The Best of the Weekend's Action

With so many titles around Europe already decided, it was noticeable that the big games this weekend had other prizes at stake.

The biggest match in England was either for a place in the final of the FA Cup, or the Tyne & Wear derby between Newcastle and Sunderland which now looks more like a relegation scrap than anyone had expected it to be at the start of the season.

Sunderland hadn’t won a match in their last 9 games, but looked rejuvenated in Paolo Di Canio’s second game in charge, gaining a valuable three points with a 3-0 win that moves them further away from the relegation zone, and brings their rivals Newcastle back towards danger.

All Sunderland’s goals came from outside the box, with perhaps the most impressive being Adam Johnson’s fine run and finish.  Newcastle did have a goal wrongly ruled out for offside, but the result was emphatic and it looks possible that the decision to appoint Di Canio will be vindicated on the field.

There were also two FA Cup semi finals this weekend vying for attention, with Wigan facing Milwall for the right to face the victor of the heavyweight clash between Chelsea and Manchester City in the other semi final.

As a Premiership side against a Championship side, it was little surprise that Wigan were able to overcome Wigan, and the other semi final went with form too, with an inspired performance from Manchester City’s stand in goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon helping keep Chelsea at bay, and earn Manchester City a 2-1 win.  Goals came courtesy of Samir Nasri and Sergio Aguero, with Demba Ba scoring a second classy volley against a Manchester side in the FA Cup in a matter of weeks.

In La Liga, with Barcelona so far ahead in the league, they played a second string against Zaragoza, and like recent years the second string for Barcelona is often mightily impressive, and they recorded an easy 3-0 win.

The match was much more significant for Zaragoza than Barcelona as they fight for La Liga survival.^th place with Mallorca in 19^th.

Mallorca moved level on points with Zaragoza due to a 1-0 win over bottom side Celta Vigo thanks to a Giovanni Dos Santos goal, and only two points now separate Deportivo La Coruna in 16

Elsewhere in Europe, former Real Madrid and Everton man Royston Drenthe scored his first goals for Alania Vladikavkaz in Russia, scoring a hat trick in total!  Will the once capped Dutch international now finally realise his potential in Russia?