MIDDLESBROUGH 0-2 MANCHESTER UNITED (BBC REPORT)

Manchester United took a step closer to retaining the Premier League title with a comfortable victory at relegation-threatened Middlesbrough.
Ryan Giggs gave the visitors the lead in the first half when his low drive found Brad Jones' bottom left corner.
Ji-Sung Park scored United's second when he smashed in Wayne Rooney's neat pass following a delightful move.
Boro's best chance fell to Jeremie Aliadiere whose low shot was saved by the legs of Ben Foster early on.
The league leaders will have been delighted to have come away from the Riverside with three points having performed below the high standards they are used to.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson rested key players with Tuesday's Champions League semi-final second leg against Arsenal in mind and, surprisingly, Middlesbrough rarely forced United to increase their tempo.
Boro, who remain second from bottom in the table, were bereft of ideas and relied on hopeful high balls into the area, which centre-backs Nemanja Vidic and Jonny Evans coped with admirably.
The home side did have one clear chance when Marlon King played in Aliadiere but Foster was alert to make the save.
At the other end, United's front pairing of Dimitar Berbatov and Federico Macheda were largely ineffective in a 4-4-2 formation.

So when United scored, it was no surprise it came from the boot of the PFA Player of the Year, who is as desperate for his 11th league title as some of his team-mates are for their first.
Rooney found Vidic, who had been forward for a set-piece, who in turn laid the ball to Giggs. The 35-year-old Welshman steadied himself before placing his low effort wide of Jones' left from the edge of the area.
His veteran partner in the middle, Paul Scholes, 34, should have tested Jones after the break, but uncharacteristically failed to find the target with both of his long-range efforts.
Luckily for Scholes, United are not short of sharp-shooters. Their second came after a sublime move that saw Giggs and Macheda play a one-two before the fabulous Rooney threaded the ball to Park, who powered in a low drive.
It was the highlight of the match and underlined that gulf in quality between the two squads.

Manager Gareth Southgate brought on £13m striker Afonso Alves and Didier Digard, but neither could ignite a Boro side flattened by United's double strike.
Southgate's side have three fixtures remaining to save their season, and are three points behind fourth-from-bottom Hull, who play at Aston Villa on Monday.
They now travel to fellow strugglers Newcastle a week on Monday, 11 May, in what promises to be a tension-filled clash, knowing they will have to improve tenfold in their remaining three games if they want to stay in the division.
Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate: "We've gone into the last two games against teams in the Champions League semi-finals and were looking for a miracle. To have a chance you need to take the lead.
"But we did get stuck into them early on but it is very tough mentally when you fall behind because they are so good defensively.
"The second goal killed the game but I have to give credit to my players because they never gave up.
"We have got to put this game behind us and start preparing for our next match against Newcastle, which is a huge game for both sides."
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson: "It's a big step forward with only four games left now. I keep saying you whittle the games away until there are none left.
"It was a very good performance, they all worked their socks off and once we got a hold of the ball we always looked a danger.
"Once we got in front, that was the key to it because they're a young side, Middlesbrough."
Middlesbrough: Jones, McMahon (Digard 55), Wheater, Huth, Hoyte, O'Neil (Emnes 70), Sanli, Bates, Downing, King (Alves 55), Aliadiere.Subs Not Used: Turnbull, Arca, Adam Johnson, Grounds.
Booked: Huth.
Man Utd: Foster, O'Shea, Vidic, Evans, Evra (Rafael Da Silva 78), Park (Nani 74), Scholes, Giggs, Rooney, Berbatov, Macheda (Tevez 55).Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Ronaldo, Anderson, Gibson.
Booked: Macheda.
Goals: Giggs 25, Park 51.
Att: 33,767
Ref: Mark Halsey (Lancashire)

CHELSEA 3-1 FULHAM (BBC REPORT)

Chelsea warmed up for their Champions League semi-final tie with Barcelona by comfortably seeing off west London rivals Fulham at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues made a lightning start as Nicolas Anelka bundled them ahead after 51 seconds, but Erik Nevland drilled in a leveller only three minutes later.
Florent Malouda fired Chelsea back in front from Didier Drogba's cross and then Drogba slotted home Anelka's pass.
Chelsea could have had plenty more goals after dominating throughout.
But the manner of the performance will have delighted boss Guus Hiddink, coming only four days before their crucial second leg tie at home against Barca.
Hiddink resisted the chance to rest some of his big stars with only Branislav Ivanovic and Michael Ballack making way after the 0-0 Camp Nou draw on Tuesday.

