01/04/2012 Match of the Day 2

Hello everybody. Two game from your Barclays Premier League tonight,

both worth staying up late for, especially with Mark Lawrenson and

Jason Roberts for company. Our first game is one that often

delivers on the entertainment front but few predicted that these two

clubs would be in a situation that they are come April Fool's Day.

Newcastle's boss, Alan Pardew, is certainly one of the success

stories of the season. He has masterminded their transformation

into a top out for it. Today they will fancy their chances. As Paul

Liverpool, they are more shadow of their former self. King Kenny rains

and remains from that golden era but all is not well. They have lost

five out of six and last week were beaten at Anfield by Wigan. They

Carling Cup is in there can, then maybe an FA Cup as well, but they

are 30 points behind leaders. Andy Carroll as he returns to

Newcastle in a Liverpool shirt. Tiote from returns after missing

two games injured. Perch moves across to the left and Gutierrez

drops to full-back. Carroll is not the only former Newcastle player

making a return. Bellamy's starts along with Jose Enrique. Downing,

Henderson and Kuyt are dropped to the bench after two defeat in a row.

Newcastle have a daily two defeats referee. There seem to be a bit of

bumping and barging their. -- there. That hand was round him and

for diving, back at St James's park. His former team mates are trying to

calm him down. He did very well with the header and the chase and

the touch. Out comes Krul, note touch at all. He needs to take a

long look at himself. That is shameful. I wonder what a great

Newcastle centre-forwards of old and the great Liverpool centre-

forwards of old would think of that. Had he kept his feet round in the

goalkeeper, he had to score. But he woodwork and it is a corner. --

He moved to shoulder on twit! That is a good claim from Liverpool. I

one end their former centre-forward end, at their current number 9 and

here Road, Cisse, Get so that goal -- and the hero gets the goal.

Skrtel made the error of judgment in the air. 90 minutes gone,

Newcastle have the lead. -- 19. The worry for Liverpool is that they

have scored just 36 goals from 13 games this season. They have been

unlucky at times, they have hit the box as the cross came in. A good

move by Liverpool and Carroll got to the loose ball first. He has

shown enough in the air to suggest that something may come his way

later. The owner must be pleased. They do not seem to be the protests

all objections that they used to be and they should not be with the

season and Newcastle are having. -- nearly the second goal from Cisse.

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their lead in the opening moments stop scoring. Milburn, McDonald,

Shearer, they love their goalscorers appear. He was offside

early on in the move. He is offside there. But in the second passage of

play he tapped it in. Liverpool hands were raised but the goal

counts. After 59 minutes it is Liverpool two, Liverpool and mail.

out and the stands. They are staring down the barrels have a 5th

straight defeat. -- of a fifth complete. He is substituted where

he hoped to have the welcome of a prodigal son. They are waving

goodbye and he has disappeared Very few Liverpool players today

Reina was fouled and he has head- butted Perch! He will have to go.

The referee has reached for his pocket but he will want to calm

things down. He is talking to the assistant referee. Sensible

refereeing. A yellow card for Perch for the original file but for Pepe

Reina it will be read. -- foul. An awful day for Liverpool. As he came

out he was fouled minimally by a Perch. You cannot do that. A man of

the experience of Pepe Reina should know better. The reaction of Perch

was not good. It was dramatised, but at Reina put his head into the

face of an opponent. He has yet to give his goalkeeping jersey to

someone. Liverpool's season is falling apart. An afternoon that

started with a shame for yellow- card for diving has ended even more

shamefully. The pressure will be on. Another Cisse inspired win for

Newcastle means that European football is a step closer. As for

Liverpool, Kenny and some of his players did not have any happy

returns to St James's and the red How are due some up a miserable

afternoon? We started well enough, we passed and moved. We created a

few chances. We never took them. At the end of the Day, the boys have

shown a bit of frustration and disappointment, because of results.

That is probably why Reina got sent off. But there is no. Feeling sorry

for ourselves. We have to stick together and believe in what we are

doing. If you why out Newcastle and he put teams under pressure,

something is going to give. You get a goal or somebody is going to do

something silly. You have to create pressure and we did that today and

then controlled the game at the end, which I was really pleased about.

You think you should have had a penalty for the hunt ball on the

line by since then. Do you think that as well? We did not get it.

