Sunday, 23 February 2014

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Football news, match reports and fixtures | theguardian.com

Said & Done – the week in football: Recife, Rooney and pants

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 03:21 PM PST

The week in football – Why Fan Fests matter; blacking-up to fight racism; plus the problem with cars, watches and women

Snub of the week

Brazilian city Recife: opting out of spending public money on a £2.8m Fifa Fan Fest trade exclusion zone restricted to official World Cup sponsors – a blow for local people, says Fifa's Jérôme Valcke. "To make it very clear, it's a mistake."

• Valcke's overall view on calls for Fifa to help local authorities like Recife cover their World Cup costs, given the governing body's full tax-exempt status: "Cities have to do their own work … it's an obligation of the cities. When it's a financial commitment, why should we take over?"

Meanwhile in Qatar

Ali bin Sumaikh al-Marri, Qatar's human rights head, identifying the real victim in last week's new headlines about the deaths of 884 Indian and Nepali workers since 2012: "There is a [media] campaign against Qatar."

• The UK government's view on the ongoing human rights furore: sending Prince Charles on a trade trip to Doha to "showcase the ties between the UK and Qatar, which we value greatly".

Other news: war on racism

Censured last week:

1) CSKA Moscow given a stadium ban and fine for fan racism, 12 months after CSKA president Yevgeni Giner weighed up British media coverage of the club's diversity issues. "It's nonsense. The British make stuff up because they lost the World Cup bid."

2) Serbia's Under-21s, given a partial stadium ban over monkey chants during a game against Belgium, two years after Serbia's FA said claims of monkey chants during an England Under-21 game were invented. "Serbs never have been, nor will be racist."

Plus: best intentions

Italy: Perugia-based Collepieve players staging a zero tolerance to racism demonstration by blacking-up their faces. Chairman Stefano Violini: "The boys send a clear signal". Regional Olympic head Domenico Ignozza: "It's excellent. If Violini asks, I will paint myself black too."

Good news story

2010: Wayne Rooney says he wants to leave United over under-performance and a lack of ambition, not for more money. "I did not get any of the assurances I wanted." 2014: Happy with United's performance and ambition, signs a new £300k-a-week deal. "I'm made up to be staying."

Respect campaign latest

Last week's highlights:

• Brazil: Brasiliense urging fans to vote for the country's worst referee on their official site – choosing from an initial three put forward by club owner Luiz Estevão as "those who have hurt us the most".

• Italy: Amateur side Giovanile Bientina's Gianluca Vincenti banned until 2016 for "spraying a referee with a hose", "manhandling him" and "losing all reason"; with the club fined €400 for failing to return the official's car keys, and "stealing his shoes".

• Spain: Almería prosecutors fining a fan €200 for throwing a dog at a referee during a Comarca del Mármol match earlier this month. Local media: "Goofy is recovering at home."

Crackdown of the week

Spain: Real Jaén player Jonathan Mejia displaying a T-shirt reading: "Get well soon little ones, International Childhood Cancer Day". Competition authorities fined him €2,000 – overturned on appeal.

Best press conference

Croatia: Dinamo owner Zdravko Mamic: reacting to leaked videos showing him dancing shirtless and urging fans to "smash this disco, smash this bar, smash this hotel, I'll pay" by calling a press conference to deny provocation. "It was a motivational speech. Anyone who is normal can see that."

Big month for

Roberto Carlos, signing up for Fifa's 11th Annual Match Against Poverty, and telling Gazzetta dello Sport what gets him down most. "I don't drive my Bugatti Veyron so much now. I keep it in Madrid. I'm not as impassioned as I was, with my cars, watches and women. After a while, you grow weary."

• Also from the interview: "Q: How many wives have you had? A: That's easy: two. More difficult is how many women I've had a child with. It's eight by six or seven mothers. Q: Six or seven? A: I don't know. A Mexican, a Hungarian, Brazilians. Four plus two … six."

Most humble

Ghana: Winger Bernard "Humble Lion" Dong-Bortey, back from a year-long ban for assaulting a referee. "If I offended anybody, I'm pleading for forgiveness. I know I did bad things in the past, but I'm more matured now. To err is human; to forgive, divine."

Moving on

Romania: Craiova coach Nicolo Napoli on life under owner Adrian Mititelu. "I never want to hear his name again, he keeps humiliating me. I had no pay for eight months, and no car. Yesterday I was finally told I could have the car, then he sacked me. It's too much."

Best dressed

Peru: Sport Huancayo coach Daniel "Professor" Córdoba, telling local media he likes to lead training while wearing only his underpants so players can see his tattoos – one reading "nothing is impossible", the other "adrenaline". "This is the key to good work."

Plus: most aggrieved

Spain: Model Cristina Pedroche, upset with Neymar and Dani Alves for dancing during Barcelona's 6-0 rout of her side Rayo Vallecano. "It's a hurtful final straw. If Rayo ever put six past them I'll run naked from Madrid to Barcelona. It's just about respect."

David Hills

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Roy Hodgson wants Steven Gerrard to lead England in Euro 2016 campaign

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 03:00 PM PST

• Manager hopes to persuade Gerrard to play past World Cup
• England to name squad of 30 for Denmark friendly

Roy Hodgson has not given up hope of persuading his captain, Steven Gerrard, to prolong his international career beyond the summer's World Cup as the England head coach awaits Sunday's draw for the qualifying phase for Euro 2016.

Gerrard turns 34 in May and, if he features in the friendly fixtures against Denmark, Peru, Ecuador and Honduras in the buildup to the finals in Brazil, will line up for his 113th cap against Italy in Manaus as England open their tournament on 14 June. The Liverpool midfielder is expected to step down from the national side after the finals – the World Cup will be his sixth major tournament – in an effort to prolong his playing career at club level, though Hodgson will speak with him once the team's participation in South America has been concluded.

The influential veteran was the most used of England's outfield players over the team's unbeaten qualification for Brazil, playing 670 minutes in his eight matches, and scored the late goal that ensured victory over Poland in the decisive final fixture. Asked if Gerrard could still lead the national team into the Euro 2016 qualification campaign, Hodgson said: "I don't know if he necessarily couldn't. He will be 34 in May so he will be getting on for 36 [at the time of the finals in France], so I think a lot will depend on him and how he feels, and depend on how he is playing. At the moment there has been no slowing down in his play. Who knows what the future will bring? Time will tell.

"The [deeper-lying] role he is playing for Liverpool he has played for us as well in one or two games, and it went well. These days, teams have a degree of fluidity so, even though they may start him deeper with Coutinho and [Jordan] Henderson further forward, in reality Steven still gets forward and Henderson drops in. So I think a player like Steven, who is such an all-round player, will give you good attacking work and good defending work. Whether that spares him running or not, I don't know. Sometimes you think he is not doing as much there but you might be surprised."

Hodgson, recently returned from Manaus, will attend Sunday's draw for Euro 2016 qualifying in Nice's Palais des Congrès Acropolis, where England will be included in the first pot of seeds, avoiding Germany, Spain, Italy and Holland among others in their six-team group. Scotland and Wales are among the fourth seeds, Northern Ireland in the fifth pot, while Martin O'Neill will begin his first competitive campaign with the Republic of Ireland in the second group of teams. Gibraltar, who were accepted as Uefa members last year, will compete in their first campaign but cannot be paired with Spain in qualifying "for political reasons".

The nine groups – eight of six teams and one section of five which will be completed by the hosts, France, whose games will be friendlies and will have no bearing on the standings – will be drawn by Ruud Gullit and Bixente Lizarazu, with the nine section winners, the nine group runners-up and the best third-placed side qualifying directly for the finals. The eight remaining third-placed teams will contest play-offs to determine the last four qualifiers for the 24-nation finals.

