Chelsea are still challengers for the title, says Ferguson as United boss ... - Daily Mail

By Chris Wheeler

PUBLISHED: 05:50 EST, 30 November 2012 | UPDATED: 08:53 EST, 30 November 2012

Sir Alex Ferguson is refusing to rule Chelsea out of the Premier League title race despite Manchester United's seven-point lead and the Stamford Bridge revolt against interim boss Rafa Benitez.

United and second-placed Manchester City extended their advantage over Chelsea in midweek after Benitez's second game in charge ended in another goalless draw.

But Ferguson believes it is too early in the a season to declare a two-horse race.

Out of sorts: Chelsea haven't tasted victory in their last six Premier League games

'It's coming to the end of November and I don't think you can be certain of saying it's going to be a two-horse race at this time,' he said.

'Over the years we've always hoped that the top five or six are all capable of winning the league but eventually it ends up a two-horse race. It's been like that for years, and last season there was big gap between ourselves and City.

'The important thing is to look at yourselves. You want to stay up there every time and it's not an easy league to do that.'

Tough battle: Ferguson expects Reading to put up a stern test

United were given a sharp reminder of that when they lost at Norwich a fortnight ago and Ferguson expects another tough battle at Reading tomorrow.

'Away games are getting more difficult,' he added. 'Norwich was a good example of that. They fought like tigers and were really motivated. It was a difficult day for us.

'We expected another difficult game like Norwich tomorrow. The job Brian McDermott has done there is excellent. It took him a little bit of time to get his ideas across but in the second half of last season came from nowhere to win the league.'

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Going by the midweek performances of the Manchester pair, it's more a two-donkey race.

- Rob , Lancaster, 30/11/2012 16:18

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Chelsea are contenders for mid table .....Benitex the Boring will play the non striking striker ..... i just hope the games not on TV Sky'll be bankrupt with the lack of companies wishing to advertisein that game.... my money'son nil nil

- kevinskivitch , London, 30/11/2012 15:35

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Chelsea are contenders for mid table .....Benitex the Boring will play the non striking striker ..... i just hope the games not on TV Sky'll be bankrupt with the lack of companies wishing to advertisein that game.... my money'son nil nil

- kevinskivitch , London, 30/11/2012 15:35

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Not with that girly girl Torres we won't

- Currant Bun , Jerusalem, Algeria, 30/11/2012 13:55

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Sad how Arsenal doesn't even get a mention these days. We have become an ordinary team, thanks to that stingy board.

- Femi , Austin, 30/11/2012 12:26

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Its a two horse race for the title.The Manchester clubs will be out of sight from the rest by as early as January. There's already a 6 point difference between 2nd and 3rd and I expect there to be a huge difference come the end of season, 16 - 20 points at least. The simple fact of the matter is the rest of the league is POOR and no way near as good as during the so called BIG4 era of 2004 - 2009. That's not to say its exciting and competative.

- The_Boss , London, United Kingdom, 30/11/2012 11:58

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Premier League - Sprinter Campbell says he can 'fix' Torres - Yahoo! Eurosport UK

Campbell, who worked with Torres towards the end of the 2010-11 season, insisted the striker just needed a period of fine-tuning to regain his speed and confidence.

"It's something best done in pre-season but Fernando just needs two weeks when he hasn't got to worry about playing on the Saturday," Campbell told the Daily Telegraph.

"Just put in a nice two-week training programme that I think would definitely bring the majority of his speed back.

"I'm sure I could fix him," added Campbell, who won a relay gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics and now works as a sprint coach in football and rugby union.

"It doesn't have to be a lengthy process because these guys are already extremely fit. You're not having to worry about the base fitness so you just go in and teach the raw speed."

Chelsea's interim manager Rafael Benitez, who brought Torres to Liverpool in 2007, agreed the striker may need to go back to the gym to regain the form he displayed while with the Reds.

"Fernando had real pace," said Benitez. "You have to work in the gym on strength. Maybe he needs to do that again."

Torres has suffered a crisis in confidence since his record £50 million switch to London two years ago, scoring just 11 league goals.

Campbell suggested Torres should bulk up a little to help improve his power.

"In the case of Fernando, I think he would also probably need to do a bit of weightlifting as well as the running and the speed drills to put some power back into his muscles," he said.

"That's why sprinters lift weights, to gain that explosive speed and power."

Campbell's previous association with Torres came to an abrupt end after Andre Villas-Boas was sacked by trigger-happy Chelsea chairman Roman Abramovich.

"I only did about two or three sessions with Fernando but I could see his confidence coming back," Campbell said.

"The biggest problem is that when you lose your speed you're unable to do what you used to be able to do. So then you start trying harder and harder. But that can be counterproductive.

"If you want to be quick, there's an element of relaxation that's involved. You've only got to look at Gareth Bale. He runs at high speed but it's all relaxed and there's no tension in him.

"The problem with someone like Fernando Torres is that the harder he tries to find that speed, his efforts are actually detrimental."

Campbell traced Torres's problems to his injury-hit 2010 World Cup and highlighted two instances from the recent 0-0 draw with Manchester City to outline the extent of his troubles.

"Fernando got the ball and tried to knock it out of his feet and go past Vincent Kompany and James Milner, but they both caught him," said Campbell.

"Kompany we know is very quick but Milner is not exactly lightning by any stretch of the imagination.

"A striker without any natural speed wouldn't have knocked the ball out of his legs to chase after. It shows he is playing as if he still believes he has the speed but he clearly hasn't.

"A sprint coach could help him," he added. "I'm 100 per cent sure of that. I believe that if you can put the speed back into his legs then, boy, you will see a very different and far more confident Fernando Torres."

Mario Balotelli rescues Manchester City - Belfast Telegraph

Wigan Athletic 0 Manchester City 2: It was not a promising terrain to ask Mario Balotelli to find the net for the first time since March: one of those blisteringly cold nights in northern England when players blow steam towards an ink jet sky.

He huffed and puffed, he missed and miskicked, but ultimately the 22-year-old provided evidence that when he is on a football field things may happen. Insulated to the last inch by gloves and socks up to his thighs, his goal broke a frustrating deadlock and a valiant Wigan side who tired at the last. It also added to the sense that the two Manchester sides who contest for honours on Sunday week will be the two doing the serious competing next May.

The game did not suggest that it will be a procession. Searching questions were asked of Manchester City and there were not always, or even often, answers. Wigan were without regulars and also without either a win or even a goal against the Premier League champions in their last five encounters, but they showed no fear. They were the faster and more fluid of the sides in a first half played at high tempo, tramping with ease through the City midfield.

