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      R4ndom 19 March 2011 5:15PM

      Buy a goalkeeper and never, ever, play Denilson again.
      Either that, or it's time to retire Mr W.
      Still fighting (just).

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      HK1234 19 March 2011 5:17PM

      Almunia is ****ing shit. What was he doing the idiot.
      We should've won. 5 points behind utd but still with a game in hand. It's not over yet.
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      translated 19 March 2011 5:18PM

      Gutted. We had this in the bag and Arsenal's second was a lucky goal. Still, I'd have settled for a point before the game and although Carson might be crap, at least he's not Almunia.

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      HK1234 19 March 2011 5:19PM

      Why couldn't Jussi have stopped that. It was an easy save. I could've saved it and i'm a shit footballer. I also wouldn't run out of my goal for no ****ing reason.

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      Keysers0ze 19 March 2011 5:19PM

      It is not over yet, but we will keep dropping points with Almunia in goal. He seems to transmit his incompetence onto the rest of the defence.

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      saltee 19 March 2011 5:20PM

      nothing short of a disaster. Yet another total defensive f*ck-up.
      Almost got away with it had ManU not fluked a late winner.

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      blackbugsblood 19 March 2011 5:20PM

      noooooooooooooooooooo nnooooooooooooooooooooooooo tell me its not true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! motherrrrrrrrrrrrr *****************!!!!!

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      hozho 19 March 2011 5:20PM

      Gutted. We had this in the bag and Arsenal's second was a lucky goal.
      ​
      What goes around comes around.
      Also, how didn't Ramsey do better with that sitter? Almunia would have scored that.

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      HK1234 19 March 2011 5:20PM

      I usually don't bother to comment on other teams games, but after the behaviour of Arsenal fans on the City blog the other day I'd just like to say well done Arsenal!
      Todays result couldn't happen to a more classless bunch of utter pr**ks.
      * CHOKE *

      ​
      We're above you in the league you fool. How have Adebayor and Toure done at your club?
      If Arsenal are choking what is your club doing?

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      IngmarBergkamp 19 March 2011 5:20PM

      The positives:
      We came back from two goals down.
      Chamakh looked a bit like the player he was 4 or 5 months ago
      Wenger finally hauled someone off at half time
      Despite conceding two goals the back two looked OK at times.
      But, still, their second goal. Absolutely unforgivable mistake.

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      sujay7pires 19 March 2011 5:20PM

      translated
      19 March 2011 5:18PM
      Gutted. We had this in the bag and Arsenal's second was a lucky goal.
      ​
      And West Brom's second was a result of what exactly? A stupid keeper and luck, no? Plus it should have been 1-1 in that first half had Ramsey not fluffed his shot.

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      MirandaC 19 March 2011 5:20PM

      Can Lehmann play next time please? Actually I blame him for Almunia's going to pieces - it's that icy blue stare

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      HK1234 19 March 2011 5:22PM

      Almunia, Denilson, Squiollaci and Rosicky should all be told to **** off in the summer. Why do we hand long term contract to shit players.
      Arshavin's goal was a cracker. Wenger'ss talking about mental strength again.

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      sujay7pires 19 March 2011 5:22PM

      BlueMoonRising
      19 March 2011 5:18PM
      I usually don't bother to comment on other teams games, but after the behaviour of Arsenal fans on the City blog the other day I'd just like to say well done Arsenal!
      Todays result couldn't happen to a more classless bunch of utter pr**ks.
      * CHOKE *
      ​
      Balotelli plays for whom? Talk about class eh? And you coming here is just proof that one can't really buy class.

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      IngmarBergkamp 19 March 2011 5:23PM

      Bluemoonrising
      Oh dear, your club'll probably buy Denilson in the summer.
      After all you need another defensive midfielder.

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      MirandaC 19 March 2011 5:23PM

      Gutted. We had this in the bag and Arsenal's second was a lucky goal.
      ​
      Shots on target: West Brom 2, Arsenal 8
      Corners: West Brom 7, Arsenal 2
      Not to mention the possession, pass completion, etc.

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      MrDesh 19 March 2011 5:23PM

      Two goalies conspired against us today.....Almunia and Jaskeleinen (I don't that is right spelling)......but mainly Almunia. Put Mad Jens back in, this is the second time we have dropped points to WBA because of Almunia

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      chamakhmypitchup 19 March 2011 5:24PM

      I thought Fulham wanted more than 2m for Schwarzer. Wenger didn't think he was worth it, which he isn't, and that's why we didn't buy him. We've already got an excellent keeper in Szcesny. Besides, although Almunia's most recent mistake might have cost us the win, the whole team never really woke up until we were two down. We were almost undone by the same kind of attitude (is it complacency, arrogance, or, the complete opposite, lack of confidence?) that has troubled us all season (see Arsenal vs. Newcastle, for the worst example).
      Still, our chance to win the title still rests with us. So long as we keep winning, win our game in hand and beat Utd when we meet we can still do it. Easy, right?

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      HK1234 19 March 2011 5:24PM

      wba had two shots and two goals you know Almunia is playing when you see that.

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      Keysers0ze 19 March 2011 5:25PM

      No clue what Almunia was thinking. A defender was near the ball, there was no reason at all for him to come off his line. It was not even half way between Squillaci and Almunia where there can be room for a mix up. This is just less than decent level school ground goalkeeping.

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      daboiy 19 March 2011 5:25PM

      I'm from North London and I'm half French... it was natural for me to support Arsenal when I was a kid, especially with Wenger and all the other frogs coming along in the mid 90s.. It was brilliant. I'm not tired of his stubbornness.
      - He didn't buy a keeper, or has not bought a decent keeper since Lehmann (I am a keeper, and actually like the look of Szchesny, but he's too young right now). I don't understand how he's backed Almunia this long. Before Arsenal, he'd hardly ever played in a top league. The guy is utter crap and his defenders have never had any confidence in him
      - Since Henry, we haven't had a clinical striker who can score 20 odd a season.
      - We have no leader, no headcase who runs like a lunatic and leads the team. Even someone like Darren Fletcher, who runs and runs and works and works would be a better choice than any of the players we have. Should have kept Flamini or Diarra when we had the chance. The guys weren't as gifted as Fabregas or Nasri or even Ramsey and Wilshere, but they were hardcore.
      - Why on earth did we not buy a defender in January? I can understand at the start of the year that Wenger thought with Vermalen fit, we wouldn't have a problem. In january, it was clear we only had one very good fit defender (djourou), an average new to the league def (kozcielny) and an OAP (squillaci).
      Wenger needs to wake up or leave. He's done what he had to do. I'll always love him, but he's not taking us forward any more, because he doesn't want to change anything

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      saltee 19 March 2011 5:26PM

      Almunia, Denilson, Squiollaci and Rosicky should all be told to **** off in the summer. Why do we hand long term contract to shit players.
      Arshavin's goal was a cracker. Wenger'ss talking about mental strength again

      Agree totally. And I hate to say it, but this may been the final nail in the coffin, but I hope not. Its way too late for mental f**king strength.

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      HK1234 19 March 2011 5:26PM

      Nasri should play the central role when Cesc is injured. I can't believe he still plays inside right.

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      blackbugsblood 19 March 2011 5:27PM

      I usually don't bother to comment on other teams games, but after the behaviour of Arsenal fans on the City blog the other day I'd just like to say well done Arsenal! Todays result couldn't happen to a more classless bunch of utter pr**ks. * CHOKE *
      What are you serious that someone even bothered commenting on citys game- why would anybody waste their time.

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      jkhd 19 March 2011 5:27PM

      Well then.
      We were utter shit for 70 minutes. Absolutely terrible, just aimlessly chucking the ball into the box. The one time we played football, we scored. Then we went back to chucking it in. And somehow scored. We could've grabbed a winner.
      West Brom tired, I think.
      Unfortunately, this game leaves me with more questions.
      1. How can Wenger continue to play Squillaci and Almunia if there are other options? Squillaci had a decent last 10 minutes. Before then he was a liability.
      2. Do we need to go 4-4-2 when we don't have Cesc? We couldn't pass the ball today. We missed him.
      3. Arsene, you must get quality back ups. The difference between the likes of Cesc, Song, Vermaelen and Djourou compared with Squillaci, Denilson, Rosicky is too much.
      4. Why was Ramsey marking Steven Reid?
      Despite the season looking over at 60 minutes, we fought back. Great. But Wenger, you cannot ignore the problems we have. Song should be at the back, Denilson in the reserves and Almunia on the bench.
      We can still, improbably, win the title, but it looks unlikely. A damn lot better than it did at 12:20 though

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      jkhd 19 March 2011 5:28PM

      BlueMoonRising
      19 March 2011 5:18PM
      I usually don't bother to comment on other teams games, but after the behaviour of Arsenal fans on the City blog the other day I'd just like to say well done Arsenal!
      Todays result couldn't happen to a more classless bunch of utter pr**ks.
      * CHOKE *
      ​
      This is of course, a fan of a team that has won a grand total of **** all in 36 years.

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      PleaseTryAgain 19 March 2011 5:30PM

      what a ****ing clown convention for the 2nd goal .... honestly, what the **** do we practice all week? is it really so impossible to have any defensive solidity?
      for ****s sake!?!?!?!?!?1?1?1?!?!?!?1?!?
      well done to west brom, roys got them pretty organised i can see them staying up

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      OzMogwai 19 March 2011 5:31PM

      I ****ing hate Man U so much it hurts when i pee. Down to 10 men with 15 mins left? Arsenal claw it back to 2-2? there's me thinking right, late Bolton winner, Arsenal grab a late winner, big step towards title! how ****ing wrong was i? In the space of 15 minutes my life went from glory to the ****ing shitter. ARSENAL!

