1600 BST KICK-OFF
Everton 0-0 Aston Villa
RESULT
Portsmouth 0-1 Blackburn Match report
GOALFLASHES AND MAJOR INCIDENTS (all times BST)
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By Caroline Cheese
National park protection divides ministry, municipalities ...
FA Cup & Premier League as it happened ...
International football results ...
Agony for Everton & Spurs ...
Ghana 4-2 Ivory Coast ...
1603: Andrew Johnson almost sneaks in to get on the end of Leon Oman's cute pass before Yakubu flashes a shot wide. A bright start from the hosts.
1601: The home fans are up for this game in a big, big way. A huge roar drowns out referee Phil Dowd's whistle as he gets proceedings under way.
1558: Amanda Holden takes a break from watching lunatics show off their 'talent' to attend this game.
1556: Everton's 'Grand Old Team' blares out at Goodison Park just before the theme from Z Cars welcomes the teams. Cracking atmosphere.
1551: "Jari Litmanen has to come pretty close to the worst signing award?? Poor Roy H."
4fabregas on 606
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Good shout. The hapless Litmanen is currently sidelined by an ear injury. I ask you...
1550: "Voronin isn't as bad as everyone says he is. If he cut that awful ponytail people would stop talking about him."
Tower of Babel on 606
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Not sure about that.
1547: Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill says his side will "try to score goals and try to win the game". Intriguing tactics.
1543: By the way, Player Rater fans - and I know you're out there - Blackburn goalscorer Roque Santa Cruz is leading the way in that early game on 7.26. No one else can manage more than seven - which pretty much sums up a rather poor game.
Rate the players
1540: "Re 1532: Oh come on. David Nugent must be in the top five worst signings."
Toffee In Exile on 606
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1538: Stat attack past two... Everton have not been out of the top five for three months. Villa have only spent one weekend there - back in October. Villa have scored more away goals than any other team in the Premier League this season.
1534: Stat attack... the upcoming game is the most-played fixture in the top flight. Everton and Villa have 70 wins each in their 185 meetings.
1532: "Re 1519 & 1528: Sagna anyone?"
Jack, Newcastle, via text on 81111
1532: "Top five worst signings: 1. Earnshaw, 2. Sidwell, 3. Pizzaro, 4. Ben Haim, 5. Voronin."
redandblackT1899 on 606
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1530: TEAM NEWS Everton v Aston Villa
Leon Osman returns for Everton after a hip injury as the only change from the team that lost to Chelsea; the influential Mikel Arteta has to settle for a place on the bench after recovering from a stomach and groin problem. Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor plays despite suffering from a cold so they are unchanged from the side that thrashed Birmingham 5-1.
Full teams and minute-by-minute commentary
1528: "Re 1519: Anderson???? You joker, clearly a Man U fan. No one with any football knowledge will rate him over Scholes. Petrov? Elano?"
Ferris_Swans_FC on 606
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1524: So Blackburn leapfrog Manchester City into eighth, while Portsmouth remain four points adrift of fifth-placed Everton. Harry Redknapp's side look like they will have to win the FA Cup if they want to qualify for the Uefa Cup.
1524: FULL-TIME Portsmouth 0-1 Blackburn
1523: Rovers keeper Brad Friedel pushes away Lassana Diarra's bullet header as Pompey win a flurry of corners in added time.
1522: Blackburn waste a few precious seconds with a substitution, David Dunn on for Jason Roberts.
1519: "Top five signing this season: 1. Torres, 2. Anderson, 3. Pienaar, 4. Santa Cruz, 5. Palacios."
And If You Know Your History on 606
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1517: Calamity capers from Blackburn keeper Brad Friedel as he tries a fancy drag-back to beat the on-rushing Milan Baros. He just about scrambles the ball to safety.
1514: Rovers defender Chris Samba is injured in a collision with Nico Kranjcar and needs help from two medical staff as he hobbles off. Andre Ooijer will be on in a sec.
1512: "Que Sera, Sera, Whatever Will Be, Will Be, We're Going To Wembley, Que Sera, Sera!!!!"
pompey_manic_07/08 on 606
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That very much seems to be the attitude of the Portsmouth players.
