16/03/2014 Match of the Day 2

Adebayor, what a breakaway for Spurs. Rosicky event, brilliant.

Simply magnificent. Cazorla, finally Arsenal breakthrough. Van Persie! A

great effort, oh, fantastic! Wayne Rooney, what a goal. Oh, I say, what

a goal, from Daniel Sturridge. But pride is only part of the story on

Match Of The Day 2 tonight. It is also about a Barclays Premier League

title race and fight for European places. We start at Old Trafford.

Neuer-macro today is the first time in Premier League history that these

two have met in the second half of the season with Liverpool sitting

higher in the table. Just one more piece of evidence for those who

believe we are witnessing a shift in north-west football, the rise and

fall in equal measure of England's two most successful clubs, so now it

is Liverpool on a title search and United desperate for a top four

finish. Your commentator at Old Trafford, Steve Wilson.

There has been a 40 point swing for Liverpool, on this time last

season, then 29 behind United aren't now 11 ahead. Two seasons ago

Liverpool scored 47 league goals. Their next league goal of this

campaign will be their 74th, with ten games to play. But United have

won ten of the last 11 against Liverpool here. And David Moyes

makes one change to them, Nemanja Vidic replacing Chris Smalling,

Rafael has shrugged off an ankle knock and say what you like with

Januzaj, Mata and Rooney and Van Persie upfront, there should be is

no SOS. Liverpool are complemented by Sterling replacing Coutinho.

Sakho and Lucas are on their bench. Sturridge. A terrific ball into him

from Jordan Henderson. 11th in his last 11. Sturridge is well off

target with his right foot. Suarez here, running at Fellaini and

Jones, still on his feet. Mark Clattenburg being asked here by

Liverpool players whether this wasn't a foul. There was a little

touch from Fellaini there, then he comes across, the first contact

instigated by Suarez. Fellaini has caught the back of Suarez's right

calf here. I don't think it is a big foul there. I don't think Jones does

anything wrong but that is the contact, there, on Fellaini on

Suarez, that might have been given. Gerrard, Rafael caught him and Mark

Clattenburg shows Rafael the yellow card. And Steven Gerrard is down and

in agony. That is a bad challenge. Have a look at this. It looks like a

scissor action here. It is. Promising from Liverpool, they have

five in this attack. Oh, hand ball! Penalty! Rafael, hand ball! Well, he

has just been booked, Rafael, and Liverpool here are as politely as

they can asking Mark Clattenburg whether Rafael shouldn't be sent

off. And they may well think here that Rafael is going to be lucky to

stay on. But stay on he is. It is a penalty to Liverpool. It could

easily have been worse for Manchester United. Rafael could have

gone. Steven Gerrard, who has 100% success rate from the spot busy

season. Scores. Manchester United nil,

Liverpool one. They have -- they celebrate in front of a baying

Stretford end and Manchester United have fallen behind and may consider

themselves fortunate that they still have 11 on the pitch.

A great penalty, by the way. No saving that. Manchester United have

recreated really anything you would call a proper opportunity yet.

Liverpool have had three or four undertaken one from the spot. --

undertaken one from the spot. Rooney, good save. Rooney again, a

great block by Skrtel. Rooney once more, third time. Sterling forcing

him away. Almost squeezed it through to

Rafael. Rooney with two attempts. It was probably Manchester United's

best attack of the half. An excellent flying stop from Mignolet

and really's follow-up was blocked by Skrtel -- Rooney's follow-up was

blocked by Skrtel. Get the second half under way. No substitutions

from either side. Raheem Sterling, stretching his legs, and when he

stretches them he is pretty nimble. Fellaini with a challenge on Suarez.

A penalty! Liverpool have a penalty 25 seconds into the second half.

Phil Jones Joe Allen. There is contact between Jones and Allen.

Now, Steven Gerrard. Can he make it two? He can! He

sprints towards the Liverpool fans. They have doubled their lead,

seconds into the second half. Gerrard was another perfect penalty.

