Premier League
Table
MANCHESTER UNITED will take a one-point lead into their clash with Chelsea on Saturday after a 4-0 thrashing of Bolton Wanderers made it seven successive wins in all competitions.
Dimitar Berbatov scored twice as Sir Alex Ferguson's men responded in perfect fashion to Chelsea's big win against Aston Villa.
Frank Lampard scored four goals, including the 150th goal in his Chelsea career, as the Blues made light work of Didier Drogba's absence by hammering Villa 7-1.
That made it 12 goals in a week after an earlier 5-0 beating of hapless Portsmouth ensured Chelsea put their Champions League exit and 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers behind them.
With the top two meeting, Arsenal cannot be discounted from the title race even though a 1-1 draw at Birmingham City ended a fine run of six successive league wins and left them four points off the top.
The Gunners were written off after successive losses to Manchester United and Chelsea at the start of February but their recent run has given them an outside chance going into the final stretch.
Arsenal's North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur have put themselves in prime position to take the coveted fourth Champions League spot with 58 points from 31 matches.
On the night Spurs were busy reaching the FA Cup semi final by beating Fulham 3-1, two of their main rivals for fourth place suffered poor results.
Manchester City lost at home to Everton, their first home league defeat of the season, while Aston Villa could only manage a 1-1 draw with Sunderland.
To be fair to Harry Redknapp's Tottenham team, they are not just relying on the poor results of others but, with five league wins in a row, they are finally taking control of their own destiny.
Perhaps it is just as well that Spurs are building up their points though, as they face Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United in the space of 10 days in April.
Manchester City are just two points behind Tottenham but also face Arsenal and Manchester United in that same fascinating April period.
That fixture news is a boost to sixth-placed Liverpool who need all the help they can get. The Reds are two further points behind on 54, having played a game extra to both Spurs and City.
A painful 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford to United was Liverpool's 10th league loss.
But a decent run-in and recent wins against Portsmouth (4-1) and Sunderland (3-0) have reignited Reds' hopes that fourth place can yet be secured.
Hopes are fading fast at Aston Villa who are performing the same second half of the season collapse as last year, falling seven points off Spurs' pace.
The 7-1 mauling at Stamford Bridge may have been Villa's first league loss in 2010 but seven draws out of 10 games has left Martin O'Neill's men playing catch-up with time running out.
At the bottom, time is due to be called on Portsmouth's Premier League status after their nine-point deduction for going to administration was ratified.
The decision left Pompey on just 10 points until a dramatic 3-2 home win against Hull City put them on 13 points, two points better off than Derby County's all-time record.
But Pompey lost their four other games in March and could be relegated on Saturday if they lose and either West Ham United or Hull win. That is sure to be the start of a tough summer ahead at Fratton Park.
Burnley are odds-on to follow Pompey through the trapdoor after a 1-0 home defeat to bitter rivals Blackburn made it just one point from 24 for Brian Laws' men.
The final place looks set to be a fight between West Ham and Hull who are both on 27 points after the Hammers lost for the sixth time in a row while the Tigers beat Fulham 2-0.
West Ham's latest defeat, against Stoke City at home, caused manager Gianfranco Zola to consider his position but he has since vowed to carry on.
By contrast, Hull have changed manager at this late stage with Phil Brown's eventful reign ended and Iain Dowie brought in on a short-term contract of nine games.
The 3-2 loss to Portsmouth was hardly the best of starts but that win against Fulham and a better run in than West Ham have given Hull hope of pulling off another great escape.
Wigan Athletic, four points clear on 31 points, and Bolton and Wolverhampton Wanderers, on 32 points, could yet be dragged back into bother.
But improved form from all of those clubs, particularly Wolves who are unbeaten in four, suggest that this will not be the case.
The Championship
Table
NEWCASTLE UNITED beat third-placed Nottingham Forest 2-0 to record a seventh successive home win and put themselves in sight of the finish line.
The Magpies are unbeaten at home all season but faced a tough challenge from Forest until second half goals from Shola Ameobi and Jose Enrique finally killed off Billy Davies' men.
Ameobi, brought on as a sub on his comeback from injury, turned and took an early shot which went in off the post to the break the deadlock after a fascinating 71 minutes.
Then, in stoppage time, he set up Enrique with a perfect back heel for the Spaniard's long-awaited first ever career goal with low, well-drilled shot.
