Reading took their in form side to face Roy Keane’s Ipswich Town on Saturday and in a hotly contested opening half saw Mathew Mills dismissed (30) for violent conduct. The ten man Royals fell behind 2-0 to a Gareth McAuley header (41) followed in stoppage time by another from Jonathan Walters. That young man again Sigurdsson got a consolation for Reading in second half stoppage time to set the final scoreline 2-1 for Ipswich. The Royals do have 2 games in hand versus their competition which offers them a good opportunity to improve their position in the table (currently 12th).

United visited Bayern for the first leg of their quarterfinal matchup and both Rooney and Rio have been deemed fit. Surprise, Surprise, neither appeared over the weekend, but they’re ready for this one. Rio, who rarely plays league games these days (he has appeared in only 9 of 31 this season) can’t be match fit and you have to wonder why he was there for this one. And why no Valencia (?) who has been a top notch performer when he’s out there.

The evening started well enough for United. Too well perhaps, as their initial attack with Nani down the wing forced the defender to foul to stop the move, which he dutifully did within reach of the flag. The resulting free kick was essentially a corner and Nani’s delivery was deflected high into the area in front of goal by the first defender. Rooney broke free of his marker to volley in the opening goal after just over a minute off the clock. Too easy and the marking was horrid. This would be a walk off. Not on your life.

Bayern rallied from the poor start but United had several chances to put the game away before half time but couldn’t convert on any of them. Actually, most of them weren’t on frame giving Bayern the chance to get a grip on the game which they certainly did.

In the second period Bayern dominated the ball and over the course of the match generated twice as many strikes at goal (20) as United with half of them on frame. Van der Sar was credited with 8 saves on the night while United put only 4 shots on frame for the match. That pressure finally paid off for Bayern in the 76th when a Gary Neville handball just outside the area led to a Ribery free kick which deflected in off Rooney’s hip freezing Van der Sar and the match was level. Why no one on the post?

A powerful header from Vidic off a Giggs corner came back off the bar on United’s best chance of the end game. Then a play you’d think you’d never see from United: Evra, in loose possession of the ball in the area instead of clearing it from danger appeared to be simply protecting it expecting the keeper to come for it which he did not. Olic did, picking his pocket, stepping easily around Rio and slashing in the match winner in stoppage time. A nightmare end to the match that started so well for United.

SAF told Sky Sports "We didn’t play well enough to be honest," and "We kept giving the ball away. We caused our own defeat,” which described the match as succintly as possible.

At least they have the away goal as they go back to Old Trafford for the 2nd leg but Rooney will be in doubt as he limped off (ankle) just after Bayern’s winner ahead of the final whistle. United will have to be a much better team at Old Trafford than they were in this one.

Lyon faced French champion Bordeaux in the match set up to ensure a French side appears in the semifinals, scored early and late to defeat them 3-1. Lyon will celebrate for now but the away goal for the champs will give them some hope for the second leg.

On Wednesday Arsenal entertained Barca in one of the most anticipated matches of the year. The Gunners were nearly run off their own pitch in the opening 5 minutes when Barca could have, and probably should have put in 3. And it didn’t stop there. The blitz continued until 20 minutes had passed before Arsenal managed to put more than two passes together in the opponents half of the pitch. It was an awsome display by Barca, but then again, the score remained nil-nil at the break. The sometimes frantic defending by the Gunners and wonderful saves by the often maligned Almunia kept them in the contest.

More bad news though for Wenger: both Gallas and Arshavin came off due to injury and Fabregas saw yellow and will miss the 2nd leg. All of that to add to the problems in the first half alone that would seem to make the outcome of the tie a forgone conclusion. Ibramhimovic netted two before the hour mark and now the task at hand seemed all but impossible for Arsenal. It wasn’t.

Theo Walcott came on in the 70th minute and his energy electrified the Gunners and his well taken goal gave them a real chance. Puyol was sent off (84) and Fabregas, hobbling (a possible broken leg), converted from the spot for the draw. The two away goals will probably decide the tie but the Gunners rally for the 2-2 draw in this first leg that will be long remembered.

Inter faced off with CSKA Moscow at the San Siro and were played to a standstill for an hour. Inter did finally get a goal from Milito (65) for the 1-0 victory but compared to the event at the Emirates this was a real snoozer.

Europa League had Liverpool on the road to Benfica where a nice stab by Agger from a Gerrard cross put The Reds on top (9). Then the Benfica blitz began in earnest and Liverpool were fortunate they didn’t have their shooting boots on. In the 31st a scuffle involving Babel led to him getting two quick yellows putting Liverpool down a man and the blitz gained momentum again. A 59th minute free kick came back off the post as Insua barged into Aimar in the area. Cardozo nailed the penalty to level and twenty minutes later he did it again after a Carragher handball to win it 2-1.

Fulham entertained Wolfsburg at the Cottage in a stern contest. In the 59th Zamora put the Cottagers on top followed by a Damien Duff strike four minutes later. Wolfsburg got their away goal in the 89th on a header from Madlung for the 2-1 final.

