Premiership. Watford 0-1 Chelsea

Kalou keeps Chelsea title hopes alive

Substitute Salomon Kalou scored in injury time to keep Chelsea's Barclays Premiership hopes alive with a 1-0 victory as they moved back to within six points of leaders Manchester United. The Blues striker headed Andriy Shevchenko's cross high into the top corner three minutes into stoppage time, just as Watford appeared certain to hold out for a draw that would have effectively handed Manchester United the title.

Chelsea skipper John Terry's afternoon had got off to a painful start when Darius Henderson accidentally caught him with a stray elbow in the first minute of the match. Terry spent several minutes receiving treatment but was eventually able to continue.

Terry's difficult opening might have seen him concede penalty after he appeared to handle Tommy Smith's cross but referee Uriah Rennie turned down Watford's vociferous appeals. Watford's positive start continued when Kabba forced a save from Cech with a spectacular overhead kick, while Henderson shot wide on the turn and, later, directed a weak header at goal.

Chelsea had a penalty appeal of their own turned down when Lampard - playing with a support on his broken wrist - went down after a clumsy challenge, while Foster made a brilliant save with his legs to deny Drogba.

All Watford lacked was a goal and they should have had one in the 51st minute. Gavin Mahon's long throw sparked pandemonium in the penalty area and after a chaotic few seconds, Kabba found himself with time and space to spare at the back post but sliced horribly wide.

Shaun Wright-Phillips curled wide from 20 yards and when Lampard broke clear only to see the ball whipped away from his toes by Jay DeMerit, Chelsea's faint title hopes appeared to evaporate. Not so, In the 93rd minute, Shevchenko charged down the right and delivered an inch-perfect cross which Kalou - on as a second-half substitute - headed in gleefully from 10 yards.

Watford boss Adrian Boothroyd:
"It is hard to take. I'm proud of my team but disappointed.

"We did very well in many aspects. It was scrappy and we wanted it that way to make it difficult for them.

"What pleased me was that last time we played Chelsea we looked like little boys out autograph hunting but we stood up to them this time."

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho:
"I think that if we had gone from six points to eight or nine behind Manchester United, mathematically it would still be possible to win the title but mentally not.

"Every game is crucial. If we win every game then I think we can be champions.

"Maybe the draw was a fair result. We have a strong group and we have to go all the way in every match."

Watford: Foster, Chambers, DeMerit, Shittu, Stewart, Smith, Mahon, Francis, Rinaldi, Henderson (Priskin 69), Kabba (Bouazza 81).
Subs Not Used: Lee, Doyley, Bangura.

Booked: Francis.

Chelsea: Cech, Geremi (Ferreira 46), Carvalho, Terry, Ashley Cole (Mikel 58), Makelele (Kalou 46), Lampard, Ballack, Wright-Phillips, Drogba, Shevchenko.
Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Boulahrouz.

Booked: Wright-Phillips, Ferreira, Carvalho.

Goals: Kalou 93.

Premiership Watford 0-1 Chelsea highlights:

Premiership, Manchester Uniuted 4-1 Blackburn

Scholes fires Manchester United closer to title

A moment of genius from Paul Scholes sparked a magnificent second-half revival from Manchester United which allowed them to move another mighty stride closer to completing their Premiership title dream with a 4-1 home win over Blackburn.

United central defender Nemanja Vidic was forced off with a broken collarbone and the home side then fell behind when Matt Derbyshire slotted home. But United dug deep and Paul Scholes slalomed into space and fired in before Michael Carrick sidefooted in.

Park Ji-Sung pounced to add a third and an Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer tap-in completed United's comeback to leave them needing five wins for the title.

Scholes' goal came from a rare Blackburn mistake as defender Christopher Samba dallied on the ball on the edge of the Rovers area and was stripped of it by Scholes. The former England midfield player still had much work to day but skipped past Ryan Nelsen and Stephen Warnock before beating the American keeper with a superbly-driven shot.

Manchester United, clearly sensing victory, pressed on. In the 66th minute, Cristiano Ronaldo might have edged United in front as David Dunn gifted him a chance only for Friedel to make a superb save as the Portuguese winger bore down on goal. Even more incredibly, Ryan Giggs had an open goal before him as he met Ronaldo's 67th minute left-wing cross but battered his shot against the cross-bar with such force that it rebounded to safety.

Cristiano Ronaldo once more caused panic inside the Rovers box, his cut-back ran to Carrick, who had enough composure virtually to pass the ball into the same corner Scholes had launched his shot into earlier. Even with victory within their grasp, United refused to relent and when Friedel failed to hold a stinging Ronaldo free-kick seven minutes from time, Park raced in to tap home.

There was still time for one more too as Park's cross evaded Rooney but fell nicely for substitute Solskjaer, who finished off with ease.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson:
"The intensity of our game was fantastic but so was the support - that put us over the line.

"The players were all talking about it in the dressing room - they couldn't believe the volume of noise.

"The great thing we showed was the composure to not lose our heads, keep our nerve and keep on playing and by doing that we kept on making chances."

Blackburn manager Mark Hughes:
"United will not be denied now, I think they will win the title comfortably.

"For 60 minutes we were really in the game. The crowd were anxious and I felt we were going to capitalise on it.

"But they were able to galvanise themselves and show why they are champions-elect. This year, they have played the best football."

Manchester United: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic (O'Shea 28), Heinze, Ronaldo (Solskjaer 84), Carrick, Scholes, Park, Giggs (Smith 84), Rooney.
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Richardson.

Booked: Heinze.

Goals: Scholes 61, Carrick 73, Park 83, Solskjaer 90.

Blackburn: Friedel, Emerton, Samba, Nelsen, Warnock, Dunn, Kerimoglu (Peter 74), Mokoena, Pedersen, Derbyshire, McCarthy (Roberts 69).
Subs Not Used: Enckelman, Nonda, Henchoz.

Booked: Dunn, Pedersen, Emerton.

Goals: Derbyshire 29.

Premiership Manchester United 4-1 Blackburn highlights and goals:

Premiership Liverpool 4-1 Arsenal report.

Crouch's Hat-trick sinks Arsenal!

