Football news, match reports and fixtures | theguardian.com

Ligue 1 round-up: Ibrahimovic leads PSG rout but Monaco stay in hunt
Newcastle Jets sack Gary van Egmond after Melbourne Heart defeat
Manchester United's lack of fight at Chelsea will make Moyes shudder | Dominic Fifield
Milan 1-0 Verona | Serie A match report
West Ham's Allardyce ambivalent about Chelsea trip as he looks to February
Everton to loan Monaco's Lacina Traoré if injury prognosis is favourable
Liverpool's Brendan Rodgers admits he got it wrong in Aston Villa draw
Crystal Palace keep it clean as Tony Pulis eases danger against Stoke
Arsenal underline 'serene attitude' by wearing down Fulham
Manchester City's ton-up against Cardiff prompts Pellegrini to think Real
Jack Cork says Mauricio Pochettino must carry on at Southampton
Real Betis fire Juan Carlos Garrido for Gabriel Humberto Calderón
Scunthorpe United and Russ Wilcox steeled for success in League Two | Jeremy Alexander
Ryan Bennett shows Norwich the way to goal and praises unity of squad
José Mourinho says Manchester United's title hopes are all but ended
A-League: what we learned this weekend
Chelsea 3-1 Manchester United: five things we learned | David Hytner
Levante 1-1 Barcelona
Manchester United's pretty passing offset by defensive errors at Chelsea | Michael Cox
Chelsea 3-1 Man Utd
Swansea 1-3 Tottenham Hotspur
Chelsea v Manchester United – as it happened | Jacob Steinberg
Premier League: Chelsea v Manchester United - in pictures
Swansea City v Tottenham Hotspur – as it happened | Daniel Harris
England goalkeeper Bert Williams dies aged 93

Ligue 1 round-up: Ibrahimovic leads PSG rout but Monaco stay in hunt

Posted: 19 Jan 2014 03:22 PM PST

• PSG 5-0 Nantes
• Toulouse 0-2 Monaco

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored two goals and set up another as the Ligue 1 leaders, Paris Saint-Germain, thumped sixth-placed Nantes 5-0 to maintain a five-point lead at the top.

The Swede scored the second from the penalty spot in the 36th minute after Thiago Silva had put the hosts ahead following a 10th-minute corner that was parried into his path. Ibrahimovic initiated the move that led to a third by Thiago Motta six minutes after the break, set up Edinson Cavani for the fourth and wrapped it up himself on 64 minutes to bring his league goal tally to 17 this season.

PSG have 50 points from 21 games, five more than Monaco who won 2-0 at mid-table Toulouse thanks to a first-half goal by Layvin Kurzawa and a splendid overhead kick by the substitute Lucas Ocampos two minutes from time.

The French champions, who have scored 15 goals in their last four matches in all competitions, were never threatened by Nantes and their captain, Silva, was delighted with the performance. "The boys have made a lot of great things tonight. We have to continue the same way and hopefully we'll play like that in the Champions League," he told French TV channel Canal Plus.

In Toulouse it was not that easy for Monaco but goals from their youngsters helped them return to winning ways after a defeat and a draw in their last two league games. "We have not played well after the winter break, so I'm very happy with this victory. I hope that we're back on track," Monaco's coach, Claudio Ranieri said.

Monaco still have issues to solve, including the striker Radamel Falcao's two-month goal drought. The Colombia international came close to scoring when he skipped past the goalkeeper Ali Ahamada only to see Abel Aguilar clear his shot off the goalline.

Newcastle Jets sack Gary van Egmond after Melbourne Heart defeat

Posted: 19 Jan 2014 03:00 PM PST

The Newcastle Jets have sacked coach Gary van Egmond following their heavy A-League defeat to bottom-placed Melbourne Heart

Manchester United's lack of fight at Chelsea will make Moyes shudder | Dominic Fifield

Posted: 19 Jan 2014 03:00 PM PST

After Samuel Eto'o completed his hat-trick the United players had a haunted look – there was none of the anger or embarrassment of Sir Alex Ferguson's years

It is the body language that reveals most on harrowing occasions such as this. Take the trudge back to the halfway line by Manchester United's players as the majority in this arena revelled in Samuel Eto'o's hat-trick goal, broken men shuffling back to their marks with no discernible anger etched across their faces. No furious rallying from the more experienced in their number. No real embarrassment at their desperate predicament. Just that hunched, haunted look of the defeated, resistance limp.

Or rewind further to the moment seven minutes before the interval when Danny Welbeck collected Adnan Januzaj's centre on the edge of the six-yard box and felt his ankle clipped by César Azpilicueta just as he scuffed a left-foot shot straight at Petr Cech. The striker should still have scored but had the foul on his standing leg not choked the attempt? Apparently not. David Moyes did not erupt in protest in the visitors' dugout but merely held his head in his hands, while Welbeck retreated sheepishly from the goalmouth. There was no outrage, no smouldering sense of injustice. Rather, the sense offered was one of resignation that United had undermined their own efforts yet again.

This club is learning to adjust its immediate expectations in its first campaign post-Sir Alex Ferguson. Reality bites when the numbers become this stark: 14 points off the top; 12 off third place; six from the Champions League qualification positions; seventh in the table with this a seventh league defeat in 22 games.

Yet there was a predictability about the latest loss that was damning. United may have been dominant for long periods in the middle third, their urgent start having shocked the home side and their frantic late rally prompting José Mourinho to end with three defensive-minded midfielders on the field, but they were sloppy where it counted. "We didn't do well enough in both boxes," said Moyes. The manager's assessment of his team's defending at set-plays was even more succinct: "Terrible."

The defensive vulnerability was unnerving, whether it was Phil Jones buying Eto'o's drop of the shoulder so readily before the striker's deflected opener, or Antonio Valencia obligingly spinning the Cameroonian on the goalline as if inviting him to prod in the third.

Likewise at Chelsea's second, when Gary Cahill had found himself unmarked, when he was free to nod at goal or to slide the ball across the six-yard box for the veteran forward to poach. Freeze the play at the moment the England centre-half crosses on the stroke of half-time and there are three United players standing level with the penalty spot, facing goal and aghast as realisation dawns that all semblance of defensive responsibility has exited the arena. From the moment Patrice Evra had clipped Willian's original corner clear they had switched off.

Some blame is down to depleted ranks or ageing bodies and minds. Rio Ferdinand is injured, Evra on the wane, Nemanja Vidic far from as imposing as he once was – and now harshly suspended for three games – but Moyes will wince at such disorganisation at routine set pieces. Lesser teams would expect to repel such routines and Chelsea have played far better than this plenty of times this season. They tend to scintillate in spells, rather than entire contests, but here they did not have to be at their best to prevail.

Eto'o and Willian were impressive in front of the watching Roman Abramovich, the two signings the owner had championed from Russian football coming good on a grand stage, and Eden Hazard can burst into occasions like this. But the visitors handed out gifts against a team whose own wastefulness has been a recurring theme. "Normally we need four or five chances to score," said Mourinho, "but today we scored with our first shot, we scored with our second shot … "

The home side's best performers, Eto'o the predator aside, were arguably their defenders, although perspective is needed there, too. In the absence of Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie United can appear horribly blunt. Januzaj, alone, offers constant threat but it was already perverse that the champions should be reliant upon an 18-year-old whose entire senior career extends to this campaign. Freak injuries can occur at any club and to any player but United should expect more from their back-ups than what was offered here. Januzaj aside, where was the pizzazz up front? Where was the mystique? The answer, regrettably for Moyes, is probably in rehabilitation back at Carrington.

That is not a new problem but Chelsea merely exploited the fact that, at present, the management is offering few plausible answers on key occasions.

United have come from two goals down in the revamped Premier League to win five times, more than any other team, but there was no sense here that they would muster a sixth. This was all too reminiscent of the derby loss at the Etihad Stadium back in September.

The away fans' support was defiant and admirable to the last, and the locals celebrated with gusto at the end, but there was an element of the routine to all this. Beating United these days seems less of a demonstration of power – and Moyes will shudder at that reality.

