Gonzalez apology for cup defeat

The loss saw Athletic progress 3-1 on aggregate to the Copa del Rey final, where they will face Barcelona on May 30.

Espanyol had high hopes of reaching their first Copa final since 2006 after holding Athletic to a 1-1 draw in the opening leg in Bilbao last month.

However, their expectations were dashed after first-half goals from Aritz Aduriz and Xabier Etxeita sent Athletic through to their third cup final in the last seven years.

"I want to apologise to our fans for not giving the performance we had all hoped for," Gonzalez told the Spanish press.

"We struggled from the start and Athletic were better than us. They looked more confident and although we tried to react after going 2-0 down, it was not to be.

"We are gutted. We were really looking forward to reaching the final."

Espanyol had ousted Alaves, Valencia and Sevilla to reach the last four of the competition.

"It has been a great ride while it has lasted and considering what we did in the past, we would have deserved to have gone through to the final," Gonzalez said. "But we leave with our heads held high.

"There is nothing we can do now except look forward and focus on the league.

"Your learn and improve from defeats and we will try to make amends in the Primera Division.

"We will look to turn the page and go into Sunday's game in the best possible condition."

Espanyol have won two of their last three league games and are ninth in the Spanish top flight.

The Catalan outfit travels to Anoeta to face Real Sociedad this weekend.

Busquets worry for Barcelona

The Spain international was carried off on a stretcher in Wednesday's Copa del Rey match at Villarreal after hurting his right ankle.

A statement from Barcelona read: "Tests done on Thursday morning confimed that Busquets has a right ankle syndesmosis injury.

"The player is ruled out for Sunday's league match with Rayo Vallecano at the Camp Nou.

"His availability beyond that will be carefully monitored."

Busquets, who last week extended his contract with Barca until June 2019, is expected to also sit out the league game at Eibar on March 14.

However, Barca coach Luis Enrique will be hoping to have the 26-year-old available four days later when they host City.

The good news for Barca fans is that Busquets should be fit in time for El Clasico against Real Madrid on March 22.

Premier League Winners And Losers

He is a massive player for us," Simon Mignolet told the Liverpool Echo after the home win over Burnley. "He is a very positive character who always works hard and leads by example. He's vocal both on the pitch and in the dressing room. He goes in front of us and everyone follows behind. We've got a young squad but that doesn't mean there aren't leaders in the team."

It's a paragraph that could have been used about Steven Gerrard at any point over the last 11 years of his captaincy but, with Gerrard missing through injury, it is Jordan Henderson who has stepped up. And stepped up he truly has.

Henderson opened the scoring for the second consecutive match on Wednesday, a clean drive reminiscent of Gerrard's famous goal against Olympiakos in 2005, but it was his cross for Sturridge's goal that really made the mouth water. He is slowly becoming a master of most trades, a view shared by Brendan Rodgers.

"He is improving all the time and as he matures even more tactically he will become even better," said Rodgers post-match. "He has always had athleticism, he is born with a natural gift to run, and tactically he is improving all the time and his passing is improving and he is becoming one of the real leaders of this team. It was a wonderful performance by him."

It's difficult to argue with any of that assessment. Henderson is far from Gerrard's replacement and further from the complete midfielder, but he's having a damn good go.

Aston Villa
The big winners of the midweek, as much due to the ineptitude of their rivals as their own excellence. The obvious retort is that you don't have to achieve distinction to succeed in the Premier League's bottom half - Villa were the only side outside the top eight to win.

Whilst the media continues its Tim-mania, it's worth remembering that this was a victory achieved in the last minute thanks to a shambolic mistake from West Brom's Ben Foster. Sherwood has three points from three games, the manager's admission that "someone shined down on us" an honest assessment of the tough task that still remains.

That said, this did feel like a rejuvenated Villa, aided by a dismal first-half display from the visitors. They had more shots and shots on target than in any league game this season, and scored two league goals in a match for only the second time since August. The atmosphere at the final whistle reflected Sherwood's mood, though without some of the ridiculous displays of public emotion.

One swallow does not make a summer, however. Villa scored two or more goals in consecutive league games once in 2014 and have won consecutive PL games just six times since May 2011. It seems the perfect time for a repeat.

Ashley Young
It's easy to feel sympathy for Ashley Young. This is a player whose reputation had become a joke, the personification of Manchester United's recent decline. He was nothing more than a joke figure among the Old Trafford support, his most notable strength a partiality to dive in the box for the cause.

Young now looks a player transformed, the brightest spark in the dim light of United's season. Yet he is still treated as a cause of mirth, the amusing exception to the rule of Van Gaal. "It's not all bad, he's actually got Ashley Young doing something," is the sarcastic reminder.