1508: Jermain Defoe wants a penalty after going down under a challenge from Ryan Nelsen but Mike Riley declines. A very hopeful claim from Defoe.
1506: Morten Gamst Pedersen is receiving treatment so Portsmouth take the opportunity to make their first change as they look for an equaliser. Sulley Muntari is trudging unhappily off to be replaced by Milan Baros.
1502: GOAL Portsmouth 0-1 Blackburn
Jamie Ashdown's punch loops up in the air straight to Morten Gamst Pedersen. He offloads to Roque Santa Cruz who exchanges a quick one-two with Jason Roberts before slotting home. That's his 21st goal of the season.
1500: Portsmouth go close as Nico Kranjcar delivers the cross from the right and Sulley Muntari sends it back across goal where Jermain Defoe is inches away from stabbing the ball home.
1459: Jermain Defoe is yellow-carded for kicking the ball away. "It's been that sort of afternoon," sighs the BBC commentator. Indeed.
1457: Come on something... happen.
1453: Pompey midfielder Lassana Diarra flings a shot high over the bar. Can you fling a shot? I'm not sure.
1447: Ref Mike Riley turns down Blackburn's appeal for a free-kick as Sol Campbell barges Jason Roberts off the ball just outside the box. Looked pretty clear to me. Blackburn suddenly looking dangerous.
1445: Action at last. Pompey's stand-in keeper Jamie Ashdown makes a quite brilliant save to palm away Ryan Nelsen's header from a David Bentley cross.
1444: Sulley Muntari picks up Nico Kranjcar's backheel and makes space for the shot but blazes over. I am a bit bored.
1439: Ryan Nelsen heads over for Blackburn and his search for his first goal for the club goes on.
1433: As the rain begins to fall on the south coast, Nico Kranjcar comes on to replace John Utaka. The second half is under way.
1429: The super Sunday of sport continues with a Federer v Nadal final in Monte Carlo. Trust me, it will be explosive.
Live - Roger v Rafa
1427: A dramatic Old Firm derby ends in a 3-2 win for Celtic. Celtic are now five points clear of Rangers, who have three games in hand. Gordon Strachan's side have three games remaining.
Report - Celtic 3-2 Rangers
1425: "If this game had been scheduled for 3 o'clock yesterday Blackburn would have come from two goals down with 10 men to draw at the interval."
davidoff2112 on 606
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Indeed. 'Sensational Saturday' seems a long time ago now.
1422: "Are any other Villa fans incredibly nervous about the game later? Biggest game of the season for us by far! Who wants to bet Everton will get their first penalty of the season against us?"
cereal42 on 606
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1419: A ho-hum half really. Portsmouth need a win to keep their hopes of finishing fifth alive. Their final two league games of the season are away to Middlesbrough and at home to Fulham.
1417: HALF-TIME Portsmouth 0-0 Blackburn
1412: Steven Reid is the first man into the book for diving in on Sulley Muntari as the Portsmouth man hurtles down the left wing.
1411: The ball breaks loose for Jermain Defoe and this time he sends a low shot narrowly past the far post. He's getting closer...
1410: Jermain Defoe cuts in from the left and arrows a low shot just past the post. Six minutes until half time.
1409: "Re: 1358. Were you out with Alex Ferguson last night? Think he had a worse time, he woke up this morning with his trophy in Chelsea's cabinet..."
Karl, in Durham, via text on 81111
1408: David Bentley has treatment after getting an accidental clip round the back of the head from Lassana Diarra. He's OK though.
1404: "Any danger of a goal? The girlfriend is talking of going to B&Q to look at bathroom tiles. I need saving..."
nowthennathan on 606
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1400: Free-kick for Blackburn out right. Morten Gamst Pedersen takes it but Sylvain Distin heads clear. I'll be honest. It's not a bad game this but there's a hint of the late season about it. Nothing of the sort at Celtic Park where Celtic take a 3-2 lead in the Old Firm derby with a penalty.
1358: "After a particularly heavy night, I woke up this morning to find my shoes in my bed and my pillows in the wardrobe."