On the basis of the 58 minutes he lasted, it was difficult to see the point of Javi Garcia, who was no more able to distribute than to be destructive. City need resilience in the middle, to allow Yaya Tour the freedom to operate in the advanced role where he began this game. He had withdrawn to a deep-lying role before the stalemate was broken. That was around about the time Wigan were gifted one of those kinds of moments on which nights turn: a well measured cross by James McCarthy which found the Ivorian Arouna Kon with time to pick his spot with a header. But the Ivorian got his angles terribly wrong.

That City should have gone up the other end to score was testament to the judgement of their manager Roberto Mancini, which has been questioned this season. When it came to which striker might be withdrawn just after the hour the good money was on Edin Dzeko – back to the bench after the weekend's blank sheet at Stamford Bridge – replacing Balotelli. Aleksandr Kolarov arrived for Sergio Aguero, instead. "We thought that Mario in this moment was more fresh than Sergio [even though] he didn't play like he knows he can play," Mancini said later.

It took a minute for the decision to be vindicated. When Ali al-Habsi in the Wigan goal failed to gather Gareth Barry's shot, Balotelli pounced – the Italian's second stab delivered his first goal since he punished Sunderland on 31 March.

The way Wigan stood off James Milner, Mancini's second substitute, in the 72nd minute was punished in equal measure when the Englishman unleashed a formidable swerving effort. Milner limped off soon later with a hamstring injury but City were home. "No. No," Mancini insisted, late last night, when asked if Balotelli would be leaving in January.

Wigan warranted the praise their manager lavished on them. "We should have been a bit more patient with our final ball. The disappointment was that for the 60 minutes we were [on top] we couldn't score a goal," Roberto Martinez said. "I don't want to be a Wigan Athletic representative saying we are happy to lose against the champions."

Mancini feels it could be a three-horse race for the Premier League title, despite another Chelsea goalless draw last night. "In February if teams are playing in the Champions League it can change everything. I think Chelsea can compete."

This league makes fools of November predictions but it doesn't presently feel like others will muscle in on Manchester business.

* City's assistant coach David Platt has been given a two-match European ban after being sent to the stands during last week's 1-1 Champions League draw with Real Madrid, when City were eliminated.

Man of the Match Balotelli.

Match rating 6/10.

Referee M Halsey (Lancashire).

Attendance 19,623.

Mad for it: Mario Balotelli's happy at Manchester City insists pal Barry - Mirror.co.uk

Gareth Barry has dismissed talk that team-mate Mario Balotelli is hankering to return to Italy, claiming the striker is happy at Manchester City.

Balotelli's pal and Manchester United star Patrice Evra has claimed the controversial star is homesick, and his on-off girlfriend, model Raffaella Fico, is due to give birth to his child next month in Milan.

AC Milan are ready to offer Balotelli a ticket home and they would like to bring the former Inter Milan striker back to the San Siro.

Barry sees Balotelli every day in training and, despite the lure of his homeland, insists he is content at Eastlands.

"I think he is happy," said the England international. "If you saw him day-to-day, you'd see no reason to think he isn't happy.

"He's probably not played as much as he would have liked, but he's kept his head as well as anybody else who isn't getting chances.

"He started against Wigan [in City's 2-0 win on Wednesday] and scored, so that will help him."

Although City manager Roberto Mancini has been unhappy with Balotelli, warning him he could blow his chance to become one of the world's best players, he says he does not want to sell him.

Barry claims Balotelli has the mental strength to handle Mancini's criticism and wasn't surprised to see him shrug off a bad miss to score City's opener at the DW Stadium.

"Anyone who knows Mario knows he's not going to lack confidence," he said. "If he misses two or three, he'll keep trying the same things. Hopefully that goal will give him that extra bit of confidence in his play and he can improve from that."

Balotelli's strike was his first in the Premier League since March and Barry is backing him to weigh in with more critical goals, just like he did last season.

The Italian made up for the loss of an AWOL Carlos Tevez, scoring 11 goals in 14 appearances as the Blues claimed the title.

"Yeah, he scored some massive goals last season," said Barry. "If he can repeat that again this season, it will be good for us.

"It's always important to get that first goal in games and Mario's goal came at a good time. Hopefully it could be good for Mario and he could go on a run now.

"Any striker's goals are going to be massive in a season. To be fair to Mario, he hasn't had loads of chances, but when you do get them, you need to take them, and he took his."

City's sixth straight win over Wigan without conceding a goal stretched their unbeaten league run to 20 games.

However, Barry's priority is wins rather than unbeaten records and he has noted that Manchester United still lead the Premier League despite having lost three times.

Champions City are a point behind United and Barry does not want to lose sight of them with the Manchester derby looming a week on Sunday.

"If we can keep that unbeaten run going for as long as possible, it's going to help," said the midfielder.

"I think it's a similar stage to last season, but I don't think we've got as many points. We just want to win as many games as possible.

"People have mentioned the draws we've had. We need to turn them into wins because the three points are vital. Of course, we want to be within touching distance when we play United.

"It's a massive game first for us, against Everton on Saturday.

"We always find it difficult against them, so if we get a positive result there, we'll go into the derby confident."

Cristiano who? Nastasic fends off Real Madrid's Ronaldo

 

By David Anderson

Roberto Mancini claims Manchester City's Mr Nasty will become one of Europe's top defenders within two years.

Mancini surprised fans when he signed rookie Matija Nastasic to replace Joleon Lescott, but the City boss feels the teenage centre-half has huge potential.

The 19-year-old, who has been nicknamed Nasty by some of his City team-mates, has helped the champions register five clean sheets in their last six Premier League games.

And Mancini claims the Serbian international deserves to play ahead of England regular Lescott.

"Nastasic is still young," said Mancini. "He's playing in front of Joleon, and that's difficult because Joleon is an important player from us.

"Joleon's back from injury now, but Matija is playing very well. We spotted him last year and we think that in two years he will be one of the top defenders in Europe."

Gareth Barry is impressed by how quickly Nastasic has adjusted to the demands of English football since arriving from Fiorentina.

"Matty has had a great run of games now and anybody who comes to the Premier League is going to find their first few starts difficult," he said.

"It's a different game to what he has been used to, but his form has improved."

Arsenal stars facing wage cut if they fail to qualify for the Champions League ... - Daily Mail

By Sami Mokbel

PUBLISHED: 18:20 EST, 29 November 2012 | UPDATED: 18:20 EST, 29 November 2012

Arsenal players will be forced into taking significant wage cuts if they fail to qualify for the Champions League.

The club are currently attempting to tie down a clutch of their core players to long-term contracts.

But Sportsmail can reveal those new deals will include Champions League failure clauses that will essentially result in players taking home less money if they fail to make Europe's elite competition.

Show me the money: Arsenal are preparing for the worst with some of their senior players facing a wage cut if they fail to qualify for the Champions League

Players who are in talks over new deals include Carl Jenkinson, Kieran Gibbs, Alex Oxlade- Chamberlain, Jack Wilshere, Theo Walcott and Bacary Sagna.

