Notice!

Yes yes, as you all know,

the Blackpool vs Manchester United match has been postponed due to the weather and a frozen pitch.

But. but, but,

the Arsenal vs Fulham & Liverpool vs Aston Villa match will still go on. 

Do remember, it's Arsenal vs Fulham tonight at the Emirates stadium at 10.55pm.

Fixtures! Fixtures!

Barclays premier league

04/12- 10.55pm Arsenal vs Fulham

05/12- 1am Blackpool vs Manchester United

07/12- 3.40am Liverpool vs Aston Villa

EXCLUSIVE: 19/12- 11pm Chelsea vs Manchester United

Serie A

04/12- 3.40am Lazio vs Inter Milan

La Liga

05/12- 4.55am Real Madrid vs Valencia

UEFA Champions League

08/12- 3.40am Manchester United vs Valencia

Real Madrid trashed by Barca

It was once said of Pep Guardiola's Barcelona that "they are so good they can play in the rain and not get wet". Last night it poured down on Jose Mourinho's first Clasico and "The Special One" got absolutely soaked.

He kept his calm on the touchline as Cristiano Ronaldo barged into Pep Guardiola, causing a 21-man free-for-all and a booking for the Real Madrid number nine. He stayed inside his technical area as Leo Messi took a dramatic tumble and was booked for trying to get Ricardo Carvalho sent off.

But he must have wanted the Nou Camp to swallow him up as 100,000 Barcelona fans celebrated one of their greatest nights – humiliating the "translator" and moving to the top of the league in the process. 

Mourinho said: "It is the worst result of my career but it is not one that is difficult to explain because we had no chance of winning the game. There were no shots of ours against the post and there were no bad refereeing decision that went against us. We played badly and they played very well. It was a deserved defeat."

The Real Madrid coach was taunted by Barcelona fans who sang "Mourinho, sale del banquillo" ("Mourinho, come out of the dugout") as the Real Madrid coach stayed out of his technical area.

Asked about the second-half no-show, he said: "There was no tension in the second half. There is no feeling in that situation that you can change anything. When they scored the third goal it was game over."

With Mourinho's team knocked off the top of the league, the damage limitation work had began. "The difference is not 5-0, it is two points," he said. "I wish we were playing tomorrow because these players need to get this result out of their system. I expected more of them and they expected more of themselves."

A "we love Barça" crowd mosaic greeted the players as they came out and David Villa greeted Ronaldo with a "welcome to the Clasico" tackle that lifted the crowd. On six minutes Messi hit Iker Casillas's right-hand upright and it was a sign of things to come for the Spain keeper.

He was picking the ball out of his net after just nine minutes when Messi's pass found Iniesta who released Xavi to put the home side in front. Marcelo had slipped on the wet surface and he would be at fault for the second goal as this time Xavi started the move and Pedro finished it from Villa's cross.

Mourinho has made much of how he did not fancy Marcelo as a defender when he took over in the summer but had slowly had his mind changed. This was Marcelo's first big test and he was left wanting, allowing Pedro to ghost in ahead of him to double Barça's lead.

Frustrated at seeing his team being overwhelmed, Ronaldo knocked the ball out of Guardiola's hand on the touchline whilst barging into the Barça coach. "These are just things that happen," said Guardiola, playing down the incident afterwards.

The push kick-started a 21-man scrum of players led by Victor Valdes, who came charging out of his goal to protect his manager. Ronaldo joined the goalkeeper and Carles Puyol in the book and could easily have seen red when he took a tumble in the area just seven minutes before the break claiming a penalty.

Ronaldo was just about keeping his head as Madrid tried desperately to stay in the game and create an opening for themselves. Whenever they threatened, Puyol was the quickest and the strongest inside the Barça penalty area and a Messi shot from distance was the last meaningful chance of the first half as the home side kept up the domination.

