26/12/2015

:00:00. > :00:12.Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.

:00:13. > :00:27.What a goal. Oh, what a goal.

:00:28. > :01:27.STUDIO: It's that most wonderful time of the year.

:01:28. > :01:32.Yes, the Boxing Day Barclays Premier League programme.

:01:33. > :01:35.Ten games for Alan Shearer and Danny Murphy to digest,

:01:36. > :01:40.a couple of stuffings and the odd cracker(!)

:01:41. > :01:44.That's it, all my Christmas puns out in one go.

:01:45. > :01:52.We start at Saint Mary 's, Southampton have picked up only one

:01:53. > :01:57.point from the last five, they faced the Arsenal, second in the league.

:01:58. > :02:01.COMMENTATOR: With Graziano Pelle are injured, Shane Long leads the line

:02:02. > :02:05.for Southampton, he has not scored here since July, the third

:02:06. > :02:09.qualifying round game in the Europa League against Vitesse Arnhem.

:02:10. > :02:13.Olivier Giroud cannot stop scoring, 15 to the season, six in his last

:02:14. > :02:16.four games, Arsene Wenger picks an unchanged side for the fourth game

:02:17. > :02:27.running. Both sides wearing black armbands

:02:28. > :02:31.because English football has lost one of the great post-war figures in

:02:32. > :02:39.English football history and in Arsenal post-war history, Don Howe.

:02:40. > :02:50.Southampton on the front foot here, Ryan Bertrand, carefully into the

:02:51. > :03:01.box. Driven back in! Cuco Martina! What a strike! Brilliant strike.

:03:02. > :03:06.Perhaps a hint of offside... As the ball was played forward, into the

:03:07. > :03:09.path of Steven Davis, the head from Per Mertesacker did not do the job

:03:10. > :03:18.but nobly was expecting that, that is a wonder strike! Outside of the

:03:19. > :03:23.right boot, curling right into the corner of the net. It might be of

:03:24. > :03:32.the other foot, but that is like Roberto,! -- off. Per Mertesacker is

:03:33. > :03:38.in trouble, the decision has gone his way. Free kick to Arsenal. Shane

:03:39. > :03:41.Long put the ball in the back of the net but the whistle had long gone,

:03:42. > :03:48.if you will excuse the pun(!) -- Roberto Carlos. How much of a foul

:03:49. > :03:51.was that, he did not do much wrong. Who is fouling him...? Is it really

:03:52. > :03:57.a foul by Shane Long on Per Mertesacker? It is a cute little

:03:58. > :04:00.finish. His side have created the better chances, the only goal of the

:04:01. > :04:02.game so far did not come from a chance, it was not a chance or a

:04:03. > :04:14.half chance. Mesut Ozil, Olivier Giroud ahead of

:04:15. > :04:18.him, Aaron Ramsey, Justin behind for a moment, off the chest of Jose

:04:19. > :04:23.Fonte, it is a corner, this is better from the Arsenal. -- just in

:04:24. > :04:31.behind for a moment. Certainly committing bodies forward. Corner

:04:32. > :04:35.from Mesut Ozil, Theo Walcott, side netting, not often he will find

:04:36. > :04:42.himself in that much space, a free header for him, but he has missed

:04:43. > :04:47.the target. Laurent Koscielny keeps it from Saudi Manet, scooped

:04:48. > :04:52.forward, onto the head of Victor Wanyama, over the top of Mathieu

:04:53. > :04:58.Flamini, Novell, Saudi Manet... Per Mertesacker trying to get back,

:04:59. > :05:02.Shane Long! Seems to be getting away from him all of the time. Lifted by

:05:03. > :05:14.Saadi M -- Sadio Mane. Not quite deft enough to put it over

:05:15. > :05:23.the goalkeeper and it went well over the bar in the end. A wonderful

:05:24. > :05:32.month for the Arsenal, starting with victory over Sunderland... Sadio

:05:33. > :05:36.Mane has been taken out, that is a case of fighting fire with fire,

:05:37. > :05:41.trying to man up in the second half against Southampton. Free kick,

:05:42. > :05:47.whipped in... The flag is up, the flag is up, Van Dijk turns away to

:05:48. > :05:53.celebrate but it is not going to count, the flag was up on the near

:05:54. > :05:57.side. Van Dijk thought that he had his third goal in English football.

:05:58. > :06:01.You could say there is two or three Southampton players onside, but you

:06:02. > :06:05.could not make the argument that Van Dijk may not have been one of them.

:06:06. > :06:09.It has not been a happy hunting ground for Arsene Wenger, beating

:06:10. > :06:12.here last season, 2-0, New Year's Day.

:06:13. > :06:22.Given away carelessly. Davis, down the middle, long, nicely onto Sadio

:06:23. > :06:28.Mane, Shane Long wants the return, Sadio Mane looks up, gives in it,

:06:29. > :06:33.2-0! If at first you don't succeed, try, try again! Shane Long on the

:06:34. > :06:41.scoresheet, Southampton two, Arsenal zero. Lovely touch from Shane Long,

:06:42. > :06:45.into Sadio Mane, they are protesting... Arsenal protesting

:06:46. > :06:49.that Shane Long took out the defender. That is a brilliant touch

:06:50. > :06:55.from Shane Long to Sadio Mane, but then... Arsenal felt that was a

:06:56. > :07:02.deliberate trip, by Shane Long, an Laurent Koscielny. -- on. Lovely

:07:03. > :07:09.interchange between Shane Long and Sadio Mane. The Arsenal, an picked,

:07:10. > :07:12.unravelled, undone, two down. -- unpicked. Arsene Wenger says,

:07:13. > :07:25.unbelievable. A touch from the defender? Yes,

:07:26. > :07:35.there was. It is a corner. Just brushed off Laurent Koscielny. Held

:07:36. > :07:42.in dangerously, it is three! 3-0, they will not come back from that!

:07:43. > :07:46.Jose Fonte heading in the third, may look at offside on the first,

:07:47. > :07:49.perhaps a foul on the second, they have to look at themselves on the

:07:50. > :07:56.third, it is they are beaten by a corner. That will not be acceptable

:07:57. > :08:01.to Arsene Wenger. -- because they are beaten by a corner. It is a good

:08:02. > :08:03.corner but it is just a corner, lofted in and headed home by Jose

:08:04. > :08:19.Fonte. Chambers... Alex at the age and

:08:20. > :08:27.blue, back to Chambers. -- Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Nacho Monreal,

:08:28. > :08:30.into a good position, and it has rolled agonisingly... Almost along

:08:31. > :08:37.the line, Mesut Ozil could not put it away, neither could Olivier

:08:38. > :08:44.Giroud. 5-1, the biggest defeat in any competition this season for

:08:45. > :08:50.Arsenal. That was against Bayern Munich. That was in Munich. Shane

:08:51. > :09:07.Long off the post! With the pace to get away from Per Mertesacker.

:09:08. > :09:18.Shane Long... Onside... Shane Long... Makes it four! The icing on

:09:19. > :09:22.the cake for Southampton and Shane Long, the misery is complete for the

:09:23. > :09:30.Arsenal, Southampton four, Arsenal zero. This is so easy.

:09:31. > :09:57.The second half was perfect, the team, what we like to see, the

:09:58. > :10:02.belief that they were playing with, and in each other. The gold... It

:10:03. > :10:13.was a tough night for Arsenal. We created a lot of problems at them.

:10:14. > :10:19.Amazing result. -- the goals. We created many chances, but we were

:10:20. > :10:22.unlucky, because some of the goals, they were up for discussion,

:10:23. > :10:28.especially the second, the third was not a corner! After the score looks

:10:29. > :10:34.big but on the other side, you have got to say, they won too many 50/50

:10:35. > :10:38.challenges to win the game tonight. I have got to talk about the strike

:10:39. > :10:44.by Cuco Martina, what an absolutely brilliant strike... He has deserved

:10:45. > :10:48.his chance, the gaffer gave him a chance, he has taken it well. No

:10:49. > :11:06.easy feat Handling Theo Walcott. STUDIO: Saints alive! What an

:11:07. > :11:09.incredible performance. One point in five games, not scored in three home

:11:10. > :11:22.games, playing with confidence, well-organised, well disciplined,

:11:23. > :11:26.and clinical in attack. This is worth watching again and again and

:11:27. > :11:27.again, taking it on, you are thinking, he is a full-back, making

:11:28. > :11:36.his first start... The more that you see it, it gets

:11:37. > :11:40.better and better, everything about that strike, perfect, and from here,

:11:41. > :11:44.incredible, when I first saw it go in was thinking of blaming Petr

:11:45. > :11:50.Cech, but that would be a little bit harsh! Superb strike, what a strike.

:11:51. > :11:53.Would not be Christmas if there was not some kind of appraisal of the

:11:54. > :11:58.title hopes of the Arsenal and some disdain from yourself! There will

:11:59. > :12:01.never have a better chance at winning the title than this season,

:12:02. > :12:07.six points better off this year than they were last season, and everyone

:12:08. > :12:11.else has gone backwards. But... Cannot afford too many days like

:12:12. > :12:17.this. A performance like this is all-too-familiar, when it really

:12:18. > :12:21.matters, yes, that is a foul, Arsene Wenger has a point, but Southampton

:12:22. > :12:26.were better in every department. Peko, sharper, that is two yards

:12:27. > :12:31.out, Petr Cech had a poor day. I know there is a whip on the ball.

:12:32. > :12:35.Defender is not going in, no leaders, space in front of the back

:12:36. > :12:39.four, wide open, Shane Long cause them problems all afternoon, Petr

:12:40. > :12:44.Cech should do better. Southampton, I thought, were brilliant. The

:12:45. > :12:49.Arsenal are capable of a performance like this, this is what has cost

:12:50. > :12:50.them over the years. They need to eradicate performances like that and

:12:51. > :12:59.they will have a tremendous chance. Are they a side equipped to win the

:13:00. > :13:02.title? I think they are not, they are missing their three best

:13:03. > :13:05.players, sooner or later you will get found out, the back four was

:13:06. > :13:11.completely unpredicted sometimes, missing the two in front was a big

:13:12. > :13:16.thing. -- unprotected. You have got to put it right quickly.

:13:17. > :13:19.It was six games without a win for Manchester United

:13:20. > :13:20.and their under-fire manager, Louis Van Gaal.

:13:21. > :13:23.Stoke were today's opposition, they've beaten United just once

:13:24. > :13:29.Alistair Mann was at the Britannia Stadium.