Peter Crouch's first hat-trick at club level saw Liverpool leap-frog Arsenal to go third in the Premiership.

The 4-1 victory sends the Liverpool above Arsenal into third spot in the Premiership and Crouch did his England cause no harm with a fine trio - two in the first half and a quality finish for his third after the break. Daniel Agger scored Liverpool's other goal, but a William Gallas effort for Arsenal failed to destroy the feelgood factor at Anfield as new American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett watched from the directors' box.

Having been knocked out of both the FA Cup and League Cup by Arsenal in the space of a few days in January, Liverpool were looking to prevent Wenger's side from becoming the first club to beat them at home three times in one season.

Liverpool had failed to score in their previous three outings yet found themselves ahead as early as the fourth minute as Crouch made a memorable return from injury.

Crouch side-footed home from close range after good work from former Arsenal winger Jermaine Pennant allowed Spanish full-back Alvaro Arbeloa to fire in a low cross to the near post.

Jose Reina did not have a save to make before half time although the Liverpool keeper was relieved to see Emmanuel Adebayor's powerful 17th minute header land on the roof of the net moments after Jamie Carragher's crucial challenge had denied Julio Baptista a chance to equalise.

Liverpool's slick passing and eagerness to press forward at every opportunity had Arsenal pinned inside their own half for long periods and it required a superb stop by Lens Lehmann to prevent the excellent Crouch from making it 2-0 in the 22nd minute. Crouch did not have to wait long for his 15th goal of the season, the seven-million-pound signing from Southampton leaping high to nod Fabio Aurelio's cross beyond the reach of Lehmann to seal the points in the 35th minute.

Arsenal pulled one back on 73 minutes when Fabregas' corner was flicked on by Toure for Gallas to turn over the line from a yard at the far post.But any doubt about the result was ended when Crouch produced nimble footwork to find some space in the box on 81 minutes and fire past Lehmann after excellent work from Pennant and Kuyt set him up.

Liverpool striker Peter Crouch:
"It was pleasing for us to get four goals and beat a class side.

"The manager let us know beforehand we've had some disappointing results against Arsenal this season.

"You don't care how they come but it was a nice hat-trick, I'm pleased with it. It is a special moment."

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger:
"We are not certain of being in the top four.

"There is not a big enough gap even if maybe my players felt they had done enough.

"That is not the case. We will have to give our best in every game now, we must win all our home matches and pick up some away wins too.

"My players are now concerned. They did not produce what was expected."

Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Aurelio, Pennant, Alonso, Mascherano (Riise 82), Gonzalez (Zenden 69), Gerrard (Kuyt 56), Crouch.
Subs Not Used: Dudek, Fowler.

Booked: Alonso.

Goals: Crouch 4, 35, Agger 60, Crouch 81.

Arsenal: Lehmann, Eboue (Hoyte 82), Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Hleb, Fabregas, Diaby (Rosicky 65), Denilson, Julio Baptista (Ljungberg 65), Adebayor.
Subs Not Used: Almunia, Senderos.

Booked: Diaby, Lehmann, Fabregas.

Goals: Gallas 73.

Liverpool 4-1 Arsenal goals video:

Premiership, Manchester Utd 4-1 Bolton

Rooney and Park on song

Manchester United signalled their intention not to let anything as trivial as a mounting injury list derail their treble drive as they smashed four past Bolton for the second time this season to triumph 4-1 at Old Trafford. Park Ji-Sung and Wayne Rooney both scored twice as Sir Alex Ferguson's men surged to a victory which leaves them requiring a maximum 18 points from their last eight games to end a four-year title drought.

After half an hour of the onslaught it would have been difficult to know who was sitting most uncomfortably, Sam Allardyce or Steve McClaren - who had taken the opportunity to survey the start of a crucial weekend for him in the Old Trafford directors' box.

The game was only 10 minutes old when the England head coach's day took a serious downturn as Neville lay on the ground in agony after his left ankle crumpled under a challenge from Gary Speed. Neville could put no weight on his leg as he was helped to the touchline and the word swiftly came out that he could not continue.

Already the chances of the United skipper being fit for international duty in Israel next Saturday appear slim to non-existent, so McClaren, who had spoken of the need for experience in Tel Aviv, may end up turning to 18-year-old rookie Micah Richards.

If there is any comfort for McClaren, it is that England are not facing Portugal next week because, with Ronaldo in this mood, they would be virtually unbeatable. Having already suffered heavily at United's hands once this season, Allardyce was keen to avoid a repeat.Yet, after Bolton had received a major let-off when Park skied over from three yards, the visitors were well and truly flattened by a big red steamroller driven mercilessly by Ronaldo.

The opener came from an innocuous beginning as Wayne Rooney won a header with Tal Ben Haim close to halfway. Ronaldo was onto the loose ball in a flash, darted not just to the by-line but down it, then picked out Park with a fine cut-back which invited the South Korean's precise finish.A capacity crowd was still catching its breath when United scored one of those breakaway goals which have been such a hallmark of their success down the years.

Breaking out of their own area as they half-cleared Ivan Campo's long throw, the Red Devils streamed forward.In the end only Ronaldo and Rooney were required to make contributions as the pair exchanged passes twice in a run which took them 80 yards downfield before Rooney beat Jaaskelainen with an impudent chip to register the 50th goal of his United career.

For a while it seemed Bolton would be humiliated in a manner seldom seen since Allardyce took charge seven years ago. It was almost as if the visitors were so fearful of Ronaldo they dare not go near him, offering the winger a suicidal amount of space to run into every time he got the ball.

Jaaskelainen was spooked enough by his presence to allow a relatively weak shot to slip from his grasp just before the half hour, the rebound rolling kindly for Park to tap home his second.From that point on it was a damage limitation exercise for Bolton, with Ferguson feeling sufficiently comfortable about his side's position to remove Giggs and - to a standing ovation - Ronaldo from the fray long before the end.

Only Jaaskelainen's save prevented Ronaldo getting his own name on the scoresheet for the 18th time this season, but the winger's exit at least allowed Alan Smith to experience Premiership combat for the first time since he suffered those horrific injuries at Liverpool in February last year.