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      chamakhmypitchup 19 March 2011 5:31PM

      I probably have more patience than most when it comes to our players, but really, even for me, its time for Almunia and Denilson to go. Dont think we'll get much for them, or anything, but that doesn't really matter. Even if we have to pay someone to take them, I'll chip in.
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      translated 19 March 2011 5:32PM

      Arsenal fans - WBA have not beaten Arsenal twice in a season since 61/62 and we've taken 4 points off you this season. I'm sorry you are struggling to win anything - my heart beads for you, but the reason you are struggling is you can't beat a team as bad as we are when the pressure is on. Suck it up.

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      hozho 19 March 2011 5:32PM

      Hehehe
      A comment about bottle and lack of would be too easy.

      ​
      And fundamentally flawed.
      'Bottle' had nothign to do with it. 'Shit keeper' is closer to the mark.
      We didnt play well, but we played well enough to win. Had we had Scezney and Djourou this would have probably been 2-0.


 

Series: Saturday clockwatch

Previous | Index

Saturday clockwatch - as it happened!

Man Utd moved five points clear at the top as Arsenal were held to a draw by WBA




  • Scott Anthony
  • guardian.co.uk, Saturday 19 March 2011 14.08 GMT <li class="history">Article history To receive updated content, refresh the page (F5 for a web browser).
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    Jens-Lehmann-and-Manuel-A-006.jpg
    Jens Lehmann and Manuel Almunia. They're friends now. Photograph: Simon Dawson/AP Afternoon. Strong Saturday Premier League fixture list ahoy. Having beaten Arsenal at the Emirates, West Brom, who are going well under Woy, host a Gunners side that desperately needs a win to keep the pressure on leaders Man Utd, who host neighbours Bolton.
    At the other end of the table, you wouldn't queue overnight for a ticket to Wigan v Birmingham or Villa v Wolves but all four teams are in desperate need of the three points.
    Blackburn v Blackpool has 'season defining match' written all over it. A draw, then.
    But there's life outside of the Premier League, of course. Third-place Swansea City play host to sixth-place Nottingham Forest, while play-off chasing Hull City host second place Norwich City in what is arguably the Championship's game of the day.
    There's life outside the Championship too, as Sheffield United will surely find out is they fail to beat Leeds. They're one-nil to the good at the moment.
    Going down to the third tier of league football, Huddersfield will be looking to keep their promotion charge on track by beating struggling Swindon, while Dagenham v Charlton looks a tasty tie.
    In League Two I'll be keeping an eye on automatic promotion-chasing Shrewsbury's game against third-place Wycombe.
    2.22pm: But it's the Premier League that we'll be mainly focusing on. Around fifteen minutes to play at White Hart Lane where Spurs are hosting West Ham. That sounds a game with a few goals in it, I thought. It's 0-0 at the moment. You can follow the finale with Paolo here.
    2.25pm: Teams news:
    Man Utd v Bolton
    Man Utd: Van der Sar, Brown, Smalling, Evans, Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Giggs, Nani, Rooney, Hernandez. Subs: Kuszczak, Owen, Berbatov, Park, Fabio Da Silva, Gibson, Gill.
    Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Wheater, Cahill, Robinson, Elmander, Holden, Muamba, Petrov, Kevin Davies, Sturridge. Subs: Bogdan, Taylor, Klasnic, Moreno, Blake, Alonso, Lee.
    Which gives winger Antonio Valencia his first Utd start in seven months.
    2.29pm: Team news:
    WBA v Arsenal
    West Brom: Carson, Reid, Meite, Olsson, Shorey, Scharner, Mulumbu, Brunt, Morrison, Thomas, Odemwingie. Subs: Myhill, Cech, Tchoyi, Fortune, Tamas, Cox, Jara.
    Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Squillaci, Koscielny, Clichy, Wilshere, Denilson, Ramsey, Nasri, Arshavin, van Persie. Subs: Lehmann, Rosicky, Eboue, Gibbs, Chamakh, Miquel, Bendtner.
    After loan spells at Cardiff City and Nottingham Forest, Aaron Ramsey makes his long-awaited return to the Arsenal line-up. Jens Lehmann's on the bench. Interesting selection for what you feel is, psychologically, a must-win game for Arsenal.
    2.31pm: Team news:
    Aston Villa v Wolves
    Aston Villa: Friedel, Walker, Cuellar, Baker, Herd, Albrighton, Reo-Coker, Makoun, Downing, Ashley Young, Bent. Subs: Marshall, Pires, Agbonlahor, Bradley, Delph, Heskey, Petrov.
    Wolverhampton: Hennessey, Foley, Stearman, Berra, Elokobi, Hammill, Henry, Milijas, O'Hara, Jarvis, Doyle. Subs: Hahnemann, Craddock, Kightly, Ebanks-Blake, Fletcher, Ward, David Jones.
    2.34pm: Team news:
    Wigan v Birmingham
    Wigan: Al Habsi, Boyce, Gary Caldwell, Alcaraz, Figueroa, Watson, McCarthy, N'Zogbia, Cleverley, Moses, Di Santo. Subs: Pollitt, Gohouri, Gomez, Sammon, Rodallega, Diame, Stam.
    Birmingham: Foster, Carr, Johnson, Jiranek, Ridgewell, Larsson, Gardner, Ferguson, Mutch, Beausejour, Jerome. Subs: Doyle, Murphy, Phillips, Bentley, Martins, Parnaby, Davies.
    2.37pm: Jermaine Defoe has just hit a chance over the bar! Tottenham are making all the running in the dying moments at West Ham. Defoe has been wasteful, Roman Pavlyuchenko has been brilliantly kept out by West Ham keeper Green. 22 attempts on goal by Spurs and counting. 4 minutes of stoppage time.
    2.40pm: Bjorn Helge Riise looks to have given Championship strugglers Sheffield United a surprise win over Leeds United. The Blades are 2-0 up with moments to go.
    2.41pm: Team news:
    Blackburn v Blackpool
    Blackburn: Robinson, Salgado, Samba, Nelsen, Olsson, Emerton, Nzonzi, Jermaine Jones, Diouf, Santa Cruz, Hoilett. Subs: Bunn, Kalinic, Pedersen, Rochina, Mwaruwari, Phil Jones, Roberts.
    Blackpool: Kingson, Baptiste, Cathcart, Evatt, Crainey, Grandin, Adam, Vaughan, Puncheon, Taylor-Fletcher, Varney. Subs: Halstead, Southern, Eardley, Ormerod, Phillips, Reid, Beattie.
    The formerly lethal forward known as Roque Santa Cruz lines up for Blackburn while Blackpool welcome back talisman Charlie Adam. It'll be a draw I tell you.
    Pheep, pheep. Full-time at White Hart Lane. Tottenham Hotspur 0-0 West Ham United
    2.44pm: Team news part 6:
    Stoke City v Newcastle United
    Stoke: Begovic, Wilson, Shawcross, Huth, Higginbotham, Pennant, Delap, Whelan, Etherington, Jones, Walters. Subs: Sorensen, Collins, Fuller, Pugh, Diao, Whitehead, Wilkinson.
    Newcastle: Harper, Coloccini, Williamson, Campbell, Jose Enrique, Simpson, Barton, Nolan, Tiote, Lovenkrands, Ameobi. Subs: Krul, Guthrie, Gutierrez, Steven Taylor, Ranger, Ferguson, Kuqi.
    His legs may have gone but he's still good in the air, that's surely the reason why veteran Sol Campell has been recalled to the Toon side.
    2.49pm: Leeds United are trailing Sheffield United by two goals and are down to ten men. Striker Billy Paynter has just been sent off.
    2.50pm: 'The Houllier Out' banners have been unveiled at Villa Park. After Richard Dunne and James Collins contretemps during a recent team bonding both are absent and instead Villa's back four reads: Walker, Cuellar, Baker, Herd. It doesn't sound watertight. Even though Wolves have only won once and scored ten times away this season.
    Sure it's been a season to forget for Villa and Gerard Houllier has said and one some strange things (remember when he said he gets a hard press for being French?) but Villa fans have maybe the thinnest patience in the Premier League. Is that fair? No, say my colleagues.
    Pheep, pheep. Full-time at Bramall Lane. Sheffield United 2-0 Leeds United Excellent and much needed win for Micky Adams side. Did they get up for a Yorkshire derby or are United about to mount a hitherto unlikely seeming charge up the table?
    Email point to ponder: "With Berbatov relegated to the bench again, does Sir Alex Ferguson no longer rate him - or is he simply just the new Michael Owen? Or is the United manager just trying to mess with my Fantasy League team?" Asks Matt Byron.
    3.03pm: GOAL! West Brom go 1-0 up. A header from Steven Reid. Tom Bryant sitting alongside me says that Arsenal fans can relax now. WBA will sit back and Arsenal will come back to win comfortably. You won't find me putting money on that.
    3.07pm: GOAL! Wigan 0-1 Birmingham. Liam Ridgewell with a strike that was as offside as it was impressive. Could Martinez be out the door? Wigan are seriously cut adrift at the bottom if they lose today.
    3.10pm: 'Villa fans impatient? Too patient if you ask me,' says Gary Naylor. 'Nine years ago this week, David Moyes saved Everton from certain relegation under Walter Smith with all his pals in the media. Not a day goes by when I don't thank Bill Kenwright for having the courage to do that.' That's an unarguable point, though Smith seems to have got better and better as a manager as time's gone on. But for a relatively successful top flight team, I can't remember Villa ever being really happy with their manager in the last decade or so - but John Gregory, David O'Leary, Brian Little... They have had a run.
    3.17pm: LEAGUE GOALS Portsmouth have gone one up at Leicester and Derby have taken the lead at Crystal Palace. In League One Brentford are one up against Leyton Orient, in League Two Bury 1-2 at home to Cheltenham.
    3.20pm: DISALLOWED GOAL! Luke Varney put Blackpool ahead with a sensational volley... only for it to be disallowed (rightly) for being offside.
    3.23pm: 'Talking of impatience, says Nic Wirtz, 'how come Newcastle fans get tarred with the "unrealistic expectations" brush? We haven't won anything domestically since 1955. Even Middlesbrough's won the League Cup in that time!' I guess because of that extraordinary period under Kevin Keegan and (less so) Bobby Robson. At the time it looked like the start of something but now it looks like a freaky conjunction of the stars.
    3.25pm: GOAL! Charlie Adam has put Blackpool ahead against Blackburn from the penalty spot.
    3.26pm: LEAGUE GOALS! The excellent Scott Sinclair has put Swansea ahead against Nottingham Forest. Crystal Palace have equalised against Derby. Ipswich are 1-0 up against Scunthorpe and Preston are leading against Coventry.
