After a two-game winless run Reading reasserted their right to be considered as contenders for automatic promotion, a couple of strikes by Noel Hunt helping them recover from a goal down to beat their valiant but limited visitors.

Coventry arrived having collected seven points from their last three away trips but a clutch of injuries to full-backs forced manager Chris Coleman to field an improvised 3-5-2 formation.

There were early signs the switch would bear fruit as Coventry enjoyed the best of a scrappy opening. They frequently found a free man in midfield, though slack passing foiled their attempts to make the most of it and the only real pressure on Reading came from a series of huge throw-ins by Aron Gunnarsson.

Eventually the home side flashed the class that has fuelled their chase for promotion straight back to the Premier League, a sumptuous cross by Stephen Hunt in the 13th minute leading to the game's first true chance. Alas, Noel Hunt undid his older brother's fine work by heading over the bar from 10 yards.

Rather than build on that, Reading reverted to toiling and the next moment of excellence, in the 26th minute, brought a goal for the visitors. After Michael Duberry fouled Clinton Morrison 25 yards out, Danny Fox served up a repeat of his winner against Swansea last week, curling the free-kick into the top corner.

Six minutes later Fox's grin turned to a grimace. Noel Hunt met Liam Rosenior's cross at the near post and Fox inadvertently helped the Irishman's header into his own goal.

That was Reading's cue to take control of the game. Moments after Stephen Hunt had stabbed wide from close range, James Harper cut a clever ball back from the by-line and Kalifa Cissé arrived at the edge of the box to bang it beneath Keiren Westwood and into the net.

The quality, which had never been especially high, dipped in the second period. Coventry's greater numbers in midfield meant Reading tended to bypass the centre by going long but not particularly precise, while Coventry were uninspired.

Reading's decisive third goal on 62 minutes had a suitably messy birth. Stephen Hunt raced down the left and fired the ball across the face of goal, where Marcus Hall arrived first on the scene but managed to get the ball caught between his legs, allowing Noel Hunt to pounce and poke it into the net from three yards.

Gianfranco Zola gave Chelsea a multitude of reasons to revere him as their greatest ever player. Last night he handed them one to celebrate his entry into management as his West Ham side limited Liverpool's rise to the top to just a single point.

Looking down on Chelsea and Manchester United is the only place the majority at Liverpool want to be this season, and the table will make pleasant reading for Rafael Benítez and company today. But there will be regret at the margin of their lead following Luis Felipe Scolari's latest defeat at Stamford Bridge, and a gnawing realisation that this represented another opportunity lost.

A second successive 0-0 draw at home to mid-table opposition was not the response Benítez had in mind. Dominant throughout, and denied by the excellence of Robert Green in the West Ham goal, this result proved more satisfactory for the genial Italian than the ambitious Spaniard in the opposite dugout.

Following an angst-ridden draw against Fulham in their last home league game Jamie Carragher and Benítez had pleaded for patience from the Kop whenever inferior but resilient visitors arrive. The advice was heeded and necessary against a West Ham team content to absorb the almost relentless pressure from those in red.

Penalty appeals were soon on Liverpool lips, however, as the Hammers left-back Herita Ilunga escaped two handball claims inside his area in the opening nine minutes, from Yossi Benayoun and Dirk Kuyt. With the blond locks of Kuyt and Sami Hyypia providing a constant aerial threat and West Ham struggling to retain possession, the ball rebounding off the hapless Carlton Cole before his team-mates dared to take a step forward, it seemed an inevitability that Liverpool would produce the breakthrough and move well clear of Chelsea at the summit. As against Roy Hodgson's side, however, albeit with a vastly improved performance, Anfield patience was given a serious examination.

Albert Riera was the first of many to endure frustration when a volley, from Green's unconvincing punch, beat the goalkeeper but was cleared off the line by Cole, who proved more effective inside his own area. Hyypia then sent the first of several headed chances just over Green's crossbar from a Steven Gerrard corner, the veteran Finn knew he should have at least struck the target, and when he did so five minutes later, from another Gerrard corner headed on by Kuyt, Cole was there again to block on the line.

The chances were passing by but, with Xabi Alonso dictating the flow and pace of the game from midfield, Liverpool remained in command. Gerrard shot into the side-netting after weaving his way past two West Ham defenders and Green produced a fine save to parry Kuyt's back-post header and then claim the rebound before Robbie Keane could react.

