..::Football III::..

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Saint-Etienne 2-0 Monaco: Les Verts dash visitors' title hopes

AS Monaco’s title hopes suffered a devastating blow as they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Saint-Etienne at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on Saturday.

Goals from Fabien Lemoine and Romain Hamouma either side of half-time prevented Claudio Ranieri’s men from narrowing the five-point gap between themselves and league leaders PSG, who could extend their lead to eight points with a win over Marseille on Sunday.The defeat brings an end to Monaco’s 10-game unbeaten run in all competitions while their opponents move into third place, the league’s fiercely-contested Champions League qualifying spot, ahead of Lille, who meet Ajaccio on Sunday.

The game got off to a slow start with neither goalkeeper being tested in the opening quarter of an hour. However Christophe Galtier’s side took the lead after 17 minutes as Lemoine pounced on a loose ball and sent it soaring past Monaco goalkeeper Danijel Subasic from 30 yards.The 26-year-old almost doubled his side’s lead later in the half but this time Subasic came out on top as he diverted the effort wide.

Monaco then began to threaten before the break as Nicolas Isimat-Mirin and Geoffrey Kondogbia fired towards goal but were denied by Stephane Ruffier.The Verts shot-stopper was called into action again early in the second period as he kept out Valere Germain and James Rodriguez to preserve the hosts’ lead.

Saint-Etienne were able to capitalise on Monaco’s weakness up front as Hamouma dribbled past a handful of players before unleashing a shot which Subastic misjudged and diverted into the back of the net.The deflated Rouge et Blanc were limited to shots from distance from then on in as the hosts kept them at bay to maintain their advantage and see out the result.

The result puts Saint-Etienne in a fantastic position as they look to secure European football this season while Monaco are in danger of seeing their league title charge fizzle out.

 

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Southampton 0-3 Liverpool: Suarez stars as Liverpool remain in title frame

Liverpool moved to second in the Premier League on Saturday thanks to a hard-fought 3-0 win over Southampton at St Mary's Stadium.


Luis Suarez's opener was added to with second-half goals from Raheem Sterling and Steven Gerrard as the Merseysiders ended their poor run of form against the hosts and kept themselves within four points of leaders Chelsea - having played two games more than fourth-placed Manchester City.

After Arsenal slipped up at Stoke City earlier in the day, pressure was on Liverpool, and they successfully arrested a run of three straight away defeats to Southampton and avenged their home reverse to the south-coast club from earlier in the season.

Making his 100th Premier League appearance, Suarez opened the scoring early on - calmly slotting home from inside the penalty area after an attempted clearance ricocheted into his path off Jose Fonte.His 62nd goal in the top flight ended a run of nearly seven hours without finding the net and he turned provider for Liverpool's second shortly before the hour mark.

The striker's pull-back from the right was met by substitute Sterling who added a second, before Steven Gerrard stroked home a stoppage-time penalty to add an emphatic touch to the scoreline and ensure Liverpool of a first win at Southampton since 2003.

Southampton's England quartet of Luke Shaw, Jay Rodriguez, Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana all started the game, with national manager Roy Hodgson watching on.However Uruguay international Suarez, who will face England in Brazil, almost gave the visitors the lead after just six minutes, though he was unable to apply a finishing touch to Daniel Sturridge's cross due to Fonte's well-timed intervention.

Suarez was on hand to take advantage of slack Southampton defending 10 minutes later however, sliding home a loose ball from inside the area after the hosts' backline failed to clear.Despite falling behind, Southampton continued to keep possession and Lambert could have threatened Simon Mignolet's goal after 25 minutes but he could only angle his snap shot over the crossbar.

Rodriguez's knockdown then found Lallana inside the area but the midfielder rolled his effort onto Mignolet's right-hand post shortly after the half-four mark before failing to direct Shaw's cutback on target.Mignolet then produced an impressive stop two minutes before the break, clawing away Rodriguez's sidefooted effort as the hosts were frustrated in their attempts to level.

Southampton continued their momentum into the second half but were unable to breach the visitors' defence while Brendan Rodgers opted to introduce Sterling in an attempt to offer more of a forward threat. It proved an astute decision as the winger slid home Suarez's cross to double Liverpool's advantage two minutes before the hour on his 50th Premier League appearance.

Gerrard capped off an important outing for his side with a late penalty, won by Suarez after his wriggling movement invited a foul from Jose Fonte, as Liverpool racked up a fourth-straight win in the top flight to reinforce their credentials as title hopefuls.

 

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Liverpool dan 2nd place.

