Upset Mourinho: 'Nobody respects Ferrara'

(GSM) - Jose Mourinho's Internazionale reached the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia on Thursday night, knocking out Juventus: 2-1. Afterwards, the Portuguese manager backed under fire Juve coach Ciro Ferrara who is expected to be axed on Friday after a dismal run.

"We are men, we have families," said Mourinho to support his colleague. "It's not nice all this talk of every other coach.

"I don't like the atmosphere around him.

"Ferrara deserves respect. If the club decides to make a change, we know that is part of our job, but at least while we are still on the bench and working we deserve respect.

"Right now nobody is giving Ferrara respect. Nobody. But I respect him."

Juventus president Jean-Claude Blanc didn't exclude a dismissal of Ferrara. "We are very disappointed, as we have failed at another of our objectives for the season,” said Blanc after the match against Internazionale.

"Tomorrow (Friday) we will make a decision and when we have made it, we will let you know."

Ferrara remained calm as usual after another setback. "I have not been told of anything. I will be conducting Juventus training tomorrow, as per usual," Ferrara stated.

Juve goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon rued the Bianconeri's 'unlucky period'. "We wanted to win this evening, and did not deserve to lose," the Italy international said.

"But Inter also did not deserve to lose.

"Unfortunately, the team has been unlucky in this period, but we are trying to rectify this."

The 32-year-old goalie picked up a red card in last Saturday's match against Roma (1-2 loss) and will miss the game against Lazio this weekend.

Benitez ´proud´ of Juve link

LIVERPOOL (AFP) - Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez said on Friday that he was proud of Juventus's reported interest in him, in comments that will be seen as keeping the door open to a possible move to Serie A.

Juventus on Friday sacked Ciro Ferrara and installed Alberto Zaccheroni as their new head coach.

The Italian giants did not confirm the length of Zaccheroni's contract but local media reported that he had only been guaranteed the role until the end of the season.

That may be a sign that Juve's directors, who reportedly sent a delegation to Liverpool to see Benitez earlier this week, still harbour hope of persuading the Spaniard to quit Anfield.

Benitez insisted on Friday that he did not want to talk about the subject but, perhaps significantly, confirmed he had been made aware of Juventus's interest.

"I am not here to talk about speculation because people talk too much," he told reporters.

"I am focused on preparing my team for the game against Bolton. I know they (Juventus) were interested, that is part of the game now in football, but I am not ready to talk too much because I don't want to lose my focus.

"When you are a manager and you have clubs asking (for you), you have to be proud because they are a top side in Europe, but I am really happy here and want to do my job as best I can."

Benitez remains a highly respected coach around Europe, despite Liverpool's problems this season. The club have been knocked out of both the Champions League and the FA Cup and face a battle to secure a return to Europe's elite competition next season by clinching a top-four finish in the Premier League.

Benitez, who is under contract at Anfield until 2013, has vowed to ensure that goal is achieved and Liverpool's recent form -- three wins and two draws in their last five league matches -- has been encouraging.

But a section of the Liverpool support has already lost patience with the manager and, if the top-four place is not delivered, the club's American owners will come under increased pressure to sack him at the end of the season.

Rooney: 'Don't look on United as a one man team'

(GSM) - When Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Real Madrid this summer, his absence was expected to leave a gaping hole in United's attacking arsenal, with a regular source of goals having been offloaded. However, Ronaldo's role as goalgetter has been adopted admirably by Wayne Rooney.

The England striker has already scored nineteen goals in the Premier League this season. But Rooney insists it's a team performance.

"I don't look on us as a one-man team or see it as a great burden on me, it's nonsense," said Rooney, who hasn't been able to net a goal in this year's Champions League campaign.

"We've shared the goals out well and it's certainly not just about me. We expect to win as a team, not as individuals."

United has scored 53 goals in the Premier League. Rooney is followed by Dimitar Berbatov, who has struck seven times this season.

Rooney is aware that his movement inside the penalty area has gained in intelligence.

"Those who said I'm not an out-and-out goal-scorer are probably right," said the former Everton forward.

"But I've worked on my movement to create space and it's paying off.

"So far this season I've managed it - in fact I can't remember a goal I've scored from outside the box - and those tap-ins are down to the whole team, not one player."

Campbell can cope with Rooney threat: Wenger

LONDON COLNEY, England (AFP) - Arsene Wenger insists Sol Campbell can cope with the challenge of facing in-form Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney in Sunday's crucial showdown at the Emirates Stadium.

Wenger will hand Campbell his first Premier League start since rejoining the Gunners if Belgian centre-back Thomas Vermaelen is unable to recover from the knee injury that forced him off at Aston Villa on Wednesday.

Campbell, who left Arsenal for Portsmouth in 2006, is on stand-by to replace Vermaelen in Arsenal's most important game of the season even though the ex-England international has made only three appearances all season.

The 35-year-old spent four months out of the game after quitting Notts County. He eventually returned to Arsenal following a lengthy period training with his old team and made his second debut in last weekend's FA Cup defeat at Stoke before coming on as a substitute against Villa.

Now Campbell faces the sternest test of his top-level comeback as he prepares to go head to head with England forward Rooney, who has scored 13 goals in his last 13 appearances for United.

Wenger has no doubts that Campbell's experience will enable him to rise to the challenge.

"Sol can cope with Rooney. He is ready if he has recovered well. I have to assess him but normally he will play if Vermaelen doesn't play," Wenger said on Friday.

"He has experience and he likes the big games. He can turn up if needed and experience helps in these kind of games.

"It was certainly not expected a few months ago when he signed for Notts County that he would be playing a game like this.

