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Football news, match reports and fixtures | theguardian.com

Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool are turning the tables on Manchester United | Daniel Taylor

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 03:00 PM PDT

To be contenders again, it is David Moyes who must rebuild – Rodgers' side have a system and a plan

"My reading of their squad was that they needed eight players to come up to title-winning standard." Sir Alex Ferguson, My Autobiography.

In happier times for Manchester United supporters, one of their fanzines, Red News, ran a back-page cover commemorating the "Annual Party when Liverpool can't win the League". The date was marked every time it became mathematically impossible since Liverpool's last championship in 1990. Eight different occasions in March, 12 in April and, most revealingly, three in May. At the bottom of the page, Kenny Dalglish was pictured in a straitjacket. "Next year's our year," said the speech bubble.

The relevant date last season was 16 March. A 3-1 defeat at Southampton left Liverpool 29 points from the top with 24 to play for. There have been only two occasions, in 1993 and 2005, when it has come round more quickly, and by a point each time. Yet even last season it was clear Brendan Rodgers was putting in place a philosophy, and that possibly is the most striking difference with what has been seen at Old Trafford under David Moyes.

It is not just Liverpool's momentum that has been so significant this season, nor that they have overhauled Manchester City at the top of the scoring charts, but the sense of a clear system and plan. It is all about moving the ball quickly and with purpose, playing with control and penetration, and when it comes off, with Luis Suárez at the arrowhead of their attack, it is currently the most arresting sight in English football. All of the things United supporters once took for granted about their own team.

Ferguson was certainly mistaken when he wrote about Liverpool needing eight players to "return to the level of us". But Ferguson's judgment has been misguided a few times over the past year. In October, on the opening night of his book tour, his audience at the Lowry theatre were told there was absolutely no need to panic because "we are the only club who can come from behind to win that league, because of our history". Moyes had already lost three times – a bad start, the man who had picked him for the job conceded – but Ferguson clearly had no idea just how bad it would get. "Most importantly, our younger fans have grown up, and they don't even remember when Liverpool were successful," he added.

The awkward truth for United, Ferguson and Moyes is that there has been a 40-point swing in Liverpool's favour from the corresponding stage last year. Before this weekend's matches, United have given Chelsea 37, Arsenal 35, Everton 29, Manchester City 24 and Spurs 22. Chelsea have become a speck in the distance and José Mourinho, the manager Ferguson apparently considered inferior to Moyes, now stabs at United with public sympathy. "I feel sorry for them," he said recently, and it was an outstanding choice of weapon. The one thing a club of United's size and ambition can never want is a rival's pity.

At another club – certainly Chelsea and Spurs, and possibly City – the fact of modern-day football is that Moyes would have been fired by now. United pride themselves on operating to their own principles, and bravo to them if they still genuinely believe Moyes can do, perhaps, what Rodgers has done for Liverpool in his second season. Except it still makes no sense here – and it is a notable omission in Ferguson's autobiography – about what it was that led them away from Mourinho in the first place.

Some have argued it is because he would not have appreciated United's history of nurturing young players, and there is possibly something in that. But let's get our priorities straight. Mourinho may never have brought through his own golden generation but he has won seven league titles in four different countries, the Champions League with two clubs, the Uefa Cup, the FA Cup, two League Cups, the Spanish Cup, the Italian Cup, 20 different recognised manager-of-the-year awards and once went nine years without losing a home game.

Others have tried to argue that Mourinho is a master of the dull. Yet Internazionale were the leading scorers in his two seasons in Serie A. Real Madrid amassed 326 goals in his three years in La Liga, two higher than a Barcelona side revered as the most refined club team in history. In his first spell at Chelsea, Mourinho's team outscored United in year one. They finished level the following year and there were two seasons when Ferguson's teams were the more prolific. This season will even it up at two each.

So what else? Sir Bobby Charlton once said Mourinho "pontificates too much" and that his behaviour did not fit into the United way. Others will agree after the events at Villa Park Saturday night. But what about the last man? In Ferguson's time, he fell out with, or insulted, just about every authority and rival in the business. This is the man who wrote in his first autobiography he did not feel a "crumb of pity" when a sworn enemy at Rangers was diagnosed with cancer. Ferguson was abominable, frequently. He got away with it at Old Trafford because he was a trophy machine. Mourinho would have been the same: the closest there is in football to a guarantee of success.

Hypothetical now. Instead, Liverpool's fans have apparently made a banner in tribute to Moyes – "The Chosen One … thank God!" – and it is difficult to remember a time when United's supporters have had more reason to fret about this fixture since the early part of the Ferguson era.

Rodgers is sticking to the line that realistically Liverpool's pursuit of the championship will go into a 25th year. Yet he says that to lower expectation and remove any sense of coming up short, a la Gérard Houllier's "10 games from greatness" in 2002. Don't believe he necessarily means it. Liverpool still have Chelsea and City to play at Anfield and have consistently demonstrated themselves as credible challengers.

United, in stark contrast, have gathered more unwanted records this season than they will care to remember: their first home defeat to Newcastle since 1972, the first to Everton since 1992 and the first ever to Swansea. They have lost at Stoke for the first time since 1984 and West Brom's win at Old Trafford was their first since 1978. Last season, United had 71 points after 28 games, their highest at that stage in the Premier League era. This season is their lowest, with 48. The Europa League probably comes next. For a club of such stature, it is about as appealing as head lice.

The interesting part now is whether United's crowd can resist straying into mutiny if there are more grave disappointments. Either way, the recovery process is probably going to be more challenging than many people seem to realise.

Nemanja Vidic's end-of-season departure leaves a gaping hole, for starters. Rio Ferdinand is being eased into retirement and Patrice Evra's contract expires at the end of the season. United have spent much of the past year trying, and failing, to find another left-back. Now they may need two, as well as a couple of centre‑halves, even before they look at other areas of their squad, working out which players need upgrading, and whether Robin van Persie can be trusted when he says it is untrue he has thought about cutting himself free. Van Persie would probably not care to be reminded that he came out with a similar fan-friendly statement in his final season at Arsenal: "I am committed to Arsenal, and that's how it is, despite people making up stories" – and the problem with that kind of history is that it invites scepticism.

Mourinho, in the meantime, still peers down from the top of the league despite the jolt of defeat to Villa. You know the expression: like a man who goes into the garden so the flowers can smell him, rather than the other way round. Rodgers can do that look, too, and perhaps it is dawning on Ferguson that he was wrong about them both.

How many players do United need to add, or replace, before they are back to title-winning standard? At least five. Maybe as many as eight, ironically.

Talented but arrogant, it's too late for Bendtner to be whipped into shape

It feels like a long time ago since I sat opposite Nicklas Bendtner, in an upstairs room at Arsenal's training ground, and listened to his master-plan about establishing himself as one of the greats of his sport.

Bendtner gave the impression he probably shouted out his own name during sex. "In my opinion I don't know why anyone would question me," he said. "Trust me, it will happen. I look around at other players, I see my own ability and I can't see anything that tells me it won't happen. I'm sure people will think, 'What is he talking about?' But as I have done before, and will do again, I will laugh at those people when it is all done."