The corner count read 9-0 in Liverpool's favour at the interval, an accurate reflection of their dominance, and yet, as so often is the case, it was West Ham who came closest to scoring with their one and only chance of the half. Collecting the ball on the halfway line, the former Liverpool forward Craig Bellamy roamed unopposed towards the Kop and unleashed a 25-yard shot that beat José Reina but stuck the inside of a post and bounced clear.

Disbelief was felt more frequently by Liverpool. Gerrard berated Kuyt when the Dutchman elected to go it alone rather than select his unmarked captain and Keane, released by the industrious Benayoun, drove wide from the edge of the area. The incomprehension did not prepare Liverpool for what followed from Green, and there was a mass raising of hands to heads when the visiting keeper produced a stunning save to deny Benayoun against his former club. Gerrard orchestrated the move with a fine cross that James Collins could only clear straight to the Israel captain. The ball was returned hard and true on the half volley, only for Green to tip over a shot destined for the roof of the Kop goal.

Miscued efforts from Gerrard and Alonso signalled the return of Anfield anxiety while Keane made his feelings known when he was again withdrawn for the rookie David N'Gog, the £20.3m burying his face in his hands before taking an increasingly familiar walk to the bench.

Burnley manager Owen Coyle targets Arsenal youngsters in Carling Cup (telegraph.co.uk - today, 22:43)

Rafael Benitez goes cool on idea of bringing in Michael Owen to boost strike force (telegraph.co.uk - today, 22:43)

Howard Wilkinson urges Sunderland to 'show character' and stand by Roy Keane (telegraph.co.uk - today, 22:43)

Peter Crouch in plea to his defence as he seeks European survival for Portsmouth (telegraph.co.uk - today, 22:43)

Tottenham defender Ledley King calls for improvement to escape relegation fight (telegraph.co.uk - today, 22:43)

Manchester City manager Mark Hughes implores side to discover 'winning mentality' (telegraph.co.uk - today, 22:43)

Hammers dent Liverpool´s title credentials (Soccerway - today, 22:43)

FA urged to take action after racist taunts aimed at Middlesbrough's Mido (telegraph.co.uk - today, 22:14)

Everton manager David Moyes primed for the January sales (telegraph.co.uk - today, 22:14)

Reading 3-1 Coventry (BBC - today, 22:14)

West Ham frustrate Anfield as Liverpool stumble back to Premier League summit (telegraph.co.uk - today, 22:14)

Reds go clear at top after draw (BBC - today, 22:14)

David Moyes shows interest in Henrik Larsson (Soccerway - today, 22:14)

Liverpool go top but left frustrated by Hammers (Soccerway - today, 22:14)

FIFA to push for quotas despite opposition (Soccerway - today, 21:43)

Live text - Liverpool v West Ham (BBC - today, 19:43)

Chelsea reach agreement over Mikel transfer deal (Soccerway - today, 19:43)

Tommy Smith admits he may not be around for Brendan Rodgers's Watford revolution (telegraph.co.uk - today, 19:14)

Blues resolve Mikel case with Lyn (BBC - today, 19:14)

Injured Saha set for quick return (BBC - today, 19:14)

´Mane´ replaces ´Tintin´ as Espanyol coach (Soccerway - today, 19:14)

Anorthosis chief resigns amid embezzlement probe (Soccerway - today, 19:14)

Viduka wants stability at Magpies (BBC - today, 18:14)

Winger Fagan set for Hull return (BBC - today, 18:14)

Veteran Breen set to join Barnet (BBC - today, 18:14)

Latics hint at Heskey departure (BBC - today, 18:14)

]]> <p> Chelsea have reached an agreement with Norwegian club Lyn Oslo in their dispute over the transfer of John Mikel Obi. </p> " href="http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/chelsea-and-lyn-reach-mikel-agreement-1044028.html">Chelsea and Lyn reach Mikel agreement (The Independent - today, 18:14)

Real´s Pepe sidelined for a month due to injury (Soccerway - today, 18:14)

Young guns set to start for Arsenal against Burnley (Soccerway - today, 18:14)

Veteran Carr announces retirement (BBC - today, 17:43)

Wigan set for Heskey sale in January (Soccerway - today, 17:43)

Bevan extends loan spell at Gulls (BBC - today, 17:14)

