Charlie Adam’s first half goal proved to be enough for Stoke to see off Fulham at the Britannia Stadium.
The Potters made it 13 games without defeat on home soil to move level on points with the visitors, who saw they four match unbeaten run on the road brought to an end.
Martin Jol’s men were beaten in their own backyard by Sunderland last Sunday and missed the presence of suspended captain Brede Hangeland, with the hosts seeking to exploit their aerial superiority.
Robert Huth sent an early warning shot across the bow, heading a corner just wide of the post but the Cottagers failed to take heed and were trailing after 26 minutes.
A corner from Ryan Shotton found Peter Crouch and his header set up Adam to touch, swivel and shoot past Mark Schwarzer to score his second goal in three games.
Ryan Shawcross thought he’d doubled the lead after beating Schwarzer with a header from Matthew Etherington’s corner, only to see the ball cannon agonisingly back off the crossbar.
From that Fulham launched a swift counter attack but Mladen Petric was unable to apply the finishing touches before a dangerous delivery from Dimitar Berbatov went unchallenged.
Apart from that they were virtual bystanders for much of the 90 minutes and were lucky not to concede more than one goal with Glenn Whelan firing over in the second half after being teed up by Jon Walters.
The away sides best chance of an equaliser fell to the subdued Berbatov, but his strike was kept out by Asmir Begovic as their late attacking flurry failed to produce the desired result.
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And Kenwyne Jones thought he’d doubled Stokes lead in the dying embers only to be flagged for offside after mistiming his run to connect with Michael Kightlys pass.
Click on Aston Villa’s duo to reveal all the social media virals that will entertain and amuse you
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The news that David McGoldrick will be injured until the last week of the season was a big disappointment for anyone associated with Ipswich Town.
The 26-year-old striker has netted 16 goals for the Tractor Boys so far this season and he has stood out as the best forward in the squad.
Statistics only tell you part of the reason why McGoldrick is so important for Ipswich though as he does more for the team than just score goals. The former Nottingham Forest striker gets involved in the build up play, works hard, tracks back and uses his movement to pull defenders out of position.
Whilst the Tractor Boys do have some different striking options, I do not believe that they have anyone capable of having as much influence on the pitch as McGoldrick.
Daryl Murphy is a player that I rate highly and I believe he is taken slightly for granted.
The Irishman works incredibly hard, provides a great physical presence in all areas of the pitch and is just as important for the team defensively as he is going forward. When Murphy is not playing for Ipswich they are not as defensively solid, cannot threaten as much from set pieces and have to adjust their style of play. That said, he does not fill the same role as McGoldrick and Ipswich need someone else to compliment Murphy upfront from now on.
I believe that Paul Taylor is similar to Ipswich’s injured striker in terms of his technical ability, agility and flair so he could potentially be a solid replacement.
The problem with the former Peterborough man is that he is not convincing enough as a proper striker and his goal scoring record is not consistent enough to justify putting him in that role. Taylor certainly gets the fans exited at times by running at defenders and making quick turns on the ball, but the main problem is that he doesn’t actually make anything happen on a consistent basis.
Frank Nouble is certainly a different type of player to Taylor but similarly he also has problems with consistency.
Nouble’s work rate is fantastic and it is great to see him chasing after every lost cause but much like Taylor you are left asking yourself where is the end result? I personally think that both players have a role to play at the club, it is just unfortunate that they cannot fill the role that McGoldrick has left.
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With Jack Marriott out on loan that only leaves Ipswich with one other striker which is Sylvan Ebanks-Blake. The former Plymouth man is desperately trying to get as many minutes under his belt as possible in order to return to match fitness after injury problems interrupted his debut. Personally I believe that Ebanks-Blake is very similar to McGoldrick in terms of playing style and is probably the teams best bet in terms of a replacement.
There is no way of telling how well Ebanks-Blake has recovered from all of the injury problems he has had though. If he can replicate the form he previously had at Championship level then Ipswich will not be damaged as much by McGoldricks injury. Although it does seem unlikely that this will be the case and he will need time to get back to his best after such a long lay off.
It appears very likely that the injury to McGoldrick will have a large impact on Ipswich’s chances of making the play-offs but it is important to remember that if the Tractor Boys do make the top six then their star striker will have recovered by then.
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson believes Phil Jones is destined for a bright future in whatever position he is asked to fill.