That seems inherently unfair. Young was criticised for his United slump, so it is only right that he receives the plaudits for his redemption at Old Trafford. He has been comfortably United's best outfield player in the victories over Sunderland and Newcastle, the only United player to create more than one chance at St James' Park. Young's late winning goal came exactly three years after his last.

Young's versatility has also been more than useful to Van Gaal. He has been used at left wing-back, a regulation left midfielder and as an attacking left winger, also appearing on the right wing against Stoke on New Year's Day. He has already played 250 more league minutes this season than last.

"I can play in both wing-back positions and if the manager calls on me to do something I've got every confidence in myself to go out there and play well," said Young in pre-season. At the time it seemed like a clichéd "pick me" statement to his new manager, but Young has backed up that promise with evidence and form. Rather than treating him like a joke, maybe we should applaud his resurgence. After all, it's not his fault so few of his teammates are performing.

Medical Staff At White Hart Lane
It was a horrible scene to watch, followed by a mercifully pleasant ending. When Bafetimbi Gomis collapsed on the White Hart Lane pitch, the mind inevitably immediately turned to Fabrice Muamba's cardiac arrest in the same stadium in March 2012. Both sets of players struggled to contain their emotions, whilst fans fell silent. Everybody understandably feared the worst.

The only people not paralysed by fear were the medical staff at White Hart Lane, who raced to the scene. If it seems unnecessary to praise people for just doing their job, I don't apologise.

Thankfully the incident was not serious - Gomis has a history of fainting. The striker had a series of tests in 2009 after three separate incidents in France, indicating that there is no serious underlying health issue.

"I have been under a great deal of stress and fatigue due to my father's health that requires me to go back and forth to France," Gomis tweeted late on Wednesday evening. "I wanted to reassure you concerning my health. It actually looks much more scary than physically dangerous. I am feeling well now."

That's bloody great to hear.

David Silva
It was the only flaw in David Silva's game, now rectified. Before this season Manchester City's wizard had never scored more than eight league goals in a season throughout his career. His scruffy finish against Leicester took him to double figures for the season.

In a listless, uninspiring victory, it was yet again left to Silva to produce City's only magical moments. I'm trying not to think about the fact that he's nearly 30.

Eden Hazard
Quite probably the best player in the Premier League.

Victor Moses
Quite probably the most improved player in the Premier League. And a majestic header to boot.

Jonas Gutierrez
It has been a difficult few weeks/months/years to be a Newcastle United supporter. They are a community who, more than any other, live their lives through the fortunes of their beloved club, forced to watch as their club is rotted by the celebration of mediocrity.

The masses revolt whilst a billionaire puppet-master sticks his fingers in his ears and repeatedly shouts his bank balance until the crowd eventually grow weary. It's a vacuous existence, and yet blind loyalty and addiction keeps them coming back for more - they are ripe for exploitation.

One of the reasons that football is so wonderful is the propensity for the sun to shine through even the darkest clouds, even if only for the briefest of moments. At St James' Park on Wednesday, in the middle of just another miserable home performance, the clouds parted. After 17 months out following a battle with testicular cancer, Jonas Gutierrez took to the field once again.

The cacophonous crowd reaction to Gutierrez's introduction made the spine tingle, whilst immediately being given the captain's armband by Fabricio Coloccini provoked that weird churny feeling in the stomach. Form a queue to call me a soppy sod.

His return is an emphatic reminder that we are guilty of treating footballers as robots, immune to the travails of everyday life. Even if Gutierrez never wins another match as a player, he has won the most important battle of his life. Welcome back.

Losers

Everton and Roberto Martinez
I have been given some gentle stick for not including Everton in the Losers list for some time. Fear not, they're now getting both barrels. Everton are a club sleepwalking their way to relegation trouble.

Roberto Martinez's side travelled to Stoke on Wednesday evening, and you expected them to lose, which they promptly did with a whimper - those are difficult words for supporters to read. Everton have progressed in the Europa League, but using that as evidence for continued faith is like trying to survive on a diet of jelly and ice cream.

It's now one win in 12 league games, Crystal Palace and QPR the only two Premier League teams beaten in any competition over the last three months. Since November 22, Everton have taken 11 points from 16 matches. Only Leicester have fewer, and they are a) bottom, b) seven points from safety and c) have a game in hand.

That date of November 22 is used because it raises an interesting point. At that time Everton sat three points ahead of Liverpool, but they are now 23 points behind. It is a dramatic swing in just over 100 days.

