place for him, rather than another club in England or trying to win over a new manager at Spurs, when he took a telephone call from Drake, the rapper and Toronto fan.

The striker follows a path once trodden by Danny Dichio, Carl Robinson, Rohan Ricketts, Richard Eckersley and Ronnie O'Brien, once on the books of Juventus (zero appearances) and briefly one of the most famous Irish people in the world because of a students' campaign to vote him in as Time magazine's Person of the Century.

The money is sensational but it would have to be because this is the moment, unfortunately, when we should probably stop taking Defoe's career seriously.

David Moyes must ignore the ex-factor

The funny thing is that Sir Alex Ferguson, at one point last summer, had confided he was extremely aware his presence in the stands might increase the pressure on David Moyes. Ferguson, at a meeting of Manchester United's supporters' club secretaries, acknowledged it might be a difficult balancing act, bearing in mind his new position as a director, and said he would have to consider how it might impinge on his successor.

Evidently he has concluded there is not a great deal he can do if the television cameras decide to zoom in whenever United are doing badly and, in the case of their defeat at Sunderland, capture him shaking his head and wearing the expression of someone who has just missed the last bus home. It was always going to be slightly awkward for Moyes, like going on a date while the other person's ex tags along, but I would also wager it is a long way down the list of things the manager would like to change.

He would never admit it, but Moyes is probably entitled to think Ferguson's treatment of Wayne Rooney, going against everything he has ever preached to publicise a private conversation and announce the striker had asked for a transfer, was a classic piece of selfishness that badly undermined the club throughout his first months in the job.

The timing of Ferguson's autobiography, with all its strategic point-scoring, is another demonstration of his less appealing side and, yes, it is probably true Moyes would not have looked quite so inadequate if the retired manager were not so visible.

It would be a much greater problem, however, if Ferguson had been turning up unannounced at the training ground or if the players were going straight to him, rather than Moyes, something that happened regularly to Wilf McGuinness and Frank O'Farrell when Sir Matt Busby stopped managing the team without being able to cut himself free.

So far, there has been no evidence of that, and it seems to be more of an issue for the media than the relevant people at Old Trafford.

If nothing else, Moyes really should be focused on the players around him rather than the guy 20 yards or so over his left shoulder.

Fanning the flames of moneyball

Last week, I asked whether the Football Association might try to do more to take care of its own competition. The answer promptly came in the form of the television schedules for the FA Cup's fourth-round ties and the news that Liverpool's supporters will potentially be asked to trek down to Bournemouth for a 12.45pm kick-off. Arsenal's tie against Coventry City has been switched for BT's coverage to a Friday night, in a move the Sky Blue Trust has aptly described as "money first, money second, money third and, oh yeah, there's the supporters". It has been that way too long and, sadly, nothing changes.

Daniel Taylor

Atlético Madrid 0-0 Barcelona

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 01:42 PM PST

Still they cannot be separated. For once, the game presented as a title decider in Spain was not the clásico, but it turned out not to be a title decider either. Not yet, at least. If there was a winner on Saturday night, it was Real Madrid. Atlético Madrid and Barcelona drew 0-0 at the Vicente Calderón and both sides reached the halfway stage of the season, when everyone has played everyone else, on 50 points. Real face Espanyol on Sunday night knowing a victory will take them to 47.

There was tension and by the end the pace was frenetic, a final dramatic twist seemingly drawing near. A roar greeted the full-time whistle that spoke of appreciation and maybe a little relief, but this was not the match that many had hoped for. It was committed, fast, and at times it was fascinating too, but there were just two shots on target for each side in a game that only occasionally opened up.

Lionel Messi and Neymar appeared only as second-half subs: the Argentinian has only just returned from eight weeks out injured, but the Brazilian's late introduction was a pity for his team. He, like Turkey's Arda Turan on the other side, brought something different to this game; they were the men who seemed most likely to break through. Instead, the draw means Barcelona finished the night as Spain's winter champions. Who will be Spain's actual champions remains to be seen but Atlético's candidacy cannot be ignored.

Diego Simeone has built a team in his own image."Atléti, aplasta," ran the banner – Atlético, crush them – and to start with that appeared to be the plan. Diego Simeone had admitted that he did not expect his side to enjoy much possession and most anticipated a game in which Barcelona had the ball and Atlético waited for them. But Atlético pressured high, targeting Sergio Busquets, although it was Xavi who was dispossessed for the move that led to Atlético's first dangerous approach after three minutes. Turan got behind Jordi Alba – and not for the last time – before pulling the ball back across the six-yard box.

The urgency and intensity was revealed in Simeone swiftly returning the ball for his side to take a quick throw-in but such a high rhythm was hard to maintain and slowly the game settled into a more familiar pattern.

If Barcelona seemed content to move the ball without always seeking the final pass, they may have had half an eye on the bench and what might come later. Pedro was their greatest threat, Andrés Iniesta the focal point of their play. Alexis Sánchez barely saw the ball. Pedro headed over and Gerard Piqué almost caught out Thibaut Courtois from 30 yards. Meanwhile, at the other end, Villa's experienced was much like Sánchez's. The threat from the counterattack lingered but never materialised as a clear chance, not least because of Piqué, and the first half ended with few chances at either end.

The second half started with Messi on for Iniesta, who had twice been hit hard and gone down in the opening 45 minutes. He was removed with a knock on the knee. Cesc Fábregas moved into midfield and Messi returned to the false 9 position. He headed one effort wide before Diego Costa's only meaningful shot for Atlético, after Arda took the ball off Busquets and sprang forward, playing him in. Suddenly, Atlético were pressing again, high and intense; two more approaches followed immediately and Barcelona lost control. The noise in the Calderón rose, every challenge greeted with a roar, a bugle call for the counterattack.

Neymar was introduced soon after and the game opened up. Costa headed over from Filipe Luís, Turan's volley was saved by Víctor Valdés, and then Courtois reached Messi shot as he scurried into the ear. In the 91st minute, Neymar almost got in after some more clever footwork. It was the last big moment of a frantic final 10 minutes. Barcelona remain top. So too do Atlético.

Sid Lowe

Said & Done – the week in football: Hitzlsperger, Bolton and Bologna

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 01:39 PM PST

The week in football: New year honours, how to run Bolton, brawl of the week, plus the challenge for Copa do Sexo

Hitzlsperger: the tributes

1) Moving on from 2010's joke about gay fans in Qatar: "Fifa and the Fifa President support Thomas Hitzlsperger's decision to publicly announce his sexual orientation. Unfortunately, prejudices still exist within football. Fifa is working hard to tackle them."