Dominic Fifield

Milan 1-0 Verona | Serie A match report

Posted: 19 Jan 2014 02:52 PM PST

Clarence Seedorf made a winning start as Milan's coach after a late Mario Balotelli penalty gave his side a 1-0 victory over Verona.

Despite the win, it was another unconvincing performance from Milan who struggled to create chances and always looked vulnerable in defence. Balotelli side-footed home in the 82nd minute after the Verona defender Alejandro González had needlessly fouled Kaká, tripping the Brazilian with a clumsy tackle even though the ball was heading out of play.

Milan now lie 11th in Serie A with 25 points after only their sixth league win in 20 games this season.

Seedorf was appointed on Thursday despite having no coaching experience. The 37-year-old, who spent 10 years of his playing career at Milan, had been playing for Botafogo in Brazil and cut short his career to take up the challenge. He replaced Massimiliano Allegri, who was fired last Monday after three and a half years in charge.

The disappointingly small San Siro crowd had to wait 38 minutes for the first real chance when Balotelli cut inside and fired in a powerful low shot which was well saved by the Verona goalkeeper, Rafael, who denied Balotelli again one minute later when he blocked a free-kick. The first half ended with Riccardo Montolivo's drive flying narrowly wide of Rafael's goal.

The second period followed a similar pattern as Milan struggled to put together moves and produced their chances in quick flurries. Robinho hit a post with a deflected shot in the 68th minute and moments later Balotelli threatened with a shot on the turn which was scooped up by Rafael.

Verona nearly went ahead when Martinho broke down the left and his shot was turned away by Christian Abbiati, who shortly afterwards was almost caught napping by Rômulo's dipping long-range effort from 30 metres out.

West Ham's Allardyce ambivalent about Chelsea trip as he looks to February

Posted: 19 Jan 2014 02:30 PM PST

• Hammers manager targets 22 points from 16 league matches
• Newcastle United still eager to sign Loïc Rémy from QPR

If West Ham are looking for silver linings, there is always Tuesday's Capital One Cup semi-final against Manchester City to get excited about. Admittedly, West Ham are 6-0 down from the first leg but a cup semi-final is undoubtedly a grand occasion. Andy Carroll might get another run-out. Kevin Nolan will be back from his four-game ban. Upton Park will not be completely empty. Cup fever is building.

At least it will provide West Ham with some relief from their torrid league campaign and Sam Allardyce insists he will not select a weakened team against City. "We'll put a team together that tries to play for a bit of pride," he said.

But West Ham's pride has taken a sustained battering recently and Newcastle dished out the latest humiliation. Their smooth 3-1 victory sent West Ham back into the bottom three and although Allardyce was encouraged by the way his side fought back after an execrable first half, there could have been no complaints if Newcastle had scored five or six. Carroll and Carlton Cole both missed glaring chances to equalise for West Ham after Mike Williamson's own goal had given them hope but anything less than a Newcastle win would have been a travesty.

As ever, Allardyce's excuse was defensive injuries, with James Tomkins suspended and Winston Reid, Joey O'Brien, Guy Demel and George McCartney all injured. O'Brien, Demel and Tomkins could all return for the trip to Chelsea on 29 January – just as well, because West Ham's defence was a lumbering mess in their absence. Matt Taylor is not a right-back and Newcastle's Loïc Rémy could have outrun James Collins and Roger Johnson with his shoelaces tied together.

For Allardyce, the target is to win 22 points from West Ham's final 16 matches. Yet West Ham have never won successive games in the Premier League under Allardyce and four of their last six matches are against Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham. February may be a defining month; West Ham have home games against Swansea City, Norwich City and Southampton.

"The bottom line is 22 points out of 16 matches makes you safe," Allardyce said. "The key element lies in taking points from those around us in the table, not expecting to go and beat Chelsea. José [Mourinho] has never lost a Premier League game in the entire time he has been there [at home], so it would be an exaggerated opinion to say we are going to go there and win. The key games are against the ones around us – and having key players back."

The situation is exacerbated by West Ham's struggle in the transfer market. A deal to sign Monaco's Lacina Traoré on loan broke down at the 11th hour and the Ivory Coast forward had a medical at Everton on Sunday, which Allardyce described as "a real kick in the nuts". Newcastle delivered several more blows to West Ham's nether regions.

Yohan Cabaye, who scored two excellent goals, was allowed to do as he pleased by a West Ham midfield in which Mohamed Diamé's demeanour suggested he had somewhere better to be, and the Frenchman's performance demonstrated why Newcastle cannot afford to sell him this month.

By contrast, West Ham's Ravel Morrison looked distracted after the fuss caused by Fulham's attempts to sign him last week. "We'll let anybody go anywhere as long as they pay enough money," Allardyce said. It was not exactly a hands-off warning.

For Newcastle, the challenge is to find enough money to make Rémy's loan move from Queens Park Rangers permanent. The striker, who scored their second goal, has a £10m release clause in his contract but Alan Pardew said it is more complicated than Newcastle offering QPR that amount.

"We would like to do it permanent but there is a long way until that happens," Newcastle's manager said. "The player and his agents need to make sure that it is right for the player and we honour that. Obviously we are talking to him all the time."

Man of the match Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle United)

Jacob Steinberg

Everton to loan Monaco's Lacina Traoré if injury prognosis is favourable

Posted: 19 Jan 2014 02:30 PM PST

• Hamstring problem stalled loan deal at West Ham
• 'West Brom will get a real lift from the new manager'

Everton are awaiting results from Lacina Traoré's medical before deciding whether to finalise a loan deal for the Monaco striker for the remainder of the season.

The 6ft 8in Ivory Coast international has emerged as a transfer target for Roberto Martínez following the £6.5m sale of Nikica Jelavic to Hull City, but is currently nursing a hamstring problem that stalled a proposed move to West Ham United.

Sam Allardyce conceded that West Ham were "unlikely" to complete the Traoré transfer after the player received a rival offer from Everton. But the Merseyside club, who can go fourth with victory at West Bromwich Albion on Monday, want confirmation on the extent of the 23-year-old's injury before making him their fourth loan signing of the season. Everton will apply for a work permit for Traoré on Tuesday should he be sidelined for only a few weeks.

Martínez has already made one permanent signing in this transfer window, Aiden McGeady from Spartak Moscow, and the Republic of Ireland winger is in the squad for the Albion game despite not playing a competitive fixture since 27 November. The Everton manager has said McGeady's arrival will allow him to play Kevin Mirallas in a central role over the final months of the season and claimed the former Celtic player can have a major influence on the team's prospects of qualifying for the Champions League.

McGeady said: "There is pressure in every game you play. Since I was 17, 18 I have always had that pressure from when I was at Celtic. You have pressure to create something when you have the ball and if you lose the ball you have 60,000 fans getting on your back. Pressure is everywhere for everyone, not just on myself but the manager and every player. I think I can handle the pressure. That's a big statement the manager has said but it shows he has a lot of faith in me."

Monday's game is Pepe Mel's first as Albion's manager and his fellow Spaniard admits the arrival of the former Real Betis coach will be his main concern at The Hawthorns. Martínez said: "Pepe Mel is going to have a massive impact on that squad and how they play and that is my biggest worry about the game. West Brom will get a real lift from the new manager and we don't underestimate them at all.

"We might not see a very different West Brom on Monday but I do feel over the course of the rest of the season you'll see changes and a team that wants to control games, be energetic off the ball and wants to win it back rather than defend deep as West Brom probably have been doing over recent seasons.

"The changes, I think, will be huge. Maybe if you want a comparison you would look at what Mauricio Pochettino did at Southampton. That sort of work."

Andy Hunter

Liverpool's Brendan Rodgers admits he got it wrong in Aston Villa draw

Posted: 19 Jan 2014 02:30 PM PST

• Liverpool step up efforts to sign Basel's Mohamed Salah
• Paul Lambert says Villa deserve more credit

Liverpool will intensify efforts this week to sign Mohamed Salah, the 21-year-old Egyptian winger whom Basel rate at £12m. More ingenuity, more excitement and more depth are always welcome, though they are not necessarily the priorities for Brendan Rodgers on the evidence of another Anfield trial by Aston Villa.