Along with Ashley Cole, Anelka was brought back in as Hiddink sprang a major surprise by ditching his favoured 4-3-3 formation and playing 4-4-2, with Anelka and Drogba up front.
With 51 seconds on the clock, it was already looking like an inspired move.
Anelka broke with pace and fed the ball out to the left to Malouda and the winger fired over a cross that Drogba cushioned into Anelka's path for the Frenchman to prod home.
Stamford Bridge was buzzing, but Fulham had a surprise up their sleeve too and within three minutes parity had been restored.
Danny Murphy's pass from inside his own half found Alex unsuccessfully trying to play the offside trap, as Nevland latched on to the ball and ran clear of the Brazilian.

Having got into the box, Nevland drilled a low shot from a tight angle on the right that brushed the gloves of Petr Cech - who should have done better - before nestling into the far corner.
It was an electric start and Chelsea immediately set about regaining their lead, which they achieved with barely 10 minutes gone.
The same trio that fashioned the first again came up trumps as Anelka played Drogba in down the right and his cross was fired past Mark Schwarzer by the impressive Malouda.
Fulham fought to stay in the game and Nevland showed fine technique to volley narrowly over, but Chelsea's dominance increased as the game wore on.
Drogba had the ball in the net from a Frank Lampard cross only to be wrongly flagged offside, while Lampard saw his shot deflected inches wide by Zoltan Gera.
Perhaps with a nod to Wednesday's encounter, Hiddink brought off Alex and Michael Essien at the interval for Ivanovic and Ballack.

It did not take the Blues long to make the three points safe, and Anelka and Drogba were starting to really enjoy their partnership.
It was Anelka's turn to play creator as he slipped a slide-rule pass in for his colleague, Drogba seamlessly gliding past Schwarzer and tucking home number three.
From then on, it was a case of how many Chelsea wanted, such was the control they exerted over their neighbours.
Lampard had a free-kick brilliantly tipped over by Schwarzer, before Drogba poked Anelka's right-wing cross just wide.
But they had already done enough to win and in the process fired a warning shot that will have been heard all the way to Catalonia.
Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink on playing 4-4-2: "We needed the points for today, but we are always trying to look ahead as well, especially with such a big game coming up.
"We wanted to give Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba the chance to play up front together, to increase our options in the future.
"If we ever need another gear in another game we must be able to adjust, to play differently."
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson: "We made a bad start and then went 2-1 down after our defender slipped, so you're trying very hard not to concede another goal after that.
"Unfortunately they caught us on the break with a third and from then on you are just trying to avoid embarrassment.
"We thought we could come here and get a result, but we were nowhere near our best today and we paid the price."
Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Alex (Ivanovic 46), Terry, Ashley Cole, Lampard, Essien (Ballack 46), Mikel, Malouda, Anelka, Drogba (Di Santo 84).Subs Not Used: Hilario, Kalou, Belletti, Mancienne.
Goals: Anelka 1, Malouda 10, Drogba 53.
Fulham: Schwarzer, Pantsil, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky, Dempsey, Etuhu, Murphy, Gera, Zamora (Dacourt 76), Nevland (Kamara 35).Subs Not Used: Zuberbuhler, Gray, Stoor, Baird, Smalling.
Booked: Murphy.
Goals: Nevland 4.
Att: 41,801.
Ref: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire).

