Wednesday's football as it happened

PREMIER LEAGUE RESULT
Man Utd 1-0 Wigan

FA CUP THIRD-ROUND REPLAYS
Crystal Palace 2-1 Leicester
Newcastle 0-1 Hull
Southend 1-4 Chelsea

GOALFLASHES AND MAJOR INCIDENTS (all times GMT)

606: DEBATE Your thoughts on the action

To get involved use 606 or text us your views & comments on 81111. (Not all contributions can be used)

By Caroline Cheese

2217: Time to go. Tim 'Lovejoy' Lovejoy is on BBC 5 Live's 606 right about now. So call him, why don't you? See you at the weekend.

2215: The fourth-round draw for the FA Cup is almost complete. Only Cheltenham and Doncaster are yet to find a winner - they'll go again on Tuesday 20 January for the right to host Aston Villa. Crystal Palace's win over Leicester tonight earns them a trip to Vicarage Road to face Watford. Neil Warnock described that as a tie which "hardly whets the appetite". Well, what does he know?

2211: Fergie tells us Wayne Rooney will be out for "three weeks minimum" with the hamstring injury he picked up shortly after he scored what turned out to be the winner for Manchester United. No news yet on Chelsea's Joe Cole, who could be spending a lot longer in the treatment room with what looked like a serious knee injury.

2209: "We need to organise a bit better. It's one of those things you go through from time to time. I'm sure by the weekend we'll get it sorted."
John Terry on Chelsea's defending from set-pieces

2207: "Regardless of opposition, Chelsea needed to win tonight. Hopefully that should get a bit of good feeling back amongst the fans - the shape was good, movement was OK and the confidence started to come back towards the end."
Moobabe on 606
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2204: Chelsea survive a massive scare at Roots Hall, coming from behind to beat a brave (sorry for the cliche, but they were) Southend side. Cracking Cup tie. Big Phil's lot will face Ipswich at Stamford Bridge in the fourth round.

2203: FULL-TIME Southend 1-4 Chelsea

2202: OK, you can save your pennies and stop texting. I should have said Newcastle played their strongest possible side - not their full-strength side. They have got an awful lot of injuries. Sorry Magpies fans.

2200: GOAL Southend 1-4 Chelsea
Salomon Kalou sets up Frank Lampard, who fires an unstoppable shot past Steve Mildenhall from the edge of the box.

2158: Manchester United hold on for a victory which takes them second in the Premier League above Chelsea. Thanks to Wayne Rooney's 54th-second goal, they are now two points behind the leaders Liverpool with a game in hand. They haven't conceded a goal in nine league games - one short of Chelsea's record of 10. AND it means the top six have all lost as many games as their position in the table, ie Liverpool 1 defeat, Man Utd 2, Chelsea 3 etc etc. Got all that? Excellent.

2155: "Re 2147: Not fair on Southend? We had 25 shots on goal. Don't be so sentimental!"
James, Dorset, via text on 81111
I can't help it, James, I can't help it...

2154: FULL-TIME Crystal Palace 2-1 Leicester

2153: GOAL Crystal Palace 2-1 Leicester
With pretty much the last kick of the game - and one of Leicester's few shots of the game - Max Gradel scores a consolation for the League One leaders.

2153: FULL-TIME Man Utd 1-0 Wigan

2148: Those Newcastle fans who have turned out tonight at St James' are understandably none too pleased about that result. Their strongest possible side goes down to a Hull team showing eight changes from the one that turned out at the weekend. The Tigers, who post only their second win in 14 games, are at home to Millwall in the fourth round.

2147: GOAL Southend 1-3 Chelsea
Nicolas Anelka starts and finishes it, laying the ball off to Frank Lampard in midfield before chasing into the box to get on the end of Salomon Kalou's pass and crash in the shot. That's not really fair on Southend, but then life isn't fair is it?

2146: Really does not look good at all for Joe Cole, who is now struggling down the tunnel. Franco Di Santo replaces him.

2145: Dimitar Berbatov coolly flicks a shot just wide of the post. Hardly any backlift.

2144: FULL-TIME Newcastle 0-1 Hull

2143: Right, Joe Cole is back on. He collects the ball and as he looks to make space on the left, suddenly collapses to the ground again. He can hardly put weight on his right leg as he is helped off.

