Barclays Premier League

2011-04-04T01:18:00.001-07:00

2011-04-04T01:10:00.001-07:00

Matches up to and including Monday 28th February 20

Position		Played	R/Y	P/P	R/O	R/R	B/O	Pts	Score	Avge
1	Chelsea	26	220	216	152	157	143	888	222.0	8.54
2	Fulham	28	246	210	170	172	144	942	235.5	8.41
3	Man Utd	27	227	212	158	160	148	905	226.3	8.38
4	Blackpool	28	239	232	166	168	131	936	234.0	8.36
5	Tottenham	27	225	217	158	161	140	901	225.3	8.34
6	Everton	27	231	216	160	157	132	896	224.0	8.30
7	Arsenal	27	210	227	158	157	141	893	223.3	8.27
8	West Brom	28	224	220	164	167	147	922	230.5	8.23
9	Aston Villa	28	219	221	162	167	151	920	230.0	8.21
10	Liverpool	28	232	212	165	162	146	917	229.3	8.19
11	Wolves	28	231	212	159	164	150	916	229.0	8.18
12	Man City	28	213	218	160	166	158	915	228.8	8.17
13	West Ham	28	231	204	162	165	151	913	228.3	8.15
14	Wigan	28	218	204	162	169	151	904	226.0	8.07
15	Blackburn	28	225	206	158	166	148	903	225.8	8.06
16	Bolton	28	221	217	158	165	137	898	224.5	8.02
17	Birmingham	26	221	186	140	145	136	828	207.0	7.96
18	Stoke	28	225	206	155	161	140	887	221.8	7.92
19	Sunderland	28	228	207	153	165	129	882	220.5	7.88
20	Newcastle	28	215	210	145	152	151	873	218.3	7.80

Key:-	R/Y	= Red & Yellow Cards - Maximum 10 pts per Match (Red 3pts, Yellow 1pt)
	P/P	= Positive Play - Maximum 10 pts per Match
	R/O	= Respect Towards Opponent - Maximum 7 pts per Match
	R/R	= Respect Towards Referee - Maximum 7 pts per Match
	B/O	= Behaviour of Officials - Maximum 6 pts per Match

2011-04-04T01:01:00.001-07:00

2011-04-04T00:56:00.001-07:00

Fixtures & Results by week
Saturday 9th April 2011
Wolverhampton Wanderers	v	Everton	12:45	Molineux
Blackburn Rovers	v	Birmingham City	15:00	Ewood Park
Bolton Wanderers	v	West Ham United	15:00	Reebok Stadium
Chelsea	v	Wigan Athletic	15:00	Stamford Bridge
Manchester United	v	Fulham	15:00	Old Trafford
Sunderland	v	West Bromwich Albion	15:00	Stadium of Light
Tottenham Hotspur	v	Stoke City	15:00	White Hart Lane
= Ticket Availability	< Previous week \| Next week >
Sunday 10th April 2011
Blackpool	v	Arsenal	13:30	Bloomfield Road
Aston Villa	v	Newcastle United	16:00	Villa Park
= Ticket Availability	< Previous week \| Next week >
Monday 11th April 2011
Liverpool	v	Manchester City	20:00	Anfield
= Ticket Availability	< Previous week \| Next week >

2011-04-03T23:55:00.001-07:00

Updated
17:53 03^rdApril 2011
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POS	NAME	P	W	D	L	F	A	W	D	L	F	A	GD	PTS
1	Man Utd	31	14	1	0	40	9	5	8	3	28	23	+36	66
2	Arsenal	30	10	3	3	30	12	7	5	2	29	17	+30	59
3	Manchester City	31	10	4	2	28	11	6	4	5	22	16	+23	56
4	Chelsea	30	10	2	2	28	9	6	5	5	26	16	+29	55
5	Tottenham	30	7	6	1	19	10	6	5	5	22	24	+7	50
6	Liverpool	31	9	4	2	26	12	4	2	10	16	26	+4	45
7	Everton	31	6	7	3	26	22	3	7	5	16	19	+1	41
8	Bolton	31	8	5	2	28	19	2	5	9	15	24	0	40
9	Newcastle	31	5	6	5	36	23	5	3	7	12	23	+2	39
10	Fulham	31	7	6	3	23	16	1	8	6	13	17	+3	38
11	Stoke City	31	8	4	4	25	16	3	1	11	12	23	-2	38
12	Sunderland	31	6	5	4	18	16	3	6	7	15	26	-9	38
13	WBA	31	6	6	4	26	26	3	3	9	17	31	-14	36
14	Blackburn	31	6	5	4	19	13	3	2	11	20	38	-12	34
15	Birmingham	30	5	7	4	16	19	2	6	6	14	23	-12	34
16	Aston Villa	31	6	5	4	22	17	2	5	9	17	36	-14	34
17	Blackpool	31	4	3	7	23	27	5	3	9	22	36	-18	33
18	West Ham Utd	31	5	4	7	22	25	2	7	6	16	28	-15	32
19	Wolves	31	7	3	5	24	22	2	2	12	12	31	-17	32
20	Wigan Athletic	31	4	7	6	18	31	2	6	6	11	20	-22	31

< Previous Week

Manchester United loanee Danny Welbeck replaces Tottenham's Aaron Lennon in England squad for Ghana friendly

2011-03-29T04:11:00.000-07:00

Manchester United loanee Danny Welbeck has received his first call-up to the England senior national team, to fill in the void left by Tottenham Hotspur's Aaron Lennon.