Britney Spears extensions fall out - Se le caen las extensiones

PERDIENDO LAS EXTENSIONES EN SU SHOW

Arsenal 2-0 Middlesbrough

A Cesc Fabregas double saw Arsenal beat Middlesbrough and push the visitors closer to Premier League relegation.
Fabregas drove in his first after great build-up play but Boro appealed for offside, claiming Nicklas Bendtner had blocked goalkeeper Brad Jones' view.
Jeremie Aliadiere had Boro's best chance but he failed to beat keeper Manuel Almunia when clean through.
Classy Arsenal dominated throughout and Fabregas rounded Jones before slotting home to wrap up a deserved victory.
It was a 20th unbeaten league game on the trot for the Gunners and they showed plenty of freedom and panache.
With Sir Alex Ferguson watching from the stands, manager Arsene Wenger resisted the temptation to rest key players ahead of the midweek trip to Manchester United in the Champions League semi-finals.
Boro, who lost a club-record 10th away game in succession, could argue they were on the wrong end of two debatable refereeing decisions, however, in truth they were outclassed.

The visitors' main downfall was allowing Arsenal too much time and space to play the type of football the Gunners are so good at.
Boro were content to sit back and try to soak up Arsenal's pressure at a sun-bathed Emirates stadium and try to catch their rivals out on the counter-attack.
But the home side's intricacy, pace and movement left Boro stretching and straining defensively.
The vision of Fabregas and Andrey Arshavin was outstanding and the duo combined with Bendtner to carve out the opening goal.

Fabregas released Arshavin on the right before running into the Boro box to receive the Russian's pull-back and power a strike into goal - his first since last October.
Boro were unhappy the goal was allowed because of Bendtner's position.
And, they were left further aggrieved when they were denied a penalty for Bendtner appearing to catch a Stewart Downing corner with a mixture of his upper chest and upper arm.
Boro belatedly raised the urgency to their game and Downing tested Almunia with a low 22-yard strike which the Spaniard proved equal to.
Almunia was again Boro's nemesis as he denied Aliadiere, who had been played clean through on goal from Downing's cross-field ball.

Boro's need and desire to attack almost allowed Theo Walcott to double Arsenal's lead but his effort from an Emmanuel Eboue pull-back was saved by Jones.
Arsenal did not have long to wait for their second and it came after Fabregas latched on to a defence-splitting Eboue pass before rounding the on-rushing Jones and slotting in from just inside the area.
Boro's efforts faded after the goal as Arsenal took off Fabregas and Walcott as they consolidated their position ahead of their trip to Old Trafford in midweek.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger: "We want to catch Chelsea and we will give absolutely everything in the last four games. We play Chelsea at home so you never know.
"Victory was important for us before we go to the the semi-finals of Champions League against Manchester United.
"It's important you put yourself in a strong position in the league. Every win makes you a bit stronger."
Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate: "Arsenal are a class team. We knew it would be tough and in the end they have won it pretty comfortably.
"Bendtner is clearly interfering with play because he is stood in front of the goalkeeper. That hasn't gone for us but maybe we will get one at home next week against Manchester United.
"All the games are all crucial for us now. While there is hope we have to keep fighting and we will.
"One result changes a lot of people's perceptions on things and if we get a result next week then it can turn things on its head."
Arsenal: Almunia, Eboue, Toure, Silvestre (Djourou 46), Gibbs, Walcott (Diaby 68), Denilson, Fabregas (Adebayor 68), Nasri, Arshavin, Bendtner. Subs Not Used: Fabianski, Sagna, Vela, Song Billong.
Goals: Fabregas 26, 67.
Middlesbrough: Jones, McMahon (Digard 73), Wheater, Huth, Taylor, O'Neil, Bates, Sanli, Downing, Aliadiere (Emnes 86), King (Adam Johnson 61). Subs Not Used: Turnbull, Hoyte, Alves, Grounds.
Att: 60,089
Ref: Chris Foy (Merseyside).