 

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Bayern Munich 5-1 Schalke: Robben hat-trick piles pressure on Keller

Arjen Robben piled more pressure on Schalke boss Jens Keller after his hat-trick helped Bayern Munich to a 5-1 win on Saturday evening.

The runaway leaders – now 48 matches unbeaten in the league – completed a miserable week for Schalke, hammered 6-1 in the Champions League by Real Madrid on Wednesday, as Robben scored three times and David Alaba and Mario Mandzukic also netted.Bayern were rampant throughout at the Allianz Arena and it took the reigning champions just three minutes to break the deadlock.Alaba's free-kick from just outside the Schalke penalty area took a massive deflection to give goalkeeper Ralf Fahrmann no chance.

Fit-again Robben, recently back following a knee injury, made it 2-0 with a lovely chip from close range before Mario Mandzukic headed home his 14th league goal of the season.

Robben then scored twice to claimed the match ball, with his third from the penalty spot coming after Kyriakos Papadopoulos had upended Mandzukic as the last man, which resulted in a red card.Bayern now sit 20 points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund as Pep Guardiola's men attempt to finish the Bundesliga season unbeaten.Guardiola's team made the perfect start as the home side took a fortuitous lead after just three minutes.

Rafinha was fouled on the edge of the box after a great run from Robben and the subsequent free-kick from Alaba took a wicked deflection off the wall to loop over Fahrmann in the Schalke goal.Bayern continued to pressure the away side in the early stages and were rewarded with a second after 15 minutes.

Robben was played through by Bastian Schweinsteiger and finished off with a delicate chip over the diving Fahrmann.Mandzukic added a third goal after 24 minutes as he leapt between two defenders and met Alaba's fantastic cross from the left with a thumping header.

Robben was a constant threat and he grabbed his second and Bayern's fourth four minutes later, when he latched on to Rafinha's header on the right side of the penalty area and curled a shot into the bottom-left corner.

The Netherlands international almost completed a quick-fire treble after cutting in from the right and unleashing another curling effort, but his shot sailed over.Fahrmann stopped Mandzukic from adding a fifth from close range with a great save with his outstretched left foot on 37 minutes. At the other end, Manuel Neuer continued Schalke's misery, making a world-class save off a Christian Fuchs shot just before the break.

Schalke did pull one back on 62 minutes when a corner was turned in by Bayern defender Rafinha for an own goal, but Papadopoulos was then dismissed for tangling with Mandzukic in the area.

He was shown a straight red card as the last man and Robben slammed the spot-kick into the top-left corner to complete the rout.

 

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Everton 1-0 West Ham: Lukaku keeps Toffees' top-four hopes alive

Romelu Lukaku marked his return from injury with a late winner as Everton overcame a resilient West Ham side 1-0 to keep their slim top-four hopes alive.

The Belgian's 81st-minute goal proved the difference as the Hammers' mini revival came to end following a run of four wins and one draw in their previous five Premier League games prior to the trip to Everton.

The host controlled the majority of the first half and went close through Steven Naismith and Gerard Deulofeu, but neither could find a way past Adrian in the West Ham goal.

Steven Pienaar hit the post straight after the restart and Sam Allardyce's men looked set to clinch a point and their 14th clean sheet of the season before Lukaku struck nine minutes from time to send Everton back above Manchester United in the table.

Much of the build-up was focused on whether the two sides' respective first-choice forwards would start, but Lukaku was only deemed fit enough for a place on the bench, while Andy Carroll sat out the first half-hour after his three-match ban.

Although Leon Osman nearly turned in Naismith's headed front-post flick-on, clear chances were scarce during the first 20 minutes, despite Everton generally dominating proceedings.

Naismith forced Adrian into his first save 22 minutes in as he fired at goal from an acute angle, but the Spaniard make a fairly straightforward stop.

With West Ham offering virtually no threat in attack, Allardyce made the decision to introduce Carroll for Carlton Cole after just 28 minutes, but he made little difference initially.

Deulofeu was the next to go close for Everton nine minutes before the break; the on-loan Barcelona winger twisted and turned his way past a couple of defenders on the edge of the area before curling a left-footed effort towards the bottom-left corner, but the attempt went agonisingly wide.

Everton made a ferocious start to the second half and within two minutes of the restart Pienaar was presented with a massive chance as he latched on to Leighton Baines' through-ball, but his first-time effort came back off the right-hand post.

John Stones enjoyed a solid first half, but just before the hour he almost contributed to Everton's downfall as he sliced a clearance only as far as Carroll, but luckily for the England Under-21 international, Tim Howard palmed the subsequent half-volley over the crossbar.

West Ham were doing a good job of keeping Everton at bay, but with nine minutes to go Baines cut a pass back to Lukaku and the Belgian hit an emphatic left-footed finish past Adrian to move the hosts up to sixth.

