Van Persie penalty lifts United to win over Liverpool

LONDON — Robin van Persie ended Manchester United's five-year wait for a win at Liverpool on Sunday, and Arsenal maintained its unbeaten start to the Premier League season with a draw at Manchester City.

Van Persie converted a late penalty kick to clinch a 2-1 victory at Anfield after both teams had paid tribute to the victims of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster before the game.

United was a man up from the 39th minute when Jonjo Shelvey was sent off, but Steven Gerrard managed to give Liverpool the lead with a volley at the start of the second half — only for Rafael da Silva to equalize.

And Van Persie's winner prolonged Liverpool's worst start to a season in more than a century, while lifting United to second.

City is three points further back after Joleon Lescott headed the champions ahead in the first half, but then failed to clear a late corner, allowing Laurent Koscielny to recover a 1-1 draw for Arsenal.

Also Sunday, Jermain Defoe's winner gave Tottenham a 2-1 win against Queens Park Rangers and Demba Ba gave Newcastle a 1-0 victory over Norwich.

The day's action began with an emotionally charged meeting of English soccer's fiercest rivals as Liverpool played at Anfield for the first time since the release of a report into the Hillsborough tragedy that exposed the police coverup and exonerated Reds fans.

In a show of unity before kickoff, Liverpool and United players wore tracksuit tops featuring the number 96 — the amount of Reds fans crushed to death 23 years ago.

Luis Suarez even shook hands with Patrick Evra, with no repeat of the snub that followed the Liverpool striker being banned for racially abusing the United defender in the Anfield fixture last October.

But by the end of the game there had been chants from a small number of Liverpool fans about the 1958 Munich disaster which killed eight United players. And, despite pre-match appeals from manager Alex Ferguson, there were taunts from United fans directed at the home support.

The usual hostilities had started to rage after Shelvey was sent off for launching himself at Jonny Evans, who Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers felt should also have been dismissed.

"I think both players' feet are off the floor," he said.

There was also a heated exchange of words between Shelvey and Ferguson, who later said: "He was trying to blame me."

There was an apology — of sorts — from Shelvey later.

"I have also apologized to Sir Alex, just where I come from people don't grass people up to get someone sent off," Shelvey wrote on Twitter.

LONDON — Former England captain John Terry unexpectedly quit international soccer Sunday before he was due to face a Football Association hearing on a racism charge, saying his place on the team had become "untenable."

Despite being cleared in court of racially abusing Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand during a Premier League match last year, Terry was facing a lengthy ban if found guilty by an F.A. panel this week.

"I have always given my all and it breaks my heart to make this decision," Terry said.

The 31-year-old Chelsea defender was fired as England's captain in February but was allowed to continue playing.

"I am making this statement today in advance of the hearing of the F.A. disciplinary charge because I feel the F.A., in pursuing charges against me where I have already been cleared in a court of law, have made my position with the national team untenable," Terry said.

Terry has no plans to stop playing for Chelsea, where he has spent his entire career.

But the F.A. could still ban Terry for eight club matches, the punishment Liverpool striker Luis Suarez received last year for racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra in a game.

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Liverpool set to hire Rodgers as manager

LONDON — Liverpool appears set to hire Brendan Rodgers as its new manager.

The hire would vault the Northern Irishman from relative obscurity to one of the toughest jobs in soccer, with his current club Swansea claiming a deal was expected to be finalized on Thursday.

Following talks with Liverpool's American owners — Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Boston Red Sox — Rodgers told Swansea on Wednesday he has been offered the job as Kenny Dalglish's replacement at Anfield and was ready to accept.

"We are trying to finalize within the next 24 hours," Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins said. "Although we are very disappointed to lose such a talented, young British manager, we didn't wish to stand in his way."

Liverpool will have to pay compensation to Swansea, reported to be in the region of $6 million, because Rodgers has three years left on his contract after signing a new deal in January.

In what will be one of the most low-key managerial appointments made by the traditional English powerhouse in a generation, the 39-year-old Rodgers was preferred to Wigan manager Roberto Martinez despite having only one season's experience in England's top division.

That year, however, was a highly successful one, with Swansea finishing 11th in its first season in the Premier League, earning plenty of admirers because of the Welsh team's attractive, possession-based style of play. It made Rodgers one of the most sought-after managers in Britain.