MAN Utd v TOTTENHAM ( FROM BBC)

PREMIER LEAGUE

Venue: Old Trafford Date: Saturday, 25 April Kick-off: 1730 BST

Manchester United defender Gary Neville will be out for two weeks because of a foot injury but John O'Shea could be fit to face Tottenham on Saturday.
Rafael could start at right-back against Spurs with Rio Ferdinand also set to start after being rested for the 2-0 midweek win over Portsmouth
Tottenham, who are unbeaten in six games against the top four this season, look set to be without Michael Dawson.
The defender picked up an ankle injury in Sunday's 1-0 win over Newcastle.
But his team-mate Jonathan Woodgate is confident that Spurs can continue their good run.
"You can see how well we've played against the top four," he said.
"We haven't been beaten by any of the top sides in the league this season and we have beaten Liverpool and Chelsea at home.
"Our record against the top four is impeccable."
However, Tottenham's record at Old Trafford in the Premier League is less impressive with only three draws from 16 visits.

And United could be fired up even more for their 1730 BST kick-off on Saturday as a victory for Liverpool, whose game at Hull starts at 1500 BST, will return them to the top of the table on goal difference.
Midfielder Michael Carrick reaffirmed United's desire to secure a third successive league title and equal Liverpool's record of 18 overall.
"We are in a good position but we will not get complacent," he said.
"There are some hard games left, starting against Tottenham, and we know Liverpool are still a threat.
"In a lot of people's eyes last week we were not going to win the title. All of a sudden the same people are now saying it is a given.
"There are a lot of matches to play and there may be more twists and turns. Hopefully there aren't but we must be ready for them."
"It is win at all costs now. If we can now beat Tottenham we really will be in a good position."
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp: "We're playing well and we've got a chance.
"Old Trafford is a great place to go and play and we have to make it as difficult as we can for United and try to pick up some points.
"United are chasing the championship and can't afford any slip-ups, they can't afford to lose a game and Sir Alex Ferguson will know that now.
"We want to finish in that seventh spot but we know it's not going to be easy."

CHELSEA 0 - 0 EVERTON

Chelsea produced a far from convincing display at Stamford Bridge as they were held to a goalless draw by Everton that all but ends their title challenge.
The hosts enjoyed all the possession, but Everton had the better chances.
Jo twice fluffed when through on goal, while Leighton Baines was denied a penalty when he was fouled by Alex.
At the other end Didier Drogba shot onto the bar, but otherwise the hosts were pretty toothless and they now lie six points behind Manchester United.
The league leaders also have a game in hand over Guus Hiddink's side, meaning the Blues' hopes of silverware this season must surely now rest on the Champions League and FA Cup.
Their success in the latter, of course, will come down to their final against Everton - and the stalemate at Stamford Bridge will only fuel the Toffees' belief that they can compete with Chelsea on 30 May.
There was some suspicion before kick-off that it would be a good time to play Everton, following the Toffees' FA Cup semi-final exploits at the weekend and with qualification to next season's Europa League all but guaranteed.

However, for all their possession, it was Chelsea rather than the visitors who appeared to lack verve and spark in the attacking third.
Some cause of that was possibly Guus Hiddink's decision not to freshen up the side that beat Arsenal at Wembley on Saturday, but credit also to Everton, who got their tactics spot on.
Defending deep and in numbers, David Moyes's side allowed Chelsea plenty of possession up until 30 yards from their goal, at which point they nullified the Blues' threat and ensured a relatively quiet night for keeper Tim Howard.
Frank Lampard and Michael Essien tried their luck - unsuccessfully - from range in the first half, but it was the other end that saw the clearer chances.

Twice Jo was sent clear on goal, first by Tim Cahill and then by Steven Pienaar, but first the Brazilian shot straight at keeper Petr Cech and then he slipped at the vital moment, fluffing his effort wide of goal.
And Everton also had a big penalty shout when Baines went over Alex's outstretched leg, but referee Mark Halsey was unmoved.
The appeals were strangely muted from Everton, but TV replays suggested the Chelsea defender was lucky to get the decision.
It ensured the Blues entered half-time on level terms, but if they had hoped to use the break to collect themselves, it failed, with Everton picking up where they left off after the interval when Lars Jacobsen set Tim Cahill up to force another Cech save with a diving header.