2) Gordon Taylor – who defended his PFA members in 2010 for refusing to take part in an anti-homophobia campaign video because: "It would be unfair to ask individuals to back a campaign like this in case they got targeted by crowds. It's a macho environment."

3) The Sun – worried it would still take "almost superhuman bravery" for a current player to follow Hitzlsperger's lead due to the threat of jibes from a "moronic minority". • 2011: The Sun on the Beckhams inviting Louis Spence to their party: "Bender it like Beckham".

New year honours: best message

Sepp: starting 2014 with a call for more transparency in football, and with legal action to ban a cartoon book about his life at Fifa. Lawyers, who won a temporary injunction last month, say the cartoons would destroy their client's "good reputation". The case is in court this week.

Best fresh starts

1) South American confederation Conmebol: ready to fight the year's first allegations of "corrupt financial management" after top Uruguayan clubs combined to sue them. 2) African confederation Caf welcoming back old faces for a gala night, including Nigerian ex-executive Amos Adamu, back from a three-year bribery ban, and Benin's Anjorin Moucharafou, back from two spells on remand denying embezzlement.

Best new year gong

A CBE for Karren Brady – who backed public sector spending cuts at September's Tory conference due to Labour "all but bankrupting the country", six months after securing £150m of public money to refit West Ham's new ground.

Best leadership

Bolton chairman Phil Gartside: committing to lead the club to a new "self-sustainable future" and end over-reliance on benefactor Eddie Davies's £151m loans. • Gartside's previous best vision: 2001, with the club £30m in debt: "One of our directors, Eddie Davies, has loaned the club £2m and given us tremendous support. Eddie is a Farnworth lad and a lifelong Wanderers' fan who now lives in the Isle of Man and he has put more money into Bolton Wanderers than any other person in the history of the club. But we can't constantly rely on that sort of generosity. We have to run the business properly."

Plus: best resolution

11 Dec: Bologna president Albano Guaraldi, denying that fan pressure to start the new year by sacking coach Stefano Pioli was getting to him. "I deny all such speculation. Pioli is of great value to us. Maybe he'll even have a contract extension." 7 Jan: Maybe he won't.

Other news: green party

1m: Number of Brazil 2014 pro-environmental awareness Fuleco mascot toys being shipped in this winter, 12,000 miles from China.

Claim of the week

Paraguay: Olympia player Sebastián Ariosa, alleging his club sacked him by telegram for having cancer. "This was not the time nor the way to do it. Doctors say I'll play again." Paraguay's PFA say the move was "inhumane"; Olympia say Ariosa is "simply suspended during the healing process".

Best perspective

Brazil: Marilia coach Luis dos Reis, looking for the positives after a friendly against Tupã was abandoned over a "kung-fu style" brawl. "We regret it, but it hardly matters. Games such as this are good for rapport. I'm a satisfied coach."

Most upbeat

Ghana: Prophet Kweku Mensah Otabil, "relaxed" over reports he faces arrest on allegations that he tried to extract $20,000 from Ghana's FA in return for not cursing their World Cup campaign. "What, police want to arrest me? Ghana police? I am not bothered at all."

Movie news

Brazil: Clayton Nunes, director of 2014 World Cup-themed porn film Copa do Sexo, on the creative challenge. "We're banned from using official products or logos, or lookalikes. It is so hard to avoid Fifa's attention."

Best pitch invasion

Portugal: Braga fan Maria Amélia da Silva Morais, 77, on why she invaded Marítimo's pitch last month: "I behaved badly, but I'll always fight for Braga. I'm a woman with no parents, no husband, no children: my loves are Braga and the church. I've never missed a game, and I never will – even if I'm ill I just take a blanket. Only a stroke could stop me. You know what I'm made of? I am made of iron."

Plus: love news

Turkey: Kayserispor's Pablo Mouche, denying links with model Vicky Xipolitakis after leaving model Vitto Saravia. Xipolitakis says she's staying focused this year. "I'm only eyeing ugly men who amuse me. Why should I seek out beauties? I'm the beauty here."

David Hills

David Moyes hails Adnan Januzaj for inspiring win against Swansea City

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 01:36 PM PST

• Teenager involved in both Manchester United goals
• 'His talent and natural ability is up there with the best'

David Moyes backed Adnan Januzaj to establish himself as one of the world's greatest footballers after another demonstration of the teenager's precocious gifts in Manchester United's return to winning ways. Six days after Swansea City's FA Cup win at Old Trafford, Januzaj was the outstanding player in the 2-0 defeat of the Welsh club, being involved in both goals, scored by Antonio Valencia and Danny Welbeck, as the Premier League champions ended a run of three defeats.

"He has been like that since day one," Moyes said. "Adnan can play in all the positions around the front. I speak to him a lot and he tells me he could play everywhere and he would have no problem. He's not a nervous boy. I wanted to see if it would give us any more creativity, any more [attacking] positions, and help us.

"He needs teaching and understanding because he is still learning the game in a lot of the things he is doing. But his talent and natural ability is up there with the best and I think, in time, he will prove to be that."

United's next assignment is at Chelsea a week from now and Moyes said he can sense from his players "that it will not be long before this difficult period turns around".

His team have actually won five of their past six Premier League matches, albeit this being their first victory of any sorts since the turn of the year, and Moyes added: "I sleep great every night. I hope it will become a long way better. I would like to think it's going to improve a lot but you have to start somewhere and I thought today was more like it.

"We scored two goals, we should have scored more and I can't remember Swansea having a shot at goal. It felt in the main that we had control of the game. We had a chance to the score the first goal in the first half – Danny Welbeck has a big chance – but I thought from the start of the second half we played very well and deservedly scored two goals."

Daniel Taylor

When will football kick out bigotry once and for all? | Kevin McKenna

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 01:30 PM PST

Thomas Hitzlsperger felt able to come out last week, but only after his soccer career had ended. The memory of Justin Fashanu still shames the game

In the 1990s, when I was privileged to work with some very fine journalists at Scotland on Sunday, a few of us tried to make the sports section the most rock'n'roll and right-on in the business. The campaigns came thick and fast and would have done justice to Tribune: an end to discrimination against women in golf; promoting young Asians in football; promoting rugby union in state schools; opposing the state selling off playing fields all over Scotland.

One campaign though, sincerely conceived and long in preparation, simply foundered at the outset and left us wondering what more we could have done to make it a success. We sought to offer a platform to any gay men then playing football at a senior level in Scotland to declare their homosexuality. We thought that at least one would come forward, bolstered by the campaigning support of a national newspaper.

