World T20 World Cup: England v Netherlands (Chittagong)

England suffer shock defeat to Netherlands

Netherlands 133-5 (20 overs) beat England 88 all out (17.4 overs) by 45 runs.

England ended their ICC World T20 World Cup campaign with a hugely embarrassing 45 run defeat to the Netherlands. England had earlier in the day won the toss and elected to field first which paid off as they reduced the Dutch to 133-5 from 20 overs. However, a calamitous batting collapse from England saw them end their tournament in highly horrific style as they crumbled to 88 all out in the 18th over. Barresi starred for the Dutch, scoring 48 off 45 whilst Broad took 3-24. England were unable to go through to the semi-finals whatever the result but they were on the wrong end of a massive shock as Bopara top scored with 18 from 20 as the English batsman all failed to impose themselves. Incredulously, Bakhari took very impressive figures of 3-12 as England left Chittagong with a whimper. 

My Opinion:
Well I'm shocked, devastated and embarrassed by that result. All seemed as normal when England reduced the Dutch to a respectable total which should easily have been chased down by England's batsman. Now I know that England were already out but to just throw the towel in like that was pathetic. After all the brilliance they had shown in defeating Sri Lanka and pushing South Africa right to the end, you would have at least expected some fight some someone in the team to get England over the line. What happened was highly painful to watch as the Dutch whittled out England for a mere 88. Nobody apart from Bopara showed any sign of wanting to fight as they atrociously crumbled. I suppose they went out with a bang albeit one they would rather forget about quickly. A great shame and maybe time for the coaches and selectors to have a rethink. That can't happen despite what situation your in. England should be beating the Dutch at cricket, period. I expect India to win the tournament and Sri Lanka to face them in the final. 



England win the toss and elect to field first.

Netherlands Innings
(3.5) 34-1, Swart 13 (15), 2 fours, caught Parry, Broad.
(5) 43-1, Myburgh 17*, Barresi 5*.
(7) 52-1, Myburgh 23*, Barresi 8*.
(10) 75-1, Myburgh 38*, Barresi 21*.
(11) 84-1, 50 partnership off 44 balls between Myburgh 37* and Barresi 22*.
(11.1) 84-2, Myburgh 39 (31), 6 fours and 1 six, caught Hales, Bopara.
(15) 106-2, Barresi 35*, Cooper 6*.
(16.1) 110-3, Cooper 8 (15), caught Jordan, Broad.
(19) 131-4, Borren 7 (10), 1 four, caught Parry, Broad.
(19.2) 131-5, Barresi 48 (45), 2 fours and 2 sixes, bowled by Jordan.
(20) 133-5, Bukhari 1*(2) and Cooper 0 (2).

Batsman of the Innings: Barresi 48 (45)
Bowler of the Innings: Broad 3-24

England Innings
(3) 18-1, Lumb 6 (8), caught Cooper, Bukhari.
(4.1) 19-2, Hales 12 (17), 2 fours, bowled by Bukhari.
(5) 21-2, Moeen 0*, Morgan 2*.
(5.5) 26-3, Morgan 6 (8), 1 four, caught Borren, Van Der Gugten.
(8.1) 32-4, Moeen 3 (7), caught Cooper, Borren.
(10) 42-5, Buttler 6 (14), caught Seelaar, Van Beek.
(11.4) 52-6, Bresnan 5 (6), run out by Bukhari.
(12) 52-6, Bopara 8*, Jordan 0*.
(15) 74-6, Bopara 18*, Jordan 13*.
(15.1) 74-6, Bopara 18 (20), caught Seelar, Van Beek.
(15.5) 76-8, Jordan 14 (14), caught Swart, Van Beek.
(17.2) 86-9, Broad 4 (5), caught Barresi, Bukhari.
(17.4) 88 all out, Tredwell 8 (6), 1 four, run out by Swart. Parry 1*(1).
Netherlands win by 45 runs.

Batsman of the Innings: Bopara 18 (20)
Bowler of the Innings: Bukhari 3-12

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Monday Night Football Game Week 32

Sunderland 1 v 2 West Ham United Carroll (9), Diame (50), Johnson (65)
First Half: Goal! 0-1, West Ham take the lead as Carroll heads in at the far post from a corner. Cattermole has a low shot saved before firing the rebound wide across goal. Carroll has a header saved.
Half Time: 0-1.
Second Half: Goal! 0-2, West Ham double their lead as a long free kick is headed down by Carroll to Diame who scores with a low shot from the edge of the box into the near bottom corner. Downing fires a low shot just wide of the far post. Goal! 1-2, Sunderland half the deficit as Johnson scores with a curling shot into the far top corner.
Full Time: 1-2.
Sunderland 18>19th, 25pts
West Ham 11th, 34>37pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Carroll. Hammers seal victory at Stadium of Light. It was a poor result for Sunderland who needed to take something from that game. With the position they find themselves in, they need all the points they can get and that game was winnable for them. However, they went two goals down and could only manage to half the deficit. Carroll proved to be a huge handful and they just couldn't cope with the big man up front. That disappointing defeat means that Sunderland drop down one place into 19th and are four points from safety. 
That was a good away win for West Ham who earned those three points. Carroll was the star performer and proved to be a real handful for the Sunderland defence. Long balls kept going towards Carroll and Carroll kept on winning headers. It was a gameplan that worked out and West Ham were good value for their victory. Those three points pretty much guarantee that West Ham will be in the premier league next season and you have to give plenty of credit to the board for sticking by Allardyce through the tough times as they look to have come out of it and survived. 

Best Goal: Johnson

League Leaders
1. Liverpool 71pts
2. Chelsea 69pts
3. Man City 67pts
4. Arsenal 64pts
5. Everton 60pts

Relegation Battle
16. Palace 31pts
17. West Brom 29pts
18. Cardiff 26pts
19. Sunderland 25pts
20. Fulham 24pts

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Super Sunday Game Week 32

Liverpool 4 v 0 Tottenham Hotspur Kaboul OG (2), Suarez (25), Coutinho (55), Henderson (75)
First Half: Goal! 1-0, Liverpool take the lead as a low cross from Johnson is bundled into the net by Kaboul from close range at the near side. Goal! 2-0, Suarez beats Kaboul to Dawson's backpass and scores with a low shot into the far bottom corner. Eriksen has a shot blocked before Sigurdsson has a header saved. Suarez has a header really well saved against the bar and bounces away off the line at the near side.
Half Time: 2-0.
Second Half: Henderson scuffs a a good chance over the bar. Goal! 3-0, Coutinho scores with a low shot from long range into the far bottom corner. Sturridge has a back heel effort block saved. Goal! 4-0, Henderson scores with a curling free kick across goal that goes untouched and in at the far side. Chadli has an effort that deflects over at the near side. Eriksen has a low shot from the edge of the box parried past the near post.
Full Time: 4-0.
Liverpool 2>1st, 68>71pts
Tottenham 6th, 56pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Suarez. Liverpool run riot over Spurs. It was another brilliant home performance from the reds who proved too much for Spurs with their pace and attack. A strong effort from the whole team led to four goals and a clean sheet which must have delighted the Kop. After taking an early lead, Liverpool eased themselves into the game and scored some more classy goals. Suarez was the main man and spearheaded the line from the front in his usual majestic style. That was a big win in terms of the title race as Liverpool move to the top of the league with that win and they look as though they could really win the title in this form.
Spurs started the game slowly and they failed to recover from it. They were outplayed for the majority of the game and conceded some sloppy goals through some average defending. Sherwood will be disappointed with his team today as they shot themselves in the foot for at least a couple of the goals. It looks like Spurs will need Arsenal to slip up a few times if they are to achieve 4th spot but I can't see them getting there with performance like today's. 