The decision from the Gunners hierarchy has been made to protect the club financially should they miss out on the cash windfall linked to Champions League qualification. The clauses stipulate a player will not receive full bonuses if they miss out on the top four.

The move provides a clear indication that substantial concerns are emerging from within Arsenal, who have been Champions League mainstays during the modern era, that they may miss out this season.

Why does it rain on me? Arsene Wenger has faced a fan backlash this season

While the club view the decision as making business sense, the move is likely to frustrate fans who have seen their best players walk away over the past  two seasons.

An Arsenal spokesman said on Thursday night: 'Each player has an individual contract which contains  elements of performance-related payments, which are linked to a player's individual contribution and also to the club's progress in both domestic and European competitions. This is normal practice across football clubs.'

Meanwhile, Sportsmail understands Sagna has been offered a one-year extension by the Gunners. Sagna's deal expires at the end of next season. He is said to want a longer-term deal and discussions are ongoing.

Arsenal are also believed to be heading to Germany tomorrow to watch Schalke striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. He has scored in both his Champions League games against the Gunners this season.

And speaking to French television on Wednesday night, Wenger confirmed Arsenal want to sign two players in January as well as bringing back Thierry Henry for a third spell at the club.

Home boy: Club legend Thierry Henry could return to Arsenal for a third spell

One year deal: Bacary Sagna

He said: 'This winter we will work very hard because we have some funds available. It could happen that we buy two players, but I cannot reveal the names.

'A loan [for Henry] is still a possibility, but we will still try to strengthen for the long term.

'Henry is the talent that you dream to have. He has fantastic physique, fantastic technique, a fantastic brain, all built together in one man. At the start he was not confident enough but he has gone on to show what a great player he is.'

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the problem with mr wenger is that he wants get the performance of a ferrari from a volkswagen beetle. I'm just thankful RVP has left that club, and Theo will be a real idiot to sign a new contract

- saymyname , London, United Kingdom, 30/11/2012 06:39

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@- Sir Paul fan , Long and Winding Road,XXX Fella it's not wage cuts, it's players bonuses that will be less, every club including the petro lottery winners have incentive bonuses! It's just another silly DM anti-Wenger headline with absolutly no insight whatsoever, dont be drawn in.

- AWAY END , Hoxton, United Kingdom, 30/11/2012 06:23

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This is a self destructive circle - If wage cuts arent accepted, players get to move away for relatively low fees (with contracts running out). If they get to accept the clause, then it will result in demotivation next year . If they accept and qualify for the CL, Wenger will say "Look at my results" and will not invest in the team......good luck Arsenal fans

- Sir Paul fan , Long and Winding Road, 30/11/2012 05:36

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Wenger it is NOT the team that should pay, You should be shown the DOOR. Yes you once made Arsenal a Great club, not anymore NO one is afraid playing us NO ONE.. I speaking for the fans I say GOOD BYE - Los Angeles AL, Los Angeles CA. USA, United States, 30/11/2012XXXXXX See this is one of the brain dead parrots I was talking about, and he doesn't even know what this article is about! just taps away this mindless drivel and tops it off with 'I speak for the fans"!!!! oh please bore off you absolute plonker.

- AWAY END , Hoxton, United Kingdom, 30/11/2012 04:55

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Wenger it is NOT the team that should pay, You should be shown the DOOR. Yes you once made Arsenal a Great club, not anymore NO one is afraid playing us NO ONE.. I speaking for the fans I say GOOD BYE

- Los Angeles AL , Los Angeles CA. USA, United States, 30/11/2012 04:48

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Arsenal have one of the biggest transfer budgets available in the Premiership, without a sugar daddy. If they get rid of the dead wood (hi, Squillaci!) then they'll be rolling in it.

- Ross , Manchester, 30/11/2012 03:02

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I think the headline should be "Arsenal players get a bonus if they finish top 4" but as usual DM put a negative spin on everything Arsenal related.

- Michael James Law , London, England, 30/11/2012 02:47

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Another stupid headline from the DM to get the likes of Brilliant plastic Orange and the other brain dead parrots frothing at the mouth! every club has performance related contracts for players, but I guess with the level of intelligence on these comment pages the dumbos will be out in full force blaming it on Wenger.

- AWAY END , Hoxton, United Kingdom, 30/11/2012 01:29

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arsenal can propose it... the players can reject it... case note theo... How about we stop over paying all our "peripheral" players, to put it nicely.

- HR , London, 30/11/2012 01:04

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sell the best player they have and they still want to be in the top 4... what a joke

- agoodboy , dublin, Ireland, 30/11/2012 00:54

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Manchester City or United to win the league? Rivals struggle to keep up in ... - Daily Mail

By John Edwards

PUBLISHED: 18:02 EST, 29 November 2012 | UPDATED: 22:28 EST, 29 November 2012

It is regularly feted as the best there is, the envy of other nations and a magnet for the world's best players.

The Barclays Premier League's stock has never been higher and, with television revenue continuing to roll in, there is little cause for fearing any downturn in its fortunes.

A glance at the product, though, as the money men insist on calling our national game, might just give rise to one or two concerns.

That's why we're champions: Mario Balotelli celebrates Manchester City's win at Wigan on Wednesday

All too easy: Robin Van Persie and Wayne Rooney enjoy Manchester United's win over West Ham

Strike force

Manchester United

key: player, goals, mins played, mins per goal

Robin van Persie  (9, 1,118, 124.4

Javier Hernandez (5,   391,   78.2)

Wayne Rooney    (2,   738,   69.0)

Danny Welbeck   (1,   543,   543.0)

Total 17

Manchester City

Carlos Tevez        (6,   946,   157.7)

Edin Dzeko          (6,   476,     79.3)

Sergio Aguero     (5,   670 ,   134.0)

Mario Balotelli      (1,   526,    526.0)

Total 18

Chelsea

Fernando Torres (4,  1,194,   298.5)

Daniel Sturridge  (1,     161,   161.0)

Total 5

If that doesn't make the January signing of a striker imperative for Chelsea, this is how long-term target Radamel Falcao is doing at Atletico Madrid.

Radamel Falcao (11,    989,     89.9)

PS
Don't forget Romelu Lukaku either. The 19- year-old, on loan at West Brom, has scored five goals so far — one more than Torres.

The title race in Scotland has long been derided as little more than a private duel between two teams, yet there is a growing case for saying the same is starting to apply south of the border.
For Glasgow, read Manchester.

For Celtic and Rangers, it's City and United.
The Manchester monopoly began to take shape towards the end of last season, when City overhauled what had looked an unassailable United lead and pipped them on goal difference with virtually the last kick of the campaign.

