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Liverpool 2-2 Everton






Updated Jan 16, 2011 12:03 PM ET
Kenny Dalglish's first match at Anfield since becoming Liverpool manager ended in a 2-2 draw with Everton in the Merseyside derby.
The club's legendary former player and boss went into the game on the back of successive defeats to Manchester United and Blackpool but the result against their closest rivals at least ensured his first point.

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However, there are still many issues to address as Liverpool's defensive frailties let an early advantage slip in a frenetic six minutes after half-time and their pride was only salvaged by a penalty in the final quarter.
Raul Meireles picked the perfect time to score his first goal to give the club he joined in the summer an interval lead but Sylvain Distin and Jermaine Beckford soon turned that around after the break.
But the Reds earned a deserved draw when Dirk Kuyt stroked home his fifth derby goal from the spot.
Watched by principal owner John Henry and chairman Tom Werner, Dalglish received the expected rousing welcome which the Kop had been waiting to give him for a week since taking over from Roy Hodgson.
The occasion may have got to his players more than him as Everton enjoyed the better of the early exchanges.
However, it was not long before Fernando Torres showed he was in the kind of mood which had brought 63 goals in his previous 99 Barclays Premier League appearances.
Having volleyed over from a Meireles corner the Spaniard almost opened the scoring in the 16th minute with a typical piece of brilliance.
Anticipating the bounce of the ball better than Distin the 26-year-old cleverly turned the centre-half before twisting inside his defensive partner John Heitinga and unleashing a left-footed shot which beat Tim Howard but rebounded off the far post.
Kuyt charged into the area to reach the loose ball but his effort was deflected over.
Dalglish's decision to play Glen Johnson out of position at left-back in the last two matches had raised a few eyebrows but the England international's right-footedness was pivotal in setting up the opening goal.
Having cut inside in the 29th minute his far-post cross was headed down by Kuyt but Howard saved brilliantly low to his right and got up immediately to block the Dutchman's follow-up.

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The Everton goalkeeper may have felt his work was done but the ball dropped to Meireles on the edge of the area and he drilled a swerving shot inside the near post with Howard unsighted.
Meireles was having one of his best games since arriving in the summer and when Kuyt's inch-perfect through-ball picked him out Howard was forced to tip a shot around his near post.
Half-time brought not only a change of player - Sotirios Kyrgiakos replacing the ill Daniel Agger - but a major shift in momentum.
Just 42 seconds after the restart Martin Skrtel allowed Distin to head Mikel Arteta's corner past Jose Reina and Johnson could not keep the ball out.
Everton went ahead six minutes later while Martin Kelly was laying pole-axed on the pitch after landing awkwardly after an aerial collision with Victor Anichebe.
The ball found its way to Leon Osman and he jinked his way into the penalty area before slipping a pass inside for Beckford to slot past Reina, who was booked for his protestations about Kelly not being able to receive treatment.
But just as Everton looked to have secured a grip on the game Howard handed their rivals a way back in the 68th minute when he tripped Maxi Rodriguez as they challenged for the breakdown of Meireles' free-kick.
Referee Phil Dowd pointed to the spot and Kuyt duly dispatched.
The closing moments became increasingly frenetic as the home side pressed for the winner they desperately craved to get the second era of Dalglish up and running.
Even the legendary manager's encouragement from the sidelines could not cajole the breakthrough.
But with Henry and Werner in the city for the next few days he may have to save his most persuasive arguments for the owners as he seeks reinforcements for his squad.
Liverpool are only four points above the relegation zone and considerable improvement is still required to banish the lingering but almost unthinkable spectre of relegation.

Vermaelen faces ankle operation

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Updated Jan 16, 2011 12:42 PM ET
Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen will undergo ankle surgery and hopes to be fit by March.

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The Belgium captain tells VRT network the operation will take place in Sweden on Tuesday.
Vermaelen has been out with an Achilles' injury since September but had been expected to return in January. The player said Sunday a small tendon needs to be removed which runs close to the Achilles tendon.
Vermaelen hopes he will be fully fit by the time Belgium faces Austria in a 2012 European Championship qualifier on March 25.