Fulham 1 v 3 Everton Stockdale OG (50), Dejagah (71), Mirallas (79), Naismith (87)
First Half: Holtby blazes a shot wide of the near post. Kasami heads wide of the near post. Richardson has a low shot saved at the near side. Deulofeu has a low shot saved at the near side. Holtby has a header back across goal tipped over the bar. Dembele has a header saved.
Half Time: 0-0.
Second Half: Goal! 0-1, Everton take the lead as Naismith has a low shot from the edge of the box that is going wide deflects in off Stockdale. Lukaku has a low block saved. Goal! 1-1, Fulham equalise through Dejagah who cuts inside and fires a fierce strike into the top near corner. Heitinga has a close range header parried away at the near side. Kasami has a volley parried away. Goal! 1-2, Everton go back in front as Mirallas is played through on goal and tucks neatly past the keeper at the near side. Naismith has an effort saved by the onrushing keeper. Goal! 1-3, Everton seal victory as Naismith taps in from close range a low Baines cross into the far bottom corner.
Full Time: 1-3.
Fulham 20th, 24pts
Everton 5th, 57>60pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Naismith. Everton march on at Craven Cottage. Fulham actually had the better of the first half but couldn't make it count as they went into half time level. They suffered an early setback in the second half and went behind via unlucky circumstances as the ball rebounded into the goal from Stockdale's attempted save. However, hopes were lifted after a thunderous strike from Dejagah saw them back on level terms but they just couldn't hang on as Everton's pressure eventually proved too much. Fulham may feel they could have taken a point but in the end that defeat leaves them rooted to the bottom of the table. 
Everton started the game slowly and it took a while for them to get into their rhythm. They took the lead in the second half but were hanging on as Fulham threw everything at them which paid off thanks to Dejagah's equalizer. However, they soon turned the tables back in their favour thanks to two late goals from Mirallas and the very impressive substitute Naismith. It was clear for all to see that Naismith changed the game and looks set to start a few more games after a match winning performance. Everton keep their hopes of finishing 4th alive with that win and look set to push Arsenal all the way. 

Best Goal: Suarez, Coutinho, Dejagah, Mirallas. Winner: Dejagah.

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Malaysian Grand Prix, Sepang (Race 2, 2014) Race

Hamilton wins the Malaysian Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton won his first race of the season as Mercedes dominate in Malaysia. Hamilton started on pole and expertly lead the race throughout to seal victory. Nico Rosberg managed to seal maximum points for Mercedes after moving past Vettel to take second place. Sebastien enjoyed a much better weekend and claimed the final spot on the podium after finishing third but it was clear to see that the Red Bull just didn't have the pace to stop or catch the Mercedes pair. 



My Opinion:

Mercedes - Hamilton (Winner), Rosberg (2nd). Perfect result for Mercedes who dominated in Malaysia. Hamilton started on pole and drove supremely to claim his first win of the season. Meanwhile, Rosberg passed Vettel at the start and held on for second place. Strong stuff from both drivers as Mercedes look set to be the dominant team this season.
Mclaren - Button (6th), Magnussen (9th). Decent race in the end for Mclaren. Points seemed to be on the card before the race and both cars produced the goods. However, Button clearly had the better day of it out there after moving up four places to take 6th. Magnussen found the race tougher and dropped down one place into 9th by the finish. Still a good start to the season for the team and they will be looking to keep improving.
Ferrari - Alonso (4th), Raikkonen (12th). Mixed fortunes for Ferrari. Alonso was his typical self and maintained 4th place throughout after a strong drive from the Spaniard. However, Raikkonen suffered from an early flat tyre which scuppered his race credentials. Despite his best efforts, 12th was the highest place Kimi could manage. Alonso seems to be getting the most out of the car but it still doesn't look to be where Ferrari want to finish races. 
Williams - Massa (7th), Bottas (8th). Strong race for Williams. After a terrible day of qualifying, Williams enjoyed a much better race which saw both cars bring home points. Massa climbed six places to finish 7th whilst Bottas rose seven places up the gird to finish one spot behind Massa in 8th. Overall, a poor Saturday cost them but they salvaged a good result on Sunday. I expect Williams to sort out their qualifying form next time around and would not be surprised to see them vying for top five places. 
Force India - Hulkenberg (5th), Perez (Retired, 0 laps). The good and the bad for Force India. Hulkenberg was very impressive all weekend and made it an even better one after moving up two spots on the grid to finish in 5th for Force India. However, Perez struggled in qualifying and paid the biggest price for it on the first lap after being forced to retire the car. Force India seem to have a fast car but will be looking for more from Perez in the next race to back up the strong results from Hulkenberg. 
Red Bull - Vettel (3rd), Ricciardo (Retired, 49 laps). Mixed results for Red Bull. Vettel got back to old ways with a strong qualifying performance but couldn't keep Rosberg behind him after finishing in 3rd. Disappointing for the team who clearly do not have a car that can match the pace of the Mercedes. Ricciardo made a quick start off the grid and found himself in 3rd after the first lap but unfortunately had to retire the car 7 laps before the finish. 
Toro Rosso - Kvyat (10th), Vergne (Retired, 18 laps). Disappointing race for Toro Rosso. After a strong first race in Melbourne, Toro Rosso had high expectations for Malaysia. However, despite a decent qualifying the team were unable to capitalise on it. Kvyat managed to secure the last point on offer but Vergne was unable to bring the car home after retiring 18 laps into the race. They seem like they can score points  but it must have been disappointing for the team that only one car made it to the finish. 
Sauber - Gutierrez (Retired, 35 laps), Sutil (Retired, 32 laps). Awful race for Sauber. It was a pretty terrible weekend for Sauber who failed to make the top ten in qualifying and failed to get a car to the finish line in the race. In fact, they were only involved in the race for 35 laps as Gutierrez shortly followed Sutil back to the pits. Better times are surely ahead for Sauber. 
Lotus - Grosjean (11th), Maldonado (Retired, 7 laps). Lotus struggling for form. Grosjean enjoyed a better race after a disappointing qualifying result and climbed five places up the order to finish just outside of the points in 11th. However, Maldonado endured even more pain after only lasting 7 laps to end a tough race weekend. Not what Lotus were hoping for but they are getting closer to securing those first points of the season.
Caterham - Kobayashi (13th), Ericsson (14th). Decent race for Caterham. The team were the faster of the two teams at the back of the grid whilst Kobayashi proved to be the star man. The Japanese driver managed to move himself into 13th place by the chequered flag which is two places better than he achieved in Melbourne. Ericsson will be pleased to have finished his first race in formula 1 and looked composed with his 14th place. 
Marussia - Chilton (15th), Bianchi (Retired, 8 laps). Slowest team on the grid. Chilton finished in 15th and was the last driver across the line but I'm sure the team will have gained plenty of useful data from that race. Bianchi endured a tough time of it after having to retire 8 laps into the race. 