James_Manning on 606
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1354: "Re 1347: Cheese, leave the din alone, he's our din and we're proud of him. Just glad I don't sit next to them when I go though."
pompeyblue1980 on 606
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1352: Ouch. Morten Gamst Pedersen takes a bump on the knee and gives it a vigorous rub. Portsmouth are winning this game on points, if not goals.
1348: Pompey striker Kanu helps out the Blackburn defence, heading Sulley Muntari's volley over the bar.
1347: As if the clanging bell wasn't bad enough, an out-of-tune trumpeter has joined in the din at Fratton Park. I feel for 'Anon' (see 1339).
1340: Sulley Muntari has a punt from distance but he's off target. Fabio Capello is watching at Fratton Park. Jermain Defoe, Glen Johnson, Sol Campbell, David Bentley and Stephen Warnock all hoping to impress the England coach.
1339: "That bell ringer at Pompey is not helping my hangover."
Anon via text on 81111
1337: Portsmouth looking the livelier early on. Their fans are in good voice too.
1332: An early corner for Portsmouth but Sylvain Distin can't get the direction on his header.
1331: Away we go then.
1327: David James' record run of 166 league starts comes to an end today as he misses out for the first time in four and a quarter years. Jamie Ashdown's last league start was a 5-0 defeat at Birmingham in January 2006.
1325: Two of the last three league meetings between Portsmouth and Blackburn at Fratton Park ended with one side playing with nine men. Robbie Savage has since left Rovers though...
1319: Portsmouth have not applied for the Intertoto Cup, so the highest finisher from Everton, Manchester City, Villa, Blackburn, West Ham and Newcastle will have the honour of representing England this summer. England may get another place through the Fair Play League, so there could be five English clubs in the Uefa Cup next season.
1313: News filtering through that David James has a calf injury. Bet that will have recovered by the Cup final. This is the first Premier League game that James has missed since he joined Pompey at the beginning of last season. It's 2-2 in the Old Firm derby - and it's not even half-time yet. Astonishing.
1312: "What!?! This is a massive game for Pompey so 'Arry starts with Kranjcar on the bench!??!"
lascebollitas10 on 606
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1306: Today is a magic day for sports fans. Official. Snooker, tennis and rugger later. The Spanish Grand Prix is up and running and Lewis Hamilton's going OK. The safety car is leading though.
Live - F1
1304: "My nan is coming over later."
Anon via text on 81111
Great news. Villa fan is she?
1301: Terrific news from Celtic Park... if you've gone high in the office sweepstake for the amount of goals scored in today's three big games. Rangers lead Celtic 2-1 after half an hour.
Live - Celtic v Rangers
1259: TEAM NEWS Portsmouth v Blackburn
Portsmouth keeper David James is surprisingly not in the side and Jamie Ashdown takes his place. Defender Glen Johnson and striker Kanu return to the starting line-up as Herman Hreidarsson and Niko Kranjcar miss out. Blackburn stick with the same side that drew 1--1 with Manchester United as Jason Roberts and Roque Santa Cruz spearhead their attack.
Full teams and minute-by-minute commentary
1258: "If Villa win today I will donate Ј50 to the charity of your choice Caroline."
Ross via text on 81111
Have I ever told you about the very worthy cause that is the 'BBC Sport fund for text commentators with laughable surnames'?
1254: So many things to tell you, so little time. Four points separate Everton, Aston Villa and Portsmouth going into today's games. If Pompey end up fifth and win the FA Cup, that'll open up another Uefa Cup place for the sixth-placed team. Otherwise, it's Intertoto gloom. And if Everton don't win today, that will mean Liverpool definitely qualify for the Champions League - although they're all but there anyway on goal difference.
1253: "This is two 0-0's for me..."
escapehere on 606
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1250: "Like I said yesterday. Today is far bigger. Massive in fact. Come on you Villa boys."
Jamie via text on 81111
1245: Yesterday has already been dubbed 'Sensational Saturday'... by me. On a bumper day of 23 goals, Chelsea blew the title race open with victory over Manchester United, Fulham were relegated at one stage but ended the day only three points from safety with two games remaining, Sunderland secured their top-flight status with a late, late goal and West Ham, of course, stayed 10th. What on earth has Sunday got in store for us?
(BBC)
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