He was soon celebrating too after setting Rooney free with a lobbed pass which allowed the United forward to outpace Ben Haim before belting an unstoppable volley past Jaaskelainen.The goal involved precisely five touches from the moment the ball left the United area to it entering the Bolton net.

It took Rooney's tally for the season to 15, five of which have come against Allardyce's team, who bagged a late consolation when Gary Speed slotted home from the spot after Nemanja Vidic had harshly been ruled to have fouled Abdoulaye Faye.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson:

"The resilience of this team is not going to be put back at all. "I'm very pleased. It is a terrific result for us against a Bolton team which is a very good team and make you work all day. "Four goals at home this time of year is great."

Bolton manager Sam Allardyce:
"I can't understand how we have conceded three goals from our dead-ball situations.

"We have to get the basics right and play the percentage game as we have not the same quality as them United.

"We have gifted Manchester United three goal. I am angry with us not doing those things right."

Man Utd: Kuszczak, Neville (Brown 11), Ferdinand, Vidic, Heinze, Ronaldo (Smith 70), Carrick, O'Shea, Park, Rooney, Giggs (Richardson 56).
Subs Not Used: Heaton, Evra.

Booked: Richardson.

Goals: Park 14, Rooney 17, Park 25, Rooney 74.

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, Ben Haim, Faye, Gardner, Nolan, Campo (Thompson 78), Speed, Davies (Teymourian 52), Anelka, Pedersen (Diouf 28).
Subs Not Used: Walker, Giannakopoulos.

Booked: Campo, Gardner.

Goals: Speed 87 pen.

Premiership, Manchester Utd 4-1 Bolton highlights and goals:

Premiership, Chelsea 3-0 Sheff Utd

Shevchenko shines as Chelsea cruise

Chelsea defeated Sheffield United 3-0 at Stamford Bridge to once again move to within six points of leaders Manchester United.

Andriy Shevchenko, Saloman Kalou and Michael Ballack scored the goals for Jose Mourinho’s side . Mourinho, opting to leave Didier Drogba on the bench, watched his team take the lead after just four minutes.

Ricardo Carvalho beat three players before finding Shevchenko with a wonderful crossfield ball. The Ukrainian then lashed a shot past Paddy Kenny in the Blades goal.

It was 2-0 when a cross from the lively Shaun Wright-Phillips was touched on by Shevchenko, with Kalou applying the finish.

The visitors weren’t out of it, though. Petr Cech kept out a long-range strike from Colin Kazim Richards, while Rob Hulse went close with an overhead kick.

Cech also had to be alert to save from Hulse after a Keith Gillespie cross. There was bad news for the Blades as top-scorer Hulse suffered a suspected broken ankle in the collision.

Ballack was introduced as a half-time substitute for Frank Lampard, as Mourinho shuffled his pack with Monday’s FA Cup replay against Tottenham in mind.

He made it 3-0 when heading in a Wright-Phillips free-kick after the referee had deemed that Gillespie fouled Arjen Robben.

There was little to speak of in the second-half, although Wright Phillips shot just wide as he continues to look for his first league goal for Chelsea.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho:
"We played well, we started well and scored two goals so after 20 minutes the game is under control.

"They had a little spell before half-time but we were in control and played well in the second half.

"When we have our best players back we are a good team and it is no surprise to me that we have won six games in a row."

Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock on Rob Hulse's injury:
"It looks like a double fracture. It was pretty horrific - one of those where you look away.

"He almost got the ball but his ankle collided with Cech's leg, goes one way and then goes the other way.

"We have a job on our hands and it is up to one of the other lads to take us on from what Rob has done for us."

Chelsea: Cech, Boulahrouz, Carvalho, Terry, Ashley Cole (Ferreira 65), Wright-Phillips, Makelele, Lampard (Ballack 46), Robben, Shevchenko (Drogba 65), Kalou.
Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Diarra.

Goals: Shevchenko 4, Kalou 17, Ballack 58.

Sheff Utd: Kenny, Geary, Davis, Morgan, Armstrong, Gillespie, Alan Quinn (Tonge 67), Jagielka, Montgomery, Kazim-Richards, Hulse (Nade 25).
Subs Not Used: Bromby, Shelton, Stead.

Chelsea 3-0 Sheff Utd, highlights and goals:

Premiership, Tottenham 3-1 Watford

Robinson on right end of freak goal as Spurs ease to win

That's why you're number one', roared the home crowd in praise of Paul Robinson, the unlikely scorer of Spurs' second goal. The Watford fans had contested the England goalkeeper's crown, but when Robinson's free-kick flew the length of the pitch, bounced in front of Ben Foster and into the net!!! to put Tottenham two goals ahead after Jermaine Jenas had opened the scoring.

Hossam Ghaly added a third for Totteham before Darius Henderson pulled one back in the last minute for doomed Watford.

But it was Robinson who took centre stage in a match that had been billed as a battle between England's top two keepers. His amazing effort owed more to luck than judgement, but Foster was left to rue a misjudgement that will hardly help his chances of displacing Robinson as his country's first choice stopper.

Robinson was almost certain to start England's forthcoming Euro 2008 qualifiers after coach Steve McClaren backed him this week, but the manner of the second goal of his career will have ended any lingering doubts.

Tottenham's victory moved them into sixth place and was the ideal preparation for Monday's FA Cup quarter-final replay against Chelsea. In contrast, Watford look certain to go down after a defeat that left them 11 points from safety.

With that Chelsea clash in mind, Jol rested Dimitar Berbatov, Aaron Lennon and Robbie Keane.

But Spurs were still able to dominate the first half. Steed Malbranque created the first chance in the 17th minute when he got to the byline and cut a cross back, only for Mido to blast over.

Jenas was back in action after missing three matches with a groin injury and he looked determined to make up for lost time. He was at the heart of all Tottenham's best moments and he worked space for a volley that flashed wide from the edge of the area.

Jenas prompted another chance with a fine pass that picked out Jermain Defoe midway through the half. Defoe tested Foster with a smart snapshot, but the Watford keeper was equal to it.