Sunderland 1-1 Newcastle


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Updated Jan 16, 2011 9:40 AM ET
Asamoah Gyan scored deep into stoppage time to earn Sunderland a scarcely deserved 1-1 draw against Newcastle at the Stadium of Light.
Magpies skipper Kevin Nolan looked to have won the game with his audacious 52nd-minute strike, but with the clock having ticked into the fourth minute of injury time, Gyan almost involuntarily nudged the ball over the line after Steve Harper could only parry Phil Bardsley's shot.
Newcastle will be bemoaning the loss of two points which were firmly within their grasp for all but a few seconds of a tense encounter despite the absence of Andy Carroll, Cheik Tiote and Steven Taylor, three of the club's most impressive performers this season.

Blackpool 2-1 Liverpool | Recap Chelsea 2-0 Blackburn | Recap
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West Ham 0-3 Arsenal | Recap Birmingham 1-1 Aston Villa | Recap
Sunderland 1-1 Newcastle | Recap
Liverpool 2-2 Everton | Recap
Tottenham 0-0 Man Utd | Recap BPL Scores | Table | Fixtures

They dominated the game after Nolan's strike, his 10th of the season - the first time he has reached double figures in the Premier League - and headed off on the short trip back to Tyneside kicking themselves.
In the long run a return of four points from a possible six against their arch-rivals will be more than satisfactory, and a face-saving draw will do little to quell the disappointment for the bulk of a crowd of 47,864.
It was all too much for one home fan who was arrested on the pitch after making his way over to Harper and there were ugly scenes after the final whistle.
Having seen his players under-perform so drastically in the 5-1 drubbing at St James' Park in October, Sunderland boss Steve Bruce sent them out for the return under no illusions as to what was required of them.
Opposite number Alan Pardew was not at Newcastle the day the Magpies secured their biggest derby victory in 55 years, and his players needed no reminding of what lay ahead of them as the locals gathered intent on retribution.
By the time Howard Webb's whistle sounded to mark the end of the opening 45 minutes, it was debatable which of the two managers was more pleased.
Pardew will have been happy enough with the scoreline, which remained at 0-0 despite Harper being busier than counterpart Craig Gordon, although Bruce may have been relieved that the Magpies had been unable to convert a series of good chances which had come their way.
The visitors could have been ahead with just three minutes gone after Joey Barton carved open the home defence.
His floated ball over the top allowed Shola Ameobi to beat the Black Cats' offside trap and bear down on Gordon, but although his shot beat the Scotland international, it ran agonisingly wide of the post.
Sunderland responded and Darren Bent might have opened the scoring three minutes later after being played in by Steed Malbranque.
However, after cutting inside central defender Fabricio Coloccini, who otherwise enjoyed an impressive first half, the England striker saw his shot blocked by Harper's foot.

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Newcastle threatened once again with 12 minutes gone when, after Barton's corner had been half-cleared, Coloccini fired towards the bottom corner and Kieran Richardson hacked off the line.
Harper had to get down smartly to keep out Malbranque's 18th-minute drive and Nolan's block accounted for Jordan Henderson's well-struck effort from distance in injury time, although Ameobi had earlier headed over from another Barton corner.
Bent had a glimpse of goal four minutes after the restart when he ran on to Bardsley's long ball, but with Harper advancing to meet him, he lifted his lob over the keeper but wide of the post.
The miss proved costly within three minutes when Ameobi got up above Anton Ferdinand to meet Barton's corner and head down for Nolan to back-heel audaciously past Gordon from point-blank range.
Sunderland were in some disarray as Newcastle dominated possession, although Harper was relived to see Richardson deflected Ahmed Elmohamady's driven 66th-minute cross wide.
The home side worked desperately to force their way back into the game but lacked any real guile or craft.
With Coloccini and central defensive partner Mike Williamson in imperious form against an impotent strike-force of Bent and Gyan, the minutes ticked away with little sign of an equaliser.
But four minutes into injury time Harper failed to hold Bardsley's shot and Gyan bundled the ball home from close range to spare his side's blushes.

Birmingham City 1-1 Aston Villa


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Updated Jan 16, 2011 9:33 AM ET
Aston Villa hit the woodwork on three occasions but eventually needed a deflected James Collins goal to earn a 1-1 draw at Birmingham.
Blues defender Roger Johnson put Alex McLeish's side in front early in the second period in the Second City derby at St Andrew's but Collins equalised 17 minutes from time to ensure the spoils were shared.
Villa dominated the opening phase and final part of the game and hit the woodwork on three occasions but Birmingham also squandered several clear-cut opportunities in a pulsating encounter.