Maybe we are not burka enough with referees. -- vocal enough. You were

pressing out for the Champions League. We have the side that has

got momentum and that is the key element in the Premiership. For us

and for Chelsea it will be win the next game and see what happens

above us. The top two above this have the destiny. We have a word

with the way that Andy Carroll went down. I do not think it was a

penalty but I also do not think he was deliberately trying to get a

penalty, he was struggling to stay upright. We do not have any

disagreement with him for with Reina. We are quite happy with

A lot to talk about, but quite simply, Newcastle were would be

three points. Yes. They played extremely well. They worked

extremely hard and played quite simply. In fairness to Liverpool,

for the first 80 minutes, I would agree with what Kenny said. They

played very well and created some chances. But once Newcastle Scott,

it was game over. You have to factor in the penalty. One of the

problems for Liverpool is that they have three in midfield and no-one

in front. There is so much space for Jose Enrique to run. It was the

first of many. You can't even begin -- you cannot keep giving a player

like that the opportunity to get one over on you. In all honesty,

defensively, it was poor from Liverpool's point of view. Skrtel

has played so well this season. He Once you are playing that well, you

always feel as if the ball is going to come to you. There it is a hint

of suspicion of it being offside. This is the madness from Reina. I

don't even think there is that much contact. He is frustrated. They are

both out of order. If anyone is wondering who this is it is

Alexander. He will probably play in the semi-final against Everton.

When you get sent off for a head- butt, but it is so Lane, do you

regret not sticking their head in any way? Reina will be disappointed,

but the frustration got to him. will be getting an FA charge for

that. Seriously, the referee got it spot on. The he get this spot-on?

Let us have a look. It is a tough one. The referee is in her position,

but he cannot see it. The linesman is shielding his eyes and he is in

line with the post. When you see it from this angle, you see that Danny

moves towards the ball. That could have changed the game earlier on.

All the chat before was of the players who were heading back up to

Tyneside. We should probably give an honorary mention to Danny Cox

free. Andy Carroll said he would not celebrate if he's got an in

hindsight, that was wishful thinking. I thought it was a little

bit better today. He had a spring in his step and he was a bit more

like beat Andy Carroll they are used to sing at Newcastle.

thought he was big and aggressive. He was causing the Newcastle

defence problems. When you go the way he has been playing, I thought

he was doing well. -- when you look at the way he has been playing.

However, he was going at speed on the run for. If he had not had died,

would he have Scott? The it is hard to tell. Towards the end, you can

see he got frustrated with the way Newcastle were playing. There were

not allowing him to play his He showed his frustration, which is

fine for the tunnel, but not on the pitch. One of the things about

going to one of your former clubs, you have to try a bit harder to

show them what they are missing. I thought he did OK. Two very

different stories. One is in top form and won his the bottom. One is

a lack of form, and that is Liverpool. Their match next week

against Aston Villa will certainly be interesting. Newcastle have done

brilliantly. The only thing I worry about is if the owner thinks they

can do every year - sell some of the top players and keep going to

France or Holland or Germany and replacing them with cheaper players.

It is such a perfect balance they had at the moment. We should

mention Demba Ba. He is so unselfish. He was asked to play on

the left and it certainly work from their point of view. Deliver poor

deserve to be exactly where they are? I think they do. I think you

take the reputation away and the badge away from the spot, they are

where they should be. Newcastle deserved the victory today. There

table never lies and that is one of the few football statements that

brings through. Also, and the Carroll, Henderson and Downing, six

league goals between them. That is a damning statement. Right, our

second game was given another dimension as Harry declared that

Brendan Rogers should get manager of the year. The love stop there as

2012 has seen Tottenham stutter. Brendan Rogers is sitting pretty

and the swans will be swimming with the big boys again next season.

Swansea have been sensational and although they suffered a surprise

defeat to Everton last week, they have won their last two a way, said

they could easily rise again today. Now Harry Redknapp's team are in

the semi again and he has made four Redknapp. Apart from the football,

a court case, a heart operation and been linked to the England job.

Despite all that, he still get up at 5:30am every morning to drive to

box. So close for Van der Vaart. Good movement from Spurs. A great

away. Bavidge, who scored his first Premier League goal recently, not

so far away there. That is a decent looking ball. Adebayor scampering

in. It is Van der Vaart! Everyone was looking at Adebayor and Van der

Vaart came in at from behind and sport. 19 minutes gone and

Tottenham have scored. For all their possession, Swansea has been

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have to say that Swansea have not really extended freely yet. He had

this season for Tottenham, but the number of shots he has had and the

positions he has got into, it half here, as it tends to be when

Tottenham and Swansea are on the pitch. Spurs have had the edge,

there is no doubt about that. They have really tested the Swansea

defence. Modric could have played that just to his right where

completely out of the blue. To at Wigan, up 2 at Fulham and nearly 1

at White Hart Lane. A reminder of feeling it was on its way.