Anyone with this ego may just have to understand the shortage of public sympathy when everything unravels and all the boasts look incredibly empty. Yet the Bendtner story is still a sad one. No matter how much he over‑egged his own ability, he was still one of the bright young talents in the sport a few years ago. Sure, his arrogance was bound to rub up people the wrong way, but at 21 he was not the serial waster we see today and Arsenal, with their chronic over-reliance on Olivier Giroud, could have done with that driven, ambitious striker this season.

Instead, Bendtner's career has spiralled to the point that even Arsène Wenger, that fierce protector of his own, offers the clear impression he has given up on him. Bendtner's latest indiscretion, apparently threatening a taxi driver then unbuttoning his trousers, rubbing himself against the side of the cab and whipping the vehicle with his belt, took place in Copenhagen while his team-mates were being knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich.

It is part of a recurring theme of lost nights, often involving alcohol, and if Wenger struggles to conceal his disdain it is because he knows there is nothing quite so depressing in sport as talent going to waste. Bendtner, one suspects, will realise the same one day, though almost certainly too late.

Daniel Taylor

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Said & Done: The week in football - RVP, Ronaldinho and a punk attitude

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 02:49 PM PDT

The week in football – Hoeness taking advantage; RVP on the press; Ronaldinho's full of money; plus a punk attitude

Stepping aside

Bayern Munich CEO Uli Hoeness: jailed for £23.8m of personal tax evasion, a year after his call for a fair financial ethos in football – a demand for Uefa to "kill" wealthy clubs trying to take advantage, and praise for sanctions already taken against Málaga. "The Málaga owner did not pay his bills. He lived beyond his means."

• Also from the 2013 interview: reasons why operating on the fair side of finance feels so good. "At Bayern we have not been in debt for 32 years. We never have to go to the credit department of a bank. Being able to do that is something which lets you sleep very well at night."

Meanwhile

Taking up the fair play cause: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, unhappy with the rich flouting financial ethics – "we have to try to come back to a rational and a fair way" – four months after his €249,000 fine for failing to pay tax on two Rolexes received as gifts in Qatar.

Victim of the week

Robin van Persie: confronting media lies about his United future. "People are taking it upon themselves to think for me … I'm the only one who knows exactly what I'm feeling and that is not what I or the fans have been reading. The truth is I'm very happy here at this club … This is how I feel, though it's not what has been suggested in the media."

• Oct 2011, Robin van Persie: "I want to say something about my commitment to Arsenal because there have been many stories in the media lately. I am committed to Arsenal, and that's how it is, despite people [in the media] making up stories … I am committed, I am captain – fans should not believe everything they read."

Integrity news

Governing the football family last week – Central American confederation Concacaf, spelling out a new zero tolerance message for players who take bribes – a year after they reacted to the expiry of executive Horace Burrell's six-month ban for taking bribes by rehiring him, as head of finance, compliance and integrity.

• Concacaf's key message to the region's wrongdoing footballers: "They will think twice before interfering in the game we all love – or they will face the consequences."

New man of the week

Shakhtar Donetsk's Romanian coach Mircea Lucescu: assessing this month's prison sentences for eight top football figures in his homeland over money laundering and fraud. "The punishments were way too much. It's because the case was judged by women who have no idea about football."

Row of the week

Sierra Leone's FA intervening after ex-Monaco striker Mohamed Kallon called police claiming FA president Isha Johansen slapped him after a match, "leaving bruises". Johansen says she was reacting to the player's behaviour; both deny wrongdoing.

Manager news

Last week's big move – Germany, 5 Mar: Stuttgart president Bernd Wahler: "Following what was an emotional game in Frankfurt, we took the time we needed to calmly analyse the situation in peace. The board made the decision to continue with Thomas Schneider, 100%." 9 Mar: Sacks him.

Law suit of the week

Zimbabwe: Prophet and Robert Mugabe associate Uebert Angel, suing broadcaster SuperSport for £900,000 for reporting he foresaw a Liverpool title win in December. Lawyers say the article "has put his reputation in jeopardy" and he "risks losing followers". SuperSport deny liability.

Easter message

Romania: Steaua owner Gigi Becali giving his first interview from prison with a message for the country's president Traian Basescu. "I suffer the torment of a beast in here. Humbly, I pray to be pardoned for Easter." His reasoning: "How big a criminal really is a thief who steals €600,000, but gives €30m in gifts to others?" Basescu's verdict: "He's in a difficult situation. I'm considering it deeply."

Clarification of the week

Italy: Bari's Enis Nadarevic, banned for three games for biting an opponent's thigh, on what really happened: "I bit nothing. I just supported my face on his leg, while I was falling down."

Best man manager

Romania: Astra owner Ioan Niculae, assessing captain Constantin Budescu's form. "He eats too much and shows a punk attitude. I thought he'd matured past puberty, but a seven year old has a bigger brain. I'll fine him."

Reconciliation news

Romania coach Victor Piturca, who barred striker Adrian Mutu from the team in November for posting a Photoshopped image of him as Mr Bean, assessing a potential reconciliation. "Mutu called me and asked me to put him back in the squad. I told him I'll do it when frogs fly."

Music news

Brazil: Ronaldinho – fined last week by Atlético Mineiro for being late to training after "personal excess" at the Salvador carnival – launching the video for his new rap collaboration Let's Drink featuring DJ Dennis; chorus – "Boot the glass up high, let's drink / We will enjoy life, we drink / I'm full of money, let's drink."

Plus: moving on

Brazil: Model Andressa Urach, moving away from football after last year's links with Cristiano Ronaldo, which he denied. "I've found a man, not a boy, who understands me. He's bought me 10 new pairs of shoes, a new wardrobe and my Pomeranian puppy, Pimpão. It's about respect."

David Hills

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Málaga 0-1 Real Madrid | La Liga match report

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 02:49 PM PDT

Cristiano Ronaldo struck midway through the first half as Real Madrid kept up the pace at the top of La Liga.

The Portuguese striker notched up his 25th league goal of the campaign with a clinical finish from the edge of the area to see off the challenge from Málaga, who battled hard but lacked a cutting edge.

Isco missed an excellent chance against his former club to give Real a more convincing win but they still picked up three valuable points in the title race with the only downside an injury to Karim Benzema.

He picked up a knock on his thigh in bizarre fashion. His team-mate Ronaldo was stretching for the ball and he collided with Benzema's thigh. The France striker tried to carry on but soon signalled to the bench that he would have to go off. The injury is not thought to be serious however his availability for next weekend's el clásico against Barcelona must be in doubt.

Earlier on Saturday, Rayo Vallecano beat Almeria 3-1 and Levante went down 1-0 at home to Celta Vigo.


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José Mourinho expects no punishment for being sent to stands at Villa

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 02:29 PM PDT

• Chelsea manager dismissed for encroaching on the pitch
• 'I don't think this result makes any difference to the title race'

The title race is wide open again after Chelsea lost three points and most of their composure in the dying minutes at Villa Park, where José Mourinho was dismissed along with two of his players.

