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Brendan Rodgers fumes over 'blatant' penalty after FA Cup defeat

• Manager unhappy with referee after 2-1 defeat by Arsenal • Luis Suárez appeared to be knocked over in penalty area Brendan Rodgers will demand an explanation for Howard Webb's decision not to award Liverpool a "blatant" penalty after Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain appeared to knock over…

Kolo Touré's big game defence may be another own goal in the making | Barry Glendenning

Liverpool's Ivorian defender may be better advised to cut down on the conservation efforts and try to save the day job for another year Who would be an elephant? Specifically, an African one. As if the very real threat of extinction within 10 years at the hands of unscrupulous, tusk-thieving,…

Liverpool's Steven Gerrard shows holding role can prolong his career

His distribution from the base of the midfield trio was a potent weapon against Arsenal, though he is less at ease defensively Although Steven Gerrard's deployment at the base of Liverpool's midfield trio has been a necessity because of recent injuries to both Lucas Leiva and Joe Allen, who…

'You have to be cold blooded'

Champions League encounter will give one of Barcelona's less celebrated players a chance to meet some old friends Nineteen, 20, 21 … Vicente del Bosque was nearing the end of the end of the list and the nerves were almost unbearable for the 22-year-old watching on television in Tenerife,…

Celtic 3 St Johnstone 0: match report

Celtic 3 St Johnstone 0: Anthony Stokes returns to form with a hat-trick to help extend Celtic's lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership        

Aberdeen weighed down by twin targets but they stay on track at St Mirren

Aberdeen have the runners-up spot and the domestic cups in their sights but they made hard work of 1-0 win at St Mirren        

Motherwell 4 Partick Thistle 3: match report

Motherwell 4 Partick Thistle 3: Lionel Ainsworth says he has never experienced anything as dramatic as Saturday's thriller against Partick        

Smarting Arsenal find the way to revenge in the rough with the smooth | Barney Ronay

This could be the year Arsène Wenger's team win a trophy after a ragged display and victory against Liverpool in the FA Cup Frantic, ragged, lucky, even at times rather desperate: oh yes, this was a hugely encouraging afternoon all round for Arsenal. If Arsène Wenger could have designed…

In praise of … saner football | Editorial

The mega-mouth, mega-money, mega-ego world of big British football is a far cry from what it was in Tom Finney's day Chelsea's manager José Mourinho dubs Arsène Wenger of Arsenal "a specialist in failure" , though claiming that's only retaliation for what Mr Wenger says about him. He has…