Given the greater number of sides involved at Euro 2016 there have been suggestions that qualification should be more straightforward for Europe's more fancied sides, though Hodgson, whose contract extends to the end of Euro 2016, remained wary of what awaits his own charges. "I don't know – I think we judge teams on names, but you have to get out and beat them," he said. "Montenegro are a good example: people tended to suggest they'd be a piece of cake when we were paired with them before, but that wasn't the case either over there or at Wembley. They had some good players. I think you find in these pots three, four and five, will be some good teams in there, and what about the home nations? If we get drawn against Northern Ireland, that is not a gimme by any stretch of the imagination."

Hodgson will name a swollen squad of at least 30 names on Thursday for next month's friendly against the Danes at Wembley, with Raheem Sterling and Luke Shaw to be included, and the Southampton striker Jay Rodriguez – who made his debut against Chile in November – likely to be offered another chance after fine recent form.

Dominic Fifield

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Perth Glory 0-2 Western Sydney Wanderers

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 02:58 PM PST

Perth Glory's winless streak extended to six A-League matches after losing 2-0 to Western Sydney Wanderers

Neil Lennon 'full of pride' as Celtic achieve clean sheets record

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 02:55 PM PST

• Lennon commends side for clean sheets record
• Keeper Fraser Forster's unbeaten run is now 1214 minutes

Neil Lennon expressed his pride with the defensive record of his Celtic team, after Fraser Forster set a record for clean sheet minutes in the Scottish league. Forster surpassed Bobby Clark's 43-year-old run of 1,155 consecutive minutes without conceding a league goal. Hearts' failure to score against Celtic here means Forster's unbeaten run now sits at 1,214.

"I'm delighted," said Lennon after Leigh Griffiths and Teemu Pukki sealed Celtic's 2-0 win. "I sit here a very proud manager. We have just broken a long-standing record and it's a long-standing record for a reason.

"It's a great feather in the cap for the players and the club and obviously we maintain our unbeaten record in the league. Towards the end, when Hearts put us under a little bit of pressure, the intensity of our defending was very good. That has been the case for a considerable period of time. I am very proud of the players. In a season that has not been as good as last year, we still have plenty to talk about."

When asked if Celtic could continue their unbeaten run until the end of the league season, Lennon said: "That maybe a step too far but it's something that's really motivating the players and ourselves to try and achieve."

Forster shrugged off the personal significance of Celtic's run. "We defend as a team and attack as a team," said the goalkeeper.

Gary Locke, the Hearts manager, cited what he believed were two clear fouls in the build-up to Celtic's second goal. "How the referee didn't see that, I don't know," he said.

"There were a lot of positives for us today. You can see that the players are improving."

Ewan Murray

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Melbourne Victory 4-3 Adelaide United | A-League match report

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 02:32 PM PST

Melbourne Victory twice came from behind to record an astounding 4-3 victory over Adelaide United in a classic A-League encounter

Real Sociedad 3-1 Barcelona

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 02:17 PM PST

Barcelona slumped to a shock 3-1 defeat at Real Sociedad to lose momentum in their title challenge.

Barça were cut open again and again on the counterattack by a Sociedad side intent on avenging their recent King's Cup exit at the hands of the Catalans.

Carlos Vela shot over before the hosts took the lead in the 32nd minute when a cross by Sergio Canales went in off Alex Song, who was under pressure from Gorka Elustondo.

Barça levelled four minutes later after Sergio Busquets dummied a Martín Montoya pass and the ball found Lionel Messi, who finished clinically.

Sociedad continued to open up a static Barça at the back and Vela scampered clear to cross for Antoine Griezmann to make it 2-1 early in the second period. David Zurutuza then sprang the offside trap before steering home a Griezmann pass.

It could have been worse for the champions as Vela hit the woodwork late on.

"We didn't feel comfortable and hold possession which is our strength. This meant that they had openings," the Barça defender Gerard Piqué said.

"Now we have a break for a week and we can consider what went wrong. We are only three points behind so it isn't worrying."

Barça, who also had their coach, Gerardo Martino, dismissed at half-time for complaining to the referee, have 60 points from 25 matches.

Real lead the way on 63 points but Atlético Madrid can draw level with them by winning at Osasuna on Sunday.


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Galatasaray's Didier Drogba trains Champions League sights on Chelsea

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 02:00 PM PST

Former Stamford Bridge striker and favourite has saved his best form for a tournament he won with them in 2012

Shanghai is a long way from the Uefa Champions League both geographically and competitively, which is why Didier Drogba finds himself in Turkey and how it has come about that he lines up for Galatasaray against Chelsea in Istanbul this week.

Time is no longer on the striker's side. He will have turned 36 by the time the return leg at Stamford Bridge takes place next month and, though a move back to Chelsea in a playing capacity was briefly mooted last year, new reports linking him with various MLS clubs appear to make more sense. José Mourinho, satisfied that Chelsea saw the best of the Ivorian first time round, is already preparing a royal welcome. "The Turkish champions with King Didier is the draw we would have asked for," the Chelsea manager said. "When he comes back to this club he deserves a reception better than mine."

Drogba will probably get one too, for few players over the course of Premier League history have been as widely appreciated. There may have been better players and more successful individuals and Drogba's penchant for exaggerating contact in search of a penalty or free-kick made him a villain in the eyes of many, though even the most joyless purist would have to admit he made an entertainingly theatrical villain. At his best he was a handful the best defences struggled to contain, at his worst, whether being knocked down with a feather by Jens Lehmann or stupidly slapping Nemanja Vidic to earn dismissal in extra-time in the Luzhniki Stadium in 2008 - thereby obliging John Terry to step up for the fateful penalty kick that could have decided the Champions League final in Chelsea's favour – he was always good box-office.

Drogba eventually atoned for the latter error with his final act in a Chelsea shirt, tucking away the last penalty to secure the club's first Champions League trophy against Bayern Munich two years ago. The performance earned him the official man-of-the-match award and a permanent place in Chelsea history, though given that the Moscow final could have gone either way, and that Chelsea under Guus Hiddink were positively itching to have a go at Manchester United in Rome the year they were scandalously denied by Tom Henning Ovrebo at the semi-final stage, Drogba's time in England could almost be viewed as under-rewarded – particulary as he missed out on a Champions League final at the end of his first season in this country only by virtue of Luis García's infamous phantom goal at Anfield.

Under-recognised, however, he was not. When Blackpool achieved their unlikely promotion to the Premier League in 2010 one of the hundreds of fans interviewed for local television vox-pops stated categorically that what she was most looking forward to was seeing Drogba: "Here on this pitch."

The effect seems to have been more or less the same in Turkey. "He has been a big hit with the Galatasaray fans," said Alp Ulagay, a football writer for the Hürriyet paper. "He is probably the biggest name recruited by a Turkish club. We have had Nicolas Anelka, Roberto Carlos, Gheorghe Hagi and others but Drogba is the most famous and charismatic. This season, thanks to his and Wesley Sneijder's presence and the club's success in reaching the Champions League, Galatasaray managed to sell more than 47,000 season tickets, a Turkish record."

Drogba opted for Istanbul midway through last season when, with things not going according to plan at Shanghai Shenhua, he realised he could have another shot at the Champions League. He scored eight goals in 11 games for the Chinese club, impressing observers with his work-rate and determination to succeed – in contrast to Anelka, who left his new audience in no doubt why he earned the nickname Le Sulk – but the pair had basically joined a club in the middle of an ownership dispute that had little prospect of paying the wages that had been promised.

Once Fifa ratified his disputed move back to Europe Drogba's goals and assists helped Galatasaray clinch the title last season and, though his tally at the moment stands at a respectable 18 goals in 46 matches, fault lines are beginning to appear. While Drogba was the key man during the group stage of the Champions League campaign, especially impressive in the two performances against Juventus that helped Galatasaray qualify at the Italians' expense despite a mauling at the hands of Real Madrid in their opening game, he has not been anywhere near as good since. He has scored only twice in his last 10 games and has been particularly ineffective, a bit like Galatasaray themselves, in away games.