Messi went close inside the first five minutes after the break and then had the ball in the net only to be flagged for offside before Xavi also went close, shooting into the side netting. But the near-misses soon became goals number three and four with the David Villa-Messi combination too much for Madrid. Twice the Argentine's slide-rule passes were run onto and dispatched by the Spain centre-forward.

Barcelona were now passing Real Madrid into the ground and Black Monday was complete for Madrid when Jeffren made it five and Sergio Ramos was sent off. Mourinho had long since taken cover from the rain – he must now take cover from the Madrid press who will question the coach after seeing their side lose more heavily than they did under his predecessor Manuel Pellegrini last season.

Pep Guardiola said: "It is not easy to play like that against a team like Real Madrid. The players were extraordinary." Asked if this served as a confirmation of Barça's place as one of the best sides in history, he added: "Only time will tell how good this side is."

Barcelona (4-3-3): Valdes; Alves, Pique, Puyol, Abidal; Xavi (Keita, 87), Busquets, Iniesta; Pedro (Jeffren, 87), Messi, Villa (Bojan, 76). Substitutes not used: Colorado, Maxwell, Adriano, Mascherano, Thiago.

Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Casillas; Ramos, Pepe, Carvalho, Marcelo (Arbeloa, 60); Khedira, Xabi Alonso; Di Maria, Ozil (Diarra, h-t), Ronaldo; Benzema. Substitutes not used: Dudek, Tortajada, Leon, Molina, Higuain

Referee: I Gonzalez.

Torres fails to score and Tottenham lack of luck but managed to overcome it.

Skrtel gave Liverpool a 42nd minute lead but after Defoe sent his penalty well wide – 

Spurs’ fourth penalty miss of the season – 

Skrtel turned Luka Modric’s ball into his own net.

But deep into added time, 

Peter Crouch sent Lennon through and the winger raced into the area before beating Pepe Reina with some style.

It was a terrific game, 

full of chances, tough tackling and the odd amount of controversy.

And it also meant that every team in the Premier League scored over the weekend, 

for the first time in the competition’s history.

It was a quickly fluctuating game full of chances at both ends, 

and a game played at pace from the start saw Spurs press early on, 

with Aaron Lennon their chief protagonist.

The England winger went on a strong run through the middle, 

only to be dispossessed by Jamie Carragher.

And with the game still in its infancy, 

Alan Hutton fed Lennon along the right and he cut in before crossing from the byline.

The ball came to Luka Modric and the Croatian could have scored, 

but his shot bounced into the grateful arms of Pepe Reina.

Liverpool responded, 

in the ninth minute, 

when Maxi Rodriguez shot wide from inside the Tottenham area, 

when he might have done better.

Sadly for Spurs, 

Dutchman Rafael van der Vaart, 

rated as doubtful prior to this game, 

lasted just 10 minutes when he suffered a recurrence of a hamstring problem in attempting a back heel.

As van der Vaart walked around the perimeter of the pitch he looked dejected, indicating to manager Harry Redknapp that it could be serious.

Liverpool were next to threaten, 

with Maxi responding to Fernando Torres’ pass with a right foot drive that was well saved by Heurelho Gomes.

The Brazilian made another impressive stop soon afterwards, 

from a Dirk Kuyt volley, 

as Liverpool began to offer a greater threat.

Liverpool, 

though, 

escaped two penalty appeals in quick succession. 

Firstly, 

Peter Crouch appeared to be barged by Jamie Carragher. 

And then Alan Hutton fell at the feel of Meireles.

Both Meireles and Paul Konchesky were booked for halting Gareth Bale before Jermain Defoe, 

van der Vaart’s replacement, 

had a shot blocked in the goal area by the lunging Carragher.

In the 36th minute Spurs had to make a second change, 

with defender Younes Kaboul seemingly injuring his hip and replaced by Sébastien Bassong.

And before the interval Gomes saved from Meireles, 

but the manner of it was not convincing, 

the ball almost slipping through the goalkeeper’s hand.

Carragher became Liverpool’s third cautioned player,

for fouling Modric.