"We wish Brendan every success in the future," Jenkins said. "We will always remain good friends and we thank him for all his hard work and passion at this football club over the past two years. We shall now refocus and quickly start the process of finding his replacement to continue the great work Brendan has carried out at this football club."

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Dalglish out as Liverpool manager

LONDON — The adulation of Liverpool fans wasn't enough to save "King Kenny."

Second stint over: Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish was fired by the club on Wednesday after just 18 months in charge. AP

Kenny Dalglish's lackluster second stint in charge of the fallen English power was halted by the club's American owners Wednesday after less than 500 days in charge.

Displaying its ruthless streak, Fenway Sports Group terminated the club great's contract after realizing he was unlikely to be able to bring the good times back to Liverpool by replicating his trophy-laden first spell.

Dalglish produced the last of Liverpool's 18 English league titles before quitting a year later, in 1991. His expensively overhauled 2011-12 team ended the season in eighth place, underperforming on the field and damaging the club's reputation following a racism incident involving forward Luis Suarez.

Winning the League Cup to end Liverpool's six-year trophy drought and reaching the F.A. Cup final wasn't enough to convince the FSG the club was on the right path. The decision was taken after Dalglish flew to Boston this week for an end-of-season review with ownership, which also runs the Red Sox.

"Results in the Premier League have been disappointing, and we believe to build on the progress that has already been made we need to make a change," chairman Tom Werner said. "We are committed to delivering success for our supporters and our ambition remains resolute to return this great club to the elite of England and Europe, where it belongs."

Liverpool came within four points of winning the league in 2009 under Rafa Benitez, who delivered a fifth European Cup title to the club in 2005 and also led the team to the 2007 Champions League final.

Dalglish won eight league titles as a player and coach from 1977-90. He returned to Anfield shortly after the Fenway takeover to replace Roy Hodgson in January 2011 with the club hovering above the relegation zone.

After lifting Liverpool from its perilous position to sixth place, Dalglish was given a three-year contract at the end of the 2010-11 season.

"Kenny came into the club as manager at our request at a time when Liverpool Football Club really needed him," Werner said. "He didn't ask to be manager; he was asked to assume the role. He did so because he knew the club needed him. He did more than anyone else to stabilize Liverpool over the past year and a half."

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Gerrard hat trick fuels Liverpool win

LONDON — Steven Gerrard marked his 400th Premier League appearance with a hat trick on Tuesday, leading Liverpool to a 3-0 win over local rival Everton.

Gerrard opened the scoring in the 34th minute by curling a precise shot over three defenders and goalkeeper Tim Howard. The England midfielder then twice profited from good approach work by Luis Suarez, scoring in the 51st and in injury time.

Although a top-four place and Champions League qualification looks to be beyond Liverpool, the Reds are now five points clear of Everton.

"To beat Everton is always special, so to get three goals is a little bit extra," Gerrard said. "It was a great team performance. Everything we wanted from the game, we got it."

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Liverpool a long way from glory days

LONDON — The celebrations among the players, management and fans underlined the joy of reaching the League Cup final even though it is the lowest-rated piece of domestic silverware.

No, not Cardiff City of the Championship but Liverpool. In the not too distant past the League Cup was a consolation prize to a club which was the champion of Europe seven years ago. On Wednesday, Kenny Dalglish led the lap of honor as Liverpool booked its first Wembley date since 2006.

Liverpool's elation after beating Manchester City 3-2 on aggregate served to highlight its decline and underachievement since winning the Champions League.

When Dalglish took over last season Liverpool was five points off the bottom of the Premier League and had just been knocked out of the League Cup by Northampton of League Two.

Despite spending ?100 million on new faces, Liverpool is a long way from mounting a serious challenge for the title, but winning the League Cup would at least show progress and buy Dalglish some time.

Andy Carroll, or ?35 million misfit Andy Carroll to give him his full media name, plus Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson saw Dalglish's investment questioned, but Craig Bellamy, who came gift-wrapped from City during the summer on a free transfer, scored the goal that made his former club fall at the final hurdle. Liverpool's best signing this season cost nothing.

Dalglish treats his team selections like state secrets, but Bellamy is a shoe-in to play against his hometown club where he spent a season on loan last season in the final.

