FOOTBALL Live

Sunday December 28, 2008 Finished Ewood Park

2 - 2

Blackburn Rovers

  • McCarthy 45’
  • Roberts 83’

Manchester City

  • Sturridge 88’
  • Robinho 90’
  1. City grab late point at Blackburn

    City grab late point at Blackburn

    Robinho scored deep into injury-time as Manchester City came from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Blackburn Rovers
    • Manchester City
    • - Well, another great day of Premier League football and a second late equaliser after Clint Dempsey did the business for Fulham against Chelsea. Thanks for joining us and be sure to return for our coverage of Manchester United against Middlesbrough from 20:00 UK time on Monday!
    • 90+5 And that's the whistle! What an ending to this match, City finally show some mental strength and claw their way back to a late, late point. Great entertainment, and Blackburn move above West Brom only on goal difference.
    • 90+4 Long from Hart then, down the right, Sturridge with a good touch out wide, he cuts inside, rides one challenge, then another and then he clips a glorious ball that splits Rovers' defence in two AND ROBINHO IS FREE ON THE LEFT AND SLIDES IT INTO THE BOTTOM RIGHT WITH A FABULOUS FINISH FOR THE EQUALISER! QUITE BRILLIANT FROM CITY, STURRIDGE AND ROBINHO THE HEROES!
    • 90+3 Flag is up against Pedersen, Hart will launch this in to the mixer but Mokoena clears and Nelsen hoofs it up field. Derbyshire almost frees Emerton but too long and back with Hart.
    • 90+2 The flag is up for offside but City - and Blackburn - think it's a free kick for Samba's foul. They finally realise and it eats down the seconds for Rovers.
    • 90+1 Nelsen booked for time-wasting.
    • 90' Richards has been thrown up front as City press for a late equaliser.
    • 89' Roberts mis-controls the ball on the left of the box, goal kick City that Hart sends long towards Sturridge.
    • 87' Robinho outside the D, takes a cool touch and flicks an audacious ball in to the box that Ooijer tries to head clear but IT FALLS TO STURRIDGE WITH A SUPERB VOLLEY IN TO THE BOTTOM RIGHT FOR 2-1! Cracking technique from the youngster, City back in it!
    • 85' ROVERS SUB: McCarthy off for Derbyshire.
    • 83' Rovers launch it in to the box and Samba knocks it up in the air FOR ROBERTS TO MEET WITH A FAR-POST HEADER TO PUT BLACKBURN TWO UP! Oh dear, all of Hughes's tinkering has been in vain and he is going to lose again.
    • 81' High ball in to the Rovers box and some head tennis is followed by RICHARDS WITH A TAKE AND SHOT but just wide! Looked like he fouled his marker but it would have stood!
    • 79' Richards clatters in to the back of Roberts, free-kick to Rovers and all-smiles between the pair.
    • 78' Robinson intercepts a through-ball but inexplicably uses his feet instead of hands under no pressure, but the flag was up for offside anyway.
    • 77' Good pressure from City but in true Big Sam style Rovers are defending deep and doggedly.
    • 76' Zabaleta's cross causes Robinson and Nelsen some problems and it's hacked out for a throw.
    • 73' Blackburn with a change, Tugay - who amusingly wandered to the other side of the pitch beforehand so as to drag it out as long as he could - comes off or Aaron Mokoena.
    • 71' CITY SUB: Vassell and Sturridge on for Caicedo and Elano.
    • 70' Tugay fouls Robinho, leading Ireland to get involved but the Turkish midfielder apologises and Webb lets it lie.
    • 69' Elano looks for Robinho on the left of the box, Ball overlaps and a gap opens and Robinho curls a shot on goal but it's too close to Robinson, who gathers.
    • 65' Corner to Rovers on the right, a really good delivery under the bar from Pedersen but Hart flies through a crowd of bodies to palm it clear!
    • 64' MAN CITY SUB: Onouha cannot continue, he comes off for Micah Richards.
    • 63' Elano falls in the box under a challenge from Emerton but play on says the ref. He went down quite easily.
    • 61' Onuoha is struggling and City may be forced in to a change.
    • 59' Howard Webb is having a shocker. Warnock counters for Rovers and overlaps to give McCarthy a second option wide left but Webb somehow gets between them and blocks the through ball. Emerton on the right puts over a far-post cross and MCCARTHY WITH A BICYCLE KICK but he sends it wide! Pedersen is annoyed as he was free behind him for a more conventional volley.
    • 57' Inswinging corner from Pedersen to the far post, headed across goal by Samba but uncontrolled and out for a goal kick.
    • 56' Dunne gives it away to Roberts, wide right to Emerton and it's a corner.
    • 55' Ireland flies in really late on Pedersen but play-on as McCarthy almost gets in but City clear. Now that was a yellow card, far worse than the challenge he was booked for.
    • 53' A really harsh booking on Ireland after he accidentally collided with Warnock. He misses the Portsmouth game now. Unusual from Webb again.