Ferguson claims the former Blackburn youngster has a burning desire to play football and takes on board everything he is told very quickly, making him a dream to coach.
The Scot is convinced his long-term future will be as a central defender, but he wouldn’t put it passed the 21-year-old to do a good job up front in an emergency.
Ferguson has likened to Jones to former United favourite Brian McClair, who started out his career as an out-and-out forward but often featured in midfield during the latter stages of his career at Old Trafford.
Jones has primarily been used at right-back since making the switch to the current Premier League table toppers in June 2011, although the England international has also played in midfield against Tottenham, Everton, Real Madrid and Chelsea in the last three month to great effect.
His manager told Inside United: “Jones is going to be a fantastic player, his talent is unbelievable.
“You could play him anywhere. I think you could play him centre-forward! He’s just that type of player, he’s an animal for football. He grasps the game, he understands it. Play him right-back? Brilliant. Play him centre-midfield? No problem. Play him centre-back? Terrific.
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“He’s just one of those unusual players you get now and again who can play anywhere. We’ve not had a player like him in terms of someone who can play at that performance level since, well the closest you would get would be Brian McClair.”
Since arriving at Villa Park from Belgian side Genk in the summer of 2012, Aston Villa’s star striker Christian Benteke has become a priceless signing for Paul Lambert’s side. After netting 30 goals in just over 60 Premier League games, is it now time for the Belgium international to make the move away from Villa?
At just £7m, Benteke has been one of the Premier League’s great bargains. The Belgian was one of Lambert’s first signings and without a doubt his best. With 19 league goals in his first season, followed up by 10 in the next – Benteke has quickly become one of the Premier League’s most coveted strikers. The 24-year-old has been linked with a number of big clubs since he arrived in England – surely now is the time for Benteke to make the move away in January.
Aston Villa currently sit 11th in the Premier League table after five wins, four draws and six defeats so far. Benteke missed the back-end of last season, the World Cup and the start of this campaign through injury. But since his return in early October, it has only taken him a handful of games settle back into first-team action. He was foolishly dismissed in the 2-1 home defeat to Tottenham in early November, but he then quickly repaid his team with the only goal in the Villans’ 1-0 away win over Crystal Palace a week ago.
No disrespect to Aston Villa, but the Belgium striker certainly deserves a crack at a bigger club. Villa may have opened the Premier League door for Benteke, but he must now go onto bigger and better things. The ex-Genk man has flourished in the last couple of seasons in an average Aston Villa side and it would be very interesting indeed to see how good a player he could become at a bigger club.
You know what you are going to get with Christian Benteke, he’s fast, athletic, good in the air, physical and one of the Premier League’s best finishers. Benteke is certainly invaluable to Villa’s side, and if he was to move on, he will be sorely missed at the Midlands club. The likes of Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool to name a few have been linked – and all would really benefit from his services.
Paul Lambert has done, and will continue to, swiftly dismiss any suggestions that he could be leaving the club. After Benteke handed in a transfer request (which was subsequently withdrawn) at the start of last season, speculation of him leaving Villa Park has never been too far away. One thing is for sure though, it will take a substantial offer to Villa’s chairman Randy Lerner to prize the Belgian away.
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Benteke has been at Villa Park for over two years now, and despite handing in the transfer request, has remained largely loyal to the club – many other players in the striker’s position would have pushed harder for a transfer. The Villa fans will be hoping and praying that they can keep their star man in a claret and blue shirt for the foreseeable future. But surely now the time is right for Benteke to move on.
There have been many things that Ipswich Town have been lacking on the pitch this season, but many have emphasised the need for a goal-scoring midfielder over anything else.
The likes of Luke Hyam and Guirane N’Daw have been great at supporting the defence and preventing the opposition’s creative players from having an impact, and whilst there hasn’t been much criticism aimed at either individual, some have pointed out that the midfield as a whole did not contribute much at all towards Ipswich’s goal tally this season.
So who is to blame for this lack of goals in midfield? Some have suggested that players like Lee Martin, Carlos Edwards and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas should be contributing more in that department. Others have said that the team need a change in system and players with attacking flair need to be brought into the club.
Mick McCarthy confused some fans with the recent signing of Bristol City’s Cole Skuse. The 27-year-old has only scored 9 goals in as many years at his former club, not exactly the type of midfielder fans were hoping for. Whilst there is no doubt that Skuse is a capable player in the Championship, he is known for his leadership and defensive capabilities rather than any offensive prowess.
