BPL Saturday Review

Wes Brown and Wayne Rooney scored as United recorded consecutive BPL wins with a 2-0 triumph over Blackburn.

Rovers goalkeeper Jason Brown felt he was blocked off by Nemanja Vidic when Brown nodded home Rooney's first-half cross.

But there was no debating the second as Rooney clinically applied the first-time finish to Cristiano Ronaldo's cut-back.

Earlier, Arsenal's bid to go top of the table foundered at Sunderland but they were lucky to escape defeat at the Stadium of Light as Cesc Fabregas' 93rd-minute header salvaged a 1-1 draw.

Having been beaten by Hull last week, the Gunners have now dropped five points in two matches - although the result was enough to take them third.

Arsene Wenger's side appeared to have been beaten by Grant Leadbitter's stunning 86th-minute strike.

The midfielder picked the ball up 25 yards out and smashed a shot in off the underside of the crossbar.

Only minutes earlier Craig Gordon had saved at point-blank range from Robin van Persie, who had a goal chalked off just after half-time.

Theo Walcott cut the ball back from the right byline for the Dutchman to stab home but the England winger was ruled to have taken the ball out, although television replays appeared to suggest he had kept it in.

Spain midfielder Fabregas rescued the Gunners with a close-range header from a corner in the third minute of added time.

Former Arsenal striker Jeremie Aliadiere snatched victory for Middlesbrough at Wigan with a goal in the 89th minute.

A game of very few chances appeared to be drifting to a goalless conclusion when Stewart Downing nodded down a right-wing cross on the edge of the penalty area and the Frenchman fired home.

West Brom's match at home to Fulham was also a game of few chances but the hosts prevailed 1-0 thanks to Roman Bednar's solitary strike in the 61st minute.

A left-wing corner produced a scramble in the visitors' penalty area and when the ball reached Bednar he stabbed home from three yards.

He had a chance to double the advantage seven minutes later but was hustled out by Aaron Hughes as he closed in on goal.

Clint Dempsey had a good chance to equalise in the 70th minute when Jimmy Bullard picked him out unmarked but he diverted his header wide from 12 yards.

Catch the Blackburn-Man United post-match interviews here!

Catch the Sunderland-Arsenal post-match interviews here!