Liverpool hosts Manchester United in the F.A. Cup fourth round on Saturday and with the pressure off them after sealing a Wembley final, there is a quiet confidence around Anfield that it can complete a memorable Manchester double.

* * *

IF YOU BELIEVED someone had insulted you, how would you feel about shaking their hand?

Probably uncomfortable.

And how would you feel if someone told you to greet that person in the traditional way?

Angry, no doubt.

There is pressure on Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand and Chelsea captain John Terry to shake hands as is customary for all players before Saturday's F.A. Cup tie at Loftus Road.

The problem is that the game comes four days before Terry is due to face trial for alleged racist remarks made to Ferdinand when the teams met earlier in the season.

Wayne Bridge of Manchester City refused to shake Terry's hand before a match in the wake of stories linking the England captain to the fullback's ex-partner. There is no way the Football Association or QPR should ask Ferdinand to do anything he does not want to do. Ferdinand's decision should be his decision and his alone.

Terry is unlikely to appear in court next Wednesday, his lawyers entering a plea of not guilty on his behalf, the case therefore being adjourned for up to six weeks.

Whenever Terry appears before a magistrate, there is the possibility that if Ferdinand shakes his hand it could be used by the accused's legal team to his advantage

* * *

NOTE THE TIME and date: 17:54, January 22nd, 2012. It could be a defining moment in Arsene Wenger's career as Arsenal manager.

Paying customers have every right to show their feelings but I never thought I would hear "you don't know what you're doing" echoing around Emirates Stadium.

There has been a growing disillusionment with Wenger among Arsenal fans and last Sunday's vocal dissent was probably more a buildup of six years of frustration without winning a trophy, than what was called a game-losing substitution.

Qualifying for the Champions League this season is in doubt, and while Wenger is Arsenal's most successful manager, his credit is running out.

Wenger's alleged inability to know what he was doing was based on the substitution of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain by Andrey Arshavin. Many Arsenal supporters also didn't think the Frenchman knew what he was doing when Oxlade-Chamberlain joined Arsenal for ?12 million, but the winger has star potential, and apparently in hindsight Wenger did know what he was doing after all.

Arshavin is only marginally more popular than Tottenham among the Emirates faithful, the Russian's popularity dipping even further when he failed to track Antonio Valencia as he laid on Manchester United's winning goal scored by Danny Welbeck.

This pre-supposes Oxlade-Chamberlain would have chased Valencia. Fine winger the teenager is, but he had made only one tackle during his time on the pitch.

Wenger will have to be replaced at some stage but that is unlikely to be until next year, when his contract runs out. And maybe Arsenal fans should be careful what they wish for.

* * *

CHOOSE YOUR friends wisely but choose your enemies even more carefully. Who you choose as your enemies defines you.

Carlos Tevez failed to take heed of these wise words and it has cost the Manchester City striker (past rather than present) ?9.3 million in loss of earnings to date.

There were always going to be repercussions when Tevez refused to warm up during the City-Bayern Munch Champions League tie in the Allianz Arena in September.

It has proved to be the most expensive act of petulance in football history, costing the Argentine ?3.3 million in fines and loss of wages (?198,000 a week) to date. This is on top of the loss of a ?6 million loyalty bonus (stop shaking your head in disbelief) forfeited when he asked for a transfer in December 2010.

Christopher Davies was a longtime Premier League correspondent for the London Daily Telegraph.

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Dempsey leads Fulham past Liverpool in ill-tempered match

LONDON — United States midfielder Clint Dempsey brought Liverpool's eight-match unbeaten run in the Premier League to an end on Monday, pouncing on a late error by goalkeeper Pepe Reina to earn Fulham a 1-0 at Craven Cottage and ease his team's relegation worries.

The Spain 'keeper failed to hold a speculative shot by former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy in the 85th minute, and Dempsey slotted home the rebound from close range for Fulham's third win of the campaign to lift the London club five points clear of the bottom three.

The visitors had been reduced to 10 men by that point after defensive midfielder Jay Spearing was sent off in the 72nd minute for an overzealous tackle on Moussa Dembele, at a time when they were on top and threatening a win that would have lifted them above Newcastle to sixth.

Liverpool hit the goal frame twice, through Jordan Henderson in the first half and substitute Stewart Downing just before Dempsey's winner, while Luis Suarez had a goal harshly disallowed for offside in the 67th.

