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»»» ENGLISH-SCOTISH & INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL [25-26 DECEMBER]

Fabregas fires title warning to Chelsea and M.United

Arsenal 3 Aston Villa 0

Captain Cesc Fabregas came off the bench to inspire the Gunners to a 3-0 win over Aston Villa on Sunday which hauls them back into the Barclays Premier League title race.

The Spaniard, who had been out with a hamstring problem, netted a superb free-kick on 65 minutes and then scored a fine breakaway goal before being substituted as a precaution.

Abou Diaby netted a third in stoppage time at Emirates Stadium, curling in a low effort from the edge of the area after a powerful run.

Villa - who had already beaten Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool this season - looked dangerous on the break but could not make the most of their best spell of pressure midway through the second half.

Arsene Wenger's men are now just four points behind leaders Chelsea, and with a match in hand on the sides around them - a position which looked inconceivable following their defeat against the Blues at the end of November.

The hosts started brightly and Brad Friedel saved well from defender Thomas Vermaelen at the far post following a corner, before Croatia striker Eduardo shot straight at the Villa keeper after collecting the ball from Diaby and turning in the box.

However, Villa - winners at Old Trafford just before Christmas - are a well-organised unit under Martin O'Neill and the physical presence of England forward Emile Heskey caused the Arsenal defence cause for concern.

Gerrard sets Liverpool on their way

Liverpool 2 Wolves 0

RAFA BENITEZ, rarely slow to deflect responsibility, offered a clue earlier this week as to whose shoulders he believed should bear much weight for Liverpool’s recent ills. “I am 100% certain he wants to give more,” he said of his captain. Steven Gerrard duly responded and, back to something approaching his optimum — the kind of form that earned him a place in Fifa’s world XI on Monday — he breached the Wolves rearguard for a vital opener. It was only the midfielder’s fifth strike of the season.

It was an indifferent first period for Liverpool, for whom Alberto Aquilani finally made his first league start. They created little and the crowd was voicing frustration. But Liverpool got the encouragement they needed when Ward was dismissed after two cautions in quick succession. The second yellow came after he tugged back Lucas. Marriner, apparently on an assistant’s advice, cautioned Christophe Berra initially. Then, after the Liverpool team remonstrated with him, and Benitez had protested to the fourth official, Phil Dowd, he changed his decision and sent off Ward.

In the first half, the visitors, led by Karl Henry, contained their hosts. Fernando Torres forced Hahnemann into action early. But it was not until just before the interval that Glen Johnson forced another save.

Aquilani looked willing but too often his passing was awry. “He was okay,” said Benitez. “He had good vision and tried to be involved.” McCarthy, whose side boasted three straight wins, deployed his “first team”, despite arguably facing a more winnable home fixture against Manchester City tomorrow. As the half progressed, his men advanced. Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Nenad Milijas and Kevin Doyle all went close.

But the sending-off transformed matters. Within 10 minutes, Gerrard had established a Liverpool lead, powerfully heading home Emiliano Insua’s cross. Yossi Benayoun confirmed victory eight minutes later with a deflected drive.

Gerrard said: “We were nervous at times and the crowd were getting on our backs. But we were confident the goal would come.”

Not enough of Liverpool’s choir boys have been in harmony on the field lately, and Daniel Agger admitted that the team had to “try and get some confidence from somewhere soon”. Last night may prove to have been that moment.

Joe Hart thwarts 10-man Chelsea

Birmingham 0 Chelsea 0

THERE are times in scoreless games when you yearn for excitement. It was never like that at Birmingham as the contest seesawed from one penalty area to the other and both teams chased a win that neither would get. And if you were a neutral, that was just fine because this marvellous game didn’t deserve to have a loser.

You may consider it two points dropped by Chelsea but it wasn’t. They played well and but for an outstanding performance by Birmingham’s goalkeeper Joe Hart, they might have won. Even when Hart was beaten, the crossbar seemed to dip slightly and take Alex’s free-kick on the forehead. But this is just one side of the story.

Birmingham were denied a legitimate goal by an offside decision that showed again how human match officiating can be. You couldn’t blame the referee or his assistant because it was borderline but it may have cost Birmingham a precious victory. Nobody was complaining. Birmingham played with spirit and poured everything they had into the game. Alex McLeish has now steered them to an unbeaten run that stretches to 10 games.

Chelsea were the better side in the second half. Lampard played a neat pass for Ashley Cole but Johnson made a fine tackle to stop the full-back and Seb Larsson’s free kick drew a brilliant save from Cech. Thereafter the better chances fell to Chelsea but Hart was brilliant and when his own defender Carr headed a suicidal backpass, the goalkeeper reacted sharply to get there before Drogba. Florent Malouda was sent off late in the game for a second yellow card.

McLeish was asked about the goal that should have been given but refused to criticise any of the officials. Instead he spoke about his team’s luck last week against Everton when an incorrect decision helped his team.

Precious win for West Ham

West Ham 2 Portsmouth 0

A glance at the managers told the Boxing Day story. Gianfranco Zola, his smile wider than a mile, looked like a man who had just won something significant. West Ham's season has been wretched, but here was the chance of dramatic transformation. So Zola smiled in relief and expectation.

And then there was Avram Grant. His default expression is hang-dog lugubrious, but last night the eyes seemed more darkly hooded, the jowls seemed to sag more sadly. For Portsmouth were soundly beaten. Their recent past has been calamitous, their future looks bleak.