In the end we simply had to admit defeat. There were two anonymous calls to the desk, one cancelled meeting and a loose promise, which didn't materialise, from a player to speak off the record. Not a single football person wished even to discuss the aggressive homophobia in the game that prevented several gay footballers from being open about their sexuality. It was an unpleasant episode which left me and others feeling a little besmirched that we remained part of this dismal football pantomime.

We were reminded again last week how empty and squalid are the values of football in Britain when the esteemed German international footballer, Thomas Hitzlsperger, declared his homosexuality following his recent retirement from the professional game. That he felt he had to wait until the conclusion of his career to do this tells you all you need to know about some of the values of football in 2014.

But the timing of his declaration does not in any way diminish the courage of Hitzlsperger, a highly regarded player with Aston Villa, Everton and West Ham in making it at all. He is still a young man and evidently an intelligent and thoughtful one too, delivering his thoughts on television with dignity. He would be an asset in any television or radio studio where football is discussed . The BBC is seeking a replacement for Alan Hansen on Match of the Day. Dare they?

If you subscribe to the theory that around 10% of the population is gay then it is inconceivable that there aren't several hundred homosexual men playing senior football in Britain today. At this point I don't know what's more depressing: that they can't openly declare their sexuality during their careers or that I fully accept why it is virtually impossible for them so to do. There is scant evidence that if any of them were to do this they wouldn't be subject to vile and abusive chanting at every away ground they played at.

Indeed, there is little to suggest that they wouldn't encounter such abuse among supporters of their own team or that they would receive the moral support of their clubs and colleagues if they did so.

When was the last time you heard an influential football manager or chairman state unequivocally that openly gay footballers would be welcome in their dressing rooms? Have you ever heard of any mainstream sports media outlet actively campaign against homophobia in football in the same way as they might rail against racism? Only Observer Sport's splendid and iconic Said & Done column regularly draws attention to this wickedness.

Working in Edinburgh in 1993, many of us were entertained by the mini-drama that arrived in the city following the transfer of Justin Fashanu to Heart of Midlothian FC. Fashanu was once a very fine footballer who had excelled for Norwich City in the English First Division and seemed destined for a rewarding international career.

He was a bright, happy and handsome man with a gorgeous smile who had emerged from a Barnardo's home and possessed the pleasing habit of sticking the ball in the pokey on a regular basis. By the time he reached Hearts though, he was almost broken following years of abuse and loathing by the football community after he had declared his homosexuality a few years before.

At Nottingham Forest, where he should have enjoyed some of the best years of his career, Fashanu ran into Brian Clough, a man of a generation which was simply bewildered by homosexuality. Even so, Clough, a revered figure in British football, seems to have been proud of cruelly baiting his young charge on hearing of his reported visits to gay nightclubs. In his autobiography Clough recalls the following exchange with him:

"Where do you go if you want a loaf of bread?" I asked him.

"A baker's, I suppose."

"Where do you go if you want a leg of lamb?"

"A butcher's."

"So why do you keep going to that bloody poofs' club?"

Fashanu hanged himself just a few years later, having been disowned by his own brother and his fellow professionals and with an unproven charge of sexual assault haunting him in the US, where he had fled to try to revive his career in a more enlightened environment.

In some ways you can understand, if not justify, the medieval pack mentality of football fans, many of whom will have other challenges in their lives and whose instinct will always be to fear that which they consider to be different or unusual.

Not so football managers and club directors who, in the 21st century, might have been expected by now to have constructed an environment where gay people need not feel threatened and excluded at their work.

And how many gay football supporters are there in the UK who are not inclined to pay money at the gate just to endure 90 minutes of homophobic bile being directed at players, match officials and opposing fans?

Justin Fashanu died in 1998 at the age of 37, reviled and alone. His death bore witness to football's collective inhumanity towards gay people, yet few of us felt ashamed.

Sixteen years later, we find that little has changed in enlightened and compassionate Britain.

Kevin McKenna

Ipswich Town 1-3 QPR | Championship match report

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 01:07 PM PST

Kevin Bond, the QPR assistant manager, hailed his side's clinical finishing after three-second half goals gave them an excellent 3-1 win at Ipswich Town.

The pursuit of Premier League football has seen QPR build the meanest defence in the Championship but they have found goals hard to come by. That all changed on Saturday with three in 23 minutes as QPR put Ipswich – with their own designs on a top-six finish – to the sword.

Bond, who spoke to the press instead of Harry Redknapp, said: "We have found goals hard to come by so to score three today was excellent. It was always going to be a difficult game as they have been on a terrific run. Ipswich started very brightly and had a couple of good opportunities.

"But we came back into the game and we were much better in the second half. The goals didn't look like coming in the first half but the first goal eased us a little and meant they had to chase the game."

QPR eventually cruised to three points but it was Ipswich who shaded an entertaining first half in which both teams were unable to add a finish to gilt-edged chances. That all changed in the second half.

Niko Kranjcar skipped past Luke Chambers and Paul Taylor too easily but his finish into the far corner in the 52nd minute was fitting of someone plying their trade in the Premier League just two seasons ago. That lead was doubled in the 66th minute when Charlie Austin's 25-yard shot was parried by Dean Gerken, but only into the path of the onrushing Gary O'Neill who tapped it into the open goal. Two became three with 15 minutes remaining as Tommy Smith's woeful attempts to clear Clint Hill's long clearance allowed substitute Armand Traoré to nip in and score.

Ipswich grabbed a consolation as the match entered injury time – with Smith showing remarkable acrobatics to divert Stephen Hunt's corner into the net.

The stunning strike was of little comfort to Mick McCarthy, who saw his side lose their nine-match unbeaten run and slip out of the play-off spots. The Ipswich manager said: "We were excellent first half and I was immensely proud of that performance against a team who are probably still favourites to go up with Leicester. But we let them off the hook and then slightly gifted the game to them.

"They had that bit of quality with Niko Kranjcar's first goal before the second goal killed us. Dean Gerken has come in and apologised for the second goal but there is lesson for us in the way O'Neill ran in and scored the rebound.

"Tommy Smith was also upset about the third goal but he has also been magnificent for us."

Atlético Madrid v Barcelona – as it happened! | Ian McCourt

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 12:51 PM PST

Minute-by-minute report: Neither side could find their way to the goal as Atlético Madrid and Barcelona played out a goalless draw.