In the biggest match of the season so far Chelsea went to Old Trafford trailing United by only 1 point at the top of the EPL and left town leading the pack with a 1-2 victory. That said, the match was one of those hyped as a titanic struggle that simply didn’t measure up. It certainly was not pleasing to the eye. The Blues were on top from the early going which paid off with a terrific run and cross from Malouda to which Joe Cole applied a class backheel to get it past Van der Sar (20) for the lead. From that point the match became far more typical of a Serie A defensive struggle more suitable to fans of Inter or Juve. Drogba came on as a sub and drilled the ball over Van der Sar’s shoulder for a 2-0 lead and the fact he was offside on the play didn’t seem to matter. United’s Italian teenager Macheda came on and bungled the ball deflected by Cech into goal for the consolation which may well have been a handball and that didn’t seem to matter either. In the end it was a disappointing contest especially for one that could decide the EPL title.

Arsenal were pressed hard by ten man Wolves and needed another heroic stoppage time winner from Nicklas Bendtner for a 1-0 victory to stay in step with the Blues of Chelsea. Wolves keeper Marcus Hahneman was credited with 8 saves on the day to keep his team in the contest.

Villa, looking to recover from their thrashing at the hands of Chelsea, took the lead early on a quality shot from Ashley Young (11) in an up tempo first half at the Reebok. For two sides that have been well and soundly drubbed in recent games that was all they could produce and Villa goes home with the 0-1 win.

Portsmouth, missing a dozen regulars, then faced the last half hour with only ten men when Borre saw his second yellow. Rovers hit the post and bar a handful of times in this one as Avram Grant’s men battled against the odds with a makeshift side for the scoreless draw.

Stoke may have sealed the fate of Hull City with a 2-0 victory but the score was flattering to the Potters. The stoppage time goal from Liam Lawrence (90) and early goal from Fuller (6) were all they could produce as the Tigers pressed them to the wall despite playing the final 15 minutes down a man when Boateng was stretchered off. Dowie had no sub available as he had already brought on the 3 permitted so he had to play shorthanded.

Sunderland earned a corner in the opening minute which Darren Bent tapped in following the initial save of Steed Malbranque’s shot to take the lead over Tottenham. Bent then smashed home a penalty (handball) in the 29th to double the lead over his former side. Pursuing a hat-trick Bent then had two spot kicks saved by Spurs keeper Gomes (41 & 62). The Black Cats had another in the net via Ferdinand in the 64th but it was disallowed for interference with the keeper by Bent. Spurs pulled one back on a 72nd minute header from Crouch who used the defender as a ladder to get to the ball. If any goal should have been disallowed this one belongs in that category. No matter as a wonderful volley by Zenden made the margin two again (86) for the final 3-1 scoreline. With the loss and City’s victory Spurs surrender 4th in the table.

Man City demolished Burnley racing out to a 3-0 lead in the opening six minutes and 5-0 at half time on two from Adebayor and single goals from Tevez, Vieira and Bellamy at the soggy Turf Moor. Kompany would add another in the second half before Stephen Fletcher got the consolation for the Clarets (71) in a terribly disappointing 1-6 defeat. City takes 4th with the win.

Birmingham’s Liam Ridgewell tapped in the leveler (56) denying Liverpool after Gerrard’s class strike found the net (47) from a tight angle for a 1-1 final. Look for Benitez to be under fire yet again, this time for withdrawing Torres (65) for Ngog. Why in the world would he take that man, your most prolific goal scorer, off the pitch with the 1-1 scoreline? The draw drops Liverpool 4 points down to Man City in 4th with only 5 games to play and City has a game in hand.

Fulham mounted a second half fightback to defeat Wigan 2-1 on goals from Chuka (47) and Hageland (58) after Jason Scotland got his first EPL goal for Wigan (34) to open the scoring. Chuka had come on at half time replacing David Elm at center forward. Elm had several chances early in the opening half but didn’t convert.

West Ham rallied at Goodison Park for a 2-2 draw earning the first point in the last 7 EPL games. The Hammers overcame a weak penalty effort from Mido (37) that would have leveled at the time after Bilyaledinoff’s opener (24). They did eventually get on level terms in the 60th (Da Costa) only to see the Toffees take the lead again just 5 minutes from time via Yakubu’s powerful header. Two minutes later the Hammers fought back yet again to win the point on Ilan’s strike (87) that had Zola celebrating on the sideline.

In MLS, the New York Red Bulls ended their 27-match winless run on the road with a 1-0 victory at Seattle, and a McBride penalty (50) earned a 2-2 draw for the Chicago Fire at Colorado. McBride’s former mate at Fulham Collins John had leveled the match at 1 (25) after Omar Cummings hit for the Rapids (12). A Conor Casey penalty had put the Rapids back on top (41) ahead of McBride’s successful conversion tied the score again.

LA’s Edson Buddle is off to a great start having scored all his team’s goals so far (3) netting both in a 2-0 victory over Chivas USA. The loss for Chivas marks the first season they have started with two consecutive defeats.

Speaking of defeats, DC United were beaten again too, this time by New England 0-2 as they also begin the campaign with two losses. DC United has been shutout in both games to open the season. Both Revs goals were scored by Kenny Mansally who had only just come on as a sub (68) and got the first on a deft deflection past Perkins (79) then chipped him 3 minutes later for the second.