Norwich beat Cardiff in six-goal thriller after brilliant comeback

Norwich came out on top of the battle of two relegated Premier League sides, as the Canaries stages a brilliant comeback to beat Cardiff in a six-goal thriller at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Both sides are desperate to secure immediate promotion back into the top flight, but it is Neil Adams’ men who look most likely at this early stage of the season, as a 4-2 victory lifts them up to in second place level on points with table topping Nottingham Forest.

Cardiff got off to a brilliant start with two goals in the opening 22 minutes from Joe Ralls and Aron Gunnarsson.

But the game was turned on his head after the break as Norwich began to dominate, with Martin Olsson pulling one back for the visitors shortly after the restart and Wes Hoolahan pulling them level on the hour-mark.

Bluebirds boss Ole Gunnar Solskjær then brought Nicky Maynard and Tom Adeyemi on from the bench in an attempt to mix it up, but it only got worse for the home side as Michael Turner scored in the 70th minute, with Cameron Jerome also finishing late on as boos began to sound from the home support.

Meanwhile, Brentford are into the play-off places after a 3-2 win over Brighton, with strikes from Moses Odubajo, Andre Gray and Jonathan Douglas sealing victory despite Seagulls duo Danny Holla and Gordon Greer’s goals.

The pressure continues to pile on Fulham boss Felix Magath, as his side slumped to a 3-0 defeat to Reading – the Cottagers’ fifth loss of the season.

Glenn Murray was the star for the home side, with his brace giving to Royals a comfortable lead, while Nick Blackman hammered home in the closing stages to round off a great win, with choruses of ‘Magath out’ sounding from the away stand.

The result leaves Fulham rock bottom of the table with just one point.

Scotland striker Jordan Rhodes was on target again for Blackburn as Rovers secured a 3-1 triumph over Wigan.

After a barren first-half the goals rained in after the break, with the Latics taking the lead through James Perch before Ben Marshall’s double, a goal either side of Rhodes’ finish, steering Blackburn to victory.

Elsewhere, Yoni Buyens’ third minute penalty was all Charlton needed to see of Watford in a 1-0 win at the Valley, two-goal hero Grant Leadbitter netted in stoppage time as Middlesbrough beat Huddersfield 2-1, and a goal apiece from David McGoldrick and Daryl Murphy saw Ipswich see off Millwall in a 2-0 win.

The day’s early kick-off saw Birmingham and Leeds United play out a 1-1 draw at St Andrew’s, Alex Mowatt's second-half equaliser rescuing a point for the managerless Whites, with Jordan Bowery Rotherham’s saviour as his stoppage-time header sealed a 1-1 tie at Bournemouth.

And finally, both Blackpool and Wolves, and Bolton and Sheffield Wednesday played out goalless stalemates.

Exclusive - Martinez can emulate Kendall at Everton, claims Southall

Club legend Neville Southall believes Roberto Martinez is destined for greatness at Everton – and claims the Spaniard is the Toffees’ best manager since Howard Kendall.

The former Wigan chief replaced David Moyes at Goodison Park, following the Scot's departure for Manchester United in 2013.

Martinez led the Merseysiders to fifth in the Premier League table last campaign, securing a Europa League spot for this season in the process.

And that performance has led former goalkeeper Southall to compare the 41-year-old to Kendall, who was successful both domestically and abroad.

“Roberto is definitely the man to lead Everton and he’s the best manager we’ve had since Howard Kendall,” he told the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast show. “He will win something for us.

“There are not many managers who can walk into a club and change the philosophy,” he added. “His problem this season is going to be the expectation.

“People are turning up to the ground and expecting Everton to win by lots of goals.

“The crowd noise level went down last year. I went to see the match against West Ham last season and it was really quiet. I was wondering why this was happening and then you realise the expectation he’s brought in, and the type of football he’s playing, people are sitting there saying, ‘entertain me’.”

Valencia keen to keep starlet wanted by Arsenal and Chelsea

Valencia are frantically working on a new contract for Spanish wonderkid Paco Alcacer with Arsenal and Chelsea reportedly stepping up their interest in the 21-year-old.

Alcacer has shot to fame this season, making his debut for Spain last week and then scoring his first goal in their 5-1 victory over Macedonia on Monday.

As a result, according to reports in Spain, Valencia are now putting together an improved contract offer for the striker in an attempt to ward off interest from several Premier League clubs.

Arsenal and Chelsea have been touted as possible destinations, while Barcelona also enquired after Alcacer back in 2011 - after he was top-scorer at the under-17 European Championships.