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West Ham 0-3 Arsenal | Recap Birmingham 1-1 Aston Villa | Recap
Sunderland 1-1 Newcastle | Recap
Liverpool 2-2 Everton | Recap
Tottenham 0-0 Man Utd | Recap BPL Scores | Table | Fixtures

Blues had defeated Villa in the Carling Cup quarter-final last month but Collins' point-saver means they have not beaten their rivals in a league game for nearly six years.
Villa made a positive start, with Stewart Downing playing just behind John Carew in a 4-1-4-1 formation, and could have taken the lead inside the first minute.
Downing put Blues keeper Ben Foster under pressure and his clearance went straight to Gabriel Agbonlahor, who cut into the box unopposed but disappointingly fired over the bar from 10 yards.
Downing was then only just wide with a powerful 20-yard drive but City retaliated and Villa defender Richard Dunne was yellow-carded after chopping down David Bentley in full flight.
Former Villa midfielder Craig Gardner was only just off target with a 20-yard effort shortly after but Villa looked the more threatening and Carew hit the top of the bar after he flicked on a header from Agbonlahor following a cross by Kyle Walker.
Blues threatened seriously for the first time when Gardner robbed Walker and sent a low ball across the six-yard box but Matt Derbyshire failed to make any contact with the goal at his mercy.
The Birmingham goal too was living a charmed life and Ciaran Clark's cross from the left flank rattled against the crossbar with Foster stranded.
Soon after Barry Ferguson teed up Fahey 20 yards out after good play by Alexander Hleb but his shot did not extend Brad Friedel.
The home side appealed in vain for a penalty after Marc Albrighton wrestled with Gardner but referee Mark Clattenburg waved play on despite strong protests from the Blues players.
However, it was now one-way traffic towards the Villa goal and Collins cleared off the line from Hleb six minutes before half-time after Stephen Carr had turned the ball across goal.
Villa were the first to threaten at the start of the second half and Carew had a shot deflected wide by Liam Ridgewell from Agbonlahor's low cross.
But in the 49th minute Johnson put Blues ahead after Collins had brought down Hleb 30 yards out.
Gardner failed to make full contact on his low drive after being teed up from the free-kick but David Murphy flicked the ball on and Johnson applied the finishing touch from close range.
It was a fortunate goal and Johnson was left counting his blessings again at the other end when he deflected a cross-shot from Clark inches wide of the post.
Blues then almost caught out the visitors on the counter-attack after a mistake by Dunne, Ferguson playing in Derbyshire whose low drive was beaten away by Friedel.
Then a misdirected header from Dunne dropped invitingly for Gardner but he opted to volley first time and was off target. Carr was then booked for bringing down Clark and Foster clung onto a low attempt from Downing.
After 73 minutes Collins brought Villa back on level terms.
Albrighton's centre found its way to the Welsh international and his shot took a deflection of Ridgewell on its way past Foster.
Foster made a fine save to deny Downing after Nathan Delfouneso rolled the ball into his path and Ridgewell came to City's rescue not long after when he cleared Dunne's header off the line from an Albrighton centre.
Villa were now in control and Foster tipped a dipping drive from Delfouneso onto the bar.
Blues had the last chance in injury time when substitute Nikola Zigic outjumped Friedel but headed inches wide.

Grant still focused on football


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Updated Jan 16, 2011 9:57 AM ET
West Ham boss Avram Grant is focusing solely on football and has reiterated his belief that the Hammers can enjoy a "bright future" under him.
Grant woke on Saturday to more reports that he was set to lose his job whatever the result against Arsenal, with Martin O'Neill ready to step in.

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Tottenham 0-0 Man Utd | Recap BPL Scores | Table | Fixtures

However, no official statement was made on Grant's position following the 3-0 defeat to the Gunners, who cruised to victory after a brace from Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott's close-range strike.
Grant has guided the Irons into the semi-finals of the Carling Cup, where they beat Birmingham last Tuesday night to move within 90 minutes of Wembley, but the Israeli appears to be on borrowed time.
Owners David Gold and David Sullivan only appointed the former Chelsea and Portsmouth boss during the summer, but relations seem to have become strained as the club struggles at the foot of the table.
Last week Grant was embroiled in a public spat with vice-chairman Karren Brady over the collapse of Steve Sidwell's proposed transfer.
Wherever the origin of the continued speculation, Grant - who threw his scarf into the stands at the final whistle on Saturday - intends to keep himself focused on issues with his control.
"I had two choices, and chose to focus on the football," Grant told BBC Sport.
"Of course rumours on the day of a game do not help, it does not matter where they came from.
"I still want to focus on the thing I can control, and this is the team.
"I prefer to talk about football rather than answer questions about other things around, especially when I am not the man you need to be asking."
Grant added: "Other teams there is a lot of quiet around them, so that has helped, but I think we have dealt with it all very well.
"If we do the right thing, there will be a bright future here, and not just in the cup."