The Spurs winger had withdrawn from the squad to face Ghana after sustaining a hamstring injury that forced him to return to his club.

The Sunderland youngster - who has previously played for at Under-17, U-18, U-19 and U-21 levels - has been called up for the first time to the senior squad.

A statement on the official website of the FA reads: "On-loan Sunderland forward Danny Welbeck has joined the England senior squad ahead of the friendly with Ghana at Wembley.

"Welbeck, who scored for England Under-21s in their win over Denmark on Thursday, joins the senior squad for the first time following the withdrawal of Aaron Lennon."

Welbeck, 20, has scored six goals in 22 Premier League appearances for Steve Bruce's side this season but was forced to the sidelines for nearly two months after undergoing knee surgery in January.

Chelsea's Fernando Torres warns Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas of Barcelona transfer backlash

2011-03-29T04:10:00.000-07:00

Fernando Torres has warned Cesc Fabregas of the potential downside if he decides to leave Arsenal and join Barcelona but advised the Gunners captain to pursue what is best for his career.

The former Liverpool forward believes he is in a position to dish out advice on the midfielder's probable transfer to the Catalan club, having made a controversial move from Liverpool to Chelsea in the winter transfer window.

The Stamford Bridge striker has seen his stock fall on Merseyside, going from an icon to outcast in a short period of time, and the Spaniard believes Fabregas may have to brace himself for a backlash if he leaves this summer.

"Everyone has their own story but from what I've read Cesc is grateful to [Arsene] Wenger and Arsenal," Torres said, according to the Daily Mail.

"But if you leave, you have to get wet. In the end, when you leave, you're alone. Football is very hypocritical in this regard."

The former Atletico Madrid man insists that being a fan favourite is not necessarily a reason to stop chasing a dream of achieving bigger and better things.

"You have to give yourself the chance to make the step," said Torres. "If you are lucky, then your club will help you, this is what happened at Atletico Madrid [when I left for Liverpool]. I knew people at Atletico and had good personal relations. But at Liverpool there were problems.

"Javier Mascherano did many good things for Liverpool but they did not treat him well when he left.

"It is a complicated situation when you leave a club but footballers always want to move forward, chase what he believes is better, because we only have eight or 10 good years."

Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas moving to Barcelona would hinder progress of Thiago Alcantara - former Brazil international Mazinho

2011-03-29T04:09:00.000-07:00

Arsenal star Cesc Fabregas is continually being linked with a return to Barcelona, but former Brazil international Mazinho isn't too happy with the possible arrival of the Spanish international at the Blaugrana, and has made it clear that the transfer would hinder the progress of his son, Thiago Alcantara.

"The club knows best what Barcelona need. However, the possible arrival of Fabregas would hinder the progress of youngsters such as Thiago and Jonathan Dos Santos," Mazinho was quoted as saying by COM Radio.

"If Barcelona sign Cesc, this will obviously make it more complicated for the youngsters at the club to break into the first team."

Mazinho went on to say that several big clubs are interested in signing Thiago, but that the midfielder is determined to succeed at Barcelona.

He added: "He has an ongoing contract with the club and is feeling very well at Barcelona. Many big clubs are interested in signing him and there were some good offers last winter. We're confident that Thiago can succeed here though."

Brazil's Neymar reveals Chelsea dream as David Luiz tips national team-mate to become one of the best players in the world

2011-03-29T04:07:00.000-07:00

Brazil and Santos attacker Neymar has admitted that it would be a dream come true if he joined Chelsea.

The teenager reaffirmed his status as one of the world's best emerging talents by bagging a brace during the recent 2-0 victory over Scotland at the Emirates Stadium.

The Blues - along with a host of other top European clubs - have been linked with a move for the starlet, and he has now affirmed that he has a desire to join the west London club.

"Chelsea's a great club," Neymar told Sky Sports News. "It's a dream of every player to play at Chelsea.

"If one day it happens, I will be very happy to come.

"When the moment comes we are going to sit with my family.

"We are going to think about it and discuss the options."

The Blues tried to sign the youngster last summer, but it proved to be fruitless as the player continued to ply his trade at Santos.

Neymar added: "Last year, when Chelsea came, we sat together and we thought it wasn't the time yet.

"If it happens this year, we are going to sit again and going to discuss about it."

The attacker maintained that despite his ambition to move he remains happy at the Brazilian club for the moment.

He said: "I am happy there and, when the time comes, God will make me take the right decision and things will happen."

In the meantime, Chelsea defender David Luiz is hoping that his team-mate at international level makes a move to play for the London-based club.

"I am very happy, because I’m at one of the best teams in the world," he said, having made a move from Benfica in the January transfer window.

"I would love it if Neymar came to Chelsea. He is going to be one of the best players in the world."

Gianluigi Buffon will evaluate his Juventus future but will not move to Manchester City or United

2011-03-29T04:06:00.000-07:00

Gianluigi Buffon will 'evaluate' his Juventus future but will not be leaving Turin for Manchester United or Manchester City, according to his agent, Silvano Martina.

Martina spoke to Goal.com and admitted that the 33-year-old would discuss his future with the club despite having two years left on his Bianconeri contract. Martina admitted that Arsenal would be an 'interesting' prospect for his client should he move on.

