Faced with the prospect of becoming the manager of the worst-ever Leeds United side, Kevin Blackwell received a late Christmas gift when his mix-and-match side earned three points from their Boxing Day bout with promotion-chasing Sunderland.
On a day when Sunderland fans held a traditional end-of-year minute’s silence to mark the passing of past managers and players, including the legendary 1973 FA Cup-winning manager Bob Stokoe, Leeds exerted some kind of revenge for that Wembley defeat some 31 years ago.This, however, is a vastly different Leeds to the side beaten by Stokoe’s underdogs and Blackwell has a job on his hands restoring order to Elland Road after the club went into free-fall towards potential financial ruin. Substitutes not used: Grant (gk), Mills, Tudgay.Referee: M Clattenburg (Northumberland).Booked: Wigan: Breckin.Man of the match: Rasiak.Attendance: 12,420.. Substitutes not used: Walsh (gk), Thome, Flynn, Wright.Derby County (4-4-2): Camp; Kenna, Hubblestone, Johnson, R Jackson; Bisgaard, Idiakez, Taylor, Reich (Kaku, 88); Peschisolido (Smith, 78), Rasiak. John Filan had to make an acrobatic dive to keep out his first attempt, but then could not adjust to save his follow-up.From that moment, Derby looked the more likely winners, although Roberts and Ellington both went close for Wigan.The more composed side clinched it nine minutes from time when Bisgaard skipped past Baines and floated a cross which Smith flicked past Filan.Wigan had their chances after that, notably when Roberts hit the angle of bar and post, but Derby deserved their best result of a rapidly improving season.Goals: Roberts (27) 1-0; Rasiak (64) 1-1; Smith (82) 1-2.Wigan Athletic (4-4-2): Filan; Eaden, Breckin, M Jackson, Baines; Graham (Teale, 64), Bullard, Mahon, McCulloch; Roberts, Ellington. He might look ungainly, but he has been a highly effective addition for Derby and one reason why they have been climbing the table.Leighton Baines had to head one effort from Rasiak off the line before the Pole’s persistence brought him the equaliser.

For much of the first half they looked capable of seizing their opportunity. David Graham and Lee McCulloch were both close with headers and Jason Roberts had a penalty appeal turned down before putting Wigan ahead.One of the characteristics of Jewell’s side this season is his use of extra strikers in midfield. “We’re not horrible enough to play against at the moment,” he added.Wigan began the game knowing that Ipswich – who beat them last Tuesday to go top – were losing at Millwall and that victory would take them clear once more. This was one to savour.”The second half was a magnificent performance. We took the game to Wigan and created numerous chances.”Paul Jewell gave Derbycredit but said his own side is “lacking a bit of mental strength”.

“It’s been a difficult time for the club and they are enjoying it now. This sort of form threatens to prove him wrong.”I don’t think they’re getting carried away,” said Burley of the travelling supporters who celebrated this win so jubilantly after seeing their side come so close to relegation last season. Their manager, George Burley, has said all season that his squad is good enough for the top half of the table, but not for the top six. Wigan will not finish 2004 where they have spent much of it, on top of the Championship, thanks to a second-half display from their visitors which showed why Derby County have become realistic play-off contenders.
Tommy Smith’s glancing header was the late winner for the Rams, but they had given warning throughout the afternoon that they were capable of escaping from the JJB Stadium with the points. Substitutes not used: Harrison (gk), Diao.Referee: R Styles (Hampshire).Sent off: West Bromwich: Contra (39).Man of the match: Riise.Attendance: 27,533.. Substitutes not used: Kuszczak (gk), Robinson, Dyer.Liverpool (4-4-2): Dudek; Finnan (Warnock, 70), Hyypia, Carragher, Traor?Nu? Hamann, Gerrard (Alonso, 63), Riise; Baros (Garcia, 66), Sinama-Pongolle. Almost inevitably, the player providing the cross was the ubiquitous Riise.Goals: Riise (17) 0-1; Sinama-Pongolle (51) 0-2; Gerrard (55) 0-3; Riise (82) 0-4; Garcia (89) 0-5.West Bromwich Albion (4-4-2): Hoult; Scimeca, Purse, Gaardsoe, Clement; Contra, Johnson (Gera, h-t), Greening, Koumas; Earnshaw (Hulse, 72), Horsfield.

In the 81st minute, Riise powered in a stunning angled goal after a pass by Xabi Alonso, while Luis Garcia sidefooted in from close range with three minutes remaining. Gerrard helped himself to the third four minutes later, drilling a low shot through the defensive wall and in off a post after Dietmar Hamann rolled a free-kick to him 20 yards out Albion’s misery was still not over. Sinama-Pongolle started the move for the second goal, finishing it by hooking in from Riise’s 51st-minute cross. The Albion keeper kept his team in contention, at least theoretically, by parrying Baros’ 39th-minute spot-kick following Contra’s rush of blood, but the floodgates soon opened. Indeed, such was the superiority of Benitez’s side that they would not have been unduly flattered had they emulated Liverpool’s 9-0 rout of Crystal Palace in 1989.Riise put Liverpool ahead in the 17th minute, meeting a marvellous left-footed pass by Gerrard with a volley that Hoult touched but could not keep out.