:13:30. > :13:34.The every move of Louis van Gaal is under intense scrutiny, his decision

:13:35. > :13:38.to leave out the captain, Wayne Rooney, shows that whatever the

:13:39. > :13:42.circumstances, the Manchester United asked does not lack the courage of

:13:43. > :13:46.his convictions. Geoff Cameron is fit again, so Mark Hughes has named

:13:47. > :13:51.the same 11 that dismantled Manchester City inside 15 minutes at

:13:52. > :13:57.the start of the month, orchestrated by Xherdan Shaqiri, in tandem with

:13:58. > :14:00.Arnautovic and Bojan. The absence of Wayne Rooney means Anthony Martial

:14:01. > :14:05.can lead the line, Ander Herrera comes into the side, the only change

:14:06. > :14:11.to the 11 that lost at home against Norwich City last weekend. Winless

:14:12. > :14:13.in six matches, Manchester United have not been winless in seven for

:14:14. > :14:30.some 26 years. COMMENTATOR: Mark Hughes spoke about

:14:31. > :14:38.the United way in his press conference, the demand for

:14:39. > :14:43.entertainment. Cameron. Dink it on towards Johnson. Memphis has made a

:14:44. > :14:52.mess of that. Johnson squares it. And, Stoke open the scoring. And

:14:53. > :14:56.Stoke are in front. Just when Manchester United didn't need it.

:14:57. > :15:01.Committed by Memphis. You can legislate for so many things as a

:15:02. > :15:05.Manchester United manager, but not an error of this magnitude from

:15:06. > :15:18.Memphis. Trying to just ease it back to his goalkeeper, got it all wrong,

:15:19. > :15:22.and Johnson picked up Bojan Krkic and he couldn't miss. Manchester

:15:23. > :15:24.United trail. Stoke, who have conceded very few goals in their

:15:25. > :15:41.last 10 matches lead 1-0. Memphis pumped out of it by Johnson.

:15:42. > :15:55.Shaqiri. Beyond Memphis. Inside Smalling. Good ball as well. Whelan.

:15:56. > :16:02.Went the other way. Arnautovic. Handball is the decision. Ashley

:16:03. > :16:09.Young is perplexed and even more so by the yellow card. Deliberate

:16:10. > :16:14.handball feels Kevin Friend. Well, it was a handball, wasn't it? Looks

:16:15. > :16:19.like a much better position for the right-footed Bojan. Shaqiri looks

:16:20. > :16:23.menacing. Straight into the wall. Arnautovic, on the rebound. Oh,

:16:24. > :16:30.brilliant! Fantastic strike from Arnautovic. And it's going from bad

:16:31. > :16:35.to worse for Manchester United. Of well, they blew Manchester City away

:16:36. > :16:38.within a quarter of an hour, the neighbours from across the city,

:16:39. > :16:45.they are two down in 25 minutes. Louis van Gaal's notes are becoming

:16:46. > :16:48.more and more copious. What a strike from Arnautovic. Whipping away from

:16:49. > :16:55.David de Gea, who could not get close to it. He scored a couple

:16:56. > :17:05.against Manchester City. He's now scored against United. He is Stoke's

:17:06. > :17:12.top-scorer, with six Premier League goals. Lovely through ball,

:17:13. > :17:17.Arnautovic is onside, and misses. What an opportunity to bank the

:17:18. > :17:25.three-points before half-time. Through on goal. Arnautovic misses.

:17:26. > :17:30.Big moment. Can United utilise it? Well, it was the big decision

:17:31. > :17:35.pre-match to leave him out. Now with his side two down, the decision is

:17:36. > :17:48.reversed and Wayne Rooney is on at half-time. Arnautovic, challenge

:17:49. > :17:55.there in front of Afellay. Mata, Fellaini, Herrera, Rooney. It's a

:17:56. > :18:02.good ball, Fellaini, good save, Butland. First real clear-cut chance

:18:03. > :18:06.for Manchester United. A superb reaction from Butland. Fellaini

:18:07. > :18:12.probably believes he ought to have scored and not given the keeper a

:18:13. > :18:15.sniff of saving this. Rooney, with a terrific assist, Fellaini's shot.

:18:16. > :18:19.Well, maybe he didn't do too much wrong. It's all credit to the

:18:20. > :18:24.goalkeeper. Excellent save. They have been the better side in this

:18:25. > :18:28.second-half, Manchester United. But the mere presence of Wayne Rooney on

:18:29. > :18:34.the field has definitely made a significant difference. Here's

:18:35. > :18:39.Bojan. He hasn't been involved much. Arnautovic almost gets to it. Young,

:18:40. > :18:42.on the stretch, almost guided it beyond his own-goal keeper. This is

:18:43. > :18:49.the opportunity. Lovely ball from Bojan. Onside Arnautovic. Young did

:18:50. > :19:00.well. Here's Johnson. It's a clever ball. Bojan, tiptoes through.

:19:01. > :19:04.Waiting to pounce on the far-post. Good save from de Gea to take it out

:19:05. > :19:11.of the way of any advancing Stoke player. Bojan knew any clip it would

:19:12. > :19:14.be a penalty. Here's Diouf. Smalling's challenge. Ha is good

:19:15. > :19:20.from Martial. Better from him. Deflection. Great save by Butland.

:19:21. > :19:26.Second time he's been magnificent when he's needed to be. England

:19:27. > :19:27.goalkeeper trying to put pressure on Joe Hart and twice today he has

:19:28. > :19:42.shown his worth. Mata. Chance now for Wayne Rooney.

:19:43. > :19:48.Keeps it alive. Mata. And Butland is there again. A hat-trick of saves. I

:19:49. > :19:48.suppose, this one the least spectacular of them in

:19:49. > :20:02.stoppage-time. A roar of delight from the Stoke

:20:03. > :20:05.City supporters. Louis van Gaal may have been defiant in his press

:20:06. > :20:10.conference earlier this week, but rather than extinguish the fire of

:20:11. > :20:15.the footballing scribes, this performance has surely only stoked

:20:16. > :20:22.them up further. Stoke City 2, Manchester United 0 We have lost the

:20:23. > :20:28.game in the first 45 minutes. Because we don't - we didn't dare to

:20:29. > :20:33.play football. Our football. And, that is what I have analysed, also

:20:34. > :20:37.at half-time much I say, we have to play football and we have nothing

:20:38. > :20:41.more to lose in the second-half. And, you have seen the difference,

:20:42. > :20:46.but that's not enough. You have to start the first minute. Didn't dare

:20:47. > :20:50.is the suggestion that they are finding it difficult to express

:20:51. > :20:54.themselves. Is that the circumstances of the results that

:20:55. > :21:00.have happened? Yeah. I think so. The circumstances now play a bigger role

:21:01. > :21:07.and will be in the next match also. I'm also part of the four losses and

:21:08. > :21:11.I have to cope with that. I have to administer that. More important is

:21:12. > :21:15.that my players shall manage that. They have to perform and they feel

:21:16. > :21:19.the pressure at the moment that they have to play in the match. We wanted

:21:20. > :21:22.to get on the front foot. There is only so much confidence on the

:21:23. > :21:25.football field. You have to train as much as you can from the opposition

:21:26. > :21:29.and I think we did that with the purpose to our play in the first

:21:30. > :21:34.half. We were able to get goaled a good times. If you are having a

:21:35. > :21:37.little bit of a stumble in your form and in your league performances then

:21:38. > :21:42.the opposition can take advantage of that. I think that's what happened

:21:43. > :21:45.to United today. Have you had, if you like, support, a vote of

:21:46. > :21:53.confidence, so to speak, from those above you? I have received that all

:21:54. > :21:58.the time. But, we have lost today, so there's a new situation. But I

:21:59. > :22:09.feel the support of my players and I feel the support of my Board. Of

:22:10. > :22:12.course, the fans shall be disappointed, but that's logical

:22:13. > :22:17.after four defeats. He says he still has the support of his players. Did

:22:18. > :22:21.it look like that to you, Alan? Not on today's evidence, Gary, no. He

:22:22. > :22:27.decided to take on the media this week and he picked a team that he

:22:28. > :22:33.thought would go out and fight and scrap for him. And that is the best

:22:34. > :22:38.they could do today. That was pretty embarrassing. We talk about fighting

:22:39. > :22:43.and scrapping and tracking back and mistakes. Anyone can make a mistake.

:22:44. > :22:47.This is a mistake from Memphis. Poor header. Doesn't get the connection

:22:48. > :22:54.at all. They are 1-0 down, tracking back, I don't think there is enough

:22:55. > :22:57.effort here from Deay much he gives up far, far too easy. That was also

:22:58. > :23:01.a lot of his team-mates. I think he can do better here. I think he can

:23:02. > :23:05.close the shot down. If he wants to get hit with the ball and prepared

:23:06. > :23:08.to, he will do. Watch him. He runs to the left from Arnautovic,

:23:09. > :23:15.fantastic strike. But I think he could do more to close him down. Be

:23:16. > :23:18.prepared to get hurt. In contrast, I mentioned Arnautovic and workrate

:23:19. > :23:22.for United players. Watch this guy. Watch this guy get back and work for

:23:23. > :23:27.his team-mates and help his leftback out. That is absolutely superb.

:23:28. > :23:31.Watch the dedication and commitment from him here. Tracking the

:23:32. > :23:35.full-back, Ashley Young, to get in. There he has not given up. He wants

:23:36. > :23:38.to fight, scrap and work for his team-mates. I didn't see any United

:23:39. > :23:45.player particularly in the first half do this. Put a shift in for his

:23:46. > :23:49.team. Then when you do that, Gary, you actually, you get the rewards at

:23:50. > :23:52.the end of it by putting in a tremendous effort and tremendous

:23:53. > :23:56.goal like that. So, no, on today's evidence, the players are not

:23:57. > :24:00.willing because they put in a pretty pathetic performance in that first

:24:01. > :24:03.half. Better second-half when Rooney came on. He left his captain out as

:24:04. > :24:08.well. That is a big statement that is. On the flip side, let us not

:24:09. > :24:12.take too much away from Stoke. Magnificent, weren't they? Mark

:24:13. > :24:17.Hughes like assetled team. I played under him. He likes a settled team.

:24:18. > :24:21.He is playing a 4-3-3, the three up top are match winners. Bojan,

:24:22. > :24:27.Arnautovic on the left and Shaqiri on the right. If he keeps those

:24:28. > :24:30.three fit and tight behind him and fighting for the team they could

:24:31. > :24:34.finish in the top eight. First time Manchester United have lost four

:24:35. > :24:39.games in a row in the same season since 1961. Is it time for a change

:24:40. > :24:43.at the top? He eluded to it in his interviews after the game. It

:24:44. > :24:47.wouldn't surprise me it if he was to walk away, Gary. He said it was a

:24:48. > :24:51.different situation now, the fans are on to him. His players without

:24:52. > :24:54.doubt are not performing for him at all. It wouldn't surprise me if he

:24:55. > :24:58.actually walked away. I don't think he will walk. I think he will stay

:24:59. > :25:02.for the time being. My worry for United, I look at the squad, whoever

:25:03. > :25:06.comes in, they have got a squad lacking leaders and a squad lacking

:25:07. > :25:14.space and athletism. Do you think perhaps there will be a temptation

:25:15. > :25:17.because of the likes of Jose Mourinho available, Pep being

:25:18. > :25:22.available. Is there the temptation this is the moment we can get

:25:23. > :25:28.someone else of that stature? That is the temptation. Mourinho you are

:25:29. > :25:32.quaranteed trophies, statistics tell you that in the first year or two.

