The stadium itself looks fairly impressive in its scale from the outside, though isn't as pretty as Bolton's if you're bothered by aesthetics. The spiny skeletal roofing makes it look like they haven't finished with the scaffolding yet; only when you get close do you realise that's how they meant it to be. On the inside they've got things much better, lots of snack bars selling beer and a big variety of drinks/snacks with plenty of servers cutting down on the queues. More crucially for those of us who get mad urges to wager large chunks of our hard-earned dosh on the implausible occurring was the presence of a bookies (40-1 on Bilic getting first goal seemed too good with Hinchcliffe returning for the corners. How naive I can be.)

Once you get to the seating though it was more disappointing. The designers decided to plumb for a one layer approach for three sides of the ground (a bit like the Park End), yet it was done on a much more gentle angle as you get further back. Consequently, those towards the back felt miles from the pitch and those of us in the corner were left with a very disappointing vantage point for our £18.

Like at Bolton the 'singing' home supporters had decided that they'd had enough of decades of lousy views sitting behind a goal and decided that, seeing as there is no longer such a thing as the 'cheap-seats' anymore, they'd all move en masse to the side of the ground and take position adjacent to the visitors section. With the club paying someone to bang a drum to get them going this led to quite a bit of 'back and forth' between the fans throughout the afternoon and I'd probably be praising the atmosphere had the result turned out differently. Enough of the stadium, onto the match:

First Half

Following on from the Bolton game it was apparent that something would have to give up front. Ferguson and Barmby had demonstrated whatever the exact opposite of telepathy is and so one of them was inevitably going to get the shove. It was Barmby who Kendall picked on and so Michael Branch got a run out. The midfield that had put in a good performance remained unchanged leaving no room for the returning Tony Grant, whilst at the back Bilic was partnered by Short, Barrett and Andy Hinchcliffe making his first start of the season.

The game started off in a very open manner. Quick hustling in midfield saw both sides finding it difficult to hold onto the ball and so both sides found themselves with promising quick breaks early on. It was from one of these that the first omen of the afternoon should have been heeded when Branch, desperately trying to latch onto a heavily weighted through-ball, pulled a hamstring and had to be replaced. Just as Barmby was stripping off Kendall gave him the second slap in the face of the day by choosing to stick on Danny Cadamarteri (or 'Danny Squid' as the wags behind insisted on calling him).

Cadamarteri quickly showed a few of the touches that have earned him such a good reputation amongst reserve team followers. Despite us having picked up a couple of curious bookings (Ferguson and Speed) I sensed we were about to take the lead. When I get that sort of feeling only one thing can happen next.

Derby Scored.

Fortunately, they only had the chance to get in one decent rendition of 'You're not signing anymore'. Williamson picked the ball up in midfield, it was played to Ferguson as the defenders back-pedalled. Dunc looked like he might go it alone but noticed Stuart making a surging run into space on the right. The ball was fed to Diamond's feet and there was an audible exhaling of breath as the doubters assessed Stuart's chances in a one-on-one. He just looked to have taken it a step too far when the shot slipped in. What an eruption of joy!

Unfortunately, we only had the chance to get in one decent rendition of 'You're not singing anymore'. Barrett was asleep, a Derby player kippered him, a ball was played across and from the distance it looked like Southall never had a prayer as it was tucked home. Two-one.

Everton certainly did not give up the ghost and had two chances cleared off the line before the break.

Second Half

We looked every bit capable of coming back and taking at least a point from this game. When Barmby came on for Barrett we had a sudden spurt of chances. Danny Squid ended a good run sending his shot inches wide, Barmby flicked one over, Ferguson had another cleared off the line. However, it seemed that as the game progressed the blues were becoming more and more rattled by the performance of the overly card-happy referee. Players were getting booked left, right and centre with no real indication of what the offences were.

A harmless enough looking ball found its way to Bilic who perhaps over-elaborately decided to dribble it away. Regardless of the right or wrong of what he was trying to do he did not dribble the ball out of play. If I had a decent view of one thing all game it was this; that ball simply did not cross the line. The referee thought differently and a corner was awarded. We were still too busy sulking about this latest shocking decision when they punished us and made the game safe with a headed third.