Watford's only first half chance came from a generous piece of defending by the hosts. Pascal Chimbonda's pass went straight to Tamas Priskin but the Hungarian's shot was blocked for a corner.

Chimbonda got it right a few moments later though when his assist allowed Jenas to break the deadlock in the 41st minute. The French defender's cross picked out Jenas and he buried a header beyond Foster for his fifth goal in seven appearances.

Tottenham, Jenas goal:

Tottenham had won six of their previous seven matches, scoring 23 goals in the process, but they sealed victory here in the most bizarre manner after 63 minutes.

Foster had just saved well from Tom Huddlestone and when Robinson launched a huge clearance from well inside the Tottenham half there seemed to be little danger. But Foster, on loan from Manchester United, couldn't read the bounce and was left to hold his head in shame as the ball looped over him into the net.

Robinson's amazing goal:

Ghaly's fine low strike in the 85th minute rubbed salt into Foster's wounds and Henderson's last minute tap-in was no consolation for the visitors.

Tottenham, Ghaly goal:

Tottenham: Robinson, Chimbonda, Dawson, Rocha, Young-Pyo Lee (Stalteri 80), Ghaly, Jenas, Huddlestone, Malbranque (Lennon 71), Mido, Defoe.
Subs Not Used: Cerny, Berbatov, Keane.

Goals: Jenas 41, Robinson 63, Ghaly 85.



Watford: Foster, Mariappa, Doyley, Shittu, Powell, Chambers (Kabba 77), Mahon, Williams (Rinaldi 62), Smith, Priskin (Henderson 56), Bouazza.
Subs Not Used: Lee, Williamson.

Goals: Henderson 89.

Premiership, Manchester City 0-1 Chelsea

Lampard strikes to sink City and cut United's lead

Chelsea moved to within six points of Premiership leaders Manchester United as Frank Lampard's 20th goal of the season gave them a 1-0 win over Manchester City.

Lampard sent Manchester City goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson the wrong way from the spot in the 28th minute after Micah Richards had been punished for tripping Salomon Kalou.



City had been keen to win over their supporters after a miserable run which also included an FA Cup exit at the hands of Blackburn. They started well with Joey Barton latching onto a clearance from the returning John Terry in the sixth minute, only to fire his effort high over the crossbar.
Emile Mpenza, making his first start for City, linked up well with Stephen Ireland three minutes later. However the move broke down when the Belgian striker strayed into an offside position for the return ball.


Play switched back down the other end and Arjen Robben took up a good position in the 12th minute but failed to test Isaksson. City midfielder Dietmar Hamann was then given a talking to by referee Alan Wiley for clipping Claude Makelele's heels.
Ireland tried to release Mpenza in the 19th minute but Ashley Cole made a timely intervention. Chelsea were taking their time to get going and Lampard tried to release Michael Ballack in the penalty area, only to overhit the pass and see the move break down.


A minute later Ireland pounced on a loose ball but snatched at his shot and saw it clear the bar, Yet it was Chelsea who made the breakthrough in the 28th minute when Lampard struck from the spot after Richards' misdemeanour.The young England defender pleaded his innocence after a foolish challenge but Lampard ignored the fuss with a cool finish.

Barton made a vain appeal for a penalty in the 31st minute after going to ground following a challenge from Makelele. ManchesterCity were refusing to lie down and Barton flashed a shot across the face of Peter Cech's goal in the 39th minute.
Chelsea, however, remained dangerous on the counter attack with Kalou, Didier Drogba and Robben always looking for openings.

Chelsea suffered a scare after the break when Terry started limping heavily after a challenge, and even though he carried on with what appeared to be an ankle injury, he still looked uncomfortable.

Richards made some amends for his earlier mistake after 56 minutes, clearing off the line after Lampard had lifted the ball over Isaksson towards the empty net.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho sent on City old boy Wright-Phillips for the subdued Arjen Robben with 13 minutes left, and he almost doubled Chelsea's lead within seconds of his arrival, hitting the bar with a rising 20-yard drive.

City's lack of invention was almost embarrassing, but Barton threatened an unlikely equaliser after 80 minutes - however, he shot wastefully wide.

Chelsea had hardly been peppering City's goal either, but Didier Drogba brought a block from Isaksson as time ran out.

And Isaksson then saved from Michael Ballack in injury time as Chelsea claimed the three points.

Manchester City: Isaksson, Richards, Dunne, Distin, Ball, Jihai (Miller 63), Ireland, Barton, Hamann (Dabo 80), Mpenza, Vassell (Samaras 72).
Subs Not Used: Hart, Dickov.

Booked: Hamann, Dunne, Richards.

Chelsea: Cech, Geremi, Carvalho, Terry, Ashley Cole, Robben (Wright-Phillips 77), Ballack, Lampard, Makelele (Diarra 90), Kalou, Drogba.
Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Shevchenko, Boulahrouz.

Booked: Drogba, Ballack.

Goals: Lampard 28 pen.

Premiership Manchester City 0-1 Chelsea highlights and post match interviews:

Premiership, Aston Villa 0-1 Arsenal

Diaby marks Wenger milestone with victory

Arsene Wenger celebrated his 400th Premiership game in charge of Arsenal with a 1-0 victory at Villa Park on Wednesday night as his team maintained their unbeaten league start to 2007. Also Arsenal overtook Liverpool and moved up into third place in the Premiership!

Abou Diaby's first half goal - after only nine minutes - Diaby is another of the member of the exciting crop of young players Wenger believes can emerge stronger next season and provide a Premiership title threat to Chelsea and Manchester United.

Diaby's second goal for the club - his first had come against Villa in a 5-0 win at Highbury 11 months ago - arrived during a period when they threatened to overrun their hosts. Jérèmie Alaidière's poor finishing and a spirited recovery from Villa after the interval ensured Wenger's side would endure a more demanding evening then they might have envisaged, however, and they needed to show resilience to secure the points that lift them to third.

It took only 10 minutes for Villa to discover that Arsenal's second-string cannot be underestimated. Phil Bardsley was exposed by Diaby's pace on the left, the Frenchman ghosting past the full-back before releasing Julio Baptista. The Brazilian's drive from 25 yards would merely have provided some early action for the ball boy but Diaby's decision to continue his run brought fortuitous reward when he deflected the shot past Thomas Sorensen.