"That shows you how quick football is and I believe that he has worked very hard and credit to him, everyday he was motivated to push himself and he is quite fit."

While Wenger acknowledges Rooney will pose a substantial threat for United, he refuses to focus solely on shutting out the striker.

"I don't think they are over-reliant on Rooney, they changed their system a little bit the other day against Manchester City and didn't play with two strikers," Wenger said.

"They played with only Rooney up front and then of course he becomes the focal point of the game. But they have plenty of players, for example, in the game on Wednesday, (Ryan) Giggs was as well very influential.

"Rooney was at the end of things but Giggs created a lot of things in the game."

Wenger hopes Vermaelen could be back in a week if scans show he has not suffered a fracture, but the Arsenal boss will definitely be without Croatia striker Eduardo, who sustained a hamstring problem at Villa, and Nicklas Bendtner could deputise.

Those injuries couldn't have come at a worse time for Wenger as he tries to guide his team through a period that will define Arsenal's season.

The Gunners are two points behind leaders Chelsea and one point behind United. With tough games against Chelsea and Liverpool coming up next, Wenger knows a victory on Sunday would be a major boost to morale at such a pivotal point in the campaign.

"I believe that no matter what happens we will still be in a position where we will have a chance after these games, but it can put us in a very strong position and that is what we want," Wenger said.

"We know that to be successful in this period we have to be more of a team than the other teams. We have to think how strong and how much solidarity it takes to get through a period like that. That is what we want to show on Sunday.

"We love being in the race. Of course it was our dream to be in this position in this period of time."

Although Alex Ferguson has had the better of his duels with Wenger during their 14 years competing for supremacy in England, the French coach still relishes clashes with United more than any other contest.

"I look forward to it because it is a match which always promises good football," Wenger said.

"Manchester United and Arsenal have had some tough games, and sometimes they were not easy on the physical side, but both teams always tried to play.

"It was very rarely a boring game, you always thought at the start it would be a great football game, and so you love that.

"It is always one of the games of the season. We are really up for it. We are on a good run. We have good momentum and we want to continue that."

Newcastle strengthen defence, eye Moses swoop

LONDON (AFP) - Championship leaders Newcastle have signed QPR defender Fitz Hall on loan until the end of the season as cover for injured centreback Steven Taylor, who is out for two months with knee ligament damage.

Newcastle boss Chris Hughton is also hoping to sign a left-back and a striker before the transfer window closes on Monday as he seeks to bolster his squad for the final push for a return to the Premier League.

The Magpies are one of a number of clubs hoping to sign Crystal Palace's 19-year-old forward Victor Moses, who has been put up for sale following Palace's move into administration earlier this week.

"It's one we have a very, very keen interest in," Hughton confirmed. "He is a player who has an ability to score goals. There is a power and pace, but it is his potential.

"Around what we are trying to do here this season, which is the most important thing, there also has to be an eye on the future, and he is certainly a player of wonderful potential."

We are in Angola to win the title - Egypt

LUANDA (AFP) - Egypt turned up for the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola with only one intention, to defend their status as African champions, and by any assessment they've made a pretty good fist of achieving that aim.

Thursday's 4-0 wipe out of eight-man Algeria put the six-time champions into Sunday's final against a Ghana side that has overcome a spate of injuries to star players to make their first final in 18 years.

One of Egypt's goalscorers in Benguela, Mohamed Zidan, said: "We were one million times better than Algeria. We haven't won five games here in this competition to lose the final."

Captain Ahmed Hassan, in his 171st international, warned Ghana to expect more of the same silky smooth football from the kings of Africa.

"Against Ghana we will continue to play as we have started. We don't care how they play, we are here to defend our title, and we'll do everything to succeed.

"Our 4-0 win over Algeria has proved we are the best team in Africa, without argument.

"It wasn't a question of revenge against Algeria (for the World Cup play-off defeat in November). I told my players before the semi-final that you are the best and what you have to do is prove it on the pitch.

"We don't care about the World Cup and losing the play-off to Algeria, we put ourselves in that position after dropping two points against Zambia in an earlier qualifier.

"Anyway we are now seeing the fruits of our effort here."

Egypt coach Hassan Shehata was purring over the Pharoahs' latest imperious performance.

"We retained our dignity with this win, we proved our strong image. I tried to do the best with the players I've got (Egypt like Ghana are missing some key players to injury)."

Sunday's climax will be a fascinating clash between the champions whose defence and attack is rock solid and the Black Stars' mix of Under-20 world champions thrust into the spotlight and a smattering of experienced players.

Egypt, unbeaten in the Africa Cup of Nations now for a record 18 games, arrive in Luanda from Benguela later Friday, with a training session planned for late Saturday.

Ghana are already in town and trained Friday morning as Serb coach Milovan Rajevic maps out his blueprint to topple the continetal champions for what would be the west African country's fifth title.

Despite Ghana's superb run to the final it is Egypt who will start as hot favourites.

Egypt assistant coach Shawky Gharib commented: "We have said from the very beginning of the competition 'we are the champions, we are here to defend our title and only to do that'.

"The Ghana team are very strong, they are going to the World Cup."

A World Cup that will be sadly on the evidence of their imperious run to Sunday's final - 14 goals to two conceded, the only side unbeaten after five games - be missing Egypt.

"We have finished all our five games in Angola with victories and have played three World Cup qualifiers (Nigeria 3-1, Cameroon 3-1, Algeria 4-0), scoring 10 goals," noted Gharib.

"We won our games because of the strategies that we planned and used. We also planned well on how to handle each opponent since the start of the competition.

"Against Algeria we played an excellent match for African football.

"Now we are due to meet another team going to South Africa in Ghana, they are one of the strongest teams here."