There was however time remaining for the referee to rub a bit of salt in it, firstly by sending off Hinchcliffe for what was admittedly a late tackle, and then within moments of that denying Cadamarteri as honest enough seeming appeal for a penalty.

This wasn't a terrible performance from Everton, Derby needed the help from the referee to make the win seem so convincing on paper. However, we are in trouble, we need to be picking up points from this sort of game. No Everton player found it possible to sharply pull up their boot-laces amongst the general malaise and shine. Without any such inspiration, once two behind it'll always be a lost cause.

I trundled home moaning to my companion that it was in Derby last December that I last saw an away league win. As I was ripping up my 'Bilic first-goal-scorer' betting slip I began to make a mental calculation of how much money I must've spent on travel and tickets (and futile bets!) since then, only for every-time to end up feeling like either shit (like I did right then), or at best dull contentment with a draw. So, I was just about to hurl myself under an oncoming bus when I remembered those sweet three minutes when Stuart had equalised. That's what it's all about. There's always next time. Come on you Blues!

Individual Performances

• Southall 6 - Only one save springs to mind. Nothing special.
• Barrett 5 - This was his worst performance for a long spell. Misplaced passes, some blame for the third goal, looked asleep and unaware at times.
• Hinchcliffe 5 - Hadn't done all that much to impress -- wasted several crosses (shockers!) and then goes and commits hari-kiri with that tackle.
• Bilic 6 - Occasional flashes of his class but clearly let himself get wound up by the ref and it affected his play. An undeserved booking keeps up his record of a card a game.
• Short 7 - Pushing contention for Everton Man-of-the-Match. Not saying much that though. Solid game with good work up front too.
• Williamson 6 - Needs to work on endurance. Had a great start playing the anchor role, but as usual seemed to fade out of it as the game went on.
• Speed 6 - His one sincere attempt to appear captain-like ended in him picking up a card for his troubles! Like Williamson faded towards the end -- the midfield gave up the battle for the last ten minutes letting them take the piss with 'keep ball'.
• Oster 6 - Disappointment of the day. With John not being able to turn it on (perhaps that'll be more difficult now the secret is out) we lacked that extra option and it affected our performance. The trouble with flair players is that we can over rely on them -- Limpar and Kanchelskis spring to mind. When they can't turn it on the squad must have somewhere else to look to... Also kept getting mixed up with who was supposed to be where with Cadamarteri.
• Stuart 7 - Thought he was on for one of his periodic blinders but like everyone else he let himself down a bit towards the end. Kept his head well for the goal, I stick to my prediction that he'll hit 12-15 this season if he stays in midfield.
• Ferguson 7 - One of his more hard-working displays but his industry wasn't rewarded. Nice unselfish pass to put Stuart on for the goal.
• Branch - injured early
• Cadamarteri 7 - High point of the day. Nice first time touches even at speed, competent strong running, looks more of a winger than an out-and-out forward but mixed it in well enough. We're going to see a whole lot more of this lad.
• Barmby 6 - Had a shot soon after coming on which nearly nicked it but made little impression after that. Looks less than happy with us, his morale must have hit rock bottom when Danny went on ahead of him.

The problem of not going to games is you only see the result (with a few highlights and some media hack's "summary" of the game on the telly). If I'd not gone to this game, and had just seen the result, I might have been tempted to join the wailing ranks of the terminally depressed, including the truly sad person on ToffeeNet calling for the head of Kendall it seems on the basis that he was successful for Everton in the past -- what a crime against the club, eh?

Instead I came away from the game feeling cheated, by the well-documented antics of the referee, by what was really Everton's bad luck in front of goal - -I counted at least 3 attempts cleared off the line, and a good half dozen decent chances -- and by the cruelty of the fact that Derby had THREE attempts on goal in the whole game and scored with the lot.