2141: Wigan midfielder Antonio Valencia skins Jonny Evans on the right and sends a ferocious shot narrowly over the bar from a difficult angle.

2141: Problems here for Joe Cole, who is clutching his knee. Didn't seem to be any contact from Southend defender Anthony Grant - so can only assume Cole locked up his knee as he tried to stop and turn.

2140: "United can't pass water at the minute. Wigan on top."
Ian, Old Trafford, via text on 81111

2135: Michael Owen has a free header six yards out - but it flies over the bar.

2135: "Not news anybody wishes to hear, but Andy Carroll's braided hair is a thing of the past."
Steve from Durham, via text on 81111
Let's all take a moment to remember...

2133: Manchester United resting on their laurels a touch at Old Trafford and Wigan are coming back into it. Maynor Figueroa had a decent chance moments ago but shot too close to Edwin van der Sar.

2129: GOAL Southend 1-2 Chelsea
Shortly after Jean-Christophe takes advantage of yet more poor defending from a set-piece to head just over for Southend, Chelsea finally take the lead through an excellent strike. Joe Cole's exquisite crossfield pass finds Salomon Kalou and the Ivorian jinks round two Southend defenders before sliding past Steve Mildenhall into the far corner from 16 yards.

2127: GOAL Newcastle 0-1 Hull
Richard Garcia slides the ball across the edge of the box and Daniel Cousin is there to slot in the simplest of goals for the visitors.

2123: Newcastle make their first change with the rusty Xisco coming off and the goalscoring machine Andy Carroll coming on.

2122: Half-hearted appeals for handball as Salomon Kalou's shot smacks into the defender's arm - but that would have been very harsh.

2120: Southend keeper Steve Mildenhall saves low to his right from Ashley Cole's 20-yard effort.

2119: Anderson replaces Nani for Manchester United. Tonight would be a good time to end his goal drought...

2114: Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari makes a half-time change with Juliano Belletti replacing Mikel.

2114: GOAL Crystal Palace 2-0 Leicester
Simple but oh so effective from Palace as Alan Lee feeds Sean Scannell, who nutmegs the keeper to make it 2-0. Leicester yet to muster a shot on target at Selhurst Park.

2114: And it's a three-card trick from Steve Bennett at Old Trafford as Amr Zaki is punished for encroaching at a free-kick.

2112: It's card time at Old Trafford. Paul Scharner follows Titus Bramble into referee Steve Bennett's book after hauling down Carlos Tevez.

2109: "Re 2103: You're hired."
Mark Hughes via text on 81111
In the interests of complete clarity, I should point out that this text almost certainly isn't from the Mark Hughes.

2106: Danny the Stat says this: "Shocking marks all round for Chelsea on Player Rater, despite the late goal, with mostly fours and fives. Thoroughly deserved sevens and eights for the Shrimpers, with Anthony Grant leading the way with a sensational 8.43. Elsewhere, a pretty good six minutes work from Wayne Rooney. Rock up to Old Trafford, score, limp off injured and score 7.59 on Player Rater. Coleen will be pleased. And she, like you, can keep on voting..."
Player Rater

2105: Off they go again at Old Trafford and Selhurst Park. Meanwhile, we hear West Ham have rejected a third bid from Manchester City for Craig Bellamy. The bid was improved but West Ham have reiterated they don't want to lose the player.
West Ham reject third Bellamy bid

2103: "Re 2053: I'm brilliant in wellies. Hopefully I can find a club in the window."
Andy's nan, Worcester, via text on 81111

2059: Michael Ballack clearly stung into action by Andy in Worcester (see 2053). The last time he scored was against Luiz Felipe Scolari's Portugal side at Euro 2008. Relief for Chelsea - but defending the way they are, they are very much still in the woods.

2058: HALF-TIME Southend 1-1 Chelsea

2056: GOAL Southend 1-1 Chelsea
Jose Bosingwa launches a high ball into the area and keeper Steve Mildenhall and Peter Clarke make a mess of it. The ball comes out to Michael Ballack, who guides the ball beautifully into the top corner off his shin.

