Derby 1 Man Utd 4

Sunderland 2 Stoke 0

ASTON VILLA have spent much of this season attempting to gatecrash the Premier League’s elite on the sly, but now their secret is out.

Aston Villa 0 Wigan 0

West Brom defender Paul Robinson has had his red card against Manchester United rescinded by the Football Association.

West Brom have lodged an appeal with the Football Association over the red card Paul Robinson received in last night’s 5-0 defeat against Manchester United.

Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson hailed goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar and his defence after they set a double Barclays Premier League record during the 5-0 demolition of West Brom at the Hawthorns last night.

West Brom 0 Manchester United 5

SAM ALLARDYCE might have been the picture of diplomacy after this thumping win over the club that sacked him so abruptly a year ago, but Joe Kinnear is not the type to indulge in niceties.

Blackburn 3 Newcastle 0

Fulham’s home match with Blackburn has joined the long list of matches called off today due to the freezing weather.

AFTER the intensive Christmas and New Year programme our soccer correspondent Liam Mackey is rested for the opening fixture of 2009.

THE curse of the caretaker strikes again.

West Brom boss Tony Mowbray was left “confused” by referee Rob Styles after the official chose to book Chelsea’s Michael Ballack instead of sending him off during their 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari paired Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka in attack for the first time this season in today’s Premier League clash against West Brom.

FOR a manager boasting the kind of budget that would make many world leaders turn pea-green with envy, Mark Hughes can be a miserable soul.

DERBY, relegated in shame from the Premier League last season, are on the brink of a Wembley final after edging past Stoke in the Carling Cup quarter-final.

HENRI CAMARA finally gave the JJB Stadium reason to cheer as his first Premier League goal in almost two years catapulted Wigan out of the relegation zone and put in-form Everton to the sword last night.

OOKAY, now it’s our best Premier League start. Of course that’s only making me worry all the more.

Bolton 0 Liverpool 2

Bolton, looking for their third successive league win for the first time since December 2006, recalled captain Kevin Nolan following suspension, with Ricardo Gardner dropping to the bench.

GARETH SOUTHGATE has endured some troubled days since plunging into the world of management at the tender age of 36, but this is the kind of result which makes the hurt worthwhile.

Joe Kinnear will look to get one over on a man he believes is a Manchester United boss-in-waiting when he sends his Newcastle side into derby battle with Sunderland.

Newcastle defender Habib Beye is free to play in Saturday’s derby clash with Sunderland after an appeal against his red card on Monday evening was upheld.

NEWCASTLE defender Habib Beye has protested his innocence over the tackle that could have cost him his place in Saturday’s derby clash with Sunderland.

The Football Association’s regulatory commission will meet on Thursday to consider Newcastle’s appeal against Habib Beye’s red card against Manchester City yesterday.

Newcastle boss Joe Kinnear is confident Shola Ameobi can re-launch his career on Tyneside after seeing him play his part in a thrilling 2-2 draw with Manchester City.

Newcastle 2 Manchester City 2

JUANDE RAMOS is bearing the look of a condemned man.

Tottenham 0 Hull 1

Gary Megson insists he harbours no ill will towards Rob Styles after the referee’s controversial decision to award Manchester United a penalty against Bolton at the weekend.

REFEREEING decisions have been the dominant topic in much of European football for a fortnight, not least thanks to Michel Platini’s various amusing interventions.

OUR football correspondent LIAM MACKEY has been pacing the touchline doing leg stretches, running on the spot, generally looking like a thoroughbred. So he’s back and bursting with energy, hitting the ground running and giving his first set of verdicts of the season on the opinions of our Angry Fans.

REFEREE Rob Styles has been given a Premier League game to referee next weekend despite admitting he mistakenly awarded a penalty to Manchester United on Saturday.

OUR football correspondent LIAM MACKEY has been pacing the touchline doing leg stretches, running on the spot, generally looking like a thoroughbred. So he’s back and bursting with energy, hitting the ground running and giving his first set of verdicts of the season on the opinions of our Angry Fans.

Match official Rob Styles has been given a Premier League game to referee next weekend despite admitting he mistakenly awarded a penalty to Manchester United on Saturday.

Referee Rob Styles has contacted Bolton to apologise for mistakenly awarding a penalty to Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Frustrated Bolton manager Gary Megson believes it is only a matter of time before technology is used to settle contentious issues in the game.

Bolton boss Gary Megson has blasted the “nonsense” penalty decision that cost his side the chance of a point at Manchester United this afternoon.

Manchester United 2 Bolton 0

MANCHESTER UNITED last night accused referee Mike Riley of “unfair” treatment of their players after another spiteful and acrimonious visit to Chelsea.

SUNDERLAND boss Roy Keane will put discussions over his long-term future to the back of his mind as he seeks the extra “steel” required to move his club up the Premier League.

Wigan 1 Sunderland 1