"Drogba can sometimes appear arrogant with referees and rival players," Ulagay said. "He keeps himself very private, doesn't say much, but you have the impression he might think himself above this league or at least some of the matches he has to play. He seems to save his best for the Champions League."

If Drogba saves his best for the two games against Chelsea there are unlikely to be too many complaints from either side, though his immediate task is to rebuild bridges on the home front. Playing at Antalyaspor last week Drogba was visibly annoyed at being substituted by Roberto Mancini before the end of a 2-2 draw – dropping two points away to a side close to the bottom of the table is symptomatic of Galatasaray's current form and explains why they are six points behind the leaders Fenerbahce – and made no secret of his displeasure, pointedly refusing to shake the hand of the assistant coach, Tugay Kerimoglu, formerly of Blackburn, as he left the field.

If he is offered a contract renewal it is likely to be for one more year. Drogba would prefer two but that might not happen, hence the suggestions, no more than rumours at the moment, that he could seek a final payday in the United States. He has his Foundation to think of after all – Drogba sponsors hospitals and schools in his native Ivory Coast – and America would undoubtedly love him even if that stage might seem small after shifting 47,000 season tickets in Istanbul. For the time being the Champions League stage beckons for perhaps the last time and, whether or not he is picking his matches, one would not bet against the big fella showing he still has one or two big games left in him.

Paul Wilson

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Brendan Rodgers has won the acclaim of the Liverpool faithful | Andy Hunter

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 01:59 PM PST

The manager's meticulous methods have allowed the team to flourish and, as Rodgers' former club Swansea prepare to visit Anfield, the supporters have shown their appreciation

They had applauded Brendan Rodgers at Anfield before but never with the universal, unreserved acclaim of the 44th minute of Liverpool's last home game, the 5-1 skewering of Arsenal that amounted to a reprieve for the then Premier League leaders. There was a standing ovation for a ruthless exhibition from Liverpool – a genuine throwback for Anfield elders – and principally for the architect. It was open acceptance of a Liverpool manager who has had to earn every ounce. As Rodgers said afterwards: "I know it has been difficult for the fans. I've got no history or background. They can only see the work on the field. Hopefully they see now that we are all fighting, hungry and have the appetite to make Liverpool great again." A club divided not long ago is united on that score.

Kenny Dalglish had helped heal a fractious period in Liverpool's history but there was still uncertainty and concern over the club's direction under the Fenway Sports Group when Rodgers replaced the Scot as manager on 1 June 2012. "We do not expect miracles overnight nor should anyone else," the principal owner, John W Henry, cautioned that day.

No miracles have revealed themselves yet and a club that measure themselves by silverware was left simmering when Arsenal avenged their league mauling in the FA Cup last Sunday. But even in defeat at the Emirates Liverpool served notice of the remarkable progress made by Rodgers in 21 months. "I spoke to Arsène [Wenger] after the game," said the manager from County Antrim, "and he and his staff said we were the most dangerous attacking team they had played all season."

On Sunday, Liverpool can cut the gap to the leaders, Chelsea, back to four points with victory over their manager's former club Swansea City at Anfield, where 11 wins from 13 league games would equal the return of Dalglish's title-winning team in 1987-88. Rodgers has repeatedly played down Liverpool's title prospects while their form, arithmetic and remaining 12-game schedule suggest a Premier League miracle is achievable. Not that he minds the contradiction.

The priority – the necessity – for this campaign is Champions League qualification after a four-year absence and at the start of the season many outside Anfield regarded that beyond Liverpool. To be managing title talk at this stage is a further illustration of how rapidly Rodgers' methods have taken root.

The Liverpool manager conducts every training session at Melwood, each one prepared in meticulous detail, devised as part of a four-day programme that builds towards a game and with as much emphasis on what the team does without the ball as in possession. "Everyone knows their function in the team," Rodgers says. "We have good organisation and, if you do it day in, day out, you build that momentum."

Thorough preparation is to be expected of a manager who presented his prospective employer with a 180-page dossier, compiled over a 15-year coaching career, when interviewed for the Liverpool job. The document detailed everything from the tactical requirements Rodgers wanted in a player, their personality traits, the need to develop young talent and to play attractive, attacking football that would eventually restore Liverpool's place among the elite. But Rodgers' blueprint for success is not the sign of an inflexible manager. Quite the opposite.

One of his strengths has been a willingness to adapt and offer second chances. There is no great moral dilemma over restoring to the fold a player of Luis Suárez's phenomenal talent, even after the striker was ordered to train away from the first team having accused Rodgers of breaking promises over his future when seeking a transfer to Arsenal. Jordan Henderson, Martin Skrtel and Jon Flanagan, however, have all had doubt over their Anfield careers at some point under Rodgers yet seized their opportunities to become integral to the pursuit of Champions League qualification.

Liverpool's style of play has also been tailored to suit the occasion and the players at the manager's disposal. On his arrival Rodgers spoke of making an afternoon at Anfield the longest 90 minutes of an opponent's life as they chased and harried a Liverpool team dominant in possession.

The recent Anfield blitzes of Everton and Arsenal, by contrast, demonstrated their prowess on the counterattack and at set pieces and the manager's astute tactical tweaks that can devastate the opposition – Daniel Sturridge on the left against the inexperienced John Stones in the Merseyside derby, say, and Suárez on the right against Arsenal's Nacho Monreal. Shifting Steven Gerrard into a holding midfield role at 33 may have been a natural step but it needed Rodgers to readjust an imbalanced side against Aston Villa and then accommodate Philippe Coutinho centrally for the move to work so effectively, so quickly.

Rodgers' experience as a youth-team coach at Reading and Chelsea is evident in the time he spends with players on an individual basis and the pride he takes in their tactical, physical and mental development. "There has been constant improvement in that," he says. "That is what we are paid to do." That influence extends to the Liverpool youth academy where, despite increased production in recent seasons, the director, Frank McParland, and the head of coaching, Rodolfo Borrell, were sacked in November.

Aside from their departures and a biting moment of madness from Suárez, Rodgers' reign has been comparatively free of the controversy, conflict and infighting of several predecessors. Liverpool are in a happier place off the pitch as well as on even though the "transfer committee", of which the manager is part, has enjoyed limited success.

Rodgers' biggest challenge when he arrived at Liverpool was expectation. He explains: "The expectancy here was obviously huge. The success of the club and its great history will always determine that it needs to be up at the top but where the club was at and where it wanted to be were two completely different things. That was the first thing I recognised in the first 50 days here.

"Then it was about slowly creating an environment to learn and improve. Once you have got more time to implement your ideas and everyone understands them, it is a smoother place for you to work. That early period was very, very difficult but I always felt that, even in those tough times, I had seen enough to show that we were progressing.

"We have got a clear vision of what we want to achieve. It is up to the manager to give the confidence to the players and staff that we are going in the right direction. Eventually there comes a point where the players will say: 'I'll go with you,' or: 'I won't.'

"I think we have had enough good performances and results consistently for the players to feel we are going in the right direction. It has been continual work, a lot of hard work, and hopefully the supporters can see that."

They rose to their feet to acclaim it last time out at Anfield.

Andy Hunter

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Real Madrid 3-0 Elche 0 | La Liga match report

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 01:24 PM PST

A fierce long-range drive by Gareth Bale helped sluggish Real Madrid to a 3-0 win over Elche that put them three points clear at the top of La Liga.

Asier Illarramendi gave Real the lead before the break but it took them until the 71st minute to score again with Bale's rocket shot before Isco added a third 10 minutes later.

