..::Football III::..

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Wenger: I rate Berbatov but there's no Arsenal bid

Arsene Wenger insists Arsenal have made no bid for Fulham striker Dimitar Berbatov despite admitting he admires the Bulgarian's talent.The Gunners were first linked with Berbatov at the start of the month as injuries to Olivier Giroud and Nicklas Bendtner left Wenger extremely light of options up front.

Goal revealed on Thursday that north London rivals Tottenham are eyeing a January move for the Bulgarian as they look to bolster their own attacking ranks, but Wenger is adamant he has made no move."Do I rate Berbatov as a player? Highly. Have we made any approach to sign him? No," he added.

In October it was revealed that Wenger has agreed the terms of a new contract to keep him at Arsenal until the summer of 2016, and he has now hinted he will stay.
"There's a point where you decide and a point where you make it public," he said. "You can take that sentence how you want."

 

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Real Madrid favourites for La Liga & Champions League - Capello

Former Real Madrid coach Fabio Capello believes Carlo Ancelotti's side remain favourites to reclaim the title from Barcelona.

The capital club are currently third in the Primera Division table, behind leaders Barca and city rivals Atletico Madrid.

However, the veteran Italian believes los Blancos have the edge in the title race, but is delighted to see Diego Simeone's men challenge the established order.

"Real are favourites to win La Liga and a 10th European Cup," he told Marca.

"The squad is extraordinary. The change of coach at Barcelona has brought something different. The team plays faster, just as attacking football and scores a lot of goals, but it is still developing.

"It makes me happy to see three teams fighting for the title. Atletico have joined in and it's not just a fight between Real and Barca."

Madrid, who are three points behind Atletico and Barca, travel to Betis on Saturday.

 

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Bertrand joins Aston Villa on loan from Chelsea

Aston Villa have signed Ryan Bertrand on loan from Chelsea until the end of the season.

The 24-year-old left back, who has now been loaned out to six different clubs since arriving at Stamford Bridge in July 2006, has played just three games for Jose Mourinho's side this term.

"Ryan brings a lot of big-game experience, not only in the Barclays Premier League but even a Champions League final which Chelsea won, so he'll be really good for us,” Villa boss Paul Lambert told the club’s official website.

"The way he plays the game and as a person, too, he'll fit in here great and it will be good for him also to be playing games. He has real enthusiasm for the game and he's looking forward to playing here.

"We're grateful to Chelsea for allowing him to come here on loan and we know he'll be really good to work with."

Bertrand is buoyed by the move to Villa Park and is relishing the prospect of regular playing time under Lambert.

"It's a fantastic opportunity for me to come here. Aston Villa is a fantastic club with a massive fanbase and a great history. To get this chance to come here and play some games will be a really good step for me," said the defender.

"Whenever I've played for Chelsea here at Villa Park the fans have been fantastic and have always created a great atmosphere. The pitch, too, has always been great, including when we played in the Community Shield here against Manchester City, and I'm looking forward to playing on it more regularly until the end of the season.

"I've had to adjust many times in my career having played under several managers, so I know I can settle in here quickly and I'm looking forward to being able to contribute to the team.

"Knowing some of the lads here, too, such as Fabian Delph, Marc Albrighton and a few others will really help, too, and I couldn't be more looking forward to playing my part here."

 

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De Bruyne undergoes Wolfsburg medical

Chelsea winger Kevin De Bruyne has undergone a medical ahead of his January move to Wolfsburg.

The Belgium international has found it hard to break into the Blues first team after returning to the club from a loan spell at Werder Bremen last summer.

He has been heavily linked with a return to the Bundesliga and Vfl sporting director Klaus Allofs, who brought him to the Weserstadion last term, says his move is imminent.

"We are nearing the completion," he told Allgemeine Zeitung.

Meanwhile, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has confirmed that the 22-year-old will soon be leaving Stamford Bridge.

"Kevin De Bruyne is more than probably leaving. It's not closed but it's close," he told reporters at a press conference.

De Bruyne, who is expected to fetch Chelsea around €20 million, is likely to be presented to Wolfsburg fans on Sunday.

