Daily Post

Football: More Questions Than Answers ; Leeds United 2 Bakke 29,Viduka 34 Liverpool 2 Kewell 21,Baros 42 yet Again Precious Points Are Squandered As Liverpool Let Opponents Off the Hook Sometimes You've Got to Say Well Done to Both Teams and Not Blame Me -Gerard Houllier They Let Leeds Back in or, to Be More Precise, They Couldn't Keep Smith Out -Andy Hunter

SOMETIMES you've just got to say well done to both teams and not blame me!" uttered Gerard Houllier as he ended his post-match Press conference with a slice of biting humour. After a paradoxical week,containing some of the lowest moments of his Liverpool reign yet a vote of confidence from his own Anfield public, Houllier could afford to smile in the face of a draw with the league's bottom club.

Football: Rooney's Told to Put His Feet Up

WAYNE ROONEY enjoyed yet another headline-grabbing afternoon in an Everton shirt -and it's all part of the learning process as far as his manager is concerned. The 18-year- old picked up where he left off at Southampton,capping a lively display with the inch-perfect cross that Tomasz Radzinski despatched for Everton's opener.

Football: Radzinski Finds Cure -at Last ; Everton 2 Radzinski 78,83 Aston Villa 0 Blues Serve Up Tonic for Under-Weather Boss Moyes and Their Supporters Wayne Is Learning. He Was Anxious About the Situation,but Then so Were We All -David Moyes Only When the Blues Are Mathematically Safe Will the Supporters Rest Easy -Ian Doyle

LAST week no pill or potion at Bellefield could prevent David Moyes from taking the first sick day of his managerial career. On Saturday he hit upon an instant cure. The 59 days of 2004 until then had seen Everton slide perplexingly on to the critical list. Winless in the league, penniless in the bank,and increasingly consumed by the paranoia of a side unable to diagnose the symptons of its slump, the threat of relegation had somehow reared again.

Football: Relief at Last As Everton Chalk Up First Win of Year ; Comment

PHEW. It's been a long time in coming,but David Moyes and Everton enjoyed some blessed relief from their recent ills on Saturday. Moyes was laid low during the week with a bout of the flu and patrolled the touch line at a chilly Goodison sporting a red eye which gave his normal icy glare even greater menace.

Football: Defiant Fergie Still Refuses to Throw in Towel ; Fulham 1 Boa Morte 64 Manchester United 1 Saha 14 Dropped Points Could Cost United Dear Manchester United Is Built On Bigger Foundations Than Any Other Club -Sir Alex Ferguson We Said to the Lads, 'Stick to the Game Plan and We've Got a Good Chance'

ONLY a sensational finale to the season by Manchester United, combined with a disastrous run in for Arsenal, will prevent the top- flight silverware leaving Old Trafford for Highbury. Sir Alex Ferguson has vowed United have the spirit and pedigree to defy the odds and rob Arsenal of the Premiership crown for the second season in succession,but they will have to start showing both soon after Saturday's 1- 1 draw at Fulham left the Red Devils nine points behind their London rivals.

Football: Referee Accused of Penalty Mistake

SIR ALEX FERGUSON effectively accused referee Alan Wiley of costing his side two priceless points. The official turned down what appeared to be a clear penalty with the scores tied at 1-1, waving away United appeals when Edwin van der Sar bundled over Louis Saha in the box.

Football: Barnsley Hit for Six by Glitzy Grimsby ; Division Two Round-Up

BARNSLEY suffered Saturday's biggest defeat in the Football League as they went down 6- 1 at Grimsby and drifted further from the play-offpicture. The 15th- minute dismissal of Barnsley defender Craig Ireland sparked a Tykes collapse as they conceded four goals inside the first 41 minutes.

Football: Dragons Look On Bright Side ; Wrexham 1 C Edwards 20 Rushden & Diamonds 1 Jack 30 Eight Days of Misery End with Play- Off Dream Still Flickering After Home Draw We're Three Points Off the Play-Offs with 12 Games to Go, so We Have a Chance -Darren Ferguson Chris Should Have Done a Bit Better with That Chance but He's Worked Hard Again - Den Is Smith

CONSOLATION comes from where it's least expected and, following an uncomfortable eight days,Wrexham and their fans are still clinging to the hope that a place in the Second Division play-offs is not beyond them. A single point from three matches is hardly promotion form but the Dragons at least boosted their fragile confidence at the Racecourse on Saturday by halting a run of two successive defeats against a Rushden & Diamonds side who, with their less than impressive away record, were deligh...