There was no intent on Diaby's part although he raised his arm to celebrate all the same. Arsenal should soon have been rejoicing again. Aliadière raced on to Freddie Ljungberg's measured pass before out-pacing Olof Mellberg only to see his left-foot shot turned around a post by Sorensen. It was a chance that Thierry Henry would surely have taken and the same could be said for two more Aliadière failed to convert before the interval.

The first arrived when Denilson's lofted ball found Aliadière in space on the edge of the area and again he left Mellberg trailing but with Sorensen braced for a shot, the Frenchman trod on the ball. That misfortune was perhaps playing on his mind two minutes before the interval, when Ljungberg's cross picked out the striker, unmarked, at the far post. He duly followed the text book to the letter, heading the ball down but with such power it bounced in front of Sorensen and over the bar.

Wenger looked on with bewilderment. Profligacy is a recurrent theme with Arsenal this season and there was enough of a threat from Villa to suggest that any wastefulness might be punished. John Carew, full of powerful running, had come close to winning a penalty when he was bundled to the ground by Johan Djourou on the edge of the area, though it was his partner in attack, Ashley Young, who had the best opportunity to peg Arsenal back.

Wilfred Bouma, arguably Villa's most improved player this season, bisected the Arsenal right with a deft pass on the edge of the area. Gareth Barry, overlapping with purpose, showed composure and awareness to deliver a perfectly weighted pass into the path of the on-rushing Young but the forward's shot, from no more than 12 yards, was abjectly tame and too near to Jens Lehmann, allowing the Arsenal goalkeeper to comfortably smother.

Lehmann would be in for a far-busier second half as Villa emerged with belief and much greater urgency. Gary Cahill's punt forward encouraged the ever-willing Carew to chase, Lehmann sprinting from his line to hurriedly clear. Within seconds they were driving forward again, Barry's run down the left taking him past Gilberto Silva to the byline only for his whipped cross to elude Gabriel Agbonlahor and run harmlessly across the six-yard box.

Having passed the ball with such control, Arsenal were appearing more and more vulnerable when defending, Lehmann evincing the unease when he failed to claim Young's deep corner. The loose ball hit Diaby and would have crossed the line but for Ljungberg's last-ditch clearance. Back came Villa again, Cahill astutely chesting the ball sideways for Carew to propel a 20-yard volley that flashed inches past the right-hand upright.

Wenger responded by replacing Diaby and the disappointing Baptista with Mathieu Flamini and Tomas Rosicky and they appeared to galvanise Arsenal, with Villa's only notable effort on goal in the last quarter coming when Carew's low shot was saved by Lehmann.

Aston Villa: Sorensen, Bardsley, Mellberg, Cahill, Bouma, Petrov, McCann (Berger 74), Barry, Agbonlahor, Carew, Young.
Subs Not Used: Taylor, Davis, Ridgewell, Moore.

Booked: Cahill.

Arsenal: Lehmann, Hoyte, Silva, Djourou, Gallas, Ljungberg, Fabregas, Denilson, Diaby (Rosicky 63), Julio Baptista (Flamini 65), Aliadiere (Senderos 90).
Subs Not Used: Poom, Walcott.

Booked: Djourou.

Goals: Diaby 10.

Premiership, Aston villa 0-1 Arsenal full match analysis, highlights and post match interviews:

Premiership, Liverpool 0-1 Manchester United

Late O'Shea show keeps Manchester United on target

Sir Alex Ferguson admitted Manchester United have got lucky in the Premiership title race after his 10-men snatched a dramatic 1-0 win at Liverpool on Saturday.

Manchester United were under pressure for long spells of the second half at Anfield and were clinging on for a point after Paul Scholes was sent off with eight minutes remaining for aiming a punch at Xabi Alonso. But John O'Shea fired home from close range in the 90th minute after Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina spilled Cristiano Ronaldo's free-kick.

John Arne Riise was within inches of putting Liverpool ahead after 26 minutes, sending a low, driven free-kick narrowly wide. Manchester United escaped again four minutes later when Craig Bellamy robbed the uncertain Nemanja Vidic, but his cross flashed along the six-yard line with Dirk Kuyt unable to apply the final touch.

Liverpool were rarely troubled, although Jamie Carragher had to intervene bravely to deny Rooney as he shaped to shoot inside the area. The momentum was all with Liverpool as the second half started - and they did everything but score as United were pinned back.

Steven Gerrard shot over from 12 yards, and Bellamy forced a save from Van der Sar low down before having a close-range effort ruled out for offside. Riise then fired a rising drive just over the top from 25 yards as Liverpool dominated a strangely lack-lustre United.

The game had become a disappointing stalemate, with United replacing an ineffective Henrik Larsson - on his final Premiership appearance before returning to Helsingborg - with Louis Saha. And Manchester United suffered a blow with 18 minutes left when Rooney limped off with a gashed leg and injury to his knee after a high challenge with Carragher.

Saha was at the centre of penalty claims with 12 minutes left when he tumbled under a challenge from Daniel Agger, but referee Martin Atkinson was unmoved.

Manchester United then threatened a smash-and-grab when the previously unemployed Reina needed to scoop away a header from Ronaldo. Scholes and Alonso had been involved in a succession of spats, and Scholes saw red after he raised his hand in the direction of the Spanish midfield man though no contact was made.

Van der Sar then produced a pivotal moment, diving acrobatically to his left to palm away Crouch's shot.

And just as United seemed happy to settle for a point, Reina dropped Ronaldo's free-kick at the feet of O'Shea, who slammed his finish into the roof of the net.

Manchester United's Boss Alex Ferguson:

"Without question this is a massive result for us," Ferguson said. "We were very lucky today. Liverpool upset our rhythm a bit and we had a lot of narrow escapes."

"But that happens in championships. Last week at Fulham was a great example of that when we broke away and scored in the last couple of minutes. Today we've broken away and scored in the last minute or so."

"You need that bit of luck to win a championship, there is no question about it and we've got that in the last couple of weeks."