Hughes welcomes Johnson goal


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Updated Jan 16, 2011 6:48 AM ET
Mark Hughes has backed Andrew Johnson to keep scoring after he got his first Premier League goal in almost two years in Fulham's draw at Wigan.
The hosts went ahead in the 57th minute through Hugo Rodallega, who neatly guided the ball over David Stockdale.


Substitute Johnson made it 1-1 with four minutes of normal time remaining, collecting Clint Dempsey's pass and unleashing a shot that hit Gary Caldwell on its way towards goal, leaving Ali Al Habsi unable to stop it going in.
Johnson, who has been blighted by injuries, had not scored in the top flight since March 2009, but Hughes is convinced the former England international will now start hitting the back of the net more regularly again.
"That will do him the world of good," Hughes said.
"All he has been missing in recent weeks in terms of performances is goals.
"Now he is off and running, I'm confident that he will kick on and score goals for us from now until the end of the season.
"Strikers need goals, that is what settles them down. That is all that has been missing - you see the energy that he gives the team and his willingness to work hard, chasing lost causes. That is going to be important for us."
Prior to Johnson's leveller, Fulham thought they had equalised when Dempsey finished from close range, but the effort was disallowed for handball.

Blackpool 2-1 Liverpool | Recap Chelsea 2-0 Blackburn | Recap
Man City 4-3 Wolves | Recap
Stoke City 2-0 Bolton | Recap
West Brom 3-2 Blackpool | Recap
Wigan 1-1 Fulham | Recap
West Ham 0-3 Arsenal | Recap Birmingham 1-1 Aston Villa | Recap
Sunderland 1-1 Newcastle | Recap
Liverpool 2-2 Everton | Recap
Tottenham 0-0 Man Utd | Recap BPL Scores | Table | Fixtures

Hughes admitted it was the right call and was pleased his players did not let it get them down.
"It was the correct decision in fairness, but you've seen referees give them in the past, overruling their linesman," Hughes said.
"Not on this occasion, and sometimes teams can be disappointed when those decisions seem to go against them, but not my team.
"They stuck at it and I'm delighted that we were able to get something out of it."
Wigan boss Roberto Martinez was frustrated his side could not hold out for the victory.
"The feeling when you concede that late, it leaves you with a bad taste," Martinez said.
"In the first half we couldn't be ourselves or as fluent as we want to be for different reasons - the pitch and the referee.
"We had probably the best move in the game with a header from Hugo which hit the post, and we didn't do that enough.
"But then I was proud with the reaction in the second half. We started to grow into the game, were a little bit braver to get on the ball and take risks and we achieved the hardest thing in football, which is scoring that first goal.
"After that we had a good chance to kill the game off. When we couldn't get on the ball and allowed Fulham to push forward I felt that we defended really well with good intensity, and Ali was magnificent commanding his defence.
"It had to be a deflected shot that beat us really late.
"Those details probably sum up our afternoon - we didn't get that little bit of luck that you need in games."

Spanish La Liga Roundup, Jan. 16

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Updated Jan 16, 2011 5:45 PM ET
Barcelona extended its unbeaten run to a club-record 28 games on Sunday, strolling to a 4-1 win over Malaga to open up a four-point lead in the Spanish league after second-place Real Madrid drew 1-1 at last-place Almeria.
Andres Iniesta, David Villa and Pedro Rodriguez scored in the first half and Villa added another after the break to set the record in the 111-year history of Barcelona, which had previously gone 27 games unbeaten in the 1973-74 season.
Barcelona has 52 points, a league record for halfway through a season, breaking the mark it set two seasons ago by two points.
Earlier at Juegos Mediterraneos stadium, Almeria's Jose Ulloa fired a left-footed shot past goalkeeper Iker Casillas for the 60th-minute opener.