    3.28pm: GOAL! Tom Cleverley has equalised for Wigan against Birmingham City.
    3.29pm: GOAL! Stoke 1 - 0 Newcastle. Jonathan Walters, a nice move too.
    3.30pm: GOAL! Charlie Adam strikes again. Blackpool two up. Everything that Ian Holloway said about him during the transfer window turns out to be true.
    3.32pm: 'In case anyone cares,' writes Scott Stricker, 'Denilson is making a run for the worst Brazilian football performance of all time award. I am watching on a Brazilian stream that's in Portuguese, and though I can't understand a word, the announcer sounds glum.' Arsenal have been AWFUL so far.
    3.34pm: LEAGUE GOALS ROUND-UP Swansea are 2-0 up against Forest. Norwich are 1-0 up at Hull. Boro are 1-1 with Watford. Bournemouth are losing at Carlisle, bah!
    3.37pm: 'Jon Walters comes in under the "even a stopped clock is right twice a day" rule.' says Joshua Reynolds. You big cynic.
    3.39pm! GOAL! After having two goals disallowed Wolves finally get one to count. Matthew Jarvis has put Wolves 1-0 up at Villa who are going to be booed off at half-time.
    3.42pm: LEAGUE ONE GOAL Jon Nurse has put Dagenham one nil up against Charlton. This would be a tremendous result. It sounds patronising, but with the resources they have you have to say Dagenham have done absolutely brilliantly this season. Charlton, however, have had a shocker.
    3.43pm: 'The only manager we didn't have time for was O'Leary who accused us of being "fickle" after we booed the team off at half-time in a League Cup tie with Wycombe. Fickle is not really a word to describe 3,000 people who have travelled to Wycombe on a cold and rainy October night. Gregory was great at the start and no-one wanted to see Gregory go. As for Little, it's a well known fact that he walks on water,' argues Steve Bloomfield. Maybe I am wrong. Probably I am wrong. I just always seem to see Villa getting booed off by their own fans.
    On a happier (well smugger) note, 'I'm sitting here smiling in my Odemwingie shirt wondering if there's any chance you could ask Chris Bryant when WBA last beat the Arsenal twice in one season?', says Richard Hooker. My gut response is 'Never'. But my colleague Katy Murrells tells me it's 61/62. What a pro.
    3.51 pm: HALF-TIMES:
    Premier League:
    Aston Villa 0-1 Wolves
    Blackburn 0-2 Blackpool
    Man Utd 0-0 Bolton
    Stoke 1-0 Newcastle
    West Brom 1-0 Arsenal
    Wigan 1-1 Birmingham
    Email Man Utd report from Peter Bracken: 'Man Utd are playing with all the verve and impetus of castrated tigers. The cost of Fergie's absence from the dug out? Maybe his presence, like a world class goalkeeper, is worth twelve points.' I am sure you're right. Fergie's absence plus a FA Cup semi that you can't risk reserves in (you wouldn't want to lose to City at Wembley) and a CL quarter final against Chelsea means I am sure that Man Utd will stutter. But I am not sure that anyone will take advantage.
    Email wisdom from George LZ: 'WBA - Arsenal. Arsenal never fails to disappoint. They are the most predictable team there is. From 1 March onwards, they will lose every important game...'
    Email Frankfurt report from Ian Copestake: 'St Pauli and Frankfurt occupy the same places as Birmingham and West Ham, both a point off the relegation zone, and today they are playing each other. Thought you'd like to know it is currently an arse-nipperly 1-1.' Guardian sports desk says: Come on St Pauli.
    If the Premier League games end as they are at half-time Blackburn Rovers will be in the bottom three. And Villa will be sitting just one point ahead of them. Anyway... We're off again.
    4.04pm: GOAL! Stoke 2-0 Newcastle. Jermaine Pennant has doubled the Potters advantage.
    4.09pm: Arsenal have brought Chamakh on for Denilson (Scott Stricker will be happy) while Man Utd have brought on Berbatov. With Arsenal losing this is a great chance for The Reds to go six points clear.
    4.10pm: GOAL! Stoke 3 - 0 Newcastle. We'll stick our necks out and say that Danny Higginbotham has sewn the three points up.
    4.11pm: GOAL! Blackburn 1 - 2 Blackpool. Captain Christopher Samba has made it game on at Ewood Park.
    4.13pm: CHAMPIONSHIP GOALS Millwall have equalised at home against Cardiff, Jimmy Bullard has scored Ipswich's second against Scunthorpe, Hogan Ephraim has put leaders QPR ahead at Doncaster
    4.14pm: LEAGUE TWO GOAL! Gareth Ainsworth, remember him?, has got Wycombe an equaliser at Shrewsbury.
    4.17pm: Frankfurt v St Pauli updates by email: 'It's now 2-1 in Frankfurt, thanks to your efforts on behalf of St. Pauli,' moans Scott Bassett, 'Come on you boys in brown!' (Except they're wearing white today.)
    4.18pm: LEAGUE GOALS! Swansea City are now 3-1 up against Forest, while in League One Dagenham have scored a second against Charlton. That's a startling result in prospect.
    4.19pm: GOAL! WBA 2-0 Arsenal. An absolute howler/shocker/shambles from Manuel Alumnia lets Peter Odemwingie roll the ball into the net. Strewth.
    4.23pm: Arsenal sabotage department with Lasse Olkinuora: 'My brother in law (massive Arsenal fan) believes that if I (anti-Arsenal) watch their game I somehow jinx 'em and they end up losing. I've watched 4 arsenal games this season and every single time they've lost. if the result stays the same this'll be the fifth one. am I to blame for arsenals defeats? I sure as hell hope so. if there's any Utd fan who is willing to pay me a coupla quid I'll watch each and everyone of Arsenals remaining matches.' Nice idea. But Arsenal are more than happy to sabotage themselves.
    4.25pm: GOAL! Millwall 2-1 Cardiff City. Kevin Lisbie has struck. Experience tells me that Millwall are too far back to make the play-offs but they're on a great run and their rivals are struggling.
    Come on St Pauli!:' If there is any justice Saint Pauli will stay up,' says Craig Smaaskjaer, 'you should also point all the nice mbm folks in the direction of the rather fine piece done for the guardian by Marcel Theroux the other day.' Happy to oblige.
    Brandon Hoth adds, 'Isn't there something ironic about an Englishman encouraging men in brown shirts?' Didn't we establish they're in white today?
    4.31pm: GOAL! Bristol City 2-0 Burnley. Nicky Maynard has surely secured City the win. Burnley are having a wobble when they were looking well set for the play-offs just a couple of weeks ago. Reading are 1-0 up at Barnsley and are now the form team of the chasing pack.
    4.33pm: GOAL! WBA 2-1 Arsenal. Andrey Arshavin has pulled one back. Could Arsenal escape with a point? Arsenal have twenty minutes to save their season. If that doesn't sound too dramatic.
    4.36pm: RED CARD! Man Utd's Jonny Evans has been sent off. They'll play the last fifteen minutes or so against Bolton with ten men.
    4.37pm: CHAMPIONSHIP GOAL! 125 year old Hull striker Nick Barmby has equalised against Norwich City.
    4.41pm: GOAL! WBA 2-2 Arsenal!! Amazing stuff that ends with van Persie stabbing the ball in an almighty scramble. Well there's winning ugly but that was drawing level very ugly. Ten minutes to go. Could Arsenal even win now? Could ten man Man Utd even lose? England's cricket matches are more predictable than this.
    4.44pm: BOLTON MISS A SITTER Kevin Davis heads straight at van der Sar when it would have been easier to score. What a finish.
    4.46pm: CHAMPIONSHIP GOAL! Chris Burke has put Cardiff City 2-3 up at Millwall. Ding dong game.
    4.47pm: GOAL! Man Utd 1-0 Bolton. Berbatov takes advantage of an Almunia-esque howler by Bolton keeper Jaaskelainen to net what will surely be the champions elect's winner.
    4.48pm: CHAMPIONSHIP GOAL! We had the ding at The Dell now another dong. Millwall 3-3 Cardiff City. Steve Morison scored.
    4.50pm: GOAL! Stoke City 4-0 Newcastle. Stoke City have notched up their biggest Premier League victory and have surely secured their place in the top flight for next season to boot. Ricardo Fuller got the goal. They're into injury time at The Britannia.
    4.52pm: Aston Villa 0-1 Wolves FT
    4.53pm: GOAL! Blackburn 2-2 Blackpool
    4.54pm: GOAL! Wigan 2-1 Birmingham City
    4.55pm: Man Utd 1-0 Bolton FT
    4.56pm: Blackburn Rovers 2-2 Blackpool FT (Ahem, I told you it would be a draw.)
    4.56pm: WBA 2-2 Arsenal FT Arsenal slip five points behind Utd. But have one game in hand.
    4.57pm: Stoke City 4-0 Newcastle FT
    4.57pm: Wigan 2-1 Birmingham City FT
    5.00pm: Full time results:
    Premier League:
    Aston Villa 0-1 Wolves
    Blackburn 2-2 Blackpool
    Man Utd 1-0 Bolton
    Stoke 4-0 Newcastle
    Tottenham 0-0 West Ham
    WBA 2-2 Arsenal
    Wigan 2-1 Birmingham
    So Man Utd go five points clear from Arsenal while Wigan stay bottom despite their victory, Birmingham are 19th and Wolves 20th. There are just three points between bottom of the league and 13th.
    5.05pm: CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
    Some select results:
    Hull 1-1 Norwich
    Doncaster 0-1 QPR
    Swansea 3-2 Nottingham Forest
    Sheffield United 2-0 Leeds United
    QPR sit comfortably atop the division. Norwich are second one point clear of Swansea. Reading are only three point behind sixth placed Forest after winning 1-0 at Barnsley. Despite Sheffield United's surprise win over Leeds they remain 4 points behind Crystal Palace and safety in 22nd.
    5.08pm: BUNDESLIGA RESULT BY POPULAR REQUEST Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 St Pauli
    A good fixture list produced a great Saturday's entertainment. Ten man Man Utd got out of jail with a late winner against Bolton and remain hot favourites for the title, they lead Arsenal by five points after the Gunners recovered a two goal deficit to earn a 2-2 draw at WBA.
    At the bottom of the table, any one of eight could drop into the bottom three. Bottom side Wigan won a massive game over second bottom Birmingham City (will they be playing in the Europa League as a Championship team?) and third from bottom Wolves earned a similarly massive win at Aston Villa who are also sliding in to trouble. That Blackpool and Blackburn drew also keep both of those teams very much in the relegation mix.
    All today's scores are here.
    Thanks for all your emails. Sorry I could't use them all. Everton v Fulham is about to kick off soon, why not join Paolo Bandini for our minute-by-minute coverage. Bye.