But Spearing's dismissal was the turning point in a fractious match. There was nothing wrong with the youngster's initial full-blooded tackle but he followed through by catching the Belgium forward's leg, leading referee Kevin Friend to brandish the red card.

"He has won the ball but he has probably upset the referee with his follow through," said Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish, whose team lost for the first time since Sept. 18 to dent its hopes of keeping pace with its rivals for the Champions League positions.

Fulham manager Martin Jol said the sending off was the pivotal moment in the game, which threatened to boil over a number of times — particularly when Dempsey went forehead-to-forehead with Craig Bellamy at the start of the second half.

"After the sending off, we had a little bit more space and took advantage of that," Jol said. "I thought it was a bad tackle. I thought it was a sending off."

Dempsey's 37th goal in the Premier League made him the most prolific American scorer in England's top division, surpassing the record he shared with former Fulham striker Brian McBride.

He nearly gave Fulham the lead minutes prior to eventually grabbing the winner, curling a shot against the bar before Downing went up the other end and smashed a fierce drive that was touched onto the post by goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer in the 84th.

"I think we would have taken something from the game if we had been left with all our men," Dalglish said. "I think we did enough to come away with something."

PARIS — Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi and Xavi Hernandez will be up against Real Madrid winger Cristiano Ronaldo for the FIFA world player of the year award.

The three Ballon d'Or finalists were selected Monday from among 23 nominees. Messi beat Barcelona teammates Andres Iniesta and Xavi to win last year.

Messi also won the award two years ago when France Football magazine chose the best player in Europe. The Ballon d'Or is now merged with FIFA's player of the year award to create one trophy.

Messi and Ronaldo already have scored 17 league goals this season. They play each other in the Spanish League on Saturday.

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Liverpool slows City's momentum with tie

LONDON — Liverpool did an old rival a favor Sunday when it held Premier League leader Manchester City to a 1-1 draw.

Vincent Kompany put City ahead in the 31st minute but Liverpool equalized just two minutes later through Joleon Lescott's own-goal and City was hanging on at the end even before Mario Balotelli was sent off with seven minutes remaining in the match.

It was only the second time this season that unbeaten City has failed to win in the Premier League and it meant that second-place Manchester United did not pay too dearly for dropping two points against Newcastle on Saturday.

With 11 wins and two draws from 13 games, City leads defending champion United by five points. United, which last season surpassed Liverpool's 21-year-old record of 18 English titles, drew 1-1 with Newcastle following the award of a contentious penalty to the visitors.

Kompany glanced a header into the top corner from David Silva's corner kick before Lescott's outstretched leg deflected Charlie Adam's shot past goalkeeper Joe Hart for the equalizer.

"Manchester City are a top side and have top players and we knew it would be difficult," Adam said. "But we stuck to our guns and we played well."

Balotelli charged about the field after replacing Samir Nasri in the 65th minute, getting his first yellow card for pulling back Glen Johnson by the shoulder and the second six minutes later for leading with his arm while challenging Martin Skrtel for an aerial ball.

Sent from the field, Balotelli seemed to remonstrate with manager Roberto Mancini before being escorted down the tunnel by a policeman. But Mancini said he had no concerns over the temperamental striker.

"He didn't deserve the second yellow card," Mancini said. "We don't have any problem. Mario is young. I think he was disappointed with the yellow card."

Hart then made saves from Luis Suarez and — with a spectacular one-handed stop — from substitute Andy Carroll. Silva could have won it for 10-man City at the other end with a breakaway but his shot was blocked on the line by one of a trio of covering defenders.

Liverpool is in sixth place, ahead of Arsenal on goal difference. Arsenal drew 1-1 with Fulham on Saturday when Gunners defender Thomas Vermaelen scored at both ends.

Wigan beat Sunderland 2-1 and was replaced at the bottom of the standings by Blackburn, which lost 3-1 at Stoke. Everton rose to eighth place as Marouane Fellaini and Apostolos Vellios scored second-half goals for a 2-0 win at Bolton, while Norwich trail the Toffees only on goal difference after a 2-1 win over Queens Park Rangers.