It made for dramatic viewing but those taken in by the spellbinding theatre of City's winner hitting the net while Sir Alex Ferguson and his players awaited news by the side of the pitch at Sunderland were overlooking one minor detail.

Third-placed Arsenal trailed in a distant 19 points behind.

Already, just 14 games in, it looks like being a two-horse race again, with United currently edging City and Chelsea heading an underachieving chasing pack, seven points adrift.

Even more disconcertingly for the image of the Premier League, the two city rivals are not even performing like the thoroughbreds of old.

City are the only remaining unbeaten team but have drawn too many times, while Ferguson's upbeat analysis of Wednesday night's 1-0 home win over West Ham was not shared by his players.

Michael Carrick's choice of phrase was as clunky as his team's faltering efforts as he described it as 'by far not a classic', adding that United had to rediscover their killer instinct in a hurry. Jonny Evans (right) was even more forthright.

'We didn't play well,' he said. 'The game was a bit slow and laboured, and we didn't really kick on after the early goal. We didn't play the normal United way. We were probably a bit more cautious going forward. We'd had a tough game at the weekend (against QPR), or at least we made it tough for ourselves. So there were some tired legs and it was all about seeing it out for the three points.'

Not good enough: Fernando Torres and Chelsea are in disarray under interim manager Rafa Benitez

In form: But despite Theo Walcott and Gareth Bale, neither Arsenal or Spurs are good enough to win the title

An eagerly awaited Manchester derby is looming at the Etihad a week on Sunday, and Roberto Mancini believes City's prospects are all the brighter for integrating Mario  Balotelli back into the side and giving Matija Nastasic a run at centre half, at Joleon Lescott's expense.

Balotelli scored the opener in Wednesday's 2-0 win at Wigan and Mancini made it clear he intended keeping his four-man strike force intact after being asked if he might be tempted to offload the troublesome Italian in the January window.

'No, no,' said the City manager.  'That was his first goal this year, and I hope it will help him improve. We have had some difficulty scoring goals but, with four top strikers, we can move on and put that right.

'Nastasic is young and it is  difficult for him to be playing in front of Joleon because Joleon is an important player for us and is back from injury now. But Matija is playing really well. We think that in two more years he will be one of the top defenders in Europe.'

Rafa Benitez must wish he had City's range of attacking options after inheriting a Chelsea side bolstered by flair signings in Oscar and Eden Hazard but still relying on just one out-and-out striker.

A woefully out-of-touch one at that, as Benitez admitted when claiming Fernando Torres may never recapture the form that made him so feared at Liverpool.

Torres looks to have lost a yard of pace since then, but, last night,  Olympic gold medal-winning sprinter Darren Campbell claimed he could solve the striker's problems in just two weeks.

Former semi-professional footballer Campbell, who briefly worked with Torres towards the end of the 2010-11 season, said: 'Fernando just needs a two-week training programme that would bring the majority of his speed back. I'm sure I could fix him. He has to train in a way that suits him.'

Taking advice from a former athlete? Things aren't that desperate for Benitez. Then again...

AND WHO COULD FORGET WHAT HAPPENED IN LAST YEAR'S EPIC MANCHESTER DERBIES?

Why always him? Mario Balotelli's double at Old Trafford last October inspired City to an incredible 6-1 win

Noisy neighbours: Vincent Kompany screams with delight after heading the winner at the Etihad in April

Blue Moon rising: The two derby victories proved crucial as City won the title on goal difference

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'Manchester giants' only one giant in Manchester!

- paul , England, 30/11/2012 05:00

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why such emphasis on '2 horse race'?? after around 18 games in the season (December time), the majority of the top european leagues hav two top teams gunning for the title - Man United : Man City, Dortmund : Munchen, Barcelona : Atletico (Falcao FC), Juventus : Napoli etc. Teams like Chelsea, Schalke, Inter, Real are quite inferior to the superior top 2 in their leagues by quite a mile. However Real have the resources to spend big in January to close the gap. Falcao will not suit Chelsea i can guarentee. He is quite overhyped and is only brilliant because of his fantastic understandings with Koke, Turan and Adrian. Chelsea have a bunch of individuals who play for the name on the back, not the badge at the front.

- Hochum , Dortmund, Germany, 30/11/2012 03:40

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Letting go Lukaku for a season was foolish. And Romans obsession with making it work with Torres (one of the reasons he made Benitez interim manager), is a bit unhealthy. Man up and accept your losses.

- Luken , In Space Rotating Slowly, 30/11/2012 03:12

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Manchester City & United pull away in two-horse title race - Goal.com

COMMENT
By Jack Gaughan at DW Stadium

In the immediate aftermath of Manchester City's 2-0 win at Wigan Athletic, Roberto Mancini was asked for his assessment on the title race. Is it now, thanks largely to the Rafael Benitez disaffect at Chelsea and continued indifference at Arsenal, a straight shootout between the two Manchester clubs once again for the Premier League crown?

"The season is very long," he straight-batted. "Chelsea will fight for the title."

Even if he does not truly believe those words Mancini is diplomatic. He has to be. That is a state his opposite number at Old Trafford, Sir Alex Ferguson, has always maintained. 

But the Manchester City manager seems, to all intents and purposes, to be wrong. Chelsea will not fight for the title – they are already seven points adrift of the top and have gone six matches without tasting victory.

It might sound foolish to be talking so bullishly about the chances of a team who are third and have won the league three times in the last eight years, given we are yet to reach December.

However, the revolt against Benitez and the lacklustre pace in which they have attacked since his arrival have put paid to the usual bounce created by a change in management mid-season. Owner Roman Abramovich may just have rolled the interim manager dice one too many times.

Up in the north-west, on the other hand, sit two happy camps. The supporters are happy with their managers – it is hard to imagine any hastily-made A4 pieces of paper sprouting up at the Etihad or Old Trafford – and there is a settled plan at boardroom level of both clubs.

The sacking of Roberto Di Matteo, on the other hand, was about as rash as the ink shoved into the printers for those A4 sheets.

And there is good reason for Manchester City fans, in particular, to be extremely happy with their boss, particularly after the win at Wigan.

The game had been a dreary affair at the DW Stadium with the champions simply not playing at all well. With 68 minutes gone and the game still goalless, Mancini decided to haul Sergio Aguero off and bring Aleksandar Kolarov on to match Wigan's formation.

It worked immediately – the substitution was correct and Mario Balotelli scored within a minute. In the end they won the game at a relative canter, with another substitute, James Milner, notching a second from range, his manager's decisions vindicated.

Balotelli's first goal of the campaign will be a huge relief, and his passionate celebration somewhat encouraging as well. City, just like anybody else, need at least one of their match winners firing at all times.