 

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Tello: I'm not giving up at Barcelona

Cristian Tello says he has no intention of giving up at Barcelona, despite his limited playing time this season.

The young attacker was given heavy exposure to the first team by former coaches Pep Guardiola and Tito Vilanova, but has made only 16 appearances in all competitions this term.

There are rumours of interest from other clubs but the 22-year-old is adamant that he has a lot to offer the Catalan outfit.

“The most important thing is to play, get time on the pitch and work hard. You always have to give the best of yourself and take advantage of your opportunities," he is quoted as saying the club's official website.

“I’m happy here. I’m not playing as much as I did last year, but I’m not giving up.

“I feel good playing on the right. The important thing is to get minutes. After that, with Neymar’s injury, I went to the left side – I feel good on either side of the pitch.”

Lionel Messi scored twice in his first start since returing from a muscle problem and Tello was delighted with his team-mates impact.

He added: “Messi has made a great return and hopefully he’ll score many more goals in the future.”

 

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Furious Zaha storms out of Manchester United training ground as loan move blocked

Wilfred Zaha stormed out of a meeting with Manchester United officials on Thursday following a "furious shouting match" after being told the club had changed their minds about allowing him to leave on loan this month, Goal can reveal.

Zaha and his advisor were stunned to hear that United manager David Moyes had vetoed a potential loan move for the winger amid interest from a number of Premier League sides including Newcastle, Cardiff and West Brom.

Sources have told Goal that the meeting at United’s Carrington training ground developed into a heated exchange between Zaha and club officials, before the winger stormed out.

The 21-year-old left the meeting fuming after begging for the opportunity to leave until the end of the season as he looks for regular first-team football.

Moyes had previously suggested that a loan deal would suit Zaha’s development and benefit United in the long run. United were ready to negotiate a deal on the proviso that a club would pay a signing on fee and cover the player’s wages.

But the Scot has changed his mind, with the prognosis for Ashley Young’s return from a shoulder injury uncertain and Nani struggling with a hamstring problem.

United could review the situation if they land any of their January targets but Zaha feels his career has completely stalled since his £17 million switch from Crystal Palace to Old Trafford last summer.

The England under-21 international has made just four senior appearances for the Premier League champions, and his only two league appearances have been as a substitute.

Newcastle had been in pole position to land Zaha while Cardiff manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hoped to use his United connections to secure one of the brightest young talents in English football.

Zaha has found himself behind Young, Nani, Shinji Kagawa, Antonio Valencia and Adnan Januzaj in the pecking order at Old Trafford and has also settled slowly in the north west.

 

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Juventus is Pirlo's home - Marotta

Juventus director Beppe Marotta is certain that Andrea Pirlo will sign a new contract at the club in the near future.

The veteran midfielder's current deal expires at the end of the season and there have been rumours of interest from Real Madrid, where he would reunite with former mentor Carlo Ancelotti.

However, the club are adamant that he will extend his stay in Turin, having been a key part of the side who have won back-to-back Scudetti since Antonio Conte's arrival.

"As president [Andrea] Agnelli said, Juventus is Pirlo's home," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"The road to renewal is all downhill from here."

Fellow midfielder Paul Pogba is the subject of interest from Paris Saint-Germain but Marotta insists that the Frenchman will not leave Juve.

"We've read about PSG's interest in Pogba, but we have had no official offers. If we did, we would courteously say that we have no intention of selling the player."

The 56-year-old is also hopeful that Juventus can make up for their early Champions League exit with glory in the Europa League, but is wary of a fixture pile-up.

"We have a big squad, which allows us to win every competition. But it is true that there'll be little time between matches," he continued.

"When we play the second leg against Trabzonspor [in the last 32] we arrive in Italy on Friday morning and play against Milan on Sunday at San Siro.

"The national team's schedule doesn't allow us to postpone this until Monday and this is a problem."

 

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Puma launch high performance evoPOWER boot

Puma have announced the launch of evoPOWER, their new boot that will be worn by stars such as Cesc Fabregas, Marco Reus and Mario Balotelli as Europe's major leagues reach an exciting conclusion.

