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TOP FOUR FINISH POSSIBLE FOR WESTHAM – DAVID MOYES

West Ham boss David Moyes has said finishing in the top four of the Premier League “is a possibility” for his side this season.

The Hammers, who are currently sixth, have not finished in the top four since 1985-86.

“A top-10 position would be excellent for West Ham considering where we were – but we’re much higher up now, so I’m looking up,” Moyes told Football Focus.

“I don’t see why we can’t be around those [top four] positions.”

West Ham, who are set to face Leeds at London Stadium on Monday, have won 13 league games this season – three more than they managed in the 2019-20 campaign.

“We wanted to get away from the West Ham where you weren’t sure which West Ham was going to turn up – were you going to get a disappointing result against a team you shouldn’t, or win when you probably weren’t expecting to?” said Moyes.

He added: “The players have changed my mentality because now I’m looking up to see how high I can get – I have to praise the players for that.”

The former Everton and Manchester United boss recognises results are in stark contrast to this time last season, but thinks there is more to come from his side.

“I hope with West Ham we can build a really exciting young team – that would be my big hope for us now. This time last year we were talking about do you think you can avoid relegation, can you stay out of the bottom three?

“People are asking different questions now – do you think you can finish top four or qualify for Europe? It shows you how far we’ve come,” said Moyes.

The Scottish manager, who returned to West Ham in 2019 after being let go in 2018 after less than a year in charge, says that things feel different this time around.

“I’m glad to be back. The first time round I really enjoyed myself and I was disappointed when I wasn’t asked to stay on because I thought we’d done a good enough job to remain in the position.

“I admired the owners for coming back for me and realising the job we had done in the first place was a good one,” he said.

Moyes guided West Ham to a 13th-place finish in the 2017-18 season, despite the club being in the relegation zone when he joined in November.

“We’re in a sad world of football management at the moment where changing managers very quickly does happen.

“Managers continually have to prove themselves all of the time. Whatever you’ve got in the bag – experience, cups, medals – I don’t know if that counts for an awful lot,” Moyes added.

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MASON MOUNT CONDEMNS LIVERPOOL TO FIFTH STRAIGHT HOME DEFEAT

Liverpool’s woeful home form is now a full-blown crisis as Chelsea’s 1-0 victory inflicted a fifth successive league defeat – the worst run in the club’s history.

It shows how far the defending champions have fallen that this was billed as a battle for a Champions League place but in reality there was only one side in the hunt and all it took was Mason Mount’s 42nd-minute goal to lift them back into the reckoning.

Chelsea’s last win at Anfield in 2014 effectively did for the title hopes of Brendan Rodgers’ side. This one was a blow to Liverpool’s chances of a top-four finish.

Jurgen Klopp’s side, now four points adrift of that with Everton and West Ham ahead of them, have now gone more than 10 hours without a goal at Anfield, a testament to the old adage of ‘if you don’t shoot, you don’t score’.

The hosts failed to register a shot on target until the 85th minute and Georginio Wijnaldum’s weak header was never going to test Edouard Mendy.

They have taken one point from the last 21 on offer at home since Christmas and scored just two goals, one of which was a penalty.

None of their established front three of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane or Roberto Firmino managed the feat but the sight of Salah, the Premier League’s leading scorer, being substituted just past the hour looked baffling.

The Egypt international thought so as he sat shaking his head having been replaced by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Chelsea, by contrast, looked full of threat with Timo Werner – a player Liverpool were interested in but decided they could not afford last summer – a constant problem for the hosts.

Despite one goal in his previous 17 Premier League outings he caused problems with his movement, drifting out to the left, then popping in the middle to give Fabinho a real headache on his return to the side.

The Brazil midfielder, replacing Nat Phillips after he became the latest centre-back to pick up an injury, was partnering Ozan Kabak in Liverpool’s 15th different central defensive starting partnership in 27 league matches.

Faced with a statistic like that is is perhaps understandable why there was a lack of cohesion at the back and Werner should really have profited.

He fired one early shot over and then failed to lift his effort over Alisson Becker, back in goal after the death of his father in Brazil last week.

Even when the Chelsea forward did beat Alisson, who had another rush of blood in charging out to meet Werner only for the ball to be tipped over his wild swing of the leg allowing the Germany international to slot home, VAR ruled the attacker’s arm had been offside 20 yards earlier in the build-up.

Liverpool’s one chance fell to Sadio Mane but Salah’s first-time ball over the top got caught under his feet and missed his shot with only Mendy to beat.

Chelsea were still controlling the game and caught their opponents on the counter-attack when N’Golo Kante quickly swung a loose ball out to the left wing from where Mount cut inside to beat Alisson having been given far too much time to pick his spot.