West Ham had lost the hamstrung Mark Noble, but Luis Jimenez came on to perform with real effect as the supporting striker. And in the 23rd minute, West Ham took the lead their football had deserved.

Once again, Parker was at the heart of the move, inspiring lunging panic in the Portsmouth defence which culminated in Brown and Hayden Mullins conspiring to bring down Jimenez. Alessandro Diamanti struck a dismissive penalty.

For the rest of the half, Portsmouth were hard pressed to come up with anything like a plausible chance, as Radoslav Kovac collaborated instinctively with Parker to do damage.

Had Frederic Piquionne been more positive after skipping between West Ham's central defenders in the 79th minute, then an injustice might have been done. But Robert Green smothered the chance competently and then, in the 89th minute, the second goal ended the debate.

Gomes the hero as he keeps rampant Fulham at bay

Fulham 0 Tottenham 0

To the disappointment of some, Boxing Day fixtures no longer take place against a backdrop of cigars being smoked and whisky being nipped, but the tradition of unpredictable, mildly bizarre festive fare remains alive in theory. Alas, in practice a strangely stale London derby failed to offer much in the way of cheer, seasonal or otherwise, save for the statistic that Fulham are undefeated in eight encounters and Tottenham have lost just one Premier League game since October.

“A good game for a 0-0,” argued Fulham manager Roy Hodgson. “There were many examples of exceptional technique and I’m quite pleased with our showing. Whatever happens at Chelsea on Monday, 2009 has been a magnificent year.”

Heurelho Gomes, however, had a lunchtime to savour. At the venue where his career in England reached its butter-fingered nadir 13 months ago, the Brazilian frustrated Fulham’s strikers with a display of splendid shot-stopping athleticism.

“He was short of confidence when I came here last season,” explained Harry Redknapp. “Now, he’s the goalkeeper people had told me he’d been when he played in Holland. I’ve no problem leaving here with just a point.”

Before 10 minutes had passed, Gomes had distinguished himself with expert handling from a truculent Zoltan Gera backheel and with a flying tip over of Danny Murphy’s top corner-bound howitzer. And when Gomes was beaten just after the half-hour, Clint Dempsey’s free kick rattled his bar and flew to safety.

For the most part, though, lone striker Bobby Zamora, for all his enthusiasm against a former club, lacked support. And while Redknapp might not have just found a usually fit central defensive paring in Sebastien Bassong and Michael Dawson, he may have stumbled upon one which can batten down the hatches. And batten down those hatches they did.

Mancini enjoys winning start

Manchester City 2 Stoke 0

A win vindicated all and at the whistle Mancini embraced his players one by one, including Bellamy, who offered a warm handshake.

Five changes had been made, but only Bellamy and Micah Richards could have said to have been dropped, with Joleon Lescott, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Roque Santa Cruz all nursing injuries.

There was a new tactical approach, City alternating between 4-3-3 in attack, with Martin Petrov joining Carlos Tevez and Robinho, and 4-4-2 in defence, with Petrov dropping and Gareth Barry moving left.

Yet there was scant evidence of improvement in defence, despite the double training sessions in the week. After £220 million spent in 18 months, City still have a rotten back four.

When Danny Collins played in a speculative ball on 20 minutes, Kolo Toure allowed it to drop for Tuncay.  With just Shay Given to beat, further ridicule loomed for City but their luck held: Tuncay shot straight at Given and saw his effort parried .

Fellaini earns Everton point

Sunderland 1 Everton 1

With these two teams beginning to slide down the table like runaway sledges, it needed something special to happen to get their season back on track. But unfortunately nothing did and it all ended in a stalemate that does nothing to halt the rising tide of pessimism on both Wearside and Merseyside.

In mitigation, it was Sunderland who should have secured a maximum haul after a marvellous first-half goal from Darren Bent. But then once again they defended so deeply that they were almost paddling in the nearby North Sea, rather than pressing on for a victory that was there for the taking against a disappointing Everton side. In the final minutes, as the defence once again got in an almighty muddle, there was Marouane Fellaini who smashed the ball home from close range to claim a share of the points.

It had all started so optimistically for the home team in front of a sell-out Boxing Day crowd. They took the lead in the 17th minute. Bent headed out to Kenwyne Jones on the right flank and he immediately returned the favour with a cross for Bent to nod home for his 11th goal of the season. Prior to that, Everton’s Lee Osman curved a splendid ball against the far side of the post from outside the penalty area in a rare attack.

After the goal Sunderland frustrated the home support by appearing to be content to sit back. When they did advance, they almost doubled their lead with Jordan Henderson crossing dangerously into the six-yard box. Bent’s shot was then cleared off the line. Before the interval an Andy Reid free kick was saved by Tim Howard.

After the break Sunderland suddenly sprang into action. The best attempts saw Bent rampage up the field to set up second-half substitute Bolo Zenden to shoot straight at Howard. Then the lively Reid flung in a cross for Paulo Da Silva, whose header was shepherded over the bar by the Everton goalkeeper.

The home team paid the price for complacency and profligacy by conceding an equaliser that had an air of inevitability about it. Just before parity was achieved, Fellaini flashed a warning by firing a powerful shot just the wrong side of the post.

THE OTHER MATCHES

Burnley 1 Bolton 1

Wigan 1 Blackburn 1