Launched in Barcelona on January 17, the evoPOWER is designed to enhance a player's natural kicking ability, and also optimise power and accuracy when striking the ball.

EvoPOWER features Puma's most advanced technology to date, including the Gradual Stability Frame (GSF), which allows the boot to bend both ways and be as close to the biomechanics of a bare foot as possible.

Fabregas and Reus assisted Puma in the testing of the new footwear, to prove the power and accuracy of the new design.

Barcelona star Fabregas said: “Taking inspiration for a football boot from an actual foot sounds like the most obvious thing in the world, but in all the time I’ve spent in football, it’s the first time I’ve heard of this being done.

"When you try on these new boots, they are actually quite different to what we have worn before. They are so much more flexible - the way they bend with the natural shape of your foot really helps you to shoot harder.”

Borussia Dortmund attacker Reus added: “Shooting from distance is a key part of my game, in open play and free kicks. Having a boot that maximises power in these instances is necessary to help you capitalise on these moments, and this evoPOWER boot gives me a lot of confidence.

"I like the thought behind it and have tested it a lot. You can feel a genuine difference – so much so, it actually surprised me. This is a very exciting new boot PUMA have created.”

 

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Barclays Premier League 2014.01.18 Fixtures

Barclays Premier League 2014.01.18 Fixtures

Sunderland Vs Southampton

Arsenal Vs Fulham

Crystal Palace Vs Stoke City

Manchester City Vs Cardiff City

Norwich City Vs Hull

West Ham United Vs Newcastle United

Liverpool Vs Aston Villa

​

 

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La Liga 2014.01.18 Fixtures

La Liga 2014.01.18 Fixtures

Real Betis Vs Real Madrid

Elche Vs Rayo Valleacano

Granada Vs Osasuna

Espanyol Vs Celta Vigo​

 

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Serie A 2014.01.18 Fixtures

Serie A 2014.01.18 Fixtures

Roma Vs Livorno

Juventus Vs Sampdoria​

 

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David Moyes says Man United fans should not get hopes up over signings

David Moyes says he is doing his best to sign new players this month - but admits Manchester United fans should not get their hopes up.Moyes was spotted watching matches involving Juventus and Paris St Germain over the weekend.

And although he insists he was not on a scouting mission, the United boss confirmed he wants to bring in a couple of new faces this month if he can.
"We are looking really hard," he said. "As I have said many times, it is not a particularly good month to buy players.

"I would hate to get people's hopes up and end up with nobody. In the same breath we are certainly not sitting back and doing nothing, that's for sure."If we could pick up one or two players in this window we said we would try and do it."

United are believed to have had one attempt to sign Real Madrid left-back Fabio Coentrao knocked back and Moyes is now being linked with Benfica defender Ezequiel Garay.

But he admits new arrivals may have to wait until the summer."I can see it is a big task and a big job to get things the way I want it," said Moyes."Everybody recognises we have to make some changes. But that is not the reason for me globe-trotting all the time.

"I have always been an avid football watcher. I have always enjoyed going to games."When you are at a club like this, attention gets drawn to the fact you are there, then people make assumptions that you must be watching one player or another.

"But you don't always sign a player when you go to a game. In fact, you probably go to very few and do that."Maybe we are looking for the summer, not for now. The point is when you are at Manchester United you are in the spotlight wherever you go."

 

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Last Summer Window 1ke ona karana playersla gatthe nathi 1ka thamai meh okkotama hethuwabalagena hitiyane deadline day 1ka wenakam

Please do something Moyes!

 

[unicornx]

FT: Betis 0-5 Real Madrid (11' Cristiano Ronaldo, 25' Gareth Bale. 46' Benzema, 61' Di María, 90' Alvaro Morata)​

#HalaMadrid

 

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Juventus 4-2 Sampdoria: Bianconeri rack up 12th straight league win

Arturo Vidal scored twice as Juventus ran out 4-2 winners over Sampdoria and racked up their 12th straight Serie A win.