Mourinho has previous with the Merseyside referee Chris Foy, who has now sent off six players and dispatched the manager in his last eight games involving Chelsea. The Portuguese was incensed at being dismissed for encroaching on the pitch in the melee that followed Ramires' late red card for a stamp on Karim El Ahmadi because he said, with some justification, that he was not the only one. But he will be waiting anxiously to see what Foy mentions in his report. He admitted he had attempted to speak to the referee immediately after the game but denied reports that he and John Terry had tried to force their way into the referee's room.

"I want to know what Mr Foy will write about my sending-off," the Chelsea manager said. "Because if I was sent off for being on the pitch there were about 10 others doing the same. My assistants were on the pitch, Paul [Lambert] was on the pitch with his assistants, and [Gabriel] Agbonlahor came from the dugout and grabbed Ramires by the neck. So why were none of the others sent off? I don't expect to be punished because I did nothing. I did try twice to speak to Mr Foy, first on the pitch and then in the dressing room area. I asked politely if I could have five seconds to speak with him and he refused."

As Mourinho is probably aware there is a convention that managers should not attempt to speak to officials immediately after the final whistle, but should allow a cooling off period first. Mourinho was dismissed when tempers were fraying on the pitch but insists he had collected himself afterwards and was merely seeking an explanation. "Everyone was calm, no one was screaming," he said. "This is not about a convention, just common sense."

Mourinho took a dim view of an incident in the first half when Foy could have dismissed Joe Bennett but let him escape with a yellow, the Chelsea manager leaping to his feet to brandish an imaginary red card. He was probably right to feel Willian was harshly treated in earning a second yellow for a slight tug on Fabian Delph, scorer of the game's only goal, but could not possibly have defended the action that brought Ramires a deserved straight red. "That was a shocker," Lambert said. "It was a no brainer for the referee, it could have been a leg-breaker. If anyone says otherwise I beg to differ." Mourinho, quite cutely, declined to discuss either incident because he did not want to get into any more trouble.

When the dust finally settled Chelsea were left with nine men and no more points than they had started out with, whereas Manchester City's impressive performance with 10 men at Hull has put them back in control in the title race. Mourinho has been saying all along that a nine-point lead counts for nothing when City have three games in hand, so clearly a six-point lead counts for even less. If City win all their remaining games, and unlike Chelsea they now have only the league on which to concentrate, they will eventually regain the leadership.

"I don't think this result makes any difference to the title race because we are not in the title race," Mourinho said, not entirely convincingly.

"All we are trying to do is win every match. Sometimes we do, sometimes we don't, but that's our race

Paul Wilson

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Bayern Munich 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 01:16 PM PDT

The runaway leaders Bayern Munich made it 50 Bundesliga matches without defeat when they beat fourth-placed Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 on Saturday to open a 23-point gap over Borussia Dortmund at the top.

Mario Mandzukic headed Bayern in front just before half-time and the home side only had to wait seven minutes into the second half before Bastian Schweinsteiger curled in a 30-metre free kick to give the Bavarians their 17th consecutive league win.

Stefan Kiessling scored a last-minute consolation goal for Leverkusen, who were the last team to beat Bayern in the Bundesliga when they won 2-1 in October 2012.

Bayern now have 71 points from 25 games and need only two more victories to wrap up their second successive Bundesliga title.

Second-placed Borussia Dortmund lost 2-1 at home to Borussia Mönchengladbach earlier on Saturday.


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Aston Villa 1-0 Chelsea

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 12:42 PM PDT

•Pictures: the best images from Saturday's Premier League games

The title race is not a foregone conclusion after all. Not only did Chelsea lose ground to Manchester City when Fabian Delph's late winner for Villa cut their lead to six points, they ended up short-handed as first Willian and then Ramires were dismissed, the latter incident provoking a heated exchange of opinions that led to José Mourinho being sent from the pitch in the final seconds.

Willian picked up a second yellow card for a rather soft foul on the goalscorer, but the stamp on Karim El Ahmadi that brought a straight red for Ramires was altogether more serious and brought the game to a bad-tempered conclusion, with players squaring up to each other in front of the Chelsea bench.

"I tried to speak to the referee, he refused to speak to me," said Mourinho, who has still never won at Villa Park. "I prefer not to speak about the referee or the sendings off. If I do that I will be in trouble."

Paul Lambert described Ramires's foul as "a shocker, a potential leg-breaker", but could not hide his satisfaction with the result. "We have seen some big moments here over the past two years, but that is probably the best," the Villa manager said. "The team performance was outstanding."

City have three games in hand so can now overhaul Chelsea if they keep winning. Their win at Hull was achieved by 10 men but Chelsea could not show the same drive and determination, even before their numbers were reduced.

Villa spent the first 10 minutes bemused by the movement and interchangeability of Chelsea's three-quarter line of Oscar, Willian and Eden Hazard as the visitors opened the game with businesslike intent, moving the ball around purposefully and always appearing to have a spare man. It was impressive to watch, yet Chelsea's approach work did not lead to any openings in front of goal, just speculative long shots from Willian and Oscar. Most of the attacking threat was being channelled through the industrious Hazard, and once Villa worked that out they settled down and began to put together some moves of their own.

Christian Benteke could not keep his header down when Delph crossed from the left, and El Ahmadi should have done better than waft wastefully over the bar with a decent shooting opportunity, though at least Villa boosted their own confidence by showing they knew the way to goal. When Benteke missed narrowly with a volley from the edge of the area that had Petr Cech scrambling just before half-time it was the closest the game had come to a goal, at least until Nemanja Matic bundled the ball over the Villa line a couple of minutes later, only to be recalled for handball by a linesman. It was hard to detect what the official had seen. It was far from an obvious handling offence, yet the player was slow to celebrate the goal as if he knew he might be pulled up. If that annoyed Mourinho, he was even more incensed on the stroke of the interval when Joe Bennett escaped with just a yellow card for bringing down Ramires in full flight when the Brazilian would have been through on goal. It was quite a long way out to be considered a clear goalscoring opportunity. Other players may have been able to come across and cover, though it would certainly have been a chance. Chris Foy's lenience brought Mourinho to his feet, waving an imaginary card, presumably a red one.

The visitors were dominating the game by the hour mark, with Villa rarely managing to cross the halfway line, though Chelsea's lack of conviction in front of goal was again highlighted by the directness the home side showed when they did come up with the occasional counterattack. Benteke was only inches wide after a one-two with Andreas Weimann in the area as once more Villa demonstrated they could soak up pressure and still threaten on the break.

Mourinho replaced Fernando Torres with Demba Ba midway through the second half in an attempt to bring more urgency to the Chelsea attack. Torres had not had one of his better games, losing the ball cheaply on more than one occasion, though the real problem seemed to be that while Hazard, Willian and Oscar could find each other with ease, even in tight situations in the penalty area, they could not find Torres or anyone else in a position to take a shy at goal.

Then, with 22 minutes remaining, Willian was gone and Chelsea were down to 10. The Brazilian was cautioned in the first half for a foul on El Ahmadi and received a second yellow, rather harshly in view of the trifling nature of the offence, for the slightest of tugs on Delph. That was all the encouragement Villa needed. Ba was a spectator, as Torres had been, and after Ron Vlaar had missed with a header from a corner, Delph put his side in front. Whether he applied the finish he intended was debatable, though he set up the goal by dispossessing Chelsea on halfway. If there was a bit of luck in the way he connected with Marc Albrighton's return pass to guide the ball past John Terry and Cech he probably deserved it. Benteke brought a save from Cech and Delph hit the bar in stoppage time.