Previous reports in Italy had suggested that Buffon could be sold by Juventus in order to alleviate the club from the burden of his wages and also to cash in on his transfer value to furnish a summer market campaign.

With a deal that currently expires in 2013 Buffon, one of the world's best goalkeepers, would still command a high fee.

"Juventus stay? I don't know, we will have to evaluate things with the club. What we do know is that he still has a two-year deal there," Martina confirmed to Goal.com.

Buffon | Future uncertain as Juventus may decide to cash in his value

The representative ruled out moves to both Manchester clubs; City, coached by Buffon's compatriot Roberto Mancini, have previously attempted to sign the shot-stopper but are currently content with their first choice, Joe Hart.

"As for Manchester City I don't believe so as they have the England national goalkeeper and I know Mancini is happy with him. Therefore there is no possibility," he added.

Meanwhile Manchester United's signing of Anders Lindegaard in the winter transfer window means that their goalkeeping quota is full with a long-term replacement for Edwin van der Sar expected to be sourced elsewhere in the summer.

"For [Manchester] United, they recently signed a goalkeeper for the future and so I don't think they are looking.

"In any case, we have not had contact from the Manchester-based clubs."

However, Martina left open the possibility of his client moving to Arsenal. The Gunners' goalkeeping troubles have long been documented with Arsene Wenger recently resorting to a short-term deal for 41-year-old Jens Lehmann.

No contact between the London club and the World Cup winner has yet been made but Martina admitted that his client could be a suitable candidate.

"There are no contacts with Arsenal. I know that they need a goalkeeper, and of course they are a very important club, but I have not had any contacts," the agent concluded.

England boss Fabio Capello believes Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has been disrespectful

2011-03-29T04:04:00.002-07:00

England manager Fabio Capello hit back at Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho, and believes that the Portuguese tactician has been disrespectful towards him.

The two-time Champions League winning coach recently claimed that he had come very close to taking the reins to the national team in 2007, as a replacement for Steve McClaren.

Mourinho also maintained that he eventually turned down the chance to manage the Three Lions due to a preference towards club football, before joining Inter at the time.

Now the Italian believes that speaking of previous offers in such a way shows a lack of respect towards the person in charge, while choosing not to comment on reports that claimed he was approached to succeed Sven-Goran Eriksson in 2006.

"I don't speak about the relationship with the other clubs, for respect for other managers," Capello said, according to The Mirror.

"I don't like to speak about my relationship with the clubs, with other people. These are my personal secrets. I'll never tell you about what really happened in my career.

"I think it's serious. Every time a club or a different national team decides to choose a manager, they decide to speak with a lot of managers. It's normal. It's not different. This is a question for the chairman that chose me, not a question for me.

"I don't like to speak about this. I've said enough. Thank you."

The FA has chosen to react by releasing a statement to play down the situation, as a spokesman said: "Fabio was our first choice for England manager. We have made that clear from the outset."

Owen Coyle hoping to follow in Harry Redknapp's footsteps by leading Bolton into Europe

2011-03-29T04:04:00.001-07:00

Bolton Wanderers manager Owen Coyle is hoping to emulate Harry Redknapp's achievements by leading a team from relegation candidates to European contenders.

Coyle took over the reins at Bolton last season under a cloud, having left Lancashire rivals Burnley but he has overturned their fortunes and they are now in the FA Cup semi-final which, if they win, will in all likelihood get them into Europe next season.

The Scot is looking forward to the prospect of bringing European football to the Reebok Stadium.

He told the People: "As a manager you want to push yourselves to the maximum and your players to the maximum and try to get that bit better.”

"Something like European football should be cherished. Football is still the same game wherever it is played. You just go up a level and deal with better players.

"But you want that because it makes you better. Some of the players here are capable of playing for any club. And I mean any club."

Coyle is hoping that European competition can help take his management to the next level much as it has for Redknapp since taking Tottenham to the Champions League.

"European football is a great goal for any manager,” he said.

"Look at Harry. He has been a great manager for years but you can see from his face how he is loving the involvement of Champions League.

"Even at this stage of his career he has probably become a better manager for that experience."

Sevilla's Alvaro Negredo not interested in Tottenham move

2011-03-29T04:03:00.001-07:00

Sevilla striker Alvaro Negredo says he is not interested in moving to English side Tottenham during the summer transfer window.

The 25-year-old has been linked with a possible move away from the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, but affirmed he has settled in well at the Rojiblancos and wants to stay.

"Here in Seville, I am doing well and like living here," the hitman told Sky Sports. "I want to continue playing here and hope to bring a lot of success to the club."

Negredo has made 43 appearances in all competitions this term, scoring 16 goals.

Sevilla currently sit in seventh position on the La Liga table on 42 points, level on points with Athletic Bilbao.

Cesc Fabregas wants to leave Arsenal for Barcelona

2011-03-29T04:01:00.000-07:00

Barcelona midfielder Xavi has revealed that compatriot Cesc Fabregas wants to leave Arsenal and come to Camp Nou in the summer.

The Spanish champions tried to sign the 23-year-old Spain international last year but Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger refused to budge in his insistence that Fabregas remains at the Emirates.