Van Bommel: 'Focus on winning, not on contracts'

GSM) - A possible contract extension at Bayern München isn't on Mark van Bommel's mind. Last year, the captain of the Bavarian giants signed a deal which expires in June 2010.

"Six players at the club have an expiring contract and I am one of those players. However, nobody should be thinking about contract renewals at the moment," Van Bommel told Bild.

"We're in an extremely important part of the season.

"We are fighting for the Bundesliga title, can still win the DFB Pokal and face Fiorentina in the first knockout round of the Champions League. That's what we should focus on for now."

32-year-old Van Bommel thinks Bayern is strong enough to compete for every trophy. "I feel like we can go a long way in all competitions.

"Our current selection is the best team we've had since I joined Bayern in 2006. We have never been this attack minded and dominant before."

Fergie bills Gunners clash as biggest game of season

MANCHESTER (AFP) - Alex Ferguson has billed Manchester United's visit to Arsenal on Sunday as a match that could make or break his squad's season.

"I think the game on Sunday, to my mind now looking at the way the league is shaping up, is the biggest game of the season for us," the Scot told reporters at United's training ground on Friday.

"Arsenal have gone on a consistent run and it's amazing how this league has changed.

"The team that is most consistent will win the league now and Arsenal's current form has been very good and I'm looking forward to it.

"At the moment the league is looking like a three horse race but there have been so many changes and different result from the top sides that you cannot be 100 percent certain."

Just two points separate Chelsea at the top of the table and Arsenal in third with United in between. "Of course Chelsea have the advantage of the game in hand and if they win that they go four points ahead of us," Ferguson added.

"So that is the catch up part we are in and that means Sunday has a great relevance to both of us because we have a genuine chance to win the league."

Ahead of the match, Ferguson has appealed to United's travelling supporters to get behind his players in a positive way rather than indulging in the personal abuse of his Arsenal counterpart Arsene Wenger which has been a regular and unpleasant feature of meetings between the two clubs.

"I think it's unavoidable in the way that managers get abused today," Ferguson said. "Sometimes I can't hear these chants and I can't make them out but I know there's been some terrible abuse from our fans to Arsene Wenger and there must be a line drawn and I think our fans must know that themselves.

"I was really proud of the way they supported us (in the League Cup win over Manchester City) on Wednesday. We don't need to worry about anyone else -- they should be proud of the team they are supporting."

Ferguson meanwhile has hinted that United will not appeal against the ban that has ruled Rio Ferdinand out of the club's next four matches despite what he sees as blatant inconsistencies in the handling of violent conduct cases.

Ferdinand was charged by the Football Association after flooring Craig Fagan with a swinging arm in United's 4-0 win against Hull last weekend.

The mandatory three-match ban was increased to four after the FA deemed United's appeal to be "frivolous" and Ferdinand will miss Sunday's encounter with Arsenal as well as further games against Portsmouth, Aston Villa and Everton.

Ferguson initially announced that United would try to have the decision looked at again only to later contradict himself by insisting the incident is now finished with.

"We have to decide if we appeal it because there are conflicting ways of viewing some of these decisions," he said. "I watched Charlton and Leyton Orient the other night and the Leyton Orient goal came after an elbow on the Charlton player three times and nothing happened.

"So there's a lot of confusion in terms of these decisions but we accepted he is banned and we will get on with it - there's nothing we can do about it."

If United were to appeal again, they would risk the ban being increased to five matches which would rule Ferdinand out of the League Cup final at the end of next month.

Ugly wins are beautiful for Ghana coach Rajevac

LUANDA (AFP) - Football may be the 'beautiful game', but Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac is delighted to mastermind 'ugly' victories at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations.

After being outclassed 3-1 by 10-man Ivory Coast in their opening match, the 'Black Stars' have ground out 1-0 victories over Burkina Faso, hosts Angola and Nigeria to book a final date with Egypt here Sunday.

In each of the three victories, four-time African champions Ghana took a first-half lead and then erected a defensive blockade no opponent could dismantle.

And the west Africans are now one victory away from a first title since 1982 despite fielding a team that bears scant resemblance to that Rajevac could choose were all his forces available.

Injury ruled central defenders John Pantsil and John Mensah and midfielders Stephen Appiah and Laryea Kingston out before the biennial football showcase kicked off while Spanish club Getafe refused to release Derek Boateng.

Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien, most talented, best known and popular of the 'Black Stars', managed just 45 minutes of action against the Ivorians before a knee injury at training brought his tournament to a abrupt end.

Rajevac also ignored Sulley Muntari when it came to choosing his 23-strong squad for Angola because the Inter Milan midfielder refused to apologise or pay a fine for missing a Luanda friendly last November.

Many coaches would have compiled a list of excuses and gone whining to the media, but Rajevac drafted in eight of the Ghana squad that won the 2009 world youth championship and got on with the job.

The latest in a long line of Serbs to steer African national teams is a perpetually anxious looking 54-year-old who succeeded Frenchman Claude le Roy in 2008 and guided the 'Black Stars' to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

An international unknown before taking over the 'Black Stars' reins, Rajevac has no time for football romanticism as he repeatedly confesses to an obsession with results.

"We came here (Angola) to compete and not to play entertaining football. The most important thing is the result and not how much possession we had during a particular game," he told reporters.

"Every team must know how to defend because it is an essential element of modern football," he explained after his team eliminated Nigeria and stretched to 270 the minutes without conceding a goal in Angola.

Le Roy, now coach of Gulf state Oman and a spectator here, took hosts Ghana to third place at the last Nations Cup and praised the progess of the team under Rajevac.