Like Lloyd Bridges's character in Airplane!, who picked the wrong week to give up smoking, amphetamines and sniffing glue, Rodgers chose an inopportune time to promote Liverpool's title claims, Steven Gerrard's development as a deep-lying midfielder in the Andrea Pirlo class and then to rest Lucas Leiva. And the wrong opponents. "Probably across the board we were not very good," the Liverpool manager conceded. "Myself included."

Villa's midfield diamond and front two prospered as an imbalanced Liverpool toiled without the Brazilian midfielder's astute protection. They resembled a cohesive, potent unit for the 21 second-half minutes Lucas was on the pitch. His exit with a knee injury after an innocuous collision with Fabian Delph may have serious repercussions for Liverpool's campaign – and perhaps January's transfer business – should scans over the next 48 hours confirm the worst. "It's in God's hands," tweeted Lucas after leaving Anfield on crutches.

It would be wrong, however, to pin a disjointed Liverpool performance and anxiety-strewn draw on one selection decision by Rodgers. "For me, the system is irrelevant," he said. "The style will always be maintained to control and dominate games. I felt we could be aggressive and our front two would really give them a problem but we never got control of midfield and we couldn't build the game from behind."

For the second successive season, Paul Lambert's team defied recent form and any confidence issues to impose themselves at Anfield. The Villa manager dropped and disciplined Matt Lowton for arriving late for training on Friday. Saturday was shaping into Groundhog Day for Liverpool, with Villa on course to repeat last season's 3-1 triumph after Andreas Weimann and the dominant Christian Benteke converted crosses from Gabriel Agbonlahor before an aghast Kop.

Daniel Sturridge gave Liverpool hope when he converted Jordan Henderson's exquisite flick in first-half stoppage time, before Gerrard rescued a point from the penalty spot. The captain's fourth successful spot kick of the season followed a piercing pass to the feet of Luis Suárez, two moments that redeemed a poor first-half offering and demonstrated the 33-year-old is not done in the final third yet. But that was secondary to the controversy over Jon Moss's decision to award a penalty for a slight touch by the Villa goalkeeper, Brad Guzan, on Suárez.

Villa, to a man, were adamant Suárez played for the penalty. Liverpool, to a man, were convinced it was a spot-kick. That showed just how unclear-cut was an incident that prompted vile abuse of Stan Collymore on Twitter for standing in the Villa camp.

Only one person really knows and that is Suárez. And according to Guzan, Suárez did not know. The mystery continues.

"I was pretty confident in myself that I hadn't touched him so I said to him: 'Did I touch you?' He said: 'I don't know.' That's the honest truth of it," said the USA international. "I thought at the time that I'd pulled my hands back and having seen it again on TV I don't think I made contact with him. Whether the referee saw that I'm not sure, I don't know where his position was, but from my point of view it was a soft penalty. I think Suárez was probably a bit surprised as well to see it given. Sometimes they go for you and sometimes they don't. Unfortunately for us it didn't."

In truth, the turning point had arrived earlier, in the 30th minute to be exact, when Agbonlahor tumbled over the advertising hoardings in front of the Kop, sustaining the injury that curtailed his movement and eventually his involvement early in the second half. Agbonlahor's pace and composure on the ball, allied to Benteke's touch and aerial prowess, had demolished the Liverpool defence until that point and Villa could have been three goals to the good – through Agbonlahor, the commanding Ashley Westwood and a Ciaran Clark header against the post - before Weimann struck.

"I don't think we get the credit at certain times, I really don't," Lambert said. "They have been knocked unfairly in certain aspects but they have been excellent for me. I don't know where we were in the league this time last year but we certainly weren't 10th. I think there is a misconception about the way we are going at the moment."

Man of the match Christian Benteke (Aston Villa)

Andy Hunter

Crystal Palace keep it clean as Tony Pulis eases danger against Stoke

Posted: 19 Jan 2014 02:30 PM PST

• Pulis pleased with victory but wants reinforcements
• On-loan striker John Guidetti makes debut for Stoke

Crystal Palace may not have added any fresh faces to their squad yet this January but Tony Pulis continues to work his alchemy. Only Arsenal have kept more Premier League clean sheets since his appointment in November, and this performance was further evidence that Pulis has at least got the players at his disposal fighting for all their worth.

Pulis's desire for signings this winter has so far remained unfulfilled. Jason Puncheon, the match-winner against Stoke, had appeared the most likely player to end the tranquillity in the transfer window but even his permanent switch to south London is in serious doubt. If the financial restrictions at Palace mean there are to be no major additions in the coming days, Pulis will need this display to be replicated more than once before the end of the season.

Stoke supporters will not have forgotten his ability to piece together a well-drilled side that is rarely opened up with ease. Palace displayed those qualities here, denying Pulis's former club the chance to create scoring opportunities or feed Peter Crouch throughout the match, and they were good value for a victory that elevated them off the foot of the table and outside the relegation zone.

Yannick Bolasie and Mile Jedinak impressed, with Puncheon taking his chance well shortly after half-time to redeem himself after his dreadful penalty against Tottenham last weekend. Pulis's search for further quality will surely intensify before the end of the month, but his squad certainly provided their manager with some birthday cheer on Saturday. "We've got good people in the dressing room," said Pulis. "I thought we were good today – the first half I was disappointed with because we had four or five great opportunities to get amongst them and create chances. We gave the ball away or we made the wrong decisions.

"In the second half if it wasn't for [Jack] Butland's wonderful succession of saves we could have scored two or three goals."

The Palace manager admitted that while the lack of options up front continues to be an issue, defence will always remain a priority. "The most difficult thing is getting strikers who score goals week in, week out," said Pulis. "If you do get them they are going to cost you a lot of money, so we need to make sure that we are nice and tight but that we are a threat on the break."

Palace did not produce an electric performance by any stretch of the imagination but Julián Speroni was rarely troubled. At the other end, Butland produced a number of impressive saves, especially late on, to keep the damage to just one goal. The three points ensured Pulis's side leapfrogged Cardiff, Sunderland, West Ham and Fulham to move up to 16th in the table.

Stoke, though, were lacklustre and Oussama Assaidi was guilty of a major error when gifting possession to Puncheon in the 51st minute and allowing the midfielder to shuffle inside and squirm a shot through the legs of Marc Wilson and Ryan Shawcross.

How Pulis would love to sign a striker before the window closes, but Stoke have already accomplished that feat. John Guidetti, secured by Mark Hughes on loan from his former club Manchester City, came on for his Potters' debut after 79 minutes and although he failed to make an impact, the Sweden international is hoping for a fruitful spell between now and the end of the season.

Guidetti said: "This was my debut, 10 minutes, and I created one chance. I have my goals' target I want to get by the end of the season. I know I can score goals. But the most important thing is we get Stoke up the table and start winning as a team.

"I want to show I can do more. I think I had too little time [today]. I hope I can come here and prove myself and enjoy my football again."

Man of the match Jason Puncheon (Crystal Palace)

James Riach

Arsenal underline 'serene attitude' by wearing down Fulham

Posted: 19 Jan 2014 02:30 PM PST

• Arsène Wenger says defensive stability helps side's maturity
• Fulham 'starting to look more solid', says René Meulensteen

This Arsenal is different. That, at least, is what they are trying to prove and so far the evidence is in their favour. The players know that past slip-ups mean many people remain unconvinced of Arsenal's ability to sustain their title challenge as Manchester City and Chelsea breathe down their necks but they are determined not to buckle.

The fact that this victory over Fulham could be described as routine shows the progress Arsène Wenger's team have made. "That's something that has changed from last season," said Santi Cazorla, who sealed the win with two sweetly taken second-half goals.

"There were games last year where we'd go 2-0 up and we'd end up losing it or under pressure. For a title-winning team that cannot happen. This season the team is much more solid, we're much better at closing out games. We need to continue this form because of Chelsea and Manchester City.

"Maybe at the start of the season nobody put us up as high as Manchester City or Chelsea, maybe because of the signings they made, but it's ultimately demonstrated on the pitch and right now Arsenal are above them. Our objective is to keep fighting with them. We're top because up until now we've been the best team."

