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Everton 5-1 Hull: Toffees keep push for Euorpe alive with crushing win

Mikel Arteta struck twice as Everton kept their European push alive with a crushing win over Barclays Premier League strugglers Hull.

The Spaniard found the net either side of a sublime Tom Cairney equaliser to spare the blushes of profligate striker Ayegbeni Yakubu in the first half at Goodison Park.

But the Toffees then upped a gear to secure a convincing victory with a Richard Garcia own goal and further efforts from substitutes Landon Donovan and Jack Rodwell.

Jimmy Bullard made a welcome return for Hull as Phil Brown's struggling side travelled to Everton this afternoon.

The Tigers' midfield talisman sparked a revival in the club's fortunes in November after returning from a lengthy lay-off, only to suffer a fresh injury and sit out another three months.

Bullard was one of five changes made by Brown as Hull looked to pull themselves out of the Barclays Premier League relegation zone.

Kamil Zayatte replaced the injured Anthony Gardner in defence with former Everton midfielder Nick Barmby starting on the left.

Everton, looking for a sixth successive home victory, handed a first start of the season to fit-again centre-back Phil Jagielka but Tim Cahill failed a fitness test.

Hull had an early opportunity as Richard Garcia brilliantly controlled a high ball from Stephen Hunt in the box but Tim Howard jumped to block his shot.

Everton hit back on the break with Mikel Arteta getting a chance to shoot after his poor pass was hit straight back to him by defender Kevin Kilbane but then slicing wide.

The Spaniard fired wide again moments later and Amr Zaki did no better at the other end with a scuffed effort.

Leon Osman then carved out a clear-cut opening for Ayegbeni Yakubu with a superb through-ball but the Nigerian, alone up front in place of the injured Louis Saha, hit the post with Boaz Myhill beaten.

Yakubu and Arteta atoned for those misses by combining to put the hosts ahead after 17 minutes.

Yakubu found space on the left and delivered a high cross for Arteta to divert in at the far post. It was his first goal of the season having missed most of the campaign through injury.

Yakubu squandered a golden opportunity to double Everton's lead from the penalty spot, although Hull could claim the award by referee Lee Mason was harsh in the first place.

Hull were caught out as Steven Pienaar set Leighton Baines free down the left and Yakubu went down as both he and Zayatte battled to reach his cross.

Yakubu stepped up to take responsibility for the spot-kick but his stop-start run-up was followed by a tame shot and Myhill saved to his right.

Hull made the hosts pay as highly-rated teenager Tom Cairney struck a sublime equaliser after 31 minutes.

Barmby's free-kick was headed out by Jagielka and Cairney controlled on his chest before firing a left-footed half-volley across Howard from 20 yards.

Parity was not restored for long before Victor Anichebe broke down the right and pulled the ball back into the box.

Pienaar helped it on its way with a backheel and the inrushing Arteta slotted his second goal with a well-placed finish.

Yakubu missed out again before the break as Steven Mouyokolo pinched the ball off his toes as he prepared to shoot.

Everton really turned up the pressure early in the second half.

Arteta sensed a chance to claim a hat-trick soon after the restart when Pienaar was brought down by George Boateng but then hit his free-kick into the wall.

Yakubu's hapless afternoon continued as he broke clear to square for Anichebe to tap in only to see the offside flag raised against him.

Jack Rodwell, introduced just before half-time for the injured Osman, then saw a shot deflected against the post.

Persistence eventually paid off with a third goal after 51 minutes.

Myhill flapped at an Arteta cross under his own crossbar and the unsuspecting Garcia could do little to prevent the ball bouncing off his head and in.

Arteta took the congratulations of his team-mates as if he had completed a treble but an own goal was recorded.

Pienaar then laid on a chance for Rodwell after breaking down the right but his shot was deflected wide.

The one-way traffic continued as Sylvain Distin broke into the box and shot straight at Myhill.

Yakubu endured more torment after combining well with substitute Donovan but then lifting over the bar from in front of goal.

Donovan showed him how to finish by smashing home a superb fourth goal after two Hull defenders failed to clear a Baines cross eight minutes from time.

Everton still had time for more as John Heitinga found Donovan out wide and the American pulled back for Rodwell to smash a fifth.

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Real Madrid 3-2 Sevilla

Van der Vaart scored the winner after coming as a substitute

Real Madrid came from two goals behind to beat Sevilla in a thrilling game as Manuel Pellegrini's side moved ahead of champions Barcelona on goal difference.

Xabi Alonso's own goal gave Sevilla a first-half lead with the visitors going 2-0 down after keeper Iker Casillas misread Ivica Dragutinovic's free-kick.

Cristiano Ronaldo's sidefooted finish sparked the Real comeback with Sergio Ramos heading home to make it 2-2.

And Rafael van der Vaart's scrambled stoppage-time goal sealed the victory.

Earlier on Saturday Barcelona drew 2-2 with Almeria, with the champions coming from behind twice to earn a point thanks to two goals from Lionel Messi.