"I watched the first match against Ivory Coast and had reservations, but they are looking much better now. They are young, fight hard and retain possession," he noted.

Fran: 'Real depend on Ronaldo'

(GSM) - Real Madrid hopes to sink Deportivo la Coruna to stay in touch with league leaders Barcelona. But they could face a daunting task when they are without Cristiano Ronaldo, according to former Deportivo captain Fran.

Ronaldo received a two-match suspension this week for a red card he picked up at the weekend, during the match against Malaga (2-0). The Portuguese winger was sent off after a stray elbow caught Danish defender Patrick Mtiliga.

Madrid's initial appeal against the ban was rejected by the Spanish football federation's appeals committee on Thursday, but the club have now taken their case to Spain's sporting disciplinary committee (CEDD) in a bid to have the former Manchester United man available for the Depor match.

If they won't succeed then according to Fran, their hopes of picking up a first win at the Riazor since the 1991/92 season will be all but extinguished.

"It (Ronaldo's absence) would be key because they depend on him while the others are not at their best," said club legend Fran, who played over 400 games for Depor between 1988 and 2005.

"Hopefully he will not be here, although Madrid will still give it everything. That's obvious because if they don't win, the difference to Barcelona will be very big," he told AS.

"I think it would be difficult with Cristiano (in Madrid's team), but if he doesn't play then the curse will continue; they will go away empty-handed once more. I have faith in Depor."

Real coach Manuel Pellegrini will travel to La Coruna without Rafael van der Vaart, who's still troubled by a knee injury he sustained three weeks ago during the match against Mallorca.

Ezequiel Garay, Lassana Diarra, Gonzalo Higuai­n, Mahamadou Diarra en Fernando Gago are also not available for different reasons.

The several absences have forced Pellegrini to add four players from the academy to his squad.

Deportivo lie fifth in the Primera Division, ten points adrift of Real Madrid.

Stern Shehata one win away from African record

LUANDA (AFP) - Stern, silver-haired Egyptian Hassan Shehata is one victory away from becoming the first coach to win three consecutive Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.

His 'Pharaohs' face the 'Black Stars' of Ghana at the 50,000-seat November 11 Stadium Sunday in an unexpected climax to the 2010 Cup between countries hard hit by pre-competition injuries.

Media-shy Shehata, who usually leaves the talking to long-time assistant Shawky Gharib, says his squad will claim a record seventh African title provided luck wears a red shirt.

"We just need luck. We could have beaten Cameroon by a wider margin but were unlucky," he said, recalling a 3-1 quarter-final victory over the 'Indomitable Lions' after extra time.

What the man who watches most games leaning against the side of the dugout forgot to mention was luck was very much on the side of Egypt in that showdown against one of the five African qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup.

When a free kick from captain Ahmed Hassan struck the crossbar and came down it did not cross the goalline, but an assistant referee ruled it had and Egypt were two goals ahead and en route to the penultimate phase.

Shehata says teamwork and a lack of reliance on the many stars he can call up have been the recipes for success with his team unbeaten in 18 Nations Cup games spanning four tournaments.

"The top teams in Africa fear us because of our amazing teamwork. Much is made of those who miss tournaments because of injury, but we do not rely on individuals," he stressed.

Egypt were hard hit before departing Cairo for Angola with superstar Mohamed Aboutraika, fellow midfielders Mohamed Barakat and Mohamed Shawky and striker Amr Zaki ruled out by injury.

When the former national team striker replaced Italian Marco Tardelli six years ago in one of the 'hottest' African national team posts, few expected him to survive long.

Even when Egypt lifted the 2006 Nations Cup after a penalty shootout victory over Ivory Coast, there was no shortage of sceptics who claimed the feat was achieved largely because of home advantage and suspect refereeing.

But Shehata was a national hero in a country where football is an obsession and he stayed in charge for the title defence in Ghana, where Ivory Coast were hot favourites to succeed.

Written off as a tired, over-the-hill squad, Egypt launched their defence with a 4-2 thumping of Cameroon, crushed Ivory Coast 4-1 in the semi-finals and defeated Cameroon again in a tense final settled by a late Aboutraika goal.

Before Angola the media were once more critical of the defending champions, saying they were probably a spent force, full of ageing players in the twilight of their careers, and unable to conjour up the heroics of two years ago.

Try telling that to Nigeria, Mozambique, Benin, Cameroon or Algeria, the teams who had the misfortune to face the rampant Egyptians en route to the final.

Chelsea rest Drogba and Kalou after African adventure

LONDON (AFP) - Chelsea will leave strikers Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou out of their squad for Saturday's trip to Burnley following their Ivory Coast pair's return from the African Nations Cup.

Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti wants to give the duo more time to recover from the long journey from Angola, but insisted they were fit and ready to go.

"They need to work for some days and so will not able to play tomorrow," Ancelotti said. "They will play on Tuesday against Hull.

"Didier will stay here to train. He has come back very well, also Kalou. They are fit but they travelled yesterday and so we don't want to take the risk for the next games."

A win over Burnley would allow Chelsea to open up a four-point lead over Manchester United at the top of the table, 24 hours before United take on third-placed Arsenal at the Emirates.

"Our job is to win and play well tomorrow and then we can watch a fantastic game between Manchester United and Arsenal," Ancelotti said.

"I am focused for tomorrow. If we are able to win, any result between United and Arsenal is good for us.

"But the Arsenal game is not a decisive match in terms of the title because there are a lot of games until the end of the season.

"We could be in a very good position if we win our next two games. It won't be easy though because Burnley and Hull are teams involved in the bottom of the table, so they will put strong pressure and determination into the game.