:25:33. > :25:37.Pep the same. There will be many meetings going on in the hierarchy.

:25:38. > :25:42.He has a United legend sat beside him. Under Davis moist. They could

:25:43. > :25:47.do worse than give it to Giggs, in my opinion. OK.

:25:48. > :25:49.Manchester City have been consistently inconsistent in recent

:25:50. > :25:51.weeks with three defeats in their last five.

:25:52. > :25:53.Sunderland were the visitors to the Etihad Stadium.

:25:54. > :25:55.Three straight defeats had left them second from bottom.

:25:56. > :26:02.Yaya Toure scored an incredible goal at Arsenal last Monday night, it

:26:03. > :26:06.didn't get his side anything. The fact he is wearing the captain's

:26:07. > :26:11.armband tells you that Vincent Kompany isn't back in the Manchester

:26:12. > :26:15.City team am he is on the bench. The search to find his best team to

:26:16. > :26:20.field, Sam Allardyce made six changes to Sunderland, including in

:26:21. > :26:22.goal, with ex-city man, Costel Pantilimon has given way to Vito

:26:23. > :26:36.Mannone. Fletcher is already putting himself

:26:37. > :26:42.about. Little bit too strongly on Otamendi there. He is bothering

:26:43. > :26:46.Mangala and all over Otamendi. He is used to that lone striker role.

:26:47. > :26:57.Sterling is set through once more. Blocked. Anthony Taylor says

:26:58. > :27:10.free-kick Sunderland. I think that should be a penalty. M'Vila. Aware

:27:11. > :27:13.from Toure. Got that wrong in his efforts to bring some width over on

:27:14. > :27:28.that right hand side to Sunderland's play. Sterling, got the better of

:27:29. > :27:33.him. I think Kolarov put on someone el's boots on today. In to De

:27:34. > :27:39.Bruyne. What a cross. Headed in by Raheem Sterling. You will struggle

:27:40. > :27:42.to see a better cross in this packed Christmas Premier League period. De

:27:43. > :27:47.Bruyne followed, De Bruyne looked and fired. Even though Raheem

:27:48. > :27:50.Sterling isn't the sort of player you associate with headed goals,

:27:51. > :27:54.he's not the right build for it, I think anybody would want that one -

:27:55. > :28:14.on a plate. Manchester City 1, Sunderland 0. Silva. Toure. Toure

:28:15. > :28:19.winds one up. It's another cracker for the Yaya Toure collection. Not

:28:20. > :28:24.quite as spectacular as the one he scored at the Emirates on Monday

:28:25. > :28:29.night, but hit almost as firmly. Deadly accurate. You would already

:28:30. > :28:31.feel, with less than 17 minutes played, that the points are just

:28:32. > :28:39.about in the ball for Manchester City. Manchester City 2, Sunderland

:28:40. > :28:43.0. Manuel Pellegrini looks as calm and unruffled as ever by events on

:28:44. > :28:55.and off the field. Nothing seems to get to the engineer. Van Aanholt.

:28:56. > :28:59.Borini. That was very neatly done. He will continue his run wide -

:29:00. > :29:04.well, up to a point. Good ball from Borini. Fletcher left it. What a

:29:05. > :29:09.chance that was. Danny Graham couldn't take it. Sunderland opened

:29:10. > :29:13.Manchester City right up there. Clever from Fletcher to get out of

:29:14. > :29:18.the way. He was offside. Graham certainly wasn't. Chances to start

:29:19. > :29:22.games few and far between for Danny Graham these days. He is stick on

:29:23. > :29:35.the one goal for Sunderland in what is now 38 appearances for the club.

:29:36. > :29:40.Bony. M'Vila penalised. Happy to delicate this time and give it to De

:29:41. > :29:44.Bruyne. Another cracking ball in. It's another Manchester City goal.

:29:45. > :29:54.Wilfried Bony is the beneficiary this time.

:29:55. > :29:59.As for the delivery from Kevin De Bruyne, two out of two that have

:30:00. > :30:11.been absolutely top-class. That's just needs guiding.

:30:12. > :30:22.Good save by Vito Mannone. Needed a strong hand. This was superb, Kevin

:30:23. > :30:31.De Bruyne has run the show. He is putting on an awesome show.

:30:32. > :30:41.David Silva, to Kevin De Bruyne. Wilfried Bony will not get to it but

:30:42. > :30:47.it is back with Kevin De Bruyne. He has one for himself. All out attack,

:30:48. > :30:51.pass and move, Kevin De Bruyne has been making them, now he scores one.

:30:52. > :30:59.In a cruel twist of fate for Sunderland, the assist comes from

:31:00. > :31:05.one of their own players, it ends the run of four games without a goal

:31:06. > :31:12.as Coates can only turn it back into the path of Kevin De Bruyne. 4-0,

:31:13. > :31:20.Manchester City. Johnson... Graham, out to Jones. Sunderland corner,

:31:21. > :31:27.deflected from Aleksandar Kolarov. Nice reception from Adam Johnson,

:31:28. > :31:32.Manchester City players have not forgotten the part he played in an

:31:33. > :31:37.FA Cup final and a title win. -- nice reception for Adam Johnson from

:31:38. > :31:40.the Manchester City players. Lee Cattermole, it goes through, Fabio

:31:41. > :31:44.Borini denied but not the second time, slots it back Joe Hart, who is

:31:45. > :31:49.absolutely crestfallen that he has not kept a clean sheet, again. --

:31:50. > :31:54.slots it passed. It has changed the mood in the way end temporarily, a

:31:55. > :31:59.little like Chelsea last weekend, good save by Joe Hart in the first

:32:00. > :32:04.base, Fabio Borini kept his wits about him. Manchester City four,

:32:05. > :32:10.Sunderland one. Fabio Borini still believes, well, it is Christmas!

:32:11. > :32:15.Nicolas Otamendi, who has played plenty of games in quick succession

:32:16. > :32:19.with hardly a let up, making way for the returning captain, Vincent

:32:20. > :32:25.Kompany, back for Manchester City, just about certain, injury allowing,

:32:26. > :32:36.to start Tuesday's game at Leicester City, what a game that is.

:32:37. > :32:49.Has he been caught? Yes, penalty, Manchester City. Again, great

:32:50. > :32:53.combination work between Sterling and Silva(!) after a conversation

:32:54. > :32:57.between Wilfried Bony and Kevin De Bruyne, it is Wilfried Bony, trying

:32:58. > :33:01.to get his second of the day... Well... A penny for the thoughts of

:33:02. > :33:09.Kevin De Bruyne, he had the ball up first! Wilfried Bony, pointing to

:33:10. > :33:12.his chest and said, me! Not very clever, maybe monitoring Manchester

:33:13. > :33:16.City's skipper for the next few minutes, seems to have overstretched

:33:17. > :33:21.a few minutes ago shortly after coming into the action, this might

:33:22. > :33:25.be it... Caught in an awkward position, had to really stretch to

:33:26. > :33:31.achieve the ball, and there was a nasty slip and stretch. -- retrieve.

:33:32. > :33:37.A new straightaway. Martin Demichelis is going to come on the

:33:38. > :33:42.Manchester City, and for Vincent, rueful look to the heavens. He is

:33:43. > :33:49.going off. Not another lengthy lay-off, surely, what a blow the

:33:50. > :33:55.Manchester City. -- a new -- he knew about it straightaway. Kevin De

:33:56. > :34:01.Bruyne... Into the challenge. Now you see me, now you don't, Raheem

:34:02. > :34:09.Sterling to Kevin De Bruyne again... Wilfried Bony...? He has blazed

:34:10. > :34:13.another one high over the top act oriel -- he has blazed another one

:34:14. > :34:18.high over the top! . Wilfried Bony could not get his feet sorted out

:34:19. > :34:24.quick enough. Manchester City excellent again this afternoon.

:34:25. > :34:30.Performance was good, we played a complete game, we played well for

:34:31. > :34:35.the full 90 minutes, it is a shame to concede the one goal, obviously

:34:36. > :34:40.it was a bad shot and he was there. The rest of the time, we played very

:34:41. > :34:46.well. In possession we kept the ball OK, it is what we do when we are out

:34:47. > :34:51.of possession, we do not defend as a team correctly, we do not do the

:34:52. > :34:55.job, and while our position is not going to be determined by what we do

:34:56. > :34:58.against Manchester City, you want to see a bit more fight and a bit more

:34:59. > :35:04.steel and determination in the team than we saw today. The return of

:35:05. > :35:09.Vincent Kompany did not last very long, was that the calf problem?

:35:10. > :35:15.Yes, we will see tomorrow, right now it is impossible to know. But we

:35:16. > :35:19.must try to find different solution, because he is the captain, he is a

:35:20. > :35:27.player that we need, as soon as we can. Today, I wanted him to play the

:35:28. > :35:32.90 minutes, just because we have two place a mini games. -- today, I did

:35:33. > :35:37.not want him to play the full 90 minutes just because we have so many

:35:38. > :35:41.games to play but we could not have expected him to get injured already.

:35:42. > :35:51.STUDIO: A statement released by Vincent Kompany, news going to

:35:52. > :35:55.battle on, that is a massive blow. Huge, six games without a clean

:35:56. > :35:58.sheet, he was in the team the last time they kept a clean sheet, that

:35:59. > :36:04.is a huge blow, without a shadow of a doubt, without him they are not

:36:05. > :36:07.the same team at the back. Pretty comfortable victory today, one man

:36:08. > :36:12.stood out for you, Kevin De Bruyne, not for the first time. This man

:36:13. > :36:23.would have stood out for anybody today, absolutely superb.

:36:24. > :36:30.Is much better than I thought he was, he can play as a ten, on the

:36:31. > :36:34.right, on the left, a great athlete, is set play, always on the money. He

:36:35. > :36:39.must take pride in them, practice a lot, he really seems to play a bad

:36:40. > :36:43.pass when he is in the pressurised situation of the final third, he

:36:44. > :36:48.never panics, this one ends up being offside, but still, the right

:36:49. > :36:51.decision, and what I always like about him, unlike some players, he

:36:52. > :36:56.has fantastic skill, that he likes running without the ball, as well.

:36:57. > :37:03.Such a good athlete. Look at this for confidence... LAUGHTER

:37:04. > :37:08.Nobly like that happening to them. He got his reward is, because

:37:09. > :37:10.ultimately, you are judged on goal-scoring, in your attacking

:37:11. > :37:15.play, little pocket, hard to pick up, follows his own past, calm

:37:16. > :37:20.finish, really intelligent footballer. Ten goals, ten assists

:37:21. > :37:24.already this season, the only slight concern would be eight of those

:37:25. > :37:29.goals and nine of those assists have come at home. We need to see a list

:37:30. > :37:30.of more from him away from home when it is a little more difficult to

:37:31. > :37:40.play. Nobody is consistent, title chances?