All five of Mount’s league goals have come away from home.

Tuchel spent the first five minutes of the second half screaming at his players to press harder and play higher up the pitch but Liverpool’s players were equally vocal when Firmino’s cross hit the raised arm of Kante from close range but there was to be no penalty award.

Andy Robertson cleared off the line from Hakim Ziyech after Alisson parried Ben Chilwell’s shot as Chelsea continued to look more dangerous.

Klopp’s attempt to change the direction of travel saw him send on Diogo Jota for his first appearance in three months and Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Jota’s first touch was a half-chance from a deep cross but he was, understandably, not sharp enough to take it.

Werner, meanwhile, was doing everything but score as Alisson’s leg saved another shot as he bore down on goal.

Chelsea’s organisation, drilled into them by Thomas Tuchel in the short time he has been at the club, served them well as Liverpool ran down blind alleys, aimed hopeful crosses into the box but generally ran out of ideas.

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MC GOLDRICK ON TARGET AS SHEFFIELD UTD EDGE ASTON VILLA 1-0

David McGoldrick’s first-half goal was enough for 10-man Sheffield United to earn a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa at Bramall Lane.

Villa had the better of the early play, with John McGinn and Ollie Watkins both going close before Sheff Utd took the lead.

On 30 minutes, George Baldock fired in a shot that was heading off target, before McGoldrick stretched to divert it in off the underside of the crossbar.

The visitors pressed for an equaliser that almost came on 54 minutes, but Watkins’ header hit the join of the crossbar and post.

A minute later, Phil Jagielka was initially shown a yellow card for bringing down Anwar El Ghazi, which was upgraded to a red after consultation with the Video Assistant Referee.

But Sheff Utd held on for their fourth win of the campaign that leaves them bottom on 14 points, 12 adrift of safety.

Villa drop down to ninth on 39 points.

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RICHARLISON STRIKE SEALS EVERTON VICTORY OVER SOUTHAMPTON TO GO LEVEL WITH LIVERPOOL

Richarlison scored for the third straight match as Everton beat Southampton 1-0 to earn their first home win of 2021 and move level with Liverpool in the top-four fight.

The Brazilian, who scored against Manchester City and Liverpool in his previous two matches, gathered a through-ball from Gylfi Sigurdsson and rounded Saints’ recalled goalkeeper Fraser Forster to slot home in the ninth minute.

Michael Keane thought he had doubled Everton’s lead, but his header was overturned for offside against Mason Holgate after a Video Assistant Referee review.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin went close after the break, but the Toffees then allowed Southampton back into the match.

Mohammed Salisu headed over and Moussa Djenepo fired wide from a good position inside the box, before Jannik Vestergaard forced Jordan Pickford into a match-winning save in the 90th minute.

Everton remain seventh but move on to 43 points, only behind Liverpool on goal difference, and with a match in hand on everyone above them.

Southampton are now winless in nine Premier League matches and stay 14th on 30 points, seven above the relegation zone.

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FORMER NEWCASTLE AND WESTHAM BOSS GLENN ROEDER DIES AT 65.

Former West Ham manager Glenn Roeder has died aged 65 after a long battle with a brain tumour.

Roeder played for QPR and Newcastle, worked as a coach under Glenn Hoddle with England and managed the Hammers, the Magpies, Gillingham, Watford and Norwich.

While in charge at West Ham in April 2003 Roeder, who had led the club to a seventh-placed finish the season before, was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

He had to undergo surgery and a period of recovery before returning to the dugout in July the same year.

His last role in the game was as a managerial advisor at Stevenage in 2016.

League Managers Association chairman Howard Wilkinson said: “A cultured defender as a player, he managed with a studious style and was always generous with his time and ideas.

“Glenn was such an unassuming, kind gentleman who demonstrated lifelong dedication to the game. Not one to court headlines, his commitment and application to his work at all levels warrants special mention.

“Football has lost a great servant today and our sincere condolences go to Glenn’s family and friends.”

As a player Roeder captained QPR in the 1982 FA Cup final against Tottenham, which they lost following a replay, and to the Second Division title in 1983.

At Newcastle he made 219 senior appearances in five years and also led them to promotion from the Second Division in 1984.

LMA chief executive Richard Bevan said: “Glenn achieved so much throughout his lifelong career in the game.

“After retiring as a player, he became one of the country’s most respected coaches, working across all levels of the professional game, in senior and academy football, and acting as a trusted advisor to many coaches and players.

“At every club, he chose to develop new talent and to give opportunities to the younger players in his charge. He will be sorely missed by all of the LMA’s members and his colleagues from across the game.