 

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Stoke City 1-0 Arsenal: Walters penalty punishes lacklustre Gunners

A late penalty from Stoke City forward Jonathan Walters consigned Arsenal to a 1-0 defeat at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday, leaving them four points adrift of Premier League leaders Chelsea.

With the game heading towards a goalless draw, Laurent Koscielny was adjudged to have handled Walters' flick inside the box, and the Republic of Ireland international stepped up to dispatch the penalty and dent the Gunners' title hopes.

The result continues the Potters' fine form against Arsenal, with Arsene Wenger's men having won just once of their last 10 trips to the Britannia in all competitions, and extends the Gunners' winless run on the road to three matches.

Wenger took the decision to leave Mesut Ozil on the bench, with the German having also missed the 4-1 defeat over Sunderland, while Koscielny was fit enough to start despite suffering an injury against the Black Cats.

In a closely fought opening, Walters glanced a header just wide of Wojciech Szczesny's right-hand post with 15 minutes gone but saw the flag raised for offside, and Santi Cazorla curled an effort high and wide at the other end.

The two clubs have endured a fractious relationship in recent years and that was in evidence once again as a series of fouls frequently halted play, while clear-cut chances remained conspicuous by their absence.

But Stoke began to assert their dominance after the half-hour mark. Steven Nzonzi, selected in place of the injured Peter Odemwingie, saw his cross deflected into the path of Peter Crouch, whose shot rippled the side netting.

Glenn Whelan was then perhaps fortunate to avoid a booking from referee Mike Jones when he appeared to catch Olivier Giroud's knee in a challenge eight minutes from the break, before Jack Wilshere almost got on the end of Giroud's teasing through-ball.

Fortunately for the hosts, the Frenchman's pass was a touch too strong, with just enough time remaining in the half for Whelan to test Szczesny from distance.

Crouch fired an acrobatic effort wide of the Arsenal goal within six minutes of the restart and he should have opened the scoring shortly after when he failed to divert Charlie Adam's cross past Szczesny.

In a rare Arsenal burst, Wilshere looked set to break through the hosts' defence but the Stoke backline stood strong to deny the England international as they continued to stifle Arsenal's creativity.

After Crouch went close again with a header from Adam's cross, Geoff Cameron fired wide from inside the area - with Wenger opting to introduce Ozil from the bench in an attempt to offer a threat of their own.

However, Stoke seized on their best opportunity of the match after 76 minutes when Koscielny handled inside the penalty area.

Walters, despite having shown inconsistency from the spot in the past, calmly stroked the ball home to hand the hosts the lead and, while Ozil fired an effort wide eight minutes from time, the Gunners were unable to mount a response as Arsenal's Stoke hoodoo continued.

 

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Hull City 1-4 Newcastle: Pardew red card sours Magpies victory

Alan Pardew's apparent headbutt on David Meyler was a blotch on an otherwise fine day for Newcastle as they won 4-1 at Hull City in Saturday's Premier League meeting.

Pardew's men produced a fine performance to secure their first league win over Hull since 1990, a result that keeps the Yorkshire club within touching distance of the relegation mix. But it is Pardew's antics that will grab the headlines after he clashed with Hull midfielder Meyler in a sideline confrontation between the pair.The Newcastle boss is likely to face disciplinary action in the aftermath of the result, having avoided a charge for a touchline row with Manuel Pellegrini in January.

Moussa Sissoko converted from Mathieu Debuchy's cross to give Newcastle the lead, which was doubled by in-form striker Loic Remy in the closing stages of the first half.Hull pulled one back through Curtis Davies, only for Sissoko and Vurnon Anita to make sure of the points, though Pardew grabbed the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa was named in the Newcastle defence in the absence of captain Fabricio Coloccini, and it was the visitors who made the better start to proceedings, Yoan Gouffran firing narrowly wide early on with a drive from the edge of the area.Hull would have taken the lead inside nine minutes if not for the reflexes of Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul, who produced a fine double save to deny Alex Bruce 's header and Shane Long's close-range follow-up.

The Dutchman's heroics were rewarded less than 30 seconds later when Sissoko turned Debuchy's low right-wing cross into the top corner with an emphatic finish.
The hosts almost responded immediately as Long headed just over the crossbar from Liam Rosenior's delivery and Nikica Jelavic wasted a similar opportunity.

Hull continued to create the better chances but were denied by the woodwork after 35 minutes when Jelavic's curling free-kick was deflected against the bar, before Ahmed Elmohamady nodded Long's magnificent cross wide of the mark.