2054: They're back up and running at St James' and Michael Owen almost immediately has a great chance to put the Magpies ahead. He beats the offside trap and is one-on-one with Matt Duke but the keeper pushes the shot just past the post.

2053: "Michael Ballack has completely lost the plot, he can't shoot, pass or tackle! My nan in wellies could do a better job!"
Andy in Worcester via text on 81111

2052: "Story circulating in Spain today is that a prominent soccer agent has told Juande Ramos he figures on Chelsea wish list should Scolari go, which story claims is likely. Juande, one day? Frightening thought. Right now I'd settle for return of Avram."
TC in Santiago de Compostela, via text on 81111

2050: Referee Chris Foy plays a great advantage after Mikel clatters Anthony Grant in midfield. Southend have a golden opportunity to make it 2-0 but Petr Cech saves Alex Revell's header from point-blank range. Brilliant Cup tie this. Brilliant... unless you're a Chelsea fan. Mikel has now been booked.

2050: HALF-TIME Crystal Palace 1-0 Leicester

2049: I'm sure you don't need reminding but just in case: if United win, they will leapfrog Chelsea into second and will be two points behind Liverpool with a game in hand.

2047: HALF-TIME Man Utd 1-0 Wigan

2045: Michael Ballack sends a volley narrowly over at Roots Hall while at Old Trafford, Wigan defender Paul Scharner stoops to head Cristiano Ronaldo's cross away from goal.

2042: Ryan Taylor has a rare chance for Wigan at Old Trafford but sidefoots miles over.

2039: GOAL Crystal Palace 1-0 Leicester
Paul Ifill's speculative shot takes a wicked deflection off a Leicester defender and deceives Foxes keeper David Martin.

2036: HALF-TIME Newcastle 0-0 Hull

2035: Chelsea peppering the Southend goal. Frank Lampard's close-range volley is saved by Steve Mildenhall, Joe Cole's follow-up is blocked and Michael Ballack's follow-up of the follow-up is high and wide.

2034: Dullsville at St James' where both sides are resorting to long balls. Just the sort of thing Michael Owen relishes.

2033: Nicolas Anelka heads wide from Jose Bosingwa's cross. Chelsea look lively going forward - and have had 79% of possession - but it's that defence which is crumbling. In a poor game at Selhurst Park, both sides have now been forced into early substitutions as Victor Moses is replaced by Sean Scannell.

2032: "Never mind 100 million for Kaka! How much to bring Jose back? Shocking defending from Chelsea, sell the lot of them!"
Sinbad via text on 81111

2029: Massive let-off for Wigan just before that stunner at Roots Hall. John O'Shea headed a poor goal-kick from Chris Kirkland into Carlos Tevez's path and the Argentine rounded the keeper but lost control of the ball and Wigan survived.

2027: GOAL Southend 1-0 Chelsea
So much for Big Phil's fancy new zonal marking system. Southend win a corner and skipper Adam Barrett rises unchallenged to power in the header. John Terry is fuming.

2024: All of a sudden, Southend are two on one. Junior Stanislas tries to set up Lee Barnard but Ashley Cole cuts out the pass.

2023: A blow for League One leaders Leicester as key defender Aleksander Tunchev is forced to come off after a long spell of treatment. Michael Morrison replaces him.

2021: Southend encouraged their fans to bring flags and scarves to this evening's game to "help make Roots Hall a cauldron of noise". Not sure if it's the flags and scarves making the difference, but it's certainly a cracking atmosphere. Chelsea dominating the action on the pitch though.

2016: Predictable boos from the Southend fans for Ashley Cole. Chelsea look very much up for the fight tonight. Joe Cole is sent through by Frank Lampard but the shot is blocked by keeper Steve Mildenhall.

2014: Chelsea's Salomon Kalou goes on a driving run down the left and cuts the ball back - but there's no-one there to take advantage.

2011: And they're off at Roots Hall. Fog has gone again. Weird.

2010: What's this? Joe Kinnear and Phil Brown go head-to-head on the touchline at St James' Park - a la Wenger and Pardew a few years back. They've both been sent to the stands by referee Phil Dowd. That all stemmed from a Fabricio Coloccini challenge on Daniel Cousin, with replays showing the Hull man made the most of it.