It was an uncomfortable game for Barca, who had coach Pep Guardiola sent to the stands in the first half, with striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic red-carded in the second period.

That draw provided Real with the opportunity to leapfrog their bitter rivals, though Pellegrini's team did it the hard way after Alonso put the ball in his own net as he tried to stop it reaching Alvaro Negredo.

There seemed little danger when Dragutinovic strolled up to a Sevilla free-kick but somehow the ball crept inside the post with Casillas scrambling across his line to put the visitors 2-0 up.

Cue that remarkable Real recovery with Ronaldo firing in his 14th goal of the season and Ramos heading in following a corner four minutes later.

With time running out Ronaldo seemed certain to score only for Raul to get in the way of the Portuguese striker's shot, but substitute Van der Vaart's close-range finish ensured the perfect finish for an ecstatic Bernabeu crowd.

The win was no more than Real deserved given Guti hit the bar with a ferocious shot, while Gonzalo Higuain struck the woodwork twice in three minutes, with goalkeeper Andres Palop thwarting wave after wave of Madrid attacks.

With the title race in La Liga finely poised, Barca and Real will meet in a potentially decisive El Clasico on 11 April.

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Arsenal 3-1 Burnley

Theo Walcott silenced his critics with a fine strike as Arsenal closed in on the top of the Barclays Premier League after a 3-1 win over relegation-threatened Burnley.

But there will be some concerns following the victory for the home supporters after captain Cesc Fabregas withdrew with what appeared to be a hamstring problem.

The midfielder had volleyed the Gunners - now level with leaders Chelsea, although having played a match more - in front, before being taken off as a precaution.

Burnley - who had picked up just one point away all season - equalised at the start of the second half through David Nugent, before a fine finish from England forward Walcott and Andrey Arshavin's stoppage-time strike sealed victory.

The events of last weekend at Stoke were still on the minds of Arsenal fans as they chanted Aaron Ramsey's name before kick-off, while a large banner was also displayed in support of the promising Wales international and the players wore 'Get Well Soon Aaron' T-shirts during the warm-up.

Arsenal started brightly, with a last-gasp tackle from Tyrone Mears denying Nicklas Bendtner in the six-yard box before Thomas Rosicky fired a 20-yard effort over.

At the other end, Clarke Carlisle headed a corner straight at Manuel Almunia.

Walcott - who came in for some criticism after his midweek outing for England - looked lively down the right, but lacked a decent final delivery.

On 13 minutes, Emmanuel Eboue and Fabregas played a neat one-two which released the Arsenal captain into the right side of the penalty area, but his low shot dragged wide.

Daniel Fox relieved the pressure when he fired in a 25-yard effort, but Almunia collected it comfortably.

Arsenal appealed for a penalty when Walcott went down under a shoulder charge from Mears, but referee Chris Foy was not interested.

There was a stoppage when Samir Nasri and Burnley goalkeeper Brian Jensen collided going for a 50/50 ball.

Bendtner almost got on the end of Eboue's low cross through the Burnley box as the one-way traffic continued.

Arsenal took the lead on 35 minutes through a superbly-crafted effort.

Nasri made space for himself on the edge of the Burnley box, before chipping the ball over the defence.

It had the perfect weight for Fabregas to get ahead of Alexander and volley through Jensen's legs for his 17th goal of the season.

Bendtner then fired wide when sliding into the six-yard box as the Gunners looked for a quick-fire second.

Walcott squared up to Fox after the Burnley midfielder slid in for a 50/50 ball on the touchline, before calm was restored after a talking to by the referee.

Fabregas, who had not been running freely for some time, was then replaced by Diaby.

Arsenal came out in determined mood for the start of the second half.

Walcott whipped over a fine cross from the right, which Bendtner - who had scored a good header at Stoke - somehow glanced wide from six yards out.

The Dane was not having a good afternoon, as he then blazed over after Walcott had cut the ball back from the goal-line following Gael Clichy's deep centre.

Walcott then had a go himself after being released by Nasri, but his angled 20-yard drive flew just over.

Arsenal were made to pay when Burnley equalised on 50 minutes.

A clearance from Eboue was headed back towards the penalty area by Leon Cort, and as the defence hesitated, the ball bounced right through to Nugent, who lifted it past Almunia.

Arsenal suddenly had more urgency, but were now faced with a determined 10-man rearguard.

Walcott was away again down the right, and his shot was parried behind by Jensen.

The England forward finally had his goal on the hour after cutting inside and stroking a low, left-foot effort inside the far post.

Arshavin came on for Rosicky as Arsenal looked to up the tempo.

The Russian, though, blazed over after more industrious work from Walcott.

Bendtner once more stroked the ball wide from six yards out when it looked a certain goal after Walcott's low centre.

The hapless Dane's afternoon was eventually ended when he was replaced by Eduardo with 17 minutes left - the striker being given a somewhat ironic standing ovation.

To their credit, Burnley continued to look for an equaliser, and substitute Steven Thompson fired over with five minutes left.