    • 51' City come forward down the left, Elano playas really good far-post cross and WRIGHT-PHILLIPS WITH A BACKWARDS HEADER THAT BEATS ROBINSON AND COMES OFF THE OUTSIDE OF THE POST! Still with City though and Ireland has a chance on the edge of the box and he clips it towards the left-hand corner but just wide!
    • 49' The throw isn't cleared by City and Andrews has a pop but he slices it, Ooijer is forward now and shoots from the right but well-held by Hart.
    • 48' McCarthy on the left holds it up and plays it back to Pedersen. Blackburn now have a throw, which Pedersen will launch into the box.
    • 46' Rovers come streaming forward right from the restart as Pedersen's cross goes all the way to Emerton at the far post and the Aussie has time to set himself up for the STRIKE... Wide of the target!
    • 46' City get the second half underway.
    • 45+2 Half-time and Rovers lead!
    • 45' Emerton on the right, he sends a low ball in that City don't deal with and Roberts turns on the edge of the box AND MCCARTHY POUNCES TO RIFLE IT INTO THE BOTTOM RIGHT FOR 1-0! Great finish and combination between the two strikers. Tell me 'who needs Santa Cruz, tell me who needs Santa Cruz'?
    • 44' Free-kick to City on the right but Dunne takes it short and they just play keep-ball.
    • 42' Warnock launches it long, Samba flicks on and McCarthy takes the ball on his chest but fires the shot over.
    • 41' Ironic cheers from the home fans as Zabaleta fouls Pedersen and the ref calls for a free-kick on the left wing.
    • 39' Another late tackle from Tugay so Webb calls him and his captain Ryan Nelsen for a chat.
    • 36' Warnock is down injured for Blackburn, looks like his right ankle. Olsson is a like-for-like replacement and warms up on the sidelines.
    • 34' Rubbish free-kick from Elano, miles wide, he looks unhappy at City now and will probably move to Spain sooner rather than later.
    • 33' Filthy sliding two-footer from Tugay, who gets booked. He is really old though, so we'll forgive him.
    • 30' Caideco heads it away but Blackburn still come forward. Eventually it's back with Hart though, claiming at the feet of Roberts.
    • 29' Corner to Blackburn on the left which Tugay will take.
    • 27' Caicedo jogs off but is alright to continue.
    • 26' Long ball over the top for Caicedo and Robinson comes hurtling out like a big fat cannonball and he slides in to hoof it away but also maims Caicedo who is still down after the clearance is complete so the ref blows.
    • 24' Roberts has a half-chance to get the ball on the right, he beats Ball to it, cuts inside and can shoot but it's blocked and City clear.
    • 22' Kompany surges forward and has a crack but high, wide and handsome.
    • 21' Robinho and Jo almost combine but Emerton is back defending and Blackburn clear for now.
    • 18' Roberts gets in on the left but he is held off by Onuoha and the shot is weak and easy for Hart.
    • 16' Swung to the near post and MCCARTHY but he heads wide.
    • 15' Corner to Rovers on the right, which Pedersen will take.
    • 13' Well, this has been quite an eventful start to the match. Three big decisions fluffed by Howard Webb and one big chance fluffed by Robinho. A bit of monkey tennis in the middle of the pass puts a dampener on proceedings.
    • 11' City break with Elano who cuts it to Caicedo who takes a brilliant touch wide left and zooms into space AND HE WHIPS A GLORIOUS CROSS OVER TO ROBINHO FREE FROM EIGHT YARDS BUT HE SOMEHOW FLICKS THE HEADER WIDE! WHAT A MISS! All he had to do was stand there and nod the ball into the net! Oh dear.
    • 9' Robinho gets the ball on the right and he zips past Nelsen who brings him down but no penalty! Nelsen clearly clipped Robinho's heels but Webb missed it! Normally our best ref, Howard isn't having the best start to this match.
    • 7' Rovers come forward again but Emerton's cross is cleared by Dunne.
    • 5' Pedersen to take this free-kick right on the edge of the D. Emerton pulls rank though and he takes it but sends it into the wall and Hart claims the loose ball. That hit Ireland on the arm, he flew across with his hand raised!
    • 4' Roberts gets on to a McCarthy flick on and he chests it past Dunne who brings him down on the edge of the box and he could walk here! Free-kick given by Webb, but no card, not even a yellow! If Dunne wasn't the last man then what is?
    • 2' Early corner to City on the right which Ball will take. He sends it to the edge of the six-yard box and Kompany with a great leap and knock-down AND CAICEDO SLIDES IN TO SCORE BUT HE SOMEHOW, INEXPLICABLY PUTS IT OVER!!
    • 1' Match underway!
    • - MAN CITY TEAM NEWS: Micah Richards is dropped to the bench with Nedum Onuoha stepping in at centre half. Otherwise business as usual for the entertaining but woefully inconsistent City.
    • - BLACKBURN TEAM NEWS: There is no Santa Cruz again, fuelling speculation that he may move to City, although he has been injured. Ryan Nelsen makes a speedy recovery from an eye injury to start, but he has a sweet shiner to show for it.
    • - Hello and welcome to our LIVE coverage of Blackburn v Man City, with Mark Hughes returning to his former club for the first time.