Valencia are said to be determined to hold onto Alcacer, who netted seven goals in 11 games during the La Liga side's run to the Europa League semi-final last season.

The Spaniard's new deal is expected to reward him with a pay-rise, while it is also thought to contain a buy-out clause of around £25m.

Transfer rumours and paper review - Wednesday, September 10

Here are the top transfer-related stories in Wednesday's newspapers...

Arsenal are looking to sign Barcelona's 19-year-old midfielder Sergi Samper - with manager Arsene Wenger ready to pay his £9.6m release clause in January. (Metro)

Barcelona right-back Dani Alves, 31, has emerged as a shock transfer target for Manchester United and Liverpool. (Daily Express)

France midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin, 24, says he was desperate to leave Southampton this summer before club bosses "blocked" his move. (Mirror)

QPR's wage bill is bigger than Italian giants AC Milan. (The Daily Telegraph)

Midfielder Alex Pritchard, 21, is hoping to catch the eye of Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino during his loan spell at Championship new-boys Brentford. (Daily Mail)

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has told Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini, 26, that he plans to make him an important part of the team. (Daily Star) 

Exclusive – Arsenal turned down chance to sign Man City defender this summer

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger turned down the chance to sign Micah Richards during the summer transfer window, talkSPORT understands.

Wenger was on the search for defensive steel after selling centre-back and Gunners captain Thomas Vermaelen to Barcelona for £15million in August.

The Frenchman was alerted to Richards’ availability, with the 26-year-old finding first-team opportunities limited at the Etihad Stadium under manager Manuel Pellegrini.

But Wenger instead opted to sign Southampton teenager Calum Chambers in a £16million deal, with Richards eventually joining Italian side Fiorentina on loan for the season on deadline day.

Richards previously revealed to talkSPORT that he was offered more money to stay with Premier League champions City, but decided to revive his career in Florence with the prospect of playing regular Europa League and Serie A football.

Fabregas: Arsenal will always be close to my heart, but I’m committed to Chelsea now

Cesc Fabregas insists he is fully committed to Chelsea following his summer switch to Stamford Bridge, but maintains he will always hold Arsenal close to his heart.

The former Gunners captain says he feels comfortable working under Blues boss Jose Mourinho, after Arsenal decided against taking up an option to bring the playmaker back from Barcelona to the Emirates Stadium.

Fabregas, 27, joined the Gunners from his boy-hood club as a raw teenager and developed into one of the most dynamic midfielders in the game, before returning to the Nou Camp in August 2011.

He won the La Liga title, a Copa del Ray and the FIFA Club World Cup during his three-year spell back in Spain, before returning to the Premier League early in the transfer window in a £28million deal.

And in an interview with Spanish newspaper El Pais, Fabregas explained that he will always cherish his rise to fame at Arsenal and that whatever he may achieve at Chelsea will not diminish his feelings for his former club.

The Spain international said: "Don't think I didn't think about it [playing for Arsenal's rivals when he decided to join Chelsea]. I will keep the Gunner feeling forever and I know that I will return to the Amirates and it will be a special moment, but I am a committed guy.

"I remind you that I played the Champions League final against Barcelona [with Arsenal] and I swear I would have done anything to win that game - and I have been a Barcelona fan since I was a kid.

"So I know that when I play against Arsenal I will know who is my team, who are my colleagues and who I defend. And I know that the Arsenal fans will understand me, I have no doubt."

Fabregas also admitted he needed little convincing to join his former club’s London rivals.

He added: "If you'd told me five years ago that I would play for Chelsea and Mourinho I would not have believed you, but life changes.

"I started to think about leaving Barcelona after the Copa del Rey final. It was when I started to think that it had finished, that there was a change or that I didn't want to continue.

"I spoke with my agent and asked him to find me a new team, and an offer from Chelsea arrived. For me it was coming back to London, where I grew up. There was no better way out.

"I spoke with Mourinho and he told me the things I needed to hear. I felt valued. I felt I was going to be important in an important project."

Welbeck hails new-look England after Switzerland win

England goal hero Danny Welbeck has heaped praise onto his team-mates after a 2-0 triumph over Switzerland.

Roy Hodgson’s side who came under fire after a turgid friendly win over Norway produced a promising display in Basle.

And Welbeck, who scored both goals on the night in the Euro 2016 qualifier, believes they could have won by more had they been slightly more clinical.