 
Jermain Defoe has one of those days as West Ham thwart Tottenham






Premier League

Tottenham Hotspur 0
West Ham United 0


  • David Hytner at White Hart Lane
  • guardian.co.uk, Saturday 19 March 2011 15.01 GMT <li class="history">Article history
    Gareth-Bale-007.jpg
    West Ham's Mark Noble and Tottenham winger Gareth Bale tussle during the 0-0 draw at White Hart Lane. Photograph: Ian Walton/Getty Images To the delight of their supporters, West Ham have enjoyed the upper hand over Tottenham this season. Never mind the Olympic stadium decision, there was the Premier League victory at Upton Park in September and now this, a point that felt so much more precious to them.
    West Ham, who had arrived here as one of the form teams in the division, did not look like one that will be relegated in May. Their defenders put body and soul on the line and they frequently thwarted Tottenham, for whom Jermain Defoe endured one of those days. The striker is reviled by the fans of West Ham, one of his former clubs, and he emerged here as the home crowd's fall guy.
    West Ham also had Lady Luck in their corner. Three times, the woodwork came to their rescue, most dramatically in the 85th minute, when Robert Green tipped Gareth Bale's 25 yard free-kick on to the crossbar. Tottenham's frustration cut deeply. This was their opportunity to apply the pressure on Manchester City and Chelsea in the fight for a top-four finish. They came up short.
    Tottenham were on the front foot at the outset and they suggested that Green might be in for a busy afternoon. Michael Dawson, having stayed forward following a free-kick, curled a wonderful effort against the crossbar from 20 yards while Defoe touched just wide from Bale's low cross. The outstanding Luka Modric went close with a couple of first-half shots, after winning the space to try his luck.
    West Ham, though, after the initial pressure, grew in confidence. With Scott Parker in uncompromising mood and the defenders behind him emerging with tremendous credit, they ensured that Tottenham encountered difficulties. Wayne Bridge had arguably his best game for the club while Lars Jacobsen played Bale as well as anybody has this season.
    West Ham also created the first-half's clearest chance. Demba Ba, whose power and pace make him such a potent proposition, showed vision to release Carlton Cole and, one-on-one with Heurelho Gomes, the striker had to score. His shot, though, was too close to the goalkeeper.
    Tottenham had another near miss just before the interval when Aaron Lennon cut inside and hit the far post. Defoe, in front of goal, could not react quickly enough to the rebound and Harry Redknapp clutched his head in anguish on the touchline.
    It was an absorbing and entertaining game, which felt difficult to call throughout the second half. There were chances at both ends. Defoe was denied at point-blank range by Green's feet while Cole, Mark Noble and Ba went close for West Ham. There was also ugliness when Cole clattered into Sandro's standing leg and was lucky to escape with a booking.
    The Tottenham substitute Roman Pavlyuchenko forced Green to save and with Defoe misfiring, Tottenham knew it was not to be their day when Bale's free-kick did not go in.

 

Matt Jarvis goal raises Wolves to leave Aston Villa dispirited






Premier League

Aston Villa 0
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1
  • Jarvis 38


  • Anna Kessel at Villa Park
  • guardian.co.uk, Saturday 19 March 2011 17.18 GMT <li class="history">Article history
    Matthew-Jarvis-007.jpg
    Matthew Jarvis (left) scores Wolves's winner against Aston Villa. Photograph: David Davies/PA At the final whistle it was hard to tell which were louder &#8211; the triumphant cheers of Wolverhampton Wanderers' travelling support, celebrating their first win over Aston Villa in 31 years or the boos that accompanied Gérard Houllier's long and lonely walk back to the tunnel. Six places &#8211; but only four points &#8211; had separated these sides in the league in a derby that both teams desperately needed to win.
    That Mick McCarthy's side won was something of a fairytale for the team with the worst away record in the league, a club which has failed to keep a clean sheet at Villa Park since 1963.
    Wolves began as the brighter team, with Nenad Milijas's shot on goal saved by Brad Friedel in the opening minutes of the game. There was more to come from the visitors, attacking in waves, hurrying their hosts on the ball. Matt Jarvis set up Adam Hammill with a shot at the near post, again saved by Friedel, and after 20 minutes Christophe Berra thought he had scored, a diving header sending the ball over the line to celebrations from McCarthy's side, who had not seen the linesman's flag for offside.
    Houllier promised the fans that his team were up for victory &#8211; especially after the defeat at Bolton &#8211; and with the instigators of a drunken fracas on a team bonding trip sidelined with injuries (and fined two weeks' wages) there was apparent unity on the pitch, in spite of a makeshift defence. But though Villa kept coming close in the first half &#8211; crosses into the box met with misdirected headers &#8211; the home side just could not score.
    And so Wolves took advantage with a brilliant finish from Jarvis. Berra's rising header won the ball for the 24-year-old who volleyed it right-footed, with pinpoint accuracy, on to the inside post to rebound gladly into the back of the net. From the home fans, amid the half-time rush for chips and teas, rose a resounding boo.
    Villa were not much better after the break. A foul on Jean Makoun gifted Houllier's side a free-kick on the edge of the area, but Darren Bent's effort hit the wall, while at the other end in mirror-image circumstances Jamie O'Hara's effort sailed inches wide.
    When the Frenchman substituted local whizz kid Marc Albrighton for Gabriel Agbonlahor, there was a roar of protest from the Holte End. "You don't know what you're doing," they sang, Houllier raising his eyebrows as he shrank into his coat collar in the dugout.
    With just over 10 minutes left to play Ashley Young struck the underside of the bar, throwing his hands up to the sky as the ball bounced back down on the wrong side of the line. The move seemed to perfectly sum up Villa's afternoon.

 

Matt Jarvis goal raises Wolves to leave Aston Villa dispirited






Premier League

Aston Villa 0
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1
  • Jarvis 38


  • Anna Kessel at Villa Park
  • guardian.co.uk, Saturday 19 March 2011 17.18 GMT <li class="history">Article history
    Matthew-Jarvis-007.jpg
    Matthew Jarvis (left) scores Wolves's winner against Aston Villa. Photograph: David Davies/PA At the final whistle it was hard to tell which were louder – the triumphant cheers of Wolverhampton Wanderers' travelling support, celebrating their first win over Aston Villa in 31 years or the boos that accompanied Gérard Houllier's long and lonely walk back to the tunnel. Six places – but only four points – had separated these sides in the league in a derby that both teams desperately needed to win.
    That Mick McCarthy's side won was something of a fairytale for the team with the worst away record in the league, a club which has failed to keep a clean sheet at Villa Park since 1963.
    Wolves began as the brighter team, with Nenad Milijas's shot on goal saved by Brad Friedel in the opening minutes of the game. There was more to come from the visitors, attacking in waves, hurrying their hosts on the ball. Matt Jarvis set up Adam Hammill with a shot at the near post, again saved by Friedel, and after 20 minutes Christophe Berra thought he had scored, a diving header sending the ball over the line to celebrations from McCarthy's side, who had not seen the linesman's flag for offside.
    Houllier promised the fans that his team were up for victory – especially after the defeat at Bolton – and with the instigators of a drunken fracas on a team bonding trip sidelined with injuries (and fined two weeks' wages) there was apparent unity on the pitch, in spite of a makeshift defence. But though Villa kept coming close in the first half – crosses into the box met with misdirected headers – the home side just could not score.
    And so Wolves took advantage with a brilliant finish from Jarvis. Berra's rising header won the ball for the 24-year-old who volleyed it right-footed, with pinpoint accuracy, on to the inside post to rebound gladly into the back of the net. From the home fans, amid the half-time rush for chips and teas, rose a resounding boo.
    Villa were not much better after the break. A foul on Jean Makoun gifted Houllier's side a free-kick on the edge of the area, but Darren Bent's effort hit the wall, while at the other end in mirror-image circumstances Jamie O'Hara's effort sailed inches wide.
    When the Frenchman substituted local whizz kid Marc Albrighton for Gabriel Agbonlahor, there was a roar of protest from the Holte End. "You don't know what you're doing," they sang, Houllier raising his eyebrows as he shrank into his coat collar in the dugout.
    With just over 10 minutes left to play Ashley Young struck the underside of the bar, throwing his hands up to the sky as the ball bounced back down on the wrong side of the line. The move seemed to perfectly sum up Villa's afternoon.
 
