Tottenham Hotspur 0-0 Hull City: Myhill story

Boaz Myhill was the hero for Hull City as they secured a goalless draw with Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane that moves them out of the Premier League relegation zone.

The Tigers goalkeeper made a series of excellent saves to deny Spurs three points on Harry Redknapp's 500th mach as a manager in the Premier League and move his team above West Ham United and Bolton Wanderers, who both play on Sunday.

Tottenham needed the three points against the side they beat 5-1 back in August, as they are about to embark on a difficult run in which they will face Liverpool, Fulham, Birmingham and Aston Villa, while the Tigers hoped to move themselves out of the bottom three ahead of their trip to Old Trafford.

Neither side had played a game for two weeks, and the match began in somewhat sluggish fashion. In fact, it was not until the 38th minute that the game saw its first shot on target.

Wilson Palacios drilled a shot from the corner of the penalty area and Myhill palmed it away. Robbie Keane was lurking in the box and pounced on the loose ball, but Myhill was back in his feet quickly to tip the Irishman's strike over the bar.

The Hull keeper made another important save deep in first-half injury time, when Keane dummied Luka Modric's through ball for Jermain Defoe. The England striker, who had barely seen the ball up until that point, toe-poked a shot right at the on-rushing Myhill, who turned the ball behind for a corner.

Source :http://soccerblogvideo.blogspot.com/2010/01/tottenham-hotspur-0-0-hull-city-myhill.html

Season not favor The Reds

Liverpool 1
- Bertrand (og) 45

Reading 2
- Sigurdsson (pen) 90,
- Long 100
Liverpool's disastrous season plunged to new depths as they suffered a humiliating FA Cup exit at Anfield to Reading.

The Reds lost Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres to injuries and were stunned by the Coca-Cola Championship side, who forced extra-time before substitute Shane Long headed the winner in this third round replay

Reading stunned Liverpool by dumping them out of the FA cup with a 2-1 victory over the Reds in their third round replay at Anfield.

Liverpool opened the scoring just before half-time as Steven Gerrard's cross deflected in off Ryan Bertrand. The Reds looked to be cruising, before Gylfi Sigurdsson equalised in the dying moments of normal time from the penalty spot.

Substitute Shane Long scored the winning goal in front of the Kop in the first half of extra time.

Teams

Liverpool: Diego Cavalieri, Jamie Carragher, Philipp Degen (Martin Skrtel 91), Daniel Agger, Emiliano Insua, Steven Gerrard (Ryan Babel 46), Alberto Aquilani, Yossi Benayoun, Lucas Leiva, Dirk Kuyt, Fernando Torres (David Ngog 29).

Reading: Adam Federici, Ingimarsson Ivan, Matthew Mills, Ryan Bertrand, Brynjar Gunnarsson, Jobi McAnuff, Kalifa Cisse (Brian Howard 59), Jem Karacan (Shane Long 81), Gylfi Sigurdsson, Grzegorz Rasiak (Jimmy's departure 65), Simon Church.

Carlos Tevez hat-trick led Manchester City to an easy win

Manchester City
-Tevez (7)
-Richards (39)
-Tevez (49)&(90)

Blackburn
- Pedersen (71)
Manchester City striker, Carlos Tevez, scored a hat-trick to lead 4-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League duel continued, in the City of Manchester, on Monday (1/11/2010). With a collection of 38 points, City had the right up to the big four.

Playing at home, demonstrating a direct City offensive game since the early minutes. Almost without resistance, they also managed to lead through Carlos Tevez in the seventh minute. Utilizing wild ball in the penalty box, Tevez strikes the ball into the middle of the goalkeeper Paul Robinson.

The next minute, Blackburn could improve coordination midfield. Besides reducing barrage City, they are also able to provide pressure. Unfortunately, before able to equalize, they are forced to see their goal burglarized by City defender Micah Richards incredible run in the 39th minute. Utilizing a ball threw up the shot that hit the pole Benjani, Richards sent a ball into the Blackburn goal.

Do not want to give your opponent the opportunity to rise as before, City improve ball control in a fast tempo. Unfortunately, although it managed to push Blackburn reduce agresivitasnya, City failed to add goals to come down to drink.



In the second half, again, Tevez became inspired attacks on the City through a goal 49 minutes. Utilizing feedback Benjani, Tevez sent the ball into the bottom left corner of Blackburn's goal.

City 3-0 advantage could make a careless and missed goals scored Blackburn's Morten Gamst Pedersen at minute 71. Got shot outside the penalty box, Pedersen sent the ball into the bottom right corner of goalkeeper Shay Given.

However, the same goal that made the motivation City back hardest and try to score the fourth goal. Lust City finally satisfied, following the creation of a third goal Tevez in the 90th minute. After receiving feedback Robinho, Tevez pass the ball into the bottom left corner of Robinson's goal.