Britton tips rivals for play-offs (BBC - today, 17:14)

]]> <p> Emile Heskey appears poised to leave Wigan in January following the latest remarks from chairman Dave Whelan. </p> " href="http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/heskey-could-make-january-switch-1043959.html">Heskey could make January switch (The Independent - today, 17:14)

]]> <p> Grimsby chairman John Fenty has revealed there is &quot;a glimmer of a chance&quot; that former England striker Robbie Fowler will join the Coca-Cola League Two club. </p> " href="http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/grimsby-confirm-fowler-interest-1043955.html">Grimsby confirm Fowler interest (The Independent - today, 17:14)

Homecoming Scottish Cup draw produces Hibernian and Hearts Edinburgh derby (telegraph.co.uk - today, 16:43)

Grimsby confirm Fowler interest (BBC - today, 16:43)

Transfer cash report angers Moxey (BBC - today, 16:43)

]]> <p> Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo is set to win the prestigious Ballon d'Or overnight. </p> " href="http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/ronaldo-favourite-for-ballon-dor-1043701.html">Ronaldo favourite for Ballon d'Or (The Independent - today, 16:14)

Calls for action as Mido targeted again (Soccerway - today, 16:14)

Ince warns off Santa Cruz interest (Eyefootball - today, 15:43)

]]> <p> The Football Association will not be taking any action against Luiz Felipe Scolari over the Chelsea manager's comments about referee Mike Dean at the weekend. </p> " href="http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/fa-rule-out-scolari-action-1043795.html">FA rule out Scolari action (The Independent - today, 15:43)

]]> <p> Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon insists Ivorian striker Didier Drogba has a future at Stamford Bridge. </p> " href="http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/drogba-going-nowhere-says-kenyon-1043803.html">Drogba going nowhere says Kenyon (The Independent - today, 15:43)

]]> <p> Victory over Chelsea will count for nothing with Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas if his men do not go on to repeat the performance against the rest of the Barclays Premier League. </p> " href="http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/fabregas-tells-team-to-build-on-chelsea-win-1043817.html">Fabregas tells team to build on Chelsea win (The Independent - today, 15:43)

Adebayor: Arsenal back in the race (Eyefootball - today, 15:14)

Chelsea won't spend in January (Eyefootball - today, 15:14)

Watford chairman Graham Simpson resigns (telegraph.co.uk - today, 15:14)

The great Brazilian forward Jairzinho once told me that he was in such great shape during the 1970 World Cup that Fifa afterwards presented him with a "best body on the planet" trophy to go along with his winner's medal. I assumed this was rhetorical waggery so offered that obligatory journalistic reply: the sycophantic laugh. But he became quite cross and assured me he wasn't joking. I asked whether he was certain it was an official Fifa prize, and not awarded by some TV company or a housewives' magazine. He insisted it was indeed from the game's global federation. I've since asked Fifa about this, as well as other players and journalists who were at the tournament, but it seems only Jairzinho has any memory of it.

I'm not sure whether I want to believe Jairzinho. On one hand I don't, because then I can delight in the homely barminess of the fact that the only man in history to have scored in every match of the World Cup including the final feels the need to invent trivial boasts. It's a bit like if Neil Armstrong took every opportunity to tell the world that in 1969 he beat Buzz Aldrin in a belching contest.

On the other hand I hope Jairzinho's story is true. If he really did have a body so much more beautiful than all the other athletic ones on display that even the crusty old Fifacrats felt moved to celebrate it, then that's a lovely thing. Not having been around in those days, I can only regret that the videos I've seen of the tournament don't really bring out this singular gorgeousness.

All of which brings us on to the Ballon d'Or, the latest of which is due to be presented tomorrow. It's garbage, isn't it? Systematically singling out an individual in a team sport is stupid and possibly even evil. It's almost always impossible to reach an obviously fair and correct verdict. How often have you been so angered by Andy Gray's choice for man of the match that you've been driven to spewing Latin? Reductio Ad Absurdum.

Very occasionally comes a Jairzinho's body moment. Michel Platini was so wonderful in Euro '84 that you almost got to thinking he could have won the tournament by himself. Diego Maradona was even more exceptional in 1986. In these circumstances it might have been justified to commemorate their performances with spontaneous awards. But awarding such a trophy every year cheapens it: Zinedine Zidane was nowhere near as influential in 1998 as Platini had been in '84 but both were singled out for the same prize. Nonsense. Most years are no years for a Ballon d'Or. In 2001, for example, a Barn Door might have been more appropriate for Michael Owen.