He doubles Liverpool's and French -- advantage and Old Trafford is

silent, almost, apart from a celebrating segment of Liverpool

fans. Well, Manchester United are chasing

Mark Clattenburg here. Nicely round the corner to Rafael. He did ever so

well and Johnson, it did come off his right hand. Have a look at this.

Much more visible to the fans behind the goal than it was to the referee.

My just united appealing for everything. A huge appeal. --

Manchester united appealing for everything. I don't think there was

very much in it, is there? I am not sure it was in the box.

Play on, says the referee. Jordan Henderson has got it despite the

Vidic foul on Suarez. There is a retrospective yellow card

for Nemanja Vidic. The referee played advantage because Henderson

had it. Vidic has got a yellow card. Oh, he has been caught by Vidic. It

is another penalty! It is another penalty and Nemanja Vidic is shown a

second yellow card here and Manchester United are down to ten

men and Nemanja Vidic is sent off against Liverpool, for the fourth

time in his career. Oh, hold on, have a look. Nemanja

Vidic slid in. I am not sure there is a lot of contact there on

Sturridge, but the Manchester United captain is sent off. There has never

been a hat-trick of penalties in Premier League football.

Gerard macro -- Gerrard hits the post, the opportunity has gone for a

history making hat-trick of penalties. Does it present

Manchester united with an opportunity to salvage something

from this game? But they are down to ten men. They are two down and there

are only 12 to go. Sir Alex Ferguson watches on, like a lot of other

Manchester United fans here today with a really despondent look on his

face. Manchester United are saying that

Sturridge dived. Surely Mark Clattenburg is not going to give

Liverpool a fourth penalty? Daniel Sturridge thinks he should have

done. That is a penalty. More of a penalty than the Vidic one. That is

extraordinary. Liverpool should have had fourth penalty. Well, we might

need Match Of The Day three, , four five just to go through all the

penalty decisions in this game, let alone two. Suarez beats Jones, a

magnificent save by De Gea. A magnificent save! What a stop by De

Gea. It is one of the slaves of the

season. -- saves. Manchester United fans, their support is magnificent.

Luis Suarez has put it into the back of the Manchester united net and it

is now game over! Manchester United, three down. Painful to

watch. For their manager, painful to watch for their fans. The fans

respond by simply making more noise. But Liverpool are three up at Old

Trafford. He is just onside, I think, played on by Patrice Evra.

Luis Suarez has scored for Liverpool. This is about as painful

as it gets for Manchester United, who have won the title 13 times

since Liverpool last won it. The Times they are changing. We had

confidence and belief coming to hear that we could get a result and I our

performance today and we scored three goals and arguably could have

had five or six. Difficult with us all the decisions that were made

quickly, but do you feel that Nemanja Vidic was fortunate with the

third penalty? It is probably weak don't -- it is probably better we

don't talk about any of them. Some of them were penalties. He has a

choice, he has to stamp on him which he is not going to do because he is

an honest player. It had no effect on the game. I remember a hat-trick

of penalties donkeys years ago, you might have done the same? It was the

first game I went to see, my dad took me against Coventry, there were

3p. He was a better penalty taker than me so I could not match it. Are

you realistically counting out Champions League qualification? I

will try to keep winning the games. The teams above us are doing well.

It looks as if we are long way off it. We will keep fighting for it. We

are in the title race. Little -- before's today's game there was a

question hanging over us, could we make a statement that they are

genuine title contenders? We are. Kevin Kilbane and Danny Mills, there

is no doubt that they are title contenders. They were utterly

dominant at Old Trafford. They were fantastic, from the first moment.