Ian McCourt

Cristiano Ronaldo's award, F1 on film, and the best of Brian Johnston

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 12:01 PM PST

Ronaldo steps up for the Ballon d'Or, 1: Life On The Limit hits cinemas and Hawks meet Nets in London, here's this week's ...

F1 MOVIE

Is the general release for 1: Life On The Limit. A documentary in the Senna vein that looks to relate the story of the sport for a broad audience. Much of the vintage footage is glorious and the assembled talking heads – from Jackie Stewart to Bernie Ecclestone and Lewis Hamilton – are excellent, a gimlet-eyed Stewart recalling "when motor racing was dangerous and sex was safe". But in attempting to live up to its subtitle the film is really the F1 story told through the prism of how dangerous the sport was and the fatalities it caused. The narrative then, bookended by Martin Brundle's horrific accident in Australia in 1996, gallops across the years through numerous, grisly, flaming crashes heading, inevitably, towards Ayrton Senna's death in 1994. Many of these scenes linger too long and their progression becomes ghoulish. Death was part of the story and while there is much that is fascinating here – F1's wilful resistance to safety measures for so long and the role of Wags in the 60s and 70s for example – it was but one side of the sport, one that many may not like to revisit in such detail.

FOOTBALL GONG FOR ...

Well, Cristiano Ronaldo if the bookies are to be trusted, they make him, at best, 1-12 to take the Ballon d'Or (British Eurosport,Monday, 6pm) from Lionel Messi, who has won the award for the past four years, and Franck Ribéry, who had no mean season with Bayern, winning the Champions League, the Bundesliga and the German Cup. Yet the award will be Ronaldo's and a chance for him, no doubt, to acknowledge the passing of his hero, Eusébio, who won in 1965. There is, however, likely to be no winning coda for Sir Alex Ferguson who must see off ex-Bayern Maunich coach Jupp Heynckes and Borussia Dortmund's Jurgen Klopp for the coach of the year award. Heynckes, it seems is an even more cast-iron banker than Ronaldo at 50-1 on.

DOPING DOCUMENTARY

Brings further concern and cause for debate to an already ugly subject. Curing disease has been purpose behind 50 years of research into gene therapy but as Tim Franks discovers in Gene Doping (BBC World Service, Tuesday, 8pm) the process has now become targeted by athletes looking to the process to improve performance. Doing so was banned by Wada in 2003 but as Franks reveals in this illuminating documentary it has not prevented attempts to use it to gain an advantage. French geneticist Philippe Moullier tells how a group of former Tour de France cyclists wanted to learn how the technology he developed to cure children with a rare muscle disease could be used to enhance their performance. Crucially, there remains no test to detect gene doping.

VISIT FROM THE NBA

Pits the Atlanta Hawks against the Brooklyn Nets in their regular season game being held at London's O₂ Arena on Thursday (BT Sport 1, 7.30pm). The fly-away fixtures in the NBA and NFL are hugely popular here and the game is sold out but does boast the advantage of being held at time more convenient for viewing in the UK and it's set to be a good one too. The Nets beat the Hawks in a 91‑86 thriller just under a week ago and are now one place below a play-off spot, while the Hawks are under pressure having lost three on the bounce.

BEST CRICKETING RERUN

Sees the 20th anniversary of Brian Johnston's death marked with another chance to hear an entire of morning of programmes celebrating the great man. In An Innings With Johnners (BBC Radio 4 Extra, Saturday, from 9am) his life is celebrated with documentaries, quiz shows, music and comedy, including the episode of Hancock's Half Hour in which Tony takes part in the Monte Carlo Rally and Johnners provides the commentary. Glorious stuff.

Giles Richards

David Moyes – four things he can do next to lift Manchester United | Jamie Jackson

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 12:01 PM PST

The Manchester United manager now needs to be bold and adventurous – and set out a vision for his team

1 Make his message clear

Danny Welbeck says: "It's the hardest thing in football – maintain consistency throughout the whole season. But that is what Manchester United have done for as long as I've known. We need to see if we can get that consistency in our performances and results, and gather momentum. We need to set a platform that we can build on."

The killer line here is the last one. The uneven form may be a function of injuries, but the idea of an overarching philosophy is that personnel can change but the vision remains. A valid question then is what is David Moyes's vision for Manchester United? How does he want the 20-times champions to play for the foreseeable future? No one seems to know. The first move in taking control again may be to set this out.

2 Get Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie fully fit

This is easier said than done, but the indecision over when to treat Rooney properly for the abductor problem cannot have helped the star striker and the dressing room, with him being asked to carry his injury through matches before he was finally sent to Egypt this week. When Van Persie will return is also confused as the recent work done with his former trainer at PSV Eindhoven has still been unable to give Moyes a time-frame. If the manager can have them back for an extended period surely fortunes will rise.

3 Enjoy a warm weather break

Moyes says: "The situation we currently find ourselves in is not something I envisaged, and I'm sure that is the case as well for the players for you supporters. We are in a difficult period and on several occasions we have felt that fortune has not favoured us, but we have to make sure we turn things around." A trip to the sunshine of Qatar, as has been pencilled in, would surely allow Moyes to reboot the season and get his players smiling again to recapture a vital element that went awol a time ago: the fun factor.

4 Roll the dice more

Moyes retains the support of almost three-quarters of hard-core match-going United fans, according to a poll by the club fanzine Red Issue. These findings are broadly matched by a survey carried out by United We Stand, another of the most-read fanzines about the champions. But the sense is that unless Moyes starts gambling more when needed this support may ebb away as the United way is to attack.

Jamie Jackson

Change is needed in Scottish football for sound running of clubs | Ewan Murray

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 12:01 PM PST

Transparency and stronger governance should replace draconian sanctions for poor balancing of the books

Heart of Midlothian's latest plea to the Scottish Professional Football League for the relaxation of a transfer embargo is irrelevant in a broad context. The only benefit such clemency would offer the Edinburgh club – who are already relegated from the top flight in all but name – is towards a group of young players who have visibly been physically and mentally battered by the rigours of this season.

Two embargoes and a 15-point deduction were imposed on Hearts after the onset of administration. Owing to subsequent on-field troubles, debate is now raging as to how fair or otherwise such sanctions were and if they reasonably correlate to how other clubs have been or will be treated.

Soft targets, such as the Hearts manager Gary Locke, have predictably been hit upon.

All such discussion misses the point. For too long, those presiding over Scottish football have been unable either to understand or handle the issue of cause over effect. Their logic is back to front. If there is to be one positive and wider benefit to Hearts' miserable situation, that scenario has to change.