  • Team Stats

    Blackburn Rovers Stats Manchester City
    48% Possession 51%
    15 Shots 12
    5 Shots on target 3
    1 Saves 2
    4 Corners 3
    9 Fouls 13
    5 Offsides 2
    2 Yellow cards 1
    0 Red cards 0
    22 Tackles 23
    252 Accurate passes 267
    63 Bad passes 42

  • Player Stats

    G =
    Goals
    S =
    Shots
    SoT =
    Shot on Target
    F =
    Fouls
    FW =
    Fouls Won
    O =
    Offsides
    A =
    Assists
    AP =
    Accurate Passes
    BP =
    Bad Passes
    T =
    Tackles
    • Blackburn Rovers
      G S SoT F FW O A AP BP T
      1 Paul Robinson 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 6 0
      4 Christopher Samba 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 25 0 5
      3 Stephen Warnock 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 20 11 3
      7 Brett Emerton 0 3 0 1 1 0 0 29 2 4
      2 Andre Ooijer 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 26 0 0
      6 Ryan Nelsen 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 21 10 0
      17 Keith Andrews 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 26 3 2
      5 Kerimoglou Tugay 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 30 2 3
      12 Morten Gamst Pedersen 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 25 12 1
      10 Benedict McCarthy 1 4 1 0 0 4 0 20 10 1
      30 Jason Roberts 1 4 2 4 2 1 1 14 6 1
      15 Aaron Mokoena 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 1 1
      32 Jason Brown 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      14 Johann Vogel 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      29 Martin Olsson 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      13 Zurab Khizanishvili 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      27 Matt Derbyshire 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1
      24 Keith Treacy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
    • Manchester City
      G S SoT F FW O A AP BP T
      1 Joe Hart 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 3 0
      4 Nedum Onuoha 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 17 0 2
      33 Vincent Kompany 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 41 3 4
      3 Michael Ball 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 29 15 2
      5 Pablo Zabaleta 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 32 0 6
      22 Richard Dunne 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 26 1 3
      11 Blumer Elano 0 1 0 0 3 0 0 31 9 0
      7 Stephen Ireland 0 2 0 3 2 0 0 27 2 4
      8 Shaun Wright-Phillips 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 16 0 1
      10 Robson de Souza 1 3 2 0 4 1 0 20 5 0
      20 Felipe Caicedo 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 6 2 0
      14 João Alves de Assis Silva 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      28 Daniel Sturridge 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 3 1 0
      12 Darius Vassell 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 1
      19 Gelson Fernandes 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      2 Micah Richards 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 13 1 0
      16 Kasper Schmeichel 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      15 Javier Garrido 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