Football: Upbeat Smith Takes Out Positives As He Rues Llewellyn Miss

WREXHAM manager Den is Smith did his best to put a positive spin on Wrexham's performance against a Rushden & Diamonds side clearly delighted to leave the Racecourse with a point. The Dragons boss admitted that his players were anxious to avoid a hangover from Tuesday's heavy defeat at Bournemouth,but said a better second-half finish from Chris Llewellyn might have given his side the tonic they needed.

Football: Win a Signed Wales Shirt

POST Sport has got together with Nationwide to offer you the chance to win a FREE signed Wales shirt. Ten runners-up will win souvenir teamposters. All you have to do is tell us which Wales footballer scored a hat- trick against Scotland last month.

Football: Blackburn R 1 Southampton 1 ; Barclaycard Premiership Round-Up

KEVIN PHILLIPS is urging Southampton to install a successor to Gordon Strachan as soon as possible after his side's Ewood Park draw with Blackburn. Phillips believes Saints need to begin building for the future, with caretaker boss Steve Wigley insisting he is not interested in taking the job full time.

Football: Leicester City 0 Wolverhampton W 0 ; Barclaycard Premiership Round-Up

LEICESTER striker Paul Dickov claims Wolves midfielder Alex Rae tried to get him sent off during the Premiership relegation battle at the Walkers Stadium. Dickov went into the game as public enemy number one with Wolves fans after earning his side two controversial penalties during matches between the clubs last season.

Football: Manchester City 0 Chelsea 1 ; Barclaycard Premiership Round-Up

MANCHESTER City chairman John Wardle insisted the Blues board is 100pc behind Kevin Keegan even though the manager himself admitted the club will be in big trouble unless their luck turns. Eidur Gudjohnsen's 81st-minute winner at the City of Manchester Stadium left City without a home league win since October 18 and dangling dangerously over the relegation zone.

Football: Millwall Fans Cited by Boss Ternent ; Division One Round-Up

MILLWALL chairman Theo Paphitis leapt to the defence of his club after Burnley manager Stan Ternent accused the London side's fans of chanting racist abuse. The Clarets boss claimed sections of the home crowd directed "monkey chants" at one of his players Mohammed Camara during Millwall's 2-0 win.

Football: Arsenal's Lead Is Extended at the Top ; Premiership Arsenal 2 Charlton Ath 1

THERE was no air of triumphalism in the Arsenal dressing- room,even though the title had seemingly been won with a nine-point lead now established. Instead,according to boss Arsene Wenger, there was simply "exhaustion and relief" etched on his players' faces after completing their narrow 2-1 win against Charlton.

Football: Michael's Late Twist ; Conference Woking 1 Chester City 2

CHESTER City came through their screen test with flying colours but yet again it was a case of the late,late show. The match, shown live by Sky Television,came to life in the second period after City had trailed to a goal after just 55 seconds.

Football: Bobby Robbed by Loan Ranger ; Premiership Portsmouth 1 Newcastle Utd 1 Lualua Denies Newcastle Victory Nobody Knows What Off Side Is Any More. So It Is No Good Talking About It -Sir Bobby Robson

SIR BOBBY ROBSON admitted Lomana LuaLua was "the last player we wanted to score against us" after the on-loan Newcastle striker grabbed an 88th-minute equaliser for Portsmouth against the Magpies at Fratton Park yesterday. The Congo international, who was allowed to play against his employers after Pompey paid a pounds 100,000 fee for his 93-day loan, struck from a corner to wipe out Craig Bellamy's first-half strike.

Football: Angry Sam Blasts Ref Over Key Decisions

BOLTON boss Sam Allardyce vented his frustration on referee Mike Riley after a double penalty controversy in his team's defeat. Allardyce admitted that Boro deserved their 2-1 victory,but insisted Boudewijn Zenden should have been penalised for kicking the ball twice after slipping just before making contact with his penalty kick.

Football: 'Gareth Is Club Hero'

MIDDLESBROUGH boss Steve McClaren singled out captain Gareth Southgate as his hero after his side's victory. "You need heroes in a cup final and we had 11,12 or 13 out there,but if there's one player I'd single out it's Gareth Southgate," saidMcClaren.

Football: The Wait Is Over ; Carling Cup Final Bolton Wanderers 1 Davies 20 Middlesbrough 2 Job 2,Zenden 7 Pen Boro Win Their First Trophy After 128 Years We've Always Had a Problem with Mike Riley. He Hasn't Been Very Kind to Us -Sam Allardyce

GARETH SOUTHGATE, star of Middlesbrough, England and pizza commercials, lifted the Carling Cup to the Millennium Stadium roof with a great toothy grin -and ended one of the longest waits in professional football. For more than 128 years great grand dads and grandsons alike from Middlesbrough had been waiting for this day.