Derby's goals

1. The first, Hunts first goal for Derby, I thought at the time was deflected, and TV replays back this up - without a deflection Nev would surely have saved it.
2. The second developed down Everton's left, and as I watched it I kept an eye out on Barrett on the right who found himself marking 2 players on a potential overlap and desperately trying to call some cover over. Needless to say Derby switched play and Barrett was quite simply overrun, and I really don't see how he could have done anything about it. If anything Nev was slow off his line. Powell's first goal for Derby (is a pattern emerging?).
3. The third goal occurred at the other end of the pitch, so I didn't see the incident, but note with interest others' comments that it was never a corner in the first place.

In between all this was the best goal of the game from Stuart, far, far better, dominant and creative play from Everton, and plain bad luck in front of goal. Until the sending off, at which point it seemed clear all round that the game was over. Of course, it ain't all right, but it ain't all wrong either, and I can't help thinking that a confidence boosting win or two will do wonders for the team, and let's hope it's this week that this happens.

Individual performances: no points, just a couple of comments:

• Southall: Really nothing much to do all game except pick the ball out of the net, possibly a bit slow coming out for the 2nd goal.
• Barrett: Not good, really NOT good. Not as at fault for the goals as others have made out, but rather left exposed by his team-mates.
• Hinchcliffe: Crosses worse than Barrett's! Very disappointing.
• Bilic: My visions of him in the past suggested him as an unflapping rock. But he let something get to him in this game -- I did like the way he'd bring the ball out of defense to initiate attacks instead of just hoofing it up from the half-way line.
• Short: Solid performance I thought, could have scored and also made a couple of timely Bilicesque last-ditch tackles.
• Williamson: Not convinced, didn't do too much for me in terms of creative midfield play. He didn't seem too happy as right back after Barrett went off.
• Speed: Tried to keep things moving, and succeeded often.
• Oster: Complete waste of space on the day. Didn't seem to find a way of getting in the game and easily shrugged off the ball when he had it. A real disappointment sadly.
• Stuart: Competent performance (at least in relation to the rest of the team!). Not necessarily his fault, but perhaps he's a little too attacking to play ahead of a right back as vulnerable as Barrett can be? (certainly the first two goals came from overlaps down Everton's right....). Throwing himself to the ground for a penalty when 20 yards outside the penalty area just looked silly though :-(
• Branch: Hope the injury's not bad.....
• Ferguson: Interesting to watch; spends a lot of time lumbering around and can suddenly inject a burst of surprising speed. Particularly impressed with his ground control, and apart from one towering header I couldn't judge his aerial ability as Everton simply didn't play the ball up to him in the air much.
• Cadamarteri: Exciting to watch, lively, caused a lot of problems. One superb shot with the outside of his boot that beat the goalie but unfortunately drifted just wide. On another day, with a different ref, would have clearly won a penalty.
• Barmby: Within 2 minutes of coming on had had two attempts on goal, and was unlucky. Did little after that, but then neither did any other Everton player.

Team: Generally competent, until 1-3 & down to 10 men, when they just seemed to think they weren't going to get anything from the game, -- not with that ref at least.

Jim Smith, their manager, is too much of a realist to see this as more than the makings of a start. Typically, he said two goals came "from the best bits of football we played before half time". He also admitted that the 66th-minute sending-off of England defender Andy Hinchcliffe in his first senior match since December, for tripping Francesco Baiano, had helped to ease the odds.

But a minute earlier Derby had stretched their lead to 3-1, when Dean Sturridge added to goals by Jonathan Hunt and Chris Powell. Everton caught up for only four minutes in a first-half explosion of three goals in eight minutes. They ended no nearer their first away win in the Premier League since they beat Derby at the old Baseball Ground last December.

Graham Stuart scored, closing unchallenged after a pass from Duncan Ferguson before coolly outwaiting goalkeeper Mart Poom. But Howard Kendall, who lost Michael Branch injured after 11 minutes, still needs a striker to partner Ferguson.

Meanwhile, Smith declares he will continue to bank on the striking duo of Sturridge and Baiano. Neither tops 5ft 10in, but in their first match as a pair they constantly nagged bigger opponents.