"I'm very happy for him because he has scored his first goal of the season. We have four top strikers," Mancini said afterwards.

"At the moment we've got some difficulty scoring as many goals as last year, but I think if we work we can change this."

This was no walk in the park, though, and City had to grind out the eventual result. For almost 70 minutes, it was a turgid affair.

"We knew before the game that it would be difficult. We don't win easy against Wigan," Mancini added. "In the end we deserved to win."

Deserved, maybe. Ugly, certainly. Those uncomfortably won three points may just be the ones City look back on with great fondness.

During the last four months the champions have come good despite playing poorly against Southampton, Fulham, West Brom and Swansea City. They have not yet started to play to anywhere near their maximum, which must be frightening for anyone associated with Chelsea who maintains ambitions of catching City.

Manchester United, one point better off than their rivals, are also yet to hit their stride. Before last night's 1-0 win against West Ham United, they had conceded the opening goal in their last three games.

Crucially, they won two of those games despite having to come from behind which is why, when the phase "grinding out victories" was put to Sir Alex Ferguson, it was met with a grin. He knows what it is about. So, too, does Mancini. Resolve and endeavour are so important in a division littered with quality from first to 20th, and something the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham lack on a consistent basis.

So when the top two meet in the Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium on December 9, it could well be individual brilliance that settles it.

The probability that the match will be a classic is unlikely, but victory for either will serve as a further reminder that United and City can beat the best without playing particularly brilliantly. Of course it may even be a draw – which will probably suit both sides, because after all, this is a two-horse race.

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Why Arsenal are ready to demote Szczesny & reignite Reina pursuit - Goal.com

SPECIAL REPORT
By Wayne Veysey | Chief Correspondent

Arsenal were on the trail of a new goalkeeper even before the inconsistent displays of Wojciech Szczesny and his understudies this season.

In the summer, Goal.com understands that the Gunners closely pursued Hugo Lloris and Julio Cesar but dropped out of the running before they were snapped up by London rivals Tottenham and QPR.

With the new window to open in 33 days' time, Arsenal are ready to step up their search for a keeper who can provide far greater competition to current No.1 Szczesny.

The requirements are broadly similar to those identified by Arsene Wenger and his staff in the summer: experience and pedigree in top-level competition.

Broken down, Arsenal want a keeper with sound technique who has the authority to command the penalty box and, crucially, has the distribution skills to fit in with their intricate passing game.

Wenger and his recruitment team have added one crucial caveat to their hunt: battle-hardened experience in the Premier League.

As revealed by Goal.com on Wednesday, Arsenal have now compiled a three-man shortlist of keepers currently employed in the English top tier – Liverpool's Pepe Reina, Swansea City's Michel Vorm and Thomas Sorensen of Stoke City.

The plan is that the newcomer will replace – or compete with – Szczesny.

Arsenal hold the Pole, who joined the club's youth set-up in 2006, in high regard but there is a strong belief that he needs competition, and perhaps some time away from the spotlight, to develop and realise his great potential.

Szczesny Szczesny demonstrated rare authority for such a young goalkeeper when he broke into the Arsenal team in the second half of the 2010/11 season. His composure, athleticism and confidence, which often veered into the territory of cockiness, made him a huge favourite of supporters who had watched Manuel Almunia and Lukasz Fabianski fail so miserably to step into the boots of Jens Lehmann.

But the 22-year-old's form has been more fitful in 2012, and a series of niggling injuries have interrupted his progress, most notably a seemingly minor ankle problem that kept him out for two months.

Although Wenger has publicly confirmed Szczesny's No.1 status and he has reclaimed his place in goal in the last four games, behind the scenes there is activity which is expected to culminate in a reshuffle of the Arsenal keeping pecking order.  

However, there are no plans to sell Szczesny. He is part of the long-term picture. But his weaknesses are enough for him to be demoted in the first-team set-up in the short and medium term.

One of the main problems is his erratic distribution and kicking, so important to a team where the keeper plays a key role in the build-up.

Moreover, Arsenal's staff have noted a technical deficiency in Szczesny's game. His footwork has made him vulnerable when dealing with long-range shots, a long-term problem that was highlighted again on Wednesday night with Marouane Fellaini's equalising goal in the 1-1 draw at Everton.

Since the break-up of the 'Invincibles', Arsenal have put their faith almost entirely in keepers unproven outside the gates of the club's London Colney headquarters.

That is about to change. Szczesny's understudy Lukasz Fabianski is out until February after rupturing his ankle ligaments in training last month and is almost certain to be off-loaded next summer, when his contract expires.

In the absence of Szczesny and Fabianski, No.3 Vito Mannone had an extended spell in goal but the Italian made a number of costly errors and did little to convince the staff that he is ready for a major role.

After putting so much faith in young keepers who could develop under the tutelage of goalkeeping coach Gerry Peyton at London Colney, Arsenal are finally ready to change tack and invest in proven quality.

Wenger's admiration of Reina is nothing new. He tried to sign the Spaniard in the summer of 2010 on the back of his best season at Liverpool to date but the deal fell through.

Now the Arsenal boss is keen to try again, even though Reina's own form has dipped over the last 12 months and he temporarily lost his starting place to Brad Jones after injuring his hamstring.

Although the 30-year-old is contracted to Liverpool until 2016, his price will be around half of the £20 million valuation of two years ago and Arsenal may be able to persuade him that a new challenge could rehabilitate a career that has stalled in recent times.

Vorm, so impressive in the Swansea goal since moving from the Dutch league 15 months ago, is also a strong contender in Arsenal's search. He ticks all the boxes in terms of age, Premier League experience, agility and authority.  

Reina and Vorm are both regarded as keepers who would go straight into the first X1. Sorensen, the third man on Arsenal's shortlist, is currently understudy to Asmir Begovic at the Britannia Stadium but the 36-year-old Dane would provide some experienced back-up and know-how to Szczesny and company.