:37:41. > :37:44.They are still my favourite, because of the attacking power they have,

:37:45. > :37:48.Wilfried Bony was brought back in and scored, Raheem Sterling came

:37:49. > :37:52.back and scored... Defensively I worry about them without Vincent

:37:53. > :37:56.Kompany. Does not look great for Sunderland. They are a soft touch,

:37:57. > :38:03.30s of golden seed already this season. 16 in away games. -- their

:38:04. > :38:10.last five away games. -- 37 goals conceded already this season. If Sam

:38:11. > :38:20.Allardyce does not go out and make a big signing, then they are done.

:38:21. > :38:24.Leicester were bottom of the league at Christmas,

:38:25. > :38:27.Claudio Ranieri's side were in action at Liverpool whose

:38:28. > :38:29.early momentum under Jurgen Klopp has stalled in recent weeks.

:38:30. > :38:31.Your commentator at Anfield was Steve Bower.

:38:32. > :38:39.COMMENTATOR: Simon Mignolet is fit enough to returning goal, only the

:38:40. > :38:41.eighth start for Divock Origi. Return from suspension of offender

:38:42. > :38:56.Robert Huth. The wind has been blowing Leicester

:38:57. > :38:59.City's way since August, and it is a blustery day on Merseyside. Space

:39:00. > :39:13.for Filip Kiss team you... Towards the bottom corner... Always in his

:39:14. > :39:27.mind. -- Philippe Coutinho. Given away... Adam Lallana is on to this.

:39:28. > :39:34.Scampering back. He went alone. Adam Lallana, he has scored only one goal

:39:35. > :39:39.in 27 Premier League matches. Jurgen Klopp has 12 points from 27 in the

:39:40. > :39:50.Premier League, Brendan Rodgers at 12 points from 24, when he was

:39:51. > :40:03.relieved of his duties. Daniel Klein going forward. Emre Can arriving,

:40:04. > :40:04.decent try. -- Nathaniel Clyne. Just two second ever Premier League goal,

:40:05. > :40:21.it would have been. Henderson looking for the pace of

:40:22. > :40:27.Divock Origi again. He has done really well, Divock Origi... Touch

:40:28. > :40:31.on the way through as well, kept out at the near post by Kasper

:40:32. > :40:34.Schmeichel, got there first, the Belgian striker. That may have

:40:35. > :40:47.clipped off Robert Huth. Leicester City alive to the

:40:48. > :40:51.situation, Marc Albrighton to his left, he has seen him...

:40:52. > :41:00.Good block from Henderson... Riyad Mahrez, still going... Good save

:41:01. > :41:07.from Simon Mignolet. Must have seen that late, the Liverpool goalkeeper.

:41:08. > :41:08.After soaking up the pressure, Leicester City with half a chance

:41:09. > :41:27.here. Sitting that little bit deeper. Can

:41:28. > :41:30.Liverpool break them down? Cross from Henderson... Christian

:41:31. > :41:38.Benteke... That is the kind of service written Ben Turk is looking

:41:39. > :41:44.for. Keep playing down the expectation, Leicester City's best

:41:45. > :41:50.Premier League finish eighth, in the 1999/2000 season. It would have to

:41:51. > :42:04.be a spectacular fall from grace not to better that. Written Ben Teck! --

:42:05. > :42:11.Christian Benteke! With the breakthrough! Fifth Premier League

:42:12. > :42:19.goal for Liverpool. Breaks the resistance of Leicester City. They

:42:20. > :42:27.have been patient, and they have been rewarded, Liverpool, Roberto

:42:28. > :42:35.Firmino able to get it across and that is a smart finish, the

:42:36. > :42:40.substitute on, and on with the goal. Historical match today for

:42:41. > :42:46.Liverpool, this is therefore set -- this is their 4000th fixture in the

:42:47. > :42:53.top flight in England. Looks set to be a winning one. Kasper Schmeichel

:42:54. > :43:00.has managed to pick out Dyer. Showing too much of it to Nathaniel

:43:01. > :43:09.Clyne. Terrific reflexes from Simon Mignolet. He has not had too much to

:43:10. > :43:17.do today. Twice now he has been alive to the situation. Riyad Mahrez

:43:18. > :43:21.has inspired Leicester City this season, along with Jamie Vardy, but,

:43:22. > :43:26.from the bench, they can only look up.

:43:27. > :43:35.Fernando Ulloa... Marc Albrighton... Header away. Time ticking away, from

:43:36. > :43:48.the point of view of Leicester City. He got a touch. In came King. He did

:43:49. > :43:56.enough. No wonder they are congratulating the German. Good

:43:57. > :44:05.block. This will be the last action. Long from Fuchs. Flick from

:44:06. > :44:10.Albrighton. Cleared by Henderson. Is there time for the throw? Mike e

:44:11. > :44:16.coming forward here, the goalkeeper. In from Fuchs. Defended by

:44:17. > :44:23.Henderson. Liverpool need to get this away. Fuchs, again. Brilliant

:44:24. > :44:26.blocking. Of Schmeichel's out of his goal. Surely Liverpool have to

:44:27. > :44:39.settle it here. There's no goalkeeper. It's Benteke. He can't

:44:40. > :44:45.miss, can he? Oh, he can. Still no final whistle. Well, if Leicester

:44:46. > :44:53.score now that will be extraordinary. Albrighton. King! Can

:44:54. > :44:58.you imagine if that had gone in? What Liverpool would have felt. But

:44:59. > :45:01.it is a welcome return to winning Wembley Stadiums for Jurgen Klopp

:45:02. > :45:06.and Liverpool. They have become the first team all season to stop

:45:07. > :45:09.Leicester scoring. Only the second to beat them under Claudio Ranieri.

:45:10. > :45:14.Well done. How significant a win is that for you? Very, very good. I

:45:15. > :45:20.don't have enough words for how important it was for us. Because

:45:21. > :45:24.after four games with no result, which we could really enjoy, so it

:45:25. > :45:28.was very important today to show that we learnt under the last games.

:45:29. > :45:32.Your second defeat. Did you deserve something from that today, do you

:45:33. > :45:39.think? I don't know if we deserve. We start to play so late. Maybe on

:45:40. > :45:44.the second-half, in the last 30 minutes. Liverpool pushed from the

:45:45. > :45:48.beginning and for this reason they deserve to win. But we conceded to

:45:49. > :45:52.them just the one chance and they scored a goal. I think I tried to

:45:53. > :45:59.help the team. I know my job. My job is to score. That's what I did this

:46:00. > :46:04.afternoon. I'm happy. Crazy end. Two or three chances to settle it and

:46:05. > :46:08.make it more straight-forward? Yeah. I have to kill the game. The spirit

:46:09. > :46:14.now is not so good, but that is good. That is good because they

:46:15. > :46:18.always want to try to win, not always this is possible. Now we have

:46:19. > :46:25.to clean our mind and think for the next match. Excellent result for

:46:26. > :46:29.Liverpool. Benteke coming on to score the winning goal. You are not

:46:30. > :46:34.convinced about his teen usual at Liverpool so far? He said himself,

:46:35. > :46:38.he has to score goals. For him to do that Liverpool are still searching

:46:39. > :46:44.how to get the best out of him, when to cross, when not to cross. He was

:46:45. > :46:48.subbed today. Yes, he had one or two injuries. If you do that, put balls

:46:49. > :46:52.in, that is when you'll get the best out of him. Also, the players are

:46:53. > :46:56.learning to play to them. That should be passed there. If it's

:46:57. > :47:00.there now, he's offside. If it had gone a second or two earlier he is

:47:01. > :47:04.in with a chance on goal. The players have to understand what he's

:47:05. > :47:08.good at. If you get balls into the box. I think he is a threat. Doesn't

:47:09. > :47:12.have to be on to his head all the time much he finds space there. It's

:47:13. > :47:16.a very, very good finish. In the end that is the winning goal. This is

:47:17. > :47:24.offside. The linesman doesn't give it for some reason. Why doesn't he

:47:25. > :47:29.shoot there? An open goal, roll it interest it in from 23-24-yards.

:47:30. > :47:33.That is a sitter thechl didn't need it. They have to get the best out of

:47:34. > :47:38.him yet. They are not sure when to put the ball in or not. Like you at

:47:39. > :47:46.Arsenal, it would wouldn't be Christmas if we didn't look at

:47:47. > :47:49.Danny's cubsary Leicester title. It wasn't the team we have seen for

:47:50. > :47:56.most of the season? It had to happen. They had been playing with

:47:57. > :48:00.confidence, intensity and zip about their play. They had to have a day

:48:01. > :48:06.off. They were flat. No reason for it. The one player who bang at it

:48:07. > :48:10.was Kante. People talk about keeping hold of Mahrez and Vardy in January.

:48:11. > :48:16.They have to keep hold of him. They were brilliant today. Still top. Top

:48:17. > :48:19.two meet on Tuesday. I bet you didn't think you would say that at

:48:20. > :48:27.the beginning of the season. A lot of things I didn't think I would be

:48:28. > :48:29.saying at the start of the season, to be perfectly honest. It's all

:48:30. > :48:30.good fun. Guus Hiddink led out Chelsea

:48:31. > :48:33.for the first time since taking over In-form Watford arrived

:48:34. > :48:41.at Stamford Bridge on a run Diego Costa is one of those who

:48:42. > :48:43.attracted the displeasure of the Chelsea fans of late. He scored

:48:44. > :48:48.three Premier League goals this season. This time last year he had

:48:49. > :48:52.13. Watford's Ighalo is their top scorer with 12 and leads the way in

:48:53. > :49:02.the country with 28 league goals in this calendar year. The two managers

:49:03. > :49:07.know each other well. Watford's Quique Flores was player at Valencia

:49:08. > :49:12.when Guus Hiddink was coach there. Watford's last win was in May 1966,

:49:13. > :49:20.in the Graham Taylor era, they won 5-1. Costa is making a run straight

:49:21. > :49:27.into the penalty area here. And there he is. Pedro's on the ball.