However, 

in the 42nd minute, 

Liverpool scored the goal they had been threatening.

Meireles’ free-kick was met by Skrtel and though his initial attempt struck team-mate David Ngog, 

the rebound landed kindly and the defender prodded the ball beyond Gomes.

Minutes later Maxi Rodriguez had the chance to add a second but lost control at the vital moment. 

And then Torres was put through but Bassong timed his interception to perfection.

And within seconds of the restart, 

Ngog fed Torres and his first touch was poor, 

Bassong’s challenge allowed Spurs to survive again.

But Spurs were denied in the 52nd minute when Reina’s poor clearance fell to Bale but his well struck effort was headed off the line by Meireles.

Crouch appealed for another penalty when Konchesky barged into the striker, but they did get a sport-kick in the 59th minute.

Bale’s free-kick was fiercely struck by Bale but struck the arms of Ngog. Liverpool complained that the offence was outside the area, 

but Defoe’s kick was placed woefully wide.

It was Tottenham’s fourth penalty miss of the season, 

following misses by Roman Pavlyuchenko, van der Vaart and Bale.

But Spurs drew level in the 65th minute when Modric drove into the area before his effort was turned into the net by the luckless Skrtel.

Liverpool could have had a 70th minute penalty when Benoît Assou-Ekotto brought down Kirk Kuyt.

In the 81st minute Reina saved well to deny Bale but Meireles almost claimed a late winner with a tremendous shot, 

from 30 yards, 

which just missed the target.

And before the end Liverpool’s Glen Johnson became their fifth player to be booked – and third for a foul on Bale – before Defoe had a 90th minute goal disallowed for offside.

Arsenal climbs back up

Arsenal went top of the table early on Saturday afternoon thanks to a nail-biting 4-2 win at Aston Villa.
 After a tough, tough week, 

Arsène Wenger’s side needed a win of any kind to restore their confidence. 

They made heavy weather of the three points here today but it was still thoroughly deserved.
 Results later on Saturday will probably see them knocked off the summit of the Premier League. 

But the ability to be there suggests Arsenal’s problems are being overplayed right now.
 The visitors bossed the first half but had to wait until 39 minutes until Andrey Arshavin fired home. 

On the whistle a corner from the Russian, 

excellent on the day, 

was volleyed in by Samir Nasri.
 Ciaran Clark fired Villa a lifeline six minutes after the restart but Marouane Chamakh replied almost immediately to restore the visitors' two-goal cushion.
 Clark headed home with 20 minutes to go but, 

despite the odd scare,

Arsenal were untroubled.
 In the final seconds, 

Chamakh set up Jack Wilshere to head home at the far post.
 This win does not answer all the questions posed at Arsenal this week. But it is a blessed relief in current circumstances.
 Wenger’s men have had a hard seven days but they are still capable of having a great season.
 The Frenchman made seven changes from the side beaten 2-0 at Braga in midweek.
 From the back four only Sebastien Squillaci survived. 

Kieran Gibbs and Johan Djourou dropped to the bench.  

Emmanuel Eboue (knee) was injured.  

Bacary Sagna, Laurent Koscielny and Gael Clichy came in.
 Alex Song, Tomas Rosicky and Andrey Arshavin came into midfield. 

DenilsonTheo Walcott started as substitutes while Cesc Fabregas (hamstring) was sidelined. 