Sinisa Mihajlovic's men were the last side to win in the league at the Juventus Stadium last January, but they were unable to repeat the feat as Sampdoria lost for just a second time in eight league games.After setting a new club record last time out with their 11th successive league win, Antonio Conte's side made the ideal start as Vidal netted the opening goal 18 minutes in, applying a delightful dinked finish to Paul Pogba's throughball.

It was the Chilean's third goal in his last four Serie A games and five minutes later league leaders Juve doubled their lead through Fernando Llorente.

The Spaniard rose highest to head home from a Carlos Tevez corner before Sampdoria were handed a lifeline thanks to Andrea Barzagli's 38th-minute own goal.It was the first goal Juve had conceded at home in the league since October, although Vidal soon scored his second from the penalty spot after being tripped in the area by Vasco Regini.

Juventus' co-owned striker Manolo Gabbiadini pounced on Gianluigi Buffon's parry to score before Pogba's swerving long-range effort gave Angelo Da Costa no chance as Juve completed the double over the visitors.

Conte chose to rest Andrea Pirlo and Leonardo Bonucci, with Claudio Marchisio and Angelo Ogbonna replacing them, while Barzagli returned from suspension at the expense of Martin Caceres.Roberto Soriano and Nenad Krsticic were both missing due to suspension for Sampdoria, although Pedro Obiang returned from a ban.

Conte's men began the brighter, winning back and retaining possession well, without creating a host of clear-cut chances.Tevez had the hosts' first effort, firing narrowly over from an acute angle, before Vidal eventually broke the deadlock.Pogba slipped the Chile international in and the midfielder registered his ninth Serie A goal of the season by flicking the ball past Da Costa.

It got better for Juve shortly after, when Llorente headed his fourth goal in as many games - and it could have been three before the half-hour mark had Tevez's fierce drive not struck the post.Sampdoria were given hope when Barzagli got a touch on Gabbiadini's cross and diverted it past Buffon seven minutes before the break, but the two-goal cushion was soon restored when Vidal converted his penalty.

After a goal-packed first half, the second period began at a much slower pace, but the visitors threatened an upset when Gabbiadini tapped home 20 minutes from time.

The 22-year-old almost levelled soon after when his stunning long-range effort hit the crossbar, but Pogba's sixth Serie A goal of the season ensured Juve maintained their 100 per cent record at home in the league.

 

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Liverpool 2-2 Aston Villa: Sturridge & Gerrard spare Reds' blushes

Steven Gerrard and Daniel Sturridge rescued a point for Liverpool as they came from two goals behind to earn a 2-2 draw with Aston Villa.

Paul Lambert's side had taken the lead at Anfield as Andreas Weimann netted his third goal of the season after excellent work from Gabriel Agbonlahor.

Agbonlahor was on hand again in the 36th minute to create Villa's second, his cross evading Simon Mignolet to allow Christian Benteke to head into an open net from six yards out.

However, Sturridge latched onto a Jordan Henderson flick to half the deficit with his 11th league goal of the season and Gerrard levelled the scores from the penalty spot seven minutes after the interval.

Despite failing to win, a point for Villa moves them into 10th place in the Premier League while Liverpool remain fourth.

Sturridge was fit to start his first game since November after recovering from an ankle injury, while the visitors gave a debut to loan signing Ryan Bertrand and recalled Weimann to the starting line-up.

Villa started brightly and wasted chances from Agbonlahor, Ashley Westwood and Ciaran Clark to break the deadlock, but when Weimann was presented his opportunity he made no mistake.

Agbonlahor was released behind the Liverpool defence on the left and delivered a low cross into the six-yard box where Weimann, who nipped in front of Gerrard, was placed to turn the ball home from close range.

Villa doubled their lead nine minutes later as Benteke made it two goals in as many games, the striker having the simple task of heading into an empty goal after Mignolet misjudged an Agbonlahor cross from the right.

Sturridge halved the deficit in the closing seconds of the half as he latched on to a neat flick from Jordan Henderson before firing beyond Brad Guzan to give the hosts hope.

With the extra momentum Liverpool levelled soon after the half-time break as Luis Suarez was brought down by Guzan inside the penalty area, referee Jon Moss pointing to the spot.