Barcelona stayed in second place after they were surprisingly beaten 3-1 away to Real Sociedad. Lionel Messi pulled Barça level after Alex Song's own-goal but strikes by Antoine Griezmann and David Zurutuza completed the win as Barcelona's defence was exposed.

Real Madrid have 63 points ahead of Barça who, along with Atlético Madrid who face Osasuna on Sunday, have 60.

Illarramendi, replacing the suspended midfielder Luka Modric, broke the deadlock with a shot that clipped off Manu del Moral and wrong-footed goalkeeper Manu Herrera after 34 minutes.

Real were missing Cristiano Ronaldo as he served the final game of his three-match ban and without him they lacked spark in front of goal against an Elche side who defended solidly.

Karim Benzema forced Herrera into a save early on and the French striker, along with Ángel di María, looked the most dangerous for Real but they still needed a slice of fortune with Illarramendi's effort to give them the lead.

Bale was having a quiet game on the right wing, but the Welshman came to life with a powerful shot that went in off the crossbar midway through the second period.

With Elche's resistance broken, substitute Isco then slotted home to wrap up the points.

"[Bale] didn't have confidence before scoring a great goal and after that he was totally different," the Real coach, Carlo Ancelotti, said.

"I am satisfied because we didn't concede. Our play could have been better but at this stage of the season we need to be solid and we were. In tight games Modric gives us more options but Illarramendi did very well."


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Football League: Your thoughts | Rob Bleaney

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 01:23 PM PST

Ravel Morrison fails to halt QPR slump, Sam Vokes leads Burnley goal blitz and Wolves stun Brentford in League One
• All Saturday's results and scorers

Championship

• QPR's promotion hopes suffered another blow when Charlton's captain Johnnie Jackson headed in an injury-time winner to consign Harry Redknapp's side to their third defeat in a row. Ravel Morrison missed a golden opportunity to score on his debut after signing on loan from West Ham as Rangers' problems in front of goal continued, and the match looked like ending in a stalemate until Jackson nodded in Astrit Ajdarevic's corner at the far post. Charlton remain in the relegation places but are now just a point behind Millwall – who went down to Jim O'Brien's winner at second-bottom Barnsley – with three games in hand. Bottom-of-the-table Yeovil also won 1-0 – at home to Doncaster Rovers – to complete a memorable day for the bottom three.

• At the other end of the table Burnley stunned in-form Nottingham Forest with three goals in the first 35 minutes at Turf Moor. Scott Arfield opened the scoring before Sam Vokes struck a quick fire double. Nottingham Forest, who had not lost in the Championship since November, had to settle for a late consolation from Djamel Abdoun. Burnley remain second, eight points behind Leicester City, who cruised to a routine victory at home to Ipswich Town with goals from Jamie Vardy, David Nugent and Chris Wood. Derby are still third after Chris Martin curled a 20-yard free-kick into the top corner in the 85th minute to see off dogged Bournemouth at Pride Park.

• The race for the play-offs is hotting up, with Blackburn's win at sixth-placed Reading offering hope to a number of teams currently sitting in mid-table. Craig Conway's deflected shot on his full Rovers debut was enough to see off Nigel Adkins' side despite a couple of late efforts from the former Real Madrid winger Royston Drenthe. Wigan recorded a similarly impressive victory at Brighton thanks to goals from James McArthur and Chris McCann. A run of five wins in six games has put the FA Cup holders right back in contention for a play-off place.

League One

• Wolves blew the race for the Championship wide open with a brilliant 3-0 win at leaders Brentford in League One's game of the day. James Henry curled in the opener at the end of the first half to put Wolves in charge, and Michael Jacobs landed two more killer blows in the 72nd and 85th minutes to end the Bees' 19-match unbeaten run and inflict manager Mark Warburton's first defeat since taking charge. The result meant Wolves leapfrogged Brentford into second place, and opened the door for Leyton Orient to go top with a victory over Swindon notable for two penalties, both of which were converted by Lloyd James. Just one point now separates the top three with two automatic promotion places up for grabs, but Orient have played two games more than both of their rivals.

• There were some impressive performances from teams at the foot of the table, with away wins for Crawley Town and Crewe Alexandra lifting both clubs out of the relegation zone. Matt Tubbs, who returned to Crawley in January after the chairman Dave Pottinger asked the fans who they would most like the club to sign in the transfer window, bagged a brace as the strugglers shocked play-off contenders Walsall. Crewe also climbed out of the relegation zone after Arsenal's on-loan midfielder Chuks Aneke scored his 12th of the season from the penalty spot in a 3-1 victory at Port Vale.

• Shrewsbury Town produced the comeback of the day in the quintessential relegation six-pointer at Notts County. Michael Jackson, who was only appointed manager on a permanent basis on Friday, saw his struggling side go 2-0 down in the first 13 minutes, but a Jon Taylor double drew Shrewsbury level before David McAllister scored a scrappy winner with 20 minutes to go after County striker James Spencer was sent off. It was Town's first win since New Year's Day and lifted them above their opponents into 22nd, four points from safety.

League Two

• The battle for promotion in England's fourth tier is just as tight after relegation-threatened Wycombe Wanderers shocked table-topping Chesterfield thanks to a first-half penalty from Max Kretzschmar. The day's events so angered the Spireites manager Paul Cook he was sent to the stands at half-time, and his mood will not have been helped by the news that just three points now separate the leading four teams in the division.

• Scunthorpe head the chasing pack and are in ominous form. David Syers scored the first hat-trick of his career in the 5-1 hammering of Portsmouth to leave manager Russ Wilcox hailing his side's "most complete attacking performance of the season". Scunthorpe are now unbeaten in 16 matches and are a point ahead of Rochdale, for whom Jamie Allen's goal was enough to see off Exeter, who have not won at home since 5 October.

• Still propping up the table are Northampton Town, but perhaps not for much longer after a 2-0 victory over promotion-chasing Hartlepool drew them level on points with Torquay, who went down at home to Accrington Stanley. The Cobblers sacked Aidy Boothroyd in December but somehow managed to persuade Chris Wilder to leave promotion-chasing Oxford United and have now won two out of five since his arrival in January.

Rob Bleaney

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Scottish roundup: Lyle Taylor helps Partick end home hoodoo against Dons

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 11:36 AM PST

• Garry Warren header gives Caley victory over St Johnstone
• Yoann Arquin and Melvin De Leeuw score in Ross County win

Partick Thistle achieved their first home victory of the season with a fine 3-1 win against Aberdeen at Firhill.

Barry Robson missed a first-half penalty for the Dons before Conrad Balatoni opened the scoring in the contest after 59 minutes. Lyle Taylor scored five minutes later to double the Thistle advantage but Adam Rooney pulled a goal back for the visitors with a header before Taylor, who had passed up other goalscoring opportunities, added his second goal with a fine finish.

The victory keeps the Jags above St Mirren in the lower half of the Scottish Premiership table. The Dons missed a chance to extend the distance to third-placed Motherwell.

Melvin De Leeuw came off the bench to strike the winning goal for Ross County in an entertaining match against St Mirren at Victoria Park.

Yoann Arquin gave County a deserved lead in the 38th minute but John McGinn levelled the score midway through the second half. With seven minutes remaining De Leeuw finished an Arquin cutback to seal a 2-1 victory. The result meant County moved ahead of their visitors in the league standings and into ninth place.

A first-half header from the defender Garry Warren earned Inverness only their third Scottish Premiership victory against St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park. The Highlanders deservedly struck four minutes before the break and held fast during a more even second half to claim the 1-0 win that ensured they kept pace with Dundee United in fourth place, who are above them on goal difference.

Hibernian controlled possession for large spells of the Premiership match at Kilmarnock but ultimately failed to earn the win that would have elevated them into the top six.

Hibs fought back to draw 1-1 after Rory McKenzie had given Killie a first-half lead. But after Danny Haynes restored parity early in the second half the Easter Road side had plenty of opportunities for their third win of the season over the Ayrshire team.