Chamakh came in for Nicklas Bendtner up front.
 Villa had John Carew and James Collins back from injury. 
Meanwhile Robert Pires was making his first start in English football since Arsenal’s 4-2 win over Wigan in May 2006 – the ‘final salute’ to Highbury.
It was a bitterly cold November afternoon and both sides needed a victory. 
Arsenal’s travails had been headlines all week but Villa were struggling too. 
They were used to being a top eight side but they went into this game in the bottom eight. 
Their side were laudably young but they had been paying for it with points.
And, as it turned out, this afternoon would be expensive.
The visitors might have been ahead within seconds. 
Arshavin angled a pass to Chamakh eight yards out. 
Brad Friedel half-blocked his shot, Richard Dunne deflected the ball goalwards and Collins booted the ball of the line.
The Moroccan had scored after 38 seconds at Wolves. 
This would have been even quicker.
A couple of minutes later Wilshere fed Rosicky and the midfielder drove a snap shot wide of the far post.
In the 14th minute,
Chamakh’s back-header fell to the feet of the Czech midfielder just inside the area. 
He elected to shoot with the outside of his right foot and his effort rolled weakly in to the hands of Friedel.
It was all Arsenal. 
The visitors had taken the game to Villa and were completely on top. 
They simply needed a goal.
Chamakh, Arshavin and Nasri all had efforts blocked as Arsenal lined up to shoot.
But there was always the nagging of a breakaway chance.
It came in the 25th minute.
Stewart Downing crossed from the right,
Clark flicked it on and Ashley Young popped up at the far post to steer a shot over the bar. 
In the context of this game, 
it was a massive miss.
However, it did nothing to turn the tide.
Just after the half-hour, 
Nasri crossed low into the six-yard area and Dunne sliced the ball over his own bar.
Then Arshavin’s trickery left Pires on his backside. 
The Russian’s cross eventually found Nasri just outside the area. His fierce goal-bound drive hit Chamakh.
To this point, 
Villa had been pretty abject and the goal they conceded in the 39th minute had as much to do with them as Arsenal.
Two defenders attacked, and then left, 
a lofted clearance. Arshavin raced on to the ball, cut in from the left and fired into the far corner. 
The Russian had been afforded too much space and Friedel got a hand on the ball. But it did not matter.
It was Arshavin’s first goal since the trip to Partizan Belgrade on September 28 and utterly deserved.
Seconds later, it should have been 2-0. 
Arshavin fed Nasri who skipped past Friedel but could only flick the ball into the sidenetting.
In injury time, 
Friedel produced a stunning save to deny Chamakh’s bullet header. 
Arshavin thumped the corner to Nasri on the far post and the Frenchman fired home on the volley from the edge of the area.
The goal meant the score finally reflected the game.
Villa mustered a response at the start of the second half. 
Sagna cleared hurriedly from Ashley Young’s cross and Nathan Delfouneso had a shot charged down.
In the 53rd minute, 
Squillaci’s clearing header flew high to Clark just outside the area. 
He was given too much space and thumped a shot into the top left-hand corner of the net. 
Replays suggested that Carew,
who was standing in an offside position, 
had impaired the view of Fabianski.
It was all horribly reminiscent of last Saturday. 
But then, 
three minutes later, Arsenal veered from the script.
Rosicky fed a perceptive pass to the sliding Chamakh, 
who beat Friedel to the ball and poked home.
That should have killed the game but Arsenal kept on going forward. 
Chamakh and Arshavin had half-chances for a fourth but the visitors attacking intent allowed space for Villa to exploit.
In the 70th minute, 
Sagna’s clearance fell to the feet of Clark, 
who thumped his snap-shot into the sidenetting.
Two minutes later the Villa midfielder did find the net once more. 
Squillaci nodded the ball out for a corner,
Ashley Young fired it to the near post and Clark’s header hit the underside of the bar and bounced down over the line.
The game was in the balance once again – and Villa had now got their game together after a poor first half.
Wenger brought on Denilson and Gibbs to shore up the result. 
Their introduction came just after Arshavin sent Chamakh through only for a combination of Collins and Friedel to clear the danger.
Arsenal shut up shop in the final stages and Wilshere’s goal finally killed the game.
Some of the players threw their shirts into the visiting fans at the end.
The supporters deserved that as much as their team deserved three points this afternoon.

 

Rooney and Berbatov make a huge come back.