Gerrard assumed the responsibility and made no mistake for his fifth league goal of the season, and his 12th against Villa - more than he has put past any other side.

Fabian Delph went close to putting Villa back ahead on the hour with a curling effort from 20 yards, while Henderson brought out a fantastic save from Guzan five minutes later from the edge of the penalty area.

Suarez went agonisingly close to sealing all three points for Liverpool in the 77th minute, but his free kick was inches wide of Guzan's right-hand post.

The Uruguay international was central to Liverpool's late efforts to snatch a win but they ultimately had to settle for a draw, which leaves them trailing league leaders Arsenal by nine points.

 

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Roma 3-0 Livorno: Ljajic inspires Giallorossi to deserved victory

Roma swept aside relegation-threatened Livorno with a 3-0 victory on Saturday.

In truth, the score could and should have been significantly higher as Rudi Garcia's men were denied by Francesco Bardi's numerous saves and their own intermittent profligacy as they attacked relentlessly at the Stadio Olimpico.

Mattia Destro gave the Giallorossi an early lead in controversial circumstances, as Gervinho was offside when the ball flicked off him for the striker.

Kevin Strootman then finished off a fine attacking move with a flourish, hammering in from close-range, with the Amaranto lucky to be only two goals down at the break.

The visitors were lifeless and showed no signs of inspiring a comeback and Adem Ljajic capped off the night by curling in from the edge of the box with less than 15 minutes to go.

The victory for second-placed Roma keeps Juventus within sight at the top of the table, while Livorno's fifth-straight defeat sees them remain four points adrift of Serie A safety and rooted to 19th.

Attilio Perotti's first game in charge in his promoted role of head coach turned sour in less than six minutes.

Destro, fully integrated back into the Roma side after his long spell out injured earlier this season, converted Ljajic's fizzing cross, though it deflected off Gervinho who was evidently offside when the ball was played across goal.

The hosts kept the pressure piled on. Daniele De Rossi slid in an incisive through-ball for Destro, but Bardi came off his line to deny the forward a second goal.

Bardi was again the saviour with 30 minutes gone as Gervinho's strike from 10 yards was saved by the Livorno shot-stopper after Miralem Pjanic's fine pass for the Ivorian.

But in the 36th minute Bardi could not hold back the floodgates any longer. Dodo's deft chip over the goalkeeper to the left of the goal was whacked in with venom by Strootman to double the lead.

Vasilis Torosidis' first-time cross should have been converted into a third Roma goal but Gervinho - who put in a vibrant performance at the Stadio Olimpico - somehow nodded it wide unmarked six yards from goal.

Garcia's men thought they had scored a third on the brink of half-time but the goal was correctly ruled out as Leandro Castan - offside when Destro fired in - was blocking Bardi's view as he hopped over the goal-bound ball.

Livorno seemed content to sit back and take the beating, even after the break, with the Giallorossi attacking over and over without suffering on the counterattack like they might have done against better opposition.

Although it was mostly Bardi who Perotti could thank for not conceding double figures, Ibrahima Mbaye did well to block Pjanic from firing in a third for the home side.

With 15 minutes left on the clock, substitute Radja Nainggolan's gorgeous flick-on saw Ljajic sprint through but once again he was denied in an one-on-one situation.

But three minutes later a similar link-up ended in a third strike of the night. Nainggolan passed to Ljajic who curled his effort into the near post with aplomb from 20 yards out to finish Roma's night off in style.

 

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Manchester City 4-2 Cardiff City: Unstoppable hosts maintain perfect home run

Manchester City racked up 100 goals for the season before overwhelming Cardiff City 4-2 in a pulsating contest at the Etihad Stadium.Edin Dzeko's 14th-minute opener ensured City reached their century in 34 games across all competitions – quicker than any English team in the Premier League era.



Cardiff refused to lie down, with Craig Noone a constant menace and unfortunate not to add to his 29th-minute equaliser.Yet Jesus Navas quickly restored the hosts' advantage before Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero added a slightly flattering late gloss to the scoreline.