Chelsea could have no complaints, especially after finishing with nine men and no manager.

Paul Wilson

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Football League: your thoughts | Alan Smith

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 12:37 PM PDT

Leicester City have a record in their sights but Burnley are keeping pace. Nobody told Ravel Morrison though, who inspired QPR once again

Championship

• Leicester City's charge for promotion has been so relentless that, with 13 wins from the last 15 and no defeat since early December, it is now a realistic possibility that they can set a record for most points recorded in a season. Their 3-1 win over Blackpool, despite falling behind to a first-half goal from David Goodwillie, moved them to 80 points and with 11 games still to play, they are in with a very good shout to break Reading's record of 106, set in 2005-06. Riyad Mahrez, Wes Morgan and Kevin Phillips, who is quite fond of promotion from the second tier, scored in the final half hour for the leaders.

• Burnley are doing their best to keep up the pace and their 2-1 win at home to an improved Leeds United kept them seven points behind with a game more played. Positively for Sean Dyche's team, with third-placed Derby County playing out a 0-0 draw at Reading, they now command a 10-point cushion in the second automatic promotion spot.

• Ravel Morrison played a starring role for Queens Park Rangers once more, scoring twice in a 3-0 win over lowly Yeovil Town, to move the London side level with Derby. They have a game in hand, too. Wigan lurk in fifth however thanks to their eighth straight win (in all competitions), a 3-1 triumph at Portman Road denting Ipswich's aspirations of a top six finish.

• Nottingham Forest could manage only a scoreless draw against struggling Doncaster but remained in the final playoff position, Brighton left Bolton with the points thanks to two from Will Buckley and Middlesbrough are back to drawing blanks again following a scoreless draw at Bournemouth.

• In the battle to beat the drop, Barnsley remain bottom having succumbed at Watford, while the south London derby between Millwall and Charlton failed to produce a goal.

• Goals were at a premium at some grounds but there were plenty at Hillsborough, where Sheffield Wednesday defeated Birmingham 4-1, and the John Smith's Stadium, where Jordan Rhodes netted a hat-trick for Blackburn in a 4-2 win over Huddersfield

League One

• It was quite the day for Brentford, who not only won 1-0 at Leyton Orient to hurt their London rivals' automatic promotion hopes thanks to Marcello Trotta's goal in first-half stoppage time, but they also watched league leaders Wolves drop two unexpected points at home to second-bottom Shrewsbury.

• The division's most exciting game of the day came at Tranmere, though, where the home side defeated last-placed Notts County 3-2. Ronan Murray had put the visitors ahead but Jason Koumas and Ryan Lowe sent Rovers in front inside 28 minutes. Alan Sheehan equalised after an hour before Steven Jennings won the game for Tranmere six minutes from the end.

• Rotherham remain fifth after a 1-1 draw with Walsall, while Peterborough, occupying the final play-off position, came away from MK Dons with a two-goal win thanks to a double from Britt Assombalonga, extending the gap between those two to six points.

• Crawley, who still hold five games in hand over some teams, moved to 14th with a win at home to Colchester, Crewe and Oldham finished 1-1 and Bradford City shared the spoils with Gillingham in a mid-table tussle. Elsewhere, Bristol City versus Swindon and Carlisle against Stevenage ended scoreless.

League Two

• The picture is still no clearer at the top of League Two, with the top four all winning. Chesterfield remain at the summit thanks to a comfortable 3-0 win at home to Oxford United but Scunthorpe are just a point behind after a 2-0 win at Plymouth, who still remain in with a chance of the playoffs. Rochdale, two points adrift and with a game in hand, came from behind to pip Accrington 2-1, while Fleetwood Town remain in the mix also following a 3-1 victory at home to Portsmouth.

• The day's biggest winners were Hartlepool, who scored four without reply against Bristol Rovers, while Torquay's battle to stay in the Football League is becoming more and more difficult after they slumped to a 1-0 loss at Cheltenham with second from bottom Northampton managing a point against Mansfield.

Alan Smith

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Aston Villa v Chelsea – as it happened | Scott Murray

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 12:28 PM PDT

Minute-by-minute report: Chelsea ended the match with nine men as they fell to Fabian Delph's wonderful piece of improvisation. Scott Murray was watching

Scott Murray

Scottish roundup: Nadir Ciftci's late goal caps Dundee United's comeback

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 11:32 AM PDT

• Partick record back-to-back home wins at home
• Callum Gallagher scores on his Rangers debut

Nadir Ciftci's injury-time goal helped Dundee United make a remarkable second-half comeback to record a 3-2 victory over St Mirren at Tannadice.

Paul McGowan finished in some style to give the visitors the lead and Steven Thompson extended their advantage when he scored the second goal five minutes before half-time. With the game appearing to have been settled, Brian Graham pulled a goal back with 11 minutes remaining, despite claims of offside.

Second-half substitute Stuart Armstrong found the top corner of the net with a composed finish past Marián Kello to restore parity for the home side, before Ciftci's winning goal brought delight to the home support.

Partick Thistle aided their hopes of retaining Scottish Premiership status by sealing their second home win of the season with a 3-1 victory over Hibernian.

Kallum Higginbotham was pivotal to the move that brought about the opening goal, skipping past a couple of attempted tackles before playing a pass to Lyle Taylor in the inside-right channel. His cut-back was left by Kris Doolan for Chris Erskine, who took a touch before striking a left-foot shot past Ben Williams into the roof of the net. Taylor was fouled wide on the Thistle left and Higginbotham's inswinging delivery was glanced into the corner of the net by Lee Mair after 59 minutes. Duncan Watmore pulled a goal back for Hibs after 62 minutes, but man of the match Higginbotham scored Thistle's third goal in stoppage time.

Any notion Thistle had that the game was over was swiftly put to bed, though, as Hibs hit back three minutes later. Sam Stanton did well down the left before cutting the ball back to Watmore. He held off a challenge before curling a low effort past Paul Gallacher to bring his side back into the match.

A series of Hibs corners in the last 10 minutes tested Thistle's resolve, but Higginbotham broke clear in added time and kept his composure to side-step Michael Nelson and Williams before finishing low into the corner.

Callum Gallagher marked his debut with a goal as Rangers, already confirmed as the Scottish League One champions, warmed up for their Scottish Cup replay against Albion Rovers with a 2-0 win over their nearest league rivals Dunfermline. Steven Smith claimed the second goal of his career, the other also coming against the Pars in 2006, before Gallagher came off the bench to seal the points with a last-minute strike.

Nial Briggs

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Burnley 2-1 Leeds United | Championship match report

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 11:00 AM PDT

Sean Dyche wants his Burnley side to match the relentless attitude he had as a player after they kept their unbeaten league home run this season intact with a 2-1 win over Leeds.

Ross McCormack opened the scoring as Leeds threatened to hand the Turf Moor crowd their first taste of defeat but Jason Pearce headed into his own net to level the scores before half-time. Scott Arfield then drilled home a shot on 67 minutes to hand Burnley all three points as they extended their unbeaten league run to 14 games, and Dyche believes they can keep this run going.