Wenger attributes much of the credit for his team's improvement to its new defensive fortitude. Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny have formed an authoritative central defensive partnership, Wojciech Szczesny is becoming ever more reliable, the full-backs are secure and the midfield, especially Mathieu Flamini, provides sturdy protection to the rearguard. Wenger suggests his team is now locked into a virtuous circle. Each victory is both a stride forward and a hiccup avoided and enhances the side's belief that they can last the distance.

"The consistency of the results of the team since January 2013 has strengthened that maturity and the fact that we are defensively more stable gives us more of a serene attitude and that helps a lot," he says.

That "serene attitude" makes it hard to envisage Arsenal collapsing like they did the last time they had so many points at this stage of the season. That was in 2007-08, when they had 54 points after 22 matches (compared with 51 now) but finished third after going on a wretched run of a single win in eight league games between February and early April.

That hapless streak was triggered by the horrendous injury that their striker, Eduardo, suffered during a draw at Birmingham City, but the poise of this Arsenal team suggests they would be capable of withstanding even such a traumatic misfortune.

If all the challengers have a similar level of mental strength, then the title will be decided by skill. Arsenal seem well-armed on that front too. Cazorla's flourishing against Fulham followed a similarly decisive impact from Jack Wilshere in the previous match at Aston Villa. With Aaron Ramsey unavailable, Theo Walcott out for the season and Mesut Özil curiously off form, it is important that others step to the fore. So far they are doing that. Arsenal's last six wins have brought 12 goals from seven different scorers.

"That's the best thing that can happen to us," says Wenger. "If you depend on one player, then you have to put him in cotton wool to keep him fit. For us it's important to know everybody can score."

There are, however, concerns and Özil's form is one of them. In addition, it still looks a risk not to sign a striker this month to relieve the burden on Olivier Giroud. Nicklas Bendtner resumes full training on Monday following injury and Yaya Sanogo is expected to do so later inthe week but they may not be enough. Arsenal are seeking an additional centre-forward but it remains to be seen whether they can conclude a deal. They have held talks with Juventus over Mirko Vucinic but are interested only in taking the 30-year-old on loan, whereas his employers want a permanent sale. Discussions with Real Madrid over Álvaro Morata, whom Arsenal would be happy to take permanently, are also at an impasse.

Fulham, meanwhile, may just have solved one of their biggest problems, although that cannot be said with much certainty given the way they have fluctuated between respectable and wretched performances this season.

At the Emirates they showed a steel that has seldom been seen this season, as the fit-again Brede Hangeland and the 21-year-old debutant, Dan Burn, blended well in central defence.

"It gives confidence to the whole team, a feeling that we are more solid and that it's harder for opponents to break us down," said their manager, René Meulensteen.

"We just need to make sure that one goal conceded does not create a ripple effect, which then creates a wave of negativity. We are starting to look more solid and that's our way forward."

Man of the match Santi Cazorla (Arsenal)

Paul Doyle

Manchester City's ton-up against Cardiff prompts Pellegrini to think Real

Posted: 19 Jan 2014 02:30 PM PST

• 'First 45 minutes was one of best of season,' says Pellegrini
• Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looks for Cardiff reinforcements

Even the perma-cautious Manuel Pellegrini was comfortable comparing his Manchester City side with the Real Madrid team he managed in 2009-10, which was led by Cristiano Ronaldo and scored a record 102 La Liga goals.

Pellegrini was reflecting on City becoming the fastest Premier League club to a century of goals in all competitions when Edin Dzeko scored against Cardiff City on 14 minutes. That beat Chelsea's record of 42 games, set last season, by eight and made the Blues the first to reach 100 before the close of January.

Asked to rate his City side, who have scored 63 of those goals in the league, against a Madrid vintage that finished three points behind Pep Guardiola's great Barcelona team, Pellegrini said: "It is different players but I think the concept of the style I want from the team is exactly the same. We scored 102 goals in the season with Real Madrid and this group of players are used to playing, independent of the score. They try to defend and attack in one way and today the first 45 minutes was one of the best 45 minutes of the season. It was incredible pace and high tempo, and we missed three or four clear goals."

Pellegrini's City attack in endless waves. For the Chilean a greed for goals is good. When Dzeko's opener was levelled by Craig Noone's fine mazy run and shot, Jesús Navas needed only four minutes to show City's ruthless edge, giving them a lead that was stretched by further strikes from Yaya Touré and Sergio Agüero towards the second half's close.

After a season at Madrid, Pellegrini left to work his magic with lesser lights at Málaga. Yet common to all of his sides is the desire to ensure creativity. He said: "We have a very good squad with top players. Maybe Málaga wasn't the same quality of players but it was a team that also played very well and nearly reached the semi-final of the Champions League. That isn't easy. The way we are playing, the players of Real Madrid or Málaga or Villarreal or any team I manage, it's the way that creative players want to play. They want to score goals and not to spend the whole match destroying or running behind the ball."

Following the departure of the divisive Roberto Mancini, this is the campaign in which Touré, David Silva, Agüero, Samir Nasri, Joe Hart (despite being dropped in the autumn), Vincent Kompany and even the habitually misfiring Dzeko look and perform as if happier.

Silva is again operating on the same plane he did during the first half of City's title-winning season two years ago. Touré glides in and out of midfield in silent, swashbuckling mood. Agüero, Dzeko and the summer-buy Álvaro Negredo cannot stop scoring. As a member of the famous four of forwards who helped sweep Manchester United to 1999's historic treble, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the Cardiff manager, can identify a fearsome frontline.

"Of course they have got three top, top strikers there and they can play with little Silva in behind so he has got loads of attacking options," the Norwegian said of Pellegrini and his team. "It is a great position to be in as a manager when you can rotate and have strikers on form like they have. They have scored quite a few goals."

Of Agüero, whose goal was his second in consecutive games after coming on as a substitute, Solskjaer said: "For me before his [calf] injury he was within the top five players in the world. You have got Ronaldo, Messi, Suárez and Zlatan and Agüero in the forward role. He is a terrific little player. You are talking about a squad with top, top quality."

Agüero and Negredo have 21 goals each, Dzeko 16, and Touré a fine 14 from midfield. For Pablo Zabaleta, the Ivorian belongs in the bracket of world-class performers. "Yes, probably he's one of the best," the right-back said. "He's a complete player. He's been really good for us, can create things from the back. We've been surprised by his free-kicks, he's scored four or five – you can't ask for any more. He's one of the main players in the team. He's really good going forward. He's scored 14 goals this season and for a central midfielder that's fantastic."

After Fraizer Campbell managed a late consolation, Solskjaer suggested that, with his club bottom, reinforcements are needed in the current window. "You would like to protect Fraizer a little bit because Fraizer is at the moment our centre-forward," he said. "We are trying to get Andreas [Cornelius] back to full fitness. Probably we are looking at maybe bringing one in."

Next in the league Solskjaer takes Cardiff to his alma mater, where positivity will be preached. "You can't go to Old Trafford or the Etihad Stadium or the Emirates and not expect to get something," he said.

Man of the match David Silva (Manchester City)

Jamie Jackson

Jack Cork says Mauricio Pochettino must carry on at Southampton

Posted: 19 Jan 2014 02:29 PM PST

• Midfielder laughs off talk of meltdown
• Sunderland fight back to earn 2-2 draw

For a man whose professional life is supposedly engulfed in turmoil, Southampton's Jack Cork seems surprisingly sanguine. His club were deemed to have descended into "crisis" after the resignation of their executive chairman, Nicola Cortese, last week and those looking in from the outside are still busy speculating about Mauricio Pochettino's medium-term future as manager.

According to Cork, though, the view from the dressing room is very different. "Funnily enough the last few days have been much the same as other weeks, even though there was all that talk of meltdown and such," said the midfielder. "It has never felt like meltdown. We go in and train and play football like we always do.

"We were laughing at talk of us imploding. That was never going to happen. There's been a lot of silly talk. The gaffer came in and said: 'I'm not going anywhere. We carry on.' That was nice to hear. Mr Cortese was a good chairman but I don't think it's really going to affect any of us lads."

Or at least it might not if Pochettino remains in charge next season. The Argentinian has done a brilliant job at St Mary's and his side proved so irresistible in the first half that Sunderland could barely get hold of the ball. When Fabio Borini, a rare bright spark for Gus Poyet, scored from their first attack, the words freaky and flukey came instantly to mind.