Whilst Brendan Rodgers was deservedly criticised for Liverpool's form, he inspired a resurgence through a significant shift in shape and style to the current 3-4-3 formation. "I knew I had to do something fairly radical because I had seen enough of the players to know we were not going to be able to shape up and work and play as we had done for the previous couple of years with what we had got," Rodgers said. "I am an innovative coach, and I needed to find a way to make us play better."

Martinez has taken the opposite approach, persisting with the same shape, same style and same tedium. It's producing the same results. If necessity is the mother of invention, Everton's manager does not subscribe to a Platonist school of thought.

It is broke, and Martinez is not fixing it. This is their worst start to a season for 88 years. The Spaniard is not yet a dead man walking, but the situation looks desperate.

Most of Everton's problems come down to the ludicrous decision to buy Romelu Lukaku. Lukaku is a wonderful striker and will improve, but desperately needs support. Splashing all of his budget on one player before a campaign in which a thin squad was fighting on four fronts was bordering on gross negligence from Martinez. Everton's defence is crying out for reinvestment.

Amidst the obvious negativity, Martinez's insistence on looking on the bright side is grating with Everton fans. "We're not looking down and we've got 30 points to play for, which we will fight for our lives for," he said after the loss at Stoke. "We haven't got the results that our performances deserve." It's regularly repeated, but a complete fallacy: Everton have got exactly the results their performances deserve.

Martinez's positive schtick can only last so long. He may be a devout believer in the benefits of positive thinking, but the chirpy, chipper attitude fails to cover the damning reality. Supporters want their manager to reflect their own feelings. Be outspoken for a change, show some sympathy or empathy with those that are being served up dirge on a weekly basis.

Here is a simple dose of reality for Martinez: There is no Everton player currently performing anywhere near their maximum. That will eventually produce only one consequence: The buck stops with the manager.

Angel Di Maria
"The first season is always difficult," Louis van Gaal began in a plea for patience with Angel Di Maria. "For me it is not a big surprise, it would be more of a big surprise if he (had) adapted as quickly as possible."

Except that, actually, Di Maria did adapt quickly. Manchester United's official site described his performance on his home debut as 'sizzling form throughout', and the Argentinean registered four assists and three goals in his first six Premier league games. It was then that his form tailed off.

Coincidentally or otherwise, Di Maria's seventh match (against Chelsea) was the first game in which he was deployed as a striker by Van Gaal. His return is four assists and one goal in 18 matches since - the goal came against Yeovil.

Van Gaal's calls for patience are understandable, but the manager must concede that playing Di Maria as a striker was an experiment that failed entirely. He must also admit that the slump in form of his £60m signing may at least part be due to his own tactical gamble.

Gone is the belief, the confidence and the spark. Di Maria was hauled off after just 57 minutes at St James' Park. He lost possession 24 times in 57 minutes, five times more than any other player in the entire match. The obvious retort is that Di Maria shuns the simple in favour of the killer pass, but that doesn't wash. For £60m you would expect a far greater degree of proficiency, even when attempting the difficult.

Ross Barkley
Ross Barkley was left on the bench for the entirety of Everton's 2-0 loss at Stoke, an unused substitute at a time when Roberto Martinez desperately needed a spark of creativity. That doesn't look good.

And yet Martinez had reasons to ignore the midfielder. In Barkley's last ten Premier League games. he has contributed a grand total of no goals and no assists. More worryingly is a figure of just six chances created in those ten matches. Predictions of glory are quickly becoming delusions of grandeur.

Promoted Clubs
The gap is only three points, but Aston Villa's victory over West Brom should cause panic at the three promoted clubs. These are the new bottom three, and it suddenly feels as if a response will be tough to find. Is hard work enough for Burnley? Have Leicester sunk without trace? Are QPR set for financial meltdown?

In October, I wrote a piece in which I expressed concern that the Championship was getting weaker. It is still a wonderfully fun division, but enjoyment is not directly proportional to ability or quality. The piece received some criticism, with accusations that I was being a pessimistic killjoy.

Leicester won the Championship at a canter last season with a total of 102 points, the highest total in eight years. And yet despite spending £20m, Nigel Pearson's side look lost in a bottom half which seems to have over-ordered on the dross. Burnley were also promoted with ease, and now look to be sinking at exactly the wrong time - they have 11 points since the beginning of December. Even if you thought that gambling on expensive experience was the answer, QPR offer emphatic evidence to the contrary.

In the first ten years of the Premier League, the average finishing position of a club promoted automatically from the second tier was 13.2. The figure for the last ten years is 15.2, while this has dropped further to 16.3 in the last three seasons. There are exceptions, of course (Swansea and Southampton for example), but with all three promoted sides occupying the bottom three, the gap between the second and first tier looks increasingly pronounced. The new television deal might not help either.