Any time a new set of legislation appears in relation to clubs tumbling into financial difficulty, trumpeted news relates to stiff sanctions as opposed to preventing those situations occurring in the first place. When a club enters administration or finds itself in an alternatively bad fiscal predicament, supporters – and many chairmen – scramble for the rule book to deduce an optimum punishment. While a practice not unique to Scotland, a sense of vengeance is the overwhelming one.

It is not as if the Scottish game needs reminders that mismanagement can have ruinous results: from the age-old trauma of Third Lanark to more recent circumstances involving Rangers and Hearts, financial chaos has routinely engulfed this scene.

Even now, a scratch beneath the surface illustrates the extraordinary lengths some clubs will go to when seeking to protect a nominal amount of money. Others make little secret of the fact they are operating with little or no financial leeway.

Hearts deserved some form of punishment, of that there is no question. The occasionally mooted line that the club itself should not be penalised on account of the behaviour of individual owners is a spurious one. Yet it is curious that nobody involved in the running of Hearts over the past 15 years – and certainly the past five – has been targeted by Scotland's football authorities. That sends out a dubious message in itself. Hearts are actually fortunate that one group of supporters recognised a dangerous road towards oblivion back in 2010 and are now within touching distance of taking control of the club.

The simple thing here would be to lambast either the SPFL or the Scottish Football Association for not following one German lead which is attainable. That is, clubs must submit detailed financial figures every March before being granted permission to participate in the following campaign. Mid-season checks also take place to ensure projections have not arrived from the realms of fantasy.

It is the kind of information any financial director at a Scottish club can and should supply. The appointment of central auditors or regulators would carry a cost, but an unquestionably worthwhile one. Other aspects, such as media and security provision, are wrapped into a licence application.

It is clubs, rather than Scottish football's battle-weary administrators, who would resist such progress towards open book-balancing and financial fair play. Transparency remains worryingly rare despite horror tales from the past. Years ago, Jim Farry's SFA ran football as an autocracy; now member clubs call every shot even to the extent they actually determine what they should and should not disclose to a governing body.

There must be, There must be, however, a general acknowledgement that external scrutiny and control has become a necessity. It would represent a wholly positive legacy and a much-needed one.

So far, the SPFL as a reincarnation of the Scottish Premier League can hardly be considered a roaring success. There is no title sponsor, its Under-20 league is a borderline irrelevance and when the sceptics are preached to about supposedly high crowd figures in relation to population, the fact Celtic routinely include at least 20,000 non-attending season ticket holders in their official figures is pertinent. That public relations trick is of obvious benefit to supposed allure of league itself.

A bigger boost would arrive from stronger governance. On Monday, the SPFL's board should finally acknowledge that.

Ewan Murray

Man United 2-0 Swansea

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 11:53 AM PST

• Tom Jenkins' gallery of all the best images from the match

For Manchester United, the relief was considerable bearing in mind the weight of history that would have come down on them if they had been unable to avenge last week's FA Cup defeat. It is not since the autumn of 1961 that they last suffered the indignity of four successive defeats and, to put it into perspective, that was also the year Bill Nicholson's Tottenham won the Double, the Berlin Wall went up and a new band going by the name of the Beatles played their first gig at the Cavern. David Moyes desperately needed some form of improvement to prevent another unwanted milestone.

They took their time and there were parts of the first half when, once again, this scarcely resembled the team that had swept up all those league championships under his predecessor. Yet they freewheeled to the finishing line once Antonio Valencia and Danny Welbeck scored within 15 minutes of the restart. Adnan Januzaj reiterated his growing importance to the team and Swansea were probably fortunate to avoid a more emphatic defeat.

The paradox is that Michael Laudrup's team had two-thirds of the ball in the first half. Their problem was that they did not show enough ambition with it, and that was strange because they should have known their opponents might be vulnerable.

Instead, it felt like more like the old United in the second half, with Old Trafford finding its voice and sporadic flashes of brilliance from Januzaj, taking over the role as star performer in the absence of Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie. It might not be ideal that the champions are so reliant on an 18-year-old in his breakthrough season but, in another sense, when he plays with this distinction it is easy to see why his manager and team-mates have placed so much trust in the youngster.

It spoke volumes, for starters, that Moyes gave him the No10 role at first instead of Shinji Kagawa, who had been brought to the club from Borussia Dortmund as a specialist in the position. When they switched in the second half it was so Januzaj could get at Angel Rangel, on the basis that Swansea's right-back had been booked in the opening 45 minutes. Januzaj's responsibility even stretches to free-kicks these days – he curled an early one against the crossbar – and he was often the player who showed the guile and skill traditionally associated with his club.

He was prominently involved in both goals and, more than anything, always wanted the ball whenever possible. The breakthrough came within a minute of the restart when Januzaj crossed from the left, Ashley Williams was unable to get any real distance with his header and the ball skimmed off the Swansea captain to present Kagawa with the first scoring chance. Gerhard Tremmel saved the midfielder's header but the rebound fell kindly for Valencia and the goal was exposed as he turned in his shot.

The goal came at a good time for the home side because it had been another flat 45 minutes from Moyes's team. For the most part, the crowd remained supportive. Yet there were brief pockets of annoyance, such as the groans that accompanied a careless pass from Chris Smalling, hitting the ball long under no pressure what-soever.

Old Trafford has been remarkably patient so far, in keeping with Sir Alex Ferguson's farewell speech against the same opponents here last May, but Moyes badly needed that sharp improvement in performance after the break.

Welbeck really ought to have soothed the crowd's nerves long before that point, making a pig's ear of the chance that came to him via Valencia and Rafael da Silva in United's most illuminating move of the first half. He has, however, been scoring more regularly this season and it was a clever, instinctive touch for his goal.

Again, Januzaj deserves a lot of credit, intercepting a long throw from Tremmel that was intended for Wayne Routledge. Swansea were in trouble from that moment, culminating in Patrice Evra turning the ball into the penalty area and Welbeck flicking out his foot to add a subtle change of direction.

Smalling should have made it 3-0 shortly afterwards, volleying into the Stretford End after a lovely cross from Kagawa, who improved as the game went on and had his own chance to enhance the margin of victory. Leon Britton rescued his team with a goalline clearance and, again, it should not be overlooked that a swift counter-attacking move from one end of the pitch to the other had begun with Januzaj's wonderfully measured pass out of defence.

The teenager had done more than most to disperse some of the disquiet surrounding United before next Sunday's game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. He would be an ideal wearer of the No7 shirt that means so much to this club and is currently lying dormant.