"It was an interesting game and I warned the players as I knew Leeds would be up for it. I think we were up for it but we just gave a soft goal away," said the Burnley boss.

"I never believe in just defending a game, I believe in attacking. I never had so much quality as a player but I had a relentless mentality and I believed in it," the manager said. "I have told the lads they can achieve anything. I have told them they have to be relentless and I thought yet again when things weren't going our way, we just kept going. We can play better but we still looked a threat. It is one game at a time as we know the division is relentless so we have to be relentless in our performances to win the league.

"It is hard making your full debut as Ashley [Barnes] was doing, we all know that. In the second half we saw what he was about, he was willing to work and his hold up play was really good. We take great value in him and think he will do very well for us."

After he had earlier been denied by the post, McCormack headed Leeds in front after Matt Smith had flicked on Connor Wickham's throw-in.

But when Pearce put Kieran Trippier's cross past his own goalkeeper things went from bad to worse for Leeds after the break as Arfield drilled home a winner.

For Leeds it was their sixth game without a win, much to the annoyance of Brian McDermott. "It was an improvement but we are desperately disappointed not to have won the game, never mind drawn it," the Leeds manager said. "First half I felt we were the better side and we played how you have to play in this league. Unfortunately we gave a couple of goals away which is disappointing but having said that we were much better than we have been in the last two games. We got behind them and put them under a lot of pressure. We got to the second balls but from my point of view we didn't get a result.

"

"Sean Dyche has done an unbelievably good job here as he did at Watford where he was unlucky to lose his job. I am pleased for him and you can see the camaraderie that they have here. You have to have that camaraderie and togetherness to be top of the league and that is what we are trying to get."


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Stoke City 3-1 West Ham

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 10:27 AM PDT

• Pictures: the best images from Saturday's Premier League games

Sam Allardyce described his West Ham United side's defending as pathetic after they threw away an early lead away from home to concede all three points to Stoke City.

Andy Carroll opened the scoring in the fifth minute with his first goal of the season, rising above Peter Crouch and crashing a header past the Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, who had rashly rushed off his line to try to punch the ball away. The 25-year-old striker, who was on loan with West Ham from Liverpool last season and last scored in April, had already had a shot blocked when he headed the Hammers into the lead. Carroll connected with Mark Noble's floated free-kick as his marker Crouch and Begovic got in each other's way.

The hosts, however, equalised in the 32nd minute when Crouch saw his acrobatic effort go in off the shoulder of his team-mate Peter Odemwingie.

Mark Hughes, the Stoke manager, said: "It was a bit of a scramble. Peter Crouch did really well to get it towards goal, but Peter Odemwingie is a striker and he will claim it. I would if I was in his position."

Kevin Nolan thought he had made it 2-1 to the visitors when he put the ball in the net in the 61st minute, but the effort was ruled out for offside – which replays suggested was the incorrect call.

Stoke took the lead when Marko Arnautovic got through a crowd of players and slotted in on 69 minutes.

"Our defending for the second goal was pathetic," Allardyce complained. "That has been our strength this season. We were in control, and it was looking like if anyone was going to score at that stage, it would be us. But then we fall asleep, and I just don't know where our defending went then."

Odemwingie scored his second when claiming Stoke's third with 11 minutes remaining.

Early on, it appeared as if the day might belong to Carroll. Since becoming West Ham's record signing at £15m last summer, Carroll has endured a frustrating campaign, missing much of it due to a foot injury and then, after finally regaining his fitness, being hit with a three-match suspension for a red card against Swansea in February.

He is still hoping to make England's squad for this summer's World Cup, though, and on what was his first start since his sending-off and only his seventh appearance of the season, he looked like a man who had a serious point to prove .

Reflecting on a game he believes West Ham should have got something from, Allardyce said: "I think in the cold light of day we have only ourselves to blame for losing."


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Millwall 0-0 Charlton Athletic | Championship match report

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 10:23 AM PDT

Charlton are journeying into the unknown having dispensed with the services of a hugely popular manager and hired a head coach who knows he needs results quickly or the club could soon end up in League One, a division the club are already very familiar with.

Roland Duchâtelet, owner of Standard Liège and a man who has the major say at four other clubs, took a calculated risk by firing Chris Powell, a man who knows Charlton off by heart, and replacing him with José Riga, a coach with no experience of English football and with 16 games, at the rate of two a week, to get them safe.

So far he is unbeaten and two goalless draws from two tough games is a commendable start that has moved them up to third from bottom, but they need to start winning, and quickly.

"Our finishing was not there," said Riga, who when queried about his credentials pointed out that his big-league playing experience is similar to that of José Mourinho and Arsène Wenger. "I would prefer to win but I'm happy with the way the players showed they would take something here at Millwall. We are not last any more and psychologically that's important."

January had seen Charlton become part of Duchâtelet's portfolio, their two best players sold on and replaced with six loan signings, five of them from the owner's stable. It was a reluctance to use them that placed Powell, the eighth-longest serving manager of the 92 who led Charlton out of League One in 2012, on collision course with the Belgian owner over "football strategy", and cost him the job.

Two of the loanees started in Riga's first game, Wednesday's goalless draw with Huddersfield, two more than Powell used in the losing FA Cup tie at Sheffield United, but only one of them, Astrit Ajdarevic, started at the Den, when both teams made early chances. The best of Millwall's was a header from the busy 17-year-old Fred Onyedinma on his first start for the club which he put wide from Shaun Williams' cross.

Charlton replied by freeing Callum Harriott down the right seven minutes later but his weak shot was easy for the goalkeeper, David Forde, to deal with.

Riga stood impassively in his technical area throughout, and there was no audible dissent from the 2,000-plus Charlton fans who even passed over the chance to offer Powell a minute's applause in the third minute, as they had done in the Huddersfield game in midweek. They have moved on already.

Many remain worried that Charlton will become a feeder club to the higher-profile Liège but others are happy to give the Duchâtelet model a go after a season in which funds dried up under the previous ownership and Charlton scored only 24 league goals under Powell's stewardship, by some distance the worst in the division.

Ian Holloway, appointed as Millwall manager in January, has still won only one home league game and though he continues to talk a good game, his tally of 10 points from 36 tells its own story. "All we needed was a goal and it was going to be a fairytale," he said. "The long-term future for us is right, we've got some great youngsters and I can't wait to work with them. One-nil would have been a fair result today. The truth is, I'm gutted."

Still three points behind Millwall, Charlton follow this with home matches against Bournemouth and Burnley before a tricky trio of away games which would be enough to test anyone's mettle: Nottingham Forest, Derby and Leeds United. Riga needs to find the winning knack quickly and keep it for the run-in.

Mark Tallentire

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Saturday clockwatch - as it happened | Niall McVeigh

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 10:15 AM PDT

Felix Magath and Pepe Mel earned their first Premier League wins as the survival battle took another twist, while Everton, Stoke and Southampton climbed the table after hard earned home wins

Niall McVeigh

Sunderland 0-0 Crystal Palace | Premier League match report

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 10:14 AM PDT

•Pictures: the best images from Saturday's Premier League games

The bright, balmy spring sunshine that warmed Wearside last week had given way to slate grey cloud and a pronounced wind chill factor. It was a day when hoods were pulled over heads and scarves wrapped tightly round necks. In other words the backdrop to Sunderland's latest lost opportunity was suitably grim.