Barceona have continued to try to convince Arsenal to let the player leave and the Gunners themselves are ready to sell the player should an offer of €51.5 million be made, and although Blaugrana president Sandro Rosell has admitted that the club cannot pay Arsenal €50m, he is open to negotiations.

Fabregas’ team-mate in the Spain national squad, Xavi, has now disclosed that the Catalan is ready to move to Camp Nou.

“I would like Cesc to come to Barca and he has also said that he wants to, but Arsenal and Barcelona have to agree,” the 31-year-old told Catalan daily Sport.

Xavi also touched on the two impending matches between Barcelona and Real Madrid next month, one in the Primera Division and the other in the Copa del Rey final, and said that insinuations of doping and Jose Mourinho’s criticisms only make them more competitive.

“It makes us stronger,” enthused the World Cup winner. “The group is united and even if there are negative things in the environment, we have to keep working and competing.

The central midfielder also had kind words for Barcelona team-mate Eric Abidal, who recently had a tumour removed from his liver and is out for the rest of the season.

“It has been hard time for all, for him, for the team, for his family,” sighed Xavi. “Abidal was in the prime of his career. It’s a shame but we will try to overcome it.”

Arsenal Striker Robin Van Persie: We Are Just 'Not Good Enough'

2011-03-24T21:14:00.000-07:00

Dutchman unhappy that the Gunners crashed out on three fronts in a fortnight, and has called on his team-mates to improve and mount a serious challenge to win the Premier League

Robin van Persie has conceded that Arsenal have not been good enough to win major honours this season.

The Gunners faltered in the final of the League Cup against Birmingham City, and were knocked out of the Champions League by Barcelona despite going into the second leg with the lead. And to make matters worse, Arsene Wenger's men also bowed out of the FA Cup due to a defeat to Manchester United.

With the aforementioned exits all coming in the span of a fortnight, the Dutchman conceded that the north London outfit were just not up to it.

However, the former Feyenoord man insists that the team wants to "change all that" by sustaining their Premier League title challenge to eventually win top honours.

"We always do our best and of course we always want to win," Van Persie said, according to The Mirror.

"On a number of times we were very close, but at the last moment it's often not good enough and that's the reality.

"It's very frustrating when you lose, especially when we're so close, but we have to look forward and now it's up to us to change all that.

"I firmly believe in the team, Arsenal and myself, and I'm positive we will win prizes."

It has been over half a decade since the Gunners won any silverware, but Van Persie maintained that he has no intention of leaving to join another club.

When quizzed as to whether he could move away from Ashburton Grove, the striker said: "Absolutely not. I'm happy here, I have a contract with Arsenal and I fully respect that."

Manchester United's Edwin Van Der Sar: I Will Not Return To Ajax

2011-03-24T21:12:00.000-07:00

Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar has revealed that he has no plans to return to Ajax after he retires from playing at the end of the current season.

The 40-year-old will hang up his boots in the summer, having been with the English giants since 2005. Van der Sar is a fan favourite at Old Trafford and says that he will remain with the Red Devils in other roles after he retires from the pitch.

"I'm not going back to Amsterdam, though it would be very comfortable there with Frank de Boer, Danny Blind and Dennis Bergkamp," said Van der Sar to Dutch magazine Life After Football.

"When I left 12 years ago, I said I would return, but I did not know then what great years I would have with Manchester United. I might occasionally visit training with them, but I will not be going regularly."

Van der Sar further confirmed his non-playing role with the Red Devils and continued: "It may be that I'm going to give Manchester United clinics in Asia, where the club is very popular, or something in commerce.

"I think this is interesting. I have already held some talks."

Chelsea's Carlo Ancelotti Denies He Would Ever Manage Inter But Does Not Rule Out Future Return To Milan

2011-03-24T21:11:00.000-07:00

Carlo Ancelotti has denied he would ever take charge of Inter and has distanced himself from a return to AC Milan as speculation of his future grows at Chelsea.

The Italian boss spent 13 years at AC Milan playing and managing, winning the Champions League twice in 2003 and 2007.

Meanwhile Inter president Massimo Moratti is said to be very interested in bringing Ancelotti back to Serie A and is known to be an admirer of the Italian. However the Chelsea manager denied he would ever go the Nerazzurri out of respect for his former club.

Ancelotti told Il Giorno."If I would go to Inter in place of Leonardo? No, although I respect certain personal choices.

"I've spent 13 years at Milan, for me it is impossible to deny the past.

"Moratti said he thought also of me? I thank him for the kind words but I don't change my mind, I'm an AC Milan man.

"And in the event that Moratti had to call me in the future, I'll politely decline the invitation."

Ancelotti did admit he would consider a return to the red and black side of San Siro if ever the call came, but at the moment he is fully concentrated on his current job at Stamford Bridge.

"Returning to AC Milan? Now I'm at Chelsea, I don't think," he said.

"But if one day [club owner Silvio] Berlusconi or someone from AC Milan would call, I would not think for a moment to say yes, because certain relationships and certain victories will never be forgotten."

Villarreal’s Giuseppe Rossi Will Join A Club That Can Win Trophies

2011-03-24T21:10:00.000-07:00

Villarreal striker Giuseppe Rossi is ready to move but will join only a club that will win trophies in the immediate future, claims his agent.

The 24-year-old has been the subject of transfer speculation for a long time with Italian giants Juventus and Milan both said to be keen for his signature. In January, English club Tottenham Hotspur came with a €30 million offer but their bid was rejected.