Key Moments During the Race:

Start: Hamilton leads, Rosberg (up 1), Ricciardo (up 2), Vettel (up 2), Alonso (down 1), Raikkonen, Hulkenberg, Magnussen, Massa (up 4), Button. Contact between Bianchi and Maldonado as both cars spin off. Perez OUT.
Lap 1: Hamilton leads, Rosberg, Ricciardo, Vettel, Alonso, Hulkenberg passes Raikkonen, Magnussen, Button passes Massa.
Lap 2: Hulkenberg moves into 5th after passing Alonso. Magnussen moves into 7th after passing Raikkonen. Raikkonen has a flat tyre which causes him to fall down the grid. Alonso moves into 5th after passing Hulkenberg.
Lap 4: Massa moves into 8th after passing Magnussen but Magnussen passes Massa to reclaim 8th.
Lap 5: Kvyat moves into 11th after passing Gutierrez.
Lap 7: Maldonado OUT.
Lap 8: Bianchi OUT.
Lap 12: Alonso moves into 9th after passing Grosjean.
Lap 14: Vettel moves into 4th and Ricciardo moves into 5th after both cars pass Bottas. Alonso moves into 6th after passing Bottas.
Lap 16: Hamilton makes a pit stop leaving Hulkenberg to take the lead of the race. Hamilton takes the lead of the race after passing Hulkenberg.
Lap 17: Raikkonen moves into 18th after passing Vergne.
Lap 18: Raikkonen moves into 17th after passing Ericsson. Vergne OUT.
Lap 21: Bottas moves into 9th after passing Kvyat.
Lap 26: Sutil moves into 14th after passing Chilton.
Lap 27: Gutierrez moves into 15th after passing Chilton. Kvyat moves into 10th after passing Kobayashi. Bottas moves into 8th after passing Button.
Lap 29: Magnussen moves into 11th after passing Kobayashi.
Lap 30: Grosjean moves into 12th after passing Kobayashi.
Lap 32: Sutil OUT.
Lap 34: Hamilton makes another pit stop and regains the lead.
Lap 35: Gutierrez OUT.
Lap 39: Raikkonen moves into 13th after passing Kobayashi.
Lap 41: Ricciardo makes a pit stop but stalls in the pit lane costing him time.
Lap 44: Ricciardo has front damage and receives a 10 second stop/go penalty.
Lap 46: Ricciardo moves into 16th after passing Chilton.
Lap 49: Ricciardo OUT.
Lap 51: Hamilton makes his third pit stop and regains the lead.
Lap 53: Alonso moves into 4th after passing Hulkenberg.
Lap 56/Finish: Hamilton wins the Malaysian Grand Prix. Rosberg comes second and Vettel third.

Race Result:
1. Hamilton (Mercedes) 1.40.25.974
2. Rosberg (Mercedes)
3. Vettel (Red Bull)
4. Alonso (Ferrari)
5. Hulkenberg (Force India)
6. Button (Mclaren)
7. Massa (Williams)
8. Bottas (Williams)
9. Magnussen (Mclaren)
10. Kvyat (Toro Rosso)

11. Grosjean (Lotus)
12. Raikkonen (Ferrari)
13. Kobasyashi (Caterham)
14. Ericsson (Caterham)
15. Chilton (Marussia)

16. Ricciardo (Red Bull) Retired after 49 laps.
17. Gutierrez (Sauber) Retired after 35 laps.
18. Sutil (Sauber) Retired after 32 laps.
19. Vergne (Toro Rosso) Retired after 18 laps.
20. Bianchi (Marussia) Retired after 8 laps.
21. Maldonado (Lotus) Retired after 7 laps.
22. Perez (Force India) Retired after 0 laps.

Fastest Lap: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1.43.066

Driver of the Day: Valteri Bottas (Williams) for finishing in 8th from 18th.

Team of the Day: Mercedes who secured the top two spots.

Driver Standings
1. Rosberg (Mercedes) 43pts
2. Hamilton (Mercedes) 25pts
3. Alonso (Ferrari) 24pts
4. Button (Mclaren) 23pts
5. Magnussen (Mclaren) 20pts

Constructor Standings
1. Mercedes 68pts
2. Mclaren 43pts
3. Ferrari 30pts
4. Williams 20pts
5. Force India 19pts

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Malaysian Grand Prix Sepang (Race 2, 2014): Qualifying

Hamilton on pole in Malaysia

Mercedes continue their strong start to the season as Lewis Hamilton took his second pole position of the season at Sepang. Sebastien Vettel put his Red Bull on the front row in second whilst Nico Rosberg will start in third. Alonso put himself in fourth whilst Ricciardo will start ahead of Raikkonen on the third row for the Malaysian Grand Prix.



My Opinion:

Mclaren - Magnussen 8th, Button 10th. It was maybe not the qualifying session Mclaren had hoped for after their brilliant start to the season but they put themselves in with a chance of more success for the race. Magnussen could not reproduce the pace he displayed in Melbourne but out-qualified Button for the second time in a row. Button managed to make it into the top ten shootout this time but failed to reap the rewards after qualifying in 10th. I expect Mclaren to perform well in the race once again as they look to have built a strong car for the race day. Points should be secured from both drivers.
Mercedes - Hamilton pole, Rosberg 3rd. Another dominant display in qualifying from Mercedes who seem to have built the fastest car so far this season. Hamilton took his second pole position in as many races and looks set to be on that podium at the end. The team will hope Rosberg will be alongside him on the podium after the German starts from third once again. I'm expecting a Mercedes one-two here. 
Ferrari - Alonso 4th, Raikkonen 6th. Ferrari put in a strong performance in qualifying and seem in good shape to challenge for a spot or two on the podium. Alonso improved one place from his position in Melbourne and will be pose a threat in fourth whilst Raikkonen had a much better time of it here at Sepang and will be looking for a strong race from 6th.
Williams - Massa 13th, Bottas 18th. Disappointment for Williams in qualifying. It was not what Williams had in mind as both of their cars missed out on a top ten starting spot. Massa could only manage 13th but will surely find his way into the points tomorrow whilst Bottas had to take a three place penalty and will start 18th. Despite a poor qualifying effort, I'm sure the car is fast enough for the race to pick up points in the top 10. Massa should make it but Bottas will have work to do to move up the grid.
Force India - Hulkenberg 7th, Perez 14th. Mixed feelings at Force India. Hulkenberg has shown some consistency to qualify in 7th for a second time in a row but Perez seems to still be finding his way with his Force India, missing out on the top ten once more. It looks like points are on the books for the team but it will be interesting to see how Perez gets on in the race. 
Toro Rosso - Vergne 9th, Kvyat 11th. Toro Rosso have made it into the top ten once again this season and look to have built a reasonably quick car. Vergne was just that little bit faster than Kvyat again but both cars lost a few places compared to their qualifying positions in Melbourne. Both cars in good positions to take points from tomorrow's race but they will have to fight hard for them.
Sauber - Gutierrez 12th, Sutil 17th. Small signs of progress at Sauber. Sutil qualified 14th last time around but struggled to find some pace in Sepang, falling three places down to 17th. Gutierrez showed some positive signs of improvement after putting his car in 12th, 5 places higher than in Melbourne. Not too sure if Sauber will get too many points if any from the race but Gutierrez looks the more likely if they do.
Marussia - Bianchi 19th, Chilton 21st. Marussia find themselves near the back. Bianchi was the quickest man for the team today after qualifying two places ahead of Chilton. Their chances of taking a point from the race are very slim but they may be faster than the Caterham's.
Lotus - Grosjean 15th, Maldonado 16th. Lotus still not where they want to be. Although they made it into Q2 this time, the car just wasn't quick enough to make the top ten. Grosjean proved himself to be quicker than Maldonado but they will be desperate for some points in the race to lift the spirit of the team. 
Caterham - Kobayashi 20th, Ericsson 22nd. Caterham find themselves at the back of the grid. Kobayashi outperformed Ericsson again but the car was the slowest on the grid. Kobayashi may climb up the grid to gain a few places in the race but it will be about being faster than Marussia.
Red Bull - Vettel 2nd, Ricciardo 5th. Red Bull's back on track. After a disastrous race weekend last time around, Red Bull have something to be more upbeat about as both of their cars put on a decent display. Vettel was narrowly beaten to pole position by Hamilton but will fancy his chances of winning from second. Ricciardo was not as quick as he was in Melbourne but still managed to get himself on the third row. A strong chance of seeing a Red Bull on the podium and even two if Ricciardo can maintain a strong race. 