Arsenal finished strongly, though, as Jensen pushed Walcott's curling effort behind before Arshavin stroked in a third during stoppage time.

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Defoe major FA Cup doubt but Redknapp refuses to blame Wembley pitch

Harry Redknapp has confirmed Jermain Defoe is a major doubt for tomorrow’s FA Cup quarter-final clash with Fulham.

Defoe is struggling with a hamstring problem, which was aggravated in England’s 3-1 friendly win over Egypt at Wembley on Wednesday night.

He said: “I have not seen the Wembley pitch for a long time. But Jermain did have a problem before the game, so I don't think that it would have had an impact.

“Michael has problems with his hamstrings before hasn't he? Sometimes people who run that quick, people like Linford Christie, once they get a hamstring, the hamstring just keeps going.

“Jermain’s had tight hamstrings. The pain’s run down his legs like sciatica. He felt it after the game at Wembley, he didn't feel very good with it at all.

“He felt his back was tight before the game and he'd been having treatment on the back of his hamstrings, but they all seem to roll into one.”

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England 3-1 Egypt

Peter Crouch substitutes goals for England's first-half sloppiness

Peter Crouch of England celebrates after scoring

England had a friendly that suited them, even if it was not always to the taste of a Wembley audience that saw the team fall behind. That setback contained real worth since it staved off any torpor that might have taken a grip on players who, in some cases, are between matches in the more pressing arena of the Champions League.

Fabio Capello had to call upon his substitutes to score, with two goals from Peter Crouch and another from Shaun Wright-Phillips. It would be a comfort for the manager to tell himself that he has alternatives at his disposal. The Italian would have been disappointed by Jermain Defoe, whose first start for his country since November 2008 ended at the interval when he was replaced by Crouch.

The fixture had a minor benefit, too, in easing John Terry back towards normality in his career after being stripped of the England captaincy. It is to his benefit that the subject is already a bore and there was only a modest amount of booing for him to endure at kick-off.

This was the last England match before the World Cup that looked significant. Further friendlies with Japan and Mexico follow the close of the domestic season and must be treated as mere fitness exercises, with most of the party appearing in them at some stage.

The match with Egypt took on another type of prominence when the visitors took the lead in the 23rd minute. A diagonal pass from Hosny Abdrabou on the left was flighted to Mohamed Zidan and, with Matthew Upson losing his balance, the Borussia Dortmund attacker shot past Robert Green efficiently.

The inclusion of the West Ham goalkeeper suggested that Joe Hart, on loan from Manchester City to Birmingham, has no prospect of becoming first-choice as England's goalkeeper until after the World Cup finals. Green was kept occupied by the visitors at Wembley.

Hassan Shehata's team were at their most competitive in the first-half although England tried to be brisk at the start. Those who wonder if Egypt's 3-5-2 formation is so archaic that it belongs in a costume drama received initial encouragement.

With one man, in theory, asked to cover an entire flank there ought to have been scope for a winger. Theo Walcott, who ultimately failed, might have liked the look of Capello's 4-4-2 system that emphasised width. The Arsenal winger sped clear in the fifth minute but the ensuing drive from Frank Lampard was blocked.

There were other gaps to exploit, too, and, with 13 minutes gone, Wayne Rooney turned smartly to feed Defoe. The attacker was rapidly challenged on what became a depressing occasion for him. Egypt, who have now won the Africa Cup of Nations for a third time in a row, were a serious challenge at the outset.

This match was open, with the visitors showing enterprise whenever feasible. England were not able to pin down the opposition before the interval but there were bursts of encouragement even then.

Lampard, for instance, had an opportunity, only for his attempt to be hit into the turf so that it bounced up steeply and cleared the bar. The action, nonetheless, had surely been too open and spontaneous for Capello's taste. With a World Cup in the offing, England, on home turf, would have expected to be in control. Outnumbered in midfield, they found that command lacking for while.

Changes were expected and Michael Carrick took over from Lampard while Crouch replaced Defoe. The incoming Tottenham attacker offered height to complement Rooney yet the impact was not immediate. One pass from Gerrard was so overhit that even the ever-willing Rooney made merely a token effort to pursue it. The side was not really so listless. With 56 minutes gone, Gerrard worked the ball to the right and Gareth Barry's low cross was converted at the near post by Crouch.

For the first time the visitors were pinned down. Capello's achievements have been many but it is worth mentioning his capacity for getting such endeavour out of his men when there is little at stake. Rooney sprinted hard to reach a fine through-ball from Barry but the finish ran wide. By then England had conviction. There were only sporadic concerns, although the sight of Terry being outpaced in one episode suggested he has not quite regained the old knack of nipping danger in the bud. Attention was soon drawn from that as England took the lead.

The Egypt goalkeeper, Essam El Hadary, was unconvincing in blocking an effort from one substitute James Milner and then failed to block the drive that followed from another, Wright-Phillips, with 15 minutes left. A third England goal followed from Crouch, although he looked off-side when converting Wright-Phillips' cross. England's domination, at least, was no longer in question.

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