Chelsea again dominated the ball, with Everton happy to play on the break, but Howard remained little more than a spectator despite the Blues' increasingly desperate forays into the area.
With the hosts looking increasingly impotent up front, it was left to the unlikeliest of sources to force their best effort of the night on the hour, John Terry unleashing a 40-yard piledriver that Howard tipped wide.
And when Chelsea did eventually find room in the box - twice in a minute - first Yobo blocked Lampard's goalbound effort and then Salomon Kalou headed narrowly over.
The hosts did launch a late rally, with Everton defending desperately at times to keep out the likes of Alex, Drogba and Lampard.
And Drogba went agonisingly close with the hosts' best effort of the night in the 93rd minute when he turned brilliantly in the box and crashed a beauty of a shot onto Howard's crossbar.
However, Cahill and then Pienaar also had pot-shots at the other end and when the final whistle went it was hard to argue that a draw was the right result.
Everton manager David Moyes: "I thought we played extraordinarily well, passed it beautifully and made a few chances, as well as having a good shout for a penalty.
"You come to Chelsea and you know it'll be a tough game and they made it hard for us at times in the second half, so you can't be too disappointed with a draw.
"They have other fish to fry with the Champions League and so on so maybe they had their eye off the ball this evening, but we certainly didn't and I'm happy with how we did against them."
Chelsea : Cech, Ivanovic, Alex, Terry, Ashley Cole, Ballack, Essien (Mikel 60), Lampard, Drogba, Anelka (Kalou 60), Malouda (Di Santo 77).Subs Not Used: Hilario, Belletti, Mancienne, Mellis.
Everton : Howard, Jacobsen (Jagielka 87), Lescott, Yobo, Baines, Osman (Rodwell 89), Castillo, Neville, Pienaar, Jo (Saha 90), Cahill.Subs Not Used: Nash, Hibbert, Vaughan, Gosling.
Booked : Neville.
Att : 41,556
Ref : Mark Halsey (Lancashire).

LIVERPOOL 4 - 4 ARSENAL

Liverpool returned to the top of the Premier League after an Anfield classic against Arsenal - but Andrey Arshavin's remarkable four-goal haul delivered a serious blow to their title ambitions.
Rafael Benitez will no doubt praise Liverpool's spirit and ambition, as he did after a similar result in the Champions League at Stamford Bridge last week, but defensive weaknesses fatally undermined a vibrant attacking display.
Liverpool's point puts them ahead of Manchester United on goal difference but Sir Alex Ferguson's reigning champions now have a potentially crucial two games in hand.
Arsenal's much-maligned keeper Lukasz Fabianski was Liverpool's tormentor in the first half, but he showed signs of strain after the break as the home side threw caution to the wind backed by a wall of sound from The Kop.
Arshavin provided a lethal spearhead for Arsene Wenger's side, who were under siege for long periods but demonstrated a stunning ability to strike on the counter.
The Russian put Arsenal ahead from Cesc Fabregas' cross nine minutes before the interval, but Fernando Torres and Yossi Benayoun, with a brave far post header, struck early in the second half to give Liverpool the advantage.

But as Liverpool tried to capitalise on their supremacy, the lavishly-gifted Arshavin struck twice in the space of three minutes midway through the second half.
He took advantage of Alvaro Arbeloa's hesitation to flash a finish past Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina and then scored from close range after Fabio Aurelio's poor clearance.
In a tumultuous Anfield atmosphere, Torres scored on the turn to put Liverpool level again before Arsenal swept forward after defending a corner for Arshavin to drive an emphatic finish past Reina from substitute Theo Walcott's pass in the dying seconds.
Benayoun scrambled home during five minutes of frantic stoppage time to give Liverpool hope of a remarkable win, but Arsenal's only remaining alarm was a shout for handball against Abou Diaby that was ignored by referee Howard Webb.
The players left Anfield to a standing ovation - but Liverpool's over-riding emotion will be frustration at failing to turn up the pressure another notch on United.