And Hull were made to pay for their profligacy three minutes prior to the interval, Remy capitalising on a horrendous backpass from Figueroa by rounding goalkeeper Allan McGregor and slotting into the empty net.Steve Bruce's side were quick out of the blocks in the second half and instantly pulled one back following the restart as Davies headed home Huddlestone's inswinging free-kick.

But Hull's defensive struggles undermined their attacking ambition, with Newcastle's two-goal advantage restored on 55 minutes when Sissoko tapped home a rebound from Gouffran's shot to finish off a counter-attack that he had started.

Newcastle then looked to push for a fourth, Luuk de Jong going close to his first the club before Remy was brilliantly denied by a flying save from McGregor.However, the game took an ugly turn in the 72nd minute when former Sunderland midfielder Meyler clashed with Pardew, whose inexplicable headbutt saw him sent to the stands by referee Kevin Friend.

Hull were lucky to see Curtis Davies avoid a red card for pulling down Remy, but Newcastle did add the gloss to a fine win as Anita tapped in with almost the final kick following good work from Dan Gosling and Paul Dummett.

 

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Fulham 1-3 Chelsea: Schurrle hat-trick extends Chelsea’s lead at the top

A 17-minute hat-trick from Andre Schurrle saw Chelsea move four points clear at the top of the Premier League with a 3-1 win over Fulham.


The forward notched his second hat-trick of the season, having achieved the feat for Germany against Sweden in October, and doubled his Chelsea tally to six league goals in 2013-14 following his second-half treble at Craven Cottage on Saturday.

Hosts Fulham had the better chances in the opening period but failed to take them and were made to pay as the visitors moved up through the gears after the break.
Schurrle, ably assisted by Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres, finished all three efforts clinically as Chelsea extended their unbeaten run to 13 league games, despite John Heitinga's late consolation.The victory, combined with Arsenal's defeat against Stoke, sees Chelsea open up a gap at the top of the table, while Fulham remain rooted to the bottom after an eighth league game without a win.

Following their midweek Champions League trip to Turkey, Premier League leaders Chelsea took their time to settle into the game and were lucky not to be behind in the third minute as Clint Dempsey wasted a great chance.Pajtim Kasami forced his way past Branislav Ivanovic on the left and drilled a cross into the penalty area for the unmarked American, playing the last game of his loan spell, but the 30-year-old could not direct his header on target from six yards.

Chances were at a premium for both sides in a half bereft of quality, with only Kasami forcing a save from either goalkeeper with a low free-kick in the final five minutes that Petr Cech held easily.Chelsea quickly put their poor first-half display behind them as Schurrle opened the scoring seven minutes after the break.

Hazard played a weighted pass over the top of the Fulham defence for the German to run onto, and he cut across Dan Burn before slotting past Maarten Stekelenburg from the edge of the penalty area.Torres should have doubled Chelsea's lead just before the hour after more excellent work from Hazard, but the 29-year-old saw his header at the back post deflect off Kieran Richardson and away from danger.

With 65 minutes played, Schurrle added his second goal, with Hazard again involved. The Belgian escaped the attentions of Heitinga before rolling a perfect pass into Schurrle and he fired low beyond Stekelenburg.Schurrle's hat-trick was complete three minutes later as the forward made no mistake with a calm finish after being played in by Torres.

Fulham netted a consolation with 16 minutes to play as Darren Bent knocked down a Lewis Holtby corner and Heitinga poked the ball beyond Cech from close range.

 

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Borussia Dortmund 3-0 Nurnberg: Lewandowski strikes as hosts go second‏

Mats Hummels made a goalscoring return from injury as Borussia Dortmund claimed a 3-0 Bundesliga victory over Nurnberg on Saturday.

The defender has seen his season heavily disrupted by fitness issues, with the 25-year-old suffering another ankle injury in a friendly last month shortly after returning from a similar problem that had kept him out since November.But the Germany international proved hugely influential in just his second Bundesliga start in four months, breaking the deadlock from close range six minutes after the break.

Robert Lewandowski powered home from just outside the penalty area 13 minutes later to make sure of the points, before Henrikh Mkhitaryan added a third in the closing stages as Dortmund returned to winning ways domestically after a disappointing 3-0 defeat at Hamburg last time out.The result lifts Dortmund to second, thanks to Bayer Leverkusen's home defeat to Mainz, and represents just Nurnberg's second loss in their last nine top-flight matches.Hummels gave Jurgen Klopp a welcome boost as he slotted into Dortmund's 14th different back-four combination of the season, and the hosts could have been ahead inside the opening four minutes.