Jonny Evans and Papiss Cisse
Whether or not it is football's 'biggest sin' is open to debate. That seems to be the decree from anyone who has played the game professionally, but surely they are the ones whose careers haven't been ending by wild, knee-height challenges.

The salient point is that spitting on someone is sleazy and dirty. It's unhygienic and it's foul. And it is completely unnecessary. Evans and Cisse should expect and deserve to receive long bans.

If you act like children, expect to be treated like children. Go sit in the naughty corner for four matches.

Three and easy for Lazio

Torino rounded off a memorable week for them with a 1-0 win over Napoli which moved them up to eighth in Serie A just days after they reached the last 16 of the Europa League.

Captain Kamil Glik scored the only goal of the game midway through the second half on Sunday as Torino dented Napoli's hopes of catching Roma in second place.

With Lazio and Fiorentina both winning on Sunday, Napoli must now start to look over their shoulders and hold on to third with just two and three points respectively separating Rafael Benitez's men from their nearest challengers.

Lazio continued their bid for Champions League football with a 3-0 win at Sassuolo.

The capital club remain in fourth place but turned up the heat on Napoli and Roma as goals from Felipe Anderson, substitute Miroslav Klose and Marco Parolo sealed victory.

It was Lazio's third straight win and ensured they would go into their Coppa Italia clash with Napoli in midweek full of confidence.

Fiorentina beat Inter Milan 1-0 to remain clear of Sampdoria in Serie A's final European place.

The in-form Mohamed Salah, on as a first-half substitute, scored the only goal 10 minutes after the break - although injuries left his side to hang on with nine men for the closing stages.

Sampdoria came from behind to beat Atalanta 2-1 for their first win since January 18.

Stefano Okaka struck the winner nine minutes from time to silence the crowd at the Atleti Azzurri d'Italia stadium.

The hosts had taken a 16th-minute lead through defender Guglielmo Stendardo but the visitors pulled level in the 68th minute thanks to a goal from Luis Muriel, who started for the first time since joining Samp from Udinese in January.

Okaka then clinched all three points for Samp, a team who had collected just three points - all from draws - since their previous victory.

Hellas Verona halted a four-match winless run with a 2-1 victory at Cagliari to boost their survival hopes.

Luca Toni put Hellas ahead in the ninth minute before substitute Juanito Gomez headed the second in the 56th minute.

Cagliari captain Daniele Conti pulled one back with a free-kick with seconds remaining but the visitors held on for their seventh win of the campaign.

A strike from substitute Alejandro Rodriguez helped relegation-threatened Cesena claim a 1-0 victory over Udinese.

The Spanish forward headed home the winner in the 76th minute to hand the hosts just their fourth win of the campaign.

Palermo stretched their unbeaten run at home to 10 Serie A matches with a goalless draw against Empoli.

The Sicilian outfit, who have not lost at the Renzo Barbera stadium since September, had the best chance of the game in the 11th minute when Franco Vazquez's right-footed volley hit the crossbar with Empoli goalkeeper Luigi Sepe already beaten.

AC Milan missed the chance to jump towards the European places on Saturday night after struggling throughout a goalless draw with Chievo at the Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi.

A comfortable victory in Verona would have boosted Filippo Inzaghi's men to within three points of Fiorentina - albeit only briefly - but relegation-threatened Chievo needed the point more and worked hard for it.

Keisuke Honda came closest to breaking the deadlock with an audacious effort shortly after half-time and Chievo might have snatched several goals on the break had Diego Lopez not been switched on.

Genoa's clash with cash-strapped Parma was postponed due to the visitors' financial problems.

It is the second straight weekend the Gialloblu have been unable to compete, having seen last Sunday's home game against Udinese also called off.

Lomban spot on to rescue Elche

Celta were the better side and deservedly took the lead through Michael Krohn-Dehli just after the hour.

But the Dane was also involved in the equaliser as he brought down Victor Rodriguez with just two minutes to go to allow Lomban to slot home from 12 yards.

The point moved Elche two points clear of the drop zone while Celta are safely nestled in mid-table.

The home side made the better start with Fabian Orellana looking lively and his cross was headed wide by Charles in the opening stages.

The Chilean was causing Elche all kinds of problems and moments later he had a shot himself but Przemyslaw Tyton was equal to his effort from the edge of the box.

Damian Suarez fired a free-kick over the bar for the visitors but that was their only chance of note as Celta continued to press.