2009: Newcastle midfielder Nicky Butt flicks a header towards the Hull goal which smacks back off the bar. Still goalless. Just.

2009: Rooney will play no further part in the game. He is replaced by Carlos Tevez.

2008: Eventful opening for Wayne Rooney. Having scored after 54 seconds, he is now limping down the touchline clutching his hamstring.

2007: A stern-faced Luiz Felipe Scolari and assistant Ray Wilkins are already sitting in the dug-out at Roots Hall, long before the teams make their entrance.

2003: Newcastle winger Jonas Gutierrez cuts the ball back for Xisco who, in plenty of space, lifts the ball over Hull's bar from just eight yards. Great chance.

2002: GOAL Man Utd 1-0 Wigan
And after 54 seconds, United are ahead. Cristiano Ronaldo picks up the ball on the right, shuffles past the defender, and crosses low for Wayne Rooney, who can't miss from right in front of goal.

2001: They're under way at Old Trafford and Selhurst Park.

2000: Under-pressure Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari swings the axe following his side's 3-0 defeat to Man Utd on Sunday, with Didier Drogba and Deco failing to even make the matchday 18. Elsewhere, Nicolas Anelka and Salomon Kalou start in attack, with Alex replacing Ricardo Carvalho in defence. Southend, captained on the night by Adam Barrett, are without Alan McCormack, who is suspended, so Franck Moussa replaces him in the centre of midfield for his first start since returning from a loan spell at Wycombe.

2000: TEAMS Southend v Chelsea
Southend: Mildenhall, Sankofa, Clarke, Barrett, Herd, Grant, Christophe, Moussa, Stanislas, Barnard, Revell. Subs: Francis, Walker, Freedman, Betsy, Joyce, O'Keefe.
Chelsea: Cech, A Cole, Lampard, J Cole, Mikel, Ballack, Bosingwa, Kalou, Terry, Alex, Anelka. Subs: Cudicini, Ivanovic, Carvalho, Di Santo, Belletti, Mancienne, Stoch.

1958: Newcastle having the better of the early stages at St James' Park - which is less than half full for this game.

1954: Annoyingly, still waiting for official confirmation of the teams at Roots Hall. But I do know Chelsea will look like this: Cech, Bosingwa, Alex, Terry, A Cole, Ballack, Mikel, Lampard, J Cole, Anelka, Kalou.

1951: The game at St James' Park gets us under way. BBC 5 Live report that the fog is descending again at Roots Hall. Grrr.

1949: News from Selhurst Park: Captain Shaun Derry makes a return to the starting line-up for Crystal Palace, while Neil Danns makes his second consecutive start. Leicester are, rather surprisingly, without the country's top scorer Matty Fryatt - no news on whether he is injured or resting. Paul Dickov starts in attack.

1946: "Southend fans in Croatia are going crazy. Well, both of us are getting excited."
gordialbion on 606
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1941: TEAMS Crystal Palace v Leicester
Crystal Palace: Speroni, Butterfield, Lawrence, Hill, Clyne, Derry, Carle, Danns, Moses, Lee, Ifill. Subs: Flahavan, Scannell, Hills, Andrew, Ertl, Kuqi, Comley.
Leicester: Martin, Edworthy, Tunchev, Hobbs, Mattock, Oakley, Andy King, Berner, Gradel, Howard, Dickov. Subs: Cisak, Gilbert, Morrison, Adams, Porter, Chambers, Powell.

1940: "The most important thing for us is the Premier League, but we never set out to lose a game. Confidence levels have taken a bit of a backward step compared to the start of season but I'm still quite confident we can get a result tonight."
Hull boss Phil Brown

1938: And from St James' Park comes this: Despite a crippling injury crisis, Newcastle boss Joe Kinnear fields his strongest available side. Four changes to the side which drew 2-2 with West Ham are made as Nicky Butt, David Edgar, Charles N'Zogbia and Xisco come in. Hull manager Phil Brown makes eight changes to the team which lost at Everton on Saturday with only Paul McShane, Kamil Zayatte and Sam Ricketts retained. George Boateng and Daniel Cousin are among the starters.