:49:28. > :49:31.Look at where Costa goes. Just headed it over the bar from Pedro's

:49:32. > :49:35.cross. When Chelsea ran out today they got a good reception from the

:49:36. > :49:41.fans. Very different I felt from what it was most of last Saturday

:49:42. > :49:46.afternoon. No flag this time. Three Chelsea players make their way into

:49:47. > :49:53.the centre. Perhaps that ball could have been delivered a tiny bit

:49:54. > :50:03.better. Costa was breaking. Three were waiting. He couldn't get the

:50:04. > :50:08.ball to any of them. Oh, Terry and Cahill together. And, Diego Costa

:50:09. > :50:17.has scored for Chelsea! He points as if to prove a few people wrong. The

:50:18. > :50:23.corner swung in by Willian. Costa swung the left foot when the ball

:50:24. > :50:28.came down. And, from that position, inside the six-yard box, he gave

:50:29. > :50:46.Gomes no chance. Chelsea 1, Watford 0, after 32 minutes. Free-kick

:50:47. > :50:51.Watford. Use of the arms by Cahill. It's the right footer from Jurado. A

:50:52. > :50:55.corner has been given. Chelsea are complaining. It did seem to me to

:50:56. > :51:05.flick off a Chelsea head. Gives Watford new hope. Watson will take

:51:06. > :51:12.the corner. Oh, penalty. Maybe Ivanovic. And, Watford suddenly see

:51:13. > :51:18.a passport back into this match, Hiddink curses his fortune. Because,

:51:19. > :51:24.as Watson takes this corner, watch for - ot, it is's Matic, in fact.

:51:25. > :51:28.That is handball. It's Matic who handles it. Troy Deeney, who has

:51:29. > :51:33.been pretty reliable from the spot this season, will take the penalty

:51:34. > :51:39.for Watford. Oh, he just rolls it in, Deeney. The captain scores for

:51:40. > :51:45.Watford. It's 1-1 at the Bridge. Chelsea are under threat again.

:51:46. > :51:49.Deeney just placed that with so much confidence, and he scores what, for

:51:50. > :52:00.him, is his sixth of the season. Chelsea 1, Watford 1. This is

:52:01. > :52:18.Jurado. He's got help here. It's come to

:52:19. > :52:27.Capoue. Good save. Capoue tried again. Important stop that, surely,

:52:28. > :52:34.by the Chelsea goalkeeper. It was Etienne Capoue who nearly scored his

:52:35. > :52:42.first goal for Watford. Jurado. Ighalo! It's in. Watford are in

:52:43. > :52:47.front. Would you believe it? Look at the celebrations there in the

:52:48. > :52:55.corner. Ighalo has done it again. Goal number 13 of the season. Goal

:52:56. > :52:59.number 29 of the year. There was a deflection, I have to say, there.

:53:00. > :53:06.That may have made the difference. I think it's off Cahill. It's Chelsea

:53:07. > :53:11.1, Watford 2. What a season Flores and his team really turning the form

:53:12. > :53:19.book upside down in the Premier League. A bit of pace here from

:53:20. > :53:25.Jurado. Ivanovic has caught him up. He's found Oscar. This is Willian.

:53:26. > :53:35.Costa's in the middle here. Costa! Turns, and scores! There's no flag.

:53:36. > :53:40.Diego Costa has made it 2-2. His second of the match. Well, it was

:53:41. > :53:45.Ivanovic who won it down on this touchline initially, then Willian

:53:46. > :53:51.plays a ball that just offsets the Watford back four. I think he was

:53:52. > :53:55.just onside, Costa. Good finish. Two defenders either side of him

:53:56. > :54:00.couldn't get there. Gomes came out. It's now Chelsea and Diego Costa 2,

:54:01. > :54:13.Watford 2 and where does this game go from here? Good moment. Forward

:54:14. > :54:19.by Mikel. Costa of course is on a hat-trick as Hazard brings the ball

:54:20. > :54:26.- oh, penalty is it? Yes, it is. It's Chelsea's turn for a penalty.

:54:27. > :54:32.Behrami on Hazard, with 11 minutes to go at the Bridge. Eden Hazard

:54:33. > :54:37.coming inside here. He's in the box. Oh, look at that, Behrami's taken

:54:38. > :54:42.him. It's got to be a penalty. He scored to the goalkeeper's left last

:54:43. > :54:51.week, Oscar, to the right as we look. Can he put Chelsea in front

:54:52. > :54:59.here? Oh, he's missed it! It's a poor penalty from Oscar. And Chelsea

:55:00. > :55:03.throwaway a chance of going 3-2 up. Watford fans don't mind too much.

:55:04. > :55:08.Well, last week he took it clinically. This week, he's all over

:55:09. > :55:15.the place. Slipped as he took it, actually. A bit of a game this. Well

:55:16. > :55:22.played by Deeney. This is Ighalo. And he's got help inside. And it's

:55:23. > :55:32.Deeney, again. Now, Watford's turn to appeal for another penalty.

:55:33. > :55:41.Watson. Of and Chelsea break away. Costa. Watson. Marriner playing two

:55:42. > :55:46.or three advantages and keeping the flow of the play. He is going to get

:55:47. > :55:49.his card out here. I believe Costa will miss the game against

:55:50. > :55:55.Manchester United in two-days' time for sliding in like that. He was on

:55:56. > :55:59.four yellows before today. And he looks bitterly disappointed now. At

:56:00. > :56:03.the end it's a fair result am you have to have respect for our

:56:04. > :56:08.opponent which is in a winning streak. Winning mood, several weeks.

:56:09. > :56:13.They have dangerous strikers. In the end, I think we could have made a

:56:14. > :56:18.little bit more. We had some chances in the first half already. It was a

:56:19. > :56:22.pity that Oscar slipped away on the 3-2 for the penalty. That was

:56:23. > :56:28.Chelsea of old. They came out and tried to get the fans behind them in

:56:29. > :56:31.both halves. We dealt with it quite well we got luck towards the end

:56:32. > :56:34.with their penalty miss. We had chances and so scored two goals away

:56:35. > :56:40.from home. That is a positive result for us. For us it was very, very

:56:41. > :56:44.important point. Very important to be competitive against every team.

:56:45. > :56:50.It was very tough to play against Chelsea. But I am really happy with

:56:51. > :56:54.the players. You see everybody running, fighting, that is a good

:56:55. > :56:58.spirit. I think our game was good. We just had bad luck in those two

:56:59. > :57:03.goals. Everybody running, everybody fighting. New manager, but no win. I

:57:04. > :57:08.suppose the positives, return to form of Diego Costa and a couple of

:57:09. > :57:13.goals to boot? Really positive. Looked a different player, for

:57:14. > :57:17.whatever reason. He looked sharper, fitter, hungry hechl put himself

:57:18. > :57:21.about. More importantly, he was in the box or trying to be in the box.

:57:22. > :57:25.This is where weigh want to see him. Between the sticks, trying to score.

:57:26. > :57:28.Good ball in, a header. Recently we haven't seen him in central areas

:57:29. > :57:32.enough. He has desire again to get in the right place. He was a threat,

:57:33. > :57:37.again. Where do you want your striker? On a corner, three our four

:57:38. > :57:40.yards from goal. Strong, quick, instinctive finish. No lack of

:57:41. > :57:43.confidence there. That is Diego Costa we were raving about last

:57:44. > :57:48.season hechl is pointing, put it in the box, I will get on the end of

:57:49. > :57:52.it. Doesn't quite get there from the brilliant ball from Pedro. He got

:57:53. > :57:56.his second goal with a another superb run. Brilliant pass from

:57:57. > :57:59.Willian. Confident finish from a striker who we know has that

:58:00. > :58:05.ability. The linkup in the right areas is more dangerous. It wouldn't

:58:06. > :58:09.be an afternoon - This is mad. This is so silly. Silly in the fact he

:58:10. > :58:12.could have had a red instead of a yellow. Now, he was lucky to get a

:58:13. > :58:17.yellow heaven will miss the United game now. You mentioned he spent a

:58:18. > :58:21.lot more time in the box today. The imhes werive thing about him today,

:58:22. > :58:25.he hasn't been running in behind and asking questions of defenders.

:58:26. > :58:29.Running in behind them. With his second goal he was prepared to do

:58:30. > :58:34.that. I would say, I saw in the post-match quotes from Hiddink, he

:58:35. > :58:37.was begrudging in his praise, almost saying things like - he might even

:58:38. > :58:43.leave in the window am he didn't say that. It was interfered with him he

:58:44. > :58:46.is emotional, temperament? Maybe they have somebody lined up in

:58:47. > :58:54.January that we don't know about, Gary. I don't know. Do you know? No.

:58:55. > :58:59.OK. As for Watford, five games unbeaten, Ighalo, Deeney scoring

:59:00. > :59:01.again. Happy Christmas? Superb. Seventh in the league. Refreshing

:59:02. > :59:05.the way they took the game to Chelsea. I thought they were

:59:06. > :59:08.brilliant, again. Certainly a point was more than deserved. Got what

:59:09. > :59:13.they deserved. Well coached. So well-organised. Even when they were

:59:14. > :59:18.under pressure, they dug in. They looked like they had a good shape

:59:19. > :59:24.and balance and never gave in, tremendous. We mention the front

:59:25. > :59:26.two. There is more to Watford the way they work. Difficult to beat.

:59:27. > :59:32.Good team. Spurs were looking to consolidate

:59:33. > :59:34.their top four position against a Norwich side who beat

:59:35. > :59:36.Manchester United last time out. Your commentator at White Hart Lane

:59:37. > :59:48.was Jonathan Pearce. COMMENTATOR: Harry Kane is one shy

:59:49. > :59:54.of the Tottenham record of Teddy Sheringham, 25 league goals in a

:59:55. > :59:58.calendar year. He meets the man who gave him his first start, in a loan

:59:59. > :00:04.spell at Carrow Road, Norwich City and Alex Neil. Gary O'Neil is unfit,

:00:05. > :00:10.so he is out. Wes Hoolahan goes to the bench. Norwich City have not won

:00:11. > :00:16.in the capital in the Premier League since triumphing here 44 months ago.

:00:17. > :00:20.There is good pace about Norwich City when they pick up the ball.

:00:21. > :00:37.Redmond. Switching it to Brady... Forcing a good save out of bigger

:00:38. > :00:43.lorries -- Hugo Lloris. First start of the campaign for the Belgian

:00:44. > :00:46.international. Jerome... He has done Jan Vertonghen. He needed his

:00:47. > :00:58.national team-mate. Brady takes it short and get it

:00:59. > :01:01.back. Better angle on the cross, goes for goal in the end. Chose to

:01:02. > :01:15.punch. Thought about coming, did not,

:01:16. > :01:17.Jerome has headed over a very good chance, Norwich City should be

:01:18. > :01:26.ahead. Was too powerful therefore hold of a riled -- he was too

:01:27. > :01:37.powerful in the air for Toby Alderweireld. That has gone all of

:01:38. > :01:41.the way across. Chance out of nothing for Tottenham Hotspur. The

:01:42. > :01:43.pass was intended for Harry Kane, but went all of the way through.

:01:44. > :01:55.Alert goalkeeping, and then white. Dele Alli, looking for Harry Kane in

:01:56. > :02:06.behind, goalkeeper comes out, penalty given. The patient build-up

:02:07. > :02:13.for Tottenham Hotspur pays off, touched around the goalkeeper.