In League One, Rangers were denied their 10th victory in a row as Stenhousemuir claimed a well-deserved point at Ibrox in a exciting 3-3 draw. Stenhousemuir had twice led through Sean Dickson and Sean Higgins. Nicky Law and a Ross McMillan own goal had helped draw Rangers level before Jon Daly appeared to have set the home side on course for another three points. But Higgins scored the equalising goal from the penalty spot with 15 minutes remaining.

Nial Briggs

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Crystal Palace v Manchester United – as it happened | Michael Butler

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 11:31 AM PST

Minute-by-minute report: Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie scored to seal a Manchester United win over Crystal Palace, who remain two points over the drop zone

Michael Butler

Crystal Palace 0-2 Man Utd

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 11:30 AM PST

Wayne Rooney is wasting no time paying back that £300,000 a week. For long spells, Manchester United laboured for inspiration against an admirably defiant Crystal Palace and there were times when it felt like this would be another occasion when David Moyes found himself answering more awkward questions. The ingredients were there: a fitful United performance, a boisterous atmosphere and underdogs who relished making life as uncomfortable as possible for Moyes's side.

Instead, without ever suggesting that talk of their decline is premature, United moved up to sixth with their first victory in three matches, and the win was given unwarranted gloss by a spectacular goal from Rooney, celebrating the lucrative five-and-a-half-year deal that he signed on Friday night in style.

Already ahead thanks to Robin van Persie's penalty in the 62nd minute, Rooney underlined why Moyes was so desperate for him to stay by ending Palace's resistance with a rocket of a shot into the top corner in the 68th minute. That's why he gets the big bucks that mean he certainly does not need the loose change that was thrown at him from a section of the crowd before a corner in the first half. Palace could face a charge from the Football Association if the referee, Michael Oliver, includes the incident in his report.

"I don't think it will bother Wayne at all," Moyes said. "I'm sure all those people will be cheering him on in Brazil in three months." United's manager was happier to talk about Rooney's moment of magic instead. "Sometimes when he's not got time to think, he does things naturally," Moyes said. "All that natural talent, the technique, the ability to get his weight behind the ball. He works so hard."

Yet, while Rooney was prominently involved, always demanding the ball and at the heart of the action, United were often disjointed. This had promised to be an awkward occasion for them on a ground where they have had difficulties in the past, never more so than on that infamous January evening in 1995 when Eric Cantona attacked a Palace fan after being sent off. The memories of that kung-fu kick still linger, with Palace warning that any United fan wearing a Cantona mask would be turned away. The visiting support contented themselves with repeated renditions of the Frenchman's name instead.

As for the current Palace side, they have been obdurate opponents under Tony Pulis at Selhurst Park and this was only their second home defeat since his arrival in November. Palace's players have bought into Pulis's vision so wholeheartedly that you can almost imagine a day when they take to the pitch wearing baseball caps in honour of their manager.

Yet, as tirelessly as Palace worked, there was rarely a sense that they possessed the quality to trouble United. They seriously threatened only twice – David de Gea saving in a cluttered first half when Chris Smalling diverted a Jonathan Parr header goalwards and then denying Cameron Jerome, on as a substitute, an equaliser shortly after Van Persie's goal – and remain two points above the bottom three.

The United team was strong on paper, with Rooney and Van Persie supported by the twinkle-toed Juan Mata and Adnan Januzaj. Given licence to roam, there were encouraging flashes as the quartet interchanged adroitly. In theory, it should work. All four are exceptional, decisive matchwinners but more often than not Mata and Rooney got in each other's way. More worryingly, the suspicion persists that United have forgotten how to attack, as if their players lack belief in how they are being asked to play. The number of times United hit long diagonal passes towards the far post for Marouane Fellaini, underwhelming in midfield after a three-month absence with a wrist injury, to attack was disconcerting. For a club that still harbours ambitions of finishing in the top four, United need to play with more poise and class.

They did create chances, though. Fellaini badly sliced wide from 12 yards and Januzaj firmly drilled a shot past Julián Speroni, only for the goal to be disallowed for a handball by the teenager, but the best opportunity fell to Nemanja Vidic. Rooney sent an inswinging cross from the left towards the far post and, when Damien Delaney cleared it off the line, Vidic somehow headed over from three yards out.

Just as United were growing frustrated, they were gifted the breakthrough, just after the hour. There appeared to be no danger when Patrice Evra burst into the area from the left, but Marouane Chamakh will rue the clumsy foul that handed Van Persie the chance to put United ahead. Van Persie sent Speroni the wrong way and later hit the bar after a snaking run on the counter.

The goal relaxed United and, when Evra pulled a cross back from the left, what happened next was inevitable: Rooney spanking the bouncing ball past Speroni in a flash.

Jacob Steinberg

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Leicester City 3-0 Ipswich Town | Championship match report

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 10:37 AM PST

PressJamie Vardy, David Nugent and Chris Wood bagged a goal each to give Leicester a comfortable win over Ipswich at the King Power Stadium.

Vardy struck for his 12th goal of the season in the 19th minute and Nugent tapped home for his 18th on the half-hour mark. Substitute Wood netted in the 88th minute as City remained at the top of the Sky Bet Championship and stretched their unbeaten run in the league to 13 games.

Both sides were forced into making changes. Leicester were without Paul Konchesky, who started a three match ban having been red carded at Nottingham Forest in midweek, with Jeff Schlupp replacing him at left back.

Ipswich top scorer David McGoldrick was out with a knee ligament injury and Frank Nouble took his place in attack.

The Foxes totally dominated the first half with the blistering pace of Vardy up front terrorising the Ipswich defence.

In the first 10 seconds he chased a long ball down the middle but stumbled just when he looked to be through on goal.

It was all City in the opening stages and Dean Gerken had to scramble away a header from Wes Morgan in the fourth minute. Then, in a rare Ipswich breakaway, Anthony Knockaert's poor pass gave Paul Green a chance but he put his shot just wide of the far post.

Kasper Schmeichel had to tip over a cross-cum-shot from Aaron Cresswell but it was no real surprise when the Foxes took the lead in the 19th minute through Vardy. He anticipated a poor back pass from Jay Tabb, nipped in, went round Gerken and slid the ball home from a tight angle for his 12th goal of the season.

Ipswich had no answer to his pace and City's attacking invention and a second goal duly arrived on the half-hour mark.

Again Vardy was at the heart of the action, chasing down another long ball in the right-hand channel before playing a neat pass to Ritchie De Laet. His cross was half cleared by Christophe Berra straight back to De Laet, who this time found Nugent unmarked inside the six-yard box and a simple tap-in gave him his 50th goal for City and his 18th of the season.

It remained one-way traffic and, when Vardy was fouled just outside the penalty area, Knockaert's free-kick swerved narrowly wide of Gerken's left-hand post.

The half ended with Marcin Wasilewski putting a header just over the bar from a Matty James cross.

City continued their domination at the start of the second half with Lloyd Dyer racing clear only to disappoint with a poor final pass. Ipswich had hardly had a look in but suddenly hit back with a good ball across goal by Stephen Hunt that found Daryl Murphy, but his shot on the turn was straight at Schmeichel.

In the 71st minute Vardy was replaced by Wood and left to a standing ovation.

Good work by Wood almost brought a third goal with Schlupp bringing a fine save from Gerken with a fierce shot at the near post. With two minutes to go, Wood seized on a pass from James to rifle in City's third goal to clinch their 12th home win of the season.


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Burnley 3-1 Nottingham Forest | Championship match report

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 10:23 AM PST

This was an emphatic warning to the rest of the Championship's promotion chasers: Burnley are serious about ending a four-year exile from the top flight via a top-two finish. Despite occupying a lofty position throughout this season, there has been an inescapable feeling that they have been keeping someone else's place warm. Here they made such a theory look crass.