Rossi’s agent, Federico Pastorello, has now explained the reasons why Spurs’ offer was turned down and has opened the door to a Juventus move.

“It is true, Juventus have asked for the player as is usual for a big club to do,” said Pastorello, according to Goal.com Italy. “Last year they made an offer to Villarreal for a loan deal with the right to sign on a permanent contract, but the Spanish club rejected it.

“Tottenham came in January and in economic terms, it was a great opportunity but a player like Rossi at this point in his career can move ahead and join a club that guarantees that he can win something important.

"There are few such clubs and one of them is Juventus despite their recent years of difficulty. Rossi is, of course, sensitive to the idea of returning to Italy.”

Rossi joined Villarreal from Manchester United in 2007 and has established himself as one of the best strikers in the Spanish Primera Division. La Liga champions Barcelona are also reportedly interested in him.

Tottenham Hotspur Defender Bongani Khumalo Sent On Loan To Preston

2011-03-24T21:09:00.000-07:00

The talented defender failed to break into the Spurs first team and the move will provide him with experience in England, albeit in the division below the Premier League.

The club confirmed the news on their website, saying, "Bongani Khumalo has joined Preston North End on loan until the end of the season."

Khumalo arrived at the North London club from South African PSL club SuperSport United in the January transfer window following a successful trial at the club towards the end of 2010.

He is currently in camp with the Bafana squad ahead of their crucial African Nations Cup qualifying match against Egypt in Johannesburg.

His goal against France at the 2010 World Cup set up South Africa's victory over Les Bleu in the final Group A match in Bloemfontein.

Arsenal's Bacary Sagna Calls For Action Against Dangerous Tackles

2011-03-24T21:08:00.000-07:00

Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna has called for football's governing bodies to take stronger action to outlaw dangerous challenges.

Sagna has seen Gunners team-mates Aaron Ramsey and Eduardo - now with Shakhtar Donetsk - suffer broken legs at the hands of heavy tackles.

And the France international was further angered by a challenge on Samir Nasri by Paul Scholes in the FA Cup defeat to Manchester United recently.

"We've had two broken legs," Sagna told the Associated Press. "We went to Manchester and Samir [Nasri] got his leg ripped off again. There's nothing [done to stop it].

"They always wait until there is a major incident to make a decision, and then it's too late."

He added: "He [Nasri] almost had his leg cut off.

"If he breaks his leg what shall we say? It's too late.

"The problem is you can't have a discussion with them [match officials], you can't have a debate."

Far from blaming Arsenal's injury crisis for their elimination from three major competitions, Sagna conceded his side were beaten by deserved winners Birmingham City in the League Cup final, as they 'soiled' themselves on the big occasion.

"When you make all those efforts, you reach the League Cup final, which is at Wembley, and then we soil ourselves, that's not normal," he said.

"We were beaten in every domain, they won the most tackles, and honestly [Birmingham] deserved it."

However, Sagna believes Arsenal can still bring silverware to the Emirates Stadium this season as they sit five points behind Manchester United in the title race, but with a game in hand.

"We know we can do it," he said. "To answer the critics, you have to win [trophies]. For the moment we have not done this. So we can't answer back."

Chelsea's Didier Drogba Denies Exit Talk: Fernando Torres' Arrival Has Not Unsettled Me

2011-03-17T13:50:00.001-07:00

Didier Drogba has denied talk that he has been unsettled atChelsea following the £50 million January arrival of Fernando Torres and insists he is “really happy” at the club.

The Ivory Coast striker has not scored since Torres’ deadline day move and extended his run without a goal to nine matches following Wednesday’s Champions League stalemate against Copenhagen.

Although he stopped short of committing his future to Chelsea beyond this season, Drogba says the fans can see he is giving everything to the cause.

“There will always be talk about my future,” said Drogba. “I keep saying it, I'm here and I'm giving everything and it's normal that the club wants to buy another striker because we are ambitious and we want to win the Champions League.

“And it's normal for us to bring a player like him [Torres]. So I just want to say I'm here and I'm really happy because the fans know that my commitment for the team is 100 per cent and that's the most important thing.”

The 33-year-old has been relegated to the bench on three occasions following Torres’ arrival as he finds himself in the rare position of not being an automatic first choice. Yet he says talk of him being unsettled by the jostling for positions up front is untrue.

“That's not the case, that's not the case,” repeated Drogba. “I can only let them talk and the best way to prove is what I'm doing on the pitch. I think, from my attitude, people see that I'm involved and I'm into the team 200%.”

Chelsea are through to the Champions League quarter-finals but Drogba says the club’s immediate ambition is to ensure they qualify for the competition next season. Hopes of a late tilt at the Premier League title are over-ambitious, he believes.

“To be honest, the chances are really, really small,” he said ahead of Sunday’s match at Stamford Bridge against Manchester City, who are one place ahead of Chelsea in third and have beaten them three times in a row.

“Most importantly, we have to focus on third place, because the club has to be in the Champions League and it's important to us to play this competition every year. Let's focus on Sunday, it’s going to be a big game for us, and we'll see what happens with three or four games from the end.

“The last games were very difficult against them. When they won against us, I think they deserved it. Every time they won, they deserved it.

