Chelsea 1-0 Reading FT

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By Sam Lyon

2205: That's it from me people - you've all been utter legends tonight, nice chatting with you. Don't forget to check out Match of the Day on BBC1 and the website at 2240 for all the goals, analysis and, erm, what not. Seeya!

2200 - PLAYER RATER
Have your say on our player-rater people. Michael Ballack, Martin Petrov, Jonathan Woodgate, Cristiano Ronaldo and Mark Noble are those leading the way at the moment, but there's plenty of time for you to up the scores of Lauren, Chimbonda and Lita, should you so decide... quite why you would, I don't know...

"I've been amazed at Liverpool fans continually asking: "Are we out of the title race now then?" You've not been in it for months!"
Nick "LOVE" Flack on 606

"I can't believe it...a Spurs 0-0 draw? I can't remember one of those ;)"
SussexByTheSea on 606

2153 - FULL-TIME Everton 0-0 Tottenham
Tottenham breakaway in the last chance of the match, but Berbatov - who has had a frustrating night - can't get his shot away. The referee blows up and, on balance, neither side will be too unhappy with that considering other results this evening.

2151 - FULL-TIME Man Utd 2-0 Portsmouth
Deserved and could have been a whole lot more for United.

2147: Steed Malbranque is convinced he's earned a penalty for Tottenham but his appeals are waved away. Joleon Lescott did appear to make contact on the Frenchman, but it was minimal. That's one penalty appeal each turned down.

2146: It really could've been a goalfest at Old Trafford - substitute Carlos Tevez breaks through on the right and smashes one goalbound, but David James parries to keep it at two.

"The writing is on the wall. Liverpool have never parted with a manager mid season but this is now too much."
platinumRedLiver on 606

2143: Phil Jagielka does well for Everton - blocking Dimitar Berbatov's goalbound shot well as Tottenham rally late on at Goodison.

2142 - FULL-TIME West Ham 1-0 Liverpool
Barely time to restart at Upton Park and the Londoners snatch a deserved victory.

2141 - FULL-TIME Derby 1-1 Man City
It's 1-1 for the fourth time running between these sides at Pride Park.

2140 - GOAL West Ham 1-0 Liverpool
Mark Noble steps up... and sends the ball into the corner with a peach of a spot-kick! Liverpool's poor form continues and Rafael Benitez's reign hangs by a thread I reckon.

2139 - PENALTY!
Freddie Ljungberg is felled by Jamie Carragher and the Hammers have a golden opportunity to snatch it.

2137 - FULL-TIME Chelsea 1-0 Reading
More comfortable than it would appear at the Bridge and Chelsea stay third.

2135: Rare half-chance for Tottenham at Goodison, but Pascal Chimbonda fails to get the ball back in the box with a tame header that drifts out for a goal kick.

2133: Time running out for the 1945 kick-offs and not much occurring right now...

2132: Tyrone from Corrie - oh yes - is spotted at Goodison Park. Celeb spot and a half that huh?

2131: Ji-Sung Park and Nani both have decent chances to extend their lead but once again Pompey clear their lines. Ronaldo and Rooney are replaced by Tevez and Hargreaves.

2129: Not many goals about tonight huh? Going through a bit of a quiet phase at the moment, which has enabled me to observe some of the highly amusing 'street' chat on 606. Tut tut people, keep it clean and on point please...

2128: Woodgate is moving well again. Understandably, he's looking just a wee bit tired.

2126: Crockwatch - Jonathan Woodgate starts to limp for Spurs at Goodison Park...

2124: Reading midfielder John Oster curls a free-kick narrowly over the Chelsea bar from 20 yards - and he is immediately replaced by Marek Matejovsky. Bit harsh for me, it wasn't that bad...

2122: Ronaldo - never rated him *cough* - Rooney robs Sol Campbell and the ball falls to the Portuguese winger with just the keeper to beat, however Ronaldo can only fluff his left-foot shot wide of the upright.

