squeeky bum time again- but fergie predicts united will win title on last day

... but as he heads for the barclays premier league finishing post alongside chelsea and arsenal, he admits this year's race will probably go down to the last day and possibly goal difference ... whether you're at the top of the league or the bottom ... winning the league is not easy and that's why our experience will be vital ... ' arsene wenger can't forgive martin taylor for horror tackle on eduardosqueeky bum time again: but premier league prize is bottom line for carlo ancelottiryan giggs tempted by wales comeback for england clash as manchester united veteran appears to issue 'come and get me' plea to boss john toshacksir alex ferguson questions fa decision not to extend thomas vermaelen's ban for a 'frivolous' appeal arsenal's easy run-in counts for zero in hunt for glory, insists fergusoncarlo puts positive spin on chelsea euro exit as he looks for title race edgenani signs new united deal as star tries to step into ronaldo's bootsarsenal fc

drogba: tough to go out at home

... following our exit from the champions league on tuesday, didier drogba knows we have to improve if we want to win the domestic league title ... that means wins over blackburn rovers and portsmouth in the next week are a must if we are to maintain our challenge for the barclays premier league ... 'the league is going to be a big battle, we have one game more to play [than our title rivals] and we have to go to portsmouth,' he adds, looking ahead to the next midweek clash ... 'so, we have to go there and do everything we can to be top of the league again ... ' but with another champions league campaign ending with another ban for drogba, does the ivorian think the blues are unlucky in europe's elite competition? 'at the end of the day inter were a better team,' he reports ... 'it is tough because every season you start the champions league you have a lot of belief and then to go out like this, especially at home, it's just very difficult ... ' now in terms of champions league success, chelsea will have to wait for the 2010/11 season

hull 1 arsenal 2- its one in the eye for city and one in the eye for bendtner

... brown sack?hull city boss phil brown could be the next premier league manager to lose his job ... arsenal certainly can win the barclays premier league ... hull manager phil brown, meanwhile, has his team's premier league survival toponder

milestone more like millstone for liverpool

... liverpool beat aston villa 5-0 next and the only points they dropped in the rest of the barclays premier league season were to arsenal in a 4-4 draw majestically dominated by andrey arshavin ... they are out of the champions league, appear unlikely qualifiers for the next season’s and the 1-0 defeat in the europa league round of 16 first leg in lille on thursday was their fifteenth in all competitions ... it is more a subject for mature discussion by supporters aware that benítez is no mug, whether judged by his record (two spanish titles and a uefa cup with valencia, a champions league triumph with liverpool) or his shrewdness in negotiating a contract from which the american-owned club could scarcely afford to release him ... another course would be to let carragher leave and obtain practical experience with another club, perhaps one below premier league level who are willing to give an opportunity for a young manager or player-manager on the way up, as sunderland did in the case of roy keane or birmingham city with steve bruce

rafa benitez- we cant afford to play the blame game at liverpool

... the twin objective of becoming champions of england and europe has disappeared, but they cling to the hope of finishing fourth in the barclays premier league and winning the europa league ... the latter commands their attention against lille tonight in the first leg of their last 16 tie and benitez is demanding a united front from his players after their mounting frustration went on public display in a ninth league defeat this season at the dw stadium ... benitez defends gerrard over v-sign as fa opt against charging liverpool starliverpool are a mess! wigan chairman whelan sticks boot into sorry reds lille v liverpool: yossi benayoun faces fitness test before europa league tie 'i have told them i want an improvement and that if an error is made the person responsible must be kept on board

liverpool 2 blackburn 1- rafa benitez bites back in spat with rival allardyce

... 'opener: reds skipper gerrard breaks the deadlockafter starting sluggishly, liverpool clicked into gear with a flowing move worthy of a side intent on remaining among the barclays premier league's elite top four

tottenham 2 everton 1- pavlyuchenko takes his chants to please redknapp

... ' such words of praise from his manager cap a remarkable week for pavlyuchenko, who came off the bench last sunday to score two goals against wigan, netted another two against bolton on wednesday and then scored in his first barclays premier league start of the season yesterday ... 'spurs are fourth again in the barclays premier league but redknapp'senjoyment must have been tainted by the cracks that appeared as evertonstepped up their game in a gung-ho second half ... but the spurs boss insisted tottenham are under no pressure to gain that coveted fourth champions league spot ... 'i think we were all a bit weary in the head (after thursday'seuropa league defeat to sporting lisbon), but we drew 2-2 with spurs atgoodison and, in truth, it should have been two each here

stoke 1 arsenal 3- ramseys horror injury overshadows gunners victory

... an horrific injury to arsenal youngster aaron ramsey overshadowed a last-gasp win which hauled the gunners' firmly into the barclays premier league title race tonight ... arsenal had begun the game by handing veteran sol campbell his firstpremier league start since rejoining the club last month

portsmouth told to forget barclays premier league bail out

... crisis club portsmouth have been told the barclays premier league won't bail them out of their financial collapse ... that means almost certain relegation for portsmouth, who are already bottom of the premier league, as there is a nine-point penalty for any top-flight club going into administration, leaving avram grant's side on just seven points - 16 behind their nearest rivals ... chainrai met with barclays premier league chief executive richard scudamore on tuesday and was, it is understood, told portsmouth would not be advanced cash due to them from the epl before the already arranged payment dates ... phil hall, chainrai's spokesman, said: “we had a very cordial meeting to explore all possibilities and any help the premier league might give portsmouth fc going forward ... the premier league officials also told chainrai they could not advance the club any money ahead of the due payment date ... storrie is one of the highest-paid chief executives in the premier league, with an annual salary believed to be at least 1

stoke city send man city packing, tottenham hotspur progress

... while city suffered a difficult evening, two of their rivals for fourth spot in the barclays premier league, tottenham and aston villa, kept their cup hopes alive by easing into the last eight ... spurs sauntered to a 4-0 win over bolton while villa - who are due at wembley on sunday to play manchester united in the league cup final - beat crystal palace 3-1 to set up a quarter-final meeting with reading, who clinched a 3-2 win over west brom in extra time ... spurs now face london rivals fulham at craven cottage for a place in the semi-finals while bolton have only a fight for premier league survival to look forward to