“But I hope that Sunday's going to be a different game, because we need to win this game and think about the third place. It would be fantastic to go back third, knowing that we lost so many games, so many points in the last two months.”

“It's difficult to go and play a Champions League game when you know that you're going to a stadium where you go for the normal league games,” he explained. “At the same time, we played Barcelona so many times in the last seven years.Looking ahead to Friday’s Champions League quarter-final draw, Drogba admits he would rather avoid another English team.

“For England to get more chances in this competition, it would be great to get another team than an English side. But, if we have to, we're going to do it.

“There's a lot of good teams there, so it's difficult to say, 'I want to avoid Manchester United', and then you play Barcelona, or avoid Barcelona and then you play Inter Milan. They're all big teams, so we'll see what we get. I just want to play this quarter-final and do everything to go through.”

Five-Match Touchline Ban Is ‘Too Much’ - Chelsea's Carlo Ancelotti Defends Manchester United Counterpart Sir Alex Ferguson

2011-03-17T13:48:00.000-07:00

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti insists that the FA were too harsh in handing Manchester United boss Sir Alex Fergusona five-match touchline ban.

The Scot was handed the suspension and a £30,000 fine due to his comments about referee Martin Atkinson after the defeat to Chelsea.

At the time, the Old Trafford boss had said: "I must say, when I saw who the referee was I feared it. I feared the worst."

But Ancelotti has defended the Scot, saying: "I think that, my opinion, is that Ferguson has always had good behaviour and I think five games now is too much.

"There is no reason he has to be out for five matches and I do not think that can change their strength and the power of Manchester United."

He added: "I know what he said after the game. Obviously it was not good behaviour but five games is too much."

Liverpool Star Luis Suarez Unrepentant About World Cup Handball As He Prepares To Face Ghana Trio - 'I Feel Worse About The Bite In Holland'

2011-03-17T13:47:00.000-07:00

Luis Suarez claims his World Cup handball “could have happened to anyone” as he prepares to face three Ghanaplayers when Liverpool visit Sunderland on Sunday.

Speaking exclusively to Goal.com UK, Suarez revealed he has no intention of mentioning the incident when he comes up against Sulley Muntari, Asamoah Gyan and John Mensah at the Stadium of Light. Suarez conducted the interview at Melwood during a promotion for the adidas adiZero F50 range of boots.

The Uruguay striker controversially handled on the line in the quarter-final of the tournament in South Africa to deny Ghana a dramatic late winner. Suarez was sent off for the offence but Gyan missed the resulting penalty before Uruguay won the shootout to claim a place in the semi-finals.

Suarez, 24, insists any player would have done the same in his position and says he feels more guilty about biting PSV Eindhoven midfielder Otman Bakkal while playing for Ajax in November, for which he was banned for seven matches by the Dutch Football Federation.

“What happened at the World Cup could have happened to anyone and it's something I want to leave behind me,” Suarez told Goal.com UK.

“I feel much worse about the bite. The worst thing that can happen is to hurt someone else and I have apologised for what happened in Holland. It's something I do regret but it's in the past, it's one of those things.

“I won't say anything to Gyan. For me, he is just another player. Maybe it's still a big problem for others, but as far as I'm concerned it must stay in the past.

“I'm not playing against one or two people. I'm playing against the Sunderland team as a whole. For me, what's important is the result of the match. All I want is to win for Liverpool.”

Anfield ace | Luis Suarez says fans and family have helped him settle in at Liverpool

Suarez, who signed for Liverpool in a £22.8 million deal in January, admits that he has been working on controlling his emotions as he adapts to his new life in England.

He added: “I want to try and improve my temperament. I want to learn and to be more calm on the pitch. I am still young and I have made mistakes – but it's only because I want to win.”

"Yes, it's true I expected to play with Fernando. Fernando is a very good player"

Suarez has become an instant hit with the Kop and tore bitter rivals Manchester United apart in just his fourth appearance in a Liverpool shirt as Kenny Dalglish's side won 3-1 at Anfield earlier this month.

He admits he was nervous when he first arrived on Merseyside but believes that performance – which included a mesmerising solo run to create Dirk Kuyt's opener – has helped him to settle down after his initial nerves.

“It was a really great time for me,” he explained. “The fans wanted for me to get the goal and for us to win and it was great for us against a team that we have always had a big rivalry with.

“The fans have really supported me and also the team as a whole since I signed for Liverpool. It was something we really needed to do and it was an unforgettable moment.

“When I first got here I was very nervous being at a big new club and everything in my life changed quickly. But as time has gone on it is getting easier and I like Liverpool as a city and a club.

“My family like the city and to have your wife and daughter by your side makes it a lot easier to settle in and play better on the pitch.”

Liverpool travel to Sunderland sitting sixth in the Premier League and facing the prospect of missing out on Europe completely next season if Manchester United or Manchester City win the FA Cup and finish in the top four.

Suarez admits Liverpool's chances of qualifying for Europe next season are slim – but he is confident of playing Champions League football during the remaining five seasons on his contract.

“I do think it will now be very difficult to qualify for next year,” he said. “There are good teams ahead of us in the league.

“But I think it will be very different next season – we will be in good shape.

“Liverpool as a club must play in the Champions League. It's something we have to do so we will work hard towards that goal.

“Playing in the Champions League with Ajax was a really fantastic experience that helped me develop.”