Eventually Poyet's game-changing second-half introduction of Jack Colback and Craig Gardner in central midfield heralded the radical improvement which prefaced Adam Johnson's equaliser. Nonetheless, had it not been for a few near misses and some outstanding saves by the excellent Vito Mannone Southampton would have had a comfortable lead well before the hour mark.

An amalgam of high-calibre pressing and high-quality passing and movement, their style is extremely easy on the eye. "The manager just gives us the confidence to play that kind of football," said Cork. "It's accepted that every now and then we're going to make mistakes. He doesn't mind because we're playing nice football and the more we do that the better we get. There's definitely no blame culture; criticism is always constructive, not personal.

"Hopefully this mission we are on keeps going. It's vital Mauricio Pochettino stays next season and we keep this thing going. He's been fantastic for us. He talks to us every day and gives us the confidence to play."

On far too many occasions Poyet's words have fallen on deaf ears but Saturday's half-time homily evidently got through. "I'd prefer not to comment on what I said," pointed out a manager whose shambolic side had fallen behind to two volleys, from Jay Rodriguez and then Dejan Lovren.

"If we go to Manchester United on Wednesday [for the League Cup semi-final second leg] and play like we did for the first 30 minutes we're out for sure. Nothing was right. Nothing worked, no system, no organisation. Everything was wrong. Then Fabio scored."

With Mannone, Colback, Gardner and the renascent Johnson subsequently doing their stuff, Poyet's day was, semi-miraculously, saved. Unfortunately Southampton's afternoon ended on a painful note featuring ankle damage, stretchers, leg braces, oxygen and x-rays as Lovren and Gastón Ramíres were carried off late in the game.

Lovren collided with Gardner but Ramíres was the victim of an unpunished but contentious tackle from Wes Brown. The team's flight home on Saturday evening was delayed until Ramíres's release from hospital, but the prognosis is slightly more optimistic than was first feared.

Pochettino must wait until the swelling reduces before ankles can be scanned and specialists consulted but the early suspicion is that the pair have varying degrees of ligament damage, with Ramíres also possibly nursing a hairline fracture.

Man of the match Fabio Borini (Sunderland)

Louise Taylor

Real Betis fire Juan Carlos Garrido for Gabriel Humberto Calderón

Posted: 19 Jan 2014 02:11 PM PST

• Garrido has lost four La Liga games out of five
• Betis lose 5-0 to Madrid and are five points adrift

Gabriel Humberto Calderón looked set to take over at Real Betis after Juan Carlos Garrido was sacked after only a month and a half in charge.

Garrido was appointed at the beginning of December to replace Pepe Mel, who has since taken over at West Bromwich Albion, but has failed to lift the Seville-based club off the bottom of La Liga.

"President Miguel Guillen has just informed [Garrido] that the club has decided to dispense with his services," Betis said in a statement. "The coach, who has not obtained the desired results, will not be in charge of the team tomorrow. The board's intention is that the new coach, who will arrive tonight, will sign his contract and immediately take the reins of the team."

Betis qualified for the Europa League after finishing seventh last season and will play the Russian side Rubin Kazan over two legs in the last 32 next month.

They are five points adrift at the bottom of Spain's top division, with just over half the season played, and were thrashed 5-0 at home to Real Madrid on Saturday.

It was their fourth defeat in five La Liga games under Garrido, a former Villarreal and Bruges coach, and the Betis fans chanted for him to be fired and sang Mel's name at their Benito Villamarin stadium. Calderón is a former Argentina midfielder whose last managerial role was in charge of Bahrain.

Scunthorpe United and Russ Wilcox steeled for success in League Two | Jeremy Alexander

Posted: 19 Jan 2014 02:00 PM PST

The Iron have set trends with their managerial appointments, and plans for yet another stadium are enabling them to sense a future in the force of their past

Scunthorpe United are almost as famous for strikers as the town is for steel. On Saturday the new manager, Russ Wilcox, was able, midway through the second half against AFC Wimbledon at Glanford Park, to replace League Two's leading scorer, Sam Winnall, with the old soldier Deon Burton, the division's player of December for his four goals in four games, and Paul Hayes – scorer of 60 league goals in two previous spells with the club – with League One's top scorer of last season, Paddy Madden, newly signed from Yeovil. The game stayed goalless but the Iron stayed top of the table and Wilcox said: "This could be a key point come May. I tried to change things up but we weren't at our best today, certainly in the final third."

When the clubs met in August the Dons won 3-2 from 2-0 down with half an hour to go. Here, on a tight pitch, they cramped Scunthorpe's attack with three central defenders, full-backs who overlapped but tucked in and another two watchful midfielders. Neal Ardley, their manager, was pleased with their resilience but conceded they lacked "quality in certain areas". He might have said "bodies in attack". Their threat came mainly from set-plays.

Wilcox recognised that, with his side top, "teams come with different gameplans. We were flat in the first half and, though we found intensity after the interval, we lacked creativity" – flair in the first place, poise in the second. Terry Hawkridge, Sean McAllister and Dave Syers, secured from Doncaster after a loan spell, probed ceaselessly but only half-chances were made and either snatched or blocked. When Syers got to the byline on the left, Winnall's flick to the cross pulled a double save from Ross Worner – parry and plunge. It was as close as Scunthorpe went. "If you start looking too far ahead," Wilcox had said earlier, "that's when you fall flat on your face" – and when, presumably, a banana skin fulfils its potential. He was philosophical about the draw.

The manager has stepped out of Brian Laws' shadow after 14 years that started when he was still playing for the Iron and Laws was in the first of his three spells there. They ended in November when the club were 12th and had just been knocked out of the FA Cup by Grimsby, local rivals and now in the Conference. John Duncan had suffered the same fate in 1983 when Grimsby were two divisions above them. Wilcox, faithful assistant at Sheffield Wednesday and Burnley, was given the job fully on a rolling contract after four wins and a draw and has stretched his unbeaten run to 10 now, with seven wins.

A caretaker's familiar brush and pan can have advantages over a new broom, as Scunthorpe know better than most. When Laws left for Wednesday in 2006 Nigel Adkins led the club swiftly to the Championship, giving rise to the chant "Who needs Mourinho? We've got our physio" – a first-time manager and neither artful nor self-righteous to boot. At some club perhaps a tea lady knows her catenaccio from her cappuccino and could do the job.

Scunthorpe are remembering the good times now, harvesting former players as if sensing a future in the force of their past. Andy Dawson as player-coach, Matt Sparrow and Marcus Williams returned to the club last year, along with Hayes, and the signing of Madden for a reported £225,000 and Gary McSheffrey – who went from Coventry to Birmingham for £4m in 2006 – from Chesterfield is a measure of their intent. McSheffrey's eye and left foot might have found a chink in Wimbledon's armour. Gary Hooper (£2.4m to Celtic, now at Norwich) may be out of range but Billy Sharp (£2m to Sheffield United) could fall between Southampton and Reading.

Seven years ago Scunthorpe and Wimbledon were five divisions apart and Lincolnshire had four league clubs, though Boston were only brief visitors. Now Scunthorpe are sole standard bearers of England's second largest county and Peter Swann, chairman since last summer, is determined they will not follow Lincoln and Grimsby out after two relegations in three seasons.

Scunthorpe set a trend in 1988, moving to a new purpose-built stadium. Its capacity is given now as 9,100 and attendance has almost halved from its 6,500 average in Championship days. A lifelong fan called it "a tin can in the middle of nowhere" at the time, though it is now part of a regulation out-of-town shopping complex. Swann plans a new stadium for 2015-16 and there is plenty of outstanding nowhere to choose from. The borough's motto is "The heavens reflect our labours". If Wilcox carries on as he is, it could apply as easily to the Iron as to the steel.

Jeremy Alexander

Ryan Bennett shows Norwich the way to goal and praises unity of squad

Posted: 19 Jan 2014 02:00 PM PST

• Bennett's late winner gives Chris Hughton a big lift
• Hull's performance disappoints Steve Bruce

Norwich's matchwinner, Ryan Bennett, has praised the unity among the squad after the whole team joined him in celebrating his late winner.