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Premier League: 10 talking points from the midweek action - The Guardian (blog)

1) Work in progress x 2

So much to admire during Wednesday's Tottenham-Liverpool match, yet in a way that added frustration to an at-times thrilling match. Both teams showed lots of qualities yet also betrayed deficiencies that must exasperate their managers: you were left with the impression that with a sprinkling of new players – and Liverpool need more than Spurs – each could be a genuinely excellent team. Brendan Rodgers has shown enough to prove he deserves generous backing in January; Spurs need to show enough to convince Gareth Bale to resist the offers that he will inevitably get. Paul Doyle

2) De Gea v Lindegaard

It might be slightly perverse to question what David de Gea is doing sitting on Manchester United's bench after Anders Lindegaard kept a clean sheet in the 1-0 win over West Ham but let's do it anyway. What is David de Gea doing sitting on Manchester United's bench? De Gea certainly has his faults – especially his ability to deal with crosses – but he pulls off saves that other goalkeepers can only dream of making and has kept United in matches on his own at times this season. Although Lindegaard made a good stop to deny Carlton Cole, he was not overworked by West Ham, whose best efforts mostly went high or wide. The Dane is a good goalkeeper but De Gea is a special one. Jacob Steinberg

3) Pardew needs reinforcements

Mike Ashley needs to speculate to accumulate in January. Alan Pardew remains a fine manager and Newcastle's strongest XI is still very good indeed but their lack of strength in depth has been cruelly exposed by the Europa League, injuries and suspensions. Wednesday night's defeat at Stoke was their fourth in a row and it should serve to highlight the owner's mistake in not allowing his manager to strengthen last summer. A centre half, a right-back, a striker and arguably another midfielder are all needed. Will anyone suitable be available in January though and, if so, will Ashley be prepared to spend? Louise Taylor

4) Berbatov sparkles again for Fulham

A goalless draw that merely increases the sense of anguish at Stamford Bridge might have drawn the focus, but the only endearing memories from this west London derby were actually sparked by Fulham forwards. Dimitar Berbatov glided through this contest with all that classy elegance of old, Martin Jol describing him as "unplayable" and even Rafael Benítez conceding his brilliance. Fulham pulled off a coup in securing him in August as Mousa Dembélé and Clint Dempsey bade farewell. Their gain is the rest of the division's considerable loss. Then there was Kerim Frei, under-used on loan at Cardiff but restored to fitness and back tormenting Chelsea leggy full-backs with his scuttling energy and direct running late on. The Turkey international will surely re-establish himself in the months ahead, and Fulham can prosper this term with the pair in the ranks. Dominic Fifield

5) Benteke looks like a bargain

After so much talk about Darren Bent in the last few days, I thought I'd change the subject … to another Aston Villa centre forward – Christian Benteke. There was a feeling among some that Villa may have paid over the odds for Benteke when they signed the 21-year-old Belgium international for £7m from Genk on deadline day, but the early signs are that the fee represents decent value for money. He has not exactly been prolific – three goals in 11 Premier League appearances is nothing to get carried away with, even if his towering header against Reading on Tuesday night was as impressive as it was crucial, but Benteke's contribution exceeds putting the ball in the back of net. Superb in the air, full of aggressive running and not afraid to put himself about, Benteke is the focal point of Villa's attack and provides a constant outlet. Heaven help Villa if he gets injured. Stuart James

6) Laudrup enjoys the laid-back life

Spare a thought for football managers. They have to look after a squad of 25 players without showing any preferential treatment to their best goalscorer (ask Paul Lambert); they have to win trophies and in a style that pleases their boss (ask Roberto Di Matteo); and they are lined up for the sack by their own fans before they have even managed a game (ask Rafa Benítez).While not dealing with angry fans, players, bosses and journalists, they have to win some football matches. You would think that those few hours a week when their teams take to the field come as a welcome relief. Not so says Michael Laudrup: "It is not often as a manager you can sit and enjoy your team playing. Always during a game there are moments when there are things to improve."

Laudrup was speaking after Swansea's 3-1 win over West Brom, a match that went against type for the winning manager. For the first half at least, Laudrup sat back and enjoyed the game as if he was one of the fans in the stands: "I don't recall the last time I just enjoyed a game like this," he said. "It was a fantastic first half. It was the best I have seen this season and for a long time. All 11 players played one-two touch football and everything was so good. It was great for me to see the players at their best." Paul Campbell

7) Keeping up with Adkins is tough

There was no denying Nigel Adkins' frustration with Paulo Gazzaniga following the Argentinian's failure to keep out Robert Snodgrass's relatively tame free-kick during Southampton's 1-1 draw with Norwich at St Mary's. "It was a bad mistake and he [Gazzaniga] knows he should have saved it," said the Southampton manager, and one can only wonder if he is set to change his goalkeeper yet again. Gazzaniga is the third keeper Adkins has used this season, with Kelvin Davis and Artur Boruc having also been deployed in that position. Davis has started on five occasions in all competitions, Boruc twice and Gazzaniga 10 times, with the later having also kept the club's one and only league clean sheet this campaign in last Sunday's 2-0 victory over Newcastle. He is the man in possession but may now find himself relegated to the bench following his costly error against the Canaries.

Goalkeeper has clearly proved to be a problematic position for Adkins, and while he has defended his changes by claiming it has had the benefit of keeping the three contenders on their toes, the lack of a clear No1 cannot be good for team harmony, particularly given Southampton's problems in defence – they have conceded 31 goals in 14 fixtures, making them the Premier League's most porous team. As a former goalkeeper himself, Adkins surely knows how destabilising it can be for a player in such an exposed position not to have the full backing of his manager, and so, for Southampton's sake, Gazzaniga surely deserves at least one more chance to prove his worth. Sachin Nakrani

8) Mancini can't keep all his strikers happy

"No, no, Mario won't be going anywhere in January," Roberto Mancini said. "He's a top striker and he's important to us." Words are cheap but the Manchester City manager demonstrated his faith in his misfiring striker at Wigan by leaving him on the pitch long enough to score his first Premier League goal of the season. Neither Balotelli nor Sergio Agüero had looked in sparkling form for the first hour, and when the latter was withdrawn with game still scoreless Carlos Tevez and Edin Djeko remained on the bench and Aleksandar Kolarov was sent on. That was quite cool on Mancini's part but he had already made the crucial change, introducing James Milner for the labouring Javi García. Within a matter of minutes Balotelli had opened the scoring leaving Milner to supply the coup de grace. All appears rosy in the City garden apart from Tevez and Dzeko becoming marginalised again. Mancini is bound to have at least one unhappy striker to face down in January. Paul Wilson

9) Who wouldn't want Leighton Baines?

Manchester United for Leighton Baines was a story that made sense, ran all summer but lacked one important ingredient – contact between Manchester United and Everton and/or Baines. That hasn't stopped the link resurfacing ahead of the January window and, given the England international started the season in superb form and has improved, it would be more of a surprise if Sir Alex Ferguson and others were not interested in the Everton defender. Only Chelsea have a left-back to rival Baines in the Premier League and he could be off at the end of the season. Baines was again outstanding in the draw with Arsenal, defensively and as an integral part of the Everton attack. He also played the last 15 minutes with a hamstring strain and will be a major loss for David Moyes if, as expected, he misses the trip to Manchester City on Saturday. Andy Hunter

10) O'Neill needs to look beyond first-choice XI

Has the time come for Martin O'Neill to start rotating his squad? Sunderland's manager likes to place his trust in a small corps of players and field them whenever possible but, after two wins in the last 21 Premier League games, it is maybe time for O'Neill to offer sidelined individuals such as Fraizer Campbell, Connor Wickham, Louis Saha and David Vaughan a chance. The disappointing home 0-0 draw with QPR was blemished by a horrible lack of midfield creativity and, by way of exacerbating Wearside woes, Lee Cattermole could be out until February after sustaining suspected medial ligament damage to a knee. If this is the case the Northern Irishman could do worse than recall David Meyler from a loan stint at Hull. Before he suffered horrific knee injuries of his own Meyler was regarded as arguably the club's brightest central midfield prospect. Louise Taylor

Manchester United 1 West Ham United 0: match report - Telegraph.co.uk

The Stretford End may have led the sugar-coated adulation of Cantona, with songs of praise in honour of the Frenchman, but Van Persie is developing a habit of settling games in the manner of his predecessor.