Smith's concern is service. This must not dissolve into what Bill Shankly called "alehouse crosses" and, in fairness, Derby are thus far playing to their strengths. There also seemed to be other options. Everton were still working out Sturridge and Baiano when, after 24 minutes, Hunt controlled a pass at almost shoulder height, fed Chris Powell wide on the left and moved up to head in Powell's cross.

Powell became more of a threat when Baiano, who had lost the ball to prime Everton's equaliser, made up for it by reaching Aljosa Asanovic from the right wing. This opened a route for Powell to chip over an exposed Neville Southall.

Everton's 38-year-old goalkeeper became the first player to complete 200 Premiership appearances, missing only seven since 1992. But in terms of activity Poom upstaged him. Smith saluted the Slovenian's shot-stopping and his authority in dealing with crosses. Poom needed rescuing only once, by a clearance off the line from Nick Barmby's shot.

Overall, Kendall was disappointed, and with good reason. Everton have moved on under him. They no longer rely on big passes for Ferguson to head on and around. They play properly, in the Kendall style, through midfield.

But football is cruel. Everton were still upholding good principles ­ as were Derby ­ when Hunt's corner was headed down by Robin Van Der Laan for Sturridge to score.

Ferguson was booked early on when he appeared to pull Asanovic wildly off balance, although the referee signalled elbowing. It seemed to bring Derby to life. Trust Ferguson.

Hinchcliffe, who had overtaken Phil Neville and Stuart Pearce in the left-back pecking order before suffering a serious knee injury last December, was sent off midway through the second half of an ill-tempered match after a cynical foul on the Derby forward Francesco Baiano. Referee Michael Riley issued seven yellow cards as well as Hinchcliffe's red.

Goals by Jonathan Hunt, Chris Powell and Dean Sturridge powered Derby to a second win of the season in their new Pride Park stadium. For Everton, Hinchcliffe's return gave added potency to the aerial strength of Duncan Ferguson, who thrives on the reliable service. There was a marked contrast in the visiting side's style compared with that of Derby, who teamed up Baiano and Sturridge -- both 5ft 9in -- for the first time since the Italian's summer arrival from Fiorentina.

It was with a touch of irony, then, that a high cross should provide Derby's opening goal midway through the first half. It was delivered from the left flank by Powell, who was released by Hunt's clever flick. Powell looped the ball towards the far post, where Hunt headed in his first Derby goal.

No one yet had the edge, however, and neither Everton's swift equaliser nor Derby's second goal came as a surprise. Sloppy play in the home side's midfield led to the Everton goal, Danny Williamson winning the ball and feeding Ferguson, whose through-ball left Graham Stuart with only the goalkeeper Matt Poom to beat.

Four minutes later it was Williamson's turn to give the ball away, and when Aljosa Asanovic set up Powell in the penalty area, a moment of indecisiveness from the goalkeeper Neville Southall, making his 200th Premier League appearance, allowed Powell to squeeze the ball home.

Injuries upset both managers' plans. Everton lost Michael Branch in the ninth minute, offering an opportunity for teenager Danny Cadamarteri. Nick Barmby, meanwhile, remained bench-bound for an hour before replacing Earl Barrett. Derby had to reorganise when the centre-back Jacob Laursen failed to reappear after the break, but they stretched their lead after a 66th-minute corner delivered by Hunt was headed home by Sturridge.

Despite Kendall's arrival for a third stint on Merseyside Everton are showing a stubborn reluctance to rise from the slough of despond which has gradually engulfed the club since the inception of the Premier League. If their search for a new manager was not traumatic enough, their heavy handed attempts to attract world class players to Goodison Park has merely proved embarrassing.

Things could be about to become a whole lot worse.

'We are not a nasty side, but Everton Football Club were known as the dogs of war a little while back and we've got to get back to that,' warned Kendall afterwards. Presumably, though, he did not mean warring among themselves. It was noticeable that substitute Nick Barmby failed to accept his manger's outstretched hand at the final whistle.