1936: "With all the shenanigans at Roots Hall the big one at Selhurst Park is being overlooked! Big chance for Leicester to prove our Championship credentials."
Anon via text on 81111

1933: Team news from Old Trafford looks like this... Manchester United bring in Rafael Da Silva to replace Gary Neville at right-back, while John O'Shea comes in for Patrice Evra, who injured his foot against Chelsea. Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick come into midfield for Ji-Sung Park and Darren Fletcher, while Nani replaces Ryan Giggs. Wigan, who have won their last four, are unchanged.

1931: "Happy with the United line-up, makes sense to continue with Rooney and Berbatov up front so they can hopefully go on scoring run. Rest of the team has been well rotated without weakening it. My only concern is the amount of pressure Vidic is under playing every game and having to sweep up Evans' errors."
Desolation_row on 606
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1927: I'm reading a lot of 606 comments from United fans criticising Sir Alex Ferguson's line-up tonight. When this happens, United always win... in my experience anyway.
Join the debate on 606

1925: "Manic half-hour here in Southend! Been playing five-a-side and in bar can see on screen game is called off, everybody shouting in hysterics, suddenly it's back and it's hunky dory! COME ON YOU SHRIMPERS!"
Ctilley1991 on 606
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1923: TEAMS Newcastle v Hull
Newcastle: Given, Edgar, Bassong, Coloccini, N'Zogbia, Gutierrez, Butt, Guthrie, Duff, Owen, Xisco. Subs: Harper, Taylor, Kadar, LuaLua, Carroll, Donaldson, Ranger.
Hull: Duke, Doyle, McShane, Zayatte, Ricketts, Fagan, Halmosi, Boateng, France, Garcia, Cousin. Subs: Warner, Ashbee, Mendy, Folan, Featherstone, Giannakopoulos, Atkinson.

1922: TEAMS Man Utd v Wigan
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Rafael Da Silva, Vidic, Evans, O'Shea, Ronaldo, Scholes, Carrick, Nani, Berbatov, Rooney. Subs: Kuszczak, Neville, Anderson, Park, Welbeck, Fletcher, Tevez.
Wigan: Kirkland, Melchiot, Scharner, Bramble, Figueroa, Valencia, Cattermole, Palacios, Taylor, Zaki, Heskey. Subs: Kingson, Edman, Brown, Boyce, De Ridder, Kapo, Camara.

1918: "Re 1905: Exactly how clear is a bell?"
Pipo in Bristol, via text on 81111

1916: "I've had the worst day at work, everything's gone wrong. So clearly Chelsea are going to finish it off with another dire performance. Get your cash on Southend."
Simon in Miseryland, via text on 81111
Where's Miseryland? It sounds rubbish.

1913: Manchester United can go second and within two points of leaders Liverpool should they beat Wigan tonight. They'll line up like this: Van der Sar, Rafael, Evans, Vidic, O'Shea, Ronaldo, Scholes, Carrick, Nani, Berbatov, Rooney. Wigan team to follow.

1911: Life is so confusing. When the Southend v Chelsea game was off, Newcastle v Hull was being lined up as the live game on the box - but no more. That game will kick off as planned at 1945 GMT. In other news from that game, Kevin Kilbane has agreed personal terms on a move to Hull from Wigan and is expected to start training with them tomorrow.

1907: "The cupset is back on, come on the Shrimpers!!"
GunnerLordy on 606
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1905: "It's been a very difficult decision. We'll start at 2010 GMT as planned but if the fog comes back down again, we'll have to abandon it. Just before I called the game off, we couldn't see from one end of the pitch to the other but thankfully, for some bizarre reason, it's now as clear as a bell."
Referee Chris Foy speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live

1903: Well, that was a silly seven minutes. Referee Chris Foy called the game off and then, with the fog clearly lifting, came back out again and promptly changed his mind...

1900: SOUTHEND v CHELSEA IS BACK ON AGAIN! (I think)

1857: Unbelievable. I'm looking at live pictures of the pitch at Roots Hall and it looks fine. Bit foggy but not exactly Dickensian. I'm now hearing referee Chris Foy is going to come back out and have another look. So we may be back on again...

1853: SOUTHEND v CHELSEA IS OFF

1850: No time for idle chit-chat, I bring you breaking news, of sorts. The fog is descending at Roots Hall and the FA Cup replay between Southend and Chelsea is under threat.