"We kept Van Persie at bay, kept him quiet virtually all night, but he will score 20 goals for Manchester United this season," said West Ham manager Sam Allardyce. "He may even go on to score 30 goals for them and, in the end, that is what makes the difference. United have lots of players who can win games. We restricted them to few opportunities, and our goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen had little to do, but United have still won, haven't they? They have a nasty habit of doing that."

Despite West Ham's impressive progress in the top flight since promotion last season, which saw them arrive at Old Trafford sitting in eighth position in the Premier League, Allardyce's last experience at this stadium was to be on the wrong end of a 7-1 defeat in one of his final games as Blackburn manager in November 2010. So the home side's breathtaking start would have sparked fears in the West Ham dugout of another long and miserable 90 minutes against Ferguson's team.

West Ham had barely touched the ball before Van Persie claimed his 12th goal of the season — ending his three-game goal 'drought' — with just 31 seconds on the clock.

Van Persie, whose presence at United has transformed the team's attacking output since his £22?million summer arrival, brings more than a predatory instinct to Ferguson's forward line. His movement, reliability, and goals, ensure that Wayne Rooney no longer shoulders the burden of expectancy. Where Rooney has sometimes struggled to live up to the hype, Van Persie appears to grow with it.

His goal was nothing special, yet they all count and it banished the prospect of United having to chase the game after conceding the first goal once again.

West Ham were simply caught out by the urgency of United's start, with Allardyce's defenders back-pedalling as Michael Carrick threaded the ball through to Van Persie, whose left-foot strike deflected off James Collins and into Jaaskelainen's net. It was the quickest goal in the Premier League this season and the fastest at Old Trafford since Ruud van Nistelrooy netted after 30 seconds against Southampton in December 2001.

West Ham responded well and captain Kevin Nolan almost equalised on 11 minutes when he diverted Matt Taylor's free-kick into the side-netting. West Ham's attacks were sporadic, though, with United controlling the game. Their inability to make it count, once they entered the final third, left United vulnerable to conceding on the counter-attack.

West Ham lacked the imagination to create the opportunities to haul themselves level, though, and United, as flat as they were, did enough.

"We had opportunities to finish them off," Ferguson said. "But West Ham are well organised and powerful, so I'm pleased with the result."

Match details

Manchester United (4-3-1-2): Lindegaard; Rafael, Smalling, Evans, Evra; Cleverley (Young 66), Carrick, Anderson (Jones 84); Rooney (Welbeck 78); Hernandez. Van Persie.
Subs: De Gea (g), Jones, Ferdinand, Fletcher, Buttner.
Goal: Van Persie 1
West Ham United (4-1-4-1): Jaaskelainen; Demel, Reid, Collins, O'Brien; Tomkins; Taylor, Diame (O'Neil 75), Nolan, Jarvis (Maiga 70); Carroll (Cole 62).
Subs: Spiegel (g), Spence, Moncur, Lietget.
Booked: Nolan.
Referee: M. Jones (Cheshire).

Mark Clattenburg welcomed back to Premier League refereeing - BBC Sport

Mark Clattenburg was given a warm welcome as he returned to refereeing after being cleared of racially abusing Chelsea's John Mikel Obi.

Exactly a month after taking charge of his last game, the 37-year-old was in charge of the 1-1 Premier League draw between Southampton and Norwich.

He was given a standing ovation by both sets of supporters before the match.

Both Saints manager Nigel Adkins and Norwich boss Chris Hughton said they were glad to see him return.

"He is an excellent referee, and I speak for most when I say we are delighted to see him back," Hughton told BBC Sport.

"He has a passion for what he does, is very good at what he does and we need the best referees week in, week out."

Adkins added: "Of course I'm pleased to see him back. It was an unfortunate situation that arose and he is a fine referee that has a great career in front of him."

Clattenburg missed four weekends of Premier League matches while the Football Association investigated Chelsea's complaint after he was accused of using inappropriate language towards midfielder Mikel in their 3-2 home defeat by Manchester United on 28 October.

But he was later cleared by the FA, while a police investigation into the referee was also dropped.

On Tuesday Chelsea issued a statement saying they regretted the way they handled their accusation towards Clattenburg and referees' union Prospect later welcomed the joint statement saying it was "tantamount to, and accepted by Mark and the Select Group [of referees], as an apology".

Wednesday's game was a relatively uneventful one for the referee, who had been the fourth official at Tottenham's home game with West Ham on Sunday.

The only decision he had to make that was open to any contention was Rickie Lambert's opener for Saints that appeared to bounce up off the striker's arm.

But Hughton refused to blame the referee following that incident, adding he felt Clattenburg had been unsighted.

Hughton pleased to extend run

Saints manager Adkins agreed with Clattenburg's decision not to rule out Saints' opening goal but was less glowing of his overall performance.

"I don't think it was a free-kick, but he made some interesting decisions," said Adkins.

Prospect boss Alan Leighton had speculated that Chelsea's accusation would stick, adding: "Everybody always remembers an allegation but not everybody always remembers the outcome."

But if there was any doubt how the general public felt towards Clattenburg the gesture of applauding him as he left the pitch at St Mary's after his pre-match warm up ended any lingering doubts.

However, he was not spared the insulting chants normally directed the way of referees during matches.

'You don't know what you're doing' followed by 'you're not fit to referee' were directed his way while he was also sarcastically applauded when awarding the home side a free-kick after turning down previous appeals.

Arsenal defender Koscielny out for three weeks, says Wenger - Reuters UK

LONDON | Thu Nov 29, 2012 5:41am GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - Arsenal's fragile defence will be without Laurent Koscielny for three weeks after the French international limped out of the 1-1 draw at Everton on Wednesday with a groin injury.

Koscielny was replaced after only four minutes of the Premier League clash by fullback Kieran Gibbs, just back from a similar ailment.

"He has a groin strain. That's usually three weeks," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger told reporters at Goodison Park.