The win puts Newcastle on 83 points from 39 matches, four clear of West Bromwich Albion in second, and 13 clear of Forest.
That means West Brom hold a nine-point advantage over Forest in second place and the Baggies are also in better form with 16 points from their last 18.
Incredibly, Forest held the last unbeaten away record in the league which lasted until the end of January.
But, ever since losing the record at bitter rivals Derby County, they have fallen apart on the road and seven successive away losses look set to consign them to playoffs.
In the playoffs, there is the possibility of two local derbies with Forest currently joined by East Midlands rivals Leicester City and South Wales pair Cardiff City and Swansea City.
Forest, on 70 points, are almost assured of a top-six place while Cardiff are on 65 points and Swansea have 62 points. Even sixth-placed Leicester, on 61 points, are clear of the chasing pack.
Only seventh-placed Blackpool, on 57 points, and eighth-placed Doncaster Rovers, on 55 points are within two wins of breaking into the playoff pack.
Any challenge from Middlesbrough and Sheffield United, both on 54 points, looks set to be made too late.
Peterborough also look set to be soon put out of the misery at the bottom.
Four successive losses, including a 4-0 reverse at Scunthorpe United, has left Posh 13 points adrift of safety with just six games left.
Paul Mariner's Plymouth Argyle are also in deep trouble, after failing to take proper advantage tonight of their game in hand in a 0-0 home draw with Barnsley.
The stalemate comes on the back of Saturday's 2-0 home defeat against Blackpool and leaves the Pilgrims second-bottom on 38 points, five adrift of safety.
But the battle to avoid the final relegation place looks like it could go to the wire.
Crystal Palace, on 42 points, currently occupy 22nd after their 10-point deduction for going into administration.
But tonight's win against fourth-bottom Watford was massive and closed the gap to the Hornets to just one point, though Watford have played a game less.
Sheffield Wednesday also gained a recent vital win against Watford but the Owls are just one point further clear having drawn the other four of their last five matches.
Queens Park Rangers and Scunthorpe United, both on 47 points in 18th and 19th, can consider themselves far enough away from any real danger.
That is a particular good achievement for the Irons who were promoted from League One last season via the playoffs.
League One
Table
NORWICH CITY extended their lead over Leeds United to 11 points after a 1-0 win at Carrow Road in the clash of the top two in League One.
Chris Martin scored in the 89th minute to strengthen even further the Canaries' stranglehold on the division while Leeds face the prospect of throwing it all away.
United had stormed the first half of the season losing just once in the league until January and beating Manchester United in the FA Cup at Old Trafford.
But three wins and six defeats in 15 matches since that magnificent afternoon has seen their place at the top long since usurped by Norwich - and now even the lead over the chasing pack has gone.
Millwall, in third, are level on 71 points with Leeds after a 5-0 thrashing of Stockport County.
That made it 12 wins and just one defeat from 15 games and so the Lions are clearly in much better form than their Yorkshire rivals.
It showed when the pair met last Monday. Kenny Jackett's men ran out deserved 2-0 winners to continue their excellent recent run and leave Leeds manager Simon Grayson wondering where it all went wrong.
Swindon Town, in fourth just a further point back on 70, have also mounted a sustained recent challenge with just two defeats since Christmas.
Oddly, both of those came in the same week at the start of March against Bristol Rovers and Milton Keynes Dons.
But since then, the Robins have recorded three tense 1-0 wins and got a good draw at Norwich City to recover their confidence.
Fifth-placed Charlton Athletic are now just three points off Leeds, and so cannot be discounted but they will have to improve their patchy recent form.
The Addicks have taken just two points from their last three games, and lost 4-0 to Millwall who look the better bet from London, having beaten all their main rivals in February and March.
Colchester United currently occupy the final playoff spot on 65 points and, despite a run of six games without a win, seventh-placed Huddersfield Town are still their only challengers.
The Terriers have only won one of their last six to lie three points further back with eighth-placed Bristol Rovers well behind on 58 points.
One team that would have been in the mix for the top six is Southampton, only for their deduction of ten points to undermine their challenge.
Nevertheless, the Saints still salvaged something from the season with a 4-1 win in the final of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy at Wembley in front of an attendance of 73,476. Carlisle United were the runners-up.