Stoke City smash Newcastle United 4-0 to dismiss fears of relegation






Premier League

Stoke City 4
  • Walters 28,
  • Pennant 46,
  • Higginbotham 49,
  • Fuller 90
Newcastle United 0


  • Paul Doyle at the Britannia Stadium
  • guardian.co.uk, Saturday 19 March 2011 17.36 GMT <li class="history">Article history
    Stoke-Citys-Danny-Higginb-006.jpg
    Stoke City's Danny Higginbotham celebrates with his team-mates after scoring their third goal against Newcastle United. Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images Stoke City may travel with about as much success as naked hitch-hikers, but at home they are unbeaten this year and that is why the Britannia Stadium will probably be a Premier League venue again next season.
    Tony Pulis's team have lost six in a row on the road but here they performed like a team who know they belong in the top flight, regardless of the snooty jibes about their style. Yes, they deployed their power and set-piece prowess &#8211; and Newcastle United responded in kind &#8211; but they also exhibited skill and intelligence, most notably in the build-up to their opening goal from Jon Walters. Jermaine Pennant, Danny Higginbotham and Ricardo Fuller scored in the second half to make certain of victory.
    For Stoke, relegation now seems like a remote possibility rather than an imminent danger. Newcastle are only a point worse off than their hosts, but a match in which they defended badly and looked toothless in attack will have given the manager Alan Pardew cause for concern.
    The visitors began strongly, Shola Ameobi forcing a decent save from Asmir Begovic in the fifth minute, but from the moment they lost the left-back José Enrique in the 23rd minute they unravelled. The Spaniard was a doubt before the game because of hamstring trouble but he started it well, racing forward to good effect and keeping Pennant on the back foot.
    Stoke's only chance until his departure was a Marc Wilson header that flew fractionally wide after a Pennant corner. Within five minutes of José Enrique's departure, however, Stoke were in front thanks to a fine move down the flank that he had been patrolling.
    After a neat one-two, Rory Delap clipped a dainty ball into the box and Ryan Shawcross, not usually acclaimed for his finesse, controlled it delicately on his chest and slipped it wide to Pennant. The winger's cross was met at the near post by Walters, who had reacted more sharply than Sol Campbell, and sent a glancing header into the roof of the net.
    Campbell, now 36, had presumably been given a start &#8211; for only the second time in Pardew's reign &#8211; because it was thought that, against these opponents, his strength would be more of an asset than his declining mobility would have been a burden.
    Further doubt was cast on that logic early in the second half when the goalkeeper Stephen Harper put his defence in jeopardy with a sloppy pass. Kenwyne Jones seized on it and off-loaded to Matt Etherington, whose cross was deflected towards the near post. Campbell jumped to clear but, under pressure from an opponent, could only send a weak header rolling across the six-yard box, inviting Pennant to tap in from close range.
    In the 49th minute, Higginbotham stepped up and executed a replica of the goal that earned Stoke's FA Cup semi-final spot last weekend, thundering a free-kick into the net from 20 yards.
    Campbell was withdrawn after 65 minutes and replaced with an attacker as Newcastle switched to a three-man defence. One of that trio, Fabricio Coloccini, almost immediately gifted Stoke a chance to extend their lead and was fortunate that Jones shot straight at Harper.
    At the other end, Begovic was required only to intercept a couple of crosses and palm away a well-struck Joey Barton free-kick. In stoppage time, the substitute Fuller raced on to a flick by Walters and thrashed the ball past Harper from 18 yards.

 
Stoke City smash Newcastle United 4-0 to dismiss fears of relegation






Premier League

Stoke City 4
  • Walters 28,
  • Pennant 46,
  • Higginbotham 49,
  • Fuller 90
Newcastle United 0


  • Paul Doyle at the Britannia Stadium
  • guardian.co.uk, Saturday 19 March 2011 17.36 GMT <li class="history">Article history
    Stoke-Citys-Danny-Higginb-006.jpg
    Stoke City's Danny Higginbotham celebrates with his team-mates after scoring their third goal against Newcastle United. Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images Stoke City may travel with about as much success as naked hitch-hikers, but at home they are unbeaten this year and that is why the Britannia Stadium will probably be a Premier League venue again next season.
    Tony Pulis's team have lost six in a row on the road but here they performed like a team who know they belong in the top flight, regardless of the snooty jibes about their style. Yes, they deployed their power and set-piece prowess – and Newcastle United responded in kind – but they also exhibited skill and intelligence, most notably in the build-up to their opening goal from Jon Walters. Jermaine Pennant, Danny Higginbotham and Ricardo Fuller scored in the second half to make certain of victory.
    For Stoke, relegation now seems like a remote possibility rather than an imminent danger. Newcastle are only a point worse off than their hosts, but a match in which they defended badly and looked toothless in attack will have given the manager Alan Pardew cause for concern.
    The visitors began strongly, Shola Ameobi forcing a decent save from Asmir Begovic in the fifth minute, but from the moment they lost the left-back José Enrique in the 23rd minute they unravelled. The Spaniard was a doubt before the game because of hamstring trouble but he started it well, racing forward to good effect and keeping Pennant on the back foot.
    Stoke's only chance until his departure was a Marc Wilson header that flew fractionally wide after a Pennant corner. Within five minutes of José Enrique's departure, however, Stoke were in front thanks to a fine move down the flank that he had been patrolling.
    After a neat one-two, Rory Delap clipped a dainty ball into the box and Ryan Shawcross, not usually acclaimed for his finesse, controlled it delicately on his chest and slipped it wide to Pennant. The winger's cross was met at the near post by Walters, who had reacted more sharply than Sol Campbell, and sent a glancing header into the roof of the net.
    Campbell, now 36, had presumably been given a start – for only the second time in Pardew's reign – because it was thought that, against these opponents, his strength would be more of an asset than his declining mobility would have been a burden.
    Further doubt was cast on that logic early in the second half when the goalkeeper Stephen Harper put his defence in jeopardy with a sloppy pass. Kenwyne Jones seized on it and off-loaded to Matt Etherington, whose cross was deflected towards the near post. Campbell jumped to clear but, under pressure from an opponent, could only send a weak header rolling across the six-yard box, inviting Pennant to tap in from close range.
    In the 49th minute, Higginbotham stepped up and executed a replica of the goal that earned Stoke's FA Cup semi-final spot last weekend, thundering a free-kick into the net from 20 yards.
    Campbell was withdrawn after 65 minutes and replaced with an attacker as Newcastle switched to a three-man defence. One of that trio, Fabricio Coloccini, almost immediately gifted Stoke a chance to extend their lead and was fortunate that Jones shot straight at Harper.
    At the other end, Begovic was required only to intercept a couple of crosses and palm away a well-struck Joey Barton free-kick. In stoppage time, the substitute Fuller raced on to a flick by Walters and thrashed the ball past Harper from 18 yards.
 

Maynor Figueroa sees Wigan Athletic past fast-falling Birmingham City






Premier League

Wigan Athletic 2
  • Cleverley 25,
  • Figueroa 90
Birmingham City 1
  • Ridgewell 6


  • Richard Gibson at the DW Stadium
  • guardian.co.uk, Saturday 19 March 2011 17.12 GMT <li class="history">Article history
    Wigans-Tom-Cleverley-007.jpg
    Wigan's Tom Cleverley celebrates scoring the opening goal of the game against Birmingham. Photograph: Nigel French/EMPICS Sport Maynor Figueroa's stoppage-time goal earned bottom club Wigan Athletic a rare and precious victory against the Carling Cup winners Birmingham City at the DW Stadium.
    Figueroa crashed in a speculative right-foot shot from outside the area, the flight of which completely deceived the Birmingham goalkeeper Ben Foster, to haul the Lancashire club to within two points of safety.
    Goals were expected to be at a premium in a contest between the Premier League's two lowest scoring teams. For Wigan, however, their tally is not for the want of trying &#8211; they had required a baker's dozen worth of attempts for every one of their efforts this season before this &#8211; and they never stopped.
    Given that they were up against Foster, the goalkeeper with more saves than any of his top-flight rivals this season, there was perhaps an inevitability about their early forays. Twice inside the opening four minutes, Roberto Martínez's team carved out opportunities but Antolín Alcaraz's header lacked power and direction while Tom Cleverley's snap-shot on the turn proved too central.
    In contrast, Birmingham's Liam Ridgewell produced a clinical finish, volleying into the top corner after Martin Jiranek knocked down Barry Ferguson's ball into the box after an initial free-kick had been cleared. There was a distinct whiff of offside about it but the source of the success exposed Wigan's struggle to deal with the visitors' set pieces.
    The goalkeeper Ali al-Habsi smothered Cameron Jerome's close-range poke on the goalline to limit the damage, after flicks forward by Ridgewell and Roger Johnson in the 16th minute.
    And, having limited the damage, Wigan drew level through a combination of quality and good fortune. Ben Watson's pass invited Emmerson Boyce to clip low from the right and when Foster fumbled, Cleverley picked his former Manchester United team-mate's pocket.
    It was rich reward for patient passing and further fleet of foot fashioned their best chance of the second period: Moses's scoop sent Charles N'Zogbia into space in the area and his snake-hipped shuffle and centre saw Cleverley hack at fresh air before Foster kicked out Figueroa's side-footed effort.
    But the unheralded left-back was not to be denied in the second of five minutes of added time.