Lineup:

Manchester City: Given; Garrido, Kompany, Richards, Zabaleta; Bellamy (Robinho 69), Barry, De Jong, Petrov (Boyata 87); Tevez, Mwaruwari (Santa Cruz 81)

Blackburn Rovers: Robinson; Givet, Nelson, Samba, Jacobsen; Pedersen, Nzonzi, Andrews (Hoilett 45), Emerton; Dunn (Olsson 66); Di Santo (Kalinic 45)

Rafa Benitez happy at Anfield

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has stressed he is committed to the club but admits he is flattered by the charm offensive being undertaken by Juventus.

The Italian giants made the Spaniard their top target almost a fortnight ago and sacking coach Ciro Ferrara today and putting Alberto Zaccheroni in place until the end of the season has only increased speculation about a move for the Reds boss in the summer.

Benitez only signed a new five-year contract, worth a reported £4.8million annually, 10 months ago but an early exit from the Champions League and FA Cup and a fall off the pace in the Premier League increased pressure on him.

Such was the club's predicament just over a month ago that Liverpool's departure from Europe's top club competition even brought about suggestions he could be sacked.

Benitez's problems have been compounded by injuries to key players Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard and Yossi Benayoun and the parlous state of the club's finances, which means he has had to resort to scrabbling around in the January transfer window looking for cheap deals.

While Juventus' offer of a get-out in the summer, particularly if Liverpool do not finish in the top four, may seem an attractive proposition, Benitez is standing firm.

"It is a difficult situation. People were talking and there was a lot of speculation in the media," he said.

"I know they (Juventus) were interested, that is part of the game now in football, but I am not ready to talk too much because I don't want to lose my focus.

"I cannot stop speculation all the time. At this moment we are preparing for the game against Bolton (tomorrow).

"I will say I want to fight here, I want to do my job, I want to win and I want to do things here."

The link with the Serie A club comes from the fact Benitez, who speaks Italian well, is a close friend of Juve director Roberto Bettega.

With Liverpool's American owners Tim Hicks and George Gillett struggling to come up with funds for the Spaniard to strengthen his squad either now or even in the close season, Juventus could be a preferable alternative.

Gillett may have recently described Benitez as one of the top five managers in the world but the uneasy relationship between the two Americans means the Reds boss is never too sure if war will break out in the boardroom again, rendering him a pawn in any power game.

If Juve were to ratchet up their campaign to get him on board he might feel it easier to go where he feels appreciated - a sentiment which has not gone unnoticed by the Spaniard.

"For three months people have been saying 'Rafa will be fired, Rafa will be sacked' but I had people in the game telling me 'Be strong, don't give up, think like this'," said Benitez.

"Now it is 'Rafa will leave'. I cannot stop this.

"When you are a manager and you have clubs asking you have to be proud because they are a top side in Europe.

"Juventus is a big club, we have played against them in the Champions League and they know Liverpool are a top side.

"They know it is not easy to do well always in a top side so it is a question of professionals who know the market, they know the managers and how to find someone good enough for them.

"But again I say, I am proud but I'm also really proud to be here. I am really happy here and want to do my job as best I can."

The Juventus speculation has overshadowed Saturday's match at home to Bolton, where Liverpool are looking to maintain their five-match unbeaten run in which they have conceded just once - and that in the 90th minute against Stoke.

A goalless draw against Wolves in midweek meant they fell three points behind fourth-placed Tottenham but Benitez agreed with captain Gerrard after the Wolves game when he said the side are heading in the right direction.

"All I can do is prepare my team properly, to analyse things and try to find solutions to the problems we have," said the Liverpool boss.

"Now we are not losing games and doing a little bit better we have to try to do the same.

"The players know we are improving. Like Stevie said before, maybe we have turned the corner."

Adam Johnson as a replacement for Robinho

Johnson, 22, has been in outstanding form for Middlesbrough this season, scoring 12 goals from midfield, and that has prompted City to move for a player who has attracted interest from a wide range of Premier League clubs over the past 12 months.

However, Middlesbrough have no intention of selling the England Under-21 international and manager Gordon Strachan is ready to reject any bids that come in for Johnson, even though he is out of contract at the end of the season.

"We have had verbal offers, we have had one official offer and I would imagine after looking at those that Adam will be here for the rest of the season, which we are quite delighted about because he is coming back into form," Strachan.

"That's great for us because when he is on form, we are a better team, that's for sure. Adam is a terrific, terrific professional and a terrific young man. He is a credit to his mum and dad."

Chelsea and Real Madrid have previously been linked with Johnson, who has risen to the fore in some style following Stewart Downing's departure to Aston Villa over the summer.

It appears that City are targeting Johnson as a replacement for Robinho after the Brazilian forward was left out of the squad for Wednesday's Carling Cup defeat to Manchester United with talks continuing over his future.