At the bottom, the only thing that Stockport County look like winning is the League One wooden spoon as the struggling Hatters failed to score in March, taking just one point from 18.
Better news came off the pitch today with administrators announcing that a new bid to take over the stricken club is imminent.
But the latest dreadful run on the pitch leaves County on 24 points, eight points away from second-bottom Wycombe Wanderers and 15 adrift of safety.
Wycombe's chances of escaping relegation are also slim - the Chairboys are seven points adrift of safety - and each of their last four games have ended in draws when wins are needed.
Third-bottom Southend United reached 37 points after a fine recent 3-0 win over Walsall.
But that success was an exception to the rule for the financially-troubled Shrimpers who have just that one win in 14 games.
Nevertheless, Southend still have a real chance of preserving their League One status if they can pick up some form as it is incredibly tight at the bottom.
Tranmere Rovers, in 21st place on 38 points, are currently in the last relegation spot but only four points separate the seven clubs from 16th to 22nd.
Rovers are one point away from safety and also have a game in hand on Hartlepool United who are just one place outside the relegation zone.
League Two
Table
ROCHDALE brushed aside Grimsby Town 4-1 to make it 16 points out of their last 18 in their charge for the League Two title.
The Dale scored four goals for the third time in March to reach 78 points, 10 points clear of second-placed Notts County and 13 ahead of Rotherham United in fourth.
Notts County are also on a good run - the Magpies have lost just once in 15 games - to make good on their early-season promise.
Of course, County are already a different club to those heady days last summer when Munto finance group launched ambitious plans of Premier League football.
That experiment failed but, two managers later, County have put themselves in a good position to ensure they still go up this season.
County are on 68 points from 36 games, one point ahead of Bournemouth who are in the final automatic promotion spot in third, having played 38 matches.
The Cherries have been inconsistent recently, failing to put together consecutive wins since the start of February, and that will give the chasing pack some hope though none of them has any games in hand.
Rotherham are by far the closest challengers, lying in fourth on 65 points, with Chesterfield and Bury further back in fifth and sixth on 61 points.
Aldershot Town are in the last playoff spot on 60 points - but, rather than chasing automatic promotion, the Shots are more concerned with staying in the top seven.
There are still plenty of clubs who may yet break into the playoffs with five clubs within six points of Aldershot.
At the bottom, matters are much more clear-cut. Darlington may have won for just the fifth time this season.
But those three points against playoff-chasing Shrewsbury Town followed another painful run of just two points from a possible 30, leaving the Quakers well adrift.
Darlington, on 19 points, are still 16 points adrift of safety with 10 games left.
Grimsby Town have been with Darlington in the relegation zone since early in the season and went 25 games without a win from September until March.
But shortly after beating the struggling Shrews 3-0, the Mariners followed it up with another impressive home win, 3-2 against Bournemouth.
Nevertheless, it seems unlikely that Grimsby will do enough to get out of trouble with only third-bottom Cheltenham Town within a catch-able distance.
The Robins are four points clear of Grimsby with a game in hand and enjoyed surely the most extraordinary win of the English football season in mid-March.
Substitute striker Michael Pook scored a hat-trick in the last six minutes, including two in stoppage time, to turn the match completely on its head.
Still trailing 5-3 with three minutes left, having been 2-0 down and level at 2-2, Cheltenham eventually prevailed 6-5.
Blue Square Premier
Table
STEVENAGE BOROUGH beat long time leaders Oxford United 1-0 to extend their lead at the top to five points as they bid for promotion to the league for the first time in their history.
Scott Laird scored from the spot early in the second-half to give Boro their ninth win in 10 games and a big advantage with seven matches left.
Free-scoring Luton Town moved above Oxford into second place after a 4-0 home win against Salisbury City.
That made it 18 goals in three games for the Hatters who have now won their last seven in a row.
Luton are five points adrift of Stevenage having played a game more and they travel to the league leaders next in the division's biggest game this season.
Oxford, who led the league from the end of August until the start of March, have dropped away badly in the last month with just one win in their last seven games.
That leaves the Us on 73 points, now eight adrift of Stevenage, and it looks like it will be the playoffs at the Kassam Stadium.
There, they should be joined by Rushden & Diamonds, who beat Kettering 3-0 to extend their run to one defeat in 16 games and put a massive dent in the Poppies' own ambitions.