Eight bookings, two underemployed goalkeepers and a horrible lack of creativity were testament not only to the negativity of Tony Pulis's gameplan but the shortage of attacking guile that threatens to plunge Sunderland into the Championship.

If a point represents a helpful step along the road to Crystal Palace's escape from relegation a surfeit of commendable effort was never going to be enough to offer Gus Poyet's 19th-placed side the victory they desperately needed ahead of a daunting run in.

"We tried everything but we couldn't score," said Sunderland's creditably sanguine manager. "I'm calm because the players gave everything. It's not going to be easy to stay up now, it's going to be tight but we still have a chance."

Pulis appeared appreciably happier. "This was a must-win game for Sunderland and a must-not-lose game for us," he said. My players gave everything and I'm very pleased."

Poyet, who dubbed the encounter "bigger" than the club's recent Capital One Cup final against Manchester City, cancelled a planned squad day out at Cheltenham last week and his players responded by starting at a deceptively high tempo.

Dominating early possession amid swirling wind, Sunderland placed Palace firmly on the back foot and should really have scored when Adam Johnson's splendid left-footed cross from the right found Steven Fletcher who headed wastefully over the bar after failing to connect properly.

Quite apart from proving niggly opponents well versed in spoiling tactics, Palace reminded everyone precisely why they are the Premier League's lowest scorers but Sunderland, too, struggled to create more than half-chances. Although Ki Sung-yueng saw a well executed volley swerve tantalisingly wide after latching onto a clearance, Julian Speroni was rarely troubled.

Advancing sporadically from deep, Thomas Ince seemed Pulis's brightest spark but met his match in Wes Brown. It spoke volumes that the nearest Palace came to scoring was when Vito Mannone tripped over a divot while making a clearance.

Even more worrying for Poyet was the sight of Fletcher – recently advised that he required achilles tendon surgery – limping heavily as half-time approached. The Scotland striker will have a fresh ankle injury scanned this week.

Fletcher was replaced by Jozy Altidore, prompting groans among some Sunderland fans in the near 44,000-strong crowd. Altidore can hardly be described as prolific – his critics label the United States centre-forward "Dozy Anti-Score" – but when he seamlessly controlled an awkwardly dropping long ball it took a fabulous save from Speroni to prevent his well struck shot breaking the impasse.

Reprieved Palace, simply became even more difficult to deconstruct, tinging Sunderland's attempt to get behind their defence with an increasing air of desperation. Phil Bardsley's Am-dram, inevitably forlorn, attempt to win a penalty courtesy of a most unconvincing dive left the home right back fortunate not to be booked.

When, a little later, Borini, Poyet's best individual, watched a ferocious shot rebound off the woodwork it appeared entirely emblematic of his team's afternoon, proving the cue for supporters to start streaming towards the exits with collars pulled high and heads bowed. Those that remained greeted the final whistle with boos. Only two weeks after their spirited Wembley defeat to City, Sunderland have returned to earth with the hardest of bumps.

Louise Taylor

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Southampton 4-2 Norwich

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 10:12 AM PDT

• Pictures: the best images from Saturday's Premier League games

It threatened to be a miserable day for Rickie Lambert. With Roy Hodgson in the stands weighing up his options for Brazil, Lambert found himself dumped on the bench. But in the space of 40 second-half minutes, the England hopeful produced a stellar display to reignite his World Cup hopes and propel Southampton to a win – albeit one they almost conspired to toss away in remarkable fashion.

Lambert scored after barely 60 seconds of his arrival. In fact, he didn't just score, he waltzed his way past the last defender before opening his body and slotting the ball inside the near post, showing the kind of composure and dexterity that could be invaluable to England at the World Cup.

"I thought coming on as a substitute would be good for him," said Mauricio Pochettino afterwards, with a wry smile. Indeed it was.

Southampton had taken the lead after five minutes when a speedy, one-touch interchange on the right flank led to Gaston Ramírez threading a weighted ball into Morgan Schneiderlin's path and, without a defender in sight, he clipped a confident finish beyond the keeper. The dummy run from Jay Rodriguez, who claimed his first England cap last November, was fundamental in creating the avenue of space. "We are Southampton, we're off to Brazil!" chanted the delighted home fans.

Norwich looked overwhelmed by the pace and fluidity of Southampton's early play. Even after making five changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Stoke last weekend, they lacked punch. Steven Whittaker, Jonny Howson, Gary Hooper and Anthony Pilkington – all substitutes in that match – were given starts, while Ryan Bennett also came in after a hamstring injury. Norwich attacks were so rare in the first half that Hooper, a lone striker, scarcely saw the ball. When he was given a rare chance inside the box, he flashed a shot wide.

Hodgson, who will announce his provisional 30-man England squad for the World Cup on 13 May, might have been bemused when Adam Lallana was withdrawn in a tactical switch very early in the second half. But Lambert, his replacement, soon collected a bouncing ball and turned the last defender, Joseph Yobo, to make it 2-0; he made a tough chance look like a bread-and-butter finish.

Chris Hughton made a triple substitution, bringing on Ricky van Wolfswinkel, Nathan Redmond and Johan Elmander, only to be pilloried by the visiting fans with chants of: "You don't know what you're doing." With just two goals between the trio in the league this season, it was not a move that appeared to spell danger. Instead, Southampton bagged a third goal. Lambert was this time the creator, unselfishly laying off for the impressive Rodriguez to score from close range after Guly do Prado's initial effort had been blocked.

But then the game unexpectedly flipped as Southampton gifted Norwich two goals in quick succession with horrendously misplaced passes. First, José Fonte laid on Elmander for a one-on-one which he dispatched, then Robert Snodgrass found the net from a tight angle after a mistake by Do Prado.

"It flattered us," admitted Hughton, whose tenure remains in doubt. "I understand the chants directed at me because for the majority of the game a very good Southampton team were better than us. We gave ourselves a mountain to climb."

It was an embarrassing conclusion to a match Southampton had bossed, but Sam Gallagher's stoppage-time goal ended things on a high for the Saints.

Jonny Weeks

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Fulham 1-0 Newcastle

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 10:11 AM PDT

• Pictures: the best images from Saturday's Premier League games

One manager was absent, the other was beside himself with joy. As Alan Pardew began his three-match stadium ban for head-butting Hull's David Meyler, Felix Magath celebrated his first victory since taking charge of Fulham a month ago. "I am happy, proud, lucky!" gushed the German, whose insistence that Fulham can avoid relegation looks a little less ludicrous now, even if they remain four points below 17th-placed Crystal Palace and saddled with a ruinous goal difference.

"When you begin a new job it is extraordinarily important that you get a win," said Magath, who became Fulham's third manager of the season when he replaced René Meulensteen a month ago. "It gives the players confidence and trust, so it was very necessary for everybody that we got this win."