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Esteban Granero equalized for Madrid with a rising strike off a pass from fellow second-half substitute Karim Benzema in the 77th.
"The league is very open. Under normal conditions, a four-point difference is an open league," Madrid coach Jose Mourinho said.
The problem is that Barcelona is not playing like a normal team.
The Catalan club is demolishing league opponents, outscoring them 51-6 in its 13-match winning streak.
To add to Madrid's pain, its fierce rivals' 17th win at the season's midway point has broken Madrid's record from 1960-61. Barcelona is also two wins away from equaling Madrid's league record of 15 straight wins that has stood since the same season.
Malaga's starting 11 featured five of its winter signings, including forward Baptista on debut. But Barcelona showed why it is the favorite to lift a third straight league title.
Iniesta opened the scoring in the eighth minute, half-volleying the ball in off the post from a pass by Dani Alves with goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo looking on.
Villa doubled the advantage in the 18th. Xavi Hernandez's curling shot hit the crossbar, and Villa converted after midfielder Sergio Busquets had stolen possession.
Pedro Rodriguez hit his sixth goal in four games and 10th this season, getting the rebound from Iniesta's shot in the 36th that Asenjo did well to save but could not hold.
Asenjo twice denied Lionel Messi from close range, before Sergio "Duda" Barbosa pulled one back for Malaga in the 68th with a left-footed free kick that bent over the wall and into the top corner.
Villa capped the historic win when Xavi put him through in the 74th minute to score his 14th goal of the season.
In Madrid's match, the visitors failed to find its rhythm in attack and were limited to long-range attempts from Cristiano Ronaldo.
"Nobody thought we could do it," said Ulloa. "We controlled the game and they did not create many chances."
Kaka, who started a match for Madrid for the first time since surgery on his left knee in August, linked up with Ronaldo for Madrid's best chance in the first half. The Brazil star played Ronaldo through with a lob into the center of the Almeria defense, but goalkeeper Diego Alves reacted quickly.
Benzema replaced Kaka in the 59th, and Madrid pushed for a winner to continue its run of five straight league wins, but Almeria earned a point after Ronaldo hit the crossbar with a free kick in extra time.
"There is a long way to go and we are convinced there is time to catch Barcelona," said Granero.
Also, Jeremy Mathieu and Pablo Hernandez scored late goals to give Valencia a 2-0 win over Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday to strengthen its hold on fourth place in the Spanish league.
Mathieu raced down the left flank to reach a pass from Tino Costa and shoot past goalkeeper Daniel Aranzubia from a difficult angle in the 77th. Hernandez then caught the Deportivo defense pressing forward for the equalizer to score the second goal just before the final whistle, as Valencia extended its winning streak to four games.
Valencia goalkeeper Vicente Guaita saved a low shot by forward Lassad Nouioui at the 50-minute mark in Deportivo's best scoring chance.
"We have to improve our attack from the wings, but a victory lets you see things in a more positive light and you can polish your mistakes," Valencia coach Unai Emery said.
Valencia has scored late winners in its past three wins to move three points clear of fifth-place Espanyol.
Deportivo remained 13th, five points above the relegation zone.
Atletico Madrid plays Mallorca on Monday.

Ruud confirms Real approach


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Updated Jan 16, 2011 9:16 AM ET
Hamburg striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has confirmed the speculation that Real Madrid are interested in taking him back to the Bernabeu.
The Dutchman has received an enquiry from his former club, who have lost their first-choice striker Gonzalo Higuain until the end of the season and are looking for cover, and he admits to being tempted by the offer.

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"It is crazy what is happening," he said to Liga Total television.
"I mean for such a club to come calling at this stage of my career - that is something which has got to be considered seriously.
"It has been a strange week. I had to focus all of my efforts on today's game and that was not easy.
"I think we are going to clear this up in the next few days."
However, despite Real's reported interest, Hamburg's director of sport Bastian Reinhardt said that no official approach had been made.
"We have spoken to Ruud and we know about Real's interest in signing him this winter," he said.
"But they have not made an offer and, therefore, we don't even need to discuss it.
"Of course Ruud is staying with us."
Hamburg coach Armin Veh hopes Reinhardt keeps his word after seeing the Dutchman grab the winner against Schalke on Saturday.
"Ruud is fitter now than he has ever been," he told ZDF television.
"To lose him would be a bitter blow. Therefore we will do all that we can to keep him here, even though I can understand him."