"I believe the name Lyon is pronounced the same way as you would pronounce lion (the animal)."
CheeseyJoeTorres on 606

2119: It may have been going wide, but Robert Green saves well from Fernando Torres' first shot on goal from six yards. Should have done better, there, the Spaniard.

2118: Radek Cerny comes to Tottenham's rescue at Goodison Park, saving well after Fernandes' brilliant pass set Andy Johnson free in the box.

"Sam, do you pronounce your surname like the football club or the cake manufacturer?"
Cen, Manchester via text

2115: Wayne Rooney is the latest to show his profligate side in front of goal at Old Trafford, keeper Edwin van der Sar's long ball sending him through on goal, but the England man's attempted lob is only just short of hopeless...

2114: Another stat for you fellow saddos out there - the last three matches between Derby and Man City at Pride Park have ended 1-1. Spooky...?

2111: Liverpool substitute Leiva Lucas, who came on for Harry Kewell, fires his eight-yard shot narrowly wide from Torres' low right-wing cross.

2110: Robbie Keane works a bit of space for Spurs at Goodison Park but his curled effort is easily saved by keeper Tim Howard.

2109 - GOAL Derby 1-1 Man City
Daniel Sturridge - former Derby star Dean Sturridge's nephew - scores his second in two games, prodding in well from Martin Petrov's cross. It's the 18-year-old's first start for City and he has yet to get 90 minutes under his belt at the top level.

2108: It should be two at Stamford Bridge - Nicolas Anelka, unmarked eight yards out, contrives to head straight at Hahnemann from Wayne Bridge's cross and the American keeper saves easily.

2106: So close for Everton at Goodison Park as Mikel Arteta sends a beautiful cross-shot across goal but it evades Anichebe and drifts to safety. Tottenham hanging on at the start of this half just as they were at the end of the last.

2104: Man Utd gets things restarted at Old Trafford... seconds before Spurs do the same at Goodison Park.

2102: Luis Boa Morte again should have done better at Upton Park, slashing wide from eight yards.

2101: Alex gets away with one at the Bridge - the defender flying at Stephen Hunt with two feet but the referee takes no action. Meanwhile, Man City attempt to turn the tide by bringing Elano on at Pride Park.

"GOAL Derby 1-0 Man City? Could someone at the BBC sort out all these misprints please?"
cantonabeachsoccer on 606

2058: West Ham go up the other end and Freddie Ljungberg should have done better but failed to make contact McCartney's floated cross at the far post.

2057: Chance for Liverpool - Harry Kewell fails to connect with Dirk Kuyt's right-wing cross from four yards out.

2055 - PLAYER-RATER
Unsurprisingly, Ronaldo is your best player in the Man Utd-Pompey tie on 8.71, with Glen Johnson best rated for Pompey on 6.17. Mikel Arteta and Jonathan Woodgate are leading the way on around the seven mark in the Everton-Tottenham match.

2052 - GOAL Derby 1-0 Man City
Jubbly! Blueman15 owes me a house and wooden-bricks is eating a boot (see 606)! Kenny Miller 'drills' in the opener via a huge deflection off the unfortunate Sun Jihai. It goes down as an own goal against Man City and the Rams are dreaming of survival once more.

2051: ...and that's West Ham and Derby back underway too.

2050: Back underway at Stamford Bridge and just twelve seconds after the restart Joe Cole breaks free on the right and drills goalwards, the ball missing the far post by inches.

2048 - HALF-TIME: Everton 0-0 Tottenham

2047: Spurs finally push on a touch late in the half but this half has all been about Everton and Jonathan Woodgate...

2046 - HALF-TIME: Man Utd 2-0 Portsmouth

2042: Pompey are really hanging on - Nani goes close this time with a driven shot left-footed just past the post. While there are only two goals in it, though...

"Liverpool - please at least try and play like a team worthy of being in the Uefa Cup, never mind the Champions League!
Alex, Cheltenham via text

2040: PLAYER RATER
Michael Ballack leads your ratings in the Chelsea-Reading clash on 7.45, with Leroy Lita on just 4.25. Richard Dunne is your top man in the Derby-Man City game on 7.67, despite the fact he's had very little to do. In the West Ham-Liverpool match, Fernando Torres leads the way - and that is again strange given West Ham's dominance.