The Canaries had not won in eight games but this win over Steve Bruce's side moved them up to 12th in the table and eased the pressure on the manager, Chris Hughton.

It was a game Norwich dominated, arguably more than any other this season, but they failed to create enough clear chances and relied on Bennett's header three minutes from time. It was the 23-year-old defender's second Premier League goal only and Bennett felt the team's celebratory huddle was a sign to the fans that they have all been working hard to address their slump in form.

"It [the goal] is more important for the team," he said. "I think we deserved it over the 90 minutes. Hopefully now we can push on.

"We had a few chances and we restricted them to hardly anything, so it is always on your mind that we have found it difficult to score this year.

"We knew how big the game was. The lads are really close here and we were getting some stick from the fans. We have a solidarity between ourselves, we wanted to get together off the cuff and we said how important the goal was and to keep concentrated."

Bennett's goal came from Norwich's 10th corner of the game, when Robert Snodgrass delivered a set-piece that allowed the former England Under-21 player to power a header home.

Snodgrass praised the character of the team to bounce back after disappointing results at Everton and Fulham. "It does hurt," he said. "Some people, the fans especially, seem to think you can't have fun any more if the results aren't going well. You take it and it feels terrible when you aren't winning games.

"You are so low and you need something to pick you up and that is why I talk about strength in character and leaders in the team and we had that all week leading into the game."

The Scotland international, recently linked with a move to Celtic, has now called on the squad to continue their upturn in form.

"It is a big weight off everyone's shoulders," added Snodgrass. "For us as players we need to try to take that level of performance into each game and the chances will come."

Bruce, a former Norwich defender whose side have taken only five points on the road all season, said the manner of the defeat was hard to stomach – even if his team did not deserve anything more. "It is always hard to take when you lose in the last few minutes, as it is equally as ecstatic when one of those goes for your team," he said. "It was frustrating for all of us. In truth, we didn't really play well enough."

Nikica Jelavic made a Hull debut but his fellow new recruit Shane Long was not risked after injuring an ankle on his last outing for West Bromwich.

Jelavic hit a post inside two minutes but that was as good as it got, with Bruce anticipating better things to come from the 28-year-old Croatian. "That was the one bit of quality that we showed all day," the manager said. "It was a great move down the left, [Robert] Koren cut it back and you'd expect him to stick it in the net but he's hit the post. But make no mistake, when we get it right he's going to be a big acquisition for us."

José Mourinho says Manchester United's title hopes are all but ended

Posted: 19 Jan 2014 12:48 PM PST

• 'What we won't do is throw the towel in,' says Moyes
• Moyes has not beaten Mourinho in 10 attempts

José Mourinho said that Manchester United's hopes of defending their title were effectively over after Chelsea beat the champions 3-1 at Stamford Bridge to leave them 14 points behind the leaders Arsenal.

David Moyes, the United manager, vowed to fight on and insisted there was little between the teams, apart from a couple of defensive set-piece aberrations that allowed Samuel Eto'o to score his second and third goals.

As the dust settled on Mourinho's 100th Premier League win, the table looked bleak for United. They are 13 points behind second-placed Manchester City and 12 off Chelsea in third. "Maybe if I say [United are out of title contention], some people from United would ask: 'Who am I to say that?'" Mourinho said. "But I don't think David will be upset if I say the reality: 14 points difference and 13 and 12 [to the others]. Can they recover to one of those teams? They can but to three of them? It needs three teams to have almost a collapse. What I hope they do is to beat all of them to finish top four."

Moyes has not beaten Mourinho in 10 attempts and this defeat, United's seventh league defeat of the season, was marred by the injury-time dismissal of the captain Nemanja Vidic for a lunge at Eden Hazard. He will be banned for three matches. The United full-back Rafael da Silva was lucky to escape a red card later on in injury-time for a studs-up, two-footed tackle on Gary Cahill.

"I thought Vidic wasn't a sending off but I've seen Rafa's and I think that could have been one," Moyes said. "There were two tackles. People want their players to tackle. I thought one was a yellow card. On another day, the other was a red."

Moyes did not dwell on the 38th-minute incident when the Chelsea defender César Azpilicueta appeared to catch Danny Welbeck before the striker shot inside the area. "It would have been a soft penalty," Moyes said and he dismissed questions about a United crisis. "Crisis is your word, not my word," he said.

"What we won't do is throw the towel in until we can't get there [to the title]. The job is to try to finish first. There are no clever answers: it's the next game. We'd lost one in six before today in the league and I didn't think there was a big difference between the teams today. The difference was our defending to set-pieces.

"Confidence is fine. It's a difficult task but it's perseverance … doing what is right. We have players to come back and this is a project that I'm going to improve as we go along. It's a massive challenge. I'd hoped I'd be in a far better position than this but we're not. As a football person, it's a great challenge to have. Of course, I was hoping to win more and compete a bit more but that'll come."

United started and finished brightly – they had a few chances to score before the substitute Javier Hernández did so on 78 minutes – and Moyes argued they were merely undermined by Eto'o's deflected opener and then the set-piece lapses.

"I thought we played quite well throughout but it came down to two set-pieces and we didn't defend them well," Moyes said. "That was probably the difference. You always practice. It's hard to do more. We had as many opportunities as Chelsea and didn't take them. We had a big part of the game but we didn't score when we had chances and we didn't defend set plays well enough.

Mourinho lost the substitute Fernando Torres to lateral knee ligament damage, which will rule him out for "weeks" but this was Eto'o's day. "It was a fantastic moment for someone to score a hat-trick and against Manchester United," Mourinho said. "It was a pity for Nando but now it's time for Demba Ba. He's had a fantastic week, working well. Now go. It's his chance."

David Hytner

A-League: what we learned this weekend

Posted: 19 Jan 2014 12:45 PM PST

Joe Gorman: Heart finally get started; the Lowe anthem; Sydney slide; Adelaide rise; and how exactly did Phoenix do that?

Joe Gorman

Chelsea 3-1 Manchester United: five things we learned | David Hytner

Posted: 19 Jan 2014 12:33 PM PST

David Moyes needs Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie back while José Mourinho did not look too impressed by David Luiz

1 Bullish Moyes continues to talk the talk

The pre-match rhetoric was bullish. David Moyes had refused to write off Manchester United's title hopes and so had the Chelsea manager José Mourinho, who warned that "when the giant is sleeping, the giant is never really sleeping". Moyes continued the routine afterwards, saying he would never give in and only the little details were conspiring against his team, such as defending set pieces properly. United had promise in Adnan Januzaj. They started well and they finished well here. So it was just a shame about the bit in the middle, when Chelsea took their chances to set up a stroll, during which their supporters could concentrate on goading Moyes. United are at once close and many miles away – 14 points off the title pace and six off Champions League qualification, to be precise. Moyes urgently needs Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie to return from injury. This was another chastening experience.

2 Red, yellow and orange cards

It was possible to feel an element of initial surprise at the colour of Nemanja Vidic's card as, in the face of the rush of blood that saw him lunge at Eden Hazard, there were no raised studs, nor feet [plural] off the ground. Mourinho described it as "orange", in other words some way between yellow and the red that Vidic got and the United captain was plainly stunned when Phil Dowd dismissed him. So was Moyes, even if Vidic was plainly out of order. Yet it was remarkable that Rafael received only a booking for his dangerous studs-up jump into his challenge with Gary Cahill later in injury time. Rafael did get the ball, which probably spared him but it was still the sort of tackle that everybody wants to see stamped out of the game. Even Moyes admitted that Rafael could have been sent off.

3 Eto'o shows his class

The jury has been out on Eto'o at Stamford Bridge and it was something of a surprise that Mourinho preferred him at the outset to Fernando Torres, given that the Spaniard had scored in his previous two starts. But this was an afternoon when nothing could or would go wrong for Eto'o, from the moment that his shot flicked off Michael Carrick for the opening goal. He made for the bench to celebrate with Demba Ba, the club's third-choice striker, who was not a part of the match-day squad. Eto'o's predatory instincts were stamped all over the second and third goals, which took his tally in Chelsea colours to eight and, no matter what he achieves in what could be a one-season sojourn in English football, he can look back upon the day that his hat-trick sunk the fast-sinking champions and he was lauded to the rooftops on his substitution.