 

Maynor Figueroa sees Wigan Athletic past fast-falling Birmingham City






Premier League

Wigan Athletic 2
  • Cleverley 25,
  • Figueroa 90
Birmingham City 1
  • Ridgewell 6


  • Richard Gibson at the DW Stadium
  • guardian.co.uk, Saturday 19 March 2011 17.12 GMT <li class="history">Article history
    Wigans-Tom-Cleverley-007.jpg
    Wigan's Tom Cleverley celebrates scoring the opening goal of the game against Birmingham. Photograph: Nigel French/EMPICS Sport Maynor Figueroa's stoppage-time goal earned bottom club Wigan Athletic a rare and precious victory against the Carling Cup winners Birmingham City at the DW Stadium.
    Figueroa crashed in a speculative right-foot shot from outside the area, the flight of which completely deceived the Birmingham goalkeeper Ben Foster, to haul the Lancashire club to within two points of safety.
    Goals were expected to be at a premium in a contest between the Premier League's two lowest scoring teams. For Wigan, however, their tally is not for the want of trying – they had required a baker's dozen worth of attempts for every one of their efforts this season before this – and they never stopped.
    Given that they were up against Foster, the goalkeeper with more saves than any of his top-flight rivals this season, there was perhaps an inevitability about their early forays. Twice inside the opening four minutes, Roberto Martínez's team carved out opportunities but Antolín Alcaraz's header lacked power and direction while Tom Cleverley's snap-shot on the turn proved too central.
    In contrast, Birmingham's Liam Ridgewell produced a clinical finish, volleying into the top corner after Martin Jiranek knocked down Barry Ferguson's ball into the box after an initial free-kick had been cleared. There was a distinct whiff of offside about it but the source of the success exposed Wigan's struggle to deal with the visitors' set pieces.
    The goalkeeper Ali al-Habsi smothered Cameron Jerome's close-range poke on the goalline to limit the damage, after flicks forward by Ridgewell and Roger Johnson in the 16th minute.
    And, having limited the damage, Wigan drew level through a combination of quality and good fortune. Ben Watson's pass invited Emmerson Boyce to clip low from the right and when Foster fumbled, Cleverley picked his former Manchester United team-mate's pocket.
    It was rich reward for patient passing and further fleet of foot fashioned their best chance of the second period: Moses's scoop sent Charles N'Zogbia into space in the area and his snake-hipped shuffle and centre saw Cleverley hack at fresh air before Foster kicked out Figueroa's side-footed effort.
    But the unheralded left-back was not to be denied in the second of five minutes of added time.
 
Hoilett saves a point for Blackburn Rovers to chagrin of Blackpool






Premier League

Blackburn Rovers 2
  • Samba 49,
  • Hoilett 90
Blackpool 2
  • Adam (pen) 25,
  • Adam 29


  • Jamie Jackson at Ewood Park
  • guardian.co.uk, Saturday 19 March 2011 17.16 GMT <li class="history">Article history
    Blackpools-Charlie-Adam-p-005.jpg
    Blackpool's Charlie Adam puts his side 1-0 up at Blackburn Rovers from the penalty spot. Photograph: Anna Gowthorpe/PA Until Junior Hoilett's late, late intervention Blackpool seemed to have stalled their freefall with what appeared to be three crucial points.
    But, following a weak punched clearance from Richard Kingson, the midfielder's header clinched a rousing second-half comeback from Steve Kean's side and ensured that Blackburn Rovers own great slide has been paused.
    Before proceedings each team had registered only one league win since mid-January to leave them one point above the relegation zone. At the break Rovers walked off in disarray and to furious boos after two goal from Charlie Adam plus a brace of (correctly) disallowed Luke Varney strikes had comprehensively illustrated what was a concerning lack of unity.
    The shambles Kean had overseen suggested that, despite the owners' recent claims to the contrary, the obituaries might soon be being penned for his nascent career as Rovers manager.
    Yet, come the half-time chat, Kean proved he could turn a team around. Within four minutes of the second period starting Chris Samba had pulled one back and before Hoilett's equaliser he had also fashioned a back-heel that struck Kingson's post.
    Before Adam's goals it had been Blackpool who appeared slipshod and culpable of pub football defending: allowing the ball to bounce is a weakness even when the Royal Oak take on the Queen Vic. So when the visitors' defence stood and watched an early Brett Emerton corner hit the turf in the area and Ryan Nelsen stand a ball up that a colleague just failed to finish the signs were that Ian Holloway's side might suffer a heavy defeat.
    Instead Rovers' first-half crumble ensued and Adam first stroked home a penalty after Nelsen had brought down Gary Taylor-Fletcher. Then, when the Blackpool captain was later fouled by Jermaine Jones, he picked himself up and bent a perfect curling free-kick into the top left-hand corner of Paul Robinson's goal.

 

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Scotland avoid Six Nations wooden spoon after rallying against Italy

&#8226; Scotland 21-8 Italy
&#8226; Now rate the players




  • Ian Malin at Murrayfield
  • guardian.co.uk, Saturday 19 March 2011 16.27 GMT
    Nikki-Walker-007.jpg
    Nikki Walker celebrates scoring the second try for Scotland against Italy in their Six Nations match. Photograph: Andrew Boyers/Action Images Scotland, just as they did in Dublin last year, saved their best until last. Admittedly, this does not say a lot when you have lost your previous four matches in this season's Six Nations but Andy Robinson's side avoided a wooden spoon with a rousing display in the second half, by the end of which the coach had ceased to wear that permanent frown he reserves for match days.
    Just to add to Robinson's joys Scotland actually scored two tries. According to the Observer's abacus, when the replacement Nick De Luca, a man who, it has to be said, sounds suspiciously Italian, crossed the line six minutes after the break, it was the first time Scotland had scored a try at Murrayfield for 11 hours and 54 minutes.
    Just to show it was no fluke Nikki Walker scored another eight minutes later and Scotland, two points down at the interval after a frustrating first half, were out of the woods.
    Italy were coming into this final fixture on the back of perhaps the most famous result in their history. Their coach, Nick Mallett, was warning that their expectations should not be too high with his team still ranked 12th in the world, and he was right to be cautious. This is the sixth time in seven seasons Italy have finished bottom of the heap and even the win over France may not be enough to save Mallett's job after the World Cup.
    Italy were always combative in a tough game that saw the young Scotland centre, Joe Ansbro, and last week's hero Andrea Masi fail to survive the first half.
    Worryingly for Scotland Ansbro became the second of their players in a week to be taken off the field on a stretcher. Kelly Brown recovered from being knocked cold at Twickenham to play in the back row but Ansbro, his right knee covered in an ice pack, may not play again for his club, Northampton. He will be linking up with the England centre Shontayne Hape at London Irish next season.
    The game had Robinson and Mallett banging on the walls of their glass booths high in the Murrayfield stand, Robinson angry as passes did not go to hand, Mallett furious as the Italian lineout disintegrated in the first half with Richie Gray and Alastair Kelloch stealing the first four of the visitors' throws.
    But Mallett soon had a smile on his face as Masi repeated his try-scoring feat of last week. Fabio Semenzato dug the ball out of a ruck and Kris Burton and Gonzalo Canale found the full-back haring into the line. Masi cruised past Chris Paterson and Walker to run in unopposed from the 22 and touch down in the corner.
    Simon Danielli was agonisingly close to scoring that elusive try after Sean Lamont and Ansbro had carved their way through the Italian defence, but it was Paterson who kept Scotland in touch with two successful penalties and the full-back proved adept at stopping tries, just as he did at Twickenham, with a brave tackle on Paul Derbyshire.
    Robinson's torment behind the glass continued after the interval as Lamont found himself outpaced by the Italy hooker, Leonardo Ghiraldini, after the Scotland centre hacked through. But De Luca soon put the home crowd out of its misery. Nathan Hines peeled off the back of a maul and delivered a smart pass for the centre to plunge joyfully over in the corner.
    Walker had been a late replacement for Max Evans, who had injured his ankle at Twickenham. At more than 16st the Ospreys wing is built on different lines from the more elusive runner Evans, and Walker used his muscle to take a pass from Paterson and batter his way to the line.
    Scotland, finally released from their shackles, began to throw the ball around as if discovering the new-found joys of try-scoring and Walker went close to crossing the line again but it was Paterson who finally put Robinson's side out of reach, nailing a 30-metre penalty after Semenzato had been penalised for dangerous play.
    Paterson then brought off another of his trademark tackles to stop Luke McLean scoring a consolation try for Italy. Viva La Scozia, as they down Padua way.