"It's only outside noise, really. We focus on what we are doing," said the Lancashire club's manager, Sean Dyche. "The mantra has been clear since pre-season. It's been one game at a time, we have never gone beyond that. The players are hungry every time the whistle blows and that's what we have come to expect from them."

Dyche described the performance as the best during his Turf Moor tenure and it was hard to challenge that, so irresistible were the home team in comprehensively dismantling Forest's 14-match unbeaten record, one which stretched back to November. Three goals to the good inside 35 minutes, there cannot have been a more purposeful period of attacking play witnessed outside the top flight this season. It was certainly worthy of the standing ovation provided by the Turf Moor regulars at the interval.

Boasting the Football League's only unbeaten home record, Burnley started on the front foot and did not relinquish that positive momentum. Indeed, Forest's goal first came under threat inside two minutes when Sam Vokes swivelled on a shot that squirmed under the body of goalkeeper Karl Darlow. It took Gonzalo Jara to hack the ball away as it rolled towards the goalline.

They were behind within a dozen minutes as Scott Arfield made a mockery of the number of red shirts cocooning him on the edge of the area. The Scottish midfielder bumped off Djamel Abdoun, nutmegged Danny Fox and fired under the body of Darlow – the ball ricocheting off the turf and under the crossbar.

It was a wretched return to the Lancashire town for Fox, one of the players to have graced the Premier League for Burnley in 2009-10. Although what he could have done to stop the Brazilian beat in Kieran Trippier's feet heaven knows. Trippier danced one way, ghosted the other, transferred the ball on to his right boot and then on to Vokes's head for Burnley's aesthetically pleasing second in the 25th minute.

That was Trippier's 13th assist in the Championship this season. Not bad for a full-back. No one in the division can match it and his closest rival, Andy Reid, was prevented from taking his place in the visitors' team due to a calf strain.

Understrength and under orders to match Burnley's physicality, Forest's spectacular failure was compounded when Vokes doubled his tally and killed the contest with a deflected effort that left Darlow stranded.

Forest, sent back on to the field early by Billy Davies, were more purposeful after the break and looked most likely to reduce the deficit whenever Abdoun swung in a corner. Twice the young defender Jamaal Lascelles was denied from such set pieces: first when his instinctive sidefoot came back into play off the bar, then when a towering header was cleared off the line by Trippier.

And their improved showing was rewarded 11 minutes from time when substitute Simon Cox theatrically hit the turf under attention from Duff. Although Tom Heaton parried Abdoun's spot-kick, he was unable to prevent his opponent nodding in the rebound.

Jamie Paterson's angled drive a minute later would have increased the tension had its course travelled the other side of an upright but Burnley kept their two-goal advantage and will head into March in second place.

Not that Forest manager Davies has given up on overhauling them. "There are 14 games to go, there are lots of points to play for and lots of things can happen," he said.

Richard Gibson

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Charlton Athletic 1-0 Queens Park Rangers | Championship match report

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 10:13 AM PST

Ravel Morrison's QPR debut ended in disappointment after the on-loan West Ham attacker squandered his side's best chance of the match, before Charlton stole the points at The Valley with a stoppage-time goal to win 1-0.

"We had a great chance to go in front with two or three minutes to go through Ravel Morrison, but he saw the ball too late," QPR's manager, Harry Redknapp, told the club's website. "However, I thought Ravel was excellent today on an almost impossible pitch. He was head and shoulders above anyone on the field."

Johnnie Jackson's decisive header from an Astrit Ajdarevic corner secured a first league win since Boxing Day for the home side, and a third defeat in a row for Redknapp's side, who now sit in fourth place, seven points off the top-two automatic-promotion places.

Redknapp had to make do without the suspended Joey Barton, so Tom Carroll started in midfield, while Morrison made his debut after signing for the rest of the season. Although QPR played the more intricate and neat football in the early stages, it was Charlton who could have gone ahead after 12 minutes. Jordan Cousins hit a cracking drive from almost 30 yards, which hit Rob Green's left upright, before Reza Ghoochannejhad snatched at the follow-up, which came back off Green's left post with the keeper stranded.

Had Danny Green made a better choice, the Addicks may have had another opportunity but he played a reverse pass when Cousins was far better placed. Redknapp tried to shake things up by replacing Junior Hoilett with the on-loan Manchester United youngster Will Keane in the second half. Moments later Rangers wasted by far their best opening when an unmarked Morrison lashed a 14-yard shot well wide. And they were made to pay in stoppage time, when Jackson's last-gasp intervention sealed the points for the hosts.


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Manchester City 1-0 Stoke City

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 09:32 AM PST

There was a long time here when Manchester City's supporters could have been forgiven for wondering where the free-scoring, joyriding team, averaging four goals in every home game and seeing off all-comers, had gone.

Manuel Pellegrini's side had plodded through the first hour and looked on course for a third successive league game without a goal until finally they flickered into the old routine.

Yaya Touré's decisive contribution, turning in Aleksandar Kolarov's low cross after 70 minutes, was the culmination of an improved second-half performance and the fact that Stoke, after an encouraging start, appeared to lose any sense of ambition. Mark Hughes's side really ought to have shown more adventure because there was no doubt this was one of the least distinguished performances from Pellegrini's men.

Instead, Stoke invited trouble and eventually found it. Even on an off-day, the most prolific side in the country are always liable to find a way if the opposition are this obliging.

The most positive aspect for the winners is that it did at least show they are capable of nicking the unsightly 1-0 win that can always come in useful for a side with title aspirations. Yet it was a strange display.

Probably the most memorable moment came shortly after the goal when the substitute Jesús Navas rolled the ball into Edin Dzeko's path for what should have been a simple tap-in. Dzeko had played miserably and, from a yard out, somehow managed to get his feet tangled together. The kung fu kick on the goalpost that followed it probably emanated as much from embarrassment as annoyance.

Dzeko had become a scapegoat for the crowd even before that moment – they know it here as a Lee Bradbury-type performance – but he was not alone in lacking sureness on the ball. Álvaro Negredo has had a splendid first season in Manchester but he has faded badly and was substituted early in the second half. With Dzeko looking so maladroit, Pellegrini will be anxiously hoping Sergio Agüero is fit for the Capital One Cup final against Sunderland next Sunday, not least because the luckless Stevan Jovetic lasted 12 minutes as a second-half substitute before picking up a hamstring injury.

This was certainly a different City performance from those days when Norwich were hit for seven, Tottenham and Arsenal had six put past them and Manchester United sieved four. "We cannot pretend that we will win by three or four goals in every match," Pellegrini said.

"Teams come here to defend. We must try to find more space in these defences but it is important to know how to win in both ways – and if you cannot score lots of goals to get a clean sheet and have the patience to score at least one. We didn't create many chances because Stoke defended very well, with all the team behind the ball, but we had the patience. The satisfaction is the same because we have three points more on the table."

He made a valid point, and will be encouraged by the way Touré and David Silva kept probing at the visiting defence, as well as the energy of Navas after he had replaced Fernandinho.

All the same, a team with City's ambitions might be concerned about the sudden and unexpected deterioration in their attacking play. "It's normal during the season," Pellegrini said. "Every player can have a bad day. Dzeko had a bad day. Maybe he was nervous after missing that goal. But I continue to have trust in him. Álvaro Negredo was coming back from an injury and these things happen sometimes. I trust all of them and I am sure they will recover their normal performance."

Stoke have now lost all six of their league games on this ground with an aggregate 15-0 score, and Hughes complained that in the first half there were "three or four opportunities when my players were taken out", indicating that Vincent Kompany might have picked up more than one yellow card. "At half-time we were really pleased, but we knew there would be a reaction. From then on, we found it difficult to get out. But I don't think there was a great swell of momentum, or that we had to repel attack after attack. We just made a couple of consecutive errors for their goal."