“Our heartfelt thoughts are with Glenn’s wife Faith, his daughter Holly, his sons Will and Joe and all of Glenn’s family and friends at this difficult time.”

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LIVERPOOL END LOSING STREAK WITH CONVINCING WITH AT SHEFFIELD UNITED

Liverpool returned to winning ways in the Premier League with a 2-0 victory over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

Curtis Jones and a Kean Bryan own goal ended the Reds’ run of four successive league defeats and heaped more misery on the bottom-placed Blades.

Bryan’s own goal, which was originally credited to Roberto Firmino, was Liverpool’s 7,000th goal in top-flight football and secured a win which moves Jurgen Klopp’s champions within two points of fourth-placed West Ham.

Sheffield United’s 21st defeat from 26 games leaves them 15 points from safety with a seemingly impossible battle to beat the drop.

Liverpool left out goalkeeper Alisson Becker on compassionate grounds following the death of his father Jose in Brazil.

The Liverpool players wore black armbands in support of Alisson as Adrian made his first Premier League appearance since the Merseyside derby at Everton on October 17.

Skipper Jordan Henderson was also on the sidelines following groin surgery and Nat Phillips started in central defence alongside Ozan Kabak.

The home side handed the captaincy to the returning David McGoldrick and the striker tested Adrian within the opening five minutes.

Oliver Norwood’s free-kick was flighted to the far post and McGoldrick met it to force a point-blank stop from Adrian, although a late offside flag would have ruled out the effort anyway.

Liverpool should have led after 10 minutes when the ball kindly for the unmarked Firmino.

The Brazilian advanced into a clear shooting position but failed to beat the outstretched arm of Aaron Ramsdale, even though the Blades goalkeeper appeared to go to ground prematurely.

Adrian made a smart save to push McGoldrick’s deflected effort around a post, but the action was increasingly at the other end as the half wore on and Liverpool dominated.

Ramsdale smothered efforts from Jones and Mohamed Salah before making a flying save from Trent Alexander-Arnold after the England full-back had pounced on an error from Ethan Ampadu.

Adrian was beaten after 36 minutes when Kabak slid the ball past him, but the Turkey international’s blushes were spared by an offside flag against Oli McBurnie.

Ramsdale’s resistance continued with another stop to foil Georginio Wijnaldum, and the follow-up opportunity was lost as Firmino chose to pass rather than fire the rebound goalwards.

Liverpool must have wondered at half-time what they needed to do to beat the inspired Ramsdale.

But the answer came within three minutes of the restart as Alexander-Arnold crossed from the right and Jones drilled home his second Premier League goal into the bottom corner of Ramsdale’s net.

Sheffield United players felt that the ball had gone out of play before Alexander-Arnold had reached it, but a VAR check confirmed that was not the case and the goal stood.

Sadio Mane had an effort ruled out for offside before McBurnie squandered a glorious chance to equalise, the unmarked Scotland striker heading Norwood’s cross wide from eight yards out.

It was to prove a costly miss as Liverpool doubled their advantage after 65 minutes.

Firmino played one-twos with Jones and Mane and evaded a posse of home defenders to find a shooting angle and give Liverpool breathing space.

But television replays showed the ball was going wide before deflecting off Bryan, denying Firmino his seventh goal of the season.

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LEE MASON WIHTHDRAWN FROM SHEFFIELD UTD V LIVERPOOL GAME AFTER LEWIS DUNK CONTROVERSY

Referee Lee Mason has been replaced as the fourth official for Liverpool’s clash with Sheffield United, a day after being involved in a hugely controversial incident in West Brom’s win over Brighton.

Mason was down to be a support official for referee Jonathan Moss for the game at Bramall Lane, but the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) confirmed to Sky Sports News that he would sit out the game on account of injury.

Just on Saturday, Mason controversially ruled out a goal from Lewis Dunk direct from a free-kick.

Mason blew his whistle, and Dunk immediately curled the ball into the net at a time when Baggies goalkeeper Sam Johnstone was lining up his wall.

Prior to the ball crossing the line, Mason blew his whistle a second time. Mason initially ruled the goal out, only to give it after protests from Brighton.

Mason was subsequently spoken to by VAR and the game continued with Brighton retaking the free-kick.

Dunk was furious after the game, telling Sky Sports: “It’s embarrassing, it’s a horrendous decision.

“I said to the ref ‘can I take it?’, he blew his whistle, and I took it.

“Just because there was so much pressure from the bench. Why doesn’t he come and speak to the press like me? Never, they hide behind their bubble.

‘One of our greatest achievements’ – Pep Guardiola on Manchester City winning 20 straight matches

“I don’t think he knew what he was doing. He gave the goal, why did he give it? I don’t know why VAR was getting involved, he said ‘goal’… you can look on the video if you want.