Not only was it the first victory of Magath's tenure, it was Fulham's first in the Premier League since New Year's Day, as a season of frequent changes on and off the pitch had yielded just one constant for Fulham: disappointing results. Magath made yet more alterations for this game, making five switches to the side that had lost last week to Cardiff City, and he may have found a timely formula for success. It was a match of meagre quality but Fulham at least displayed a verve and cohesion that gives them hope of climbing out of trouble.

Magath dared to omit expensive recruits, though he said that the £12m striker Kostas Mitroglou was injured and Darren Bent could not play "for private reasons". Their absence meant that the main scoring burden fell on 19-year-old Cauley Woodrow, who showed the mobility that the more experienced pair lack but, alas, arrived fractionally too late to prod the ball into the net in the seventh minute when a Lewis Holtby free-kick flew across the face of goal.

Fulham had the better of the play and a 20-yard curling shot from Holtby forced a good save from Tim Krul but Newcastle nearly scored on the counterattack in the 36th minute, only for David Stockdale to dive across his goal to tip away a shot from Papiss Cissé. Stockdale had an excellent game, contributing largely to Fulham's first clean sheet since early December and vindicating Magath's decision to drop Maarten Stekelenburg."

"Maarten is a quiet keeper, David is louder," explained Magath. "That was the idea, we needed someone who gives more excitement to the players."

Although Fulham were on top for the first half, Pardew, watching on a feed in the team hotel, did not see much to wind him up. He communicated only twice with his No2, John Carver, during the game. "He was really calm at half-time," said Carver. "We had an analyst in the hotel with the gaffer and we had one on the bench, speaking to Steve Stone, then on to me. It was pretty brief, just two conversations and that was it."

Fulham, by contrast, were infuriated when they were given cause to curse the accuracy of technology just after the hour. A deflected John Heitinga shot from 25 yards struck the underside of the crossbar and then, according to the home fans and players, bounced down behind the line. But the referee, Howard Webb, signalled for play to continue. Incredulous gasps went around Craven Cottage when the giant screen showed the Hawkeye images that confirmed that the decision was correct.

Such fine margins can be the difference between success and failure but not this time, as Newcastle contrived to make Fulham feel better. First Cissé bungled when sent through on goal and then Krul erred to help the home side win. Askhan Dejagah's shot from 20 yards after he had cut in from the left was powerfully struck but Krul should have stopped it. Instead it went under his hands and into the net. Krul attempted to atone for that mistake when he came up for a corner in stoppage time. The ball broke to him on the edge of the area and his shot hit Heitinga's hand but no penalty was awarded, much to the anger of Newcastle. But this time they restrained themselves. "I certainly had to count to 10," said Carver. "After what's gone on in the last few weeks we have to be on our best behaviour."

Paul Doyle

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Everton 2-1 Cardiff City

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 10:08 AM PDT

• Pictures: the best images from Saturday's Premier League games

Perhaps this was poetic justice for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Perhaps it was just cruel. Either way, the Cardiff manager now knows how he used to make opponents feel.

In his playing days, Solskjaer scored and celebrated a disproportionate number of injury-time goals. One, famously, decided the 1999 Champions League final. Should Cardiff end up in the Championship, Seamus Coleman's strike three minutes into time added on will rank among the reasons for their relegation.

It left Solskjaer bemoaning his luck. "We sit here with no points and we need points," the Norwegian said.

He was deprived of one as Coleman's dramatic decider continued a theme here, where Everton's last three league victories have been sealed in the final minutes. Neither Kevin Mirallas's wonderful free-kick against Aston Villa or Romelu Lukaku's crisp finish to defeat West Ham were quite as late or as lucky as this, however. Gareth Barry headed Aiden McGeady's cross into the path of the on-rushing Coleman, whose skewed, miscued shot proved perfectly placed.

"The performance was outstanding," said Solskjaer. "It was a phenomenal effort. They had cojones."

It was an appropriate choice of word, if only because Spaniards scored for either side with Gerard Deulofeu and Juan Cala trading goals. Indeed, Martínez subsequently confirmed, he had two last-gasp scorers. Deulofeu had been pencilled in for an hour's action. McGeady was warming up when the on-loan Barcelona winger struck. "He tends to leave it late," said Martínez, smiling.

Accepting Leon Osman's pass, Deulofeu spun away from Gary Medel and accelerated into the box. His shot took a telling touch off Steven Caulker to beat David Marshall. "He can't do anything about the goals," said Solskjaer. "The first is a deflection, the second a mishit." It took something out of the norm to defeat the superb Scot.

"David Marshall was phenomenal," Martínez said. "It was as good an individual performance as you are going to see from a goalkeeper."

Twin saves from Lukaku, pushing a piledriver over the bar and tipping a drive past the post, were terrific. Better still was a 90th-minute block to keep Ross Barkley's header out. Whether it was the product of instinct or positioning, it was outstanding. Not that goalkeeping excellence was confined to the visitors.

Everton were in the ascendant throughout the first half yet Cardiff had the finest opening. Tim Howard repelled Fraizer Campbell's shot, extending the Cardiff strikers' collective drought to a month and a half. A central defender compensated with a scruffy finish. Peter Whittingham's free-kick went in via Cala's knee and ribs to give the former Sevilla player his first Cardiff goal.

Fortune seemed to have favoured the visitors at that point. Kévin Théophile-Catherine was shown only a yellow card for a reprehensible tackle on Barry. "He has the studmarks," said Martínez. "Both feet are off the ground. It is a reckless, reckless challenge."

Roger East's laissez-faire approach to officiating irritated Everton then and angered Cardiff later. Wilfried Zaha's bright cameo included a winding solo run. "Wilf weaved his way through two, three, four of them," said Solskjaer. He was halted by Sylvain Distin, who did not get the ball. "It is a stonewall penalty for Wilf," said his manager,.

Martínez was more philosophical. "If we got a little bit of luck, it balances the real bad luck we had in the last three games. A couple of weeks back we were feeling exactly the same at Chelsea. "

It is a stage of a game that used to be known as Fergie Time. In many respects, it was Solskjaer Time. Not any more.

Richard Jolly

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Swansea City 1-2 West Bromwich Albion | Premier League match report

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 10:01 AM PDT

• Pictures: the best images from Saturday's Premier League games

West Brom improved both their morale and their chances of avoiding relegation with what was only their second win in 19 Premier League matches and their first under Pepe Mel's management.

Swansea were odds on to take maximum points at half-time, when they deservedly led through Roland Lamah's second-minute goal, but they were made to pay for failing to take more of their chances before the interval, which allowed Albion to regroup and hit back hard.

They equalised early in the second half, with a glorious 25-yarder from Stéphane Sessègnon, then went from strength to strength to win it through Youssouf Mulumbu's late strike.

Albion arrived in freefall, with just one win in their previous 18 league games. Pepe Mel, brought in to halt the slide, has been unable to do so and the board's decision to dispense with Steve Clarke in December is looking increasingly mistaken. Injury deprived them of their captain, Chris Brunt, but Steven Reid passed a fitness test and there was a recall for Graham Dorrans in midfield. Zoltán Gera and Saido Berahino were relegated to the bench after last week's 3-0 defeat at home to Manchester United.