Luis Suarez was speaking to promote adidas adizeroF50 boots

Arsene Wenger: Jens Lehmann Will Join Arsenal & Thomas Vermaelen Is Out For The Rest Of Season

2011-03-17T13:45:00.000-07:00

Arsene Wenger has confirmed that Jens Lehmann will joinArsenal until the end of the season, but defender Thomas Vermaelen will play no part in the remaining Premier League games this campaign.

The German returns to the club aged 41 to cover a goalkeeper crisis at the Emirates with first choice Wojciech Szczesny out and backups Lukasz Fabianski and Vito Mannone both injured, leaving Manuel Almunia as the only experienced goalkeeper fit enough to call upon.

Wenger told reporters on Thursday: "Lehmann is training with us and will sign for the rest of the season.

"We have no cover in the Premier League, so that is why I decided to bring Jens back.

"He has not signed, but it [a contract] has been agreed."

Lehmann, who was the last goalkeeper to lift a trophy for Arsenal when he raised the FA Cup in 2005, had retired from playing at the end of last season and has recently been linked with a temporary coaching role at the Emirates.

That has now turned into a chance for the veteran to slip on the gloves once more, although he is expected to be on the bench with Almunia considered the first choice.

The former Stuttgart shot-stopper will not be joined by Belgian defender Thomas Vermaelen in the changing room, however, as Wenger also confirmed that the the former-Ajax man will play no part in any remaining games this season.

The centre-back was struck by injury in September and has undergone surgery on his Achilles in an effort to remedy his problem in the long term.

Johan Djourou, who has filled in for Vermaelen this season, has also been ruled out for "at least" six weeks by the Gunners boss after dislocating his shoulder against Manchester United.

Wenger also revealed that attacker Theo Walcott will definitely not be able to play in England's Euro 2012 qualifier against Wales with an ankle problem, while captain Cesc Fabregas will not be fit to make the trip to West Brom at the weekend

Everton Manager David Moyes Reluctant To Sell Manchester United Target Jack Rodwell

2011-03-17T13:43:00.002-07:00

Everton manager David Moyes has warned Manchester United that he does not intend to sell midfielder Jack Rodwell.

The Blues youngster has earned plaudits for his talent and performances, and the Red Devils have been reported to be interested in acquiring his services.

Now the Goodison Park boss is in no mood to let go of the youngster like the way he did when United came calling for Wayne Rooney in 2004.

"I am reluctant to sell Rodwell because I'm trying to build a football team, not dismantle one," Moyes said in The Daily Star.

"I just couldn't imagine Liverpool really wanting to sell one of their own, Steven Gerrard or Jamie Carragher, too easily. They have always done everything to keep them.

"It is the same with me. I wanted to keep Wayne Rooney. I also want to keep Jack."

However, Moyes admitted that a change in circumstances may see Rodwell leave the Merseyside outfit.

He said: "[Fernando] Torres wanted to leave, Liverpool held out for the best price and reinvested the money. I am reluctant to sell my best players. I don't see that as being good for any manager.

"But I also understand that there may be financial situations which might mean that has to be the case."

Manchester United Don't Have The Strength In Depth To Win The Treble - Former Winger Jesper Blomqvist

2011-03-17T13:43:00.001-07:00

Former Manchester United midfielder Jesper Blomqvist believes Sir Alex Ferguson's squad isn’t big enough to repeat the treble-winning feat of 1999.

The Swedish winger was part of the all conquering United side that won the Premier League title, the FA Cup and the Champions League but believes the current crop of stars will fall just short.

He said: "I think it's too difficult [to win the treble].

"I don't think they have the in depth squad big enough to win the treble. Winning the league, the FA Cup and the Champions League is such a great achievement.

"But I'm not saying that the '98 treble-winning squad was the best team of all time, because when they won in Moscow they had a great team, also when they played against Barcelona in the final they had a great team.

"We had a great atmosphere and a good feeling in the team, while they had bigger stars during the Moscow final with Ronaldo, Rio Ferdinand, and Vidic.

"But it's a tougher competition now."

Blomqvist insists it will be difficult for any side to repeat the treble feat.

"When you look back you realise that it was a fantastic achievement," he added.

"Maybe it will never be done again. We had a really great team spirit; we worked hard for each other."

The 37-year-old, who is considering playing in the Indonesian Premier League in June for Persebaya 1927, was also full of praise for Ferguson, hailing him as a "master tactician".

He continued: "When I saw them against Arsenal in the FA Cup, for me it was amazing.

"When you saw that team, having seven defenders, it looked like a very strange line-up.

"They made it look easy when you think that Arsenal was going to beat them.

"And that for me was a stroke of genius, he is a master tactician and when he does things like that you think he can continue forever. But obviously at some stage he has to retire."

When that day comes it will leave the Red Devils with a huge hole to fill but Blomqvist believes Ferguson will have a say on who will succeed him.

He added: "It's very hard. You've heard of different names, from [David] Moyes of Everton to Pep Guardiola to Jose Mourinho and I don't know but I think Alex Ferguson himself will have a influence on the choice."

Andy Carroll Makes His First Start For Liverpool In Europa League Tie With Braga

2011-03-17T13:41:00.000-07:00

Club-record signing Andy Carroll is to make his first Liverpoolstart against Braga at Anfield in the second leg of the Europa League clash.