  • Summary

    • - Well, another great day of Premier League football and a second late equaliser after Clint Dempsey did the business for Fulham against Chelsea. Thanks for joining us and be sure to return for our coverage of Manchester United against Middlesbrough from 20:00 UK time on Monday!
    • 90+4 Long from Hart then, down the right, Sturridge with a good touch out wide, he cuts inside, rides one challenge, then another and then he clips a glorious ball that splits Rovers' defence in two AND ROBINHO IS FREE ON THE LEFT AND SLIDES IT INTO THE BOTTOM RIGHT WITH A FABULOUS FINISH FOR THE EQUALISER! QUITE BRILLIANT FROM CITY, STURRIDGE AND ROBINHO THE HEROES!
    • 87' Robinho outside the D, takes a cool touch and flicks an audacious ball in to the box that Ooijer tries to head clear but IT FALLS TO STURRIDGE WITH A SUPERB VOLLEY IN TO THE BOTTOM RIGHT FOR 2-1! Cracking technique from the youngster, City back in it!
    • 83' Rovers launch it in to the box and Samba knocks it up in the air FOR ROBERTS TO MEET WITH A FAR-POST HEADER TO PUT BLACKBURN TWO UP! Oh dear, all of Hughes's tinkering has been in vain and he is going to lose again.
    • 81' High ball in to the Rovers box and some head tennis is followed by RICHARDS WITH A TAKE AND SHOT but just wide! Looked like he fouled his marker but it would have stood!
    • 59' Howard Webb is having a shocker. Warnock counters for Rovers and overlaps to give McCarthy a second option wide left but Webb somehow gets between them and blocks the through ball. Emerton on the right puts over a far-post cross and MCCARTHY WITH A BICYCLE KICK but he sends it wide! Pedersen is annoyed as he was free behind him for a more conventional volley.
    • 51' City come forward down the left, Elano playas really good far-post cross and WRIGHT-PHILLIPS WITH A BACKWARDS HEADER THAT BEATS ROBINSON AND COMES OFF THE OUTSIDE OF THE POST! Still with City though and Ireland has a chance on the edge of the box and he clips it towards the left-hand corner but just wide!
    • 45' Emerton on the right, he sends a low ball in that City don't deal with and Roberts turns on the edge of the box AND MCCARTHY POUNCES TO RIFLE IT INTO THE BOTTOM RIGHT FOR 1-0! Great finish and combination between the two strikers. Tell me 'who needs Santa Cruz, tell me who needs Santa Cruz'?
    • 11' City break with Elano who cuts it to Caicedo who takes a brilliant touch wide left and zooms into space AND HE WHIPS A GLORIOUS CROSS OVER TO ROBINHO FREE FROM EIGHT YARDS BUT HE SOMEHOW FLICKS THE HEADER WIDE! WHAT A MISS! All he had to do was stand there and nod the ball into the net! Oh dear.
    • 9' Robinho gets the ball on the right and he zips past Nelsen who brings him down but no penalty! Nelsen clearly clipped Robinho's heels but Webb missed it! Normally our best ref, Howard isn't having the best start to this match.
    • 5' Pedersen to take this free-kick right on the edge of the D. Emerton pulls rank though and he takes it but sends it into the wall and Hart claims the loose ball. That hit Ireland on the arm, he flew across with his hand raised!
    • 4' Roberts gets on to a McCarthy flick on and he chests it past Dunne who brings him down on the edge of the box and he could walk here! Free-kick given by Webb, but no card, not even a yellow! If Dunne wasn't the last man then what is?
    • 2' Early corner to City on the right which Ball will take. He sends it to the edge of the six-yard box and Kompany with a great leap and knock-down AND CAICEDO SLIDES IN TO SCORE BUT HE SOMEHOW, INEXPLICABLY PUTS IT OVER!!
    • - Hello and welcome to our LIVE coverage of Blackburn v Man City, with Mark Hughes returning to his former club for the first time.

Live Team Line-Up

  • Referee: Howard Webb

  • Blackburn Rovers

    Manager: Sam Allardyce

    Captain: Brett Emerton

    Starting line-up

    • P. Robinson
    • A. Ooijer
    • C. Samba
    • R. Nelsen Yellow Card
    • S. Warnock
    • B. Emerton
    • K. Andrews
    • K. Tugay Yellow Card Substitution Out (73′)
    • M. Pedersen
    • B. McCarthy Goal Substitution Out (85′)
    • J. Roberts Goal

    Subs

    • J. Vogel
    • A. Mokoena Substitution In73′
    • M. Derbyshire Substitution In85′
    • Z. Khizanishvili
    • J. Brown
    • K. Treacy
    • M. Olsson

    Injured

    • V. Grella
    • S. Reid

    Suspended

    None

  • Manchester City

    Manager: Mark Hughes

    Captain: Richard Dunne

    Starting line-up

    • J. Hart
    • P. Zabaleta
    • N. Onuoha Substitution Out (64′)
    • R. Dunne
    • M. Ball
    • S. Wright-Phillips
    • V. Kompany
    • S. Ireland Yellow Card
    • B. Elano Substitution Out (71′)
    • .. Robinho Goal
    • F. Caicedo Substitution Out (71′)

    Subs

    • D. Vassell Substitution In71′
    • J. Garrido
    • K. Schmeichel
    • M. Richards Substitution In64′
    • .. Jo
    • G. Fernandes
    • D. Sturridge Substitution In71′ Goal

    Injured

    • M. Petrov
    • V. Bojinov
    • M. Benjani
    • M. Johnson
    • C. Evans

    Suspended

    None