Liverpool: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Agger, Riise, Gerrard, Alonso, Sissoko (Crouch 79), Gonzalez (60 Aurelio), Kuyt, Bellamy (Pennant 69).
Subs Not Used: Dudek, Hyypia.

Bookings: Alonso 41, Carragher 72.

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra (Silvestre 63), Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Rooney (O'Shea 73), Larsson (Saha 67).
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Brown.

Sent off: Scholes 86.

Bookings: Carrick 43, Neville 81.

Goal: O'Shea 90.

Premiership Liverpool 0-1 Manchester United extended highlights:

Premiership, Arsenal 2-1 Reading

Gunners back to winning ways

Arsenal moved to within one point of third-placed Liverpool with a deserved but, at the end, nervous victory. Cesc Fabregas mis-kicked in front of an open goal but Gilberto Silva put Arsenal in front from the penalty spot after Andre Bikey fouled Gael Clinchy.

This was a worthy victory for Arsenal, yet the afternoon began with Arsenal team in their default setting of seething frustration, dominating possession but struggling to expose chinks in a tightly-packed defence.

Shorn of Emmanuel Adebayor and Thierry Henry, their finishing was painfully profligate, with Cesc Fabregas the biggest culprit. Barely a minute had passed when the Spaniard was set up by Alexander Hleb, but his touch deserted him and Andre Bikey raced back to whip the ball from his toes. Then, in the 29th minute, Fabregas missed a chance that will give him sleepless nights for weeks to come. After James Harper failed to clear a loose ball, Baptista seized possession and squared to Fabregas four yards out. The 19-year-old swung his right boot but missed his shot entirely, the ball bouncing off his standing leg before bobbling clear.

In the 50th minute, Bikey, desperately attempting to keep up with the livewire Denilson, appeared to pull back at Denilson's shirt before becoming entangled with his legs. It was enough to convince Chris Foy, the referee, to award a penalty which Gilberto converted with surgical precision.

A second goal seemed inevitable and it duly arrived in the 61st minute. After a Reading corner had fizzled out, Arsenal streaked downfield at breakneck speed: Denilson slipped a pass to Baptista, who barged past Graeme Murty before toe-poking into the bottom corner.

With the game seemingly over, Reading woke up. Steve Sidwell headed over from a corner and then shot wastefully wide from close range, before Fabregas diverted a corner into his own net.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger:
"We could have done better, we looked a bit shaky at 2-1.

"We missed a few chances in the second half because we were slow to make important decisions.

"Reading were positive and dangerous and played in an intelligent way. They are one of the few teams that have come here and tried to play."

Reading boss Steve Coppell:
"We had opportunities, but credit to Arsenal - they were very, very patient and when they are in front they play with a different tempo.

"They controlled possession for long periods but we responded to that and played a full part in the game.

"We now have 14 days without a game. We can take stock and recharge out batteries, which is important."

Arsenal: Lehmann, Djourou, Gallas, Silva, Clichy, Ljungberg (Diaby 70), Fabregas, Denilson, Hleb (Senderos 86), Walcott (Aliadiere 71), Julio Baptista.
Subs Not Used: Almunia, Traore.

Booked: Senderos.

Goals: Silva 51 pen, Julio Baptista 62.

Reading: Hahnemann, Murty, Ingimarsson, Bikey, Shorey, Little (Doyle 80), Sidwell, Harper (Gunnarsson 71), Hunt (Oster 65), Kitson, Lita.
Subs Not Used: Federici, Duberry.

Booked: Kitson.

Goals: Fabregas (87 og).

Premier League, Arsenal 2-1 Reading Full highlights and goals:

English Premier League, Liverpool Vs Manchester United preview

Liverpool are unbeaten at home in the Premiership this season, but have not won against United at Anfield in the league since November 2001. Rafa Benitez’ side have not scored in their previous four league meetings with Sir Alex Ferguson’s men, who won 2-0 at Old Trafford in October.

Liverpool:

RETURNING: None

OUT: Luis Garcia (Knee), Harry Kewell (arthritis)

DOUBTFUL: Peter Crouch (broken nose)

Statistics: The Reds extended their unbeaten home league record to 30 games after their 4-0 win over Sheffield United last week.

MANAGER'S QUOTE: "A perfect week for us and our supporters, and our players are enjoying playing football. We had to change seven players which can be a bit risky. Sometimes it's a risk but I always say the same thing - you have to have faith in your squad" - Rafa Benitez after his side's win over Sheffield United.

Manchester United:

RETURNING: Gary Neville (rested)

OUT: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (knee), Darren Fletcher (ankle)

DOUBTFUL: None

Statistics: United have won three and drawn one of their previous four visits to Anfield. Ryan Giggs is set to make his 700th appearance for the club.

MANAGER'S QUOTE: "The fans at Reading were fantastic. The support they gave us, both there and at Fulham, was absolutely unbelievable. There were only 4,000 of them at Reading, but the volume was incredible. If only we could get 17 times that amount of noise from those at Old Trafford" - Sir Alex praises United's travelling support.

English Premier League, Arsenal Vs Reading preview

Arsenal will turn their focus back to the Premiership on Saturday, after having lost the League Cup final a week ago before being bounced out of the FA Cup on Wednesday.

Arsene Wenger's side will be hoping to fight back from those two defeats, to Chelsea and Blackburn respectively, and consolidate the final Champions League spot with victory over Reading at the Emirates.

Arsenal:

RETURNING: Cesc Fabregas (rested)

OUT: Emmanuel Eboue, Emmanuel Adebayor, Kolo Toure (all suspended), Vasiriki Diaby (ankle), Robin van Persie (metatarsal), Mathieu Flamini (foot), Thierry Henry (foot), Tomas Rosicky (groin), Justin Hoyte (hamstring)

DOUBTFUL: Johann Djourou (ankle), Jeremie Aliadiere (flu).

Statistics: Arsenal are still unbeaten at the Emirates after 13 games played at their new home, and have beaten Reading in all six meetings in all competitions.

MANAGER'S QUOTE: "It is just a coincidence that you have 20 men who have a brawl and only the Arsenal players were guilty. It is unbelievable but maybe they [the FA] have their own way to do justice." Arsene Wenger.

