EPL: Fulham Registers First Ever Win At Anfield

After 30 previous trips to Anfield, Fulham finally managed win over Liverpool. Martin Skrtel put the ball in his own net for the lone goal of the match. It was a great result for Fulham, even though it seems everyone can get a result on the Red side of Liverpool nowadays.

This loss marked the second successive loss for the Reds at Anfield and fourth loss at the ground this season. More astoundingly, they have dropped 30 points at home this season, winning just five of their 18 home clashes.
 

Coach Kenny Dalglish rested several key players ahead of this weekend's FA Cup final and Fulham capitalized just five minutes in. It was ex-Liverpool John Arne Riise who created the goal, running down the flank before crossing for Alex Kacaniklic.

He couldn't quite get a hold of the ball, just redirecting it, but it went off Skrtel for what would prove to be the winning goal.

Liverpool looked short of options without Luis Suarez, Steven Gerrard and Craig Bellamy. Brede Hangeland cleared the ball off of the line when it seemed Jonjo Shelvery had scored, but Fulham held off their lead.

Clint Dempsey and Damien Duff bothered the depleted defense line of Liverpool sans Daniel Agger, causing the Reds to lose their coordination and opening up prospects for the Cottagers, but neither managed to break through. Kerim Frei almost did after coming on as a substitute, but his shot hit the woodwork.

Missed opportunities, rested players and a team that has not been able to preserve their home turf could not diminish the Cottagers' morale.

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FA announces Roy Hodgson as New England Manager

Before appointing a permanent coach for the national team apprehensions have been elevated about the FA's delay in getting a permanent manager on board so close to the European Championships in Poland and Ukraine, where England begins their campaign against France in Donetsk on June 11.

They have now zeroed on the 64 year old West Bromwich Albion boss Roy Hodgson as new England manager and appointed him for four years until 2016. He will leave his current post at the West Midlands club on the final day of the Premier League season and take charge of England for their friendly matches in the build-up to Euro 2012. He replaces interim manager Stuart Pearce, who will resume his job as Under-21 manager, since Italian coach Fabio Capello resigned as England manager in February, in gripe at the FA's decision to strip John Terry of the England captaincy.

Roy Hodgson emerged as the surprise front-runner for the England job as the FA confirmed it had ignored the popular bellow for Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp to be appointed. Hodgson says "It is a very proud day for me, I'm a very happy man to be offered the chance to manage my country."

"I'm looking forward to the task ahead. Everyone knows it is not an easy one but I'm hoping that everyone, fans and supporters will get behind the team.

"It's the team that counts, they go out and win football matches."

"What I'll do is try to make sure the team is well prepared for the challenge ahead. I'm really looking forward to it."

Roy Hodgson was not a high-level professional player before he penetrated the coaching profession. He came up through the Crystal Palace youth academy, but never came into view.

He recoiled around the lower leagues in England and had a short playing stint in South Africa before he got started in management before his 30th birthday.

The 64-year-old has managed Sweden, Norway, Finland, the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland, Denmark and Italy.

Now he only has six weeks to get ready before the opening game against France on June 11 and will holdup naming his squad until the end of the domestic campaign.

He confirmed Wayne Rooney will be part of his squad regardless of being banned for the first two group games. But he wants time to mull over other matters, including the John Terry-Rio Ferdinand liaison, and whether Steven Gerrard, who played under him at Liverpool, will be his captain.

He said: "The important thing is to speak to as many players as possible. John and Rio are two I need to talk to.

"Will Gerrard be captain? That's another thing I'll have to carefully consider." 

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SERIE A: Napoli Wins To Tighten Grip on UCL Spot Roma Slips

Napoli seems to be best placed to qualify for the Champions League as they sealed a crucial 2-0 victory over Palermo. The victory retained the southerners' grip on third place ahead of Wednesday's games when either Udinese, Inter Milan or Lazio could join them.