Krohn-Dehli had a chance as the half-hour mark approached after being set free by Nolito but Tyton was quick off his line and saw the threat away.

Adrian Gonzalez glanced a speculative effort wide for Elche but they came closest to breaking the deadlock just before the interval when Faycal Fajr fired just wide.

It seemed like the type of game that would need something brilliant to bring it to life and Charles nearly produced it just after the break with an overhead kick but Tyton was on hand to save.

Aaron then fired wide at the other end after being set up by Coro before Nolito and Krohn-Dehli combined again with Tyton again making the save.

Celta had been marginally the better side and they took the lead just after the hour as Jonny picked out Krohn-Dehli and the 31-year-old supplied a cool low finish.

Orellana's cross provided Nolito with the chance to double the lead but he headed wide before Tyton had to save Nemanja Radoja's low effort.

With just two minutes to play, Krohn-Dehli went from hero to villain as his challenge on Victor Rodriguez handed Elche a penalty.

Lomban beat Sergio Alvarez low to his left to seal a point for the visitors but there was still time for Nolito to go agonisingly close to to turning the ball in at the other end.

Simeone: Atleti will progress

The La Liga champions suffered just their second away loss in Europe’s premier club competition since September 2013 in their last-16 first-leg tie at the BayArena.

But Simeone, who saw midfielder Tiago Mendes sent off 14 minutes from time and striker Fernando Torres have a second-half equaliser questionably ruled out, still feels Atletico have a good chance of making it through to the quarter-finals in three weeks’ time.

"They play as they do and they do it well," he said

"We each had a clear chance and they took theirs and we didn't. It could have been a worse result. But I am confident for the return leg."

Meanwhile, Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno, who made two impressive first-half stops to keep the scoreline goalless, praised the home team’s mental strength after some disappointing league results of late.

"This was a very, very good game from us," Leno said.

"We showed a reaction to the criticism of the past week. We had some bad games but tonight we bounced back."

Berbatov: We wanted it more

The former Tottenham Hotspur star scored 46 goals in his time at their North London rivals and he netted his current side's second of the match in their crucial Champions League last-16 encounter. 

"Nobody expected that probably but we are confident in our ability and honestly we deserved to win," said the Bulgarian immediately after the match. 

"We scored our chances and in the end it was a great win for us. But it is not over. We have another game in Monaco and Arsenal are a dangerous team."

Monaco have been struggling for goals this season with only four in the entire group stage and four in their last five games domestically. 

Berbatov is the team's leading goal scorer in Ligue 1 with six goals and this was his first of the campaign in Europe. 

They showed no signs of the problems, as Geoffrey Kondogbia gave them the lead and Yannick Ferreira Carrasco added a third away goal, with only a reply from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. 

Berbatov is often maligned for his work-rate, but he felt that his team worked harder against Arsene Wenger's men. 

"Today, we probably wanted to win more than them," he added. "We were fighting all over the pitch and winning our challenges"

Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim, meanwhile, believes his side have gone against their label of underdog and did well to keep the Gunners' talent quiet.

"Arsenal have some excellent individuals and we were able to nullify their threat," he said.

"Nobody really thought this result was possible but we achieved it."

Alexander backs young guns

Jamie Proctor handed the home side a third-minute lead when he headed home a Nick Haughton free-kick.

But the hosts were pegged back on the stroke of half-time by a Gary McSheffrey strike.

Josh Morris smashed Fleetwood back in front, but only for a matter of minutes, before George Evans' drive ensured the points would be shared.

"Football can be frustrating," said Alexander. "It was a very good game with two good teams who wanted to win, who attacked at will.

"But after taking the lead twice we'd expect to kick on and win the game.

"The goals came at a bad time, one just before the break and one just after we took the lead.

"But it's a point against what I think is a very good team.

"We've played some good stuff, scored two very good goals and created a lot of opportunities.

"We've not taken them but we're in there. There's just a little bit of game management we have to learn and learn quickly.

"But we do have quite a young side and I think that's shown in the timing of the goals.

"Saying that, the commitment to the game was fantastic, we just have to keep improving week on week."

Scunthorpe boss Mark Robins was happy to take a point from what he felt had been an engaging encounter.

"I think that was a good advert for League One," he said.

"There was some good football played, we created a lot of chances away from home.

"We played some good football in difficult conditions. The pitch allowed for decent passing game.

"Both teams did themselves and their supporters justice. It's just a shame we couldn't go on that extra little bit and get three points.

"I think we played very well. We showed a lot of character coming back twice. You always have to show character when you concede.

"It wasn't a free kick in the first place but once it's been given we've got to do better defending it and they're 1-0 up inside five minutes.