Tottenham paid the ultimate prize. Sigurdsson equalises at White Hart

Lane. Look at that for a finish. It was a good strike and for this

player, it is a story in itself. How on earth did they get �7

million for him and how on earth was he let go on loan? It is a

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there. Five games without a win. One to Spurs. After all the

football Swansea have played, they get caught out. He rose so much

higher than anybody else and made it look easy. Nudged that right

into the corner and Adebayor, on loan still from Manchester City by

the way, scores to make it too-one. penalty, but not given. Gareth Bale

covers so much ground with so much Spurs, and Adebayor has done the

going to enforce their challenge for the Champions League.

Another cracker and Spurs win in the league for the first time since

February 11th. Adebayor corrupter double but Gareth fail was the star

I thought we had complete domination after the first 10

minutes but one is never enough. thought the scoreline was a bit

harsh on our sales but overall I was so proud of the players and the

supporters today. They are a fantastic footballing team and we

knew that coming into the game. We have been watching them all season.

They are doing great this season and uproot themselves. But we

showed our true class and Ngog the three points. The way that he has

set them up to play is fantastic. Any youth coach anywhere in this

country, looking at the way he has got them playing, that is what we

should be looking at in this country, encouraging kids to play

that way and passed the ball. better that you do, the more you

what link with other possible jobs in the future. Are you flattered by

that attention? I do not really think too much on it. Whenever you

was linked with jobs or whatever, it is part of the British media

game, the gossip and speculation. My concentration is very much with

Swansea. It is a brilliant city and a wonderful club and we have had a

great journey in the last 18 months. That job between now and the end of

the season is totally focused on Swansea and retaining our status.

Have you ever had a year like this? So might seems to have happened to

you wandered off the pitch, and people talking about England and

the top four, and still getting up at 5am to go to work. Yes, it has

been an up and down year. But you have to pick yourself up and dust

yourself down when things are not going away and get on with it. That

is life. Lots of people have had a lot more downs than I have had this

year and the UPS have been fantastic.

So much to admire in that game. Spurs really needed that game.

Things have not been going well recently and I think Swansea have

gone to places and pass people off the park and one games in a style

that everyone admires. But Spurs showed they were back on track.

that the Spurs week happened to see and admire so much earlier in the

season? No, because they changed so much today to counter what Swansea

did. They put Sandro him there with Modric, and they closed Swansea

down on the ball, which I think people now realise that you have to.

They made them high rate, which is testament to Swansea, that

everybody rates them as a football going forward. But they did the

horrible little things that you have to do, and they give them

extremely well. They are 3-1 up here and it is a mass charge to win

the ball back. That summed them up as much of the brilliance of the

Have got. That is what fans want to see as well. Hunger. If you try it

every single week, Babel were few. We have to reopen the appreciation

Society for Gareth Bale. When he plays it is best there are not many

people better. He has been doing it for three or four seasons now. He

is powerful and strong, he is making these passes and scoring

that helped the team. They are missing Aaron Lennon because he

also keeps wide on the other side. He has so many assets to his game.

This is quality. Look at the ball he has played in. Not many players

can do that first time. On his day, and today was one of the days, he

is unplayable, and there are not many players like that. When Aaron

Lennon comes on, Tottenham make the pitch bigger. That means that Van

der Vaart and Adebayor get more room. Today he played a little bit

like when he destroyed Inter Milan in the Champions League last year.

He has so many things he can do. He can drive inside but here it is

about power. He wants to get the shot off because he has a strike as

well. You one looking at the player Some players, the ball sticks to

their feet when they ran and others not it ahead, and he can do both.

In that last clip, it was stuck to his foot a whole time. He also

looks like he is enjoying his football. As long as they can get

him the ball, he can showed what he can do. He is one of those players

that can run faster with the ball. Redknapp said that Brenda Rogers

could be manager of the year. would be fully justified. This is

dated by the managers. Everybody recognises what a fantastic job he

has done. Paul Lambert is not far away but the difference is just the

way that Swansea play. And Alan Pardew getting his just deserts

with that. Without a doubt. It is the way that Swansea approached the

game. So Breandan Rogers is favourite to win manager of the

Year, what odds to give him to be at Swansea next year? I think he

will be at Swansea. They are going to be in the top 10. So where will

he go? March's Goal Of The Month is There is a preview of the Masters

on Wednesday and full coverage of the final two rounds at the weekend.