Walter Mazzarris side needed only 35 minutes to successfully swathe up the match against a team with one of the worst Serie A away records with ten losses, seven draws and only one win as Edinson Cavani, with a penalty, and Marek Hamsik scored.
With just two games to go, Napoli is comfortably placed to qualify for Europe's premier club competition for the second time in a row.

Head-to-head records and not goal difference will be decisive if teams finish level on points at the season's end and Napoli have the edge on both Udinese and Inter.

First half goals from Cavani in the 16th minute, his 23rd league goal and Hamsik (35') did the damage as Napoli illustrated they are past the jinx that of late saw them lose three in a row and left them winless in five.

On the other hand, Roma trail these four teams level on 55 points by three points, although they have only two games left now, one less than their rivals.

In appalling conditions at Stadio Marc Antonio Bentegodi, it was about as far removed from a manifestation as one could imagine, with both ball and players powerless to follow any kind of natural route on a surface that resembled the Florida Everglades.

Passing the ball was near impossible on the deck, while high passes caused as many problems for attackers as it was just as difficult to estimate whether and how the ball would stick or spin on landing.

But a spell of half-chances just before half-time saw Francesco Totti and Bojan go close for Roma, while Chievo's inspiring midfielder Perparim Hetemaj enforced a smart stop from Gianluca Curci, but the break could not come swift enough; not at least for the ground staff, whose work to decrease the swampy.

Late foretaste of goal for Pellissier just about sealed the points on the stroke of injury time, but the Chievo skipper rushed at the chance, and fired over the bar from inside the box.

No breakthrough was approaching for either side as the match finished goalless, a result that, after the dreadful weather, had been a predetermined conclusion for a while.

Roma's season is now out of their hands, as they have played a game more than all their rivals for third place, who they trail by three points. Chievo in the meantime remain in 12th place, and continue their advancement towards a foreseeable mid-table finish. 

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Match pack: Athletic Club vs. Real Madrid

- Jose Mourinho's side is aware of the fact that a victory in this match will be enough to guarantee them their first league title in four years. This will put a dent in Barcelona's recent dominance of Spanish football.

- However, the home side will do everything in their power to delay the visitors' Primera Division title celebrations at San Mames.

- This season Mourinho's men are playing flawless football in La Liga but they have lost to Bayern Munich in UEFA Champions league semifinal. They won the decisive Clasico 2-1.

- Athletic Bilbao are coming into this match with a defeat against Real Zaragoza by 2-0. They have lost two matches out of their last five.

- With 43 goals in 35 matches, Ronaldo is certainly the player to watch out for. Apart from him, German playmaker Mesut Ozil is a very significant player for the side, who leads the league with 16 assists. Benzema and Higuain are also potent threats.

- For the home side, Fernando Llorente will hold the key, as he is the leading score of the side with 17 goals.

- Right-back Andoni Iraola and center-back Fernando Amorebieta have been two of the most solid performers for the side this season, and they will need to be flawless against Real Madrid. It is expected that Bilbao could rest key players ahead of the Europa League final.

- In the last five matches between these two sides, the visitors have won four times, while Athletic Club once.

- Prediction: With the title almost in hand, it is hard to expect Madrid to slip up and delay their celebration. They should come away with the most valuable three points of this season. 
 

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Match Pack: Stoke City vs. Everton (1-1)

45' 0-1 P. Crouch (OG)
69' 1-1 C. Jerome
- In the match between Stoke City and Everton, the result was draw thanks to another own goal from Peter Crouch.

- Former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch's own goal put David Moyes's side in front just before half-time. In 44th minute, Everton's Nikica Jelavic was awarded with a free kick in the attacking half, followed by a foul by Matthew Upson. Peter Crouch turn in the shot for an own goal. 
 
- Everton can at least be pleased with moving a further point clear of the Reds after extending their unbeaten run to seven games.

- In the 72nd minute, the home side bounces back in the match when Cameron Jerome took a left footed shot from the center of the box to the center of the goal, to equalize the score.

- Everton was having 53% of the ball possession.

- M. Wilson( 54'), R. Shawcross (62') and S. Pienaar (90+5') were shown Yellow Cards. 
 