Reading:

RETURNING: Andre Bikey (suspension)

OUT: Bobby Convey (anterior cruciate ligament), Ibrahima Sonko (anterior cruciate ligament), Peter Mate (knee)

DOUBTFUL: None.

Statistics: Reading have never beaten Arsenal in league or cup games, and have not scored against the Gunners for 20 years

MANAGER'S QUOTE: "In many ways you are just in awe of teams like Arsenal when they are really flowing. You look at their ability going forward and you just think 'wow'. And I am also in awe of what they are doing with their youngsters. It is a shame they are not English youngsters but you can only but respect the way he is nurturing players there and the way any combination can gel." Steve Coppell.

Premier League, Fulham 1-2 Manchester United

Cristiano Ronaldo picks Fulham's pocket

Cristiano Ronaldo's superb late winner moved Manchester United nine points clear of Chelsea at the top of the Premiership after they came from behind to beat Fulham 2-1 at Craven Cottage here Saturday. Cristiano Ronaldo's 88th-minute winner was among the best of the 18 he has scored this season. Picking up the ball near halfway on the left, he skinned Moritz Volz, left Clint Dempsey behind, swerved inside and then hit a shot that took a telling deflection off Philippe Christanval. Cue manic celebrations with the United bench - 'Gaby is my friend,' Ronaldo said of Gabriel Heinze, who was not in the squad of 16 but received the longest smooch - and a 22nd league win this season. A jovial Sir Alex Ferguson said: 'We were flat. Once they scored, it was an uphill battle. But we dug ourselves out of a hole.'

Brian McBride put the home side in front in the 17th minute but United found an equaliser before half-time through stand-in captain Ryan Giggs.


Fulham boss Chris Coleman (who felt Heidar Helguson was fouled in the penalty area by Edwin van der Sar):
"The referee has no excuses, he was in the perfect position.
"There is only one way to put it and that is that he lost his nerve.
"Can anybody disagree with me if I say that if that happened at the other end of the pitch, and it's 1-1, the referee is going to give a penalty?
"It's frustrating to say the least but what is the point talking about it. I will get another fine."

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson:
"I must say that was the most difficult game we have had all season.
"I think it is a significant result, pariticularly scoring late on.
"Ronaldo just kept going and deserved to get the man of the match.
"Credit to Fulham, they never gave use a moment to settle. Fulham will feel very aggrieved with the result."

Man of the match: Cristiano Ronaldo

Now Let's see the goals:

Fans launch petition against 'rip-off' ticket prices.

A nationwide fans' group have launched an on-line petition to protest against 'rip-off' ticket prices.

With a growing number of Premiership clubs slashing the price of admission in a bid to attract higher gates, the Football Supporters' Federation have issued a three-point directive they believe all top flight clubs should follow. Their plans include:

• A League-wide away fans' ticket price of no more than £15.
• A League-mandated freeze on all matchday and season ticket prices.
• The use of television facilities fees for broadcast games to lower ticket prices to compensate for fixture moves and inconvenient kick-off times. The organisation, who claim to represent 140,000 members in England and Wales, believe their plan would win widespread approval. And they have noted with disdain the recent comments of Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon that there is no chance of ticket prices being cut at Stamford Bridge because all funds were required for increased salaries. 'Peter Kenyon is reported as saying that the club has no intention of lowering ticket prices as his players will be demanding big pay rises,' said FSF chairman Malcolm Clarke. 'Sorry Peter. Get real. Here on planet Earth most people view professional footballers in the Premier League as being paid enough already. 'Most people would be able to get by on the average salary of a Chelsea first-team squad player. 'Chelsea and every other club in the Premier League are going to receive extra millions in broadcasting income next season. It is time this was shared out with the fans.'

Chelsea FC strike YouTube deal

Chelsea have struck a deal to show archive footage and club news on YouTube, the first such deal to be done by a Premiership football club. The deal will see content from the club's subscription channel Chelsea TV appear in a branded area of the video-sharing website titled www.youtube.com/chelseafc.
The site will feature daily news updates, archive footage of Chelsea games, and other features including jokes from Chelsea physio Billy McCulloch.Restrictions in the Premier League's broadcast contract means live footage will not be shown. Content is produced by Chelsea Digital Media, a joint venture subsidiary owned by Chelsea and BSkyB.
Chelsea's chief executive, Peter Kenyon, said: "We are delighted to work with YouTube. Chelsea is the first football club to move into what is clearly one of the fastest-growing new media platforms."This will allow us to offer our fans exciting Chelsea FC content in a very unique way, as well as an opportunity to reach a whole new audience." The deal comes as YouTube, recently purchased by Google for $1.65bn, moves to legitimise its content. The site's success was built on home-made video contributions and bootlegged clips posted by users - more than 100,000 are uploaded every day - but increasingly broadcasters and rights holders have sought to have content removed.
Football is a huge driver of traffic to the site, with millions of clips and goals available. The Premier League has been in talks with YouTube over removing its content from the site, and entertainment giant Viacom recently demanded that YouTube remove 100,000 clips.Chelsea's move, however, is an acknowledgement that some bootlegging is inevitable, so it is more productive to attempt to control the content that appears on the site.The BBC is considering a similar deal that would see programme clips and content appearing in a branded area of the website.

Ferguson: Spurs Out Of Order

Manchester United cantered to a 4-0 win, with Cristiano Ronaldo’s penalty putting them on the way. Cristiano Ronaldo won the penalty himself when he went down under minimal contact from a Steed Malbranque challenge.

Tottenham decided to show the controversial incident again at half-time on the big screen, something clubs are not supposed to do under Premier League rules.

"Tottenham were out of order showing replays at half-time of the penalty award that brought Ronaldo his latest goal," Ferguson Said.

"Certainly it was a close call and therefore controversial, but I don't think a club should risk inflaming the home support during a game.

"Players get booked for over-celebrating a goal in the face of rival supporters, but Tottenham's decision was far more provocative."

Wenger eager to overcome Emirates problem.