Samir Nasri started the move, playing the ball out to Kolarov on the left and Touré was the quickest to react to the full-back's cross, stretching out those powerful limbs and sweeping the ball past Asmir Begovic for his 16th goal of the season.

Daniel Taylor

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Cardiff City 0-4 Hull City

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 09:27 AM PST

Cardiff were crushed 4-0 at home by Hull on Saturday – but manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer felt it could have all been so different had his team taken one of their early chances. The Bluebirds showed early promise, but ended up suffering their biggest home reverse since Cambridge United won at Ninian Park back in April, 2000.

A four-goal hiding against another bottom-half club was not what was expected, or needed, as the season reaches crunch time, and left Solskjaer pondering what might have been.

"You get the first goal, it's a different game." said the beleaguered Norwegian, whose side are languishing 19th in the Barclays Premier League table - three points from safety. We didn't, and that changed the complexion of the game. That's how it is. If you don't take your chances and they are efficient and score the other way, you've got to hold your hands up and say you don't deserve to get the better result.

"I think everyone realises what situation we're in, and you can't hide the fact that we lost against a team in and around us and they've gone away from us now. It's going to take a momentous run to catch some of the teams. The only way I know how to get out of disappointment is to work hard, look forward, do the right things, not make rash decisions."

Cardiff failed to give owner Vincent Tan - who is 62 on Sunday - any kind of birthday present. A deflected shot from Tom Huddlestone, a brace from the clinical Nikica Jelavic and a goal on the counter-attack from Jake Livermore sealed it for the visitors.

Solskjaer added: "It's not the best birthday present to give him (Tan), is it? And it's mine on Wednesday, so of course we wanted to get three points here.

"The third goal was the one that stopped the belief that we were going to get anything positive out of the game, but what I will say is that we still kept at it, the lads never got their heads down and stopped trying.

"That's a positive thing - even though you're 4-0 down you still try to get something out of the game, a goal for a player or chances, and we did create chances."

Steve Bruce was delighted with Jelavic and Shane Long, who linked up and looked dangerous. He said: "I didn't think we played particularly well in the first half. I thought we gave the ball away too cheaply, but what's got us the win is the little bit of quality we've invested in up the top end of the pitch. When you're not playing particularly well and you've got two like we've got, you're a threat.

"That, for me, was the big difference in the whole game - that ability to score a goal and with these two in the team; we've all of a sudden got it."

Bruce is well aware of the competition in the Premier League and knows the survival job is nowhere near done.

"In this league you can quite easily go six without a win. For a newly promoted team the players have got a fantastic hunger to be Premier League players. I've always said from day one you need 10 wins, and you're always going to get a few draws."

It was the dangerous Jelavic who extended his side's lead in the 38th minute, following a comfortable one-two with his strike partner. Picking the ball up on the break, the Croatian played it down the left channel to Long, who had plenty of time to return the favour as the home midfield failed to track Jelavic's run. He side-footed it home.

The Bluebirds felt aggrieved at the hands of Howard Webb, who in the first half turned down penalty claims from the winger Craig Noone and later Jones, when Jelavic appeared to climb over himIn his programme notes, Solskjaer urged his players to show calmness, maturity and patience. All three were tested in the second period as the minutes ticked by but the zero next to their name on the stadium's scoreboard continued to loom large.

Jelavic had no problem changing the digits for Hull, however. On 57 minutes, he finished off a curling cross from the unchallenged Rosenior, glancing an unmarked header into the far corner.

Then, when the home full-back Andrew Taylor surrendered the ball in the Hull half, Ahmed Elmohamady charged forward and found Livermore on the edge of the area to make it 4-0.

With the Tigers out of sight, Cardiff continued to press for a consolation, Noone and Campbell both having chances. But not since Cambridge won 4-0 at Ninian Park back in April 2000 have the Bluebirds suffered such a heavy home defeat. PA


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West Bromwich Albion 1-1 Fulham | Premier League match report

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 09:18 AM PST

Felix Magath, notwithstanding a reputation as the harshest taskmaster in European football, refused to attach any blame to Maarten Stekelenburg after the latest new Fulham manager's perfect start in English football was spoiled by his goalkeeper's failure to keep out Matej Vydra's late equaliser.

Instead, the first German to manage in the Barclays Premier League expressed an increased conviction that he can steer Fulham to safety and so enhance the other aspect of his reputation in his homeland as the master of the great escape.

Fulham, leading through Ashkan Dejagah's rare goal, looked on course for their first win since New Year's Day until Stekelenburg got only one hand to Vydra's shot on the turn, following Victor Anichebe's cross after a second-half assault that merited West Bromwich Albion their point, and turned to see it roll over the line before he could scoop the ball away.

So Fulham remain bottom of the table after their latest managerial change, but Magath has seen enough to convince him that they will avoid relegation. "I was sure before the game that we would stay up," he said, "and I'm sure after the game. We were close to winning the game and the next game we will win."

Magath was unabashed when he was reminded that Chelsea are the visitors to Craven Cottage next week. Then again, he took no umbrage when it was suggested that a German would have appreciated goalline technology being introduced before now; but any reference to the 1966 World Cup final appeared to be lost in translation. "I have always wondered why everyone does not have goalline technology," he said. "I think it would have been terrible if the referee does not see the ball was over the line."

Magath, rather than dispatching Stekelenburg on any medicine-ball runs through the countryside today, absolved his Dutch goalkeeper of any responsibility for the late equaliser. "He was [playing] very well," he said. "The shot was only from a few metres out. It can happen. I don't see the goalkeeper is at fault."

Indeed, Pepe Mel, the West Brom manager still seeking his first win in English football after six matches, made Stekelenburg his man of the match, and the saves made from Thievy Bifouma on a breakaway in the first half, and from Chris Brunt in added time, offered credence to such a verdict.

For the fourth consecutive home game, West Brom have come from behind to salvage a point, as belatedly they found their rhythm. The home team dominated the second half, thanks to Brunt's promptings from a deeper central midfield role, Victor Anichebe's greater muscle as the attacking fulcrum and Morgan Amalfitano's excellent service from right-back.

The West Brom head coach admits he is at a loss to explain why his players, who stay a point above the relegation zone despite a run of one win in 18 games, are capable of such barnstorming second halves after looking so lacklustre in opening periods.

Yet again at The Hawthorns they have rallied from behind to stay unbeaten against Everton, Liverpool, Chelsea and now Fulham. "We should have more points but in the first half, my team is too open," he said. "At half-time I spoke with my players and we went from having two strikers to 4-3-3 and it was better for us. All the pitches are no good at the moment and the short pass is a problem.

"All the games here have been the same. Everton? Good second half, after we changed things. Liverpool, Chelsea, the same, and today. For me, the best player on the pitch is the Fulham goalkeeper."

Lewis Holtby was the creative catalyst for Fulham who looked set to continue the good form they had shown in drawing with Manchester United and losing narrowly to Liverpool in what turned out to be the end of René Meulensteen's short reign.

With Scott Parker and Steve Sidwell restored together in the midfield engine room, Holtby shot just wide after playing a one-two with the recalled Hugo Rodallega and Fulham went ahead through another player to have served under Magath before.

Dejagah, formerly at Wolfsburg, was the beneficiary of Albion's openness when Kieran Richardson broke away down the left wing and crossed to where Holtby and Rodallega both missed the ball only for the Iranian still to have the time and space to control and shoot beyond – and, it has to be said, under – Ben Foster. But the England player's misjudgement was not the worst goalkeeping mistake of the day.


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West Ham United 3-1 Southampton | Premier League match report

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 09:16 AM PST

From jaded January to fabulous February, West Ham's season has come full circle. This, their fourth victory in succession, was a win straight from the Sam Allardyce textbook – ruthless, efficient and, at times, unlikely – a further tonic to aid the Hammers' renaissance and consign to history the doom surrounding the club last month.