By contrast, in 1986 France Football magazine should simply have torn up its Europeans-only rules and pleaded with Maradona to accept its Ballon (rather than give it to Igor Belanov).

It wasn't until 1995 that they decided to open up the award to non-Europeans, and not until 2007 did they make it truly global, including players who don't play their club football in Europe. Yet it still deserves only marginally more credibility than the Fifa World Player of the year award, which is voted for by every national team manager and captain in the world yet looks suspiciously like it has to go to the players who generate the most advertising revenue (David Beckham twice being runner-up!?).

Yet still the only player who comes close to matching the achievements of Platini and Maradona has not made France Football's 30-man shortlist.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the overwhelming favourite and yes, he had a tremendous 2007-08 season. In the Premier League he took full benefit of Sir Alex Ferguson's innovative formation to become top scorer from an attacking midfield berth. He was also the top scorer in the Champions League. Though Manchester United's triumph in both, particularly the latter, owed as much to the fortitude of Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand as it did to Ronaldo, whose only contribution in the semi-final against Barcelona, for example, was to miss a penalty. He was also peripheral to Euro 2008.

Excelling in a major tournament doesn't appear to be mandatory to scoop the gong: the 1992 winner wasn't Danish and last year's laureate, Kaka, didn't even bother playing in the Copa America, which is why his victory was outrageous. Because while it may not be the decisive factor, the judges shouldn't simply ignore major national tournaments. Therefore Iker Casillas' superb performances for Spain last summer, allied to his heroics during Real Madrid's title winning season in La Liga, mean that, if there has to be a winner this year, he has as strong a claim as Ronaldo.

But for the strongest claim of all we should look to an inspirational player who is the creative fulcrum of both his club and his country, with whom he this season achieved everything he possibly could. He won his domestic championship and champions league with his club while taking the continental crown with his country, even scoring the winner in the final, his fourth goal of a tremendous tournament. Scandalously, the France Football editorial team who selected the 30 players for whom their worldwide panel of journalists are allowed to vote overlooked the Al Ahly and Egypt playmaker Mohamed Aboutrika.

Fifa won't compensate for this offensive anomaly. Their shortlist doesn't include Aboutrika either. Nor anyone else from Egypt's recent vintage. Hardly surprising given that Fifa doesn't even rank Egypt, winners of the last two African Cups of Nations, as the best team in Africa. Not enough Europe-based players, perhaps.

Morecambe v Cheltenham (Tue) (BBC - today, 15:14)

We can overcome injuries - Arteta (BBC - today, 15:14)

Schuster to stay at Real, ´barring disaster´ - Calderon (Soccerway - today, 15:14)

Some people just can't resist saying "I told you so". "Everyone laughed when we were top of the table and I talked about getting precious points to ensure safety," parped Udinese general director Pietro Leonardi after his team's 1-0 home defeat by Chievo. "Now that idea is back on the table."

Nobody else in Udinese is looking too pleased with themselves after a fourth successive league defeat. A month ago the Zebrette were joint-top alongside Napoli, and were coming off a six-day spell in which they had beaten Tottenham and Roma at home and Catania away. Now they sit ninth, 11 points behind leaders Inter, having picked up just a single point in November.

"We are not going through a good patch of form," acknowledged manager Pasquale Marino yesterday, studiously avoiding any statements that couldn't be filed under "bleeding obvious". Defeat yesterday should have been unthinkable. Chievo arrived as the league's bottom club, having lost a club record six games in a row. They had not scored a goal in four games and were yet to keep a clean sheet all season.

The Flying Donkeys needed a helping hand but, thankfully for them, Udinese were all too happy to oblige. Felipe might be excused for scoring the decisive own goal, given that he had not played a game in Serie A for eight months, but Antonio Di Natale will have a harder time explaining away the red card he earned by thrusting his hands petulantly into Fabio Moro's face earlier in the second half.

As is always the case in such a slump, however, questions will ultimately be asked of the manager. Marino will remember only too well that his side started last season strongly as well, spending a significant part of it in the Champions League places before eventually slipping to seventh.