It is known as a vicious circle, and one which is proving markedly difficult to break. The visitor's teenage striker Branch succumbed to injury with only 11 minutes played. And this at a time when Everton were dominating possession. The breakthrough came against the run of play in the 22nd minute. Ferguson had already been booked when Powell slipped down the left wing, crossed to the far post, and Hunt -- who had started the move -- nodded down to Southall's right.

Stuart equalised 5 minutes later, but Everton's joy was transient. Powell, having a superb game, was played into their area on the half-hour and turned the ball in from a tight angle. The second half was a mirror image of the first. Everton dictated the pace of the match, twice had shots cleared off the line, but again self-combusted.

Bilic gave away a needless corner, Van der Laan won his header, and Sturridge found the crucial flick. Hinchcliffe's dismissal for a late challenge on Baiano came on minute later.

Not that they played badly on Saturday, when, for the first 25 minutes or so of each half, they were much the better team, but every time it seemed that they had Derby County stretched to breaking point, it was Everton themselves who snapped. A match that might so easily have been won instead earned them merely six bookings, one sending-off and the defeat that sent them into the bottom three of the FA Carling Premiership.

It is a safe bet that Everton's dismal form away from Goodison Park -­ and they are hardly invincible there, either -­ was troubling Kendall far more on his journey home than the ill-discipline that was a significant factor in their defeat at Pride Park. Since winning at the Baseball Ground before Christmas last year, they have been struck down by acute travel-sickness, with five draws and 27 goals conceded in 13 attempts. Kendall laid the blame for this latest setback at the door of the referee's changing-room.

"It is very difficult for players who are passionate, who want to win, not to show their displeasure," he said after Speed, Stuart and Bilic had been cautioned for dissent by Mike Riley, who also dismissed Hinchcliffe for a clear-cut professional foul on Baiano. Told that Graeme Souness and Bryan Robson have been fined for criticism of the Leeds official, Kendall said: "I am not going to get fined. All I will say is that they are good judges."

Very cute, of course, and few could dispute that Derby did indeed appear to get the benefit of the doubt over every contentious decision. But does Kendall really think that his players' energies are best expended on angry, futile pursuit of a referee? Derby could not believe their luck. "The two goals we scored in the first half came from the only bits of football we played and our third came when Everton were on top," Jim Smith, the Derby manager, conceded.

When they concentrated on the matter in hand, Everton played with commendable purpose and panache, Ferguson setting up Stuart for the goal that cancelled out the lead given to Derby by Hunt. The opener was a moment that neatly encapsulated the visitors' day: Hunt would not have been playing had Eranio been fit and his header needed a deflection to beat Southall.

Then, after Chris Powell's superbly-taken goal had restored Derby's advantage, Barmby, Cadamarteri and Ferguson, whose header was cleared off the line, should have scored. By this time, though, Everton were distracted to the point of self-destruction by Riley and instead it was Sturridge who made the game safe for Derby.

England full-back Hinchcliffe, returning following a nine-month battle to overcome a knee injury, was dismissed after 67 minutes for hauling down Francesco Baiano as the Italian raced clear moments after Derby had made the game safe with their third goal.

He will no doubt argue that it was a valid attempt to win the ball, but referee Mike Riley had no option but to brandish the red card in a game that also brought eight bookings, six for Howard Kendall's players.

Hinchcliffe's afternoon began badly when he wasted two early opportunities to whip in his trademark left-flank crosses. It seemed indicative of a match that huffed and puffed in the early stages as both sides surrendered possession all too easily.

The visitors' cause wasn't helped when Michael Branch pulled up clutching his hamstring and was replaced by 17-year-old dreadlocked Danny Cadamarteri, whose only taste of first-team action was as a substitute last season.

It took 18 minutes for either side to get an effort on goal, Danny Williamson's long-range drive flying well over, yet the contest suddenly burst into life with three goals in nine minutes. The crowd were stirred into life when Duncan Ferguson thrust an elbow into Igor Stimac's face and was booked, Gary Speed following suit for challenging the decision.

And the Pride Park faithful were up in unison again on 23 minutes when Chris Powell crossed from the left and Jon Hunt rose unchallenged to power a downward header beyond Neville Southall, the ball taking a slight deflection. It was Hunt's first goal since his ú600,000 switch from Birmingham in the summer, but he hardly had a chance to enjoy the moment before Everton levelled four minutes later.