The Japan Football Association said Monday it has sent a report on the hostility felt by the Japanese team and supporters during a World Cup qualifier against North Korea in Pyongyang earlier this month to the DPR Korea Football Association as well as FIFA, soccer's world governing body.

The JFA public relations department explained in the report dated Nov. 25, which was also sent to the Asian Football Confederation, that several unusual incidents occurred while the Japanese squad was in Pyongyang for the match on Nov. 15.

Alberto Zaccheroni's side, which lost the game 1-0, arrived a day ahead of the match at Pyongyang international airport, where it was reportedly detained for about four hours due to strict immigration checks.

The report also said that players were restricted from moving about their lodgings and had nutritional supplements deemed to be "performance enhancing food products" confiscated without prior warning.

SYDNEY — Australia's soccer chief believes the 2022 World Cup may not go ahead in Qatar as planned.

Football Federation Australia chairman Frank Lowy said Monday the "last word hasn't been heard yet" on the FIFA vote that awarded the event to Qatar over bids from countries including the United States and Australia.

Lowy did not elaborate on how or why Qatar would lose the rights, but said it related to "the state of the FIFA executive committee", adding "I don't exactly know where it will bounce. The only thing I know is it's not over yet."

Qatar's successful bid became implicated in a broad-ranging corruption scandal that plagued FIFA this year, with FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke saying in a leaked email that they "bought the World Cup."

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Carroll scores pair as Liverpool blanks Man City

Andy Carroll scored his first goals for Liverpool since becoming Britain's most expensive player, striking twice in a 3-0 win over Manchester City on Monday that keeps alive his team's hopes of European football next season.

Big night: Liverpool's Andy Carroll celebrates after scoring against Manchester City in Premier League action at Anfield on Monday night. Liverpool won 3-0. AP

The England striker, who joined on a 35 million pound transfer in January, smashed a powerful shot on his favored left foot to make it 1-0 in the 13th minute and hit the third goal with a glancing header in the 35th minute of the Premier League match.

Dirk Kuyt found the net in the 34th in a slick and vibrant display from Liverpool that extended its run against Man City at Anfield to nine straight victories.

Liverpool stayed sixth in the standings but moved within five points of No. 5 Tottenham in the sole Europa League qualifying position, albeit having played one more match.

Fourth-place City has also played one more game than Tottenham and is only three points above Spurs in the final Champions League berth.

Worse still for City, captain Carlos Tevez was replaced early in the match with an apparent hamstring injury only five days before the FA Cup semifinal against Manchester United.

Due to a defensive crisis that has claimed Daniel Agger, Glen Johnson, Martin Kelly and Sotirios Kyrgiakos to injury or illness, Liverpool manager Kenny Daglish gave 18-year-old John Flanagan a debut at right- back.

With the semifinal in mind, City manager Roberto Mancini made three changes from the team that thrashed Sunderland 5-0 last week.

Striker Edin Dzeko, still to score in eight league matches since joining from Wolfsburg in January, replaced Mario Balotelli while midfielders Gareth Barry and James Milner also came in for Nigel de Jong and David Silva.

Liverpool started with plenty of verve, passing the ball from wing to wing as Luis Suarez probed for openings just behind Carroll.

Carroll's first goal came after a speculative long-range shot from Raul Meireles was blocked by Vincent Kompany. The ball landed for him to strike a low swerving shot that flew past 'keeper Joe Hart in a goal reminiscent of his first for England last month against Ghana.

Liverpool then scored twice within 93 seconds.

Desperate defensive lunges by City players had blocked goal-bound shots on three occasions before Kuyt collected his ninth league goal of the season, sliding the ball across Hart and inside the far post in the 34th minute.

American sports tycoon Stan Kroenke promises to make Arsenal a champion again.

Kroenke secured a controlling stake that clears the way for him to become the fifth U.S. owner of a Premier League club.

While the Denver investor said he would bring "new success" to a club in the midst of a six-year title drought, he did not mention a commitment to spending heavily on new players.

Kroenke's stake in Arsenal will rise from nearly 30 percent to nearly 63 percent after agreeing to buy shares from fellow directors, including Danny Fiszman and Nina Bracewell-Smith. The deal values the club at $ 1.2 billion.

By going over the 30 percent threshold, the 63-year-old Kroenke is obliged to mount a full takeover bid by making a mandatory cash offer for the remaining shares.

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