Lewandowski threaded the ball through for Mkhitaryan, but Raphael Schafer rushed off his line to gather at the Armenian's feet.Dortmund continued to press, with Lukasz Piszczek powering wide of the right-hand post moments later, before a Nurnberg backpass presented them with another chance to go ahead.

However, from the resulting indirect free-kick, Lewandowski failed to find a way past the wall of red shirts on the visitors' goal-line.For all their possession and chances, Dortmund were lacking in killer instinct as Nurnberg soaked up everything that was thrown at them.

And they were almost punished on the half-hour mark, when Josip Drmic pounced on a loose Sokratis pass to tee up Tomas Pekhart, who fired an effort against the post.Dortmund's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang then had an effort deflected over shortly before the interval as the sides went in goalless at half-time.

Klopp's team finally made their pressure pay in the 51st minute, though, as the returning Hummels tapped home the rebound after Schafer had parried a powerful Lewandowski header.And it should have been 2-0 four minutes later, when Mkhitaryan had an effort superbly pushed wide of the left-hand upright, before having a goal ruled out for offside just before the hour mark.

But Lewandowski found himself in space 20 yards out in 64th minute, and put the result beyond doubt with a low drive into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.
Mkhitaryan and Schafer were locked in a fascinating battle throughout, and the midfielder finally got the better of the visiting goalkeeper seven minutes from time, sliding home after a delightful through pass from substitute Jonas Hofmann.

 

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Roma are toughest along with Juventus, says Mazzarri

Walter Mazzarri praised Inter for holding Roma to a 0-0 stalemate and put them on par with Juventus as the most difficult to play against away from home.

Saturday's encounter proved to be a dour and bad-tempered affair as both sides created few opportunities to break the deadlock.

But Mazzarri took heart from the Nerazzurri's approach and Fredy Guarin's growing maturity, saying their ability to hold their own at the Olimpico was testament to his side's progress.

"I'm pleased with the way we played at one of the toughest grounds you can play at, along with Juventus," the coach told reporters after the match,

"We're looking to build this year and I'm happy with the way the lads approached the game tonight. We came here to have a go at them. We did very well in the first half, we just needed a goal.

"Guarin has the occasional bad game but in the last few he has always provided the decisive passes. We missed them today.

"Guarin is a fantastic player but can be prone to dips in performance. He still has high's and lows, sometimes his game comes to a halt, but it has improved this year. He is an important player.

"I'm satisfied with what we've done so far. There have been lots of times when luck hasn't been on our side and we've picked up less than we deserved."

The point allows the San Siro outfit to consolidate fifth spot in Serie A, as they seek a return to European competition for next season.

 

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Gerrard: Playing two defenders against Suarez and Sturridge? Good luck

Steven Gerrard has wished luck to any team opting to play two defenders against Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge for the remainder of the season.

Goals from Suarez, Raheem Sterling and Gerrard fired Liverpool to 3-0 victory over Southampton on Saturday.

“If teams wants to play two versus two against these two - Suarez and Sturridge - all the best,” Gerrard told Sky Sports.

The win at St Mary’s sees Liverpool leapfrog Arsenal, who lost at Stoke, and Manchester City into second place, four points behind leaders Chelsea.

When asked if the victory over Southampton sent a message to Liverpool’s title rivals, Gerrard replied: “Yeah I think we have.

“I see [Theo] Walcott is in your studio, they [Arsenal] lost today and we won.

“I’m sure many people in the Premier League are looking out for us because we’ve got no Europe. We’re fresh going into every game.

“All we asked for at the beginning of the season is ‘can we be in it with 10 games to go?’

“We are certainly in it. We’re still not the favourites. I think Chelsea and Manchester City are still the favourites but we need to keep going and try and win every game.

“With world-class players in your team like this fella [Suarez] you can beat anyone.”

Gerrard admits his team-mates will increase in confidence if their form continues but has called for composure with 10 Premier League games remaining.

"If we keep winning it’s going to grow. But it’s important to stay calm and take each game as it comes. I know it’s a cliché but that’s all we can do,” said the midfielder.

“We haven’t got the experience but we’ve got a lot of good things going for us as well.

“We’ll have to wait and see. The challenge now can we put in a good performance away at Old Trafford and let’s see where we are with four or five games [to go], why not?”

 

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Schurrle has 'cold blood' - Mourinho


Jose Mourinho praised the clinical finishing of Andre Schurrle after the German netted a hat-trick in Chelsea's 3-1 win over Fulham.

Schurrle broke the deadlock early in the second half and found the net twice more inside 16 minutes to settle the west London derby in the visitors' favour.

Mourinho described the 23-year-old as "cool" in front of goal and was delighted to see his team secure victory after a drab first half at Craven Cottage.