Goals from Matt Jarvis, Carlton Cole and Kevin Nolan in response to an early effort from Maya Yoshida elevated West Ham into the Premier League's top half again. They are now seven points above Sunderland, in 18th, and only a significant collapse would have them sliding back into the relegation mire.

Credit to Allardyce, whose side were at times outplayed and outpassed by Southampton, but fought with a clinical edge that Mauricio Pochettino's men lacked. Nolan and Mark Noble were particularly effective in midfield, Nolan putting a gloss on the result with an acrobatic bicycle kick for his fifth goal in four matches, to ease the pain of his double sending-off earlier in the season.

Allardyce said: "It's been a fantastic month. The four wins on the trot from where we were is an outstanding performance from the players. It's all about the resilience in defence and the qualities of scoring a goal. The three we scored today were excellent."

Southampton scored early and were in complete control until the game dramatically turned after 20 minutes. Before then, Pochettino's side had dominated possession and were moving the ball with the ease.

Adam Lallana, refereed here by Mark Clattenburg for the first time since Southampton made a complaint about the official in December, played a key role in the opening goal. The England international was felled on the right-hand side by James Tomkins after eight minutes and Saints scored from the resulting free-kick, Yoshida outjumping George McCartney with ease to head the ball into the top corner of the net.

But Southampton's good work was undone in the space of three frantic minutes. Having sustained a period of pressure, West Ham turned the match on its head through goals from Jarvis and Cole, the first coming in controversial circumstances. Jarvis, picked out by Nolan's fine chip over the top, broke clear of Southampton's back four and – from a marginally offside position – went on to nudge the ball through Artur Boruc's legs for the equaliser.

Pochettino said: "It's clear it came from an offside position and that was unlucky for us. The team struggled to recover from 2-1. We were quite unlucky with the decisions and that we didn't score more goals. It seems the stars are not with us when Mr Clattenburg referees us."

West Ham were rejuvenated and took the lead soon afterwards. This time, though, Southampton had no one to blame but themselves, with Cole rising to head Stewart Downing's corner on to a post and sweeping home the rebound.

Ricky Lambert almost responded immediately, only to see his header hit the woodwork, while Lallana failed to steer home a low cross by Luke Shaw in the second half after a surging run from the left-back.

Nolan secured the victory with impressive improvisation. Downing crossed from the right and, as Cole's header ricocheted off a defender, Nolan was there to acrobatically volley past Boruc.

"He's gone about his job and has repaid everybody at the club for what happened," Allardyce said of the midfielder. "There is confidence growing in the team and we are pulling away from the danger area that bit more."

James Riach

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Arsenal 4-1 Sunderland

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 09:13 AM PST

Arsène Wenger had maintained that Olivier Giroud had the strength of character to rise above his off-the-field problems, that the centre-forward was one of those guys who found release from other matters when the intensity of the day job took over. Giroud proved him right here, as Arsenal did what they have done for almost the entire Premier League season: beat teams that they ought to be beating.

Giroud is hardly the first married footballer to be rumbled when sneaking a girl into his hotel room but the revelations over two Sundays earlier in the month came at a time when he was looking jaded on the field and the sense of personal crisis was strong enough for Wenger to leave him out of Wednesday's Champions League last-16 first-leg tie at home to Bayern Munich, which Arsenal lost 2-0. Giroud had also sat out last weekend's 2-1 home win over Liverpool in the FA Cup.

He returned against a Sunderland team who might be thriving in the cups but are dicing with their Premier League status and he was the principal reason why this game was effectively over by half-time. He scored two and laid on another for Tomas Rosicky as Arsenal offered an excellent impression in how to win without breaking sweat.

Arsenal scored two marvellous team goals – Rosicky's was a beauty – they were impressive across midfield and, also, supremely untroubled at the back but for Sunderland, the picture was somewhat darker. The manager, Gus Poyet, had suggested that his players were playing for their places in next Sunday's Capital One Cup final against Manchester City; this was an audition flunked. "Everything I had in mind for next weekend has gone," Poyet said. "I have to start again from zero."

Wenger claimed that he had omitted Mesut Özil because of a minor thigh problem rather than the Germany midfielder's own crisis, after the penalty miss against Bayern, but the issue was no more than a footnote. The only blots for Arsenal were the losses of the defenders Nacho Monreal and Laurent Koscielny to foot and back injuries respectively, although Wenger said neither was serious. "Both of them should be available next weekend [at Stoke City]," he said.

Jack Wilshere also felt tightness in his hamstring, with Wenger saying he was less sure whether "it's bad or not."

Arsenal always seem to be charged with offering a response or making some sort of statement but for Giroud, this was an important occasion. Whatever the whys and wherefores, the bottom line is that he was dropped for the glamour tie against Bayern and it would have hurt, particularly as his replacement was the untested 21-year-old Yaya Sanogo.

Giroud's bid for happier headlines was fired early on and the breakthrough was stamped with Arsenal's trademark passing. The ball was worked from right to left before Lukas Podolski provided the incision and the outstanding Rosicky flicked first-time for Wilshere. Phil Bardsley crashed into Wilshere only for the ball to squirt to Giroud and he tucked it away. The Frenchman beat his heart in the celebrations.

Arsenal bossed the possession and Sunderland were second best in every department, with Poyet lamenting his players' "poor technique, poor reading of the game, being second best on second balls and in sprints and power".

Podolski cut through the fancy stuff on the edge of the area with a thumping 25-yarder that worked Vito Mannone before Sunderland pressed the self-destruct button.

Mannone played the ball out to Santiago Vergini, the Argentinian centre-half who endured a hapless full Premier League debut, and he rolled it wide to Bardsley. It felt a bit tight as Bardsley played it back to Vergini and Arsenal pressed but Vergini's next decision mixed sloppiness and madness.

His back-pass was intended for Mannone but found only Giroud, and he slid home his 16th goal of the season almost apologetically.

Sunderland's supporters contended themselves with the knowledge that they were going to Wembley and whatever else would be, yet it threatened to get ugly for them when Arsenal carved out a masterpiece for the third. A blur of first-time passing, which was initiated by Rosicky, finished with him working a one-two with Giroud and clipping over the advancing Mannone.

Sunderland played for pride in the second half but things got worse when Koscielny powered a free header past the exposed Mannone. The corner had been conceded when Vergini sliced narrowly wide of his own goal. All Poyet could take was the way his players kept going. One substitute, Sebastian Larsson, fizzed a free-kick inches wide before another, Emanuele Giaccherini, beat Wojciech Szczesny with a lovely drive from distance.

But the afternoon belonged to one man. At full-time, Giroud embraced Mannone before taking the applause from all corners of the ground. "I had no hesitation about Olivier," Wenger said. "I wanted him to come back and be successful and he was."

David Hytner

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Cardiff City 0-4 Hull City

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 09:12 AM PST

Premier League: Hull City romped to a win to pile the pressure on relegation-threatened Cardiff

Manchester City 1-0 Stoke City

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 09:12 AM PST

Premier League: Yaya Touré scored the winner as City kept up the pressure in the hunt for the title

Arsenal 4-1 Sunderland

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 09:12 AM PST

Premier League: Olivier Giroud scored twice as title-chasing Arsenal eased to a victory against lowly Sunderland

Saturday football clockwatch – as it happened | Niall McVeigh

Posted: 22 Feb 2014 09:09 AM PST

Arsenal and Man City kept up their pursuit of leaders Chelsea with contrasting home wins, while Hull thrashed Cardiff 4-0. West Ham earned a fourth straight win, and Fulham drew 1-1 with West Brom in Felix Magath's first match in charge.

Niall McVeigh

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