Cardiff grabbed a second in injury time as Fraizer Campbell scored from a corner, as he had done twice against City in August's reverse meeting.

City talisman Aguero started on the bench once more following his goalscoring return from a calf injury versus Blackburn Rovers in midweek, while Aron Gunnarsson - a goalscorer in Cardiff’s 3-2 win over Manuel Pellegrini's men earlier in the season - was included in one of four changes made by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.The hosts might have brought their century up within the first minute when Kevin McNaughton clumsily bundled through Dzeko as the Bosnia striker looked to convert David Silva’s left-wing cross. Navas prodded the loose ball wide.

Cardiff goalkeeper David Marshall appeared primed for a busy afternoon as he beat a Dzeko shot away before reacting well as recalled centre-back Ben Turner almost put Navas' centre through his own net.Given the swashbuckling nature of City's attacking play this season, it was perhaps inevitable their 100th goal would arrive in scruffy fashion.

Silva controlled Aleksandar Kolarov's throw-in amid suspicions of handball and spun his way into the Cardiff box to tee up Dzeko, whose badly scuffed effort crept inside the far post. McNaughton hacked clear but the goal-line technology system confirmed City had taken the lead.

With Pellegrini's side having clicked ominously into gear, Cardiff stunned the Etihad with a superb 29th-minute equaliser. Gunnarsson deftly touched Kevin Theophile-Catherine's pass into the path of Noone, who skipped effortlessly beyond Vincent Kompany to produce an assured low finish.

Cardiff enjoyed parity for little more than three minutes as Dzeko collected Toure's sumptuous throughball and evaded the attentions of Turner and Steven Caulker for the on-rushing Navas to side-foot home.Joe Hart was forced to beat away a deflected 50th-minute drive from Jordon Mutch and Cardiff’s enterprising start to the second half continued as Pablo Zabaleta was forced into a last-ditch header to deny Campbell.

Silva should have extended the home team’s lead following an exquisite one-touch lay-off from Dzeko, but Pellegrini had seen enough with an hour played to bring Aguero on for Alvaro Negredo – the striker suffering an untypically frustrating afternoon in front of goal that might have been compounded when he escaped with a yellow card after an ugly first-half lunge on Gunnarsson.

Still Cardiff pressed, and Noone once again left Kompany in his wake to draw a fingertip save from Hart.Aguero's introduction was ultimately decisive as he exchanged passes with Toure, who smashed in left-footed to conclude a trademark storming run from deep, and the roles were reversed for the Argentina international to plant his 22nd of the campaign into the top corner.

Campbell's late strike proved nothing more than a consolation.

 

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Arsenal 2-0 Fulham: Cazorla double keeps Gunners top

Santi Cazorla netted a second-half double as Arsenal stayed top of the Premier League with a 2-0 victory over Fulham on Saturday.


After a goalless opening period in which Arsenal struggled to create many chances, the Spaniard broke the deadlock shortly before the hour mark, combining well with Olivier Giroud and Jack Wilshere.And his tally was doubled five minutes later when he buried a left-footed 20-yard effort in the bottom right-hand corner of the Fulham net.

The result maintains Fulham's run of having never won at Arsenal, who remain one point clear of Manchester City at the summit of the English top flight.

Arsene Wenger stuck with the Arsenal starting XI that won 2-1 at Aston Villa on Monday, while Rene Meulensteen made three changes from the team that beat Norwich City 3-0 in the FA Cup on Tuesday, handing a Premier League debut to defender Dan Burn.

Mesut Ozil almost had Arsenal in front in the fourth minute as Wenger's men made a bright start, seeing an effort blocked in the six-yard box by Brede Hangeland following a neat exchange of passes with Wilshere in the penalty area.The hosts continued to dominate possession, but were struggling to carve out any meaningful goalscoring opportunities as the Fulham back line held firm.