"So we have to pay attention. We played very well at home against Birmingham and Sunderland and we want to do the same away."

Kalou said he had been keen to get straight back into action.

"I thought I had a good game for Chelsea against Fulham before we left and now I come back in good form," he said.

Chelsea have not shown any signs of missing their African stars, with Nicolas Anelka in freescoring form in their absence, and Kalou acknowledged he now faces a fight for first-team chances.

"In Africa we were lucky because we had the Premier League on TV, so I watched the Sunderland game (Chelsea won 7-2), which was amazing," he said. "We were in touch with England all the time.

"The team has been playing a different system and with the 4-3-2-1, we played it in the second half against Fulham in December and played much better.

"It is a great way of playing, everyone has been at their best and it is nice to watch. I have been here almost four years and I have played in every system, so I know that I can adapt to it."

Zaccheroni replaces Ferrara as Juventus coach

ROME (AFP) - Juventus on Friday named Alberto Zaccheroni as their new coach in place of Ciro Ferrara, who was sacked after a string of poor results.

It is Zaccheroni's first job since he was fired as coach of Torino in February 2007, and he takes charge of Juve in time for Sunday's Serie A home clash with Lazio.

The 56-year-old has previously coached Udinese (1995-98), AC Milan (1998-2001) -- with whom he won the 1999 scudetto -- Lazio (2001-02) and Inter Milan (2003-04).

Ferrara's departure had long been predicted after the Turin giants slipped to sixth in the league standings following five losses in their last six games.

They have also been knocked out of the Champions League and exited the Italian Cup, for a record of nine losses in 12 games played since the end of November.

Ferrara, a former Italy and Juventus defender, had been handed the job despite his lack of experience just before the end of last season after current Roma coach Claudio Ranieri was fired.

Newcastle 2 - 0 Crystal Palace

Newcastle pulled clear at the top of the Championship with a hard-fought win over crisis-club Crystal Palace.

A day after going into administration, Palace were a goal down after 20 minutes when Shaun Derry diverted Andy Carroll's header past his own keeper.

Even so Palace, who could only named three substitutes, had a string of fine chances to level with Danny Butterfield and Darren Ambrose going close.

Nile Ranger's cool finish on the break finally sealed the win in injury time.

It was a deflating end to a spirited display from the beleaguered visitors, whose highly-rated striker Victor Moses was pulled out of the game by the club's administrators.

Yet they started the game in fine style and created two early opportunities to take a surprise lead.

First, lone striker Calvin Andrew narrowly failed to round Steve Harper after being fed by Ambrose and minutes later, the unmarked Butterfield somehow headed Nick Carle's cross wide from point-blank range.

Newcastle then fortuitously took the lead when Palace midfielder Derry unwittingly guided Carroll's header past keeper Julian Speroni.

The Magpies began the second half strongly with Peter Lovenkrands firing wide on the turn and Carroll blasting an effort across the face of goal.

Neil Danns and Carle then had shots blocked in quick succession as the visitors fought vainly for an equaliser.

With 20 minutes remaining, the Eagles went desperately close to a leveller when Ambrose's shot came back off the post and Tamas Kadar managed to get a block on Danns' follow-up.

But their pressure counted for nothing and St James' Park breathed a sigh of relief four minutes into stoppage time when Ranger raced on to Wayne Routledge's pass and beat Speroni with ease.

---

Newcastle boss Chris Hughton:
"With a game in hand, we have stretched that lead again.

"And probably more importantly with West Brom's result yesterday (1-1 at Ipswich), we have managed to stretch that lead between ourselves and third.

"But I expect highs and lows, good form, bad form, wins and losses through to the end of the season."

Warnock slams administration move

Dundee Utd 3 - 3 St Johnstone

Dundee United and St Johnstone shared six goals in a thrilling Scottish Premier League encounter.

Peter MacDonald burst through the United defence to give St Johnstone a sixth-minute lead and Liam Craig got the visitors second on 21 minutes.

But United were a different team after the break and Jon Daly's header and Danny Swanson's volley restored parity.

Steven Anderson's own goal put United ahead but Kevin Moon's hooked shot claimed a point for Saints.

United, looking to build on last weekend's 4-1 thumping away to Falkirk, brought Darren Dods into defence for the injured Andy Webster.

But the visitors came roaring out of the traps and opened the scoring after six minutes.

Mihael Kovacevic failed to deal with a Jody Morris cross, allowing Moon headed the ball into MacDonald's path and he rifled a volley past Dusan Pernis.

MacDonald almost made it two moments later but he shot wide following good work by Cillian Sheridan.

St Johnstone goalkeeper Graeme Smith was called into action for the first time after quarter of an hour when he saved Craig Conway's 25-yard free kick.

The visitors made United pay for slack defending soon after when Danny Grainger's throw-in triggered panic, and MacDonald's flick found Craig, who slotted home.

Saints pressed for a third as Peter Houston's men rocked but the Terrors reduced the deficit after the break.

Daly headed home Conway's lofted free-kick in the 52nd minute and he had an effort chalked off moments later for offside.

Swanson fired home an equaliser fit to grace any game when he volleyed home from 25 yards past the helpless Smith.

And substitute Myrie-Williams's shot deflected off the luckless Anderson and found the net to see United nudge their noses in front.

But Moon salvaged a point for Saints when he collected Deuchar's headed pass and found the bottom corner of the net.

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Dundee United interim manager Peter Houston:
"We let ourselves down in the first half, St Johnstone worked harder than us.

"They were told in no uncertain terms at half-time that we were lucky to be 2-0 down, it could've been more.

"What a change in the second half. I've got to give them credit for the spirit, attitude and desire. That was the real Dundee United that turned up in the second half.