Speed fed Ferguson to pierce a curling pass between Stimac and Christian Dailly and Graham Stuart burst in from the right to clip the ball over Mart Poom for his second of the campaign.

But Derby were ahead again after 32 minutes when Baiano linked with Aljosa Asanovic and he freed Powell with a perceptive first-time ball that allowed the full-back to dash behind Earl Barrett and crash the ball over Southall. It was Powell's first goal for County in his 61st appearance since making a ú750,000 switch from Southend 18 months ago. It took a goalline clearance by Hunt to prevent Craig Short from bringing Everton level again when the big defender met Hinchcliffe's corner with a brave diving header.

Derby made a substitution immediately after half-time when Robin Van der Laan replaced Jacob Laursen.  But it was Everton who held the initiative on the restart, Lee Carsley denying Ferguson with a timely challenge and Cadamarteri drilling a low shot from 20 yards that beat Poom's dive but squeezed past the post.

The Blues brought on Nick Barmby for Barrett on the hour, Derby switching the out-of-sorts Asanovic for Paul Trollope at the same time. Barmby almost had an immediate impact, his first touch a close-range shot that was deflected over by Dailly from John Oster's cross.

From Hinchcliffe's corner, Bilic scrambled the ball to the far post where Ferguson's header was scrambled off the line by Hunt. But the game turned against the visitors in the space of 120 seconds of mayhem.

Bilic was booked after 66 minutes when he protested too fiercely to a linesman who spotted that the Croatian had run the ball over his own goal-line. And from Hunt's corner, Van der Laan headed goalwards and Sturridge got the slightest of touches to guide the ball home from point-blank range.

Then came Hinchcliffe's dismissal and Jim Smith's side could afford to ease back down through the gears in the knowledge that their second win of the campaign was safe.

KENDALL WANTS 'DOGS OF WAR' SPIRIT

Everton boss Howard Kendall will call on his players to revive the 'dogs of war' spirit -- despite seeing Andy Hinchcliffe sent off and six of his players booked in today's 3-1 defeat by Derby at Pride Park. Kendall felt that his team had been treated harshly by referee Mike Riley, especially Hinchcliffe who was returning after a nine-month battle against a cruciate knee ligament injury, but was dismissed after 67 minutes for a foul that halted Francesco Baiano.

Duncan Ferguson, Gary Speed, Danny Cadamarteri, John Oster, Slaven Bilic and Graham Stuart were all shown yellow cards -- Derby's Gary Rowett and Dean Sturridge were also booked -- leaving Kendall bemused.

He insisted: "We're not a nasty side. In fact, Everton were labelled 'dogs of war' a little while ago and maybe we'll have to get back to that.

"I don't mind seeing cautions when they are necessary, but the yellow card should only come out when it is warranted.

"I have players who are passionate and want to win, and although I agree that referees should bring out the card for dissent, my players were showing their displeasure over what they were seeing.

"I thought the sending-off was a little harsh. He had ridden two or three tackles before Andy came in and I think that influenced the referee."

Both Bryan Robson and Graeme Souness were hit by Football Association fines for criticising Leeds official Riley last season.

Kendall added: "I'm not going to say anything that will get me a fine, but Bryan Robson and Graeme Souness are good judges."

Three goals in nine minutes midway through the first half brought the game to life, Jon Hunt heading his first goal for Derby since his £600,000 summer move from Birmingham after 23 minutes.

Graham Stuart levelled five minutes later, but Derby were ahead again on 32 minutes, when Chris Powell netted his first goal for the club in his 61st appearance.

Dean Sturridge made the points safe with a third moments before Hinchcliffe's dismissal.

But Rams boss Jim Smith admitted: "The two goals in the first half were the only two bits of real football we played in the first 45 minutes.

"We were better in the second half, but even when we scored the third, Everton appeared to be the team on top.

"But it's a very important victory. If you look at Derby's record against Everton, then this is a very good win. Maybe a change of ground has brought a change of luck."