Instead, York City look good for a top five place. They are now eight points clear of Kettering having got their season back on track in recent weeks.
After six matches without a win, the Minstermen have won three of their last four, which most recently includes a 4-0 thrashing of Grays Athletic.
That leaves Grays well adrift at the bottom of the rejigged Blue Square Premier table following Chester City's dismissal from the league.
All of Chester's results were expunged, a controversial decision which benefited some clubs more than others.
But Grays are going down regardless of what has happened to Chester. Just three wins all season, one success in their last 25 games, has left Grays on just 20 points, 17 adrift of safety.
The other two spots are much harder to call with just four points separating the five teams between 18th and 22nd.
Ebbsfleet United, on 35 points, are currently second-bottom after five matches without a win but third-bottom Forest Green Rovers, on 36 points, have real hope after three successive victories.
That run leaves them just one point behind Eastbourne Borough with two games in hand, though they also enjoyed a vital win.
That came against Gateshead who are just a point above Eastbourne in 17th place.
Tamworth, in 18th on 39 points, cannot be discounted from the dogfight after a run of just one win in 11 games
FA Cup Quarter Finals
JOHN CAREW hit a hat-trick as Aston Villa came from 2-0 down to beat Reading 4-2 and reach Wembley for a second time this season.
Shane Long scored twice as, backed by a raucous crowd at the Madejski Stadium, the in-form Royals took advantage of an out-of-sorts Villa in the first half.
But Martin O'Neill team talk worked wonders and Villa were level within six minutes of the restart as Ashley Young slammed home from close range and Carew got his first.
A clear penalty gave Carew his second goal and made it 3-2 before a break deep into stoppage time completed a fantastic turnaround.
Villa will be hoping for a different result under the Wembley Arch after their Carling Cup final defeat to Manchester United.
But they face just as stern a test in Chelsea after the Blues deservedly beat Stoke City 2-0.
Frank Lampard opened the scoring on 35 minutes with a deflected effort from the edge of the box.
England team mate John Terry added a second midway through the second half with a trademark header from a corner.
Stoke rarely threatened with their best effort through Dean Whitehead cleared off the line by John Obi Mikel.
By contrast, Chelsea were fired up for the tie and only a string of saves from Stoke keeper Thomas Sorensen prevented the winning margin from being even greater.
Meanwhile, 2008 winners Portsmouth are back at Wembley for a semi final with Harry Redknapp's Tottenham Hotspur after beating Birmingham City 2-0 at Fratton Park.
Frederic Piquionne scored twice as rock-bottom Pompey continue to save their best performances for the Cup.
Birmingham started the brighter in a match of few chances and David James brilliantly denied Cameron Jerome.
The second half was slightly better but Pompey's first only came after a goalmouth scramble was bundled home by Piquionne on 67 minutes.
Within three minutes, Pompey and Piquionne had their second after a neat finish from the Frenchman.
Birmingham struggled to find a way back into the game but missed out on a tense finale after the officials ruled incorrectly that Liam Ridgewell's header had not crossed the line.
Redknapp renews acquaintances with Portsmouth as Tottenham eventually overcame Fulham after a poor 0-0 stalemate at Craven Cottage set up a replay at White Hart Lane.
The Cottagers, looking to reach their first Cup final since 1975, shocked Spurs by taking a 17th-minute lead through Bobby Zamora excellent finish.
Fulham held the lead comfortably until half time but David Bentley's introduction after the break turned the tie around.
Within two minutes of the restart, Spurs were level after Bentley's whipped a free-kick from out wide on the left which evaded everyone on its way in.
Bentley then beat his man down the right and crossed for another substitute, Roman Pavlyuchenko, to volley Spurs into the lead.
A third was inevitable for the rampant home side and duly arrived when Luka Modric played in Eidur Gudjohnsen to round off the action with a quarter of the tie still to play.
Results:
Chelsea 2-0 Stoke City
Fulham 0-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Portsmouth 2-0 Birmingham City
Reading 2-4 Aston Villa
Replay:
Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Fulham
FA Cup Semi Final Draw
Saturday 10th April (17:00, ITV)
Aston Villa v Chelsea
Sunday 11th April (16:00, ITV)
Tottenham Hotspur v Portsmouth
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