"It's disappointing but we kept on and fought back really well."

West Ham v Chelsea preview

Hammers striker Andy Carroll is out with a knee problem while Carlton Cole is also doubtful for the game at Upton Park with a hamstring injury.

Morgan Amalfitano is still suspended after he was sent off in the FA Cup defeat to West Brom last month.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho plans to rotate his options after Sunday's Capital One Cup victory at Wembley.

Midfielder Nemanja Matic will complete his two-match suspension after his dismissal for his reaction to a tackle by Burnley's Ashley Barnes.

Midfielder John Obi Mikel has had a minor knee operation and is out until early April.

Mane strike lifts Southampton

Goals have been hard to come by for Saints at St Mary’s in recent weeks and their goal drought looked set to extend as Graziano Pelle wasted a glorious chance just before the break.

Ronald Koeman’s side rode their luck after the break as Crystal Palace hit the post through Wilfried Zaha but the hosts finally made the breakthrough in the 83rd minute as Mane pounced on Julian Speroni’s error to give his side all three points.

The strike inflicted Crystal Palace’s first defeat on the road under Alan Pardew and moved Southampton back up into fifth, just one point behind Manchester United in the race for fourth.

Saints were seeing plenty of the ball but looked like a side lacking in confidence as first Eljero Elia fired wide, before Filip Djuricic blasted over the bar from just inside the box after Victor Wanyama’s blocked shot fell into his path.

Crystal Palace were coping well with the Southampton threat but failed to offer much themselves.

However, Fraser Forster nearly gifted the visitors the opening goal of the game, dropping Bolasie’s hopeful cross but the England keeper just recovered in time with Zaha waiting pounce.

The chance of the half fell to Pelle as Speroni saved Elia’s deflected shot. The ball fell to the feet of the Italian just five yards out, but he looked like a man who has not scored in 10 Premier League matches, prodding his shot wide.

Since taking over at Selhurst Park, Pardew had not tasted defeat away from home and he sent out his side with renewed purpose after the break as Zaha’s cross found Jason Puncheon in the box, but the forward’s shot was straight at Forster.

The visitors continued to press forward and went closest to breaking the deadlock as Bolasie’s shot was blocked by Forster but the rebound fell to Zaha, who struck the far post with his shot.

Koeman responded by sending on Dusan Tadic and the move had the desired effect as Southampton grabbed a foothold in the game once again, creating half chances for Djuricic and Pelle.

It looked like it was going to be more St Mary’s woe for Southampton when Maya Yoshida failed to get a good connection on Pelle’s flick on with the goal at his mercy.

But the gloom around the stadium was lifted when substitute James Ward-Prowse beat his man on the edge of the penalty area to fire a left-footed shot on goal which Speroni could only parry.

The ball rebounded into the path of Mane, who made no mistake in firing home to score Southampton’s first home goal in five hours and 87 minutes of football and get Koemen’s side back to winning ways.

Palace threw on Shola Ameobi in a desperate bid to rescue a point and he fluffed his lines heading Joe Ledley's cross wide. The visitors had one final chance to level but Yoshida was on hand to make a vital block when Bolasie looked poised to pick out a team-mate in the dying stages.

But Southampton held on for their 13th Premier League clean sheet and a much needed win to move ahead of Liverpool into fifth, while Palace stay in 12th, eight points above the relegation zone.

See all the goals from Tuesday's games on Sky Sports News HQ from midnight.

Phil Thompson's verdict 

Southampton are still struggling to score goals and hit the target. Ward-Prowse showed fantastic ability with a run through the middle,

Speroni spilled it and Mane chipped it in, but I think this should have been a draw because Palace did enough to get a point.

Player ratings

Southampton: Forster (7), Clyne (6), Yoshida (7), Fonte (7), Bertrand (6), Schneiderlin (6), Wanyama (6), Mane (7), Elia (6), Djuricic (7), Pelle (6).

Southampton subs: Long (5), Tadic (6), Ward-Prowse (7).

Crystal Palace: Speroni (5), Kelly (6), Delaney (6), Dann (6), Ward (6), McArthur (6), Ledley (6), Zaha (6), Puncheon (7), Bolasie (7), Gayle (6).

Bruce, Poyet in touchline row

Dame N’Doye scored an early opener for the Tigers, only for Jack Rodwell to salvage a point for the visitors with a header on 75 minutes on a lively evening at the KC Stadium.

It was Rodwell's actions 10 minutes before the interval that sparked the frantic scenes when the midfielder was booked for simulation which fuelled a heated exchange between Bruce and Poyet.

