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Sunderland 3-1 Birmingham City | Premier League match report

If anyone is perplexed at the absence of Sunderland's prolific striker Darren Bent from England's World Cup plans, Kevin Phillips thinks he might know the answer – and it has more to do with the club than the individual. Birmingham's veteran front man was even more successful in front of goal...

Portsmouth 3-2 Hull City | Premier League match report

"One down, eight to go," said Iain Dowie, no better off than when there were nine to go and no less bullish either. At 2-1 up in the 87th minute Hull City were sniffing their first away win for over a year and a launch pad to Premier League survival, which was why Dowie was brought in last week....

Fulham 1-2 Manchester City

At first glance Manchester City's pursuit of the Champions League appears healthier than ever, though realism is tempering any giddy anticipation. Roberto Mancini puffed his cheeks and offered a shrug when asked if his side are now favourites in the aftermath of this victory to claim the coveted...

Blackburn Rovers 1-1 Chelsea

Do Chelsea have the best players in the country, or merely the best paid? The question with which Roman Abramovich is said to have confronted his team after their elimination from the Champions League is manna from heaven for media studies classes and pub knowalls everywhere and their verdicts will...

You are the Ref

Click to enlarge, and debate the strip below the line. Keith Hackett's official answers appear in Sunday's Observer and here from Monday.Keith Hackett's answers1) e) A corner. A goal cannot be scored directly from a throw-in, and that applies to own goals, too. That means that effectively the ball...

Football quiz: The race for the title

Today's questions are too close to call ...Evan Fanning

'Economic cleansing' in BBC's World Cup backyard

On the one hand, a glass-sided television studio with panoramic views of Table Mountain and Cape Town's spectacular new 68,000-seater football stadium is installed by the BBC for the forthcoming World Cup. On the other, destitute locals are evicted from their only home, barely 100m away. Welcome to...

Benitez on the attack but United storm on

Rafael Benitez provided more evidence of the antipathy he feels for Sir Alex Ferguson last night, as his Liverpool side's defeat at Old Trafford left their hopes of Champions League football next season looking increasingly forlorn.