Before they scored, Derby had been struggling to knit anything together. To be fair and, despite having the lion's share of possession, so had Everton; the rapid burst of goal fire truly had been proceeded by an excess of mediocrity.

There was a booking for Ferguson, a glower or two from the Everton totem directed at the enemy, some theatricals from Aljosa Asanovic: in short nothing that could not have been predicted. Then from nowhere, Jonathan Hunt cleared a path amidst a huddle of bodies to beat Neville Southall with a downward header after Chris Powell had crossed from the left. It was Hunt's first goal since his switch from Birmingham.

Everton's reply arose from similarly unpromising beginnings, though Ferguson's touch as he sent Graham Stuart clear was the mark of a player with far more than just aerial menace and a filthy temper. Stuart's 28th-minute finish was sharp as he tucked the ball past an advancing Mart Poom and inside the far post.

The new arena was still throbbing with all this activity when Derby went away and scored a second within five minutes. This time, the quality came from Asanovic, who threaded one of those delightful little passes of his around the defender, though the angle it left Chris Powell made it a finish of which a seasoned marksman would have been proud, let alone a full-back opening his account in the league for the Midlanders.

Derby waited until midway through the second half for their third, when Sturridge's instincts left him ideally placed to help on a Robin Van der Laan header. They would probably have had a fourth a minute later if Hinchcliffe had not crudely halted the strong-running Baiano.

BLACKBURN ROVERS        3-4    LEEDS UNITED              21,956
Gallacher(8) Sutton(pen:16)    Wallace(3,17) Molenaar(6)               
Dahlin(33)                     Hopkin(23)

ARSENAL                 4-1    BOLTON WANDERERS          38,138
Wright(20,25,81) Parlour(44)   Thompson(13)
BARNSLEY                0-3    ASTON VILLA               18,649
                               Ehiogu(25) Draper(50) Taylor(72)
COVENTRY CITY           1-0    SOUTHAMPTON               18,659
Soltvedt(65)
CRYSTAL PALACE          0-3    CHELSEA                   26,186
                       M Hughes(20) Leboeuf(pen 26) Le Saux(90)
DERBY COUNTY            3-1    EVERTON                   27,828
Hunt(23) Powell(33)            Stuart(28)
Sturridge(66)
LEICESTER CITY          3-0    TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR         20,683
Walsh(55) Guppy(68) Heskey(77)
LIVERPOOL               2-1    SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY       34,705
Ince(55) Thomas(68)            Collins(80)
MANCHESTER UNITED       2-1    WEST HAM UNITED           55,068
Keane(21) Scholes(76)          Hartson(14)
NEWCASTLE UNITED        1-3    WIMBLEDON                 36,526
Barton(32)                     Cort(2) Perry(59) Ekoku(76)

Club                          P    W    D    L   GF   GA   GD   Pts
Manchester United             6    5    1    0   10    1    9   16
Blackburn Rovers              6    4    1    1   18    8   10   13
Chelsea                       5    4    0    1   17    5   12   12
Arsenal                       6    3    3    0   13    6    7   12
Leicester City                6    3    2    1    9    5    4   11
West Ham United               6    3    1    2   10    8    2   10
Liverpool                     5    2    2    1    7    5    2    8
Coventry City                 6    2    2    2    7   10   -3    8
Leeds United                  6    2    1    3    8   10   -2    7
Tottenham Hotspur             6    2    1    3    5    9   -4    7
Derby County                  4    2    0    2    4    3    1    6
Newcastle United              3    2    0    1    4    4    0    6
Aston Villa                   6    2    0    4    6    9   -3    6
Crystal Palace                6    2    0    4    5    8   -3    6
Barnsley                      6    2    0    4    4   13   -9    6
Wimbledon                     5    1    2    2    6    8   -2    5
Bolton Wanderers              5    1    2    2    5    8   -3    5
Everton                       5    1    1    3    4    8   -4    4
Sheffield Wednesday           6    1    1    4    7   15   -8    4
Southampton                   6    1    0    5    4   10   -6    3