They were strong, they were aggressive, they were on the front

foot, they wanted it more than Man United. Simple as that. The way they

closed down in the early stages was superb. You can see one team that is

on the up, with confidence, playing well, and another team which is a

shadow of their former selves. I think they were better in every

department, with and without the ball, they were outstanding. But I

think the two key factors in the game today, first of all,

Liverpool's effectiveness at getting in behind the Manchester United

defence, and on the flip side to that, Manchester United's in

effectiveness at getting in behind Liverpool. That was the key. We felt

throughout the game that it was going to be those two up front, so

worries and Sturridge today would be the key factors. They were always

looking to get in behind, to stretch the opposition. On the flip side,

van Persie Rooney, there was space at times in behind the Liverpool

defence, but they were reluctant to get in there. The Liverpool defence

was forcing them back, every time van Persie was in possession, act

towards his own goal. This was outstanding forward play from

Sturridge. Again, his first movement is to look to play on the shoulder,

to get in behind. Another chance created for him there. He had

opportunities very early in the game. Van Persie's movement is to

come wide. Ideally, I would want him playing centrally. Just did not do

that, he was not playing off the shoulder of Agger and Skrtel. You

can see here, there is very little space. There is in behind. They are

on the edge of the 18 yard box. But that interception from Vidic created

a chance, just because of the insistence of the Liverpool forward

is to get in behind. On this occasion, van Persie comes out to

the left, looking to hit a long, diagonal ball into Rooney. No real

togetherness as a strikeforce, between those two. No ability to get

in behind Liverpool. That was the key factor for me. At times, because

they were stretching the defence, it got Sterling on the ball as well. It

is Manchester United were dropping deeper. The question for United fans

is, why is it happening like this? You have got Rooney and van Persie,

both international strikers, you have got international midfielders,

the same as Liverpool, but if you look at Robin van Persie's touch map

and forward passes and things like that, the majority of his touches

are out wide, as Kevin has said. So, is this a fault, as Kevin has

highlighted, is it coming from the individual, is it how they are being

coached, is it that van Persie and Rooney do not trust the midfield

Hynd them? I think it is a little bit of everything. They have not got

any out and out pace in their side. Rooney is not bad, he is more of a

work. You have got Mata, van Persie, obviously. When you have got

players running behind, it is very difficult for defenders. It is your

worst nightmare. If you drop deep, it creates space in the midfield.

Liverpool do it very well. So worries drops in, Steven Gerrard,

Coutinho. Majesty united, because they have no pace, it is almost like

Rooney needs himself to play the ball over the top for himself,

because he does not trust anybody else. Van Persie is the same. Those

two do not pass to each other. When you look at the two, with Suarez and

Sturridge, certainly, their first movement is always to go in behind.

Brendan Rodgers was a coach at Swansea, and he did really well with

Scott Sinclair and Nathan Dyer as well, had them running in behind the

opposition defence. He is doing it now, and he has Sterling who can

also do it. To do that, you need on softish players. They will run in

behind, they will not get the ball, but it creates problems for

everybody else. -- unselfish players. Could the diamond which

Liverpool used today work for Manchester United? Perhaps. It is a

system which they could adopt. But Brendan Rodgers tinkers with it. He

plays different systems for different games. I think he felt

today, he wanted to try and get the two of them further up the pitch, to

give freedom to Raheem Sterling. Brendan Rodgers spoke about the

number of penalties Liverpool have got this season, and last season,

and he said the same thing happened when he was at Swansea. They did

have 16 spot kicks in his two seasons in charge. And they have had

16 at Liverpool as well. They had three today, they could have had

five or six. Quite easily. It is because they make things happen.

They get the ball and they run at people. Again, as a defender, the

last thing you need is a player running at you. It is a nightmare.

Here, he is looking to get in behind. It is a clear behind, I

think he is very unfortunate. Should've been a second yellow? I

think once the penalty has been given, it is enough, but let off the

law, yes, he should have been sent off. Once again, players running in

behind. It is unselfish. Might not get the ball, but he is prepared to

make it. Phil Jones was the wrong side, and it was a very, very clumsy

challenge. I think Mark Clattenburg had a good game. This is a dive.

Brendan Rodgers says he is an honest player. This shows that he is not.