4 United pay for their defensive sloppiness

Samuel Eto'o's shoulder drop and burst was an old trick but one that Phil Jones bought like a Sunday League player and it rather set the tone for United's defending. Eto'o's opening goal was helped beyond David de Gea by that slight deflection but Moyes will surely reflect that the Chelsea striker ought to have been stopped at source. United cannot switch off as they did here and expect to achieve anything in this season's Premier League, and the defending for Eto'o's second and third goals was lamentable. Moyes will pore over how his players froze on Chelsea's second phase of possession after a corner had been half-cleared to allow Gary Cahill, of all people, to cross, while United's marking on Eto'o's hat-trick goal, when Cahill was granted a free initial header after a simple run on a corner from Willian, beggared belief.

5 David Luiz could be the fall guy for Matic

It is actually quite good fun watching Mourinho watch David Luiz. The maverick Brazilian clearly gives the Chelsea manager palpitations. Mourinho does not like him enough at centre-half to have him break up John Terry's partnership with Cahill and one has to wonder whether he likes him enough in defensive midfield, given that he has just lavished £20.75m on Nemanja Matic, who came on as a late substitute. Mourinho spent portions of the first half screaming at David Luiz to hold his position in front of the back four and more of it metaphorically peering through his fingers at the player. David Luiz flattened Antonio Valencia to earn a booking and he flirted with disaster when he hung out his elbow at Rafael before quickly pulling it back. He also jumped into Jones as he contested a high ball. There is plenty to like about David Luiz's game and there were flashes from him here. Mourinho did not look entirely impressed.

David Hytner

Levante 1-1 Barcelona

Posted: 19 Jan 2014 12:30 PM PST

Barcelona had to come from a goal down to rescue a 1-1 draw at mid-table Levante on Sunday, leaving Atlético Madrid with a chance to go top of La Liga.

Atlético can move on to 53 points from 20 matches with a win at home to Sevilla in the late kick-off, two ahead of Barça, who dropped points for only the fourth time this season at Levante's Ciutat de Valencia stadium.

Real Madrid, who thrashed the bottom side Real Betis 5-0 on Saturday, are third on 50 points, level with Atlético but behind on goal difference.

Barça lacked inspiration against a doggedly defensive Levante even with Lionel Messi, who returned last weekend after a two-month injury absence, back in the starting line-up.

Often vulnerable at defending set pieces, they fell behind in the 10th minute when Loukas Vyntra headed past the goalkeeper, Victor Valdés, from an Andreas Ivanschitz corner.

Barça's equaliser also came from a corner when Gerard Piqué nodded in nine minutes later but they struggled to create further chances before the break.

Messi drew a fine save from Levante's keeper, Keylor Navas, in the 59th minute and Xavi's follow-up shot was brilliantly blocked on the line by the Levante captain, Juanfran.

Juanfran was again in the right place to divert another Messi effort out for a corner three minutes later and Navas leaped superbly to turn a curling effort from the substitute Cristian Tello round a post five minutes from time.

Barça were unable to produce the scintillating form that helped them thump Levante 7-0 at the Nou Camp in August and they also play the Valencia-based club over two legs in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey this week and next.

Manchester United's pretty passing offset by defensive errors at Chelsea | Michael Cox

Posted: 19 Jan 2014 11:39 AM PST

David Moyes may wonder what more he could have done, with his side playing good football and Adnan Januzaj causing problems down the left, but sloppiness at the back is the issue

David Moyes has unquestionably made mistakes as the Manchester United manager but in the aftermath of this defeat he must have reflected on his decisions and wondered what he could have done differently.

Throughout the first half United played good football, entering the final third readily and putting together some decent passing moves, particularly down the left. The difference was in the penalty areas, where Chelsea were more clinical in front of goal and more solid at the back.

United started extremely brightly, closing down high up the pitch and dominating possession within Chelsea's half. They found gaps between the lines, with José Mourinho roaring at David Luiz to sit deeper and help protect the defence. Chelsea lacked a reliable defensive midfielder and someone who could play calm passes under pressure, the precise roles in which the £21m signing Nemanja Matic specialises.

The most significant feature of United's play was the positioning of Adnan Januzaj, who played high up the pitch alongside Danny Welbeck. It was not uncommon to see Welbeck dropping off into deeper positions to pressure David Luiz or Ramires, while Januzaj drifted towards the left as United's most advanced attacker.

Januzaj was crucial in United's numerical superiority on the left, a key feature of Moyes's coaching philosophy. United created various chances down that flank. Ashley Young had a shot saved by Petr Cech after a one-two with Welbeck and Patrice Evra fired into the side-netting. Much of United's play revolved around Januzaj: he intelligently squared for Welbeck, who got the ball under his feet amid pressure from César Azpilicueta, before the 18-year-old hit a ball across the six-yard box, with no United attacker arriving at the far post.

United's profligacy is partly the result of them lacking their first‑choice strike partnership but there are no excuses for the frailties at the back. They conceded three goals without Chelsea penetrating in open play. Although the first goal was unfortunate, United's set‑piece defending for Samuel Eto'o's subsequent strikes was astonishingly bad, a simple case of not moving as a unit and poor marking. For that experienced players must take responsibility for individual mistakes, even if the consistent sloppiness suggests wider problems with concentration.

That was the difference between the sides. While he is renowned as an astute tactician, there is usually little surprising or revolutionary about Mourinho's approach. He simply carries out standard tactics with devastating efficiency because his players are focused, committed and fully understand their responsibilities.

Moyes could pinpoint his selection decisions here, in particular the role of Januzaj, as the reason United caused problems in the first half. Peculiarly, United's main weakness is their lack of class in midfield. Here they dominated the centre but lacked quality at both ends.

Michael Cox

Chelsea 3-1 Man Utd

Posted: 19 Jan 2014 10:14 AM PST

There was a moment, before it became apparent they were about to be subjected to another considerable ordeal, when Manchester United's supporters could be heard reminding José Mourinho of the common suspicion that he had once harboured strong ambitions for David Moyes's job. The Chelsea manager responded with a smile and a little wave, then settled back to watch his team inflict another grievous setback to Moyes's first season at this level. He might as well have made a "w" for "whatever" with his fingers.

Mourinho batted away the insults with the kind of nonchalance with which his players would find a way through the opposition defence. "David Moyes, we want you to stay," Chelsea's fans piped up in response, echoing a song that has become part of the soundtrack to United's season. The champions, 14 points off the top of the Premier League, have been stranded and, from here, nobody can be sure they have the personnel to clamber into the Champions League places.

No one ever assumed it was going to be easy for Moyes but seven defeats in 22 league games still represents an ignominious haul and, for the latest, they helped to transport Samuel Eto'o back to the days when he used to menace the world's most accomplished defences. Mourinho was asked afterwards about the title race and mentioned six clubs, including Everton, Liverpool and Spurs. United were an afterthought and Moyes sounded like a man going through the motions when he insisted he would not give up.

Eto'o will prize the match ball after a hat-trick that acted as a throwback to his younger days. United, all the same, were obliging opponents. They are entitled to have grievances about Nemanja Vidic's late red card, when a booking would have been sufficient for his scything challenge on Eden Hazard, but they were also extremely fortunate Rafael da Silva did not follow him in stoppage time for his two-footed tackle on Gary Cahill. The bigger picture is that a team with their ambitions cannot defend this generously and expect to get away with it. Chelsea played with knowhow; United lacked it.

Chelsea did not even have to reach their most illuminating heights to win convincingly. Mourinho's team withstood some early pressure and there were flashes of excellence that reminded everyone why Adnan Januzaj is attracting so much acclaim, but in other departments the home side were superior. Hazard, Oscar and Willian flickered only sporadically, but this was a victory for their organisation and togetherness. Chelsea are back to within two points of the leaders, Arsenal, and have won six straight games. Mourinho is also showing, once again, his qualities as a manager of rare achievement.