He told ITV: "I think we created a number of chances which maybe we could have done better with the final pass.

“Once we got the first goal I think we were in control and played a good team game today and you could see the work ethic - everyone is playing for each other and that's very important.”

Exclusive - Meulensteen: Man United should have promoted from within to replace Ferguson

Former Manchester United first-team coach Rene Meulensteen believes the club were wrong to appoint David Moyes instead of turning to someone already at Old Trafford to lead the side into a new era after Sir Alex Ferguson.

The Scot was effectively annointed by Ferguson as the new Red Devils manager last summer but did not last the season as the then Premier League champions finished a dismal seventh.

Moyes was sacked with four games left of the season and Meulensteen claims United, who are now being led by Louis van Gaal, made a mistake in breaking the continuity and stability built up over 27 years by Ferguson.

"Being there with him first hand, I always felt the biggest challenge for Manchester United was managing the time after Sir Alex Ferguson announced his retirement," Meulensteen told Sunday Exclusive.

"There were only two ways about it – to bring in someone from outside, which they did with David Moyes, or to try and build it from within, which I personally thought would have been the better option.

"Manchester United is such a unique club and SIr Alex Ferguson has been so important in building that uniqueness. There’s been a lot of continuity and stability which are the two main parts for any club to be successful.

"That would have been the key to make sure you maintain that. You maintain that continuity, the stability and the philosophy that has run through the club for so many years."

Moyes took a bold approach after succeeding Ferguson by completely rejigging his backroom team, but it was a decision many questioned and, ultimately, it was one which backfired the former Everton chief.

But Meulensteen, who spent six seasons as coach at Old Trafford, believes the legendary Scot could not have pre-empted just how far United would fall under his compatriot's leadership.

"He had 27 years at the club and he made it the biggest club in the world, a unique club and unique brand," the Dutchman added. "I’m 100 per cent sure he will be very disappointed. He will be surprised. He honestly though David Moyes was the right man to step into it.

"I don’t think he never ever anticipated that David Moyes would get rid of his backroom staff. I think that is where the core of the problems started."

Transfer rumours and paper review - Sunday, September 7

Here are the top transfer-related stories in Sunday's newspapers...

Manchester City and Arsenal are preparing to go head-to-head in a bid to sign £25m-rated Borussia Dortmund winger Marco Reus, 25. (Daily Star Sunday) 

Manchester City are also planning a move to sign Southampton forward and Tottenham target Jay Rodriguez, 25, as manager Manuel Pellegrini looks to buy more English players. (Sun on Sunday) 

QPR are considering a loan move for Portugal forward Hugo Almeida, 30, who has been out of contract since leaving Turkish club Besiktas in May. (Sunday Mirror) 

Meanwhile United have vowed to buy "a Luis Suarez a year" as they reveal a new aggressive transfer policy financed by their lucrative kit deal with Adidas. (Sunday Telegraph) 

Atletico Madrid midfielder Tiago, 33, claims he has turned down "a great offer" from Chelsea to return to Stamford Bridge. (Evening Standard) 

QPR defender Rio Ferdinand, 35, says he "cannot believe" former club Manchester United sold striker Danny Welbeck, 23, to Arsenal. (Sun on Sunday) 

Arsenal ‘still behind Chelsea and Man City’ in Premier League title race, admits Gunners hero

Arsenal legend Alan Smith has told talkSPORT he believes his former side have no chance of competing with Chelsea and Manchester City for the Premier League title this season.

After a productive summer transfer window, with the arrivals of forward pair Alexis Sanchez from Barcelona and Danny Welbeck from Manchester United giving Arsene Wenger an much needed attacking boost, the Gunners are confident of following up last season’s FA Cup triumph with more silverware.

However, Highbury favourite Smith – who won two First Division titles during eight seasons in north London – believes they still have a way to go to finally challenge for the top flight crown again.

“Another trophy would be great this season, but I can’t see them winning the title, I really can’t,” Smith told My Sporting Life.

“They’re still a few furlongs behind Chelsea and Manchester City, as well as they might have done in the summer transfer window.

“I think they have moved forward with the signings of Alexis Sanchez, Danny Welbeck and [teenage defender] Calum Chambers, but I still think they are weak in terms of protecting the back-four.

“Realistically you’re looking at another top-four finish, and maybe they can nick a cup again, but unfortunately I still don’t see them as title challengers.”

Tune into to My Sporting Life from 10pm on Sunday night to hear the full interview with former Arsenal striker Alan Smith.