2038: Another chance goes begging at Old Trafford, Wayne Rooney this time the guilty party as he fails to make the most of Patrice Evra's neat cut-back.

2036: Everton have penalty appeals turned down as Andrew Johnson tumbles under a challenge from Tom Huddlestone. There is contact, but it is clearly accidental, despite anger around Goodison Park.

2035 - HALF-TIME Derby 0-0 Man City

2034 - HALF-TIME West Ham 0-0 Liverpool
Another chance for the Hammers just before the break, Carlton Cole's effort blocked by Yossi Benayoun. It would have been a deserved lead for the Hammers...

2033 - HALF-TIME: Chelsea 1-0 Reading

2029: Woodgate is certainly imposing himself early on for Spurs and it is only his block that denies Leighton Baines handing Everton the lead at Goodison Park, the �7m signing charging down the left-back's shot from eight yards out. Seconds later Radek Cerny gets down well to save from Andy Johnson. Spurs hanging on a bit at the moment.

2026: The chat is that Liverpool just haven't got into the game at Upton Park. And, erm, that's about it at the moment. I'll keep you posted.

2025: It could have been three at Old Trafford - Wes Brown blazes over from a corner with the goal gaping.

2023: City race up the other end and only a fabulous block from Claude Davis prevents Stephen Ireland's shot going in.

2022: Robert Earnshaw - who has a collection of stars shaved into his bonce like an absolute dipstick - turns brilliantly in the Man City box and crashes a fine effort against the post. Wooden-bricks was almost up the creek then without so much as a paddle (see 1923)...

2020 - GOAL Chelsea 1-0 Reading
Michael Ballack grabs his third goal of the season with a bullet header from Paolo Ferreira's pinpoint cross.

2019: Woodgate is being kept plenty busy at Goodison Park but he is acquitting himself well so far. And no injury. Erm, so far.

"Kaka please hand the golden boot over to Ronaldo, there's no competition."
vaughnanichebe on 606

2018: It didn't take long, Ronnie is now up to 9.35. Good work people, you're correcting your mistakes almost as quickly as I do...

2017: Liverpool survive after Xabi Alonso inadvertently flicks a header on to his crossbar from a free-kick swung in by West Ham's Mark Noble.

2015: Blood at Pride Park! Lewis Price as taken a bit of a whack on the face, bless him, but he should be ok...

2014 - GOAL Man Utd 2-0 Portsmouth
Unbelievable from Cristiano Ronaldo - a trademark free-kick, which can only be described as a toe-poke, flies over the wall and into the top corner with David James unmoved. Believe it or not, you people are rating Glen Johnson higher than Ronaldo in your Player Raters at the moment. You wallies.

2013: All the chances are falling for Darius Vassell. First he heads over a fantastic cross from Martin Petrov and then he brings down a ball over the top only to get his legs in a tangle right in front of the keeper.

2011 - GOAL Man Utd 1-0 Portsmouth
Goal at United - and who else? Nani slips Cristiano Ronaldo through on goal and the Portuguese winger lifts the ball calmly over Pompey keeper David James. No less than the Reds deserve, that.

2010: Shaun Wright-Phillips bursts through on goal but 'giant' Reading keeper Marcus Hahnemann (my correspondent's words not mine) spreads himself well to block.

2009: Oooh - almost a goal for those Happy Hammers - George McCartney's long throw causes havoc in the Liverpool box but Luis Boa Morte blazes over from eight yards.

2008: United on top at Old Trafford, with Paul Scholes pulling the strings, but still goalless. Can someone magic up a goal please?

2007: Derby produce their first meaningful attack, which ends with Kenny Miller shooting on the turn, but Joe Hart saves comfortably.

"Vassell played for England? I bet Sven was manager..."
theoposhloonatic on 606

2005: Joe Cole cuts in from the left for Chelsea and rifles a fine effort towards the far top corner, but Hahnemann palms it away well. Still 0-0 around the grounds.