Arsenal had taken the lead after only 51 seconds via winger Theo Walcott but the visitors' defensive frailties were again apparent as a poor error by fullback Bacary Sagna allowed Everton to equalise through Marouane Fellaini.

A poor pass by the French international saw Steven Pienaar dispossess Mikel Arteta but the fullback then wasted a second chance to clear as he kicked the ball straight to Fellaini who fired home in the 27th minute.

"We had a good start and after that I felt Everton came back. Their direct game was always a threat with Fellaini," Wenger said.

"We have regrets on the goal we conceded but overall, I believe that 1-1 is a fair result.

"It was a game of remarkable intensity. We needed to show great spirit today to get away with a point because they were up for it. And overall I can only say I'm pleased with the effort we have put in the game."

Sagna began negotiations with Arsenal over a new contract this week as he enters the final 18 months of his deal at the 13-times English champions, who have struggled to retain their leading lights in recent seasons.

Robin van Persie, Samir Nasri and Mathieu Flamini have all left in recent years after failing to extend deals with the club and Arsenal fans fear Sagna and 23-year-old Walcott, whose contract expires at the end of the season, could be next.

Walcott has struggled for consistency in his seven previous years at Arsenal but his goal at Everton was his 10th in all competitions this season to continue an impressive start to the campaign.

Arsenal have struggled for goals at times this season after selling Van Persie to Manchester United and Walcott, despite not starting in his preferred role as a central striker, is the club's leading marksman.

"We (are building) a new team. Hopefully we can go from strength to strength. We have the spirit. I feel we have some room for improvement in the final third," Wenger said.

"Overall, when you have the spirit, you have a chance. We have to show that now. We have to be consistent," the manager said with an eye on Saturday's match at home to Swansea City.

It was a third draw in four Premier League games for Arsenal and a sixth in eight for Everton with the home side's manager David Moyes feeling his side did enough to take all three points on Wednesday.

Moyes felt Everton should have been awarded a second half penalty when his former player Arteta pulled back Pienaar in the box.

"We should have had a penalty. I thought we played against a really good Arsenal team and a lot of games are won by decisions referees make or don't make," the Scot told reporters.

"We got nothing tonight whatsoever and the players had to earn everything they were going to get because we weren't going to get a lot, that's for sure."

(Reporting by Patrick Johnston in Singapore; editing by Amlan Chakraborty)

Chelsea 0 Fulham 0: match report - Telegraph.co.uk

Chelsea managed only three shots on target (from 17 attempts) to Fulham's four (from nine). Some of the joie de vivre that characterised their early-season brio under Di Matteo has disappeared; Chelsea's players were as subdued as their supporters.

This supine affair brought derbies into disrepute; there was no passion from Chelsea, no attempt to drive up the decibel level. It felt as if an uneasy truce had settled on the Bridge. There was none of the anger spitting forth from the terraces that marked and scarred Benítez's first appearance last Sunday, none of the many banners and placards.

Clearly, the Chelsea supporters had decided to make their point soundlessly. The Shed and the Matthew Harding Upper and Lower were largely restrained, restricting their show of dissent towards Benítez to some chants after 16 minutes, noting Di Matteo's old shirt number, and at the end. The main f-word heard was "Fulham, Fulham".

The visiting fans were terrific, in fine form throughout, beginning by mocking the Bridge announcer's request for them to sit down by all standing up. They then serenaded the hosts' interim first-team manager with "Rafa Benítez, he works where he wants". The Fulham glee club then disagreed with a (fair) decision by Anthony Taylor with a chant of "We want Mark Clattenburg".

There was little of substantial footballing note to occupy the fans.

Benítez had tweaked the team, removing John Obi Mikel and inserting Romeu alongside Ramires in deep midfield. In Mata's absence for an hour, Ryan Bertrand strived to provide some invention but he is not in the Spaniard's class. Bertrand was more there to protect the defence.

Eden Hazard and Oscar failed to impose their undoubted talent.

Fernando Torres, wearing a demeanour of almost permanent vexation, chased the channels but never looked like scoring. He has now gone 648 minutes without a goal in the Premier League.

On the half-hour mark, the Spaniard really should have scored following a quickfire move, the ball flowing from Branislav Ivanovic to Oscar to Cesar Azpilicueta. Chelsea's tidy right-back drilled the ball in to Torres, who worked a yard of space, controlling it with his right foot before shooting left-footed goalwards.

This was it; the stuff of T-shirt legend. A stunned stadium followed the ball's journey, a potentially historic voyage to rival anything achieved by Odysseus, Heyerdahl or Palin (Michael, not Sarah). Torres' shot travelled between the legs of Hughes. On it went, as Chelsea fans in the Shed stood in hope. Then Mark Schwarzer dropped calmly to his knees and gathered the ball. Hope died. Chelsea supporters sighed as their Fulham counterparts chuckled.

The game continued to meander towards the interval. Hazard fired a free-kick into a Fulham wall. Azpilicueta lifted in a promising cross that Hughes did well to clear as Torres lurked. Hazard then picked out Torres, who hoisted over a cross that Sascha Riether headed away.

Fulham were sitting deep, ­absorbing punches like an experienced boxer, occasionally breaking out in swift combinations. One led to a chance for Rodallega, who drove his shot straight at Petr Cech. The half then expired, brought to a welcome end without an additional second played.

The Bridge's guest of honour at the break was Charlie Cooke, the club's wonderfully inventive winger from the Sixties and Seventies.

Cooke was paraded in front of the Chelsea fans to mass calls of "bring him on" — and he's 70.

More urgency was detected in the second half. Berbatov was harshly ruled offside when he had timed his run perfectly and was through one on one with Cech. Giorgos Karagounis then switched play from right to left, ably picking out Riise, who wasted a glorious opportunity with a weak shot.

Karagounis and Riise then tested Cech. Back came Chelsea but Fulham stood firm. Riise blocked Hazard's shot. Hughes threw himself into an athletic clearance of a Torres half-volley. Hughes snuffed out a cross from Azpilicueta. Sidwell risked injury ensuring a Mata shot did not travel any meaningful distance. The sub Marin sought to sink the visitors but soon it was all over bar the brief shouting.

Match details

Chelsea: Cech, Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Luiz, Cole, Romeu, Ramires, Hazard (Marin 82), Oscar, Bertrand (Mata 63), Torres. Subs: Turnbull, Mikel, Moses, Ferreira, Cahill.
Booked: Ivanovic, Romeu, Luiz.
Fulham: Schwarzer, Riether, Senderos, Hughes, Riise, Duff, Diarra (Baird 64), Sidwell, Karagounis (Frei 73), Rodallega (Petric 83), Berbatov.
Subs: Etheridge, Kelly, Kasami, Dejagah.
Att: 41,707
Referee: A Taylor (Cheshire).