D Wednesday, December 16, 2009 METROSPORT 23 barclays premier league Birmingham.....2 Blackburn ....... 1 Jerome 12, 48 Nelsen 69 Bolton ..............3 West Ham ....... 1 Lee 64 Diamanti 69 Klasnic 77 Cahill 88 Man United......3 Wolves............. 0 Rooney 30 pen Vidic 43 Valencia 66 Sunderland......0 Aston Villa....... 2 Heskey 24 Milner 61 P W D L F A Pts Chelsea 16 12 1 3 40 13 37 Man Utd 17 12 1 4 37 14 37 Aston Villa 17 9 5 3 28 14 32 Arsenal 15 10 1 4 40 19 31 Tottenham 16 8 3 5 35 22 27 Birmingham 17 8 3 6 18 17 27 Man City 15 6 8 1 29 21 26 Liverpool 16 7 3 6 32 22 24 Fulham 16 6 5 5 20 17 23 Sunderland 17 6 3 8 22 24 21 Stoke 16 5 6 5 15 19 21 Blackburn 17 5 4 8 17 30 19 Burnley 16 5 3 8 20 34 18 Wigan 16 5 3 8 19 36 18 Everton 16 4 5 7 22 30 17 Hull 17 4 5 8 17 34 17 Bolton 16 4 4 8 23 33 16 Wolverhampton17 4 4 9 15 31 16 West Ham 17 3 5 9 25 34 14 Portsmouth 16 3 2 11 14 24 11 clyDesDale baNK scOTTisH premier league Dundee Utd .....0 Rangers........... 3 Beasley 26 Miller 58, 75 P W D L F A Pts Rangers 15 10 4 1 29 9 34 Celtic 15 10 3 2 33 16 33 Hibernian 15 8 5 2 22 10 29 Dundee Utd 15 7 6 2 21 15 27 Motherwell 15 4 8 3 19 19 20 Aberdeen 15 4 6 5 12 16 18 Hamilton 15 4 4 7 15 24 16 Hearts 15 3 5 7 13 18 14 St Mirren 15 3 5 7 18 24 14 St Johnstone 15 3 4 8 20 29 13 Kilmarnock 15 3 4 8 11 20 13 Falkirk 15 1 6 8 12 25 9 Fa cup secOND rOuND Stockport.........0 Torquay ........... 4 SOCCER UEFA Europa League Group E Basle v Fulham.......................... 6.00 CSKA Sofia v Roma .................. 6.00 Barclays Premier League Burnley v Arsenal....................... 7.45 Chelsea v Portsmouth............... 7.45 Liverpool v Wigan...................... 8.00 Tottenham v Man City ............... 8.00 CRICKET First Test Match: South Africa v England (Centurion Park) Third Test Match: Australia v West Indies (Perth) HORSE RACING Bangor, Kempton, Lingfield, Newbury Guy Chambily, a member of the French Football Federations federal council, has called for national coach Raymond Domenech to be removed from his post. Domenech has come under fire from several quarters in France despite leading les bleus to next summers World Cup. a controversial victory over the Republic of ireland in last months play-off hardly helped Domenechs cause, and Chambily believes the coach has now run out of lifelines. The image of the France team, that of the federation, the president and the federal board have become totally farcical. i know the majority dont want to keep Domenech any more, the 77-year-old said in an interview with France Football. fixtures results sOCCer PREMIER LEAGUE wOrld Cup calls for French to sack boss Jerome double keeps Blues flying high Brace: Cameron Jerome Birmingham: Hart, Carr, Roger Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell, Larsson, Ferguson, Bowyer, McFadden (Fahey 82), Jerome, Benitez. Blackburn: Robinson, Chimbonda, Samba, Nelsen, Givet, Diouf (Hoilett 54), Emerton (Andrews 22), Nzonzi, Pedersen, Roberts (McCarthy 71), Kalinic. Ref: M Jones. BirMiNGHAM..2 BlACKBurN...1 rooneys on spot to draw united level Head boy: Boltons Tamir Cohen, left, rises to beat Jack Collison in the air bolton pile misery on to Hammers Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, Knight, Robinson, Lee, Muamba, Cohen, Taylor (Gardner 76), Kevin Davies, Klasnic (Basham 82). West Ham: Green, Faubert, Gabbidon, Tomkins, Ilunga, Dyer (Stanislas 21), Parker, Kovac, Collison (Da Costa 87), Franco, Diamanti. Referee: Andre Marriner BOltON.......................... 3 west HAM .................... 