A lot of people would have been surprised to see Eto'o even make the starting line-up ahead of Fernando Torres. The late injury for Torres, damaging knee ligaments after coming on as a substitute, ensures the Cameroonian an extended run.

His first goal, after 17 minutes, was a reminder of the old Eto'o, as he changed direction, cut in from the right and curled a left-foot shot over David de Gea, courtesy of a small yet crucial deflection off Michael Carrick's boot. Eto'o had made his own good fortune, eluding Phil Jones and letting fly with a shot few would have dared to attempt. Jones looked as though his feet were stuck in treacle and the breakthrough came at a crucial time for Chelsea. As Mourinho admitted, they had been slow to settle into the match.

Missing Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie, United at least have the basis of an excuse for why they are not the attacking force of old. They are far too reliant on the 18-year-old Januzaj and, again, there was more evidence about the shortcomings of Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young in wide positions.

Yet it must be troubling for Moyes that his defence looks so vulnerable. Eto'o's hat-trick goal, four minutes into the second half, emanated from a straightforward corner, a free header for Cahill and a question of who would be first to the rebound after the ball had spun off De Gea. It was only moments before that Valencia had realised Eto'o was unmarked inside the six-yard area and sprinted back to cover him. Yet Eto'o showed the greater anticipation and intent and easily held him off.

Moyes used the word "terrible" to describe it and he must have been appalled as well by the goal that made it 2-0. Again, it came from a corner. Danny Welbeck cleared the first ball but Ramires simply rolled it back into the penalty area and Eto'o was unmarked to turn in Cahill's low centre.

In between the first two goals, United had legitimate reasons to be aggrieved about the way César Azpilicueta came through the back of Welbeck when he was inside the six-yard area and shaping to shoot after John Terry's one lapse of the match. A penalty at that stage would have meant a red card and possibly changed the entire complexion of the match.

Instead, the 78th-minute goal for the substitute Javier Hernández, applying the finishing touch to Jones's shot, was largely irrelevant. United are no longer a team who can rely on late feats of escapology. Vidic's final contribution smacked of frustration and Mourinho killed them with flattery afterwards. He wanted them to finish in the top four, he said, but only because it would mean them taking points off teams with genuine title aspirations.

Daniel Taylor

Swansea 1-3 Tottenham Hotspur

Posted: 19 Jan 2014 10:02 AM PST

Everything is coming together nicely for Tim Sherwood, Tottenham Hotspur and Emmanuel Adebayor. It is now five victories and a draw from Sherwood's six Premier League games in charge – a run of form that has revived Spurs' hopes of finishing in the top four and coincided with the return to prominence of the enigmatic, but supremely talented, Adebayor.

The Togolese scored twice here, taking his tally to six in eight matches under Sherwood, to lift Tottenham up to fifth, behind Liverpool only on goal difference. A penny for the thoughts of André Villas-Boas, who must grimace every time he sees Adebayor's name on the scoresheet. The striker played for 45 minutes under the man who was sacked almost a month ago to the day. Six Premier League starts later and Adebayor is Tottenham's joint leading scorer in the competition.

Either side of Adebayor's goals, Chico Flores put through his own net as Spurs cantered to a fifth successive away league win – something they have not achieved since 1960. Although Swansea started brightly and were unlucky not to take the lead when Wilfried Bony rattled the crossbar from 30 yards, Spurs controlled the game from the moment Adebayor headed them in front.

Bony, Swansea's best player by a distance, got the goal he deserved when he side-footed beyond Hugo Lloris in the 78th minute but there was never any chance of a late comeback. Confidence is brittle in a Swansea team in freefall. Michael Laudrup's side have now gone eight league matches without a win and have lost five of their last six, leaving them in 15th place, three points above the relegation zone.

Although the table makes much better reading for Spurs, Sherwood suggested he would lose his job if his team were to finish where they are now. "I think if the season was to end tomorrow, the chairman wouldn't be too happy because we're fifth. The final league position has to meet the expectations of the club, otherwise it's 'Goodbye Charlie'," said Sherwood with a smile.

Asked whether his brief was to finish fourth, Sherwood replied: "Yeah, the club need to finish in fourth place, they want to finish in fourth place. Anything other than that is going to be a disappointment. Realistically, we should be in and amongst it. But it ain't easy, is it?"

The task will seem nothing like as difficult if Adebayor maintains this level of performance. It was not just his goals – both of which were well taken – but his wider contribution, including his movement and link-up play, that caught the eye. On the first goal, after being involved in the early build-up, Adebayor sprinted 50 yards to get on the end of Christian Eriksen's sublime cross. "After that I think he grew even more and started dominating the game for us," Sherwood said. "He's a top player but there's not been a magic wand from me. He's always been a good player."

Spurs, set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation that broke with the 4-4-2 Sherwood has favoured in his previous matches, began to play with more confidence and quickly doubled their lead. Michael Dawson, who was fortunate not to concede a penalty for a push on Bony in the first half, released Kyle Walker on the right flank and the full-back whipped in a low cross that Flores turned into his own net.

Mousa Dembélé squandered a golden chance to make it 3-0 in the 70th minute, when Adebayor was furious with his team-mate for not passing, but the striker's frustration quickly turned to elation. Moments later Danny Rose broke away on the left and rolled the ball into the path of the unmarked Adebayor, who beat Gerhard Tremmel with nonchalant ease.

Bony's late strike was little consolation for Laudrup, whose side badly need to pick up a couple of wins in their next six league games, which include fixtures against Fulham, West Ham, Cardiff, Stoke and Crystal Palace. "We have to admit it's a difficult moment for us," said the Swansea manager, who also lost Jonjo Shelvey to a hamstring injury. "The next six games will decide if we have to suffer until 11 May or if we can have a certain distance in terms of points."

Man of the match Emmanuel Adebayor (Tottenham Hotspur)

Stuart James

Chelsea v Manchester United – as it happened | Jacob Steinberg

Posted: 19 Jan 2014 09:59 AM PST

Minute-by-minute report: Samuel Eto'o's hat-trick for Chelsea made it another miserable day for David Moyes and Manchester United

Jacob Steinberg

Premier League: Chelsea v Manchester United - in pictures

Posted: 19 Jan 2014 08:19 AM PST

The best images from Stamford Bridge where José Mourinho's team are hosting David Moyes's side

Tom Jenkins

Jonny Weeks

Swansea City v Tottenham Hotspur – as it happened | Daniel Harris

Posted: 19 Jan 2014 07:25 AM PST

Swansea started well, and almost took the lead when Wilfried Bony's shot smashed against the bar, but Spurs crafted a superb opener and were too good thereafter.

Daniel Harris

England goalkeeper Bert Williams dies aged 93

Posted: 19 Jan 2014 06:54 AM PST

• Goalkeeper won the title with Wolves in 1953-54
• Represented England at 1950 World Cup in Brazil

The former Wolverhampton Wanderers and England goalkeeper Bert Williams has died aged 93.

Wolves confirmed on their official Facebook page that Williams, who won the league and FA Cup at the club in the 1940s and 1950s, had passed away.

He made his professional debut with Walsall in 1937 before the second world war halted his career. In 1945 he joined Wolves, where he spent the rest of his playing days, making over 400 appearances before retiring to run a sports shop in Bilston.

Williams was capped 24 times for England between 1949 and 1955 and played at the 1950 World Cup in Brazil. He was given an MBE in 2010 for services to football and charity.

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Monday, 20 January 2014

Football news, match reports and fixtures | theguardian.com

07:31

Football news, match reports and fixtures | theguardian.com

1 Bullish Moyes continues to talk the talk

2 Red, yellow and orange cards

3 Eto'o shows his class

4 United pay for their defensive sloppiness

5 David Luiz could be the fall guy for Matic

Written by TBMU Admin

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Monday, 20 January 2014

Football news, match reports and fixtures | theguardian.com

07:31

Football news, match reports and fixtures | theguardian.com

1 Bullish Moyes continues to talk the talk

2 Red, yellow and orange cards

3 Eto'o shows his class

4 United pay for their defensive sloppiness

5 David Luiz could be the fall guy for Matic

Written by TBMU Admin

0 comments :

Post a Comment

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Follow TBMU FBook/Twitter

Popular on TBMU

About TBMU

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