 

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&#8226; Check out the rest of the day's goals with our scoreboard





Premier League

Everton 0
Fulham 0


  • Paolo Bandini
  • guardian.co.uk, Saturday 19 March 2011 16.08 GMT <li class="history">Article history To receive updated content, refresh the page (F5 for a web browser).
    This page will update automatically every minute: On | Off
    David-Moyes-005.jpg
    A fresh-faced David Moyes first took charge of Everton nine years ago this weekend - also against Fulham. Photograph: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images Sport 19 mins Everton win a corner on the left but Johnson, not for the first time in this game, gets it clear for Fulham.
    18 mins Hangeland takes about a 10-yard run-up before pushing Saha to the ground. Free-kick to Everton, but the referee Michael Oliver is keeping his cards in his pocket for the time being. Scrappy opening to this game.
    16 mins Fulham win a free-kick about five yards outside the middle of the D, but Murphy's low trajectory ball in towards the penalty box is pretty much headed straight back by Dempsey.
    14 mins Everton manage to complete a string of roughly 79 passes in less than half a minute, all without moving the ball anywhere at all, before Cahill gives it away to a Fulham player. It's the sort of stuff that gets "olés" when you're winning, but with this game still goalless draws nothing more than a groan from the home fans at Goodison.
    12 mins Not really a lot by way of proper goalmouth action here yet, but Baines just had the crowd oohing after flashing a left-footed effort wide from just inside the area on the left.
    10 mins Fulham win two corners in quick succession, the first one being knocked behind by Louis Saha. The second ends with a free-kick to Everton after Dembele is adjudged to have fouled Howard.
    8 mins "Warren Barton suggested on the coverage here in the USA that Tim Howard is one of top five keepers in the Premier League, and maybe ready for a move to a bigger club," notes Brett LeQuesne. "Could/should Arsenal come calling?" Tough one to call, Brett. For a start I think Arsenal are quite happy with the early signs of progress from Szczesny, and would probably like to see how he'll develop, but there's also a greater issue here of the skills required to be a keeper at a club like Everton or one like Arsenal. Despite their shambolic defending, Arsenal still have a lot fewer shots against than Everton and need a keeper who will a) be able to do nothing all game then make one key save and b) do all the other stuff like claiming crosses impeccably. Howard struggled with some of that stuff when he was at United, though he may well be more ready for it now than he was back then.
    6 mins Fulham make their first true break into Everton territory, but Andy Johnson loses the run of himself and winds up carrying the ball straight down the left wing and out for a goal-kick.
    5 mins Decent enough start from Everton here, the Toffees pinging the ball around in the Fulham half without doing anything particularly incisive as yet.
    3 mins "Without David Moyes, Everton would be Sheffield Wednesday," announces Gary Naylor. "Us Blues are very fortunate to have him and I wouldn't swap him for anyone."
    2 mins Everton win the first corner of the match, as Fulham struggle to deal with Phil Neville's long throw-in and wind up scuffing it behind. The ensuing corner, however, is hoofed clear by Johnson.
    1 min Away we go at Goodison Park, after an impeccably observed minute's silence in honour of all those affected by the disaster in Japan. The first minute was so compelling that ESPN spent almost 40 seconds of it training their cameras solely on the two managers.
    One for the Everton fans Since this is David Moyes's ninth anniversary in charge of the club, this seems an opportune moment to ask how any Toffees out there feel about him. It was mooted on the Football Weekly podcast recently that perhaps we are reaching the point where Moyes has taken the club as far as he can. Is that fair, or have his best years simply set the bar too high? If it is time for the club to move on after this season, who else should they turn to?
    If it's team news you're after ... Then you've come to the right place. Neville does indeed return to the starting line-up, and so - more surprisingly - does Tim Cahill. Fulham are unchanged from their win over Blackburn two weeks ago.
    Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Coleman, Rodwell, Neville, Osman, Cahill, Saha. Subs: Mucha, Heitinga, Bilyaletdinov, Beckford, Gueye, Anichebe, Baxter.
    Fulham: Schwarzer, Baird, Hughes, Hangeland, Salcido, Duff, Murphy, Etuhu, Dempsey, Dembele, Johnson. Subs: Stockdale, Kelly, Gudjohnsen, Kakuta, Zamora, Greening, Davies.
    Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland)
    Who likes stats? Because going into this afternoon's second televised game it's fair to say that there are some rather tasty ones doing the rounds. They don't bode well for Fulham.
    Everton have not lost a home league game against the Cottagers since February 1948, and they have won each of the last 17 such meetings. The last time Fulham left Goodison Park with a point - September 1959 - Harold MacMillan was prime minister and Cliff Richards' Living Doll was the UK No1.
    But despite all that it's hard to imagine Everton feeling too confident ahead of this game. The Toffees might have lost just one of their last five games but they are without Tim Cahill, Mikel Arteta and Marouane Fellaini, while Phil Neville will have to have a late fitness test to see if he can shake off his hamstring problem.
    Fulham have injury problems too, of course, but suffice to say this Everton team are hardly invulnerable. This may be as good an opportunity as Mark Hughes's side could want to get a monkey off their backs.

 

Everton v Fulham - live!

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Premier League

Everton 0
Fulham 0


  • Paolo Bandini
  • guardian.co.uk, Saturday 19 March 2011 16.08 GMT <li class="history">Article history To receive updated content, refresh the page (F5 for a web browser).
    This page will update automatically every minute: On | Off
    David-Moyes-005.jpg
    A fresh-faced David Moyes first took charge of Everton nine years ago this weekend - also against Fulham. Photograph: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images Sport 19 mins Everton win a corner on the left but Johnson, not for the first time in this game, gets it clear for Fulham.
    18 mins Hangeland takes about a 10-yard run-up before pushing Saha to the ground. Free-kick to Everton, but the referee Michael Oliver is keeping his cards in his pocket for the time being. Scrappy opening to this game.
    16 mins Fulham win a free-kick about five yards outside the middle of the D, but Murphy's low trajectory ball in towards the penalty box is pretty much headed straight back by Dempsey.
    14 mins Everton manage to complete a string of roughly 79 passes in less than half a minute, all without moving the ball anywhere at all, before Cahill gives it away to a Fulham player. It's the sort of stuff that gets "olés" when you're winning, but with this game still goalless draws nothing more than a groan from the home fans at Goodison.
    12 mins Not really a lot by way of proper goalmouth action here yet, but Baines just had the crowd oohing after flashing a left-footed effort wide from just inside the area on the left.
    10 mins Fulham win two corners in quick succession, the first one being knocked behind by Louis Saha. The second ends with a free-kick to Everton after Dembele is adjudged to have fouled Howard.
    8 mins "Warren Barton suggested on the coverage here in the USA that Tim Howard is one of top five keepers in the Premier League, and maybe ready for a move to a bigger club," notes Brett LeQuesne. "Could/should Arsenal come calling?" Tough one to call, Brett. For a start I think Arsenal are quite happy with the early signs of progress from Szczesny, and would probably like to see how he'll develop, but there's also a greater issue here of the skills required to be a keeper at a club like Everton or one like Arsenal. Despite their shambolic defending, Arsenal still have a lot fewer shots against than Everton and need a keeper who will a) be able to do nothing all game then make one key save and b) do all the other stuff like claiming crosses impeccably. Howard struggled with some of that stuff when he was at United, though he may well be more ready for it now than he was back then.
    6 mins Fulham make their first true break into Everton territory, but Andy Johnson loses the run of himself and winds up carrying the ball straight down the left wing and out for a goal-kick.
    5 mins Decent enough start from Everton here, the Toffees pinging the ball around in the Fulham half without doing anything particularly incisive as yet.
    3 mins "Without David Moyes, Everton would be Sheffield Wednesday," announces Gary Naylor. "Us Blues are very fortunate to have him and I wouldn't swap him for anyone."
    2 mins Everton win the first corner of the match, as Fulham struggle to deal with Phil Neville's long throw-in and wind up scuffing it behind. The ensuing corner, however, is hoofed clear by Johnson.
    1 min Away we go at Goodison Park, after an impeccably observed minute's silence in honour of all those affected by the disaster in Japan. The first minute was so compelling that ESPN spent almost 40 seconds of it training their cameras solely on the two managers.
    One for the Everton fans Since this is David Moyes's ninth anniversary in charge of the club, this seems an opportune moment to ask how any Toffees out there feel about him. It was mooted on the Football Weekly podcast recently that perhaps we are reaching the point where Moyes has taken the club as far as he can. Is that fair, or have his best years simply set the bar too high? If it is time for the club to move on after this season, who else should they turn to?
    If it's team news you're after ... Then you've come to the right place. Neville does indeed return to the starting line-up, and so - more surprisingly - does Tim Cahill. Fulham are unchanged from their win over Blackburn two weeks ago.
    Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Coleman, Rodwell, Neville, Osman, Cahill, Saha. Subs: Mucha, Heitinga, Bilyaletdinov, Beckford, Gueye, Anichebe, Baxter.
    Fulham: Schwarzer, Baird, Hughes, Hangeland, Salcido, Duff, Murphy, Etuhu, Dempsey, Dembele, Johnson. Subs: Stockdale, Kelly, Gudjohnsen, Kakuta, Zamora, Greening, Davies.
    Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland)
    Who likes stats? Because going into this afternoon's second televised game it's fair to say that there are some rather tasty ones doing the rounds. They don't bode well for Fulham.
    Everton have not lost a home league game against the Cottagers since February 1948, and they have won each of the last 17 such meetings. The last time Fulham left Goodison Park with a point - September 1959 - Harold MacMillan was prime minister and Cliff Richards' Living Doll was the UK No1.
    But despite all that it's hard to imagine Everton feeling too confident ahead of this game. The Toffees might have lost just one of their last five games but they are without Tim Cahill, Mikel Arteta and Marouane Fellaini, while Phil Neville will have to have a late fitness test to see if he can shake off his hamstring problem.
    Fulham have injury problems too, of course, but suffice to say this Everton team are hardly invulnerable. This may be as good an opportunity as Mark Hughes's side could want to get a monkey off their backs.
 