1 Cameron Jerome struck twice to seal a club record of five Premier League wins on the trot for Birmingham, their best run in 36 years in the top flight, as alex mcLeishs side moved up to sixth place level on points with Tottenham. The england Under-21 striker opened the scoring on 12 minutes, poking the ball home from close range, as the hosts made the most of a dominant opening half. Jerome added his second three minutes after the break when he sidefooted former Ireland full-back Stephen Carrs cross neatly past keeper Paul robinson as the visitors struggled to contain their hosts. The goal, however, seemed to spark rovers into life and they pulled one back on 69 minutes through ryan nelsen. Christian Benitez should then have wrapped up the points for the hosts late on but hit the crossbar with the goal at his mercy, leaving Blues to endure a nervy last few minutes. MAN uNited...............................3 wOlVes..........................................0 Berbatov feels the pressure manCheSTer United striker Dimitar Berbatov has confessed that he feels under pressure to live up to his huge price tag. The Bulgaria international joined United from Tottenham for 30.75million in September 2008 and has yet to truly establish himself as an old Trafford favourite. Berbatov said: every person is different in coping with the pressure of the price tag. every person thinks differently. For me, sometimes it is difficult because people expect so much of me. The fans have probably seen glimpses of my best. I know you need to show that all the time and thats my main goal. WayNE ROONEy led the way as manchester united eased past a Wolves shadow team at Old Trafford to draw the champions level on points with Chelsea at the top of the Premier league table. The England striker opened the scoring with a 30th-minute penalty as Sir alex Fergusons men brushed aside a visiting team which contained an incredible ten changes from their win at Tottenham. Further strikes by Nemanja Vidic and antonio Valencia sealed victory as united bounced back from their weekend home defeat by aston Villa. Only goalkeeper marcus hahnemann survived from Wolves victory at White hart lane, in a move by mick mcCarthy which appeared designed to rest his key players for Saturdays home match with burnley. it meant united, with michael Carrick back in defence in the absence of the injured Wes brown, were expected to make light work of mcCarthys men. and they did not disappoint. Despite taking half an hour to break down their visitors, Rooney put them ahead from the spot after Ronald Zubar handled Darron Gibsons corner. Vidic then gave united a two-goal cushion before the break as the Serbia centre-half rose to head home another Gibson corner in the 43rd minute. Valencia lit up a dour second half with an excellent half-volley in the 66th minute, the Ecuador winger set up by Dimitar berbatov, as united cruised home. Expectation: Berbatov SECOND half goals from Chung- yong lee, ivan Klasnic and Gary Cahill sealed a vital three points for bolton to lift Gary megsons side out of the bottom three. The result heaps more misery on to West ham boss Gianfranco Zola who also saw Kieron Dyer limp out of the match 20 minutes into his first start for three months. yong lee chipped the ball over Robert Green to open the scoring on 64 minutes before alessandro Diamanti levelled five minutes later. however, the hammers hopes of a share of the points proved to be short lived as Klasnic and Cahill struck to secure a vital victory. MATCH FACTS Something in reserve: Rooney celebrates with De Laet but Mick McCarthy, inset, could be in trouble for fielding a weakened team Man Utd: Kuszczak, De Laet, Carrick, Vidic (Fletcher 60), Evra, Valencia, Scholes, Gibson, Obertan (Welbeck 70), Berbatov, Rooney (Owen 75). Booked: Gibson. Goals: Rooney 30 pen, Vidic 43, Valencia 66. Wolves: Hahnemann, Zubar, Mancienne, Elokobi, Hill, Halford (Jones 76), Foley, Castillo, Friend (Jarvis 61), Surman, Maierhofer (Iwelumo 54). Booked: Castillo. Attendance: 73,709. Referee: Steve Bennett MATCH FACTS BIrmInGhamS Lee Bowyer believes West ham bidders David Gold and David Sullivan can revitalise the club the same way they transformed his current team. The former hammers midfielder (pictured) said: If they can do to West ham what they did for this club over a lot of years, itll be a great move for West ham. I supported West ham as a boy, and Ill always support them. Im sorry to see them at the bottom of the Premier League. anything that can help will be good. By CHRIS STOCKS index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html