And tomorrow morning, Mark Lawrenson is packing bags at the

supermarket in Southport for charity! Make sure you put

watermelons in your basket! I am not telling you the time or the

Beats of sweat are starting to form for Jason Roberts as he prepares to

Tuesday Goal Of The Month for March. I wonder which won it will be. --

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Jason, there is only one choice. is one of Mike easier decisions!

Without a doubt, Peter Crouch, fantastic goal. Talk this through

as a striker. When he lined up, you can do not shoot from there, but

when he put it in the top corner shows what he is capable of. He has

that ability and when he does that you think, shoot from there all the

time. Peter Crouch has a good touch and technique. It has always been

underrated. But the idea of scoring goal it like that and it being

maybe Cole of the season, there is often an element of luck, but every

inch of that was what he intended to do. Then his luck in that as

well, because nine times out of 10 that will sail over the bar.

says he does that all the time in training! Certain Col sticking your

head. There was another one in January that runs it close. This is

Jason Roberts taking a penalty against Bristol City. What a goal!

What did you think as he felt towards the ball there? Please go

in all I will never live is down! And I scored an are still cannot

live it down! Now a two-year stay's action. First to Aston Villa and a

Torres had a chance to end he's caught drought in the Premier

League, but Sturridge it is our first port of call. It was blocked

and then it is turned in by Sturridge! That people in the

stadium were concentrating on more than just the football. In the 19

minutes -- in the 19th minute Bob They have their second goal.

Ivanovitch prodding it into the corner. -- a Chelsea corner.

Another goal for Ivanovic. Here is Sturridge. And now Torres it to

finish it. It is confirmed victory for Chelsea now. QPR's chances have

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and Arsenal are level. A great say Joey Barton has been given some

stick in the past few weeks. This might silence the critics, or maybe

not. Roberto Martinez knows his side can create chances, but it is

all about taking them. Surely this looks as if Whitehead palmed it

away. Shaun Maloney now. A great goal! A great opportunity for Wigan

to make it two. On my watch we still have two minutes to go. Moses

with a great chance to wrap it up. Surely he will score? He has!

Victor Meyer's is poor -- victim Moses puts the result where we

had a meeting of minds. Fletcher this first half. Going for gold now.

minimal. Petrov has this to drop Bolton level, which he does. Once

again, Fletcher was in the mix, but Jarvis could not find the target.

Space again for petrol. Time to measure his cross. Eight free

The biggest mistake was they gave it to Terry Connor. Not berating

him, but that was a statement in itself. A thing of the end of the

season the owner and chief executives will have a look at it

and see they got it spectacularly wrong. QPR 1, but were not able to

climb out. Blackburn right in the middle of it. It looks tough down

there. QPR pulled out some fantastic results which gives them

a great chance. It is away from home now for them. It must be like

night and day. It is tough when you are used to losing every week and

are not getting results. Reading, we are getting results. It is a

positive place to be, but at the same time, you are fighting for the

same thing. But both Blackburn and Reading a a real challenge. -- it

is a will challenge. The FA Cup final is imminent. Also have the

rest of yesterday's Cosalt and hunting ground. It ended in a

comedy of errors and there was not much laughter. Foster is furious

with his defenders for allowing foster boy is concerned about his

team's defending in no uncertain terms. It took just 107 seconds for

Clint 10 C to set Fulham on the way to three points and condemn Norwich

to a long journey home. - Macklin woodwork for his second. And Brian

Bennett's backside proved crucial in all four divisions. Some fans

were already heading home when Manchester City conjured up a

critical praise in the space of a minute, but well done to Sunderland.

Both sides could have profited from penalty shout turned down, but

another was to come along. Very well played by Dzeko. That is a

penalty and he is playing for it. He went over free guard zone. -- he

went over Gardner. The title chasers were getting a little bit

hot under the collar. There was an Sunderland. Harmonious Sunderland

on a day interspersed with Team Sky force. This is a team on the point

of meltdown. How many times will he have to shake his head at Mario

he does. Manchester City have hope of a great escape. He is still not

happy. It comes the cavalry. -- Here comes the cavalry. They've

done it! All of Sunderland's work Are you saying that is the top

four? I'm not because I would have had Tottenham at three and Arsenal

at four. But the plot is close for Chelsea and Newcastle? Yes. I think

they are running close. We becomes the Manchester United going to be

Wood Park, we shouldn't bank on anything tomorrow? I had been

involved in San good games there. - - Ewood Park. Now some information

for you, starting with tomorrow's headlines today. Known carol-

singing at St James's and spurs enjoyed a bail-out as the good

times return to White Hart Lane. A That is your luck on the day when a