Daniel Taylor

Sam Allardyce gains respite from West Ham's win at Cardiff

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 11:33 AM PST

• Sam Allardyce sees 10-man West Ham see off Cardiff
• Ole Gunnar Solskjaer unhappy with side's first-half display

West Ham ended their traumatic week with a 2-0 win at Cardiff that lifted them out of the bottom three in the Premier League, easing the pressure on Sam Allardyce, their embattled manager.

Allardyce declined to speak to the media after the match, leaving his assistant, Neil McDonald, to say how pleased they both were with the spirit the players had shown, especially when they went down to 10 men after the dismissal of the centre-back James Tomkins in the 70th minute for his second yellow card.

Carlton Cole and Mark Noble scored the goals but the travelling support cheered loudest for the return of Andy Carroll, their England centre forward, who came on as a second-half substitute for his first appearance since May. The result brought much-needed relief for Allardyce and his team after 5-0 and 6-0 defeats in their previous two matches, although Guy Demel was carried off and went to hospital after lengthy treatment for a head injury.

It was a deflating first home game in charge for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Cardiff's new manager, especially after last weekend's hugely encouraging FA Cup win at Newcastle. Solskjaer said: "The first half surprised me because we didn't have any energy and enthusiasm. Why? The game never got going after a lot of stoppages. For the second half Craig Bellamy came on and made a big difference, getting us on to the front foot."

Cardiff, whose accounts reveal they are £118m in debt, drop into the bottom three for the first time this season, and their next two league matches are against Manchester City and Manchester United, both away. Solskjaer, however, insisted there was "no panic" and introduced a new signing, Mats Moller Daehli, an 18-year-old midfielder from his former club, Molde. Daehli, believed to have cost £1m, was at Manchester United's academy as a 15‑year-old.

Solskjaer said: "Max is an outstanding talent who made his debut for Norway in November. Man United had the option to take him back but he has chosen to come here. He's an inside midfielder who likes to get between the lines and take people on."

Joe Lovejoy

Manchester United v Swansea City – as it happened | Scott Murray

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 11:23 AM PST

Minute-by-minute report: After a dodgy first half, United put in a splendid second-half display, ending a run of three losses on the bounce and keeping the ghosts of 1961 firmly in the past. Scott Murray was watching

Scott Murray

Premier League: Manchester United v Swansea City – in pictures

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 11:12 AM PST

All the best images from Old Trafford where David Moyes saw his Manchester United side end their losing streak

Tom Jenkins

Steven Bloor

Filip Kiss scores two goals as Ross County rescue point at Partick

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 11:10 AM PST

• St Johnstone back in top six with win over Buddies
• Dean Shiels scores two goals in Rangers victory

Partick Thistle were denied their first Scottish Premiership home victory of the season as Ross County debutant Filip Kiss sealed a 3-3 draw with two impressive strikes.

The on-loan Cardiff midfielder put the Staggies in front at Firhill, against the run of play, with a 23rd-minute long-range opener past Scott Fox in the Thistle goal. The Maryhill men responded in style with a double from new striker Lyle Taylor and Stevie Lawless's close-range effort early in the second half. County left-back Ben Gordon immediately pulled one back before Kiss slid home the equaliser with a quarter of an hour remaining. County had substitute Stuart Kettlewell sent off less then a minute after coming on.

The draw means Derek Adam's 11th-placed Highlanders remain just a point behind Partick as they both battle to avoid an end-of-season play-off survival fight.Second-half goals from Murray Davidson and Stevie May earned St Johnstone a deserved 2-0 win over a poor St Mirren side at McDiarmid Park.

The home side dominated the first half, with top scorer May and captain Dave Mackay both striking the woodwork, but they took the lead in the 70th minute when Davidson headed in from close range after a corner taken by David Wotherspoon. May made sure of the points when he curled the ball in from 20 yards out three minutes later, but in the end it turned out to be as comfortable a victory as Tommy Wright's side would have had all season.

In the First Division, Dean Shiels scored two goals in his man-of-the-match performance as the leaders, Rangers, defeated eighth-placed East Fife 2-0 at Ibrox.

Nial Briggs

Hearts 0-1 Motherwell | Premier League match report

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 10:06 AM PST

John Sutton scored the only goal against his former club Hearts to secure Motherwell's sixth consecutive Scottish Premiership victory – their longest winning run in the top flight for 77 years.

The striker finished from a tight angle five minutes before the end of the first half to claim his 11th goal of the season – exactly the total he hit in two seasons at Tynecastle before leaving the administration-hit club in the summer.

The last time Motherwell sealed a sixth consecutive win in Scotland's top division they inflicted Celtic's record defeat, an 8-0 win in the 1936-37 season, and they created enough chances to put this game out of sight before half-time.

But Hearts rallied against the odds in the final half hour to give the Motherwell goalkeeper Gunnar Nielsen some uncomfortable moments, and they were applauded off the park by the home crowd despite falling 20 points adrift following Ross County's draw with PartickThistle.

Hearts had Jamie Hamill back from suspension and filled their bench for only the second time in six games but there was little let-up for their stretched squad, with Callum Tapping joining Danny Wilson on the sidelines through illness.

They Hearts lifted their crowd with a couple of attacks in an end-to-end start but Jordan McGhee almost put through his own net in the third minute following Motherwell striker James McFadden's low cross, with Jamie MacDonald diving to stop the ball on the line. McFadden soon set up another chance with a mazy run but Iain Vigurs shot weakly from 18 yards and MacDonald held.

Sutton headed over from 10 yards as Motherwell continued to attack at every opportunity, and they soon outnumbered Hearts by three to one on the break. McFadden's pass found Lionel Ainsworth but Robinson got back to make a diving block and McFadden volleyed wide from Ainsworth's follow-up cross.

The chances kept coming as Ainsworth robbed Kevin McHattie and rolled the ball across the penalty box but Vigurs mis-hit his effort. The on-loan winger then beat two men and struck a ferocious shot just over from 25 yards and was on target five minutes later with an equally powerful volley that MacDonald dived to push away.

Motherwell's pressure told in another counterattack. Brad McKay misjudged Vigurs' slide pass from his own half and Sutton ran on to beat MacDonald in the left channel. The angle was tight but Sutton managed to squeeze the ball between McGhee and McKay and just inside the far post.

McFadden and Ainsworth had time to fit in more first-half efforts and Motherwell had a good chance to double their lead just after the break when Vigurs' brilliant first-time pass released Ainsworth but his touch allowed MacDonald to block.

McHattie, who had been struggling with a hamstring injury, came off for Jamie Walker, forcing a reshuffle at the back at the start of the second half.