Qualifying Result and Starting Grid

Q3
Pole. Hamilton (Mercedes) 1.59.431
2. Vettel (Red Bull)
3. Rosberg (Mercedes)
4. Alonso (Ferrari)
5. Ricciardo (Red Bull)
6. Raikkonen (Ferrari)
7. Hulkenberg (Force India)
8. Magnussen (Mclaren)
9. Vergne (Toro Rosso)
10. Button (Mclaren)

Q2
11. Kvyat (Toro Rosso)
12. Gutierrez (Sauber)
13. Massa (Williams)
14. Perez (Force India)
15. Bottas (Williams) (3 Place penalty, will start 18th)
16. Grosjean (Lotus)

Q1
17. Maldonado (Lotus)
18. Sutil (Sauber)
19. Bianchi (Marussia)
20. Kobayashi (Caterham)
21. Chilton (Marussia)
22. Ericsson (Caterham)

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Soccer Saturday Game Week 32

Crystal Palace 1 v 0 Chelsea Terry OG (52)
First Half: Schurrle puts a sliding effort from close range just wide of the far post following a low cross from Azpilicueta. Bolasie puts an effort into the side-netting. Jerome has a penalty appeal turned down. Bolasie has a penalty appeal turned down.
Half Time: 0-0.
Second Half: Goal! 1-0, Palace take the lead as Terry heads into his own net at the near side trying to clear away a cross. Hazard has a low shot from the edge of the box across goal parried away. Puncheon fires a low shot from the edge of the box across goal just wide of the far post. Terry heads just over the bar. Hazard has a shot across goal superbly parried behind. Jerome hits a low shot against the near post. Ledley volleys wide across goal. Puncheon has a driven shot saved at the near side. Torres chips an effort over the bar.
Full Time: 1-0.
Palace 17>16th, 28>31pts
Chelsea 1>2nd, 69pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Speroni. Palace upset Chelsea at Selhurst Park. That was a miraculous performance from the Palace players who simply wanted to win more than Chelsea did. They battled hard throughout and kept Chelsea at bay for most of the game. The goal came by rather fortunate circumstances as Terry headed into his own net but I can't say they didn't to deserve a goal. Speroni had one of those games where nothing was going to get past him. He made a number of really important and top saves to keep out Chelsea. Very impressive and it will give them a huge boost in their bid for survival. I think they'll be okay after that and Pulis is doing a marvellous job there. With those three points, Palace move up one place into 16th. 
Chelsea were poor and failed to get going. It was a very similar performance to the one when they lost 1-0 away to Villa. Hazard and Torres were not on form as a lack of a cutting edge up front was plain to see. Mourinho and Chelsea will be devastated after losing that game as they fall behind Liverpool in the title race. Things need to improve away from home for Chelsea who are playing themselves out of the title race. With that defeat, Chelsea fall one place down into 2nd.  

Arsenal 1 v 1 Manchester City Silva (18), Flamini (53)
First Half: Navas curls a shot just wide of the far post. Rosicky has a penalty appeal turned down. Goal! 0-1, City take the lead as Dzeko strikes a fierce shot against the near post but Silva is on hand to tap in the rebound from close range at the near side. Flamini has a goal ruled out for offside.
Half Time: 0-1.
Second Half: Dzeko puts a close range effort just wide of the near post. Cazorla has a low shot from long range parried away. Goal! 1-1, Arsenal equalise as a low Podolski cross is slotted in by Flamini whose effort finds the far bottom corner. Podolski has a low shot blocked past the near post. Fernandinho has a long range driven shot tipped over the bar. Yaya Toure has an effort blocked before Dzeko has a shot that deflects wide of the near post.
Full Time: 1-1.
Arsenal 4th, 63>64pts
Man City 3rd, 66>67pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Flamini. Arsenal hold City at the Emirates. It was a slow start to the game from Arsenal who didn't really get going until the second half where they then looked like the better team. Flamini took his goal really well as the momentum shifted in the favour of Arsenal but they couldn't find a second and seemed to settle for a point. A win would have put Arsenal back in the title race but a point just might not cut it as they fall further behind Liverpool. 
City started the game strongly and deservedly took the lead through David Silva. However, they couldn't make their dominance pay as they only went into half time one goal up. They were left to rue that as they spent most of the second half on the back foot. They struggled to create much going forward and ended up trying to contain Arsenal. They conceded shortly into the second half and spent most of the rest of the half holding on for a point. In the end it was a point gained for City but I felt it could have been two more had they really gone for it.  