2003: Jonathan Woodgate gets his first touch as a Spurs player at Everton. Unfortunately it wasn't the touch of a barber's...

"What are the odds on Berbatov scoring a hat-trick at Goodison Park but still looking frustrated? Or Defoe scoring a hat-trick but still not being picked next game?"
Tom, Winchester via text

2001: We're underway at Everton and Man Utd now.

1959: Darius Vassell - who used to play for England by the way - lets Derby off the hook once again as Martin Petrov finds him in approximately 367 yards of space in the Derby box only for the diminutive Man City striker to fluff his lines. Vassell will have to wait a little longer for his 50th Premier League goal...

"I have a stat Mr Lyon! Only one player plays his home football ground that shares his surname - Wayne Bridge for Chelsea. OK, some of the name. OK, that sucked."
bacon_trout on 606

1954: While over at the Bridge Michael Ballack gets the first shot on target, but his 20-yard free-kick is curled too tamely to really trouble Hahnemann.

1953: Former Hammer Yossi Benayoun goes close at Upton Park with a delicate chip that floats narrowly over Robert Green's goal.

1952: Unsurprisingly, Stephen Hunt is receiving something of a barracking at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea keeper Petr Cech, donned in his usual skullcap, will explain why to anyone in the dark...

1950: If early indications are anything to go by, Derby are in for yet another long, long night - Corluka this time goes close with a header narrowly over the bar from Martin Petrov's corner.

1949: First chance of the night at Pride Park - and it's a glorious one as Claude Davis makes a right rickett of a backpass only for Man City striker Darius Vassell to slip the one-on-one chance past the post.

1948: ...and now at Chelsea and West Ham.

1945: We're underway at Derby...

"Here's a stat for you. Since Abramovich bought Chelsea, the club have spent �286.5 million on transfers. He could buy 5 Eurofighters, buy 4,127 white lion cubs (though that many do not exist) or pay Reese Wetherspoon's salary in 19 films with that amount."
il_libero on 606

"What are the odds of Woodgate getting injured on his debut?"
Graham Thomas, Durham (and approximately 4,762 others) via text

"Leroy Lita for England anyone?"
jackalexandros on 606

1941: Did you know - West Ham and Liverpool last met exactly a year ago - 30 January 2007. Alright, it's not as good as the Man City woodwork stat below, but it aint half bad...

"Any chance of posting a video of you eating your kit wooden-brick when Derby score tonight?"
itsagame1a on 606

1936: Well, there's your team news people - make of it what you will. In the meantime, revel in the knowledge that Manchester City have hit the woodwork fewer than any other side in the Premier League - just once all season. Now THAT'S a stat peeps...

"What are the odds on Ronaldo not scoring tonight?"
Owen, Leicester via text

1929: TEAM NEWS
Man Utd boss Sir Alex Ferguson leaves Ryan Giggs out of the squad, while Carlos Tevez drops to the bench. Nemanja Vidic returns to partner Rio Ferdinand in defence, while Nani, Paul Scholes, and Park Ji-Sung all start. Portsmouth welcome back club captain Sol Campbell to the heart of their defence and Milan Baros makes his Pompey debut alongside Benjani.

"Re: 1923 - You try telling Mellberg and Laursen that they're small. Rather you than me..."
JonBetts2004 on 606

"I bet Steve Sidwell will be gazing at the Reading first 11 wondering what could have been! Any chance he can play as a float tonight and attack with whichever team has the ball, just like school yard games across the country?"
Irishjason via text

1925: TEAM NEWS
Tottenham hand an immediate debut to new signing Jonathan Woodgate. Chris Gunter comes in at left-back in place of Jamie O'Hara - who has moved into central midfield. Teemu Tainio makes way for O'Hara. Injury-hit Everton have some good news as Leighton Baines starts despite a recent ankle injury.

