Everton 2-2 Tottenham

Everton fought back from two goals down to earn a point with Tottenham, who missed an injury-time penalty.
Jermain Defoe slotted in the opener at the near post, and Michael Dawson made it 2-0 with a diving header. 
Louis Saha volleyed in from eight yards to start Everton's comeback and Tim Cahill equalised when he stooped to head in Leighton Baines's cross. 
Defoe had a chance to win it after Wilson Palacios was fouled but Tim Howard saved the striker's spot-kick. 
It was a dramatic finale to a fine second half that swung one way and then another, but Spurs will be kicking themselves for throwing away a two-goal lead. 
The Londoners had looked to be cruising to victory - and third place in the table - after producing the more creative football for much of the afternoon. 
But Everton's never-say-die attitude paid off, and Howard's heroics meant the Toffees avoided a fourth consecutive league defeat.
Everton manager David Moyes:
"I thought we deserved a bit of luck and the goalkeeper helped it. 
"The players had worked incredibly hard and had got stuck in. We tried to get something and because of that we earned some good fortune when it came around. 
"I thought when it went to two each if anyone was going to make it 3-2 it was going to be us rather than Tottenham." 
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp:
"We had control, we were 2-0 up and we couldn't see any danger. But suddenly they got a goal back, and Everton came on strong. 
"We had a great opportunity to win the game with the last-minute penalty but it wasn't to be. 
"It's frustrating, we threw away two points today."
www.bbc.co.uk

Everton - Benfica

Everton have noticed a run of six competitive games without a win (3 draws and 3 defeats). Main reason for that and for underachieving so far (only 3 wins from 10 games in Premier and 13^th place) is injury list where in one moment nine regular players appeared. Moyes still has a lots of problems with injured players, but beside Arteta (has repeated his knee injury and will be absent for a while) situation becomes better. The biggest problem lately, defense line should be decent with Hibbert, Yobo, Distin and Baines. In first game, Toffees got not a slap, but fist in the face (0-5). Moyes tried to rest some players, push some youngsters on the big scene and suffered pure humiliation. Louis Saha is in doubt, while John Heitinga and Lucas Neill are both ineligible. Everton have a great record in Europe at Goodison and have netted in all 10 of their European games at Goodison under David Moyes.

 

Benfica have decent squad and their performances so far look respectable. Strong midfield with Pablo Aimar as a playmaker, new Man.Utd. transfer target Ángel Di María on the wing and Saviola and Nuno Gomes in front scored 33 goals on last 10 games. But, the obvious is they’re not the same side on away games. For the weekend lost vs. Sporting Braga 0-2, in Europa League lost in Greece vs. AEK 0-1, before that in qualification were defeated from unknown Ukrainian side Vorskla 1-2. In fact they haven’t won in last seven European games on the road.  Manager Jorge Jesus will make some changes to first eleven. In front the goal will be Brazilian Júlio César who plays only in Europe, while mentioned Aimar should start the game from the bench.

 

Dignity is hurt and Everton seek revenge. No room for resting the players and I believe the best eleven will play (maybe without unfit Saha). Win tonight would boost team morale and game like this is necessary for getting back on track. Benfica won’t surrender, but would be absolutely satisfied with a draw. Little problem is bookies also got the latest team info and odds have decreased in past few hours. However, still worth of a bet. So, 1 dnb.

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Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Former Arsenal defender Sol Campbell, who left League Two Notts County last month after only one game with the club, is in talks to join West Brom.(Daily Mirror) 
Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas and Manchester City forward Robinho are the two main targets for European champions Barcelona this summer. Fabregas, though, has refused to respond to recent Spanish media rumours about a potential move. (Daily Mail)
Arsenal and Manchester City are ready to do battle for the signature of Barcelona's veteran defender Carles Puyol, according to reports in Spain.(Daily Mail) 
The agent of Inter Milan defender Maicon believes Manchester United have upped their interest in the Brazilian but insists there are no offers on the table. "United's interest in my client is not something new," he said. "They have been following him for a while."(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes will be given the funds to bring at least three new players to Eastlands this January to boost their Premier League title bid.(Daily Mail)
Roman Pavlyuchenko's agent expects to reopen negotiations over the Tottenham Hotspur striker's proposed moved to Zenit St Petersburg this January.(Daily Mail) 
The agent of former Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu has put a number of European clubs on alert by admitting his client could leave Serie A club Fiorentina in January.(Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Icelandic biscuit baron Eggert Magnusson is plotting to return as the new owner of West Ham. The 62-year-old previously held a 5% stake in the club from November 2006 to December 2007 as the figurehead of the consortium largely backed by Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, who relinquished control of the club in June 2009.(The Sun) 
Liverpool co-owner George Gillett is flying to Saudi Arabia next week for talks in a bid to sell his 50% stake in the club to Prince Faisal bin Fahd.(Daily Mirror )
Birmingham chairman David Gold is close to resigning and is set to follow David Sullivan and Karren Brady out of St Andrews following the takeover of the club by Hong Kong businessman Carson Yeung. (Daily Mirror) 
Former Manchester United chairman Martin Edwards fears the club could be thrown into financial ruin if current owners the Glazer family decide to leave Old Trafford.(Daily Mail)
The FA will call upon David Beckham and the Royal Family to boost their 2018 World Cup bid after the campaign was attacked by Fifa vice-president Jack Warner on Wednesday.(Daily Mirror) 
Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey has revealed that regular chats with boss Arsene Wenger have given him confidence to believe he can fulfil his potential.(The Sun) 
Ukrainian striker Andriy Shevchenko, now with Dinamo Kiev has launched an attack on his former boss at Chelsea Jose Mourinho, saying that the now Inter Milan boss rarely spoke to him during his time at Stamford Bridge.(Daily Mirror) 
Everton striker Louis Saha has admitted he almost quit football after being driven to the depths of despair by an injury jinx that wrecked his Manchester United career.(Daily Mail) 
Hull striker Caleb Folan, currently on loan at Middlesbrough, has hit back at Tigers manager Phil Brown, saying comments the latter made about the players attitude in training were "pathetic" and "childish".(Daily Star) 
Ipswich striker Kevin Lisbie, currently on loan at Colchester, says he would find it difficult to play under Town manager Roy Keane again after being told he was surplus to requirements at Portman Road this summer.(Daily Mirror) 