And they were almost punished for that lack of potency in the 26th minute when former Arsenal trainee Steve Sidwell, who scored in his last three appearances for Fulham prior to the trip to the Emirates, forced Wojciech Szczesny into a crucial save by sending a powerful 20-yard half volley goalwards.Maarten Stekelenburg had to be equally alert at the other end seven minutes before the break when a free-kick ricocheted into the path of Bacary Sagna, who saw a low drive well stopped by the Dutchman.

Fulham came out fighting at the start of the second period, as Burn had a header blocked by Laurent Koscielny after Arsenal failed to clear their lines from a corner.
But the hosts weathered that early storm and Serge Gnabry drew another save from Stekelenburg with a curled effort from the edge of the penalty area, before Arsenal squandered numerous opportunities in a goalmouth scramble. Fulham's resolve was finally broken in the 57th minute when Cazorla picked up the ball on the left wing, offloaded it to Giroud, before ghosting into the penalty area and sliding into the bottom right-hand corner from a Wilshere pass.

And Cazorla doubled the advantage five minutes later, firing a low 20-yard strike just out of the reach of the outstretched left arm of Stekelenburg.Stekelenburg denied Arsenal a third 15 minutes from time when he pushed a Lukas Podolski thunderbolt - destined for the top-left corner - onto the post.

Darren Bent found himself clean through on an open goal in the closing stages, but the Fulham striker fired wide of the target as Koscielny slid in to make a last-ditch challenge, before the visitors failed to capitalise on Szczesny's spillage from Pajtim Kasami's stoppage-time free-kick.

 

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Sunderland 2-2 Southampton: Borini & Johnson save point for Poyet

Goals from Fabio Borini and Adam Johnson secured Sunderland a dramatic 2-2 draw at home to Southampton on Saturday.

Southampton looked set to end a week of turmoil, which included the resignation of chairman Nicola Cortese on Wednesday, with victory after first-half goals from Jay Rodriguez and Dejan Lovren.

Yet the visitors' recent resurgence continued as Borini halved the deficit before half time, and Johnson maintained his excellent form with a superb right-footed strike to level an exhilarating contest.

The visitors had ample opportunities to pull clear after the break, but were made to rue their wastefulness when Johnson fired home at the near post.

The result sees Sunderland move up one spot to 18th, while Southampton remain ninth.

Sunderland made two changes with Sebastian Larsson and Jozy Altidore replacing Jack Colback and Steven Fletcher, while the visitors brought in Calum Chambers for Nathaniel Clyne.

Southampton's early dominance was rewarded after four minutes when the hosts failed to clear their lines, allowing Rodriguez time to bring the ball out of the air and rifle home a superb half-volley from 25 yards.

Buoyed by the opener, Jack Cork almost capitalised on Vito Mannone's poor clearance by lofting an effort onto the roof of the net.

The home fans were becoming restless and their mood was not helped when Rickie Lambert dragged wide from Morgan Schneiderlin's neat flick after being put through one-on-one with Mannone.

Wes Brown was caught in possession soon after by Lambert, who laid into the path of Rodriguez only for the forward to shoot tamely at Mannone.

Southampton's second goal deservedly arrived 31 minutes, Lovren escaping the attention of Brown to volley home Davis' corner.

Within the space of a minute Sunderland clawed their way back into the game when Borini collected Johnson's long ball and guided his shot past Artur Boruc.

The game opened up after the break and Southampton should have scored again when good work by Adam Lallana led to Rodriguez firing straight at Mannone from the edge of the box.

The away side continued to press with Lovren seeing a free header saved, before Rodriguez met Lambert's centre from the right on the hour mark but failed to hit the target.

Southampton were almost punished when Borini sprinted away from the defence and slotted under Boruc, only to denied by the linesman's flag.

However, the home fans were sent into delirium on 71 minutes when Ki Sung-Yueng charged forward and found Craig Gardner. His pass picked out Johnson on the right-hand side of the box and the winger's thunderous strike squirmed in at the near post.

With the momentum behind them Sunderland pushed for the winner, and Johnson almost delivered for Gus Poyet's men with a half-volley that was smartly stopped by Boruc.

Southampton's day worsened in the closing stages when Gaston Ramirez was carried off on a stretcher with an apparent ankle injury following a challenge by Brown.