- For the home side S. Diao and M. Sidibe were out of the side while for the Toffees L. Baines and J. Rodwell were unavailable. 

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EPL: Fergie Loses Plot, City Reign at Etihad

Despite City's mastery and strangle hold over the proceedings last night, there was a sense of deadlock for much of the proceedings.

The goal from Vincent Kompany on the verge of half-time came when he rose unchallenged above Chris Smalling to head in a David Silva corner, The match had been tangled until then, as if past events were continuing to wind through the action at the Etihad.

City's 6-1 victory at Old Trafford last October, which United were far from avenging with a 3rd round win in the FA Cup, must have resonated with both sides. Ferguson's team looked to exercise caution thus even though they would inaccurately have envisaged spoiling City's prospects.

None of them had managed to do well in the Champions League this season and they summoned up little finesse in the first half. It was most surprising considering the ability in each of these squads is substantial to say the least. And it almost seemed imperative before one of them stepped up. 

 United had to make do with demonstrating good order while City dominated possession in the first half. There was a theory that the burden here was greater on City. They were attempting to win the league for the first time since 1968 and in the process jeopardize a regime of league title mastery established by Sir Alex and his fledglings.

Roberto Mancini was sure up to the challenge and would have been craving a resurgence of the flamboyance that has faded. It would have been to their benefit if they had purged from their minds the fact that United had not conceded a goal at their ground in the League since August 2007. That sequence came to a close here, yet there was much still to be done because for everything else, it was City who had to win.

Post interval roles were reversed as City, calculated and buoyant after taking the lead, sought poise. They were also willing to occupy territory by pushing United back. The Red Devils had little to lose then but they never discovered their attacking flair and didn't even manage a single shot on goal.

The introduction of a fresh forward in Danny Welbeck, who took over from Park Ji-sung in the 58th minute, was expected but that still demanded that United establish better camaraderie between him and Wayne Rooney. As it was, City's main exasperation lay in the lack of a second goal throughout the second half.

Mancini settled for 1-0 and De Jong was introduced to replace Tevez. Although Gareth Barry was playing as a holding midfielder, Mancini preferred to bolster his midfield at the expense of the forward line.

It was a defensive step but it worked as City managed to hold on and surged back to the top of the Premier League for the first time since March.

Fergusson brought Valencia and Young late in to the match (post 80 mins) but it was too little, too late for them as they continued to be spineless in attack and lacked penetration. Also surprising was Chicharito's absence from the starting XI.

EPL: The Reds Looking For Confidence Ahead Of FA Cup Final

Liverpool goes into the game against Fulham with the inspiring memory of Luis Suarez's spectacular hat-trick against Norwich on Saturday unlikely to be forgotten for a very long time. That particular victory at Carrow Road was the perfect way to prepare for their FA Cup final date with Chelsea at Wembley. Thus, this rearranged fixture with Fulham seems like an inconvenience, specifically considering how poor their form has been at Anfield. 

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish could rest a host of important players ahead of the FA Cup final. Andy Carroll will start after he missed the win over Norwich with a slight groin injury; Spearing, Henderson and Skrtel are also available for this clash.

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard "We've got to beat Fulham first, we'll take each game as comes and we want to go into the cup final in good form". He also said "We're excited, we've done really well in the cups this year and we deserve to be in the final but it would be silly and naive to focus on the final with league games to come."

The home side will be aware of the fact that Fulham have never won at Anfield in the league in 24 visits, losing 17, drawing seven, conceding 56 goals and scoring just 15. And in the Premier League, they have failed to score in their last five visits. 
 
However, Fulham boss Martin Jol, who was out of the side in the match against Everton with a chest infection, will return to the dugout. Further, Andy Johnson is an injury doubt with a thigh problem, and Stephen Kelly may also have to wait before making his return from a wrist injury.

One of the most awaited moments of this match will be the return of John Arne Riise to Anfield for the first time since he left the club in 2008. After playing next three seasons for Roma, he joined M. Jol's side this season and has played 33 matches. 

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