“Had he lost control of the game? Yeah, he did. Fact.”

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GARETH BALE’S BRACE HELPS SPURS SECURE CONVINCING VICTORY AGAINST BURNLEY

Gareth Bale scored in either half as Tottenham Hotspur comfortably returned to winning ways with a 4-0 victory over Burnley.

Bale opened the scoring after only 68 seconds when he converted Son Heung-min’s cross.

Jay Rodriguez had a header saved at the other end before Spurs asserted their dominance.

Bale’s sumptuous long pass picked out Harry Kane, who doubled the home side’s lead on 14 minutes.

Lucas Moura added a third just past the half-hour with a low shot from Sergio Reguilon’s cross.

And Bale sealed the win with his second strike in the 55th minute, curling in after another assist from Son.

Burnley’s Nick Pope prevented Spurs grabbing more goals with smart saves from Kane and Son.

Spurs move up to eighth with 39 points while a first defeat in five keeps Burnley in 15th on 28 points, five points above the bottom three.

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DUBRAVKA RETURN BACKFIRES AS GOALEE ERROR SECURE A POINT FOR WOLVES AT NEWCASTLE

Steve Bruce saw his decision to recall Martin Dubravka backfire as the Newcastle goalkeeper’s error denied his side a vital win in their bid to pull away from the Premier League relegation zone.

Dubravka allowed Ruben Neves’ 72nd-minute header to squirm past him as Wolves fought back to earn a point in what was a fifth consecutive 1-1 draw between the sides.

Slovakian international Dubravka looked rusty in his first Premier League start since July coming in for Karl Darlow. His weak attempt to keep out Neves’ first headed goal for the Molineux club left Newcastle boss Bruce facing questions over the selection, although the 32-year-old’s fine stoppage-time save from substitute Fabio Silva went a long way to atoning for his earlier mistake.

The hosts failed to take a succession of chances until a thumping second-half header from skipper Jamaal Lascelles put them in front. Neves ensured they had to settle for a draw and a victory for Fulham at Crystal Palace on Sunday would leave Newcastle just a point above the drop zone.

Their share of the spoils came at a cost as they lost influential forward duo Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron to injury. With top scorer Callum Wilson sidelined for another month, they are further potential absences Bruce can ill-afford.

Newcastle made most of the running before the break, and came close to breaking the deadlock when Almiron sprang an unconvincing Wolves offside trap from Jonjo Shelvey’s pass, only to see his shot hit the outside of the post after sliding the ball past Rui Patricio from a diminishing angle.

They also had the ball in the net, but Saint-Maximin’s close-range follow-up after the busy Patricio had saved from Joe Willock was correctly ruled offside.

The hosts were thankful for the intervention of the frame of the goal as Wolves belatedly showed signs of life towards the end of the first half when Dubravka was forced to unconvincingly shovel Adama Traore’s near-post header to safety with the help of a post.

Traore then left Emil Krafth trailing to provide the perfect cut-back for Pedro Neto to send a low shot tamely wide from a dozen yards when the unmarked midfielder ought to have done much better.

That improvement continued into the second period, but their habit of conceding first in games has become almost an addiction, and they fell behind for the 17th time this season.

After good work on the left by Saint-Maximin, Almiron’s replacement Ryan Fraser sent in an inviting centre from the right which Lascelles headed past Patricio at the keeper’s near post for the defender’s first Premier League goal for 16 months, his previous one coming against these same opponents.

Neves levelled with a 72nd-minute header low to Dubravka’s right which should have been saved, and as chances became more scarce, Joelinton should have won it in the final 10 minutes, only for the Brazilian’s shot to be cleared off the line by Romain Saiss.

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EPL: ARSENAL SECURE NINTH SPOT AFTER COME BACK WIN AT LEICESTER

David Luiz, Alexandre Lacazette and Nicolas Pepe were on target as Arsenal came from a goal down to beat Leicester City 3-1 at King Power Stadium.

Youri Tielemans put Leicester ahead on six minutes when he surged forward and fired past Bernd Leno into the far corner.

Arsenal levelled on 39 minutes when David Luiz headed in Willian’s well-worked free-kick.

The visitors took the lead on the stroke of half-time through Lacazette’s penalty, awarded after Wilfred Ndidi’s handball.

Leicester lost Harvey Barnes to injury six minutes into the second half and later lost Jonny Evans too.

The Gunners sealed their win on 52 minutes when Pepe tapped into an empty net from Willan’s cutback.

Arsenal rise to ninth with 37 points, one ahead of Tottenham Hotspur, who host Burnley on Sunday.

Leicester miss the chance to move up to second place. They are on 49 points, behind Manchester United on goal difference.