Blasphemy! A wee club in the north-east threaten sir Alex Ferguson's dominance!

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March Watch

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Premier League Table

The Contenders:

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Blackburn (1st; 86pts; +61) a draw against rivals Newcastle means Rovers don't hold things in their hands anymore despite still sitting first. It is far from over yet but Blackburn will need their opponents to drop points between now and the end of the season if they are to steal the title from the ruling champions.
0 Current first team injuries.

Newcastle (2nd; 83pts; +86) strategic draw at home with Blackburn means the Magpies missed on a great opportunity to return at the top of the league. Avoiding loss makes them red hot favourites though.
0 Current first team injuries.

Leeds (3rd; 70pts; +38) after a poor February Leeds recovered to win their only game this month and look rock solid in third. They appear to have little to play for in the league with the possibility of moving north or south the table purely mathematical.
2 Current first team injuries:
Brian Shea (DC/WBL/AML) 2-3 weeks (back strain)
Hamaye Fanta (M/AML) 2-3 months (torn hamstring)

Chelsea (4th; 62pts; +26) after taking the three points on offer for March, the Blues will be sweating over Manchester United's form with the Devils now breathing up their necks.
0 Current first team injuries.

Manchester United (5th; 60pts; +30) flawless Devils come back for a glorious victory over rivals City an set their eyes on a much coveted position in the top four.
1 Current first team injury:
Keith Sedgemore (MC) 4 weeks (sports hernia)

Liverpool (7th; 54pts; +9) failure to retrieve any points in March takes Liverpool further away from European football next season.
2 Current first team injuries:
Badji Soumbounou (AMRL/ST) 2-3 months (torn calf muscle)
Igor Gajic (DM/MC) 10 days (virus)

Other teams to watch:​

Manchester City (6th) lost to local rivals United and will need results to go their way or they will miss on Champions League position after flirting with it during the entire season.

Stoke, Birmingham and Derby remain in the bottom three for the fourth month in a row. Birmingham sparkled some hopes for survival but it's still pretty much doom and gloom for the teams in the drop zone.

March Player of the Month:
None

March Young Player of the Month:
None

March Manager of the Month:
None

Leading Goalscorers:
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Premier League
Round 32

Saturday 3rd April 2027:

Newcastle - Chelsea 5-2
van der Vaart (13, 45, 51), Bernal (56), Donaldson (84); Viviano (40, 61)
View attachment 352221View attachment 352222View attachment 352223

Blackburn - Leeds 5-1
Grimaldo o.g. (5), Boccaccini (25, 65, 89), Ismail Hakan Tosun (85); Le Gac (pen 20)
View attachment 352224View attachment 352225View attachment 352226

Liverpool - Manchester City 1-0
Mork (67)
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Manchester United - Everton 3-2
El Alagui (12), Shoretire (71), Flint (pen 78); Hyodo (50), Peric (80)
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League Table:

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Magnificent Magpies win over Chelsea halts Blackburn cutting the goal advantage

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Rob Lee
Published at 6:42PM, April 4 2027

Blackburn wouldn't give up - they are well aware we are likely to end up with matching points tally and boldly attempted to score more than us to cut our goal difference advantage. Sadly for them we were on top versus Chelsea, trashing them 5-2. Rovers demolished another title contender - Leeds - 5-1, meaning things pretty much stay as they were.

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Magpies batter Chelsea​

It wasn't always an easy affair against the Blues though. Credit must go to winger van der Vaart who bagged a hat-trick and single-handedly buried Chelsea after they looked set to cause us trouble in a jaded first half. Towering defender Bernal added another and wing back Donaldson completed the rout with a rare but valuable strike near the end.

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Can they win all games​

The big question now is will we or Rovers drop points and if not, is there a chance for them to outscore us. Right now we lead them by 24 goals and they have six games left, we are to play seven times. Here is a look at the fixture list:

[TABLE="width: 250, align: center"]
[TR]
[TD]Newcastle[/TD]
[TD]Blackburn[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Everton (H)[/TD]
[TD]Derby County (A)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Man City (A)[/TD]
[TD]West Ham (H)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Sunderland (A)[/TD]
[TD]Chelsea (A)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Man Utd (H)[/TD]
[TD]Everton (A)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Middlesbrough (A)[/TD]
[TD]Man City (H)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Tottenham (H)[/TD]
[TD]Sunderland (H)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Stoke (H)[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
 
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PUBLISHED: 20:51 GMT, 4 April 2027 | UPDATED: 20:55 GMT, 4 April 2027

Can we pull a top four rabbit out of the hat

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It will take no less than a Houdini special to see Liverpool in the Champions League next season. But while we are always on the edge of missing out we also manage to keep it possible. The latest win against Manchester City takes us on level points with them and just six shy of that elusive fourth place. Of course Manchester United occupy it and have two games in hand, although one of these is against title-chasing Newcastle.