He he was not. That is a blatant dive. But I have to say it is the

most incredible dive ever, as he makes it look so realistic for that

but this one, it should have been a penalty. I cannot remember the last

time a referee gave four penalties at Old Trafford. Certainly not when

Fergie was in charge. And there was the one in the first half with

Suarez, when he got stripped by Fellaini, maybe even twice. It could

have been five penalties, which would have been strange. -- script.

Our second match tonight is for three precious points, and the pride

of North London. Pride is a word which will surely have been used in

the Spurs dressing room following their collapse in the previous

London derby. Spurs have had miserable trips here for each of the

last 24 years, but I am not sure anyone of them will has been as bad

as this one. Cannot get into the top four, if you are not a top team.

Lack of characters. Too many of them are too nice to each other.

And this one was watched by Jonathan Pearce. Always intense and

supercharged, but this 173rd North London derby crackles with potential

implication. If Spurs do not respond to Tim Sherwood's harsh words and

clear demands, if they defend as poorly as they did against Chelsea,

if they lose, they are surely out of the chase for a place in the top

four. If Arsenal suffer a fourth defeat in five visits, then their

title dream is surely over. Spurs make four changes from the poor

performance against Benfica on Thursday. Bentaleb, Chadli, Rose and

Townsend come in. Kieran Gibbs returns from injury, which is timely

for Arsenal, and he replaces Vermaelen. Rosicky starts in place

of the knotty. And Szczesny is back in goal. Naughton preferred to walk

today. But nonetheless he is playing through the pain of a groin injury.

-- preferred to Walker. Chadli has started on the right-hand side.

Oxlade-Chamberlain working hard. Arsenal on a classic counterattack.

Rosicky! Arsenal have the lead! What a start, what a goal. It is the kind

of start which Spurs absolutely dreaded. And was it he has done it

again against Tottenham. Oxlade-Chamberlain got lucky, but

what a finish that is. An absolute cracker, from Tomas Rosicky. He

scored back in January against Tottenham, and he's another car --

and he has another, in this crucial derby today.

Arsenal look comfortable there. To be fair, Spurs did not really put

them under any pressure. Box later Berlin has got away! He has pushed

it wide. -- Oxlade-Chamberlain has got away. A real opportunity for

Arsenal to make it two. Podolski fuming on the far side, he wanted it

played to him. And Tim Sherwood again shows the passion for which he

has now become known as the Spurs manager.

One of the differences between the Arsenal this season and the team of

a couple of years ago, they have tended to do well this season after

European games. The red-hot atmosphere of the North London derby

showing itself there. He has given the player a strict telling off. He

took his time to make the decision, and decided on a yellow card. Lovely

to see Pat Reiss here. Arsenal legend, part of the side which won

the double in 1971. He has been ill recently. Assistant manager for a

long time. Good to see him here. But touch from Arteta.

Just behind Rosicky. Oxlade-Chamberlain! Podolski had

exactly the right aim to pull it back to Rosicky. It was behind him.

Two Wins in ten for Arsenal on this ground. But they are leading here.

Adebayor! The goalkeeper would have been powerless. Tottenham, very

close. Lovely work on the right-hand side. Arsenal were sucked in

dangerously, let the runner getaway. Just wide.

Szczesny comes, spills it. He thought he was fouled. Rose took it

well. That will get the White Hart Lane faithful going. Down the line

from Kaboul. Szczesny has dropped it! Must be an equaliser! Great

block by Koscielny! And Spurs should have been level. Arsenal have a free

kick for the foul on was icky. He was unnerved by the first one, when

he spilled it under pressure. And there, he was stretched, Szczesny. A

great block by Koscielny. It's just needed a touch from

Chadli, but it did not come. All it needed was the finish. He knows his

side has missed and squandered chances. Adebayor did well.

Adebayor! So close. He has worked hard for Spurs. Tim Sherwood has

been critical of a lack of effort, a lack of guts, from some of his

players, but surely he cannot lay any of those criticisms at the door

of Emmanuel Adebayor. That is a yellow card against

Betanin. That looked a poor challenge to me. -- against

Vertonghen. Hague claimed to claim the ball and will claim he got it,

it looks worse initially than it actually was. Arteta with a free

kick into the box. Was Koscielny being pulled back there? Nothing

given. His arms all over Koscielny there. Vertonghen.