"Schurrle's in a learning process in the Premier League but he has cold blood, in front of goal he is cool," he said.

"He's a good finisher and that's what I expect from him.

"This was a real game of two halves, the first half was very poor and the second was brilliant, it was a great three points for us.

"I decided not to speak at half-time because I would have needed more than 10 minutes, but the players showed they are intelligent."

Chelsea are four points clear at the top of the Premier League table with 10 games remaining, though third-placed Manchester City are six points behind with two games in hand.

And Mourinho still believes that Manuel Pellegrini's side are favourites for the title.

"We have four points more than Arsenal," he added.

"But if City win their two matches in hand they are top of the league.

"For me I am not top of the league, I am only there occasionally."

 

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Yaya Toure: Capital One Cup crucial to Man City

Yaya Toure has warned his Manchester City team-mates against looking too far ahead as they prepare for the Capital One Cup final against Sunderland.

Manuel Pellegrini's side are still battling on four fronts, but Yaya believes the Blues can only start thinking about creating history once they have picked up some silverware against the Black Cats at Wembley.

The Ivorian moved to Eastlands from Barcelona in 2010 having won the Champions League, Copa del Rey and Primera Division in 2008-09, but he says it is difficult to do the same in England.

"The most important thing at the moment is the Capital One Cup because Sunday is the next game. We will focus on this game and after that we can concentrate on other competitions," he told reporters.

"To win four trophies in Spain is different, but in England, with the FA Cup and the Champions League, it’s always difficult.

"We want to take the season game by game and we need to be ready for the final. It is very important for the club and for the fans.

"After you win the first you have the confidence to continue and have your mind focused on winning games. We want to finish with the game on Sunday then move forward."

Yaya was part of the City side that were surprisingly beaten by Wigan Athletic in the 2013 FA Cup final at Wembley, and the Ivory Coast midfielder believes the team have learnt from that disappointment and will be sure not to allow it to happen again.

"For me personally, every game has a different story. We have missed a couple of games, like the final against Wigan in the FA Cup, but we just need to be ready for Sunday," he added.

"We don’t want to feel like that again and hopefully this time we will win this competition."

Pellegrini, who is chasing his first trophy as a manager in England, has been boosted by a return to fitness for top scorer Sergio Aguero and Yaya is thrilled to see the 25-year-old back in contention ahead of such a crucial encounter.

"It’s very important because we need our best players. We have missed him for a couple of months, but now that all our players are fit and wanting to play it’s great news," he said.

"I hope Sunday we’re not going to miss him because finals are always controversial and one mistake can be the difference. Hopefully he will be fine."

 

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Ronaldo, Zidane & Figo play in all-star match

Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo and Paolo Maldini are among the legends who will take part in an all-star footballing exhibition in Switzerland.

The game, billed as Ronaldo, Zidane and Friends vs BSC Young Boys and Friends, is the 11th Annual Match Against Poverty, with the proceeds of the game going to help support the recovery efforts after Typhoon Haiyan - one of the most devastating storms in history - hit the Philippines.

World Cup Legends | Former Real Madrid stars Zidane and Ronaldo share a joke

It will take place on Tuesday, March 4 at the national stadium in Bern, Switzerland - the Stade de Suisse - and tickets are still available.

Former AC Milan defender Maldini, who will be playing on Ronaldo and Zidane's side, said: "I was very pleased with the invitation I received. I played as a defender throughout all my career and now I'm ready to defend the people of the Philippines in the fight against poverty."

Other familar faces include: Fernando Hierro, Fabio Cannavaro, Robert Pires, Patrick Vieira, Gennaro Gattuso, Pavel Nedved, Christian Vieri and Giovane Elber.

Masters of Football | The trio were involved in December 2012's Match Against Poverty

Former Chelsea coach Ruud Gullit, who will be in charge of the all-star side, said: "It is a privilege and a challenge to steer a team with such great world football names.

"We would like to count on a massive public presence to see us playing and help us support the people of the Philippines."

The Young Boys team will be led by former Swiss international players Stephane Chapuisat and Hakan Yakin, while Pierluigi Collina will be the referee.