West Bromich Albion 3 v 3 Cardiff City Amalfitano (2), Dorrans (9), Mutch (30), Caulker (73), Thievy (90+4), Daehli (90+5)
First Half: Goal! 1-0, West Brom take the lead as Amalfitano scores with a long range shot/cross into the far top corner. Morrison has a volley denied by a great save across goal. Goal! 2-0, West Brom double their lead as Vydra lays the ball off to Dorrans who scores with a low shot from close range into the far bottom corner. Goal! 2-1, Cardiff halve the deficit as Mutch scores with a long range shot/cross into the far top corner.
Half Time: 2-1.
Second Half: Vydra has a low shot blocked before Morrison blazes a shot over the bar. Goal! 2-2, Cardiff equalise as Caulker heads into the far top corner from Medel's free kick. Daehli has a low shot across goal saved. Goal! 3-2, West Brom score a dramatic late goal as a low cross falls to Thievy who scores with a low shot under the keeper at the near side. Goal! 3-3, Amazingly Cardiff equalise in the dying moments as Turner lays the ball off to Daehli who swivels and fires a shot into the near top corner.
Full Time: 3-3.
West Brom 16>17th, 28>29pts
Cardiff 19>18th, 25>26pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Caulker. Six goal thriller at the Hawthorns. West Brom got off to a lightning quick start as they were two goals up in the first ten minutes. However, some sloppy defending in the second half saw them fall back to 2-2. They must have thought that they had won the match in the 94th minute as Thievy put them ahead at 3-2 and I certainly presumed they had. Incredibly, they failed to see the game out as Cardiff equalised in the 95th minute. Unbelievable scenes but it really was a case of two vitally important points lost. With that point, the Baggies still fall one place down into 17th.
Cardiff had a disastrous start to the game and will bemoan their defending early on in the game. However, they fought back valiantly and managed to get themselves back on level terms. Cardiff must have thought they had cruelly lost the game when they conceded a late injury time goal but they threw everyone forward and took that one last chance as Daehli skilfully scored into the top corner. Amazing game and finale. Cardiff desperately needed something from that game and they will savour a point from how things developed. They are still in trouble but that point moves them up one place into 18th.

Swansea City 3 v 0 Norwich City De Guzman (30,38), Routledge (75)
First Half: Michu fires a shot from the edge of the box wide of the near post. Routledge has a close range effort parried away. Goal! 1-0, Swansea take the lead as De Guzman scores with a low shot from the edge of the box into the far bottom corner. Goal! 2-0, De Guzman plays a nice one-two with Bony before scoring with a deft chip over the keeper into the far bottom corner. Martin has a volley saved at the near side.
Half Time: 2-0.
Second Half: Snodgrass has a low volley cleared off the line. Goal! 3-0, Shelvey plays in Routledge who scores with a low shot into the far bottom corner.
Full Time: 3-0.
Swansea 15>13th, 30>33pts
Norwich 14>15th, 32pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was De Guzman. Swansea ease past Norwich. That was a pretty solid and confident display from Swansea who comfortably defeated Norwich by three. They scored some really good goals whilst De Guzman in particular put in a brilliant performance. Exactly what Swansea needed after a sluggish few weeks and three points that moves them safely towards the middle of the table. With that win, the Swans move up two places into 13th.
Norwich were largely outplayed and looked second best all afternoon. They came closest through Snodgrass who had an effort cleared off the line but apart from that there really weren't too many positive things to write home about. Everyone knows how tough a run in Norwich have and they will be desperate to pick up some points from their next couple of games. With that defeat, Norwich drop down one place into 15th. 

Manchester United 4 v 1 Aston Villa Westwood (13), Rooney (20,45pen), Mata (57), Hernandez (90+1)
First Half: Goal! 0-1, Villa take the lead as Westwood scores with a free kick into the near top corner. Clark heads over the bar. Goal! 1-1, United equalise through Rooney who heads in a Kagawa cross into the far bottom corner. Penalty! Mata is fouled inside the box by Bacuna. Goal! 2-1, United take the lead as Rooney slots the penalty into the far side.
Half Time: 2-1.
Second Half: Benteke spurns a decent chance and fires wide of the near post. Benteke heads just over the bar. Goal! 3-1, Mata scores with a low shot into the near bottom corner. Rooney has a shot stopped by a great save. Benteke spurns another chance on the slide. Goal! 4-1, Hernandez volleys in from a Januzaj cross at the far post.
Full Time: 4-1.
Man United 7th, 51>54pts
Villa 12th, 34pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Rooney. United put four past Villa. I feared the worst when Villa went ahead but in the end United had too much for Villa going forward. There are definitely still some uncertainties at the back but Mata, Kagawa an Rooney were are playing well in attack. The game changed when United went ahead on the stroke of half time and once Mata scored his first goal for United everything seemed rosy. Four goals and three points later, Moyes will feel lots of relief as well as plenty of United fans. 
Villa took the lead thanks to a brilliant free kick from Westwood but failed to capitalise as they defended poorly from then onwards. Bacuna slid in on Mata and gave away a silly penalty which put them behind going into half time. Benteke really should have scored today and missed some really good chances for Villa. On another day, the result could have turned out differently but today Villa were soundly beaten. 

Southampton 4 v 0 Newcastle United Rodriguez (45+1,89), Lambert (49), Lallana (70)
First Half: Rodriguez puts an effort into the side-netting. Rodriguez has a header parried away. Ward-Prowse puts an effort into the side-netting. Lambert has an effort saved. Rodriguez has a close range effort parried away. Goal! 1-0, Saints take the lead just before half time as Lambert squares the ball across to Rodriguez who converts at the near side.
Half Time: 1-0.
Second Half: Goal! 2-0, Lambert fires into the near top corner from close range from Lallana's cross. Goal! 3-0, Lallana scores with a long range thunderbolt into the top near corner. Cisse puts a low shot into the side-netting. Goal! 4-0, Rodriguez cuts inside and scores with a low shot into the far bottom corner under the keeper.
Full Time: 4-0.
Saints 9>8th, 45>48pts
Newcastle 8>9th, 46pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Lallana. Saints cruise past Newcastle. It was a very strong, deserved and dominant performance from the Saints who comfortably put four past a sorry Newcastle. The England trio up front scored the goals once again for Southampton as they vie for a spot on the plane to Brazil. Rodriguez scored twice but could have had another whilst Lallana scored an absolute corker from long range that rifled past Krul. Things are looking very bright down on the south coast and with that win, Southampton move up one place into 8th.
Newcastle were outplayed and looked simply woeful. Their fans must be thankful they are safe from relegation because that was yet another worrying display from them. They were pretty much steam rollered aside and couldn't get into the game at all. It's almost as if they are booking their summer holidays already because they certainly aren't up to scratch out on a football pitch these days. With that defeat, Newcastle move down one place into 9th. 

Stoke City 1 v 0 Hull City Odemwingie (62)
First Half: Huddlestone has a long range driven shot parried past the far post. Rosenior heads over the bar.
Half Time: 0-0.
Second Half: Crouch has an effort that deflects wide of the post. Odemwingie has a low shot from the edge of the box saved at the near side. Meyler has long range shot that takes a deflection and is parried before Jelavic hits the rebound wide of the near post. Goal! 1-0, Stoke take the lead as Odemwingie scores with a low shot into the near side. Ireland has a shot from the edge of the box palmed over the bar.
Full Time: 1-0.
Stoke 10th, 37>40pts
Hull 13>14th, 33pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Begovic. Odemwingie strike sinks Hull. Stoke should heap huge amounts of praise upon their keeper today as Begovic pulled off some top saves to keep Hull at bay. They created more chances in the second half and eventually took the lead just after the hour mark through Odemwingie who took his goal well. Not the most entertaining of games but Stoke will be pleased they got the job done and took all three points. 
Hull had the better of the first half but just came across a keeper who was in great form. I'm amazed they didn't score through the chances they had but like I said earlier, Begovic made some top saves. Hull will be desperately disappointed to have come away with nothing but that's just the way it went today. With that loss, Hull fall one place to 14th. 