The referee may not have had a clear view of it. I don't think Mike Dean

could see it through the crowd of players.

Giroud, all alone and fouled by Rose.

Mertesacker was there, a good save, Hugo Lloris. Mertesacker scored at

home and away against Spurs last season. He has a habit of troubling

them at set pieces. A really good safe by Lloris. Had to react

quickly, to get lowdown to his right side and did well.

Cazorla claims the throw and gets it.

Sherwood seemed to throw the ball then at Sagna, who wasn't very happy

about it. Arteta comes across to moan and groan. And this was all

very, very silly. Well, he does wear his heart on his sleeve, Tim

Sherwood. It is a north London derby going against his team and he is a

fierce Spurs man. He tended to throw the ball and he seemed to throw the

ball very hard at Sagna. There is no explaining the situation. There is a

handshake and that should be the end of it. There have been reactions in

the dugouts recently from managers, raising the question should be be

there at all. They did not use to be there, they used to be in the

stands. A great effort. A good save. Almost

fated that it would be Adebayor with the final contribution in the game

against his old team but it was not to be. An unbelievable start,

especially from Tomas Rosicky and the goal coming from nowhere. After

that, of course in the second half we had to absorb a lot of pressure

but apart from one crosses from the left I think they had not a lot.

Body blows, behind after one minute or whatever it was, I wonder strike

from Rosicky. We never got our heads down, grouped together and performed

very well on the day. Why Bobby Moore to start you gave the game

today. Could you believe that? It was very quick. I put the ball to

Alex, who was there, but his technique wasn't the best and the

ball bounced back to me and I just wanted to hit the far post and I hit

it nicely. It was a must win game. We played Everton just before, the

succession of games of that intensity. It is always difficult.

You have had so many must win games, I was at the first one all those

years ago. It was a must win as well. Do you think you will get to

1000? Never, honestly, no. That 1000th game was it at Stamford

Bridge next weekend for Arsene Wenger. After the game Tim Sherwood

said I think the result for Arsenal wallpaper over a lot of cracks. They

were outplayed today. You could look at that another way up and say

Arsenal ground out a 1-0 win in a local derby. Which they did. It was

an improvement from Tottenham's point of view. They did cause

problems but they didn't have enough goal attempts on target and I think

they hit a lot of diagonal balls into Adebayor, who played quite well

but overall it was a good performance from Arsenal away from

home in a big derby. They have fewer successful policies than they have

managed in five years did Arsenal, soak Spurs did get at them --

passes. They dominated possession and probably were the better side

but they did not create too many clear-cut opportunities. Chadli have

the opportunity where he should have done better. He panicked in the box

and blasted at Koscielny and Mertesacker after Szczesny had

missed it, a bit of confusion, but apart from that they did not have

too many clear-cut opportunities. That will be the disappointing

thing. Tomas Rosicky might complain about Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's

touch but you can't complain about how he struck this ball? It was a

poor touch from Oxlade-Chamberlain but what is it has come through to

him it fatter absolutely perfectly for him. -- it sat up absolutely

perfect for him. The way he struck it with the outside of his right

foot, a bit of fade into the top corner, a wonderful strike and a

wonderful start to the game. You still have to thump it right, don't

you? You have, it is great technique. He hits it at nearly 70

miles an hour, but does not try to hit it too hard.

technique. He hits it at nearly 70 miles an hour, but does not try It

is superb technique but because it sits up he gets that bit of bend on

the outside of his foot and shakes it nicely. You talked about how

Spurs put cross after cross in and Mertesacker and Koscielny dealt with

it all afternoon. There were times when they were direct into Adebayor

upfront and Adebayor played quite well, cause problems, but a majority

of the crosses that were coming in were easily dealt with from

Mertesacker and Koscielny and they both had outstanding games today, in

the heart of the defence and a lot of times they were creating the

attacks off the back of a good play defensively. Crosses our bread and

butter for those two, Mertesacker is very tall and doesn't like being

turned and having those quick plays in and around him. Suarez and

Sturridge rip them apart, gave them all sorts of problemss but if you

are just putting crosses in they are very... It is like the first game

all over again. All day long, there were four or five successful crosses

for Tottenham and they had blows, nearly 30 crosses that they had and

it was easy, time after time it comes in. The keeper nearly makes a

mess of it, this is where he should score, but it is bread and butter.