AND FINALLY

Burnley manager Owen Coyle, 43, played 72 minutes as a striker for the club's reserve side on Wednesday after injuries and international calls left them short of players.(The Sun) 
Manchester City have sent club doctor Jamie Butler on a 7,000 mile trip to Argentina to ensure that Pablo Zabaleta, who has a hamstring injury, is not selected by his country for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers with Peru and Uruguay.(Daily Mirror)
www.bbc.co.uk

Profit finally

Everton 4 - 0 AEK Athens

Everton opened their Europa League Group I account by dismantling outclassed AEK Athens in a game marred by two second-half red cards.
The hosts took an early lead through Joseph Yobo's header and soon added a second as Sylvain Distin poked home. 
Stephen Pienaar rifled in a stunning third shortly before the break, with Jo turning sharply to add a late fourth. 
AEK had Carlos Araujo red carded after 54 minutes and Louis Saha followed late on for raising his hand to a defender. 
Saha barely made contact with the face of AEK defender Juanfran, who made a meal of the incident, in stoppage time but it was right in front of the referee and he had no hesitation in dismissing the French striker. 
Araujo, on the other hand, could have had no complaints after he was sent off for kicking out at Distin following a challenge with the French defender. 
Everton have a had a sticky start to the Premier League season but from the opening whistle they were a cut above their Greek visitors.
Jack Rodwell and Tim Cahill took control of midfield and with Pienaar looking lively down the right and Jo causing a makeshift AEK defence plenty of problems, it was only a matter of time before the goals started flowing. 
Just before kick-off Everton confirmed they had signed Australia captain Lucas Neill and the right-back was in the stands to see two of his new defensive comrades get on the scoresheet inside the opening 17 minutes.
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CSKA Sofia 1 - 1 Fulham

Diomansy Kamara's second-half strike ensured a much-changed Fulham marked their Europa League group stages bow with a precious point at CSKA Sofia.
The Senegalese striker latched on to a ball over the top to round the keeper and slot home as Fulham held off an effervescent Sofia side in Bulgaria. 
The hosts had taken the lead when Michel lashed home from 20 yards. 
And they could have won it had Fulham keeper David Stockdale not tipped Yordan Todorov's drive over the bar. 
A point was always going to be a valuable one for Fulham as they made their first appearance in the group stages of a European competition in the club's history, but Sofia's hussle-and-bustle approach almost ensured the Londoners were forced to make the long trip home with nothing. 
As it was, Kamara rounded off a fine individual display with a very well taken goal to reward Fulham's determination and just about justify boss Roy Hodgson's decision to rest nine first-team players. 
This time last season, Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill made eight changes for his side's Uefa Cup clash against CSKA Moscow and they subsequently lost 2-0 and were dumped out of the competition. 
But that did not deter Hodgson, with only keeper Stockdale and defender John Pantsil surviving from Sunday's Premier League win over Everton. 
It did, however, lead to a disjointed opening from the Londoners, and CSKA Sofia were by far the better starters at the Vasil Levski National
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Chelsea 2-1 Everton

A stunning Frank Lampard strike ended Everton's resistance and ensured Chelsea's interim boss Guus Hiddink brought the curtain down on his brief spell in English football by collecting the FA Cup.
The Toffees had made a dream start when Louis Saha put them ahead after just 25 seconds - the quickest goal in Cup final history. 
But Chelsea came back strongly and equalised through Didier Drogba's header before Lampard fired home the winner from 25 yards with 18 minutes left. 
The margin of victory should have been greater as TV replays showed that Florent Malouda's spectacular strike moments later had crossed the line after bouncing down off the bar, but referee Howard Webb did not give the goal. 
In the end it made no difference to Chelsea, or Hiddink, who deservedly has a trophy to show for the impressive work he has done at Stamford Bridge as he returns to his job with Russia. 
Victory at a sweltering Wembley brings to an end the Dutchman's brief love affair with the Blues, which began when he watched from the stands as they beat Watford in the fifth round on Valentine's Day. 
And his side again demonstrated the patience and power he has instilled them as they fought back to overhaul a dogged Everton side that took the lead with a terrific early strike.

Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Alex, Terry, Ashley Cole, Essien (Ballack 61), Mikel, Lampard, Anelka, Drogba, Malouda. 
Subs Not Used: Hilario, Ivanovic, Di Santo, Kalou, Belletti, Mancienne. 
Booked: Mikel, Lampard. 
Goals: Drogba 21, Lampard 72. 

Everton: Howard, Hibbert (Jacobsen 46), Yobo, Lescott, Baines, Osman (Gosling 82), Neville, Pienaar, Cahill, Fellaini, Saha (Vaughan 77). 
Subs Not Used: Nash, Castillo, Rodwell, Baxter. 
Booked: Hibbert, Neville, Baines. 
Goals: Saha 1. 

Att: 89,391. 
Ref: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).
www.bbc.co.uk

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Lille 3 - 2 Nancy

1 - 0 R. Vittek  12. min.
2 - 0 A. Rami  15. min.
2 - 1 A. Ouaddou  42. min.
2 - 2 Y. Hadji  64. min.
3 - 2 N. Plestan  72. min.