After selling Andrea Dossena to Liverpool, Marino reinforced his team by adding Maurizio Domizzi, but, arguably more importantly, reconsidered his team's tactics. By abandoning 3-4-3 in favour of a more sturdy 4-3-3, Marino believed he had found a formation that would make his team more consistent without compromising their attacking instincts.

That move looked to have been vindicated by Udinese's early season form, but his team have now failed to score in four of their last five games in all competitions — two of which were against a Reggina side who were bottom at the time. Whilst the formation change has largely been hailed as a success, Marino's team selection has been called into question. Yesterday Fabio Quagliarella, the team's joint-highest scorer alongside Di Natale on five goals, wasn't introduced until his team were down to 10 men.

But Udinese's greatest mistake was actually made two months ago. At the time it looked like a significant success. By drawing 2-2 on aggregate with Borussia Dortmund in the first round of the Uefa Cup, and then knocking the German team out on penalties, Udinese appeared to have proven that they were cut out for European competition. Their subsequent run in the league has shown that they are not.

Whilst Marino was right to focus on aspects he could control, the real lesson for Udinese from last season was that their squad is scarcely deep enough to sustain a Serie A campaign, let alone a European one. He did field a weakened side for the win over Spartak Moscow earlier this month but, with Udinese also still involved in the Coppa Italia, it is clear that his squad is already stretched to breaking point.

Yesterday Udinese were without the injured Cristian Zapata, Fernando Tissone, Mauricio Isla and Damiano Ferronetti, whilst Simone Pepe and Domizzi were both suspended. Di Natale, crucially, has started only six league games after a string of minor injuries.

Marino needs reinforcements, but whether he will get them remains to be seen. Udinese are not a rich club, and rarely draw crowds of over 20,000 at home. With the prospect of Champions League football next season rapidly dwindling, the directors will be reluctant to invest too heavily. Marino may ultimately have to settle for nothing more than a couple of loan additions.

Either way, for Marino the winter break can't come soon enough. But it will be a long Christmas taking phone calls from Leonardi if his team can't find a way to get something out of the next three games.

Round 14 talking points

• Alessandro Del Piero scored the 250th goal of his Juventus career yesterday, sending Reggina goalkeeper Andrea Campagnolo the wrong way from the penalty spot to cap a 4-0 rout in the snow. There have been plenty of classy strikes along the way for Del Piero, but for me none quite surpass his stunning first-time volley against Fiorentina all the way back in December 1994 — a goal that capped a glorious comeback for Juventus after they had trailed 2-0 with less than 20 minutes remaining.

• Transfer speculation is on the rise again as we edge closer to the January window, and in the past week it has been claimed that William Gallas is on his way to Milan, Didier Drogba to Inter and Nilmar to Roma. One deal that won't be coming off, however, is Bastian Schweinsteiger's mooted switch to Juventus. Schweinsteiger is out of contract in the summer, and though he has acknowledged being "tempted by a foreign experience", his girlfriend Sarah Brandner apparently can't imagine her fledgling modelling career taking off in Turin.

• Among the most credible rumours to emerge this week was the suggestion that Bologna manager Sinisa Mihajlovic is planning to ask former employers Inter to send him out-of-favour forward Mario Balotelli on loan. Mihajlovic could certainly do with a match-winner after beginning his managerial career with four consecutive 1-1 draws. He insisted before this weekend's stalemate with Genoa that he would rather bring himself on and score an own goal than suffer another draw, but in reality Mihajlovic will know that this was a good result against a team who had won all of their previous six home games.

• Marco Amelia paid tribute to his PlayStation after saving the first of two Ronaldinho penalties during Palermo's 3-1 win over Milan, then getting a hand to the second as well. "It was like playing against Ronaldinho on the PlayStation," insisted Amelia afterwards. "He did the same run-up."

Results: Atalanta 2-0 Lazio, Cagliari 1-0 Sampdoria, Catania 1-1 Lecce, Genoa 1-1 Bologna, Inter 2-1 Napoli, Juventus 4-0 Reggina, Palermo 3-1 Milan, Roma 1-0 Fiorentina, Siena 1-0 Torino, Udinese 0-1 Chievo

Latest Serie A table

Sack for Livingston manager Landi (BBC - today, 14:43)

Langston relishes Swansea clash (BBC - today, 14:43)

Robin van Persie admits first Arsenal goal against Chelsea was 'a little bit offside' (telegraph.co.uk - today, 14:14)

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