It is so easy for those big players to keep heading the ball. It shows

the desire to defend. They both get back round Szczesny and make

themselves as big as possible. They should have scored but you have to

give credit to defenders and how they guarded the goal and defended

it so well. One final line on Spurs, do you think the players have

responded to what Tim Sherwood said after the Chelsea game last week? Or

is that difficult to tell? They are always likely to respond in a north

London derby. It is that difficult to tell? They are always likely to

respond in a north London derby. It's difficult for Tim Sherwood,

very uncertain of its future. He tried to set his stall out and put

his mark on a team that he hasn't had an awful lot of influence over

in terms of signings. He had the transfer window and one or two loan

signings, a difficult position, a new manager and he might not be

there at the end of the season. We will look at the title race in a

moment but don't forget the next weekend it is sports relief.

Congratulations to Alan Shearer and Robbie Savage for managing to sit

down all week on 90,000 seats at Wembley and to remind you can still

do your bit by entering the battle of the backsides, so to speak, and

win tickets to the World Cup in Brazil. The FA Cup final and much

more. All you have to do is go to bbc.co.uk/backsides. Entry is just

?5 and goes directly to Sport Relief. So what of the title

favourites then? It was an eventful day for two of them. We begin our

look back at the KC Stadium. The patients about Manchester City

here. A bit of trouble for Kompany, really struggling against Jelavic

and Jelavic down and Kompany is in trouble. He is straight off! Inside

the first ten minutes of the match, Manchester City lose their captain.

They are down to ten. A disgruntled Kompany leaves the arena, lashing

out in frustration. Silva floating around into space.

Oh, what a goal! Absolutely brilliant from David Silva! The

perfect response from Manchester City to going down to ten men. That

is his first goal in 18. Boyd could begin here, Hart comes

out. What does Lee Mason think? No, he has given it to Manchester City.

And Boyd, squaring up to Joe Hart some mother city goalkeeper and Lee

Mason has got a little bit of sorting out Edu. Jelavic is involved

as well. It was a very tight corner for the referee. A feisty

confrontation between the pair of them.

Great movement by Jacko, it is all over now. It is a big, big win for

the ten men of Manchester City -- Dzeko. The score of the first,

Silva, is the creator of the second. Happier times for Manuel Pellegrini

again. Willian with the Chelsea corner. It

is all the way through and Matic has managed to squeeze the ball in.

Chelsea take the lead. Now, has it been disallowed? I think it has.

Hand ball, is it? It is. Delph was impeded by Willian. He

will go here, it is going to be a second yellow card for Willian.

Yellow is out, read is out, Willian is going. He could not take that

risk, but he did. It is in! Delph has scored! Look at

the end, listen to the whole tend. Villa get the lead. Brilliant work

from Delph. Did he mean that? If he did, it is a touch of genius.

Villa are furious with the way Ramires went into that tackle and it

has spilled over to the touchline. There are fingers being pointed,

Agbonlahor is out. The feeling is Ramiro has jumped in. -- Ramires has

jumped in. It is a straight red card. He is sent off at Villa Park.

Jose Mourinho doesn't want to let this life. Is he being sent away as

well? Jose Mourinho, sent to the stands as well.