Manuel Pascali heads Kilmarnock home against Motherwell






Scottish Premier

Kilmarnock 3
  • Pascali 24,
  • Hamill (pen) 44,
  • Kelly 51
Motherwell 1
  • Sutton 15


  • Ewan Murray at Rugby Park
  • guardian.co.uk, Saturday 19 March 2011 15.10 GMT <li class="history">Article history
    Mixu-Pateelineins-KIlmarn-007.jpg
    Mixu Pateelinein's Kilmarnock side impressed against Motherwell at Rugby Park. Photograph: Craig Halkett/PA Last weekend Kilmarnock bemoaned the non-award of a late penalty at Ibrox that would have handed them a glorious opportunity to hold Rangers to a draw.
    Here against Motherwell, it was Kilmarnock themselves who owed a debt of gratitude to officialdom. Although the home side were clear and worthy winners by full-time, even taking to showboating on occasion, the spot-kick they were handed a minute before the interval was crucial to the outcome of this Premier League encounter. That decision by the referee Mike Tumilty was undoubtedly dubious.
    Motherwell's Gavin Gunning appeared to do little wrong in an aerial challenge with Manuel Pascali; Tumilty's awarding of a penalty, from which Kilmarnock edged 2-1 in front, can be classed firmly in the 'soft' category. Still, what neutrals wouldn't begrudge Kilmarnock the odd break? Mixu Paatelainen's men continue to impress with their style &#8211; namely, one which does not include punting the ball into the air at regular intervals &#8211; with Kilmarnock also compensating admirably for the January sale of the prolific Conor Sammon to Wigan Athletic.
    They also had a recovery to make here. Motherwell opened by far the brighter, with John Sutton continuing his fine recent form by converting a low cross from Chris Humphrey. The turnaround thereafter means only a freak set of results will deny Kilmarnock a place in the SPL's top six at the end of the season. Given the resources at Paatelainen's disposal, that is a notable feat. The manager does not have straightforward challenges ahead, with so many of Kilmarnock's team either on short-term or loan contracts. Before next season, those players and others will be courted by more lavishly spending clubs.
    Motherwell had been wounded by the pre-match loss of Francis Jeffers, who was injured during his warm-up, and the removal of Steven Saunders on a stretcher within 10 minutes &#8211; he appeared to badly damage an ankle after an innocuous fall.
    Kilmarnock's grand plan might be to condemn teams to death by a thousand passes, but simplicity secured these points. Pascali headed home Alexei Eremenko's cross at close-range after Motherwell failed to properly clear a corner, with the penalty controversy following. Jamie Hamill converted from 12 yards amid furious Motherwell complaints. Shaun Hutchinson took his disquiet a little too far, with the defender lucky to escape more serious punishment than a yellow card for a wild tackle on the striker William Gros. The response of Gros, a sly kick, might similarly have landed him in bother.
    The home support had aggravation of their own, vented towards Motherwell's manager, Stuart McCall, over treatment dished out to Eremenko. The Finnish loanee is prone to embellishment and has a short temper himself, but is frequently singled out for some pretty rough stuff. McCall took time to respond to the denizens of Rugby Park's main stand in a manner that suggested he did not entirely agree with their collective sentiment. Elsewhere in that stand sat representation from Sunderland and Bolton, the latest teams to keep a watching brief on Eremenko.
    It was he who set up Kilmarnock's third. This time the corner-kick itself outsmarted the Motherwell defence, Liam Kelly stooping to head past Darren Randolph. Hamill, David Silva and the excellent Craig Bryson &#8211; who clipped a post before blazing over from six yards &#8211; sought to extend Kilmarnock's advantage. "Finish them off" cried one punter; Kilmarnock already had.

 
Manuel Pascali heads Kilmarnock home against Motherwell






Scottish Premier

Kilmarnock 3
  • Pascali 24,
  • Hamill (pen) 44,
  • Kelly 51
Motherwell 1
  • Sutton 15


  • Ewan Murray at Rugby Park
  • guardian.co.uk, Saturday 19 March 2011 15.10 GMT <li class="history">Article history
    Mixu-Pateelineins-KIlmarn-007.jpg
    Mixu Pateelinein's Kilmarnock side impressed against Motherwell at Rugby Park. Photograph: Craig Halkett/PA Last weekend Kilmarnock bemoaned the non-award of a late penalty at Ibrox that would have handed them a glorious opportunity to hold Rangers to a draw.
    Here against Motherwell, it was Kilmarnock themselves who owed a debt of gratitude to officialdom. Although the home side were clear and worthy winners by full-time, even taking to showboating on occasion, the spot-kick they were handed a minute before the interval was crucial to the outcome of this Premier League encounter. That decision by the referee Mike Tumilty was undoubtedly dubious.
    Motherwell's Gavin Gunning appeared to do little wrong in an aerial challenge with Manuel Pascali; Tumilty's awarding of a penalty, from which Kilmarnock edged 2-1 in front, can be classed firmly in the 'soft' category. Still, what neutrals wouldn't begrudge Kilmarnock the odd break? Mixu Paatelainen's men continue to impress with their style – namely, one which does not include punting the ball into the air at regular intervals – with Kilmarnock also compensating admirably for the January sale of the prolific Conor Sammon to Wigan Athletic.
    They also had a recovery to make here. Motherwell opened by far the brighter, with John Sutton continuing his fine recent form by converting a low cross from Chris Humphrey. The turnaround thereafter means only a freak set of results will deny Kilmarnock a place in the SPL's top six at the end of the season. Given the resources at Paatelainen's disposal, that is a notable feat. The manager does not have straightforward challenges ahead, with so many of Kilmarnock's team either on short-term or loan contracts. Before next season, those players and others will be courted by more lavishly spending clubs.
    Motherwell had been wounded by the pre-match loss of Francis Jeffers, who was injured during his warm-up, and the removal of Steven Saunders on a stretcher within 10 minutes – he appeared to badly damage an ankle after an innocuous fall.
    Kilmarnock's grand plan might be to condemn teams to death by a thousand passes, but simplicity secured these points. Pascali headed home Alexei Eremenko's cross at close-range after Motherwell failed to properly clear a corner, with the penalty controversy following. Jamie Hamill converted from 12 yards amid furious Motherwell complaints. Shaun Hutchinson took his disquiet a little too far, with the defender lucky to escape more serious punishment than a yellow card for a wild tackle on the striker William Gros. The response of Gros, a sly kick, might similarly have landed him in bother.
    The home support had aggravation of their own, vented towards Motherwell's manager, Stuart McCall, over treatment dished out to Eremenko. The Finnish loanee is prone to embellishment and has a short temper himself, but is frequently singled out for some pretty rough stuff. McCall took time to respond to the denizens of Rugby Park's main stand in a manner that suggested he did not entirely agree with their collective sentiment. Elsewhere in that stand sat representation from Sunderland and Bolton, the latest teams to keep a watching brief on Eremenko.
    It was he who set up Kilmarnock's third. This time the corner-kick itself outsmarted the Motherwell defence, Liam Kelly stooping to head past Darren Randolph. Hamill, David Silva and the excellent Craig Bryson – who clipped a post before blazing over from six yards – sought to extend Kilmarnock's advantage. "Finish them off" cried one punter; Kilmarnock already had.
 
Fergie: Nobody has our character


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Updated Mar 19, 2011 6:19 PM ET
Sir Alex Ferguson believes nobody has the same character as his Manchester United side.
United beat Bolton 1-0 with a late Dimitar Berbatov goal, despite once again not performing to their full potential.
Sat., Mar. 19​
Tottenham 0-0 West Ham | Recap
Aston Villa 0-1 Wolves | Recap
Blackburn 2-2 Blackpool | Recap
Man Utd 1-0 Bolton | Recap
Stoke City 4-0 Newcastle | Recap
West Brom 2-2 Arsenal | Recap
Wigan 2-1 Birmingham | Recap
Everton 2-1 Fulham | Recap
Sun., Mar. 20​
Sunderland vs. Liverpool
Chelsea vs. Man City
BPL Scores | Table | Fixtures​


And Ferguson hailed his side's ability to win despite not playing well.
Sir Alex Ferguson had no complaints over the red card, which will rule Evans out of Premier League encounters with West Ham and Fulham, plus the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City at Wembley on April 16.
However, he insisted Evans is not a malicious player.
"We have had five massive games in the last couple of weeks," said Ferguson.
"It has been a hard programme and the lads deserve a lot of praise for that.
"This was not a 100% top performance from us but we never gave in.
"That is what the character of this club is all about. No other club in the country has got that.
"We are fantastic at gritting our teeth and getting something out of a dead situation."
Ferguson also had no complaints about Jonny Evans's sending off, issued after the Northern Ireland defender inflicted a serious-looking injury on Stuart Holden.
"The referee has seen the player had a bad injury," observed Ferguson, who watched the contest from the directors' box as he began a five-match touchline ban.
"Both players went for the same ball, with their feet raised, and Jonny caught the lad. Once you raise your feet you are putting yourself in a dangerous area. It was unfortunate but we cannot complain."
Holden was taken straight to hospital from the game.
Ferguson confirmed he had lost Wes Brown to injury at half-time, a problem that, given the introduction of Fabio at right-back, required Berbatov's arrival too to combat Bolton's added height.
"We have two weeks now to try and patch up the injuries," said Ferguson.
"That is the biggest break we have. We should have Nemanja Vidic back for the West Ham game and also Darren Fletcher. I would love to have been able to bring Park Ji-sung on today too."

With a five point lead over Arsenal, having played a game more, United are certainly in the position Wayne Rooney was hoping for judging by quotes in the match programme as he looked ahead to a potential 19th league title.
"A 19th title is something I have been thinking about a lot," he told United Review.
"I am obviously from Liverpool and grew up as an Everton fan, so to be part of the team that wins a record title and overtakes Liverpool would mean so much to us players as well as the fans.
"I know all the Everton fans want us to do it, and that is our aim."
And Coyle admits results such as today's are what championships are built on.
"They have an unbelievable ability and desire to keep winning games and championships," said the Scot.
"Sir Alex will have seen games like that, year after year, game-in, game-out.
"They are also buoyed on by 75,000 fans. That helps as well."
 
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