1924: TEAM NEWS
Derby boss Paul Jewell makes four changes to his team after the thumping FA Cup defeat by Preston - Rob Earnshaw, Dean Leacock, Craig Fagan and Darren Moore come in. Man City hand a first start to Daniel Sturridge, a Premier League debut to Kelvin Etuhu and also bring in Sun Jihai and Stephen Ireland.

1923: I told you I'd keep you people in the loop - Tottenham have confirmed that Wayne Routledge has signed for Aston Villa for �1.5m. Is it just me, or will the Villans have just about the smallest, fastest team ever known to man after this window? John Carew excepted, obviously...

"Hi Sam - I'll eat my football boot if Derby score tonight."
wooden-brick on 606

Anyone who knows wooden-brick, take note of this please and update me if the Rams knock one in...

1919: TEAM NEWS
Chelsea recall Paulo Ferreira in place of Juliano Belletti at right-back, while Michael Ballack shakes off a calf strain to replace Steve Sidwell, who only makes the bench against his old club Reading - for whom John Oster has recovered from an ankle injury and replaces Dave Kitson as boss Steve Coppell reshuffles his starting line-up.

1918: TEAM NEWS SNIPPET
Jonathan Woodgate makes his debut tonight for Tottenham.

1917: TEAM NEWS
West Ham striker Dean Ashton has recovered from his back injury but will occupy the bench with Luis Boa Morte and Carlton Cole chosen up front. Winger Julian Faubert (calf) fails to make the team. Liverpool midfielder Yossi Benayoun will start against his former club, Xabi Alonso comes in for the suspended Javier Mascherano and Dirk Kuyt partners Fernando Torres in attack.

"Sam, when was the last time Everton beat Spurs in the Premier League! That is a tough question my friend!"
Rolly22 on 606

Everton beat Spurs at White Hart Lane in August Rolly22. In fact, they are seeking their first double over Spurs in the league since 1985-86 - though Everton have won just one of their last 10 home games against Tottenham.

"You're right Sam, perhaps we can offer Pizzaro to Keegan - he's not even half decent! Chelsea all the way tonight, but let's hope Cech survives!"
Tom, Bangor via text

1913: To kick you off, here are a few... Reading have never won at Stamford Bridge, Man City and Everton have yet to be awarded a penalty in the league yet this season, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 25 goals in the last 27 games and Liverpool have not lost to West Ham in since November 1999.

I really need to get out more...

"I've decided that betting on a Liverpool draw will surely bring us a win, betting gods hate me."
Alex, Wirral via text

"You had an early encounter with the happy juice Sam?? Man U will win tonight!"
Pam, Thornton via text

1909: Let me also warn you - I've brushed up on my stats ahead of tonight's quintet of matches and I shall be dropping the best and the worst of them in at various points during this commentary. If you reckon you can match me in the boring stakes, have a go.

"Evening Mr/Ms (delete as applicable) Sam - Are there going to be many PLupsets tonight then? You journos never give your opinion!"
Blueman15 on 606

My opinion, Blueman15, is that I am a Mr.

1905: Of course some of you will be wondering how you can keep on top of all the latest to-ing and fro-ing happening inside your club as the January transfer window draws ever nearer to a close. Well, guess what, all the official news is here as well.

Web users can click on the link below, and I'll let you know if anything major happens at your club. And if you've heard a whisper or a rumour, let me know.

I'm tipping Cesc Fabregas to join Leyton Orient, Darlington to swoop for Cristiano Ronaldo and Newcastle to buy someone half decent. Alright, that last one is never going to happen...

1900: Hello peeps, welcome along to part two of our midweek Premier League extravaganza - settle in for five matches pulled, quite literally, from the very top drawer.

It's a busy ol' Wednesday and issues affecting the top, middle and bottom of the greatest league in the world* will be affected. Can Man Utd reclaim top spot? Can Liverpool get a first league win since Boxing Day? Can Derby stun even their own manager and get a first victory under Paul Jewell?

I'll have the answers to all those questions - and any others you little tykes want to throw my way - here, so hover that finger over the refresh button of your web, WAP and PDA devices and, equally importantly, get involved. I want your missives via text on 81111 and on 606. No excuses.