Saturday 1 Chelsea stride on, with a controversial 1-0 win at Liverpool who are denied a clear penalty in the first half before Joe Cole gets the late, deflected, winner. “Sometimes you have the luck of champions,” says José, cupping an ear for the squawks of outrage from Old Trafford and Highbury. Arsenal stay in pursuit after a 3-1 win at Charlton. “No one is playing as well as us,” says Sir Alex following Man Utd’s eighth win in nine, 2-0 at Middlesbrough, though Spurs might contest that after their 5-2 thrashing of Everton. Bolton stop the rot, just, a late equaliser forcing a 1-1 home draw with West Brom. Palace’s 3-1 defeat to Fulham returns them to the bottom three, below Norwich who play 85 minutes with ten men after Marc Edworthy’s dismissal at Portsmouth but still get a 1-1 draw. Wigan regain the lead in the Championship, winning 2-0 at Sheffield Utd, while Ipswich lose by the same score at home to West Ham. In League One Hull’s 2-1 victory over Huddersfield brings them level with leaders Luton, held at home by Sheffield Wed. Yeovil’s 2-0 defeat of Swansea allows them to catch up League Two leaders Scunthorpe, beaten at home by Darlington. The FA will probe a half-time incident during Bristol City’s 2-0 win over Peterborough that makes it a happy new year for City defender Tony Butler, who suffers “eight displaced teeth”.
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Stories
Lower-division clubs up against the big boys have their eyes firmly on the prize these days. the prize being financial survival rather than a serious chance of glory. David Harrison reports
Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and… well, Watford actually. The last four of the Carling Cup surely comprised precisely the mix that the sponsors would have ordered up. Three of the self-styled Big Four, plus one of those lovable minnows – lauded and patronised by the media in roughly equal proportions.
Saturday 2 Man Utd march on with a 4-1 win over sliding Sunderland but Arsenal slip up, drawing 1-1 at home with Southampton, for whom Matt Le Tissier is booked while warming up for saying something rude to an assistant referee. Newcastle come from behind twice to beat Bolton 3-2, one of their goals stemming from a free-kick given for Bolton’s keeper holding on to the ball for more than six seconds. John Gregory celebrates a debut win at Derby, 1-0 against Spurs, and explains why he hopes the FA won’t impose a touchline ban for alleged misconduct a month ago: “I need to be out there to kick a backside and offer a cuddle.” Wolves close to within three points of Man City with a 2-1 win over Rotherham, whose manager Ronnie Moore is unhappy about the controversial decider: “If that ball crossed the line I’ll wear a dress next week.” Robert Prosinecki hits a hat-trick for Portsmouth but they only get a point in a 4-4 draw with Barnsley, who equalise in the last minute. Reading take a break from seven successive wins with a 1-1 draw at Bury, but still lead the Second by seven points. In the Third, Luton cut Plymouth’s lead to four points by beating them 2-0.