:02:14. > :02:17.Definite penalty. Harry Kane looks for the 26th league goal in a

:02:18. > :02:22.calendar year to level Teddy Sheringham's Tottenham Hotspur

:02:23. > :02:29.record... He has scored! Tottenham Hotspur lead. 1-0, Tottenham, in the

:02:30. > :02:35.26 minute, Harry Kane levels the club record. 100 games for Spurs,

:02:36. > :02:42.chalked up last week, that is his 48th goal! That is Tottenham

:02:43. > :02:46.Hotspur's 100 goal in all competitions against Norwich City.

:02:47. > :02:53.Toby Alderweireld, looking for Dele Alli... Headed away, it is a corner

:02:54. > :03:00.for Tottenham Hotspur. Christian Eriksen with it... Free header,

:03:01. > :03:07.terrific goalkeeping! And again! To deny Dele Alli. Both he and Toby

:03:08. > :03:12.Alderweireld, foiled by very good goalkeeping. Brilliant save.

:03:13. > :03:19.Reaction stuff, and then the recovery save as well.

:03:20. > :03:27.Dele Alli's flick... Three onto... Dele Alli has Harry Kane out there,

:03:28. > :03:30.plays him in... He has had to go wide, Sebastien Bassong ahead of

:03:31. > :03:38.him, he meets it with a fantastic shot! Tottenham Hotspur, 2-0! Teddy

:03:39. > :03:45.Sheringham's record has been beaten! 27 goals in Premier League football

:03:46. > :03:49.for Harry Kane in 2015! A Tottenham Hotspur record!

:03:50. > :03:54.There was no danger, Sebastien Bassong standing him up but he got

:03:55. > :03:59.the extra half yard with a touch wide, that gave him the angle for

:04:00. > :04:04.the shop. Harry Kane has two. -- angle for the shot.

:04:05. > :04:15.Good football, Dele Alli... Erik Lamela, back to him, this would be a

:04:16. > :04:23.beautiful goal! Away by Sebastien Bassong from Erik Lamela. That move

:04:24. > :04:28.deserved a goal, beautiful football by Tottenham in the build-up. Declan

:04:29. > :04:31.Rudd makes the save, good one, and then the block from Christian

:04:32. > :04:43.Eriksen by Sebastien Bassong. Showed too much of it there, Tettey.

:04:44. > :04:48.Mousa Dembele pulls out of the challenge, wisely, he is on a yellow

:04:49. > :04:52.card. What an effort that was, saved by the goalkeeper! Look at the

:04:53. > :04:58.execution of the shot, in slow motion, he has done it before for

:04:59. > :05:06.Tottenham Hotspur... Expect the unexpected from Erik Lamela!

:05:07. > :05:22.Releases Tom Carroll, what a lovely goal to wrap it up! White Hart Lane

:05:23. > :05:32.singing carols(!) Tom Carroll makes it three, lovely effort. 11 minutes

:05:33. > :05:34.to go, and Norwich City are beaten. Picked it out, looked up, cracked it

:05:35. > :05:50.from distance. Jerome has pulled away from his

:05:51. > :05:56.marker... Second chance... Saved by Hugo Lloris, first time, and

:05:57. > :06:01.brilliantly, the second time, almost caught... Has been caught as Jerome

:06:02. > :06:04.came in, in active for long periods, decent first save, brave goalkeeping

:06:05. > :06:09.in the second, there is no reason why Hugo Lloris should not be

:06:10. > :06:13.competing for the top two players, let alone a top four position.

:06:14. > :06:21.I think we must feel proud for the players. Read the first 15 minutes,

:06:22. > :06:29.I think it was difficult for us. After that, we managed the game. We

:06:30. > :06:34.have done fine. I understand the penalty am at the first goal,

:06:35. > :06:38.nothing in it though, we had a couple of good opportunities, they

:06:39. > :06:43.did two, when we conceded, they grew in confidence. We found it tough.

:06:44. > :06:46.Some people have been saying, Tottenham Hotspur can finish in the

:06:47. > :06:52.top four? Why shouldn't they be going on to challenge the title? The

:06:53. > :06:57.side is doing well at the minute, but some would say that we can do

:06:58. > :07:02.better than that. At the moment, the top four is the aim. Take everything

:07:03. > :07:07.as it comes, and hopefully we can push on. STUDIO:

:07:08. > :07:14.Top four, great keeper, Dele Alli, playing with the maturity of a

:07:15. > :07:17.veteran, looking good for Tottenham! I was very impressed with them,

:07:18. > :07:22.particularly when they got the first goal, the way they kicked on, I like

:07:23. > :07:26.the look of Dele Alli, I like the way he links up with Harry Kane.

:07:27. > :07:34.It looks like they have a great understanding of the game together.

:07:35. > :07:39.Without a doubt, that is a penalty, the goalkeeper makes a hash of it,

:07:40. > :07:45.but the vision to get in that position in the first place. Step

:07:46. > :07:48.over, left foot, right foot, showboating, great skill, full of

:07:49. > :07:52.confidence, and rightly so, after the start he has had in his Spurs

:07:53. > :07:57.career. When you have a player who is prepared to run at defenders like

:07:58. > :08:01.he is, doesn't half help a centre forward, because she draw out

:08:02. > :08:07.players, creating space for you as a centre forward. Harry Kane will

:08:08. > :08:10.benefit for that. Starts the move deep in his own half, picks the

:08:11. > :08:14.past, this is all about the finish from Harry Kane, just a superb

:08:15. > :08:20.finish from a top-class centre forward. The real deal? No doubt,

:08:21. > :08:25.people are talking about making half a yard for yourself, that is what

:08:26. > :08:29.they mean, shifting it, no backlit, too quick for the goalkeeper, when

:08:30. > :08:34.the goalkeeper is down, too late, does not have time to set himself.

:08:35. > :08:39.Run at the defender, give and go, and it was a brilliant performance

:08:40. > :08:41.from him. Big future. As for Norwich City, step backwards after such a

:08:42. > :08:50.good result? It was, they cause problems to begin

:08:51. > :08:53.with, after the great win at Manchester United but they need to

:08:54. > :08:56.do that for longer periods in the game, because they came up against a

:08:57. > :08:59.good site today, and they looked fragile. Big game on Monday, massive

:09:00. > :09:03.game. Just another 48-hours

:09:04. > :09:06.to wait until your next hit Final Final Score will keep

:09:07. > :09:17.you up-to-date with all of Monday's BBC Two from 4.30pm and Match

:09:18. > :09:22.of the Day features action from nine Premier League games,

:09:23. > :09:23.10.30pm, BBC One. coming up it's Swansea

:09:24. > :09:28.versus West Brom, but first

:09:29. > :09:30.Newcastle against Everton where Romelu Lukaku was aiming

:09:31. > :09:32.to become only the fourth player in Premier League history to score

:09:33. > :09:46.in eight consecutive games. COMMENTATOR: Groin injury for Papiss

:09:47. > :09:49.Cisse opens the door for Alexander Mitrovic to make his first Newcastle

:09:50. > :09:54.start for five weeks, the Serbian has blown hot and cold so far, coach

:09:55. > :09:58.Steve McClaren describes this as a big opportunity to make a mark.

:09:59. > :10:03.Roberto Martinez has opted to change the wide men for the first time

:10:04. > :10:08.since October, so Gerard elevator and Arouna Kone are dropped to the

:10:09. > :10:26.bench for Aaron Lennon and Kevin Mirallas. -- Gerard

:10:27. > :10:31.Deulofeu. The first touch here was gorgeous, Rob Elliot, who has been

:10:32. > :10:43.in good nick of late, made an important save. Cissokho, Vurnon

:10:44. > :10:56.Anita... And again... Alexander Mitrovic towards the back post. Here

:10:57. > :11:00.he is... In the shoulder of Seamus Coleman, could not control the

:11:01. > :11:05.header, at last, in the 25th minute, some semblance of a threat for the

:11:06. > :11:12.home side. Romelu Lukaku, onside, bearing down, another fine save from

:11:13. > :11:14.Rob Elliot. Forces the save. Lovely weight on the pass from Aaron

:11:15. > :11:29.Lennon, clearly onside. Can you work it through to Romelu

:11:30. > :11:35.Lukaku, and he can, and can he get away from... He can, but Rob Elliot

:11:36. > :11:37.denies Everton. Third save with his legs, this was fabulous, centre

:11:38. > :11:56.forward play by Romelu Lukaku. In from Gareth Barry, Romelu Lukaku,

:11:57. > :12:01.Rob Elliot there again for the shot from Aaron Lennon. Doing echoing

:12:02. > :12:06.around the stadium, because Newcastle fans felt Romelu Lukaku

:12:07. > :12:11.handle it. Lennon played on, bringing another fine stop out of

:12:12. > :12:18.the Newcastle goalkeeper. -- handled. Not far wide! Bringing it

:12:19. > :12:25.down very well. Long kick from Rob Elliot. Miss judged by Gareth Barry

:12:26. > :12:28.and AUT Peres was on to it in a flash, pretty clear that this game

:12:29. > :12:37.is going to be settled by a very narrow margin. -- Ayoze Perez. Back

:12:38. > :12:43.post, Alexander Mitrovic, taken up his position at back post, but he

:12:44. > :12:48.has missed it again, so much to admire about Alexander Mitrovic's

:12:49. > :12:51.movement, but is finishing at the moment is right, when chances

:12:52. > :12:53.present themselves, you have got to put them away.

:12:54. > :13:11.Sissoko... Jack Colback... Into the box. The comeback from... What a

:13:12. > :13:15.save! Ayoze Perez! For the first time this afternoon, Tim Howard

:13:16. > :13:24.forced into action and when he was needed he produces a very good save.

:13:25. > :13:33.Besic is in the way. Leading the counterattack. Kevin Mirallas back

:13:34. > :13:40.post. Good work from Vurnon Anita, Everton's corner. Newcastle have

:13:41. > :13:44.brought back every bree, Leighton Baines's delivery, the goalkeeper

:13:45. > :13:49.could not get to it, but was required to make a terrific save,

:13:50. > :13:55.from the header, how many saves is Rob Elliot going to produce today?

:13:56. > :14:00.Chanting around the stadium now, in recognition of the former Newcastle

:14:01. > :14:10.goalkeeper, who suffered a cardiac arrest one week ago. Pavel Srnicek.

:14:11. > :14:19.90 seconds of added time to be played. Gerard Deulofeu, he has

:14:20. > :14:21.found Romelu Lukaku, Osman to his right, this is to win it... What a

:14:22. > :14:32.challenge! Lukaku denied right at the death.

:14:33. > :14:38.Newcastle hearts in mouths here. A cross with a key, key challenge. So

:14:39. > :14:46.this is it. 20 seconds of the three minutes of added time are left.

