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FOR all the talk of off-field court cases, Wigan aren't doing much to help themselves on the pitch. Yesterday they lost 1-0 at home to Middlesbrough, ensuring they dropped into the relegation zone for the first time since the second week of the season. And they look all but doomed as, three points from safety after another miraculous win by West Ham, they now must travel to the similarly desperate Sheffield united on the last day of the season. The goal that appears to have condemned them came on the half-hour, Mark Viduka volleying home Stewart Downing's misdirected free-kick.
An identical scoreline but completely different story at Craven Cottage however as Fulham finally secured safety with a 1-0 win against an understrength and evidently distracted Liverpool. The crucial goal came from Clint Dempsey who turned in Liam Rosenior's cross on 65 minutes, despite Liverpool's appeals for offside. Fulham even survived the departure of Papa Bouba Diop . . . sent off for a second bookable offence . . . to hold out against a timid Liverpool attack.
Finally, the one game with the least to play for could lead to the only change of staff as Newcastle United supporters expressed their disgust at their side's 2-0 home defeat to Blackburn Rovers.
It wasn't just Roeder's head they were calling for however as chants of 'Sack the board' rang out around St James' Park. The misery started after just 15 minutes with typical calamity at the back from Newcastle. The entire defence stepped up leaving Benni McCarthy free to volley in Stephen Warnock's cross. The second came 25 minutes into the second half, Jason Roberts nodding home David Bentley's cross.
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YOU ARE HERE: 11 November 2007 / tribune.ie / 2007 / 05 / 06
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