Best Goal: Flamini, Amalfitano, Mutch, Daehli, De Guzman, Westwood, Lallana, Odemwingie. Winner: Lallana.

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World T20 World Cup: England v South Africa (Chittagong)

England knocked out of the T2O World Cup

South Africa 196-5 (20 overs) beat England 193-7 (20 overs) by 3 runs.

England were knocked out of the T20 World Cup after suffering defeat to South Africa by 3 runs. To progress into the semi-finals, England were battling South Africa for that final place to go through alongside Sri Lanka. However, despite scoring 193-7, England fell 3 runs short of South Africa's 196-5. The Proteas got off to a strong start and race away to 85-0 from their first ten overs as Amla struck 50 from 30 balls. England struck back with three wickets to reduce South Africa to 120-3 but De Villiers smashed 50 off 23 balls before Miller struck 19 from 15 at the end of the innings to push their total up to 196-5. 
It was a tall order for England to chase down such a high score once again but they couldn't pull it off this time as they came three runs short. Hales was caught in the field for 38 in the eighth over and failed to reproduce the blistering form from the Sri Lanka game. Moeen followed Hales back to the pavilion after being caught from the very next ball to leave England struggling at 73-3. Morgan and Buttler both failed to impose themselves and were both dismissed fairly cheaply as England's hopes started to diminish. Despite Jordan and Bopara's efforts the game had gone for England who needed 22 runs from 5 balls. Bresnan smashed a couple of sixes from the last couple of balls but in the end it wasn't enough as England were knocked out of the tournament. 

My Opinion:
England can bow out of the tournament with their head held high.The odds always seemed to be against them throughout and they played reasonably well in each of their matches so far. They needed to beat South Africa today in order to progress but it was a very tough ask after the Proteas made 193-7. Amla got off to a flying start whilst De Villiers played magnificently for his 50. Unfortunately for England, none of their batsman really stood up and took control of the situation. Hales, Buttler and Bopara all made it to 30 but were unable to really push on and do some damage. A great shame, especially as they only fell three runs short in the end but I thought it was a respectful way to bow out of the competition after such a farcical result against New Zealand. I still don't understand how England were theoretically defeated by the Duckworth/Lewis method in such an important T20 international but that's apparently the way things are done whether it seems right or wrong. To beat Sri Lanka was a remarkable result and a great chance for Hales to show what he's capable of but in the end the fielding and bowling displays were not good enough. Disappointed England are out and by the way they have been put out but proud of the guys for giving all they had out there. 



Match Guide: Key Moments

England win the toss and elect to field.

South Africa Innings
(5) 42-0, Amla 31*, De Kock 9*.
(6) 52-0, 50 partnership off 36 balls between Amla 38* and De Kock 11*.
(9) 74-0, 50 for Amla off 30 balls.
(10) 85-0, Amla 53*, De Kock 23*.
(10.5) 91-1, Amla 56 (37), 6 fours and 2 sixes, caught Hales, Broad.
(12.2) 98-2, De Kock 29 (33), 2 fours, stumped Buttler, Tredwell.
(13) 108-2, De Villiers 13*, Duminy 1*.
(14.3) 120-3, Duminy 5 (5), run out by Bopara.
(15) 121-3, De Villiers 20*, Miller 1*.
(17.3) 151-3, De Villiers 20*, Miller 12*.
(18) 167-3, 50 for De Villiers off 23 balls.
(18.1) 174-3, 50 partnership off 22 balls between De Villiers 50* and Miller 19*.
(18.4) 174-4, Miller 19 (15), 2 fours and 1 six, caught Moeen, Jordan.
(20) 196-5, A. Morkel 3 (3), bowled by Bresnan. De Villiers 69*(28), 9 fours and 3 sixes.

Batsman of the Innings: De Villiers 69*(28)
Bowler of the Innings: Tredwell 1-25

England Innings
(4.4) 46-1, Lumb 18 (14), 1 four and 2 sixes, caught Miller, Parnell.
(5) 47-1, Hales 23*, Moeen 1*.
(6) 62-1, Hales 37*, Moeen 2*.
(7.2) 73-2, Hales 38 (22), 6 fours and 1 six, caught Miller, Parnell.
(7.3) 73-3, Moeen 10 (10), 1 four, caught De Kock, Parnell.
(10) 92-3, Morgan 9*, Buttler 8*.
(12) 105-3, Morgan 14*, Buttler 16*.
(12.1) 105-4, Morgan 14 (14), 1 four, caught De Kock, Tahir.
(14.4) 131-5, Buttler 34 (24), 2 fours and 1 six, caught Morkel, Tahir.
(15) 133-5, Bopara 7*, Jordan 1*.
(17) 152-5, Bopara 15*, Jordan 10*.
(18.3) 167-6, Jordan 16 (14), 2 fours, caught De Villiers, Hendricks.
(19.1) 175-7, Bopara 31 (18), 3 fours and 1 six, caught Miller, Steyn.
(20) 193-7, Bresnan 17*(4), 1 four and 2 sixes, Broad 1*(1).
South Africa win by 3 runs.

Batsman of the Innings: Hales 38 (22)
Bowler of the Innings: Parnell 3-31

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World T20 World Cup: England v Sri Lanka (Chittagong)

Hales century gives England hope

England 190-4 (19.2 overs) beat Sri Lanka 189-4 (20 overs) by six wickets

England's hopes of progressing from the group stage of the World T20 into the semi-finals took a huge boost as Hales guided them to a thrilling victory over Sri Lanka. Alex Hales scored an unbeaten 116 off 64 as England produced a spectacular run chase, seeing them defeat Sri Lanka by 6 wickets in the final over of their innings. Jayawardene earlier hit 89 off 51 to take Sri Lanka's total up to 189-4 as England really struggled in the field, dropping a series of catches. With a tough task ahead of them, England got off to a nightmare start as they were reduced to 0-2 by the end of the first over as both Lumb and Moeen were sent back to the pavilion for ducks. However, an incredible 150 run partnership off 90 balls from Hales and Morgan revived England's innings and hopes of winning the game. Morgan was caught in the field for 57 in the 17th as England still needed 38 runs off 22 balls to win. Bopara managed a couple of fours whilst Hales passed his century to see England home with four balls to spare and fittingly hitting a six to win the match. A huge win for England gives them a great chance to go through into the semi-finals but they will need to beat South Africa in their next match to do so. 

My Opinion:
That was a tale of two halves or in this case, two innings. England looked utterly hopeless in the field as they dropped catch after catch. Jayawardene made them really pay after scoring 89 off 51 despite being dropped early on in his innings. Dilshan provided some stability after scoring 55 from 47 but England really made them look good and had a massive task ahead of them to win the game as they reached 189-4 after 20 overs.
Things went quickly from bad to worse as after England's first over, they were reduced to 0-2. It seemed like this was going to get ugly really quick and it was tough to watch. Amazingly, Hales and Morgan put on a 150 run partnership between them which was clearly a turning point in the match and the momentum of the game. I didn't see this one coming but Hales announced himself on the international T20 scene with that innings. Morgan got caught in the field and that was a potential slip up moment as England could quite easily have collapsed. Thankfully, Bopara came in and hit two fours off one Malinga over which felt like gold dust. Hales was in the zone and in the end comfortably smashed England home with four balls to spare. Incredible innings from Hales who deservedly will take a lot of credit for that performance. That win really gives England some renewed hope of progressing out of the group stage but there is still work to do as South Africa will pose a strong challenge next. I have renewed belief and confidence in the England team but the fielding desperately needs to improve along with the batting of Lumb and Moeen. South Africa will be tough to beat but I now believe England can do it after that magical win today. 