:14:47. > :14:50.Deulofeu shots, punched away. Back by Cleverley. It's in. Everton have

:14:51. > :14:55.won it with the last touch of the game. Tom Cleverley first ever goal

:14:56. > :15:03.for Everton. It brings Everton victory. What a horrific finish for

:15:04. > :15:06.Newcastle United. In particular, for their goalkeeper, Rob Elliot, who's

:15:07. > :15:10.been magnificent throughout. Could have caught it. Went for the punch.

:15:11. > :15:20.Cleverley, how he punishes him. Could not have placed it any better.

:15:21. > :15:24.And what a bitter ter blow for Newcastle who don't have time to

:15:25. > :15:30.respond. Newcastle's relegation concerns go on. We had the complete

:15:31. > :15:33.performance, defended well, stopped Newcastle's threat and created a

:15:34. > :15:37.huge amount of good goalscoring opportunities. Elliot in goal was

:15:38. > :15:42.magnificent in that respect. To get it in the last kick of the game it

:15:43. > :15:46.feels even emotionally a better Long wait for win. Your first Everton

:15:47. > :15:50.goal what a way to score it. Definitely. In the last couple of

:15:51. > :15:55.weeks I've felt it coming. Today thankfully it has gone in. A lot of

:15:56. > :15:59.hard work went into that moment. Hopefully we can kick on and get

:16:00. > :16:04.wins now. They are down. Not sat on the bench, they are under the bench.

:16:05. > :16:07.They gave so much, not just for themselves, for each other and for

:16:08. > :16:14.the 50,000 who support them every week. I said I see a team in there.

:16:15. > :16:17.We had that 100% effort. Which we have had performance week after week

:16:18. > :16:28.we will win games and get lucky sometimes. We didn't have it today.

:16:29. > :16:37.COMMENTATOR: Routledge and Jefferson Montero will give the Swans

:16:38. > :16:44.whicheded today and will hope to revive plenty for Ayew. Gomez is is

:16:45. > :17:04.on the bench. Lambert replacing the suspended Rondon. With McClean also

:17:05. > :17:08.banned. Ned. Ned. Yacob returns. Hits the post. Off the goalkeeper.

:17:09. > :17:19.Scrabbled in. Park Ji-Sung with the final touch. Swansea City are in

:17:20. > :17:25.front. It was slightly fortunate. West Brom concede in the opening

:17:26. > :17:30.nine minutes. The run here by Rangel beautifully executed just as Myhill

:17:31. > :17:35.was trying to grab that loose ball. Beaten it to it by Park Ji-Sung. The

:17:36. > :17:42.south Korean's first goal of the season. Plenty of festive cheer to

:17:43. > :17:46.the home fans here at the Liberty. West Brom unfortunate. Swansea

:17:47. > :17:55.making the most of it. A lot of shaking of the head from Tony Pulis.

:17:56. > :18:01.Morrison. Tries to find Gardner. He got past Ashley Williams who fouls

:18:02. > :18:05.the West Brom man. Just outside the penalty area. Free-kick to the

:18:06. > :18:09.Baggies in a very promising position. Look at that line of four

:18:10. > :18:14.West Brom players in the middle of the wall. They will presumably try

:18:15. > :18:21.and break and create a gap. Gardner leaves it for brunt. Comes off Leon

:18:22. > :18:27.Britton. Could have gone anywhere. Still plenty of speculation over who

:18:28. > :18:31.might be inhabiting the Swansea technical area on a permanent basis.

:18:32. > :18:34.The Chairman making no reference whatsoever to the managerial

:18:35. > :18:43.situation in his programme notes today. Taylor. Turned away from

:18:44. > :18:52.Dawson. West Brom throw. It comes off Neil Taylor. Dawson with the

:18:53. > :18:57.long throw. Is half away by Williams. Drops here for Fletcher.

:18:58. > :19:01.Out for a corner. West Bromwich Albion feeling they should have had

:19:02. > :19:05.a decision in their favour here. As the ball comes across the challenge

:19:06. > :19:13.from Rangel, does he take out Chris Brunt? It is certainly what the

:19:14. > :19:19.Baggies players felt. In towards Myhill. It just couldn't be met with

:19:20. > :19:23.a final telling connection there from Dawson. Look at Dawson here,

:19:24. > :19:27.how he gets away from his marker. He needed to poke that into the net.

:19:28. > :19:41.West Brom's best chance. This is Brunt. Gardner and Morrison

:19:42. > :19:47.in the middle. Morrison. Brunt. Arriving late, Les Lambert. Header

:19:48. > :20:00.too lose to Fabianski. Fabianski doesn't have to move too far to make

:20:01. > :20:04.the save. Evans. McManaman. Going through into the penalty area. Down

:20:05. > :20:07.in the penalty area. Tony Pulis is appealing for a spot-kick. Most of

:20:08. > :20:11.the West Bromwich Albion bench is up for a spot-kick. In the end, Rangel

:20:12. > :20:17.in there with McManaman. Both players could be in a lot of trouble

:20:18. > :20:23.here. What action is the referee going to take here? Was he diving in

:20:24. > :20:28.an attempt to win a penalty? Swansea certainly felt so. Coming forward at

:20:29. > :20:31.pace here. Leon Brittan with the final challenge. West Brom were

:20:32. > :20:37.convinced they should have been awarded a penalty, but they didn't

:20:38. > :20:42.get with one. He looks at his watch. Could this be the victory that turns

:20:43. > :20:46.Swansea City's season around? It's the first under caretaker-manager,

:20:47. > :20:49.Alan Curtice. Their first victory here since the end of August. Only

:20:50. > :20:56.their fourth in the Premier League this season. Swansea 1, West Brom 0.

:20:57. > :20:59.I think we can pass the ball a lot better. I think the two previous

:21:00. > :21:03.games we have passed it better. Lots more possession. I thought we really

:21:04. > :21:07.dug in today. I thought we showed huge amount of character. Did you

:21:08. > :21:10.need a little bit of luck and did you get it today with that goal?

:21:11. > :21:16.Yeah, maybe. It was a beautiful goal. When the ball comes to me I

:21:17. > :21:20.just decide to score. As long as we got the three-points it's a great

:21:21. > :21:25.goal for me. The goal we conceded with a sloppy and poor goal you need

:21:26. > :21:30.breaks, John. You need referees making correct decisions.

:21:31. > :21:34.Unfortunately again today we had two looks - brunt is a stonewall at

:21:35. > :21:38.penalty with Rodgers five yards from that. I don't know why he doesn't

:21:39. > :21:43.give it. Callum's at the end, that is a penalty. He doesn't touch the

:21:44. > :21:47.ball and catches Callum's foot. The lads worked hard today. We put a

:21:48. > :21:50.real shift in today. We don't deserve to lose this game. Is there

:21:51. > :21:54.a sense you might be in charge for longer than you initially thought?

:21:55. > :21:57.Well, I don't know if my voice can take much more, to be honest with

:21:58. > :22:01.you. We will keep going and prepare as normal. If a new man comes in, as

:22:02. > :22:07.long as he's the right man, that's great. That poor run has ended,

:22:08. > :22:13.first win since October. Finally, they got luck, didn't they? Yes,

:22:14. > :22:17.Tony Pulis is right am you need its, hes special specially when are you

:22:18. > :22:21.down there. I have seen them play better recently and not winch they

:22:22. > :22:24.won't mind this. It is a joke goal. Keeper should do better at the

:22:25. > :22:31.near-post. When it bounces off him he doesn't know where it is. Bar of

:22:32. > :22:34.soap. Credit for to Ki for following up first. That gave them something

:22:35. > :22:38.to hold on to. West Bromwich Albion played well. I agree with Tony

:22:39. > :22:45.Pulis. I think this one in particular. It's a definite penalty.

:22:46. > :22:51.Gets there. This one? This for me isn't. He makes the most of it. A

:22:52. > :22:56.dive. Gone down early, isn't he Players reactions are very obvious.

:22:57. > :22:59.They are absolutely fuming with him because, all right, might be a tiny

:23:00. > :23:02.touch. He's gone down so easily there. They should have had a

:23:03. > :23:07.penalty. Actually the performance overall was a good one from West

:23:08. > :23:11.Brom. Back to the previous game, Newcastle against Everton. Stunning

:23:12. > :23:18.finale. Sorry to remind you of i Thanks. Newcastle ruing big misses.

:23:19. > :23:25.Rob Elliot, once again, was superb and kept his team in it. There was a

:23:26. > :23:29.few last-ditch tackles when you get a chance to kill the game, and a big

:23:30. > :23:34.chance like Newcastle had last week against Aston Villa to go 2-0 up.

:23:35. > :23:41.The far-post, a sitter. Game over with if that goes in last week no

:23:42. > :23:46.coming back for Aston Villa. Today, 0-0, 15 minutes left. They worked

:23:47. > :23:49.very hard. But, this is, again, an absolute sitter. The Mitrovic. He's

:23:50. > :23:54.got to score. Never mind hit the target. A brilliant ball in. Got to

:23:55. > :23:57.score that goal. Not everyone is as good as you in the air, have you to

:23:58. > :24:03.remember that. High standards. If you don't take your chance - This

:24:04. > :24:08.can happen. An amazing goal. Everton just edged it. I enjoyed watching

:24:09. > :24:12.them play recently. They have been unlucky at the games at Norwich,

:24:13. > :24:16.Bournemouth and the home game to Palace to not have more points Some

:24:17. > :24:18.of their football today was terrific it really was. Particularly in the

:24:19. > :24:22.fist half, played great tough. Our final two games feature

:24:23. > :24:24.Bournemouth against Crystal Palace, but before that it's bottom

:24:25. > :24:27.of the table Aston Villa, who began the day 10-points

:24:28. > :24:36.from safety, against West Ham. Christmas is awful early to be

:24:37. > :24:40.talking about must win games, but when you are in Villa's position it

:24:41. > :24:44.seems almost inevitable. Their home form has been so poor they haven't

:24:45. > :24:52.won here in the league since last season when West Ham were also the

:24:53. > :24:58.visitors, back in May. One gashed change today with Gestede who came

:24:59. > :25:08.off the bench last week preferred to Sinclair in attack. Valencia play

:25:09. > :25:17.today and observe ya starts in midfield with Songo'o dropping to

:25:18. > :25:21.the bench. -- Song. COMMENTATOR: Away from Noble.

:25:22. > :25:29.Gestede. Westwood with Hutton outside him. A little too high for

:25:30. > :25:35.Gestede who took it away from Veretout. In to Gestede. Just wide.

:25:36. > :25:42.Best from Aston Villa we have seen so far. 17 minutes in. Hutton's

:25:43. > :25:51.delivery a little out of reach. But the one from Veretout hit the spot.

:25:52. > :25:59.Gestede couldn't quite hit the net. Veretout. Ayew trying to turn away

:26:00. > :26:04.from Tomkins. Advantage played by Mike Dean into Bacuna. It brings a

:26:05. > :26:20.save. Doesn't bound, ideal for Gestede. Adrian grate grabs the

:26:21. > :26:27.ball. Bacuna with the save. Good play from West Ham. Valencia.

