A trio of goals in the first 31 minutes helped West Brom to a 3-2 home win against Crystal Palace, extending the visitors winless run to 10 Premier League games despite their second-half fightback.

Craig Gardner gave West Brom the lead in the 11th minute, tapping in after Wayne Hennessey turned Salomon Rondon s low shot back into the danger zone.

And it was 2-0 nine minutes later  Craig Dawson headed in Gardner s precise free-kick to give Tony Pulis a dream start against the club he kept in the top flight in the 2013-14 season.

West Brom s third came as Saido Berahino volleyed in his first Premier League goal since October from Stephane Sessegnon s wonderful diagonal cross following some fine build-up play.

Connor Wickham gave Palace a lifelin…

Nigel Clough admits there is no love lost between him and Billy Davies as they prepare to resume their rivalry in the FA Cup this weekend.

Clough and Nottingham Forest boss Davies clashed in a feisty east Midlands derby at Pride Park back in 2010 during the Sheffield United manager s tenure in charge of Derby County.

Scotsman Davies reported the former Forest striker to the League Managers Association after claiming Clough kneed him in the back in a touchline altercation during Derby s 1-0 win just over four years ago.

Clough was sacked by Derby following a 1-0 defeat at the City Ground in September and has since been charged with the task of turning around League One strugglers United s fortunes.

The 47-year-old s main remit is to ensure the Yorkshire club avoid…

Manchester City captain Kyle Walker lauded “sniper” Phil Foden after his brace helped secure a 3-1 come-from-behind victory over Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium.

Foden cancelled out Marcus Rashford’s brilliant first-half opener with a fine strike of his own 11 minutes after the break.

And the Stockport-born playmaker added another finish in the 80th minute before Erling Haaland wrapped up a Manchester derby victory in stoppage time.

Walker, asked about Foden’s stunning equaliser, told Sky Sports: “You know when he comes in on his left foot…we call him the sniper, because he likes to shoot.

“He likes a shot, so when he comes in on that left foot, you know he has the quality and the calmness and composure to pick his spot and I thought…

Pep Guardiola praised fantastic Phil Foden and said the Manchester City midfielder is developing into a world-class player after his wonderful, derby-winning display against Manchester United.

Nobody expected anything other than embarrassment at the Etihad Stadium for Erik ten Hag’s stumbling Red Devils, yet Marcus Rashford’s scorcher gave them a shock half-time lead.

United were under the cosh for large periods before and after the break, finally buckling as 23-year-old Foden scored a superb leveller in the 56th minute before then firing City ahead 10 minutes from time.

Erling Haaland added gloss in stoppage time but there was no doubt who the star of the show was in Sunday’s important 3-1 victory for Guardiola’s title-chasing team.

Derby day del…

Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho is happy at Anfield and wants to remain at the club under Jurgen Klopp.

The France international has endured an inconsistent three seasons in the Premier League after arriving from Paris Saint-Germain in 2013.

Sakho has found some form under Klopp and insists he is content at Liverpool, who are ninth in the Premier League after surrendering a two-goal load to lose 3-2 at Southampton on Sunday.

I always feel well in Liverpool. When I was in France, I did not measure the real impact of this club s history. Once we set foot inside, it s fabulous, he told RMC. 

The atmosphere is healthy. The team is young and talented. Honestly, I really like this city, these fans and the magnificent stadium. 

I am someone who…

Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson has signed a new three-year contract with the club.

The 50-year-old, who took over for a second stint in charge at the King Power Stadium in 2011, led Leicester to the Premier League last season as they won the Championship title.

And he has now been rewarded with a new deal, which will see him remain at Leicester until 2017.

Pearson told the club s official website: I have always seen my long-term future, and that of my staff, at Leicester City.

On the back of the success we have worked so hard to achieve, I have always been confident that my future would remain here.

I feel very proud to be the manager of a club with genuine ambition, a clear direction in which it wants to go and loyal owners that are pre…

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta described his side’s 6-0 thrashing of Sheffield United as “a great night” as they climbed to within two points of leaders Liverpool.

The Gunners dominated from start to finish against a Blades team who looked well beaten after Martin Odegaard, Jayden Bogle’s own goal and Gabriel Martinelli had put them 3-0 behind inside 13 minutes.

Kai Havertz and Declan Rice put the irrepressible Londoners 5-0 ahead at half-time and Ben White crashed home their sixth before the hour mark.

We maintained the rhythm, the hunger and I love that about the team.

The boss on tonight s stellar success in Sheffield

— Arsenal (@Arsenal)

Arteta, whose side’s seventh straight league victory saw them become the first English l…

Eric Garcia conceded Barcelona made mistakes that cannot be made in their thrilling Champions League draw with Inter.

Xavi s side are hanging on by a thread in UEFA s flagship club competition, needing Inter to fail to win either of their final two games if they are to snatch progression from Group C.

Barca were indebted to two late equalisers from Robert Lewandowski, who cancelled out Robin Gosens 89th-minute strike after already making it 2-2.

Garcia acknowledged Barca were far from good enough in a second half that also saw Nicolo Barella and Lautaro Martinez score after Ousmane Dembele s earlier opener.

We have made mistakes that cannot be made at this level, the centre-back told Movistar.

We were where we wanted, pressing high, stealing bal…

Watford stunned FA Cup holders Arsenal with a 2-1 quarter-final victory that piled further pressure on Arsene Wenger at a mutinous Emirates Stadium.

Recent slip-ups in the Premier League title race and the likelihood that Barcelona will complete a two-legged Champions League victory over Arsenal this week left a third consecutive FA Cup triumph as the most realistic prospect of silverware for long-serving boss Wenger this season.

But they failed to make first-half dominance count, with Mohamed Elneny the main culprit in terms of missed chances, and Watford – without a goal in their previous three matches – capitalised on growing anxiety after the break.

Hornets top scorer Odion Ighalo ended a run of 599 minutes without a goal with an opportunist strike before…

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has reacted to fans who cheered his substitution of much-maligned midfielder Marouane Fellaini.

The Belgian international has been hit and miss at Old Trafford since he was signed by David Moyes in 2013, but his standing with the fans has seemingly hit a new low, despite Van Gaal s defence of the player.

Fellaini s performance during the midweek Europa League clash with Liverpool at Anfield, in which United lost 2-0, drew strong criticism from United supporters only for Van Gaal to claim he was the team s best player.

He was picked again for the 1-1 draw at home in the FA Cup fifth round against West Ham, but was withdrawn after 76 minutes amid boos and sarcastic cheers from the United fans.

But Van Gaal was once …