But Hearts dug deep into their limited reserves and somehow found the ammunition to put Motherwell on the rack. Nielsen appeared to give them hope when he struggled with a Ryan Stevenson cross, which bounced off the bar, and then unconvincingly palmed away David Smith's long-range shot.

Hearts began to pepper him with shots from distance and he tipped over efforts from Stevenson and Walker, who saw another strike flash just wide.

Henri Anier, who signed a two-and-a-half-year contract on Friday, came on for the injured McFadden and had a shot saved on the break but Hearts kept up the pressure and Nielsen palmed away Paterson's close-range header before the Hearts teenager had another cleared off the line. Anier had a goal disallowed with five minutes left when Sutton was correctly penalised for an aerial challenge after MacDonald had palmed away his header. But Hearts created the final chance when they worked the ball to Hamill eight yards out. The midfielder forced a shot towards goal but Nielsen blocked with his feet.

Football league: your thoughts

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 09:49 AM PST

QPR rediscover their goal-scoring boots, while Brentford make it eight wins in a row and Scunthorpe continue to impress

Championship

• After Leicester beat Derby 4-1 last night and Sheffield Wednesday thrashed Leeds 6-0 in the day's early game, you sort of knew goals would be at a premium in today's afternoon games and so it proved. Four of the nine three o'clock kick-offs were either decided by one goal or finished goalless. The most significant result was perhaps at Vicarage Road where Reading upset the form book to beat Watford. An early goal from Kaspars Gorkss means that Nigel Adkins will be breathing easier as the Royals' made light of Danny Guthrie's absence to win for the first time in five games and re-ignite their play-off hopes. Nakhi Wells provided the day's best story, scoring late on his debut for Huddersfield in their 1-0 win over Millwall.

• QPR have been struggling for goals recently and their visit to draw specialists Ipswich had the look of a certain two points on the coupon. Second-half goals from Niko Kranjcar, Gary O'Neil and Armand Traore proved that QPR are a Harry Redknapp side after all. Tommy Smith scored a late consolation for Ipswich, whose play off ambitions are far from from dead. And this has nothing to do with Mick McCarthy's increasing resemblance to Christopher Lee.

Elsewhere in the Championship it was a case of same as it ever was, the new man makes an impact and the new man finally makes an impact:

• You can set you watch by the goals of Danny Ings and Sam Vokes and both were on target for second place Burnley in their 2-1 win over struggling Yeovil. Danny Ings has 21 for the season. Ings could be following the path of another Turf Moor favourite, Jay Rodriguez, to the Premier League at the end of the season. With or without Burnley.

• Middlesbrough's revival under Aitor Karanka continues. Boro made it 13 points out of the last 15 under the former Real Madrid Assistant Manager by beating Blackpool thanks to two goals in the last five minutes from Mustapha Carayol.

• He started slowly this season but after netting a sensational hat-trick against West Ham last week, Jamie Paterson scored again for Nottingham Forest at the Reebok. Matt Mills equalised for Bolton with a thumping header with 15 minutes to go. Fantastic to see Paterson delivering on the promise he showed at Walsall last year.

League One

• Brentford made it eight wins in a row to maintain their one point lead at the top of the division. Goals from Marcello Trotta and Will Grigg secured the three points for the West London side, for whom Alan Judge (on loan from Blackburn) made his debut.

• Leyton Orient and Wolves, Brentford's most obvious challengers at the top both put recent indifferent results behind them to record impressive victories. Wolves beat in-form Preston 2-0, only their second win in eight, while Kevin Lisbie rediscovered his goal-scoring boots to help injury-hit Leyton Orient to a 4-0 win over Carlisle.

• Incident-packed League One game of the day came at the County Ground where Swindon beat Peterbrough 2-1, thanks to goals from no-one's idea of a perfect designated driver Nile Ranger and Yaser Kasim. There was also a red card for Lee Tomlin and an on pitch fracas between the various benches. That's entertainment.

• Performance of the day was at Meadow Lane. Nigel Clough bought in Billy Paynter this week – a shrewd-looking bit of business – and when Sheffield United raced into an early lead against struggling Notts County a win looked in the bag for the rejuvenated Blades. Goals from Enoch Showunmi and Mark Fotheringham saw County recover to secure three points, a win was made all the sweeter by defeats for relegation rivals Carlisle, Shrewsbury, Crewe and Stevenage, while Tranmere and Bristol City drew.

League Two

• A Paul Hayes brace gave table-topping Scunthorpe a 2-0 victory at Mansfield to keep their promotion charge on track; Hayes' first was an absolute belter. The victory completed an excellent few days for The Iron who signed striker Paddy Madden from Yeovil, Marcus Williams from Sheffield United and David Syers from Doncaster in the week.

• Joy at Glanford Park was matched by gloom at Sixfields where bottom-of-the-table Northampton went down 2-0 at home to York City. Ryan Bowman and Wes Fletcher scored the goals.

• Finally, congratulations to former Bournemouth reserve coach Chris Hargreaves who took over as manager at Torquay this week. Appropriately enough, Jayden Stockley, on-loan from the Cherries, scored one goal and made the other as The Gulls won 2-0 at Wimbledon.

Find all the day's results in full here

Scott Anthony

Hudderfield Town 1-0 Millwall | Championship match report

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 09:44 AM PST

The badger-mating season does not officially start until February, so Ian Holloway was required to choose another metaphor to convey his feelings on returning to football. Even given the dramatic late outcome, he was in ebullient form, choosing 15th-century history rather than nature to reveal his mood. "It's a job that brings to mind the Battle of Agincourt, I don't know if we have enough horses and archers, but we'll still give it a damn good go."

This was game 810 of a managerial career spanning 18 years, and it ended as it often does for Millwall here, with defeat. Holloway clearly knew what was letting himself in for in becoming the club's 11th manager since 2005 – and that includes a lengthy five-and-a-half-year tenure for Kenny Jackett – but this result serves to underline the unenviable task he has accepted.

Having once famously professed himself "as chuffed if I were a badger at the start of the mating season" after a victory while at Queens Park Rangers, one of the seven clubs he has managed, Holloway returned to the touchline with almost indecent haste, given his assertion to the contrary upon leaving Crystal Palace in October.

As fine a home venue as they may boast, Huddersfield is a million miles from the over-hyped, over-blown Premier League stage Holloway left, citing fatigue, with the intention of staying out of football until at least the end of the season.