Unhappy with not getting a penalty, a fuming Poyet kicked over a crate full of drinks before approaching Bruce and after the Uruguayan attempted a handshake, more words were spoken and an enraged Bruce seemed to lunge at Poyet with the Hull City boss having to be restrained by a linesman and members of his coaching staff.

Poyet was sent to the stands by referee Mike Dean for the rest of the game where he will have enjoyed seeing his side hit back in the second half to pick up a point and pull away from the relegation zone.

Bruce said: "These things happen in the heat of the moment. Grown men acting like a couple of children! Let's go and have a glass of red wine!"

Poyet told Sky Sports: "I think it is better to kick a bucket than say something you would regret after, so I have no regrets. If it’s a bad image for football I am really sorry but I don’t think it is something we should worry about."

Asked what was said between himself and Bruce, Poyet added: “I am old fashioned, what happens on the pitch stays on the pitch."

Regarding Rodwell's actions in trying to win a penalty, Bruce said: "The big contentious issue was Rodwell running through and, from where I was standing, he took a run, a jump and a dive.

“The referee got it right, but Gus’ reaction means he obviously thought it wasn’t right. You’ll have to ask him the rest of it. Why has he come over to me? I don’t really know what I’m supposed to have done.

"These things do happen in big games and today was a big game. I suppose I’m not flavour of the month after Mark Hughes had a dig this afternoon and Gus tonight, but I hope he is OK. My door is always open, but I’m not sure what I’ve done to warrant what has happened. You better ask Gus that."

Tony Cottee, watching the match at Hull in the Soccer Special studios, provided his explanation to how the touchline drama erupted.

The Sky Sports football pundit said: "Rodwell went down and there weren’t too many appeals. Rodwell got a yellow card for diving. Gus Poyet was incensed and it appears he kicked over the water bucket.

"At which point, Mike Dean comes over and sends Poyet to the stands. Poyet then goes over to Steve Bruce to shake his hand, Bruce doesn’t go to shake his hands and Poyet then sarcastically applauds Steve Bruce. At which point Brucey totally lost it and the linesman did very well."

Hull denied in stormy contest

Dame N’Doye’s 15th-minute opener handed the Tigers the advantage for the majority of the game on Humberside, but Jack Rodwell swooped with just a quarter of an hour remaining to snatch a valuable point for the Wearsiders.

The game erupted ten minutes before half time when managers Bruce and Poyet had an altercation on the touchline in the wake of Rodwell being booked for simulation.

Poyet was sent to the stands by referee Mike Dean for the remainder of the game, but the Uruguayan had an impact from a higher vantage point as his substitutions altered the course of game.

Patrick van Aanholt set up Rodwell for the leveller, and though the pair almost combined for a winner in the closing stages, each side in the end looked content to avoid defeat.

Sunderland started with Wes Brown and John O’Shea at the heart of defence after the pair avoided suspension following their infamous red card incident at Old Trafford on Saturday.

The Black Cats tried to harass their hosts in the opening exchanges but the Tigers, through their use of bright wing-back Andrew Robertson, snatched the initiative before going in front.

Having picked up a yellow card for a challenge on Ahmed Elmohamady, Brown was helpless seconds later as Tom Huddlestone drilled a low free kick into the area for N’Doye to nonchalantly flick the ball past Costel Pantilimon for his third goal in three games.

Hull pressed for an immediate second but Rodwell was on hand with a last-ditch block on the line to deny David Meyler’s fiercely struck volley.

Having prevented a second Hull goal at one end, Rodwell sparked the game’s flashpoint at the other end as he theatrically went to ground in the area following minimal contact from Alex Bruce.

The midfielder was booked for simulation, much to the annoyance of Poyet, who appeared to kick out at a water container on the touchline.

Poyet was sent to the stands but first made his way towards Bruce and tried to shake his counterpart's hand.

Bruce then appeared to charge towards the Uruguayan and had to be physically restrained by assistant referee Stuart Burt.

The incident appeared to affect the remainder of the half as it failed to rekindle the intensity seen beforehand.

Sunderland’s front two, Jermain Defoe and Danny Graham, were isolated for the Black Cats before Poyet’s change of tactics midway through the second half swung the game in the visitors' favour.

Substitues Connor Wickham and Van Aanholt provided width and support in attack and just minutes after the pair were brought on, Sunderland were level.

Van Aanholt fashioned a yard and accelerated past Elmohamady before floating the ball to the unmarked Rodwell to nod in from a yard out.

Rodwell appeared to head to the ball onto his arm before it nestle in the goal, but the goal was allowed to stand.