The changes counted for nothing after two minutes, when Wilfried Bony's through-ball up the left flank sent Lamah speeding away unattended. With the Albion right-back Reid conspicuously absent, the winger was allowed all the time and space he needed to check back on to his favoured right foot on the edge of the six-yard box before shooting across Ben Foster and inside the far post. Lamah was only playing because the regular incumbent, Nathan Dyer, was unavailable, injured.

Elsewhere for the Swans, Michu was available again after three months out and was on the bench, as was Pablo Hernández, with Jonathan De Guzmán preferred for the role just behind the main striker. At the back, Chico Flores was suspended and gave way to Jordi Amat in central defence.

After 18 minutes Lamah set up Bony for a close-range strike which hit Foster in the chest, and with Swansea pouring forward in waves only some desperate last-ditch blocking prevented West Brom from falling further behind.

When they did manage to venture forward, they did so with all the conviction one might expect from a team whose principal scorer, Victor Anichebe, had just three league goals.

Wayne Routledge threatened with a cross-come-shot from the right which De Guzmán failed to reach at the far post for what would have been a tap-in.

Swansea, playing their pleasing passing game were much the better, more cohesive team, but for as long as it stayed 1-0 Albion remained energetically competitive. The margin, though, could easily have been doubled after 36 minutes when De Guzmán, steaming in at the far post, was unable to direct Lamah's cross on to the target. In fairness to the Dutchman, he was at full stretch – too much so to expect clinical accuracy.

Ashley Williams was more culpable just before half-time when he miscued his header, from De Guzmán's corner, and the ball bounced over the crossbar.

Early in the second half, José Cañas twice gave the ball away deep inside his own half, reminding both sides that one mistake could transform the game.

Given that warning, it was no surprise when equality was restored after 51 minutes, James Morrison's pass finding Sessègnon, who scored with a glorious 25-yarder, low inside Michel Vorm's right-hand post.

De Guzman might have restored Swansea's lead within two minutes, but his free-kick from similar range brought a top class save from Foster, reaching high to his right. The Swans then had a penalty appeal against Craig Dawson rejected, in what appeared to be a case of ball to hand, rather than vice versa.

After a lopsided first half it was now anybody's game.

The transformation was completed after 85 minutes, when substitute Thievy Bifouma won the ball off Williams to create the opening for Mulumbu, who beat Vorm with a crisp, low finish from 20 yards

Joe Lovejoy

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Stoke City 3-1 West Ham

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 10:00 AM PDT

Premier League: Two goals from Peter Odemwingie helped Stoke overturn Andy Carroll's early header

Fulham 1-0 Newcastle

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 10:00 AM PDT

Premier League: Ashkan Dejagah's goal was enough to give Fulham a vital victory over Newcastle

Everton 2-1 Cardiff City

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 10:00 AM PDT

Premier League: Seamus Coleman scored to deliver a late, devastating blow to Cardiff's survival hopes

Southampton 4-2 Norwich

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 10:00 AM PDT

Premier League: Southampton eventually saw off Norwich in an entertaining match at St Mary's

Hull City 0-2 Manchester City

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 07:47 AM PDT

• All the best images from the KC Stadium

Manuel Pellegrini acclaimed this victory as Manchester City's best performance of the season but it was another headbutt incident on a tempestuous afternoon that demanded most attention. The City goalkeeper, Joe Hart, was at the centre of it, shoving his head towards the face of Hull's George Boyd after his opponent went down under his challenge in the penalty area. All this just a fortnight after Alan Pardew was heavily reprimanded for an altercation with David Meyler at the same ground.

Both teams played down the heated exchange in the 69th-minute, the video evidence also hinted at Boyd spitting – proving intent would be difficult. Pellegrini insisted he could not see the fracas clearly from his touchline position while the Hull manager, Steve Bruce, dismissed comparisons to Pardew and praised Lee Mason's handling of things. "He was on the spot and made the right decision," said Bruce. "We've all seen handbags before and as far as I could see he deserved the yellow card, and that was enough punishment. Certainly I didn't see him [Hart] put a head in there, I saw them go head to head but not any action like that."

Hart, incensed by Boyd hitting the turf after minimal contact with his trailing leg, squared up to his opponent and the pair were separated by team-mates. The blood was still up on both sides when, with the visitors still 1-0 ahead, Fernandinho's muscular challenge on Boyd in the area went unpunished by Mason.

Earlier, the official dismissed Vincent Kompany, the City captain, for denying Nikica Jelavic a goal-scoring opportunity in a week that included elimination from the Champions League and FA Cup appeared to be taking another turn for the worse. However, City's tendency to make it difficult for themselves– this was their third red card in the past fortnight – did not prove critical as David Silva scored an exquisite opener and crafted the late second for Edin Dzeko.

Asked if this was the best display his team had given this season, Pellegrini said: "I think so. It was a very good response in a very difficult week. We lost against Wigan and Barcelona and we needed to win. Playing with one player less for 80 minutes is very difficult, but I trust in the team and we did very well with the ball and without it."

The lunchtime kick-off provided an opportunity to transfer some of the pressure in the title race back on Chelsea, who began nine points clear but having played three matches more. But their prospects nosedived when Kompany, grappling for possession with Jelavic deep into the visitors' territory, lost his footing and had crucially conceded a yard by the time he regained it.

Fuming that Mason had failed to penalise Jelavic for what he saw as the original infringement, the Belgian kicked the wall on his way down the tunnel.

The portents for an away win were not good: City's previous victory in a league encounter in Hull came on their first visit back in 1909. But having not been given a moment's peace by Hull when it was 11 versus 11, City took the lead four minutes into their numerical disadvantage as Silva exchanged passes with Yaya Touré and clipped a delicious left-foot effort in off the post from 25 yards.

Content to sit back and hit the home team on the break, City were close to doubling their advantage with their only other notable effort of the opening period, when Pablo Zabaleta accepted a deflection into his path and watched as his dipping volley crashed down off the crossbar. Television technology revealed some – but crucially not all – of the ball had crossed the line.

Despite their best endeavours – abetted by Bruce's offensive alterations –Hull could not find their way back into the match. This was the 15th time they had gone behind this season, and their 14th defeat in such circumstances.

Fernandinho and Dzeko squandered opportunities to settle things in the final quarter of the match when through one on one with Allan McGregor. However, Dzeko made no mistake when sent beyond the home backline by a delicate flick of Silva's boot in the final minute.

"Will we ever have a better opportunity to beat them? In the end it became one of those frustrating afternoons," said Bruce.

"Our game plan was out of the window after 10 minutes. We thought we would be playing Manchester City on the counter-attack rather than having the lion's share of possession and them camped in their own half, and we didn't have the quality to break them down."

Richard Gibson

theguardian.com © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Hull City v Manchester City – as it happened | Scott Murray

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 07:37 AM PDT

Minute-by-minute report: Vincent Kompany was sent off early on, but Manchester City dug in to claim an important three points in the title race. Scott Murray was watching

Scott Murray

Premier League: Saturday's matches – in pictures

Posted: 15 Mar 2014 07:09 AM PDT

All the best images from around the grounds, starting off with Manchester City's visit to Hull City

Steven Bloor

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