That was until Millwall's expert massaging of his ego – "they said I was their plan A, plan B and plan C" – proved sufficient to lure the Bristolian back somewhat earlier, given the not inconsiderable task of keeping his new club away from relegation. Having guided Crystal Palace and Blackpool out of this division in a more desirable direction, a hat-trick of sorts beckons if he is unable to halt a malaise that became almost ingrained under his predecessor, Steve Lomas, who was relieved of his duties on Boxing Day.

After striding purposefully along the length of the touchline to acknowledge the travelling support – a pre-match gesture that was well received by the 400 diehards – Holloway threw some interesting shapes from his technical area, while engaging in some good-natured banter with home supporters near the visitors' dugout.

Impeccably dressed in a well-tailored black overcoat, grey slacks and shoes so polished they rivalled the floodlights for their reflective powers, Holloway cut quite a dash. Thankfully, there was no sign of the cashmere codpiece he referenced during a typically idiosyncratic performance when he was officially unveiled in his new post.

Huddersfield had their own notable debutant in Nahki Wells, the forward signed from Bradford City in a club record deal that could exceed £2m. Introduced just before the hour, the first Bermudian to sport Huddersfield's colours struck in the 90th minute, prodding home a Tommy Smith knockback from close range to ensure immediate cult status, something for which Holloway will have to wait a little longer at his new club, who are now seven games without a win to sit a point above the relegation zone. Lee Martin's first-half shot against the post was the closest they came to a goal.

"I feel for the lads after that," he said. "I got what I asked for and I can't fault them. I saw all sorts of promising things and on that performance. Now all they need is a massive dose of me."

Southampton 1-0 West Bromwich Albion | Premier League match report

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 09:40 AM PST

All the best images from Saturday's Premier League games

Mauricio Pochettino was pleased to see Southampton regain their defensive solidity against West Bromwich, whose new manager Pepe Mel helped pave his Saints counterpart's path into management.

Adam Lallana's second-half goal proved the difference in a mostly dull and frustrating encounter at St Mary's. The victory was only Southampton's second in 10 league attempts as they recorded a first home clean sheet since October, having conceded 11 goals in those five previous matches.

Pochettino was relieved to see them looking strong at the back again. "I think the evolution as of late has been good," he said. "I think the team as of late has been playing better, but it has been lacking defensive solidity.

"Today we recovered that, we recovered that winning spirit, we recovered that solidity at the back. The most important thing about this team is that regardless of that fact it has been facing some struggles, it has kept on believing in the work that we do and how we play.

"That winning mentality has kept throughout the tough period."

The return of the goalkeeper Artur Boruc after six weeks out with a fractured hand played a major part in the clean sheet, with his fine save denying Shane Long a late equaliser.

It will have no doubt frustrated the new Albion manager Mel, who was named Steve Clarke's successor on Thursday and watched from the stands at St Mary's. Mel has yet to meet his new players and Pochettino hopes his former mentor is a success at the Hawthorns.

"I know him so well that he was actually my teacher, my professor, when I was getting my pro licence at the Spanish FA about six or seven years ago," he said. "I hope he is able to develop the playing style and I wish him all the best."

As Mel watched, the assistant head coach, Keith Downing, took charge of the team for the last time before handing over the reins. The caretaker manager confirmed Mel did not give any pre-match instructions and is now looking forward to working under the Spaniard.

"I saw Pepe yesterday which was nice," Downing said. "It was a good conversation, he is a warm man and wants to put some good ideas across, so I look forward to working with him next week."

Asked what he would have made of the match, Downing added: "I think he would have seen us an organised side. Without the ball we restricted Southampton to not many opportunities, not clear-cut opportunities anyway.

"We are all disappointed about what we did with the ball. We were frustrated today and credit to the opposition, they don't give you time and quickly press you as soon as they lose it.

"When the goal went in we changed shape and threw a little more caution to the wind and it opened up and we got more into the game as it progressed.

"I think he will work on us in terms of possession and creativity, but I thought there was commitment in terms of the team defensively."

Pochettino's side deserved their win, despite failing to turn first-half dominance into clear chances. West Brom's defence, led by the impressive Gareth McAuley, frustrated the hosts and it took Gastón Ramírez's second-half introduction to change the match. The Uruguayan's superb flick led to Lallana prodding past Ben Foster for the winner.

Manchester United fans in Red Issue poll give David Moyes time

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 09:28 AM PST

• 72.98% in fanzine survey back manager for time being
• Only 7.26% of hundreds polled want him sacked now

David Moyes retains the support of 72.98% of hardcore match-going Manchester United fans, according to a poll by the influential club fanzine Red Issue.

The findings are broadly matched by a survey carried out by United We Stand, another of the most-read fanzines about the 20-times champions.

For Red Issue's poll, a constituency of a few hundred supporters who regularly attend games, drawn from a cross-section of ages and classes, were asked how long the under-pressure Scot should be given to "show results". Those polled could choose between whether Moyes should be sacked now, have until the end of the campaign, or be given into next season.

While only 7.26% believe the 50-year-old should be replaced instantly, 19.76% voted that he should have until the close of the current term, while nearly three-quarters want Ed Woodward, the executive vice-chairman, whose decision it would be, along with the Glazers, who own United, to allow Moyes to carry on as the manager beyond the summer.

The UWS poll asked: "Is David Moyes the right manager to take United forward?" and 29% said yes, 28% said no and 42% took the third option of voting that they were not sure at the moment and wanted to wait to the end of season. This means that approaching half want the club to stick with Moyes until the close of the current campaign, at least.

Red Issue was founded in 1989 and the editorial in its latest edition, which went on sale at 4pm on Saturday, suggests that fans should remember that Moyes was appointed by Sir Alex Ferguson and also calls for patience.

Red Issue said: "Reds were so reverent last May as Fergie helped rush through the succession to his fiefdom (in the wake of a botched abdication that David Gill had spent months, if not years, assuring everyone would – this time – be stage-managed to perfection). Moyes became 'The Chosen One' as the ludicrous banner puts it, and so there's no point moaning now, barely six months in. Moyes asked to be judged after two years and whatever your opinion, and whatever the results (within reason!), fairness dictates that's a sensible time frame given the scale of the job he's taken on."

United play Swansea City at Old Trafford, in Saturday's late kick-off, for a second time in a week, after the Welsh club knocked Moyes's team out of the FA Cup on Sunday. That defeat was the middle of three consecutive losses, the first time this has occurred for 13 years.

Jamie Jackson

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Sunday, 12 January 2014

Football news, match reports and fixtures | theguardian.com

07:05

Football news, match reports and fixtures | theguardian.com

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