The pair combined again in the closing stages for what would have been the winner but Rodwell couldn't keep his volley down as Sunderland recorded their 14th draw from 28 games this season.

The result sees both sides remain 15th and 16th respectively, with just one point separating each side.

Tony Cottee's verdict

Defoe played the ball to Rodwell, Rodwell went down and there weren’t too many appeals. Rodwell got a yellow card for diving. Gus Poyet was incensed and it appears he kicked over the water bucket. At which point, Mike Dean comes over and sends Poyet to the stands.

Poyet then goes over to Steve Bruce to shake his hand, Bruce doesn’t go to shake his hands and Poyet then sarcastically applauds Steve Bruce. At which point Brucey totally lost it and the linesman did very well.

Player ratings

Hull City: McGregor (7), Dawson (8), Bruce (6), McShane (6), Elmohamady (7), Livermore (6), Huddlestone (7), Meyler (6), Robertson (9), N’Doye (8), Jelavic (7).

Used subs: Hernandez (5).

Sunderland: Pantilimon (7), Vergini (5), O’Shea (7), Brown (6), Reveillere (5), Cattermole (5), Larsson (6), Bridcutt (6), Rodwell (7), Defoe (6), Graham (6).

Used subs: Van Aanholt (7), Wickham (6), Alvarez (5).

Villa's long wait for win ends

Saido Berahino had struck his 18th goal of the season midway through the second half to cancel out Gabriel Agbonlahor's 22nd-minute opener and put the visitors on course for a point.

But Villa claimed their first Premier League victory since 7 December - 12 matches ago - when Benteke kept his nerve and coolly side-footed home a spot-kick in second-half injury-time.

Sherwood had said in the build-up to the game that Villa would need to win six of their remaining 11 league fixtures to have any chance of avoiding relegation and after a slow start to proceedings where home nerves were evident, his team took control of the contest.

Agbonlahor thought he had given Villa a 14th-minute lead, but after producing a clever turn in the area and getting a shot away which Ben Foster somehow allowed to squirm under his body, the goalkeeper just managed to react in time to recover the situation before the whole of the ball had crossed the goal-line.

That near miss was soon forgotten when eight minutes later Agbonlahor did open the scoring after some route-one football, not that the Villa faithful cared about how the goal came about.

Villa 'keeper Brad Guzan launched a back-pass high upfield before Benteke flicked the ball into the path of the onrushing Agbonlahor, who just beat the offside trap before keeping his nerve to shoot low past Foster at his near post.

That strike gave the Villa players a huge lift in confidence and they were unlucky not to double their advantage.

After another long clearance upfield Agbonlahor found himself one-on-one with Foster, only for Joleon Lescott to just get back in time to clear the frontman’s shot off the line for the second time in the opening period.

Then, in first-half injury time, Fabian Delph twisted and turned on the left-hand edge of the West Brom box, only to see his curling effort beat Foster’s outstretched hand, but not the post.

But Villa’s exertions in the opening 45 minutes soon began to catch up with them and, as Sherwood may have feared as those first-half chances went begging, West Brom found themselves on level terms with their first effort on target after 66 minutes.

The visitors played a left-wing corner high to the back post where Lescott lost Agbonlahor and his flick back across goal was headed in by the ever-alert Berahino for his 12th league goal of the campaign.

A tense Villa Park almost boiled over when Berahino and Alan Hutton squared up, the latter catching the frontman with a high boot that might well have earned him a red rather than yellow card.

Villa, though, were not to be denied as Sherwood urged his players forward in search of a winner, which came their way when Foster initially fumbled the ball and then, when trying to make up for his mistake, brought down Matthew Lowton.

Benteke, who had not scored since netting against Manchester United on 20 December, took the spot-kick responsibilities with aplomb to easily beat Foster and move Villa out of the drop zone in the process.

Charlie Nicholas's verdict: 

Villa were much better in the first half, they scored a fine goal, then when it went 1-1 you thought they were going to cave in. But Foster gave them a lifeline and Benteke, what coolness, he has been so out of form but he was covered in ice he was so cool.

Player ratings

Aston Villa: Guzan (6), Hutton (7), Okore (7), Clark (6), Lowton (7), Westwood (6), Cleverley (6), Delph (6), N'Zogbia (5), Benteke (6), Agbonlahor (8)

Subs: Weimannn (6), Grealish (7), Bacuna (6)

West Bromwich Albion: Foster (5), Dawson (6), McAuley (7), Lescott (6), Brunt (7), Fletcher (7), Yacob (6), Morrison (6), Berahino (7), Gardner (6), Ideye (6)