Both Ronaldo and Zidane played in the last iteration of the Match Against Poverty along with Brazilian superstar Neymar prior to his move from Santos to Barcelona.
The confirmed players in the Ronaldo, Zidane & Friends' team are:

Goalkeepers: Carlo Cudicini (Italy), Antonios Nikopolidis (Greece)

Defenders:Paolo Maldini, Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluca Zambrotta (Italy), Fernando Hierro, Michel Salgado (Spain), Jamie Carragher (England), Paulo Ferreira, Fernando Couto (Portugal)

Midfielders:Zinedine Zidane, Patrick Vieira, Robert Pires, Christian Kerembeu (France), Luis Figo, Paulo Sousa (Portugal), Pavel Nedved (Czech Republic), Freddie Ljungberg (Sweden), Gaizka Mendieta (Spain), Gennaro Gattuso (Italy), Ronald de Boer (Netherlands), Santiago Solari (Argentina), Hidetoshi Nakata (Japan), Steve McManaman (England)

Attakers:Ronaldo, Marta, Giovane Elber (Brazil), Davor Suker (Croatia), Hakan Sukur (Turkey), Youri Djorkaeff (France), Christian Vieri (Italy), Nuno Gomes (Portugal).

 

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Pardew fined £100,000 by Newcastle United over Meyler headbutt

Alan Pardew has been given a £100,000 fine and a formal warning by Newcastle United after his headbutting Hull City midfielder David Meyler.

The 52-year-old clashed with the player in his technical area during his side's 4-1 win at the KC Stadium on Saturday.

The Football Association are to investigate the incident but Newcastle confirmed have confirmed Pardew will not be dismissed over the clash.

A statement from Newcastle read: "Newcastle United are disappointed with the actions of its manager Alan Pardew this afternoon.

"His behaviour was unacceptable and is not the behaviour we expect from the manager of Newcastle United.

"It is most disappointing that this incident has taken the focus away from what was a fantastic performance by the team and an excellent result away from home which leaves the club in eighth place in the Barclays Premier League.

"Sadly, the headlines tomorrow will not be focused on the result or the efforts of the players, but instead on the actions of our manager.

"Alan unreservedly apologised immediately following the game to the player, to Hull City Football Club and its fans, and to the fans of Newcastle United.

"We have held discussions this evening with Alan who has offered his sincere apologies to the club and it is clear he deeply regrets his actions. Alan has accepted a formal warning from the club in relation to his behaviour today and also a club fine of £100,000.

"The club is now drawing a line under this matter and will be making no further comment."

 

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Arda: Atletico favourites for derby

Arda Turan insists Atletico Madrid should not envy Barcelona or Real Madrid and says his side are favourites ahead of Sunday's clash with their arch-rivals.

Carlo Ancelotti's side travel to the Vicente Calderon for the capital clash boasting a three-point advantage at the league summit.

But Arda insists he is not daunted by the task of facing their fierce rivals after pointing out how his team have proven more than a match for los Blancos on several occasions already.

"It's hard to pick a favourite in a derby, but playing at the Calderon, we're favourites because we're at home," the Turkish midfielder told Marca.


"I've never considered playing for another team. Atletico has nothing to envy Barcelona or Real Madrid. We've already shown how to beat Madrid and we've done it twice.

"We have to be ourselves and fight with blood, sweat and tears. We have to play our game. They have more talented players, but we're fearless.

"We aren't scared of them. We've already beaten them, both in the league and the cup. An Atletico player must never be scared."

Los Rojiblancos have successfully strung together an unlikely title challenge this season and Arda has put the secret down to Diego Simeone's presence in the dugout.

"The coach works and studies all the details. Simeone speaks from his heart and knows how to get the best out of his players," he concluded.

"What's most important is that he's a good man. If something ever happened to you, he would never abandon you."

 

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Llorente predicts 'decisive' Milan-Juventus clash

Fernando Llorente believes Juventus' clash with AC Milan on Sunday is crucial to their hopes of winning Serie A.

The Bianconeri sit eight points ahead of second-placed Roma in Serie A, but Llorente insists the Italian champions cannot take their foot off the pedal against Clarence Seedorf's recovering outfit.

"We do not fear anybody and are going to San Siro in order to win, even if Milan are improving under Seedorf," the 29-year-old told Sport Mediaset.

"We know how important this game is, as it’s a decisive game for the Scudetto. Milan are a good team, but we have no concerns.

"Our aim is to win the title and for that a win at San Siro is crucial. We are the team to beat and it won’t be easy for anyone."

The striker moved to Turin on a free transfer last summer and has progressed into a key element of Antonio Conte's squad, something he hopes stands him in good stead in his bid to make the World Cup with Spain.

"I am happy to have him [Conte] as coach. I needed to work very hard at the start to assimilate the playing style of the team, but that was the way it had to be," he continued.

"There’s a long way to go before the World Cup. I have to think about doing well with Juventus, which right now is the most important thing."

Llorente has now scored 12 goals in 27 appearances in all competitions for the Old Lady, but was overlooked by Vicente del Bosque for his latestsquad.