Match Guide: Key Moments

England win the toss and elect to field.

Sri Lanka Innings
(1.2) 4-1, K. Perera 3 (6), caught Buttler, Dernbach.
(5) 35-1, Dilshan 7*, Jayawardene 25*.
(8) 58-1, 50 partnership between Dilshan 22* and Jayawardene 32* off 40 balls.
(10) 70-1, Dilshan 32*, Jayawardene 34*.
(13) 103-1, 50 for Jayawardene off 32 balls and Dilshan 38*.
(14) 117-1, 100 partnership between Dilshan 40* and Jayawardene 73*.
(15) 130-1, Dilshan 42*, Jayawardene 82*.
(16) 143-1, 50 for Dilshan.
(16.4) 149-2, Jayawardene 89 (51), 11 fours and 3 sixes, bowled by Jordan.
(17) 152-2, Dilshan 51*, T. Perera 2*.
(17.2) 156-3, Dilshan 55 (47), 4 fours and 2 sixes, caught Jordan, Dernbach.
(18.1) 169-4, Sangakkara 0 (1), caught Hales, Jordan.
(20) 189-4, T. Perera 23*(12), 2 fours and 1 six, Mathews 11*(5), 1 six.

Batsman of the Innings: Jayawardene 89 (51)
Bowler of the Innings: Jordan 2-28

England Innings
(0.5) 0-1, Lumb 0 (5), bowled by Kulasekara.
(1) 0-2, Moeen 0 (1), caught Senanayake, Kulasekara.
(5) 31-2, Hales 21*, Morgan 9*.
(8) 52-2, 50 partnership between Hales 34* and Morgan 17* off 42 balls.
(10) 72-2, Hales 40*, Morgan 30*.
(13) 108-2, 100 partnership off 72 balls and 50 for Hales off 38 balls, Morgan 48*.
(14) 117-2, 50 for Morgan off 32 balls.
(15) 142-2, Hales 86*, Morgan 55*.
(16) 151-1, 150 partnership off 90 balls between Hales 92* and Morgan 57*.
(16.2) 152-3, Morgan 57 (38), 7 fours and 2 sixes, caught Mathews, Kulasekara.
(17) 156-4, Buttler 2 (3), caught Chandimal, Kulasekara.
(18.2) 175-4, 100 for Hales off 60 balls.
(19.2) 190-4, Hales 116*(64), 11 fours and 6 sixes, Bopara 11*(6), 2 fours.
England win by six wickets.

Batsman of the Innings: Hales 116*(64)
Bowler of the Innings: Kulasekara 4-32

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Midweek Football Game Week 31

Manchester United 0 v 3 Manchester City Dzeko (1,56), Yaya Toure (90)
First Half: Goal! 0-1, City take the lead in the opening minute as Nasri strikes against the near post with a low shot before Dzeko taps in the rebound from close range at the near side. Fellaini has a volley saved at the near side. Mata fires a shot over the bar.
Half Time: 0-1.
Second Half: Goal! 0-2, City double their lead as Dzeko volleys in from a corner at the near post. Goal! 0-3, Yaya Toure rounds off the night with a low shot into the far bottom corner.
Full Time: 0-3.
Man United 7th, 51pts
Man City 3rd, 63>66pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Dzeko. City too strong for United. It was a very poor performance from United who completely outclassed and outplayed. They really struggled to impose themselves in the game and never looked likely to score. It was another tough and embarrassing game to watch as United are clearly finding it difficult to play against the bigger and better teams this year. Bring on that transfer window!!
City started the game superbly and made the game extremely comfortable for themselves when they took the lead within the opening minute. It was pretty much a stroll in the park for City who were dominant, powerful and deserved to win. Another hammer blow to their local rivals and their title pursuit continues along strongly.

Arsenal 2 v 2 Swansea City Bony (11), Podolski (73), Giroud (74), Flamini OG (90)
First Half: Goal! 0-1, Swansea take the lead as Bony scores with a powerful header at the near side.
Half Time: 0-1.
Second Half: Goal! 1-1, Arsenal equalise as Podolski scores with a volley at the near side following a Gibbs cross. Goal! 2-1, Arsenal turn the game around and take the lead as Giroud latches onto a low cross from Podolski to score from close range, slotting past the keeper at the near side. Goal! 2-2, Swansea get a dramatic late equaliser as Britton has a low shot saved before the ball rebounds off Flamini and into his own net.
Full Time: 2-2.
Arsenal 4th, 62>63pts
Swansea 15th, 29>30pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Podolski. Flamini own goal scuppers Arsenal. Overall, it was a poor display from Arsenal who struggled to get going until the final third of the game. They went behind early on and it seemed to unsettle their game. However, a brilliant two minute spell saw them turn the game around in their favour and all seemed well again. Unfortunately, Flamini couldn't get out of the way of the keeper's save in the 90th minute and the groans came back at the Emirates. A disappointing result for the Gunners which puts yet another dent into the title bid this year.
Swansea definitely deserved to take away a point from the game although in the end it came from rather fortunate circumstances. They were the better team in the first half but were sloppy in the second which saw them go behind. The Swans will be pleased they did actually take a point but it could have been more.

Newcastle 0 v 3 Everton Barkley (22), Lukaku (52), Osman (87)
First Half: Goal! 0-1, Everton take the lead through a spectacular goal from Barkley who runs from the halfway line to the edge of the Newcastle box before cutting across goal and past the defence and firing a shot into the near top corner.
Half Time: 0-1.
Second Half: Goal! 0-2, Everton double their lead as a low Deulofeu cross finds Lukaku who scores with a sliding effort into the near top corner. Goal! 0-3, Everton round off a great night with another goal as Lukaku plays in Osman who rifles home a shot into the near top corner.
Full Time: 0-3.
Newcastle 8th, 46pts
Everton 6>5th, 54>57pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Barkley. Rampant Everton destroy Newcastle. It was a night to forget for the Toon army who had to witness yet another very poor performance from their team. Without Remy they are so so bad and they just can't find anything from anyone in their team. There is clearly no confidence or belief in any of their players and they are suffering terribly because of it. Luckily for Newcastle they are safe from relegation otherwise I would be very worried for them.
Everton were terrific and put in a very strong performance. It was a deserved resounding win whilst there were some huge displays from Barkley and co. Barkley's goal was simply incredible and is surely a contender for goal of the year. Amazing stuff and with that win, Everton move up one place into 5th.