And off he went to the stands with Chelsea six clear of Manchester City

now, four clear of Liverpool and Arsenal three below obviously have

those games in hand. Even though the fourth and Manchester City in pole

position for you? I think so, certainly after yesterday's

performance and the result. The man, off the back of a really tough week,

going back to ten men so early in the game, they performed so well

yesterday and that has really put Manchester City right back in the

hunt. They were fading a little bit. City are the favourites for me. They

haven't got any other distractions as well. They can focus on this,

they don't have the Champions League to worry about. They have one or two

injury problems, Aguero has still got the dodgy hamstring that isn't

good. I think they have got a great squad and the loss yesterday for

Chelsea is absolutely huge for Manchester City. But Liverpool, this

is what we have talked about quite a lot recently, because City and

Chelsea still have to go to Anfield and because that record at Anfield

is so good, you get the feeling they might be, they are not with the

bookies, but they could be second favourites behind City? That of the

key game, they have played really well when they faced Manchester City

this season and last seasons on, so one of the worst performances was

down at Chelsea. Chelsea really outplayed them. They look a

different side since the turn of the year, they are playing with more

freedom and pace and they will be two games for them. Lets go from the

top to the bottom and the sides worried about going down. We will

start by taking a look at Swansea City and West Bromwich Albion, who

played yesterday at the liberty. It was another poor start for West Brom

and Pepe Mel. They went behind early, when Lamarr scored. They did

the big thing on Match Of The Day last night about how West Brom

really couldn't get forward in the first half yesterday -- Rob Roland

Lamah scored. Lack of confidence is huge. The record

Lamah scored. Lack of confidence is huge. The and the Pepe Mel has been

almost disastrous. That win keeps them in the hunt for survival but I

think they will struggle. I don't see them scoring enough goals to win

enough games. Defensively they have been found at times but one point at

this stage of the season is not enough. They might draw four or five

but realistically they need to win four or five and I don't see it

happening. Swansea did have chances to increase their lead. I think what

is amazing, really, with West Brom, is their first half performances.

They cannot seem to get any kind of performance together in the first

half. All of a sudden, he gets them in at half-time, and we have seen it

so often from them, a different team coming out for the second half. They

have failed to score in the first half of eight out of nine matches

under Pepe Mel. If only goals scored in the second half counted, they

would have won five out of nine. It is all ifs and buts, but do you give

him credit for turning things round at half-time in these games, or do

you say, hang on, why are you not getting it right from the start? I

think it has to be the latter. That is how you set yourself up. You do

not think, we will have a bad first half and then we will put it right.

Ideally, you would have a good first half, and then you can ease off. You

want to get in front. Starting well is so vital in the Premier League.

It is very, very difficult to up the tempo. Even when you make changes at

half-time. Cannot keep getting away with that. Do you know what,

sometimes he will not know why it is happening to him. Sometimes it just

happens, all of a sudden, you are coming on stronger in the second

half. I am sure it is Mr E to him as well. -- it is a mystery. And

Swansea, with Garry Monk, firmly back in The Thick of it, just four

points above the drop zone. A lot of those teams are still in trouble.

There is not one of those teams which has made a managerial change,

and you would say, massively successful, apart from Crystal

Palace. A lot of them are really struggling, with their new foreign

managers. I do sometimes wonder, is it sometimes easier for these teams

to be playing away from home? I totally agree. I think it is

difficult to play at home. If you do not get yourself in front early on

in these games, the pressure starts to mount. You need an early goal to

relieve that pressure. Now, yesterday's other games.

Borini has found a bit of space. Borini! Is that the moment that has

got away from Sunderland? It rocketed against the post. Ledley

did not get there. Cameron Jerome. Dikgacoi! Big chance. Huge

opportunity for Crystal Palace. And it was a let-off for Sunderland.

Osman on to Della Valle. He goes for gold, and finds the net! Beating

Marshall at his near post. And Everton in front. -- Deulofeu. In

goes the free kick, and it is in! Cardiff City have equalised! Not the

most beautiful goal you will ever see, but Cardiff will not worry

about that. Barry at the back post. Seamus Coleman! It is in! Everton

have won it. Cardiff City's players are on their knees, distraught. A

crucial point snatched from them with seconds to go.