 

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Wenger: Stoke penalty was a gift from the referee


Arsene Wenger described referee Mike Jones' decision to award Stoke City a penalty for a Laurent Koscielny handball as "a nice gift" for the hosts following Arsenal's 1-0 defeat at the Britannia Stadium.

Jon Walters converted from the spot on the 76th minute to deliver a hammer blow to the Gunners' title aspirations, but Wenger felt there was nothing his defender could do to get out of the way of the ball.

"It was a nice gift from the referee," he told reporters. "Koscielny is one yard away. He has no time. How can he take his hand away? He has no chance."

The Frenchman also admitted that the defeat was a huge blow in his side's pursuit of the Premier League title, with the north Londoners now three points off the top after Chelsea's victory at Fulham.

"It is a big worry not to win a game like that," he said. "It's a massive setback.

"We didn't produce the performance that we wanted. To win a title, you have to perform when you're expected to.

"It was a good defensive performance and overall I think we were unlucky to lose this game. Offensively we didn't create enough. Our offensive game was poor considering our standards. At the end of day we didn't score.

"I don't assess our title chances at all. We just have to play well in the next game."
Stoke boss Mark Hughes disagreed with the Arsenal boss over the penalty, insisting that it was the correct decision from Jones.

"I know Arsenal don't think it was a penalty but I'm a bit bemused by that," he said. "I think it was clear-cut to most people.

"They can't have any real complaints. We showed more intensity and drive and determination. They struggled against that."Hughes was also quick to praise Walters' charcater in stepping forward despite his checkered recent history from the penalty spot.

"That's what you'll get from Jon because he's mentally very strong" he said. '"He's a senior player in the group and he takes responsibility each and every day."It doesn't surprise me that he grabs the ball, he wasn't going to give it to anyone else and I was really pleased for him that he was able to dispatch it because it was a pressure penalty, obviously."

"The stars were aligned and it came together," Hughes added. "I thought we were excellent on the day to be honest, going up against a very accomplished Arsenal side with a lot of talent and a lot of ability, but I thought we matched that and in the end we've won the game courtesy of a penalty.

 

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Fifa moves to address 'triple punishment' concerns

Fifa has accepted a Uefa request to address the game's controversial 'triple punishment' rule regarding 'professional' fouls in the penalty area.

The directive has been the subject of much debate in recent weeks, after both Manchester City and Arsenal were reduced to 10 men in their recent Champions League last-16 clashes with Barcelona and Bayern Munich, respectively.

Given that the professional fouls in question also resulted in penalties, as well as mandatory suspensions for dismissed duo Martin Demichelis (City) and Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal), it has been argued that teams are effectively being punished three times for a single offence.

Consequently, Fifa has now agreed to review the law relating to the automatic dismissal and suspension of players guilty of committing a 'professional' foul.

"Uefa submitted a proposal to remove the red card given for any offence denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity inside the penalty area," Fifa confirmed in a statement issued after the International Football Association Board's (IFAB) Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Zurich on Saturday.

"The IFAB acknowledged that the so-called ‘triple punishment’ has been heavily debated including concerns that, if red cards were to be removed, it would lead to cynical fouls – as was the case under the previous wording of ‘Law 12 – Fouls and Misconduct’ in relation to sending off offences.

"It was decided that the advisory panels should consider the matter to analyse how Law 12 might be further clarified."

Fifa also revealed that it was decided that video replays will remain solely available to match officials for deciding whether a goal has been scored.

"The IFAB remains of the view that technology should be allowed only for goal-line incidents, since it is a clear yes or no decision," the statement continued.

"Concerns were raised about video replays slowing the game down or increasing the number of stoppages."

 

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Rafa Benitez: We can survive without Higuain

Rafa Benitez is convinced his Napoli side can beat Livorno on Sunday without star striker Gonzalo Higuain.

The Argentina international, who has scored 13 goals in 24 Serie A appearances since making the move from Real Madrid in the summer, is suspended for the trip to Tuscany.

Benitez though believes the 26-year-old’s understudies are more than ready to step up in his absence.

“Losing Gonzalo is important but… Goran Pandev, Jose Callejon or Duvan Zapata can all do well,” he said.

“I have faith in them all. We’ve got to focus on more than just the result against Livorno."

The former Liverpool and Valencia coach also said that he was yet to find the perfect blend between defence and attack.

“Looking back to the Coppa Italia semi-final against Roma, we had balance. We attacked and defended very well.

"We can’t expect our strikers to put in the same effort in defending as those with less quality. My problem is finding solidity between defence and attack.”

Napoli come into the weekend sitting third in Serie A, six points clear of fourth-placed Fiorentina.