Robinho is close to joining his former club Santos on loan although City manager Roberto Mancini would be content to keep the player at Eastlands.

"Robinho spoke with me yesterday," Mancini said. "It is possible that he will go to play for Santos or another team, so we preferred not to risk him [against United]. But that is the only reason he was not involved. If he is still here at the end of the transfer window, he can play for us."



Source : ESPN Soccernet

Bellamy head victim Old Trafford

LONDON -Manchester United could face disciplinary action after a bottle of cider and a coin were hurled at Manchester City forward Craig Bellamy during a League Cup semifinal match.

The alleged perpetrator was one of 11 football fans arrested Wednesday at Old Trafford, where United beat City 3-1 in the second leg to advance 4-3 on aggregate.

United, which could be fined by the Football Association, has pledged to hand out indefinite bans to any supporter found guilty of throwing missiles.

The FA will study reports from referee Howard Webb and United's security team before deciding if any action needs to be taken.

Manchester United missed out on the opportunity to overtake Chelsea

Birmingham City 1
-Jerome 39

Manchester United 1
-Dann (og) 63

Manchester United missed out on the opportunity to overtake Chelsea at the top of the Premier League tonight when they became the latest victims of Birmingham's remarkable progress, which has Alex McLeish's side unbeaten in their past 13 games – 12 of them in the league, a club record.

This match had considerable significance for both teams. Birmingham were keen to maintain their extraordinary bid for a place in Europe, while United needed to buttress form that had been damaged by successive defeats at the fortress they call Old Trafford. Both managers made their priorities clear last weekend, when they rested key players in the FA Cup. There was no question of that here, and their respective line-ups were at full strength.

Some called this the acid test for Birmingham's potential, but they have undergone more of those than litmus recently. Their spiky defence held Chelsea goalless on Boxing Day, did the same against Manchester City and have conceded just five goals in the past 10 games. If injuries continue to deprive England of centre-halves, Fabio Capello could do worse than take a look at Roger Johnson, the Blues' only ever-present this season. A body-on-the-line defender in the John Terry mould, Johnson has been consistently outstanding since his cheap-as-chips transfer from Cardiff, where he was a key figure in their run to the FA Cup final in 2008. Kevin Keegan, who knows what it takes to play international football, described his performance to ESPN viewers last night as "sensational".

As might have been expected, United made all the running in the first half, but Birmingham were resolution personified and the first attack of consequence was delayed until the 24th minute, when Liam Ridgewell carelessly conceded possession and Antonio Valencia's through pass left Wayne Rooney one-on-one with Joe Hart on the edge of the six-yard box. The England striker would normally be the odds-on favourite in such situations, but Hart is playing as well as any goalkeeper in the league these days and improvised an important save with his feet.

Birmingham were backs to the wall, tackling and blocking as if their lives depended on it, but their indefatigable spirit had its reward in the 39th minute, when James McFadden's corner from the right brought a poor attempt at a headed clearance from Jonny Evans, enabling Lee Bowyer to supply Jerome, who thumped it home at whites-of-the-eyes range. The goal was yet another reminder that Evans and Wes Brown are not centre-halves of title-winning calibre, and that not until Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic are back, and at their best, are United likely to keep clean sheets with regularity.

Confidence coursing, Birmingham contributed more as an attacking force after the interval, but Jerome wasted a promising opening with a poor final ball and United drew level in the same minute – the 63rd – in circumstances that sparked pandemonium. Patrice Evra's shot from left to right was diverted in by Dann, who thought Rooney was closer behind him than was the case. Birmingham appealed for offside and the referee's assistant flagged in agreement, only to be overruled because it had been the defender's decisive contact. McLeish had no complaints after studying a video replay, which showed that Ridgewell had played Rooney onside anyway.

The Birmingham manager, who confirmed the midfielder Michel is set to join from Sporting Gijon, praised his players for their resilience, determination and application, adding: "They've shown those qualities all season and this time you can add ability to that. They can be utterly proud of what they have done so far."

Ferguson agreed and said of the protege who played for him at Aberdeen and for Scotland at the 1986 World Cup: "Alex has done a fantastic job. He had players running a hundred miles for him tonight, and he has to take great credit for that."

Teams:

Birmingham City: Hart Joe, Scott Dann, Liam Ridgewell, Stephen Carr, Lee Bowyer, Barry Ferguson, James McFaden, Sebastian Larsson (Keith Fahey 82), Cameron Jerome, Cristian Benitez.

Manchester United: Tomasz Kuszczak, Jonny Evans, Wes Brown, Patrice Evra, Rafael da Silva, Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher, Paul Scholes (Mame Biram Diouf 81), Park Ji Sung (Ryan Giggs 66), Antonio Valencia, Wayne Rooney.