"We got ourselves in front from 2-0 down and within a minute it was 3-3.

"Overall it was a cracking game and 3-3 might well have been deserved."

St Johnstone manager Derek McInnes:
"At half-time, we were 2-0 up and were in charge of the game. We played very, very well in the first half.

"We forced a good team back, we were clinical with our finishing and we were very pleased with how much possession we had in their half of the park.

"We knew that United would come at us in the second half.

"At half-time, a point would've been disappointing. At 3-2 behind with minutes to go, a point is good.

"We're delighted with our immediate response to get the draw after going 3-2 down."

Blackburn 2 - 1 Wigan

Blackburn gave themselves breathing space above the Premier League drop zone in a match where defensive errors accounted for all three goals.

Wigan keeper Vladimir Stojkovic made his debut, but had a torrid time and was at fault for Rovers' first goal.

Morten-Gamst Pedersen pounced on one of his many errors before a Gary Caldwell second-half header made it 1-1.

Pedersen then headed against the crossbar before his own corner was headed home by Nikola Kalinic.

With Chris Kirkland suffering from a collarbone injury, Stojkovic came in but all too often arrived for balls he had no hope of reaching while staying on his line when he should have come to collect.

606: DEBATE Kalinic is starting to show why we paid £6.5m now. Hopefully he can keep it going and replace Benni when he eventually leaves. Well done Rovers. MancunianRover

Wigan's defence was over-run in the opening exchanges.

David Hoilett, one of three changes from the team that last represented Blackburn in the league, looped a cross from the left which Steven Nzonzi chased, pulling Stojkovic wide of the goalmouth.

When the ball broke to Kalinic, the Croatian's stabbed effort from close range rebounded off an upright and was cleared.

Not long afterwards Wigan were grateful to see Kalinic dubiously flagged offside and the goal that always appeared imminent for the home side duly followed.

Brett Emerton took a free-kick from distance, and chose to lob his delivery to the edge of Stojkovic's penalty area.

The goalkeeper, at his sixth club in four years, tried to rise above several bodies to clear the ball but succeeded only in palming it directly into the path of Pedersen.

And the in-form Norwegian, enjoying his recent switch to centre midfield, instinctively fired his shot on the half-volley from way outside the area and found the top left-hand corner.

Paul Scharner and Steven Nzonzi battle for possession

Hoilett was a consistent menace and when Emerton's intelligent reverse pass found him lurking on the edge of the area the Canadian teenager fired a shot just wide of the near upright.

Through the entire first half, Wigan disappointed.

The French midfield pairing of Charles N'Zogbia and Mohamed Diame looked bereft of inspiration and when Hugo Rodallega finally carved out a chance for the visitors, curling a free-kick tantalisingly across goal, Paul Scharner was unable to deliver the final touch.

Wigan were much more fluent in the second half and picked up their equaliser when Caldwell beat his marker Pascal Chimbonda to James McCarthy's corner, and from such close range Paul Robinson had no chance.

Quite why Chimbonda was unable to put in any sort of meaningful challenge remained a mystery, however.

Although Wigan now enjoyed a period of dominance, Pedersen almost restored Blackburn's lead when rising above two defenders to head Emerton's centre onto the crossbar.

That moment finally brought Blackburn, who had been through a flat period early in the second half, to life.

A series of attacks culminated in a corner from Pedersen which caught the Wigan defence completely flat-footed, and an unchallenged Kalinic stooped low to direct his header past the keeper.

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Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce:
"We put enormous pressure on Wigan with the quality of our football, pressing them in their own box and it looked like it was going to be a case of dominating the play without scoring.

"Then all of a sudden Morten came up with an outstanding goal. You would have to go a long way to see a better goal than that in the Premier League this season."

Wigan boss Roberto Martinez:
"In the first half we didn't get going, we had to work hard off the ball, but we weren't ourselves and couldn't get two or three passes together and found it difficult.

"The second half was different. We were much more fluent, dominated in spells and looked comfortable. We got the goal, but lapses in concentration meant we lost a football game we needed to get something out of."

Everton 2 - 0 Sunderland

Tim Cahill and Landon Donovan gave Everton a comfortable win as Sunderland's freefall continued.

The Toffees dominated throughout and took the lead when Cahill deftly headed in Marouane Fellaini's lofted pass.

Cahill then turned provider, knocking the ball down for Donovan to lash home his first Everton goal from 15 yards.

Only a goal-line clearance from George McCartney denied Donovan a second while Tim Howard saved well from Bolo Zenden in a rare chance for the visitors.

It was an imposing display from David Moyes' in-form side but they were rarely made to work for the win against a woefully out-of-sorts Sunderland.

606: DEBATE We need new players to freshen things up, so it's down to you Quinn and Bruce Johno9000

The visitors had shipped 13 goals in their last three away games, including seven at Chelsea in their last league match.

Steve Bruce responded by naming a revamped back four, featuring new signing Matthew Kilgallon at centre-back, and a five-man midfield.

But the visitors' cautious game-plan was quickly left in tatters when Everton took the lead with the first chance of the game.

Fellaini's flighted ball into the box was missed by Nyron Nosworthy and Cahill expertly flicked a back header past the flat-footed Craig Gordon.

The Black Cats' recent run of bad luck was exemplified by replays suggesting Cahill was marginally offside when the ball was played.

And things quickly got worse - with Cahill's aerial prowess once again proving decisive.

The Australian out-jumped Kilgallon from Leighton Baines' long pass and knocked the ball down into the path of the Donovan, who burst into the area and rifled home his first Premier League goal.