However, right there I have touched on an important aspect of what McCarthy is creating at Ipswich; a team full of leaders. Players like Wordsworth, Skuse and Stearman are all players who have previously shown that they have a great mentality and the ability to lead, which is obviously an asset that the former Wolves boss holds in high regard.
It is looking likely that McCarthy will bring in more players with a strong mentality to add to those that I just mentioned, as well as the likes of Luke Chambers, Tommy Smith and Carlos Edwards who have also shown their desire to lead in the past.
You can’t argue with the logic that you need more than one leader, but the question still remains as to whether the Tractor Boys need a goal-scoring midfielder. One important fact to remember is that McCarthy ended the season with a points-per-game ratio better than what most teams in the play-offs maintained throughout the season. On top of that he did it without needing the midfield to chip in with many goals. The system that McCarthy used was fairly defensive and could be labelled as boring, but regardless it got results that almost any Championship team would be happy with.
I do agree that being able to change the way you play is important, so you do need a variety of players with different skills in each position. Skuse is likely to be a replacement for N’Daw and we could still see more midfielders joining the Suffolk side that can offer something different and perhaps some attacking talent. However, it is also important not to forget that Anthony Wordsworth had a decent goal-scoring record at Colchester (roughly one goal every five games) and hopefully he will be able to stay injury free next season.
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So whilst we may not necessarily see Ipswich target a lot of attack-minded players over the summer transfer window, it is likely that we will see a lot of players come to Portman Road with the right attitude and mindset.
Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley is becoming a regular starter for both club and country, and has admitted that he wants to emulate the goal scoring antics of Paul Scholes.
After a sensational strike against Newcastle at the weekend, Cleverley has described himself as on a mission to get on the score sheet more often.
“It’s amazing that the two goals I have scored for Manchester United have both been against Newcastle, but this season it feels like I am really getting into scoring positions,” he told the Mirror.
The 23-year-old midfielder is proving to be a pivotal player under Sir Alex Ferguson and England gaffer Roy Hodgson, as he sets to banish the memories of a disappointing Premier League season last year.
Cleverley has been tipped to be the next potential home-grown star after Paul Scholes, and has started to add goals to his repertoire, scoring two goals in his last three games.
The midfielder has recently started the last two international games against Moldova and Ukraine and is set to add to his three caps against San Marino on Friday.
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“I’m very excited about the future. We have only had the opening couple of months of the season but I have played at massive stadiums in some huge games already, so it is all very good in terms of gaining experience.
“I am enjoying it massively. Everyone knows I had some injuries last season so to be at United and in the England squad is something I am hugely proud of and I hope this season just carries on,” he added.
David Moyes sympathizes with Premier League referees, but feels they are being let down by their assistants in games.
The Everton boss, who saw two penalty shouts waved away by referee Kevin Friend against Spurs on Sunday, said that at times it is the linesmen who should be supporting the man in the middle more.
Moyes feels that poor decisions have cost his side points this season. In September Newcastle came from behind to draw 2-2 after the officials ruled out a legitimate goal from Victor Anichebe, which would have put the Toffees 3-1 up.
“Being a referee nowadays comes with a much higher profile and it is also a much more challenging job,” Moyes told Goal. “The cameras and the technology now allow us to analyse every decision and for anyone who has never refereed a game I can tell you that it is very difficult as I do it most days in training.
“However, here comes a ‘but’ from me. What we’ve had in recent games, starting at Reading a few weeks ago, are decisions that have cost us points. I will always be the first person to look at the players to finish better or to defend better and not rely on decisions, but as you can see on a regular basis at the moment decisions are affecting the outcome of the games.
“Some of the decisions that have gone against us have been made by the assistants – Newcastle and Wigan for example.”
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“I do feel that the referees are not being supported by their assistants and are, on occasions, being let down by them.”
There may be some in denial, such has the rise of Manchester City been a shock to the Premier League in recent years, but the two Manchester clubs have put some distance between themselves and any other potential title contenders.
In the Premier League era Manchester United have been unrivalled in terms of success. In the 90’s they used to contest with Arsenal for titles. In the 00’s Chelsea decided to join the party, but now the blue half of Manchester has consolidated its place as the main competition.
