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By EMILY SHERIDAN
'Not my best performance': Matt Cardle admitted he struggled during his second song on tonight's X FactorHe's been favourite to win this year's X Factor, since the live shows began in October.
But tonight Matt Cardle's potential to clinch the title wasn't looking so certain after he gave a 'safe' performance of Billy Joel's Always A Woman.
After missing most of the week after falling ill with the flu, the 27-year-old admitted his second song of the night was 'not my best performance'.
After suffering from the flu all week, the Essex-native received more positive criticism to his first rendition of You Got The Love by The Source and Candi Staton than his second song.
Following his first song, Louis said: 'Who would have thought you were sick? You are a true professional, you’re consistent every week, consistently good! I think you can win the competition I really do.'
But Simon wasn't so sympathetic, reminding the public that, he too, was sick this week, leaving Cheryl to mentor his group One Direction.
Mixed reviews: Matt received praise for his first song You Got The Love by The Source and Candi Staton, but his second (right) to Billy Joel's She's Always A Woman wasn't so strongHe said: 'Look forget about the fact that you had flu, because I don’t think anybody cares. It was a brilliant choice of song and I like the fact that you were on flavour on it...
'Can I mention that I had a cold this week as well. Having got to know you over the past weeks, I want to vouch for the fact that you are a very sincere, cool contestant!
But his second song didn't go so well, with the former decorator admitting 'that was not my best performance'.
Cheryl admitted she could see his bad health in his eyes: 'I can see by the look in your eyes you feel so ill. Everybody loves you, you've got the support. I hope I see you in the final.'
Divided: Matt's mentor Dannii Minogue accused Simon Cowell of being 'tactical' when he criticised the Joel song
Having praised his first song, Simon wasn't so impressed with the second: 'Unfortunately this was your worst song. It is exactly what you're not.
You're not that safe artist. You shouldn't be singing a song like that you can't put your stamp on...'
After Matt's mentor Dannii accused him of being 'tactical', he replied: 'It's not tactical, I didn't like the song.'
Rebecca Ferguson kicked off the show with powerful rendition of Robin S Nineties dance classic Show Me Love.
After previously being criticised for just standing still during her performances, the Scouse singer, 24, moved around the stage accompanied by a troupe of dancers.
Rebecca finally moves! Rebecca Ferguson performed an energetic ad powerful rendition of Robin S Nineties dance classic Show Me LoveAmid rumours she was getting enough support from her mentor Cheryl Cole, the Geordie judge made sure she was fully appreciative and enthusiastic of her act.
Cheryl told her: 'This song came from Rebecca and we fought and fought and fought for it and it worked people. I'm so proud of you.'
Simon tipped her for the final: 'I loved that this is a side of you we have never seen before. It was so cool, so controlled, your vocals were on the money and this is the first time that you are showing me that you don’t just want to get into the final, you want to win and I like that.'
Her second song saw the single mother-of-two perform Amazing Grace backed by a choir.
'Class act': Rebecca was tipped for the final by all the judges after her second song of the night, Amazing GraceLouis said: 'You're my favourite contestant ever. You're likeable, you're lovable. you've got star quality. I think you're amazing.'
Simon agreed: 'Absolutely stunning - beginning, middle and end. No tricks, pure sincerity. You are a class act.'
Repeating the same superlatives used by her fellow judges, Cheryl said: 'You are such a sincere, beautiful person inside and out. When you sing you just ooze class and beauty. You're amazing.'
Disco diva to tearjerker: Mary Byrne performed Never Can Say Goodbye before slowing it down with The Way We WereFavourite to be the next elimination after ending up in the sing-off last week, Mary Byrne initially steered away from the usual ballads with disco classic Never Can Say Goodbye, before slowing down the tempo with Barbra Streisand's The Way We Were.
Overcome with emotion, the Tesco checkout worker, 50, broke down when she revealed it was her late mother Elizabeth's favourite song that she hadn't performed for 15 years.
Although there was a mixed response to Never Can Say Goodbye, the judges universally praised the second slower number.
Emotional: Mary broke down in tears after the Barbra Streisand song, admitting it was her late mother Elizabeth's favourite songBefore finding out Mary's personal link to the song, Dannii said: 'Mary that was a beautiful performance and you look stunning. I don’t know why you’re crying.'
Simon said: 'This is not a time for tears, this is about you. You should be very proud, it was much better than the first song and you are a good singer and it’s about finding the next big pop star.
'I think whatever happens you will sell records, you will have concerts. You are not going back to the Tesco checkout sweetheart.'
Hi-energy: One Direction started off with Rihanna's Only Girl In The World, which Cheryl thought was a 'bit risky' because it was so currentOne Direction were the last act of the night to sing with both their first and second songs.
They had limited practice with bandmember Zayn Malik, who spent a lot of the week at home in Bradford after his grandfather died.
The five-piece were also missing their ailing mentor Simon, so were supervised by Cheryl.
They initially performed Rihanna's Only Girl In The World, before Snow Patrol's Chasing Cars.
Maturity: The group won over all five judges with Snow Patrol's Chasing Cars after bandmember Zayn Malik missed a lot of rehearsals after his grandfather diedEven though she had mentored them, Cheryl admitted she wasn't so sure about their Rihanna cover.
She said: 'I love you guys. I thoroughly enjoyed mentoring you. That song was a little bit dangerous cos its so current right now as Rihanna's record that you have to completely make it like it was never ever written for her. I don’t know if it quite worked for me but I hope to see you in the final.'
But Chasing Car did go down well with all four of the judges.
'New twist to English music?' Cher Lloyd performed chart newcomer B.O.B's 2010 hit Nothin' On YouDannii said: 'Guys, you’ve had a really tough week and that was such a classy classy performance. You’ve grown up before our eyes and we’ve never had such a good band on the X Factor. I’m so proud to see you five on the show.'
Cher Lloyd also received mixed comments from the judges, but defied judge Dannii's comments when the Australian questioned the teenager performing two rap songs.
The 17-year-old tackled two tracks from 2010 - B.O.B's Nothin' On You and Rihanna and Eminem's duet Love The Way You Live.
Following her Eminem rap, Dannii mused: 'It was such a tricky song choice tonight. The rapping was great and with the singing you hit your stride at the end of the song. I would have liked to hear you sing a ballad to get you through to the final.'
Steering away from ballads: Cher tackled a second hip-hop song for her second performance - the Eminem and Rihanna duet Love The Way You LieIn defence, Cher said: 'Ballads have been done and I wanna bring a new twist to English music and I wouldn't wanna change myself for the world.'
Simon disagreed with Dannii, saying: 'It was a risk taking on Eminem and Rihanna but for me it worked. Again, I don’t think that you’ve sold out. You’ve stuck to the type of music that you believe in and are passionate about.
'There weren’t really any gimmicks, other than the fire and I liked the fact that it was you, raw, doing what you do best. I’m a huge fan, you know that.'
Fashion face off: Dannii Minogue (left) looked elegant in a beige Aurelio Costarella gown, while Cheryl Cole kept it flirty in a white asymmetrical tiered mini-dress
The rivalries are hotting up: All the judges are hoping to see their acts in next week's finalsource: dailymail [endtext]