:26:28. > :26:35.Valencia trying to tee himself up. Off the top of the crossbar. The

:26:36. > :26:45.shot from Valencia deflecting up and the header off Kouyate onto the top

:26:46. > :26:49.of the crossbar. Cresswell, Kouyate through the centre. Cresswell let's

:26:50. > :26:55.fly. A smashing goal from Cresswell for West Ham. His first of the

:26:56. > :27:01.season. In added time, at the end of the first half. Look at the space

:27:02. > :27:06.here for Cresswell. Picked his spot. He found the far corner. And, yet

:27:07. > :27:19.again, Aston Villa find themselves behind. Aston Villa 0, West Ham 1.

:27:20. > :27:25.This is Alan Hutton. Veretout. May go for goal here. Veretout. Good

:27:26. > :27:31.save. Save. Veretout, just saw a little hint of an opening. Brought

:27:32. > :27:36.the best out of Adrian. That sums up the mood among the home crowd pretty

:27:37. > :27:44.well at the moment. Festive cheer a little short in supply, perhaps.

:27:45. > :27:53.Gestede, big and strong. Down. Penalty for the home side. Well he

:27:54. > :28:00.was skating on thin ice there. The pair of them tussling. Obiany untidy

:28:01. > :28:10.in his challenge on the Aston Villa striker. -- Obiang. Ayew against

:28:11. > :28:16.Adrian. 1-1. Cool, calm and collected. How about this for a cool

:28:17. > :28:23.penalty. Under pressure, Aston Villa 1, West Ham United 1, just under

:28:24. > :28:29.half an hour to go. Hutton. Almost lost the ball there. In doing so

:28:30. > :28:34.invited the challenge from Kouyate. He gets a yellow card for being a

:28:35. > :28:43.tad late. What can Villa do with this? Veretout with the delivery.

:28:44. > :28:47.Lescott at the far-post. Had that gone over line? Not quite as Hutton

:28:48. > :28:51.headed it goalward. Villa close to taking the lead. How close? Well as

:28:52. > :28:56.Hutton headed the ball goalward it was just before the ball got to the

:28:57. > :29:04.line. This is the third time Villa have been bottom of the top division

:29:05. > :29:07.at Christmas. . They went down on the other two occasions. West Ham

:29:08. > :29:12.might be able to carve out a chance here. Was there a hint of a handball

:29:13. > :29:21.in there? That is what West Ham were claiming. Let us look. It struck the

:29:22. > :29:30.arm of Westwood there. Here come West Ham. Antonio, one challenge,

:29:31. > :29:40.two. Goes over Lescott, who gets a booking. Got away from the first two

:29:41. > :29:48.tackles and tumbled over the third. West Ham looking to snatch it at the

:29:49. > :29:53.last. The Valencia. Bringing a save from Guzan. Almost the last kick of

:29:54. > :30:00.the game. It was going in. We didn't deserve to be behind the score than

:30:01. > :30:05.we had a lot of shots. A lot of on targets. The goalkeeper made

:30:06. > :30:10.brilliant saves. Brad did one as well for us at the end on the

:30:11. > :30:14.free-kicks. You know, I think we deserved more than we had in this

:30:15. > :30:21.game. I'm pleased the way we played and it's very encouraging for the

:30:22. > :30:24.next games. He was in front of Gestede, pulling his shirt to get

:30:25. > :30:28.that advantage. He came in front. Then he waited for him to touch him

:30:29. > :30:35.and he went down. For me he could give us a foul for that because

:30:36. > :30:37.during the game he was giving that. So that was very important decision

:30:38. > :30:48.that went against us. COMMENTATOR: Having scored 47 in 126

:30:49. > :30:52.appearances for Crystal Palace before joining Bournemouth, Glenn

:30:53. > :30:57.Murray says he will not celebrate if he scores against them today, new

:30:58. > :31:02.lines up in an unchanged cherry side, King once again missing

:31:03. > :31:06.because of a hamstring problem. Alan Pardew had a bit of a nightmare just

:31:07. > :31:09.before Christmas with the injury front, Connor Wickham was ruled out,

:31:10. > :31:13.and Yannick Cortie, for potentially much more than the several weeks for

:31:14. > :31:18.which Connor Wickham will be out. -- Cherries. Yohan Cabaye is available

:31:19. > :31:22.after a heel problem, he will be starting on the bench.

:31:23. > :31:33.Jordon Mutch, in four Puncheon, handball to the left of them. Almost

:31:34. > :31:37.catches out Artur Boruc. Looking for the cluster of white shirts in the

:31:38. > :31:43.box. Almost ended up with a goal instead. -- in for. Artur Boruc

:31:44. > :31:50.scrambling back. Deep corner from Puncheon, met by Delaney. Francis

:31:51. > :31:59.gets it away. Damien Delaney has got a couple of goals for Crystal

:32:00. > :32:03.Palace. Got away from Cook. Just ahead of Artur Boruc. Alan Pardew

:32:04. > :32:09.says that there has been some discussion about extending his

:32:10. > :32:20.contract at Crystal Palace but says that any new deal is a long way off.

:32:21. > :32:24.Delaney looking for him, Frazier Campbell is onside... So close to

:32:25. > :32:33.the opener for Palace will stop what about the run, and pass, from Damien

:32:34. > :32:34.Delaney. Superstar. The message finish, not 1 million miles away

:32:35. > :32:43.from looping in. Harry Arter, Campbell trying to

:32:44. > :32:52.close, still Harry Arter, finding Stanislas. France's a run against

:32:53. > :32:55.Ward, Glenn Murray is in there but it was Matt Ritchie who got the

:32:56. > :32:59.touch, that is the best moment of the game for Bournemouth by a long

:33:00. > :33:06.chalk, evaded Glenn Murray, Matt Ritchie emerging late in the day,

:33:07. > :33:10.planting his head on this. Hennessy did not move, it drifted just wide.

:33:11. > :33:15.Eddie Howe was in the frame to take over as Palace manager back in 2011

:33:16. > :33:19.but he decided to stay at Bournemouth. Bournemouth with the

:33:20. > :33:22.bit between their teeth at the moment, Harry Arter, away from

:33:23. > :33:27.Ledley... Almost painful Matt Ritchie... Comes for Gosling,

:33:28. > :33:37.deflected and tipped away by Wayne Hennessey. The Welshman has been in

:33:38. > :33:43.fine form for Crystal Palace recently, showing that again. Harry

:33:44. > :33:46.Arter, for Daniels, Daniels has done well... Charlie Daniels, back across

:33:47. > :33:51.goal rather than going for gold but Stanislas, and over the top. Should

:33:52. > :33:56.have done better, and he knows it, Junior Stanislas. He has been in a

:33:57. > :33:58.decent vein of goal-scoring form, never got fully over the top of that

:33:59. > :34:03.one. Daniels has left it. Overlap comes

:34:04. > :34:22.from Francis. Still going, shrugging off Puncheon.

:34:23. > :34:24.Forcing a save out of Wayne Hennessey, the first chance of the

:34:25. > :34:33.second half, and it is the substitute who has had it, O'Kane

:34:34. > :34:38.giving the opportunity to open the account, and it is a smart stop from

:34:39. > :34:43.Hennessy. Scoot forward for Gosling to chase, this is a real chance for

:34:44. > :34:49.Dan Gosling, TZ up for Glenn Murray. It was a weak finish, there was the

:34:50. > :34:53.chance for him to score against his former club. -- tease it up for

:34:54. > :35:08.Glenn Murray. Really put it on a plate. But it was a tame finish. --

:35:09. > :35:17.tees it up. Andrew Surman, forward, and away from Delaney, who do love

:35:18. > :35:28.recovered well. -- who recovered well. Dropping the shoulder to get

:35:29. > :35:33.away, Rantie. Matt Ritchie in, Hennessy stays...

:35:34. > :35:39.Ritchie, once again, for Bournemouth. On for O'Kane and

:35:40. > :35:47.everything to his left, decent ball in, Rantie! Deflected away.

:35:48. > :35:51.Excellent work from Scott Dann, body on the line.

:35:52. > :35:57.I thought it was a very tight game, two sides in form, very cagey, not

:35:58. > :36:02.many clear-cut chances for either side. On chances I thought we shaded

:36:03. > :36:06.it. Problem be grateful for the whistle at the end, Palace came on

:36:07. > :36:11.strong quite late. Physically, mentally, tactically, tough game, we

:36:12. > :36:15.are both going to need a good old rest before the next game. You have

:36:16. > :36:19.got to take your hat off to Bournemouth, the commitment of the

:36:20. > :36:23.team was phenomenal, for me, and we matched it, just about. You had some

:36:24. > :36:27.chances, perhaps the finishing was not quite up to it. That is a fair

:36:28. > :36:31.assessment, we got in good positions and then the final bit we did not

:36:32. > :36:34.execute right, difficult side to beat, the away record has been very

:36:35. > :36:44.good, we will take that point. No goals, decent point for both, not

:36:45. > :36:49.much festive cheer. One manager who was not so happy, Slaven Bilic, with

:36:50. > :36:58.a couple of decisions, did he have a point? On one of them, I think the

:36:59. > :37:11.penalty... Rudy Gestede, centre-half has got to be stronger. I do think

:37:12. > :37:15.that it is a fowl, once he has got in behind. It is difficult for the

:37:16. > :37:23.referee to see these, but once he's a, he should not be fouling him,

:37:24. > :37:28.this is a foul. But this one, it is clear handball, he puts his hand out

:37:29. > :37:33.towards the ball. -- foul. And song kicks it four, five yards away, so

:37:34. > :37:37.that was a penalty. I agree. -- Song. Sometimes the angle is

:37:38. > :37:41.difficult to the referee, you understand why they are not given.

:37:42. > :37:47.It has been a long one! We are out of time.

:37:48. > :37:54.The top two both lost, allowing Manchester City to close the gap,

:37:55. > :37:57.they play leaders is to city in a crucial clash on Tuesday, Tottenham

:37:58. > :38:07.Hotspur consolidated their hold on fourth, Crystal Palace against --

:38:08. > :38:10.Crystal Palace above Manchester United. 17 matches without a win for

:38:11. > :38:16.Aston Villa, they remain rock bottom. Like many of the newspapers,

:38:17. > :38:19.the mail on Sunday league with quotes from Manchester United boss

:38:20. > :38:25.Louis van Gaal, he says that he could quit by himself. The Sunday

:38:26. > :38:28.Times claimed that the Red Devils will have to move quickly if Louis

:38:29. > :38:30.van Gaal does depart, because Jose Mourinho could be set for a shock

:38:31. > :38:42.return to old club Real Madrid. So that's it for our

:38:43. > :38:49.Boxing Day special.