This may not have been a game for the coaches or tacticians, but for any lover of football this was a magnificent spectacle, liberally strewn with errors but also with outstanding talent.
It was also a game watched by joint Reds owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, who were tellingly sat next to each other.
Arsenal may be under-strength and out of the title race, but on this evidence they still have the capacity to emerge as a real wild card as the season reaches its climax, with games against Manchester United and Chelsea still to come.
Arsenal keeper Fabianski had been heavily-criticised for his display in the FA Cup semi-final defeat against Chelsea at Wembley - but he produced an inspired first 45 minutes to keep Liverpool at bay.
Torres was an early victim of his heroics as the keeper first blocked a powerful drive and then saved superbly from a rising angled drive as Liverpool pressed for an early advantage.
Arsenal, despite spending most of the early exchanges on the back foot, still posed a threat and a mix-up between Daniel Agger and Reina presented Fabregas with a chance, but he volleyed wide.
Torres was setting the tone for Liverpool's display in the absence of captain Steven Gerrard, and Fabianski was called into action again on the half-hour after the Spanish striker's turn left Kolo Toure trailing in his wake.
And Fabianski's defiance took on greater significance when Arsenal took the lead nine minutes before the interval, courtesy of Arshavin.
Javier Mascherano was caught in possession, allowing Samir Nasri to feed Fabregas - who provided the perfect cross for Arshavin to slam in a powerful finish off the underside of the bar.
Liverpool mounted an instant response, but Fabianski was the barrier once more as he dived to his left to palm away Benayoun's shot from the edge of the area.

It was vital Liverpool struck early after the break - and inevitably it was Torres who provided the priceless equaliser after 49 minutes.
Dirk Kuyt was the creator, crossing at the second attempt for Torres to climb and power a downward header that even Fabianski was powerless to stop.
Liverpool were overpowering Arsenal and seven minutes later Benitez's side were ahead thanks to a brave header from Benayoun - a move started when Fabianski played Kieran Gibbs into trouble in the penalty area.
Kuyt gathered possession and found Benayoun at the far post, who threw himself forward ahead of Bacary Sagna to send a looping finish beyond Fabianski.
Arsenal were being penned in their own territory almost permanently, and Wenger decided they needed to release the pressure, sending on Walcott to replace Denilson after 65 minutes.
And two minutes later Arsenal were level as Arshavin robbed Arbeloa to send a stunning drive across Reina from 20 yards.
Liverpool were let down by defensive frailties again as Arsenal regained control of what was becoming a classic encounter with 20 minutes left.
Nasri's cross was routine, only for Aurelio to slice his clearance straight to Arshavin, who gratefully slammed a finish beneath the exposed Reina.
Arsenal's lead lasted only two minutes, and once more Torres came to Liverpool's rescue with a turn and finish that Fabianski again touched but could not keep out.

Torres almost claimed a treble of his own with eight minutes left, but Gibbs was ideally placed on the post to scramble his header off the line.
And then, as Liverpool pressed forward with understandable urgency, they were hit by the sort of sucker punch Arsenal always looked capable of producing as Arshavin grabbed his fourth.
Liverpool were caught from their own corner, as Walcott swept forward to set up Arshavin to hammer his fourth past Reina.
It looked all over for Liverpool, but Benayoun set up the prospect of another final twist in this remarkable tale by scrambling home in a crowded penalty area.
Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Aurelio, Alonso, Mascherano, Benayoun, Kuyt (El Zhar 86), Riera (Babel 74), Torres.Subs Not Used: Cavalieri, Dossena, Lucas, Ngog, Skrtel.
Goals: Torres 49, Benayoun 56, Torres 72, Benayoun 90.
Arsenal: Fabianski, Sagna, Toure, Silvestre, Gibbs, Arshavin, Song, Fabregas, Denilson (Walcott 65), Nasri, Bendtner (Diaby 90).Subs Not Used: Mannone, Eduardo, Vela, Ramsey, Eboue.
Booked: Sagna.
Goals: Arshavin 36, 67, 70, 90.
Att: 44,424
Ref: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).