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Treatment room never empty​

It has been a roller-coaster season so far. Disappointing start and too many injuries raised doubts about the new manager, then slightly improved form eased the pressure but even more injuries prevented the new recruits from blending as a team. As a matter of fact injuries defined our season and there is no doubt we have been hit the hardest amongst all teams contending for something meaningful this year.

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Is there a rabbit in the hat?​

Even now we don't look well prepared for a strong sprint to finish the season. What the lads have proven though is they can win every single game on their day. We are the only side other than Blackburn to take something from Newcastle so far, and can look back to a few great wins. The best we can do and the least we expect is to see the lads put their hands in the hat - and if there is no rabbit there, so be it. But if there is, pull and pull hard.
 
English Title Contenders European Watch

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Quarter Final First Leg

Tuesday 6th April 2027

Blackburn - Rubin 0-0
Ismail Hakan Tosun sent off (81)
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Chelsea - Juventus 5-1
Gutiérrez (9, 13), Gabriel (52), Viviano (67), Simon (82); Iodice (42)
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Wednesday 7th April 2027

Roma - Inter 4-1

Newcastle - Leeds 5-1
Thomas (19), Dong Dexin (25, 69), Diédhiou (42), Pilar (56); Aspinall (90+2)
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Aguilar hat-trick pulls Rovers six points clear
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By Kevin Gallacher.................iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.8:11 PM Sunday 11th April 2027 in Sport
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We are up for a thrilling end of the season with Rovers simply refusing to give up after Newcastle caught up in the league table. Many pundits talked about us crumbling under the pressure, a sight we have seen plenty of times when the Magpies initiate their charge in the closing stages. Whatever the outcome we can be proud for closing their mouths.

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Pundits wrong again​

A convincing win against rock bottom hosts Derby County means we are now six points clear and pressure is back on the reigning champions who need to win both their games in hand to catch up. While Luca Boccaccini managed yet another goal, credit for this success must go to unsung hero Aguilar, often left in the big shadow cast by our Italian striker. Aguilar is our second best scorer in the league, contributing the impressive 22 goals through the season. He bagged three of them against ten-man Derby in the second half and claimed a well-deserved man-of-the-match award.

View attachment 353411
Aguilar the unsung hero this season​

Rovers now have five league games left and know winning all of them could not be good enough for the title despite the current table. Instead of demobilizing the team this so far keeps the lads on their toes and results continue to impress. Let's hope it will go on and we will have something to celebrate for what is undoubtedly the best season we have ever had in the Premier League.
 
Big win in the North-East puts Devils in commanding position for top four

Gary Neville
Published at 8:17PM, April 11 2027

Visits in the North-East have rarely brought us positive emotions in recent seasons but even though it wasn't Newcastle we defeated this time, the convincing 6-1 win over Sunderland is no less important. We are now fourth in the table, four points behind Leeds and four points ahead of Chelsea with a game in hand to both of them.

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Successful return from the North-East​

This is why Sir Alex afforded to talk about Champions League in the post-match press conference. It is where he sees us next season and will accept nothing less than it. We have to be realistic and admit for a side considered sixth best favourite for the title back in August such an accomplishment must be looked at as success.

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Sir Alex needs to buy quality in the summer​

The victory against Sunderland is remarkable for another reason - it's our 20th in the league this season. It also produced four different Manchester United players on the scoresheet which must come as a comfort for a team so often criticized for lack of an established strikeforce. Critics do have a point though with El Alagui returning to Newcastle after his loan expires at the end of the season and Sir Alex will need to examine the market carefully to sign a replacement. He is well aware Champions League football might lure a better player - why not El Alagui himself if Newcastle are willing to sell?
 
English Title Contenders European Watch

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Quarter Final Second Leg

Tuesday 13th April 2027

Inter - Roma 2-0 (3-4)

Leeds - Newcastle 1-0 (2-5)
Grimaldo sent off (62), Pöyry (62), Makhanya sent off (81), Jones sent off (90+1); Walden sent off (84)
View attachment 353422View attachment 353423View attachment 353424

Wednesday 14th April 2027

Rubin - Blackburn 1-2 (1-2)
Hostalek (1); Obi (19), Aguilar (90+2)
View attachment 353427View attachment 353428

Juventus - Chelsea 3-1 (4-6)
Chakraborty (12), Paredes (29), Viviano o.g. (67); Viviano (78)
View attachment 353425View attachment 353426​
 