Bruce quickly resorted to plan B, bringing on striker Kenwyne Jones for the apparently limping Kieran Richardson with just 25 minutes played.

But the change had little impact as Everton continued to dominate and Sunderland's unfamiliar defence struggled to deal with their opponents' aerial threat.

Cahill almost notched a second but he directed a header straight at the keeper after Louis Saha easily beat Nosworthy in the air.

Nosworthy then did well to block a Saha shot before Baines blasted a free-kick into the arms of Gordon.

Sunderland finally mustered a chance of their own in first-half injury time but a stretching Jones couldn't make proper contact with Bolo Zenden's dangerous cross.

Everton remained in control after the break and only desperate last-ditch defending kept Sunderland in the game.

First, McCartney superbly cleared off the line after Donovan latched on to Cahill's pass and rounded Gordon.

Moments later, John Mensah's perfectly-timed challenge denied Saha a clear run at goal.

Leon Osman then dragged a shot wide after being set up by Donovan, while Jones fired well off target from outside the box on one of Sunderland's rare forays upfield.

The Black Cats finally managed to trouble Tim Howard in the dying minutes. The Everton goalkeeper did well to palm a fierce drive from Zenden round the post and then tipped over a powerful header from Jones.

But the late flurry proved to be in vain for Sunderland, who are now without a win in nine league games and find themselves alarmingly embroiled in a relegation battle.

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Everton manager David Moyes on Landon Donovan
"I thought in his first two games he did really well against Arsenal and Manchester City, which is not easy.

"He has not had many chances in those games but tonight he got his first one and he took it.

"He has a great goalscoring record in America - I think it is one in two - and he deserved that tonight."

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce
"We didn't defend properly and we have to show a better attitude.

"We've been talking the last few days about Tim Cahill arriving late in the box and six minutes in we allow him a free header.

"We have now got back-to-back home games which will define our season - we must get results in those games."

Man Utd 3 - 1 Man City (agg 4 - 3)

Wayne Rooney's dramatic stoppage-time header sent Manchester United into the Carling Cup final and wrecked Manchester City's hopes of reaching a first major Wembley showpiece in 29 years.

Carlos Tevez looked to have sent the semi-final into extra-time when his sensational backheel flick after 76 minutes answered second-half goals for United from Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick.

But Rooney, United's man of the moment, demonstrated once more that he is in the form of his life by heading Ryan Giggs's cross past City keeper Shay Given to send Old Trafford wild and set up a final meeting with Aston Villa on 28 February.

For City, it was a grim and heartbreaking echo of their Premier League defeat at Old Trafford earlier this season when Michael Owen's last-gasp goal gave United a 4-3 win.

Roberto Mancini's side showed admirable composure in the cauldron as the battle unfolded, and Tevez and Micah Richards brought fine saves from Edwin van der Sar as they went in search of the goal that would have put them at the gates of Wembley.

But Scholes struck from 18 yards early in the second half, and when Carrick put United ahead on aggregate 19 minutes from time, City's bold bid to show they are now serious rivals to the Old Trafford empire looked in tatters.

Tevez, still very much the villain in the eyes of United's fans after his summer move to Eastlands, threatened to deliver a dream script with an imaginative finish, but Rooney is penning his own big stories these days and it was almost inevitable that he would write the final chapter in this domestic squabble.

606: DEBATE In the end, United just had the winning mentality that City have not yet developed _viva_Video Didn't Kill The Radio Star, Eboué Did

Security was heightened after trouble at the first leg, and United's win was marred by a second-half incident when Craig Bellamy was felled after he appeared to be struck on the head by a coin, with a bottle also thrown.

It did little to sour the Old Trafford elation at the final whistle, and how they enjoyed putting City in their place once more.

The anticipation outside Old Trafford was matched by the crackling atmosphere inside - stoked by the words exchanged between the two clubs since the contentious first leg.

United set the tempo early on, but once City gained a measure of composure they created the better opportunities in a tightly contested first half.

Tevez, inevitably, was a central figure and Rio Ferdinand was fortunate to escape punishment from referee Howard Webb when he caught the Argentine in the face with a swinging arm as they tussled for possession.

Bellamy tested Van der Sar with a header from Shaun Wright-Phillips's cross, and then set up an even better opportunity which was wastefully squandered by Tevez after 28 minutes.

The former Manchester United striker arrived on the end of Bellamy's perfect cross, but made life too easy for Van der Sar with his headed finish.

United's response was a low shot from Giggs on the edge of the area, but Given was perfectly positioned on the edge of the area to make a routine save.

Tevez pulled City back into the tie with a classy flick

The pressure was on United to make the running at the start of the second half, but it was City who almost snatched the lead when Richards brought an athletic save from Van der Sar with a rising drive.

Bellamy was then the victim of a shameful incident as he went to take a corner, going to ground after appearing to be struck by a coin, with a plastic bottle also landing in the striker's vicinity.

United made the breakthrough they craved after 52 minutes, and it came from Scholes, who had been at his most influential amid the midfield mayhem.

He was lurking in familiar territory on the edge of the area, and when a loose ball arrived at his feet he drilled it unerringly beyond Given.

The tie had swung towards United, and the balance shifted even further when Carrick added a second with 19 minutes left, just as City boss Mancini prepared to introduce Emmanuel Adebayor in an attempt to wrest back some control.

City failed to clear in the area, and when Fletcher laid the ball back to Carrick, he steered a composed finish across Given into the bottom corner.

Rooney, so deadly in front of goal in recent times, then wasted a glorious opportunity to set the seal on United's night when he somehow turned his shot wide of a gaping goal from eight yards after being played in by Nani.

And how Tevez made him pay just minutes later when he brought the tie level with a stunning piece of invention.

