Arsenal’s title dreams in tatters
Premier League round-up
Football League review
Rangers through to semi-final
Celtic win at Motherwell
Arsenal’s title dreams are all-but over after they lost 2-1 against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Emmanuel Adebayor put the Gunners ahead on 48 minutes but Cristiano Ronaldo equalized from a twice taken penalty after 54 minutes. Owen Hargreaves scored the winner on 72 minutes. The result sends United six points clear at the top of the Premier League and leaves Arsenal facing a third successive season without a trophy.
Steven Gerrard (60), Fernando Torres (82) and Andrei Voronin (90) were on target as Liverpool beat Blackburn Rovers 3-1 at Anfield. Roque Santa Cruz (90) netted a late reply for Blackburn. Rafa Benitez’s side are now five points clear of fifth-placed Everton with four league games to go.
Rafa Benitez has demanded talks with with the Liverpool board over their plans earlier in the season to appointment Jurgen Klinsmann as his replacement. It was originally thought that Tom Hicks spoke to Klinsmann but Tom Hicks claims fellow co-owner George Gillett and chief executive Rick Parry also interviewed Klinsmann last year about succeeding Benitez as manager. “Off the pitch, I am surprised at things I have read. I need some clarification about a meeting with a lot of people that I did not know about. I will talk with the board about this (the Klinsmann issue) - as soon as possible, today or tomorrow. need to resolve questions and I want some answers. I want to clarify things. I am really calm - but I want answers. I need to talk to the board to clarify things. I was surprised about a meeting with another manager. What concerned me was the people who were in the meeting.”
Ipswich Town beat Norwich City 2-1 at Portman Road to move within a point of the Championship play-off zone. Ched Evans put the Canaries ahead on four minutes before Alex Pearce put through his own net to level the scores on 13 minutes. Danny Haynes scored the winning goal after 40 minutes.
In League Two, Shrewsbury Town beat basement club Wrexham 3-0 at the New Meadow with Kevin McIntyre (7), Darren Moss (58) and James Constable (68) on target. The result leaves the North Wales outfit nine points from safety with just four games remaining.
Rangers won their Scottish Cup quarter-final replay against Partick Thistle 0-2 at Firhill to set up a semi-final encounter with St Johnstone. Nacho Novo (27) and Chris Burke (40) grabbed the decisive goals while both sides missed second-half penalties. Jags midfielder Simon Donnelly dragged his spot-kick wide while Rangers striker Daniel Cousin had his late penalty saved by Partick goalkeeper Jonny Tuffey.
In the Scottish Premier League, Celtic thrashed Motherwell 1-4 at Fir Park. Stephen McManus put the visitors ahead on 17 minutes and then proceeded to blot his copybook with an own-goal to level the scores on 24 minutes. Scott McDonald put Celtic back infront on the half-hour before a double from Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink (43 & 57) sealed the points.
Nathan Davies