D Tuesday, February 9, 2010 SPORT 23 RESULT COCA-COLA LeAgue One Colchester ........... 2 Southend ...............0 FIXTURES Barclays Premier League Fulham v Burnley.........................................(8pm) Man City v Bolton............................................ TV Sky Sports 2 Portsmouth v Sunderland..................................... Wigan v Stoke ...................................................... Coca-Cola Championship Cardiff v Peterborough ......................................... Coventry v Nottm Forest ...................................... Crystal Palace v Swansea...........................(8pm) Derby v Newcastle ............................................... Leicester v Doncaster........................................... Middlesbrough v Barnsley...........................(8pm) Preston v Sheff Utd .............................................. QPR v Ipswich.............................................(8pm) Reading v Plymouth ....................................(8pm) Sheff Wed v Blackpool ......................................... Watford v Bristol City............................................ West Brom v Scunthorpe ..................................... Coca-Cola League One Brighton v Huddersfield........................................ Bristol Rovers v Walsall........................................ Swindon v Oldham............................................... Coca-Cola League Two Bournemouth v Notts County .............................. Bury v Macclesfield .............................................. Cheltenham v Burton Albion ................................ Darlington v Lincoln City ...................................... Northampton v Accrington Stanley...................... Port Vale v Chesterfield........................................ Rotherham v Dag & Red....................................... Shrewsbury v Barnet............................................ CRICKET ICC World Cup Qualifiers (1 day): Afghanistan v Ireland (Dubai) HORSE RACING Sedgefield, Market Rasen, Southwell ITS NOT every day your team can play Manchester United at Old Trafford, score more goals than Sir Alex Fergusons men and still be down in the dumps. But thats what happened to Portsmouth on Saturday when they put three own-goals past their goalkeeper David James in a 5-0 defeat. But by all accounts they played well and it was a similar story in their 1-0 defeat at Fulham last Wednesday when Cottagers boss Roy Hodgson conceded Portsmouth were unfortunate. So Pompey deserve a break and they may have found it with Sunderland making the long trip tonight to Fratton Park. The Black Cats are bang out of form at the moment with just one win in their last 13 league and cup matches and that was against non-league Barrow. Included in that run is a 2-1 FA Cup defeat at Pompey a couple of weeks ago so back Pompey at 6/4 with Paddy Power to pick up a much needed victory. Also take the 19/20 with Ladbrokes on there being less than 2.25 goals from the two out-of-sorts outfits. THE TIPSTER SOCCER PREMIER LEAGUE Gerrard: Resilient Reds need to fight on Steven Gerrard has warned his team-mates they cannot afford any more mistakes if Liverpool are to earn Champions League football next season. Seven defeats before Christmas five more than in the whole of the previous Premier League campaign appeared to leave the reds hopes of a top-four place slipping away. However, since losing at Ports- mouth on december 19, rafael Benitezs side have put together a seven-match unbeaten run in the league to move back up to fourth. But Gerrard insists the hard work continues, with Liverpool looking to follow up Saturdays derby win over everton when they visit third- placed arsenal tomorrow night. the reds travel to the emirates Stadium looking for a win that would leave them just two points behind the Gunners with a trip to Manchester City up next. everybody is still on a high and now we have got to take that high into the next game, said club cap- tain Gerrard. Its a tough one, arsenal away always is, but we have used beating everton as a platform in the past and weve got to do it again. We want to extend our run and go on to better things as we cant afford any slip-ups because there is pressure coming from tottenham, Manchester City and aston villa. We showed fantastic together- ness [against everton], we fought for each other and thats why I am really proud of this team. there are a couple of very tough games coming up but if we can show what we have done in the last seven games, I dont see why we cant maintain it. By David Kennedy Agger will do for happy Rafa RAFAEL BENITEZ believes he has plenty of cover at centre-back after Daniel Agger returned against Everton after a month out injured. The Denmark international has suffered from a succession of injuries since joining the club in January 2006 but helped the Reds claim a 1-0 victory in the Merseyside derby. Anfield boss Benitez is pleased to have him back and said: It is bad when you lose players but we had more problems with centre- backs at the start of the season and now we have more bodies. Rallying cry: Steven Gerrard praised Liverpools togetherness Picture: Getty BURNLEY boss Brian Laws believes his sides trip to Fulham tonight is the perfect opportunity to record their first Premier League away win of the season. The Clarets beat West Ham 2-1 on Saturday to continue their impressive form at home but it has been a different story on the road. We havent won away all season so that is our objective, to change that mentality, and there is no better one [for that] than against Fulham, Laws said. They are not playing as well as they would like and all the pressure will be on them, not on us. ROY HODGSON insists he does not want Fulham to put their fans through hell again when Burnley visit Craven Cottage tonight. The Cottagers scraped past bottom club Portsmouth last week thanks to Jonathan Greenings late winner. And Fulham boss Hodgson said: On paper, it looks just like the Portsmouth game, one Fulham should comfortably win but it certainly wont be like that. If ever we needed a reminder, we only have to cast our minds back a week ago. MANCHESTER CITY manager Roberto Mancini admits his side must be prepared to withstand a Bolton onslaught tonight if they are to remain in the hunt for a top-four finish. Citys bid to claim a Champions League spot was dented by Saturdays shock loss at Hull, and Mancini predicts the Wanderers to up their game in similar fashion. He said: When City play against Bolton or Wolverhampton or Hull they play always at 200 per cent but this is good for us because we are growing now and when clubs play against us they are playing against a top squad. AVRAM GRANT remains adamant Portsmouths plight at the foot of the Premier League table is not hopeless. Saturdays 5-0 hammering at Manchester United has left Grants men seven points adrift of safety going into tonights home game with Sunderland. But Grant believes all is not lost at Fratton Park, saying: Even big clubs get relegated but the most important thing is stability off and on the pitch. On the pitch we are doing very well. Theres not a lot of difference between us and [the team in] tenth. footballdigest Concerned: Hodgson Crouch laments missed chances PETER CRouCh admits Tottenham missed an opportunity to pull away from Liverpool earlier in the season and must prove they have the ability to keep pace with his former club. Rafael Benitezs men last suffered defeat in the Premier League before Christmas, and their run has taken them back into the top four. Spurs led the race among the challengers for the final Champions League place during the Reds early-season slump, but they also suffered home defeats by Stoke and Wolves as well as dropping points to hull and Everton. There was an opportunity earlier in the season, said Crouch. We had a couple of draws and it was frustrating we couldnt pull away more. Spurs travel to Wolves tomorrow seeking revenge after Mick McCarthys men beat them earlier this term, and Crouch added: Its going to be really tight until the end of the season, we have to make sure we are there right to the end. Im sure we will be strong enough. Coyle left reeling by Cahill loss OWen COYLe has admitted the loss of key defender Gary Cahill has dealt a massive blow to Boltons survival hopes. england centre-back Cahill was yesterday ruled out for the rest of the season after a blood clot was discovered in his arm. He had been an ever-present in the Premier League for Bolton before pulling out of Saturdays goalless draw with Fulham. With Bolton one place and one point above the relegation zone heading into tonights game at Manchester City, Coyle knows just how much his team will miss the former aston villa man. You are always disappointed when you lose one of your best players. You want them available all the time, he said. index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html