Ferdinand stooped to head Bellamy's cross away, only to find it removed from his forehead by an acrobatic backheel from Tevez that flew low out of the reach of Van der Sar.

Just as Old Trafford was bracing itself for the tension of an extra 30 minutes, United mounted a typical late surge that brought the stoppage-time winner that booked their Wembley ticket.

Given saved superbly from Fletcher, but when City failed to concentrate at the resulting corner, Giggs delivered for Rooney to head past the powerless the Republic of Ireland goalkeeper.

Ferguson danced with delight in the dug-out as City were forced to put their plans to topple their illustrious neighbours on hold.

Celtic 1 - 2 Hibernian

Danny Galbraith snatched a dramatic last-gasp winner for Hibernian as the Easter Road side inflicted a blow on Celtic's title ambitions.

Marc-Antoine Fortune continued his fine scoring form by heading Paul Caddis's corner home for an early Celtic lead.

Hibernian equalised through Anthony Stokes, the unmarked striker heading past Artur Boruc from close range.

And as Ian Murray and Chris Hogg held the Hibs defence intact, Stokes broke up the park and Galbraith slotted home.

There was an unfamiliar look about Celtic's defence at kick-off, with right-back Andreas Hinkel the only regular in the back four.

But before the Hibs strikeforce of Derek Riordan, Colin Nish and Stokes could test the new-look back line, the home side were in front.

With only five minutes on the clock, Celtic winger Aiden McGeady won a corner on the left and from Caddis's well-struck inswinging corner, Fortune headed in off the crossbar, giving Hibs goalkeeper Graeme Smith no chance.

John Hughes' men struggled to get a grip on the game for the next quarter of an hour but survived long-range efforts from McGeady and more headers by Fortune.

But soon the ball stopped rebounding off the Hibs' front players and play moved towards Celtic's goal, with Liam Miller and John Rankin winning challenges in midfield and spreading calm in the visitors' ranks.

Celtic, though, looked dangerous and another move down the left gave Fortune and Samaras chances in quick succession.

But for the courage of Hibs captain Hogg, who showed eye-watering resolve to block the Greek's powerful shot from 14 yards, Celtic would have doubled their lead.

Then in 26 minutes, just like the hosts had done, Hibs scored from a corner on the left. Former Celt Riordan's driven cross was flicked home by the unmarked Anthony Stokes, who got to the ball just ahead of stranded goalie Boruc.

The corner had come about when 18-year-old Josh Thompson almost diverted a header into the top corner of his own net but was saved from that horror by Boruc.

There was drama at the end of the first half when Marc Crosas clipped in a ball to the penalty box and Samaras guided the ball into the net. Referee Iain Brines, though, ruled out the goal for an infringement in the box.

McGeady side-footed wide from an acute angle at the start of the second period as Celtic began in determined mood once more, but the most glaring misses were to fall to Samaras.

Niall McGinn flashed a ball across goal but the Greek striker, just three yards out, was unable to react quickly enough to divert the ball home.

Another former Celtic player, Miller offered Hibs an intelligent ball out of defence when they did manage to clear their lines, but too often play reverted towards the Hibs defence, which was well marshalled by Hogg and Murray.

Smith made an astonishing point-blank save from a McGinn volley after a headed knock-down by Samaras as Celtic turned the screw and when the latter headed over the bar from a few yards out he was replaced by new signing Morten Rasmussen.

The Dane had his chance for glory as the match edged towards full-time. The former Brondby striker raced into the box in the inside-left channel but his shot was too weak to trouble Smith.

In the final minute, in a counter attack headed by Stokes, Galbraith rifled a low shot past Boruc to give Hibs a dramatic win which moves them to within touching distance of their second-placed opponents.

Celtic manager Tony Mowbray: "We didn't play as well as we can tonight. There were a few below par.

"The first 20 minutes was pretty scintillating stuff but their goal knocked the stuffing out of the team.

"We tried to win the game at the end and ended up losing it. Sometimes you've got to be brave to try to win a match and take a few chances.

"When the chances come, you've got to stick them in. The team worked hard, but it was a frustrating night.

"Well done, Hibs. They came here and were resolute and got their reward in the end.

"We are trying to put together a team that I'm very confident will find long-term success.

"There's a long way to go. There are two crucial games to go against Rangers and we need to be confident that we can get results."

Hibernian manager John Hughes: "We had to show plenty of character and plenty spirit.

"We gave away a cheap goal. Celtic dominated the ball - they had better ball retention than us - but it's about picking up three points.

"At times we played some nice football, maybe too deep in our own half, but as soon as we went 1-1 we sat in and hit them on the counter attack.

"Young Danny Galbraith, it will do him the world of good getting that winner.

"Liam Miller was a great player at Celtic but when Manchester United come calling, it's very hard to resist that temptation.

"He always gets stronger as the game goes on."

Ferdinand set for City showdown despite FA rap

LONDON (AFP) - Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand is set to face Manchester City in the League Cup semi-final later Wednesday after denying a charge of violent conduct.

Ferdinand faces disciplinary action in the shape of a three-match ban after being charged with violent conduct on Tuesday by the Football Association (FA).

The charge stems from an incident during United's Premier League clash with Hull during which Ferdinand clashed with Hull forward Craig Fagan.

Ferdinand had until 1800 GMT to respond to the FA charge but according to PA Sport he has got his plea in early, confirming that he will be in Sir Alex Ferguson's United line-up for the semi-final decider at Old Trafford.

The England defender had the option of accepting the charge, for which the standard punishment is a three-game ban, by pleading guilty, or contesting the decision which means Ferdinand will face a disciplinary hearing on Thursday.