The ease of the 2-0 victory at the Etihad for Man City against Chelsea on the weekend emanated the difference in quality between them and their 3 London rival pretenders. Man United on the other hand are so far beyond the competition this season that mentioning any other game than the Manchester derby as a title match would be dismissed as lunacy. Robin Van Persie has had a devastating effect. It is clear those at Old Trafford have once again set the standard to chase.
Man City have been weak compared to their showing last season and it does not take a genius to work out that Mancini will invest heavily in the summer to plug the gap between his side and Sir Alex Ferguson’s team. So can any outfit bridge the gulf in class any time soon?
The answer to this lies in the next transfer window. If Wenger still truly believes he has enough to reach the top two this season, maybe he finally has gone mad. The reason why the Manchester clubs have set the precedent in recent years is the ability to call upon several match winners not just one. It is without doubt that Gareth Bale can single handedly win games at the moment but this is not enough. Tottenham may have an outstanding starting XI when all are fit but would you ever expect to see Gylfi Sigurdsson on the bench for Man United. I suspect not.
All clubs are handicapped in their pursuit of the very pinnacle of the Premier League by the financial wealth available to the clubs in Manchester. This applies to all but Chelsea. If we are being realistic the prudence of the chairman in North London will hold back Tottenham and Arsenal from having a real go at winning the title in the near future. If they go for broke then they may just have a chance of a top two finish. The hopes of a wide open Premier League hinge upon the actions of those in charge at Stamford Bridge this summer.
The most important movement of all could be regarding the managerial situation at the Blues. It would take a miracle for Rafael Benitez to remain at Stamford Bridge beyond the end of this season. Abramovich is as ruthless as they come and will be sure to be looking to find a winner. Would he dare go back and try and lure Mourinho to Stamford Bridge once more? I would not put it past him.
The squad the Blues possess has several with star quality in the shape of Eden Hazard, Juan Mata and Oscar. They remain dormant whilst they do not have the potent striker leading the line who can drag defenders from side to side to open up the critical space for these playmakers to work their magic. It is interesting considering the desperation from the top sides in Europe to sign Hazard how he has failed to deliver the star quality that was widely expected, despite a bright start. This could all change very quickly. It finally takes a brave manager too to dispose Fernando Torres to the waste disposal pile where he belongs and not give him even more chances to succeed which he will continue to spurn away. If a confident and truly world class striker came in at Chelsea it could really add a new intensity to the Premier League which would result in there being far greater competition at the top.
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In terms of scouting too the best players simply do not remain a secret anymore, like they did when Wenger used to plot success. If Chelsea can capture a Cavani or Falcao it could make all the difference to what is a squad which already has the foundations for success laid down. Even Roberto Mancini has conceded one transfer in the form of the imperious Van Persie has made the impact required for the Red Devils this season.
If the pattern of Manchester dominance is to change anytime soon and finally unnerve the current top two I suspect the lead character in the latest chapter of the Premier League is Roman Abramovich. The choices he makes this next transfer window will pivotal to the short term future of English future. Over to you now Roman.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has revealed that the club are looking to add yet more players to their squad despite their arrivals count for this window standing at a whopping six.
The Reds have spent close to £90m this summer to snap up a host of talented players, with the sale of Luis Suarez offsetting £75m of the splurge.
Southampton trio Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren and Rickie Lambert have been joined at Anfield by Lazar Markovic, Emre Can and Divock Origi – the latter will return to Lille on loan – in a hectic few weeks on Merseyside.
WANT MORE? >> Liverpool transfer news | Latest transfer news
Spanish defenders Alberto Moreno and Javier Manquillo are expected to become Liverpool players in the coming weeks, but beyond them even more names are being linked with the club.
Although Rodgers admitted that he’s happy with both his concluded and imminent business, the Northern Irishman says that he has more areas of his squad he wants to strengthen:
“It’s just purely on the back of us having a really thin squad last season where we were very, very short.” He is quoted by Goal.
“The players did remarkably well and it was incredible what they achieved but they need help this year – they need assistance.
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“We’ve got the belief this year we can go on and do well in all of the competitions. Especially after the Christmas period on the back end of a World Cup year, we need to make sure we have freshness in every game we play because of the nature of our game.
“There are still one or two areas to look at. There’s no point mentioning numbers or positions – we want a couple of positions strengthened and if we can do that, I’ll be really, really happy.”
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