Liverpool 2 v 1 Sunderland Gerrard (39), Sturridge (48), Ki (76)
First Half: Goal! 1-0, Liverpool take the lead as Gerrard scores with a free kick into the far top corner.
Half Time: 1-0.
Second Half: Goal! 2-0, Liverpool double their lead as Sturridge cuts inside before firing a shot into the far top corner. Cattermole slices a shot that hits the crossbar. Sturridge strikes a shot from the edge of the box against the crossbar. Goal! 2-1, Sunderland half the deficit as Ki heads home at the far post from close range following a corner.
Full Time: 2-1.
Liverpool 2nd, 65>68pts
Sunderland 18th, 25pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Gerrard. Nervous Liverpool get job done. In the end Liverpool took those three points but it was not as easy as it may have seemed. Although they went 2-0 up, it was almost a case of hanging on to the lead, especially when Ki scored to make it 2-1. The crowd atmosphere got increasingly more tense and nervous which was echoed by the Liverpool players on the field. However, they held on and push ahead for that title.
Sunderland grew into the game as it went on but they were a completely different side when Poyet brought on both Ki and Johnson in the second half. Not sure why they didn't start but when they did come on Sunderland looked so much more threatening going forward. They got one goal back and looked like they might nick an equaliser but it was not to be. Poyet must be ruing his decision not to start them both as the match could have played out completely differently. That defeat means Sunderland are still in desperate times as they currently occupy that final relegation spot.

West Ham United 2 v 1 Hull City Noble (26pen), Jelavic (48), Chester OG (54)
First Half: Penalty! Diame is fouled inside the box by McGregor. OFF! McGregor is shown a straight red card for his foul. Goal! 1-0, West Ham take the lead as Noble slots the penalty home into the far side.
Half Time: 1-0.
Second Half: Goal! 1-1, Hull equalise as a Huddlestone driven free kick deflects off Jelavic and into the near side. Goal! 2-1, West Ham restore their lead as Chester slices into his own far top corner trying to clear a cross.
Full Time: 2-1.
West Ham 14>11th, 31>34pts
Hull 12>13th, 33pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Noble. West Ham win ugly. It looks like West Ham are going to be safe from relegation with that win and that was the most important thing. The fans may boo the way they played but it is a results business and they need results in the position they find themselves. It may not have been pretty football but Allardyce has time to work on that if they stay up. With the extra man, West Ham looked reasonably comfortable playing out the match but they got a rather fortunate winning goal when Chester sliced into his own net. With that win, West Ham move up three places into 11th.
Hull were not at their best and were in fact extremely average. Losing their keeper in the first half for a straight red card limited their offensive play and it ultimately cost them tonight. They equalised early in the second half but Chester scoring an own goal didn't help them in the slightest in the tough position they were in already. One to forget for Hull as they fall down one place into 13th with that defeat.

Best Goal: Yaya Toure, Barkley, Gerrard, Osman, Sturridge. Winner: Barkley

League Leaders
1. Chelsea 69pts
2. Liverpool 68pts
3. Man City 66pts
4. Arsenal 63pts
5. Everton 57pts

Relegation Battle
16. West Brom 28pts
17. Crystal Palace 28pts
18. Sunderland 25pts
19. Cardiff 25pts
20. Fulham 24pts

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Super Sunday Game Week 31

Tottenham Hotspur 3 v 2 Southampton Rodriguez (19), Lallana (26), Eriksen (31,46), Sigurdsson (90)
First Half: Lallana fires a shot from the edge of the box across goal over the top of the far corner. Goal! 0-1, Saints take the lead as a nicely worked out free kick takes Rodriguez through on goal before scoring with a low shot into the far bottom corner. Goal! 0-2, Lambert plays in Lallana who scores with a low shot into the far bottom corner. Goal! 1-2, Spurs get one back as Eriksen latches onto a cross before scoring with a low shot from close range at the near side. Lallana has a shot saved at the near side. Eriksen has a close range effort saved.
Half Time: 1-2.
Second Half: Goal! 2-2, Spurs equalise as Soldado fires in a low cross which is converted by Eriksen at the far post with a close range tap in. Eriksen fires a shot into the side-netting. Goal! 3-2, Spurs take the lead in the 90th minute as Sigurdsson scores with a low driven shot from long range into the near bottom corner.
Full Time: 3-2.
Spurs 5th, 53>56pts
Saints 8>9th, 45pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Eriksen. Sigurdsson seals Spurs comeback. It was a slow start to the game from Spurs who were 2-0 down within the opening half an hour. However, they dug deep and managed to pull off a spectacular comeback thanks the brilliance of Eriksen and Sigurdsson. That was an important result for Spurs as their manager Tim Sherwood has come under fire in recent weeks. I'm sure the win will keep the Spurs faithful happy but they need to improve defensively. 
Southampton made a great start to the game and deservedly went two goals up. They may argue that their players were fouled in the build up to some of the Spurs goals but c'est la vie. The England trio of Rodriguez, Lallana and Lambert were at full throttle but the manager will be disappointed they conceded so early after half time. They were put under more pressure in the second half and it eventually told as Sigurdsson scored a dramatic late winner. Disappointment for the Saints who could have and probably should have taken something back to St Mary's. That defeat means the Saints drop one place down to 9th. 

Aston Villa 1 v 4 Stoke City Benteke (5), Odemwingie (22), Crouch (26), N'Zonzi (42), Cameron (90)
First Half: Goal! 1-0, Villa take the lead as Benteke smashes in at the near side. Odemwingie has a shot from the edge of the box that deflects just wide of the near post. Goal! 1-1, Stoke level as Odemwingie holds off Bertrand before scoring with a low shot under the keeper. Goal! 1-2, Stoke take the lead as Crouch latches onto a low Pieters cross before slotting a shot into the far bottom corner. Goal! 1-3, Stoke double their lead as N'Zonzi scores with a low shot from the edge of the box into the far bottom corner.
Half Time: 1-3
Second Half: Benteke has a penalty appeal turned down. Odemwingie has a long range blast parried away. Goal! 1-4, Arnautovic finds Cameron with a cross before the American slots a shot home into the far bottom corner.
Full Time: 1-4.
Villa 10>11th, 34pts
Stoke 11>10th, 34>37pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Arnautovic. Rampant Stoke thrash Villa. Aston Villa made a strong start to the game and took an early lead through Benteke. However, for much of the game they were second best. They were completely outplayed by Stoke and were a completely different side to the one that defeated Chelsea. Too many times they gave the Stoke players time and space on the ball and they got severely punished. Lambert will not be satisfied with that performance today and has his work cut out to motivate the Villa players for every game, not just the big ones. With that loss, Villa drop one place into 11th.
Stoke were highly impressive and good value for their four goals. They put in a very strong performance and rightly deserved to take all three points. Hughes has managed to get his Stoke team playing some decent football and it paid off today as they netted four times. Arnautovic was the star man and played a key role down the left flank for Stoke. Encouraging times ahead for Stoke who move up one spot into 10th with that victory. 

Best Goal: Rodriguez, Sigurdsson. Winner: Sigurdsson

League Leaders
1. Chelsea 69pts
2. Liverpool 65pts
3. Man City 63pts
4. Arsenal 62pts
5. Tottenham 56pts

Relegation Battle
16. West Brom 28pts
17. Crystal Palace 28pts
18. Sunderland 25pts
19. Cardiff 25pts
20. Fulham 24pts

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