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Premier League
Round 34

Saturday 17th April 2027:

Blackburn - West Ham 5-1
Boccaccini (31, 61, 75), Aguilar (38), Obi (42); Magni (71)
View attachment 353454View attachment 353455

Liverpool - Sunderland 1-0
Amponsah o.g. (39)
View attachment 353456View attachment 353458

Leeds - Derby County 3-0
Jovetic (11), Le Gac (16), Chumak (45+1)
View attachment 353461View attachment 353462

Sheffield Wednesday - Chelsea 1-2
Koné (49); Benoist (6), Gutiérrez (87)
View attachment 353466View attachment 353468

Sunday 18th April 2027:

Manchester United - Tottenham 5-2
Blasi (7), Amadou (8), van Dijk (12), El Alagui (33), Traoré (75); Beresford (23), Griezmann (60)
View attachment 353469View attachment 353470

Newcastle - Everton 2-0
Priestley (58), Bernal (90+1)
View attachment 353471View attachment 353472

League Table:

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Marcelino = Di Matteo?
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Tony Cascarino Commentary
Last updated at 8:12PM, April 18 2027

With Manchester United hitting top form exactly when it mattered, Chelsea found themselves out of the sacred fourth position. Things are well out of the hands of the Blues and all they can do now is keep winning and hope. A draw against Sheffield Wednesday would have all but sealed their fate - and most likely the manager's as well, but a dramatic 87th minute winner from American midfielder Julio Jesús Gutiérrez spared the misfortune. For now.

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Dramatic winners not the right emotion​

Roman Abramovich was looking at his watch with joy over how close his club came to a premature end of Champions League hopes and while he was laughing with relief it is not the sort of emotions he is looking for after investing so heavily. Chelsea have five games to overcome a four point deficit and overcome the Devils and current form says little to suggest such outcome could be on the cards.

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Similarities with Chelsea's greatest season​

Of course there is always a possibility for Marcelino to relive the Di Matteo scenario by winning the Champions League, a feat which will make him untouchable over the summer. For this to happen though Chelsea must come with a major upset against massive favourites Newcastle in the Semi Final of the competition and then go on and win the Final. It doesn't seem any more likely than overtaking Manchester United in the league table but the same was said when Di Matteo's side met mega favourites Barcelona back in the single season Chelsea managed to win the Champions League and we all know how that ended.
 

Nervous Everton win relieves pressure

View attachment 353479
Rob Lee
Published at 8:14PM, April 18 2027

It was the first time in a very long while Newcastle failed to score in a match but that sequence came to an end in the midweek Champions League second leg against Leeds. Even though we had done our job at home a 1-0 loss against a team which ended with 8 players on the pitch was always going to haunt the lads.

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Too many attacks ended this way​

Hristov fielded an entirely different squad for the home clash against Everton but nevertheless it seemed the players were a little short of confidence in front of goal. It took a full hour to finally see Jim Priestley break the deadlock before Bernal slotted a late second to wrap the points. Considering the sheer number of chances Hristov was understandably disappointed with the margin of the win, especially after Blackburn showed no signs of slowing down the previous day.

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Worrying signs of mental fatigue​

Only time will tell if this drop in performances is a real tendency we need to worry about or just a minor blip but Hristov cannot afford to ignore the signs of mental fatigue with so much at stake. The decisive clashes in the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup are still ahead and we must remain sharp to meet the expectations of another glorious season at Tyneside.
 
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Premier League
Postponed fixtures

Wednesday 21st April 2027:

Manchester City - Newcastle 0-3
Dong Dexin (5), Pilar (47, 73)
View attachment 353486View attachment 353487

Chelsea - Arsenal 1-0
Palmer (56)
View attachment 353483View attachment 353484

Manchester United - Crystal Palace 3-0
Amadou (17), Wilshere (25), Traoré (77)
View attachment 353488View attachment 353489

Everton - Liverpool 3-0
Peric (8, 84), Karadza (64); Ramírez sent off (9)
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League Table:

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Premier League
Round 35

Saturday 24th April 2027:

Sunderland - Newcastle 1-3
Meyer (40); Leomar (44, 81), Rush (74)
View attachment 353505View attachment 353506

Chelsea - Blackburn 2-4
Benoist (42, 79); Obi (21), Espinoza (37), Maldonado (46), Josué (87)
View attachment 353502View attachment 353503View attachment 353504

West Ham - Leeds 2-1
Lukaku (66), Ivancic (82); Pöyry (6), Foose sent off (45+1)
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Tottenham - Liverpool 1-2
Beresford (1); Ólafsson (23), Gajic (78)
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Middlesbrough - Manchester United 0-0
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League Table:

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