Arsene Wenger accepts Arsenal continue to be slow starters at the Emirates Stadium - but backed the 'character and resilience' of his side to see them through.
Not for the first time this season, the Gunners found themselves trailing at their new 60,000-seater home when Denny Landzaat fired struggling Wigan into a first-half lead with a brilliant strike. But Arsenal regrouped following the interval and hit back to level through an own goal from Fitz Hall before Tomas Rosicky's late winner consolidated their position in fourth place in the Premiership - now just one point behind Liverpool with a match in hand.

Wenger understands the need to avoid constantly making life difficult for themselves at home. 'It is down to us to show more consistency,' said the Arsenal manager. 'They were on top of us - but we never decide to put ourselves in that position. 'Everybody comes here and starts very well, whereas we find it difficult. But usually other teams drop in the final part of the game and that is where our character and resilience comes through.'

Henry admitted the Gunners had been somewhat fortunate. Henry said: 'Mathieu Flamini was offside so sometimes you have to put your hands up when you score goals like that. 'You cannot be too proud about it. Sometimes it goes against you and sometimes it goes for you. You have to be honest when it goes for you to say it out loud.'

Didier Yves Drogba Tébily (born March 11, 1978 in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire) is a footballer from Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) who currently plays for Chelsea F.C. of the English Premier League.



Club career;

Le Mans and Guingamp:

Drogba signed for Le Mans in 1998 (aged 19), who at the time were also in Ligue 2. After achieving a professional contract, he had a respectable first season, scoring seven goals. His next two seasons were dogged by injury, though his potential was clearly noted by En Avant Guingamp, who signed him in 2002, taking him up to Ligue 1 (aged 24). Drogba spent one and a half seasons at Guingamp, scoring in his first game and repaying the manager's (Guy Lacombe) faith in him. In his only full season with the club, Drogba scored seventeen goals and helped Guingamp finish seventh, a record high for them. This led to him signing for Olympique de Marseille, one of France's biggest clubs.

Olympique de Marseille;

Marseille initially struggled, with Alain Perrin, who signed Drogba from Guingamp, being soon replaced by José Anigo. However, Drogba was an outstanding performer, scoring 19 goals and winning the award for French player of the year. He also collected a UEFA Cup runner's up medal, Marseille losing to Valencia in the final. Again he attracted attention from bigger clubs, and at the end of the season he moved to Chelsea as the club's then record signing for £24 million.

Watch a compilation of Drogba's AMAZING goals with Marseille:


Chelsea;


Signing for Chelsea in July 2004, Drogba adapted well to the FA Premier League, scoring in his third game for the club with a thunderous header against Crystal Palace. His season was interrupted when he pulled a stomach muscle against Liverpool, which kept him out of action for over two months. Despite this he enjoyed the second best goals-to-minutes ratio in the Premier League, prolific Frenchman Thierry Henry being the only player to better him in this respect. He scored 16 goals in 40 games for Chelsea in his first season, but was criticized for being inconsistent.

2005-2006;

Drogba made an impressive start to the 2005-06 season, scoring two goals in a Community Shield win over Arsenal. In both goals, Drogba mercilessly exploited the mistakes of young Swiss defender Philippe Senderos. He also put in man-of-the-match performances in two 4-1 wins, one against Liverpool at Anfield, where he had a part in creating every goal, and another against West Ham United, where he scored the first, provided the second for Hernán Crespo, and played excellently throughout.
After the departure of fellow striker Hernán Crespo and winger Damien Duff, and manager Mourinho's decision to switch to a 4-4-2 formation after fielding a 4-3-3 featuring only one out-and-out forward over the past two seasons, Drogba's position in the coming season looked more stable as the first choice striker alongside Andriy Shevchenko.

2006-07;

Drogba is currently having an amazing season, having scored 17 goals in all competitions for Chelsea and topping the scoring charts in the Premier League with ten goals. A diving header off a cross from Wayne Bridge against Manchester City opened the floodgates, and was followed by a solo goal against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park, an instinctive effort against Charlton Athletic, a stunning twenty yard volley in a 1-0 victory over Liverpool, and a crucial goal poked in against Aston Villa. Drogba also earned a second-half penalty in Chelsea's first Champions League game of the season, a 2-0 home victory over Werder Bremen.
On November 3, 2006 he committed his future to the club by signing a new four year deal. His first goal since signing his new contract was the fourth goal in Chelsea's 4-0 romp over Aston Villa in the 4th round of the 2006/2007 Carling Cup.

Watch some of Drogba's goals with Chelsea this season:

Michael Essien is a product of Ghana’s renowned junior system, which frequently sees talented young players thrown in at the deep end and exposed to the rigours of international competition while still in their teens. The midfielder, who first represented his country at U-12 level after being spotted playing on the streets of Accra by his first club, Liberty Professionals, was among those to benefit from this policy. His European odyssey began in 1999, following the FIFA U-17 World Championship, where Essien, then 16, caught the eye of scores of on-looking talent scouts. A trial at Manchester United followed but when the offer came to join their feeder club, Royal Antwerp, he declined.

Instead in 2000, and after several months living in his agent’s flat in Monaco, Essien signed for French club Bastia. He broke into the first team as a defender but only after a slot in midfield became available did the true extent of his potential become clear. Essien’s increasingly impressive performances for Bastia inevitably attracted the attention of wealthier clubs and Lyon made their move in summer 2003. Although there was a small element of risk in the fee of 7.8 million euros, the faith of Lyon manager Paul Le Guen was repaid tenfold as Essien blossomed into exactly the player his raw ability suggested he would become.

Two successive league titles followed while on the European stage, Essien performed imperiously as Lyon reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League in both the 2003/04 and 2004/05 campaigns. His fellow professionals in France voted Essien their Player of the Year for 2005, an award which, ironically, had gone the previous year to Didier Drogba, whose own move to Chelsea from Olympique Marseille had set a record transfer fee for an African footballer. Now, even more exorbitant sums were being discussed in relation to Lyon’s dynamic Ghanaian and, after some tense negotiations with Lyon officials, Chelsea won the battle for his signature, with Essien getting his wish and Jose Mourinho getting his man.


Now watch Essien's supurb equaliser against Arsenal in the premier league.

Essien Shows Skill! powered by Metacafe