Holtby, it is end to end. It is in! Mistake by Tim Krul. The substitute

comes on for Fulham and gives them an absolutely precious goal. Krul

has come up for this one, the last attack of the game. Fulham just need

to get it away. It hit a hand. It is all over! Felix Magath celebrates

his first win in charge of Fulham. Newcastle argue they should have had

a spot kick right at the end. The penalty was not given, and Fulham

will celebrate. A little touch from Rodriguez. Schneiderlin! 1-0,

Southampton. It is his second goal of the season, and what a perfect

start for Southampton. Just under five minutes played, and John Ruddy

is beaten. It came off Bennett, and falls nicely for Lambert. Lambert!

He has only just come on as a substitute. And Rickie Lambert has

doubled Southampton's advantage. He looked as cool as you like. Three in

the middle to aim for. Can Do Prado! The block from Ruddy.

Lambert sets up Jay Rodriguez, and it is a third goal for Southampton.

And surely, all three points. Given away by Fonte. Elmander gets a

goal back for Norwich. In the scheme of things, it is not going to count

for much. But something at last to cheer for those Norwich supporters.

Southampton have given it away again! Elmander. It might drop.

Grass! 3-2! -- it might drop for Snodgrass. Southampton, who looked

so comfortable, now, most certainly are not. Southampton might be away

here, following a slip by Tettey. Gallagher, can he finish it? It

comes off Ruddy, and in! That is over the goal line, no doubt about

it. And Sam Gallagher, right at the end of this match, has set Hugh Orde

the points for Mauricio Pochettino's team. -- has secured

the points. Aiming towards Andy Carroll, who gets there in front of

the give it! And inside four minutes, West Ham are in front. It

was simplicity itself. These two sides, ironically, have scored the

fewest number of headers, prior to today. And it is finally turned in

by Peter Crouch! He was the only one who seemed to react there. Off the

bar, and Peter Crouch reacted, and it hits Odemwingie on the line. I

think that is a goal to be awarded to Odemwingie.

Arnautovic! And it creeps into the corner! It wasn't a rhythmic

build-up. 2-1, Stoke. -- it was a fantastic build-up. Claims of

handball against Muniesa. He did not look as though he was going to win

that ball, Muniesa. Andy Carroll says, that was a hand, not a head.

That is handball. That is a penalty. -at penalty. -- definite penalty.

Stephen Ireland, looking for a third. Odemwingie! There may have

been a question mark about whether or not he deserved the opening goal,

but he certainly deserved that one. In today's big games, the away teams

took the spoils. COMMENTATOR: And Luis Suarez has put

it into the back of the Manchester United net. Arsene Wenger has seen

off 12 Spurs managers. Tottenham's season is hanging by a thread.

So, Liverpool and Arsenal return to second and third in the table. Both

have played one game fewer than Chelsea, while Manchester City have

three matches in hand on the leaders. Spurs and Manchester United

remain fifth and seventh, Europa League: Vacation there most

realistic target. Time for two Good, two Bad, and it

is no wonder Fulham are getting through so many managers this

season. Not for the first time this season, Sebastien Bassong does not

know if he is coming or going. And there might have been sunny skies

overhead, but there were perils of being a flag bearer at Fulham

against Stoke yesterday. The best save of the weekend, from David de

Gea. Artur Boruc has recently enrolled in the school of

distribution... COMMENTATOR: Based on his

distribution today, if Artur Boruc was to go out after this game and

have a game of golf, he would shoot about 120. Vito Mannone's problems

were a lot more down-to-earth. And he pretends that he tripped over

something. And finally, at Hull, the hats are one thing, but grown men

should not be wearing those! Now, if you are a fan of Shakespeare, as in

William, not the former Walsall midfielder, you will know that this

weekend marks the date of trepidation known as the Ides of

March. It makes you think just who in the Premier League is looking

nervously over their shoulder. The night. Beware the Ides of March. It

is a date for ever laced with portent and foreboding. When futures

can be shaped, and destinies that are meant.

Distraught and defeated! Strong-minded. Today may be the day

the walls came tumbling down.