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• No further action after incident on 8 January in Yarm
• England winger was visiting friends and family on Teesside

Stewart Downing will not face charges relating to the Liverpool player’s arrest last month on suspicion of assault, police have said.

The 27-year-old England winger was held for questioning following an alleged incident at the Cross Keys pub in Yarm, Teesside, at around 1am on 8 January.

A 32-year-old woman also arrested at the time on suspicion of assault remains on police bail.

A Cleveland police spokeswoman said: “A 27-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of assault following an alleged incident at a pub on Yarm High Street has been released without charge.

“A 32-year-old woman who was also arrested on suspicion of assault remains on bail pending further inquiries. Inquiries are ongoing.”

Downing played for his hometown club, Middlesbrough, before moving to Aston Villa and then Liverpool in the summer of 2011. He was believed to be visiting friends and family on Teesside at the time of the incident.

Liverpool
guardian.co.uk

• Liverpool manager critical after abject Premier League defeat
• ‘We have to be honest when we’ve been bad’

The Liverpool manager, Kenny Dalglish, has defended his very public criticism of the players after insisting there can be no hiding place from failure. The Scot diverted from his usual stout defence of the squad to lambast their attitude and lack of application in Saturday’s abject 3-1 defeat at struggling Bolton.

“I think what was said had to be said,” Dalglish explained. “It’s a difficult thing to do but I think it was an honest thing to do as well. At the end of the day I don’t think anyone can object to the fact that we never played anything like we’re capable of playing. I don’t think anybody can hide behind a performance like we had on Saturday and I don’t think anyone would try to do that.

“In the past we’ve rightly praised them when they’ve deserved it, we’ve given them plaudits when we’ve done well and we’ve congratulated them for the way they’ve gone about their work. We have to be honest in our appraisal when we’ve been bad as well.

“When you’ve been critical it doesn’t mean to say you’re getting any pleasure from it because at the end of the day we’re all in it together. It’s not the coaching staff and the players, it’s everybody.”

The Premier League leaders, Manchester City, visit Anfield tomorrow as they attempt to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first leg of their Carling Cup semi-final.

“Let’s not be running away with ourselves, let’s make sure we get the hard work done first,” Dalglish told liverpoolfc.tv. “We have a slight advantage, we just need to go into the game and compete.

“It’s not going to be a game that’s going to be anything other than really difficult for us. They got a fantastic result on Sunday against Tottenham [winning 3-2) which keeps them at the top of the league, so I’m sure they’ll be well up for it.

“For us it’s important to do our own job, and if we do that then a bit of luck as well wouldn’t go amiss. Hopefully it will be a fantastic occasion for everyone.”

LiverpoolKenny Dalglish
guardian.co.uk

On taking over, Mark Hughes talked about his players having to quickly understand what was required. On this evidence it is to adhere to a tight shape, fan out when in possession to offer the ball carrier options, and shoot more.

Simple, maybe, but in the last days of Neil Warnock QPR too often lost their way and games when teams got at them. Here, Tommy Smith’s 79th-minute 30-yard barnburner that sealed the win illustrated Hughes’s point when he also stated that conversion not creation was what has hobbled QPR this season.

Despite this being a contest between two sides stuck in the exit chamber of the Premier League this was a riveting watch. Bottom place (Wigan) against 18th (QPR) in late January sounds like an advert for a tense and torpid affair but this was pacy and entertaining to the end as Hughes registered his first Premier League win as QPR manager.

Victor Moses raced down the left to leave Luke Young flailing before zipping a ball across Paddy Kenny that no team-mate could convert. This followed Jordi Gómez delivering a cross that a dozing home defence allowed Steve Gohouri to wander onto unmarked but he missed.

DJ Campbell, replaced by Smith at the break, looked sharp until opportunity came knocking: a flipped pass from Joey Barton removed the defence but found only a static Campbell and strike partner, Heidar Helguson.

Akos Buzsaky missed with two attempts but ended the period planting a 25-yard free-kick beyond Ali al-Habsi that pinged in off the right post.

Before, Barton’s corner from the left was poor, but James McCarthy stuck out a hand, the penalty was awarded, and Helguson stepped up to stroke home for a ninth of the campaign.

QPR could even afford to miss a penalty – Helguson this time seeing his kick produce a fine save from Habsi to his right.

Premier League 2011-12Bolton WanderersLiverpoolPremier LeagueJamie Jackson
guardian.co.uk