by espnstar.com/football/premier-league/news

Tags: football, premier league, news, Wayne Rooney, United, Arsenal

Live Score October 4

England - Premier League 04:19 October 4 FT Sunderland 1 - 1 Arsenal FT West Bromwich A. 1 - 0 Fulham FT Wigan Athletic 0 - 1 Middlesbrough FT Blackburn R. 0 - 2 Manchester U. England - League Championship 04:19 October 4 FT Blackpool 1 - 1 Cardiff C. FT Birmingham C. 1 - 0 Queens Park R. FT Barnsley 4 - 1 Doncaster R. FT Charlton Athletic 2 - 1 Ipswich T. FT Norwich C. 1 - 2 Derby County FT Nottingham F. 0 - 2 Crystal Palace FT Plymouth Argyle 4 - 0 Sheffield W. FT Reading 3 - 1 Burnley FT Sheffield U. 3 - 0 Bristol C. FT Swansea C. 3 - 1 Wolverhampton W. FT Watford 2 - 1 Preston North End FT Coventry C. 4 - 1 Southampton Italy - Serie A 05:19 October 4 FT Lazio 1 - 1 Lecce FT Inter Milan 2 - 1 Bologna Spain - Primera Division 05:19 October 4 FT Villarreal 2 - 1 Real Betis FT Barcelona 6 - 1 Atletico Madrid France - Ligue 1 October 4 FT Grenoble 0 - 1 Nantes FT Le Havre 1 - 2 Le Mans FT Lorient 1 - 2 Bordeaux FT Marseille 2 - 1 Caen FT Nice 1 - 1 Sochaux FT Toulouse 1 - 0 Auxerre FT Lille 1 - 0 Valenciennes Holland - Eredivisie 05:19 October 4 FT Vitesse Arnhem 2 - 2 Willem II Tilburg FT PSV Eindhoven 3 - 0 De Graafschap FT Heracles Almelo 2 - 0 Roda Kerkrade Belgium - Jupiler League October 4 FT AA Gent 1 - 1 Lokeren FT Kortrijk 0 - 0 Germinal Beerschot FT Mons-Bergen 1 - 1 Charleroi FT Racing Genk 2 - 1 KV Mechelen FT Tubize 2 - 1 FCV Dender EH FT Westerlo 3 - 2 Zulte-Waregem Portugal - Superliga 04:19 October 4 FT Associacao Naval 1 - 1 Belenenses Scotland - Premier League 04:19 October 4 FT Aberdeen 1 - 2 Hibernian FT Celtic 4 - 0 Hamilton FT Dundee United 2 - 1 Inverness C.T. FT Hearts 1 - 2 Kilmarnock Argentina - Apertura 00:19 October 4 FT Velez Sarsfield 0 - 1 San Lorenzo FT Lanus 4 - 2 Argentinos Juniors FT Newell's Old Boys 2 - 0 Tigre Brazil - Campeonato Brasileiro 00:19 October 4 FT Gremio 2 - 1 Botafogo FT Ipatinga FC 1 - 3 Sao Paulo FT Palmeiras 3 - 1 Atletico Mineiro FT Coritiba 4 - 2 Internacional FT Nautico 0 - 2 Flamengo FT Santos 4 - 0 Atletico Paranaense FT Vasco 2 - 4 Figueirense Chile - Clausura 23:19 October 4 FT Palestino 3 - 1 Cobresal FT Huachipato 2 - 1 Melipilla FT O\'Higgins 4 - 3 Everton CD Colombia - Clausura 22:19 October 4 FT Deportivo Cali 1 - 0 Santa Fe FT Independiente Medellin 3 - 2 Once Caldas Paraguay - Clausura 23:19 October 4 FT Silvio Pettirossi 0 - 1 Libertad Peru - Clausura 22:19 October 4 FT Sport Boys 2 - 2 Atletico Minero Matucana FT Alianza Lima 0 - 2 Sport Ancash Uruguay - Apertura 00:19 October 4 FT Cerro 1 - 1 Cerro Largo FT Penarol 3 - 0 Tacuarembo FC Mexico - Apertura 22:19 October 4 FT Cruz Azul 1 - 1 Toluca FT Monterrey 1 - 2 Jaguares FT Guadalajara (Chivas) 2 - 2 Tigres FT Indios 2 - 3 San Luis USA - Major League Soccer 23:19 October 4 FT Columbus Crew 1 - 0 Los Angeles Galaxy FT DC United 0 - 3 CD Chivas USA FT New England Re'lution 2 - 2 Real Salt Lake FT New York Red Bulls 1 - 3 Toronto FC

by livescore.com

Tags: Live Score, England, Premier League, Manchester, Arsenal, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Spain, Primera Division, Italy, Serie A

Messi better than Aguero

Pep Guardiola has praised two special Argentineans who will be on display when Barcelona play Atletico Madrid.

Barca's Lionel Messi and Atletico's Sergio Aguero may be colleagues at international level, but will be facing off against each other this weekend with both already more than living up to their dynamic reputations.

While the dynamic duo are widely regarded as two of the best players in the world, Guardiola is in no doubt that Messi has the edge over his compatriot.

"Aguero is very good but for me Messi is the better of the two," Guardiola said.

"Kun (Aguero) has an air of Romario and he is obviously compatible with Messi because they play together internationally."

Messi and Aguero are good friends off the pitch, but not surprisingly Guardiola is keen for Messi to forget any personal battles and not to do too much himself against Atletico.

"I have spoken to Messi about not trying to win the game alone," he said

"I do not know if he has a personal motivation with Kun to win the game but all we want is to win.