A cakewalk, 
a canter, 
call it what you will:
United, inspired by a sublime Dimitar Berbatov performance, 
tore Blackburn apart at Old Trafford on Saturday.
The Bulgarian netted an incredible five times as the Reds smashed seven goals past Sam Allardyce’s men to surge to the top of the Barclays Premier League.
It was the sort of one-sided performance fans had expected last weekend when Wigan Athletic were reduced to nine men. 
Instead, it was a full complement of Blackburn players that were on the receiving end of the Reds’ biggest win since AS Roma came to Old Trafford in April 2007.
Sir Alex made six changes, 
including his entire back four, to the side that won in Glasgow on Wednesday night, 
with Rafael, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra all returning and Anderson and Ji-sung Park handed starts in midfield. 
Wayne Rooney and Berbatov kept their spots up front and the pair took little more than a minute to combine for the Reds’ first goal. 
Rooney outjumped his marker at the near post to meet Nani's cross and his glancing header fell to Berbatov, 
who volleyed home a simple finish from six yards.
It was the perfect start for Sir Alex's men and, 
in particular, Berbatov, 
who'd previously not found the net since scoring a sensational hat-trick against Liverpool in September. 
Four days earlier, 
Sir Alex had predicted the Bulgarian would benefit more than most from Rooney's return; the early evidence at Old Trafford reinforced that belief.
 The pair linked well in the opening stages, 
swapping passes in tight spaces and making unselfish runs off the ball to open up space. 
At one point, 
a series of clever interchanges cut through Rovers' defence with such ease that the action resembled a training ground stroll rather than a Barclays Premier League fixture.
Blackburn struggled to assert themselves on the game. 

Rafael's close attentions frustrated former Liverpool forward El-Hadji Diouf, 

while lone frontman Jason Roberts was starved of service from midfield.

Nani tested visiting goalkeeper Paul Robinson at his near post before Christopher Samba almost put through his own net and Berbatov headed wide from a corner.
United were knocking on the door and a second goal duly arrived on 23 minutes. 

Park carried the ball forward from the inside left channel and fed Rooney on the edge of the area. 

The South Korean continued his run, 

Rooney returned the pass and Park, 

now clean through and with only Robinson to beat, 

dinked the ball over the Rovers goalkeeper. 

It was simple, beautiful and devastatingly effective.

Clearly shell-shocked by United's storming start, 

Blackburn then hit the self-destruct button and gifted United a third goal on 27 minutes. 

Full-back Pascal Chimbonda didn't look before playing the ball back to goalkeeper Robinson and instead passed the ball straight to Berbatov, 

who, loitering in the Rovers penalty area, 

took one touch before blasting the ball into the net.

Vidic then missed a simple chance to add a fourth, 

while Nani blasted over the bar from distance and Berbatov was denied a penalty just before half-time. 

Pity any spectators who returned to their seat late for the second half, 

for within three minutes of the restart the Reds had scored twice more. 

Berbatov wrapped up his hat-trick by sidefooting the ball home from 12 yards to complete a sumptuous move he’d started deep inside his own half. 

Nani, 

also involved heavily in Berbatov’s third, then made it 5-0 on 48 minutes when he twisted and turned inside the area before firing into the far corner. 

Blackburn’s players looked demoralised, 

yet the Reds weren’t done yet. 

Berbatov grabbed his fourth on 62 minutes when a loose ball fell to his feet seven yards from goal and then, incredibly, 

a fifth after his attempted cross came back off Ryan Nelsen to present him with a simple tap-in.

Gabriel Obertan came close to further embarrassing the visitors before Chris Samba reduced the margin to six when he headed home with seven minutes to play. 

It robbed the Reds of a clean sheet but, 

come the final whistle, nothing could wipe the smile off Dimitar Berbatov’s face. 

This was his day.

 

To watch the highlights click on the link below:

Manchester United 7-1 Blackburn Rovers highlights

This week's fixtures

La Liga

30/11- 3.55am Real Madrid vs Barcelona

Barclays Premier League

27/11- 8.40pm Aston Villa vs Arsenal

27/11- 10.55pm Manchester United vs Blackburn

28/11- 11pm Tottenham vs Liverpool