"A win would put us up the table and would be good for the team. To stop Agüero we have to know where he moves, to try and dominate the game so that he intervenes as little as possible and to stop the counter attacks."

by espnstar.com/football/primera-liga/news

Tags: football, primera liga, news, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Lionel Messi

Scholes perfect role model - Fergie

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson feels Paul Scholes is the perfect example for any young professional.

Although Scholes has just been ruled out for 10 weeks after sustaining a knee injury in the midweek Champions League win over Aalborg, the 33-year-old has still been offered a new one-year contract which will will extend his stay at Old Trafford to two decades, after originally joining as a callow 14-year-old.

"Paul is proof that if you look after yourself you can carry on playing and be rewarded at a club of this size," said Ferguson.

"He is 34 now and he has been here since he was 14," he added. "That tells you the desire and the ability he has to stay at the top.

"He has come back repeatedly and even though he is injured now, he will be working away in the gym so that when he comes back he will be ready."

Three years ago it was feared the no-nonsense Salford-born midfielder might never play again after picking up a serious eye injury at Birmingham that kept him out for four months.

Initially, the Red Devils struggled to identify the source of a problem that left Scholes with permanent double vision. Eventually though, they found the right treatment and Scholes made it back for the final game of the season against Charlton, the last time United ended a campaign without a trophy.

Since then, Ferguson's side have claimed two more Premier League titles, taking Scholes' tally to eight.

"I am very confident Paul will be back," said the United boss. "He can play for at least another year. I have no fears about that.

"He has the same characteristics as Gary Neville, who has just come back after 18 months out. They look after themselves and you have to admire that perseverance and determination."

by espnstar.com/football/premier-league/news

Tags: football, premier league, news, Manchester United, Alex Ferguson, Paul Scholes

Branch, Engram to play Sunday

Seattle Seahawks wide receivers Deion Branch and Bobby Engram will play in Sunday's game against the New York Giants.

A former Super Bowl MVP, Branch has been sidelined since tearing a knee ligament during the Seahawks' playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers last season.

The seven-year veteran, who had reconstructive surgery eight months ago, will make his season debut Sunday, starting opposite either Keary Colbert or Billy McMullen.

Branch hauled in 49 catches for 661 yards and four touchdowns last season.

Bobby Engram, who has been out since breaking his right shoulder in the preseason, also will return Sunday to restore Seattle's once-depleted receiving corps.

"They had a good week. They really did have a good week," Seattle coach Mike Holmgren told the Seattle Post Intelligencer of his returning receivers.

"Now how much they play in the football game, we kind of have to see. They'll be honest about it, they'll let us know.

"They'll be excited to play again, and they'll probably be gasping a little bit just from being out there again. They'll use a lot of energy just being out there again, so we have to be smart with how with do that."

Engram, who set the team record with 94 receptions last season, will play in the slot. He had 1,174 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 2007.

by espnstar.com/us-sports/news

Tags: New York Giants, Super Bowl, MVP, Keary Colbert, Billy McMullen

Serena pulls out of Kremlin Cup

World number one Serena Williams has withdrawn from the Kremlin Cup as she is sidelined with an ankle injury.

Serena, who was upset by China's Li Na in the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix on Wednesday and will lose her number one ranking to Jelena Jankovic on Monday as a result, revealed she has been suffering from an ankle injury since winning the US Open last month.

"My left ankle has been bothering me since the US Open and I need to take a break now to get it back to 100% which is why I have to regretfully take this decision and withdraw from the doubles in Stuttgart and Moscow next week," she said in a statement on the Kremlin Cup website.

"I have played a lot this year and my body needs to recover. It's obviously my goal to try and get the No 1 ranking back and it hurts my chances pulling out of Moscow since I reached the final there last year.

"My only wish now is that with a week to 10 days of rest I can recover and be at my best for the Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha."

by espnstar.com/tennis/news

Tags: tennis, news, Serena Williams, Kremlin Cup, US Open