The £35 million man starts up front alongside Dirk Kuyt, while Joe Cole is handed another chance to prove his worth by Kenny Dalglish in a midfield that also includes Argentine attacker Maxi Rodriguez.

Carroll, a deadline day signing, has thus far made just two substitute appearances for the Reds with a thigh problem that had kept him out of action at Newcastle for over a month.

Scottish defender Danny Wilson has been drafted in at left-back, while there is no place for local midfielder Jay Spearing nor summer signing Christian Poulsen, who both started in the 1-0 defeat in the first leg in Portugal.

Liverpool: Reina; Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Wilson; Lucas, Meireles, Cole, Maxi; Kuyt, Carroll.

Subs: Gulasci, Pacheco, Kyrgiakos, Ngog, Spearing, Poulsen, Flanagan.

Braga: Artur; Miguel Garcia, Rodríguez, Paulão, Sílvio; Hugo Viana, Salino; Alan, Hugo Viana, Paulo César; Lima.

Manchester United Manager Sir Alex Ferguson Decides Not To Appeal His Five-Match Touchline Ban

2011-03-17T13:40:00.000-07:00

The Football Association have confirmed Manchester Unitedmanager Sir Alex Ferguson will not appeal his five match touchline ban, which will start immediately.

Ferguson was given the ban by an FA tribunal after his comments about referee Martin Atkinson in an interview with MUTV after his side’s 2-1 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge earlier this month.

The Scot was found guilty of improper conduct for criticising the referee’s display after he awarded Chelsea a penalty and sent Nemanja Vidic off.

Ferguson told MUTV after the game: "You want a fair referee, or a strong referee anyway - and we didn't get that."

After hearing of the ban Ferguson was critical of the FA.

He said: "It is disappointing.

"It is the only industry where you can't tell the truth. But it is in the past now."

But the FA have confirmed he will not appeal the decision.

They have also accepted a application for his suspension to start with immediate effect.

This means he will be suspended for Premier League home matches against Bolton, Fulham and Everton, a trip to West Ham United and also the FA Cup semi-final against rivals Manchester City.

But it does mean he will be back in the dugout for United’s decisive Premier League match with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on May 1.

JD's Picks: Betting Expert Predicts The Weekend's FA Cup Action

2011-03-12T07:36:00.000-08:00

Match Odds: Man Utd 2.0, Draw 3.20, Arsenal 4.0
Match Odds: Stoke City 2.10, Draw 3.25, West Ham 3.60
Match Odds: Man City 1.40, Draw 4.20, Reading 9.0

Birmingham V Bolton Wanderers

A gruelling campaign for Birmingham is beginning to take its toll. The euphoria of winning the League Cup has been replaced with genuine concern at possible relegation. It is the quarter-finals of the FA Cup but staying in the Premier League is by far the most pressing priority. They go into this match without a number of players, including Barry Ferguson and Alexander Hleb. The general condition of the squad is not so good and Bolton could take advantage . Owen Coyle's team have yet to concede a goal in the FA Cup this season and will be confident of winning here. You can get an away win for around 2.50 and it is worth an investment.

Match Odds: Birmingham 2.90, Draw 3.10, Bolton Wanderers 2.50 (William Hill)
JD's Prediction: Birmingham 1- 2 Bolton Wanderers

Man Utd V Arsenal
Both teams have suffered morale sapping defeats recently in their quest for honours. It is difficult to see the Red Devils suffering a third successive defeat here as Fergie just won't tolerate it. They've had more recovery time than Arsenal since their loss to Liverpool last weekend, and are mentally tougher. Arsenal spent most of Tuesday night chasing Catalan shadows and this will be another difficult assignment for them. Back Man Utd to win and the odds of evens are generous.

Match Odds: Man Utd 2.0, Draw 3.20, Arsenal 4.0 (William Hill)
JD's Prediction: Man Utd 2- 1 Arsenal

Stoke City V West Ham
I won a bet on West Ham defeating Stoke City last weekend in the league and it was a surprise at how badly the Potters played. Expect an improvement here as they are notoriously tough to beat at the Britannia and will be still smarting from getting a good chasing at Upton Park. Avram Grant seems to have the Midas touch in cup competitions but Premier League survival is obviously more important. I think this will be a scoring draw which is well priced.

Match Odds: Stoke City 2.10, Draw 3.25, West Ham 3.60 (William Hill)
JD's Prediction: Stoke City 2-2 West Ham

Man City V Reading
Roberto Mancini will want to show some silverware for his efforts and he will be quietly confident of a place in the semi- finals of the Cup. The Citizens are coming back off a defeat to Dynamo Kiev on Thursday night so they may be a bit leg weary given the hectic nature of their recent schedule. Reading defeated Everton in the previous round and are a capable side who will pose plenty of problems.The 1.40 on a home win has no appeal so both teams to score should pay here at 1.90.

Match Odds: Man City 1.40, Draw 4.20, Reading 9.0 (William Hill)
JD's Prediction: Man City 3-1 Reading

Chelsea's Fernando Torres Would Welcome Real Madrid Coach Jose Mourinho's Return To Stamford Bridge

2011-03-12T07:35:00.001-08:00

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho is planning a return to manage in the Premier League next season, according to The Sun.

Mourinho enjoyed a hugely successful spell in charge of Chelsea, winning six trophies in three years – including two Premier League titles - but was sacked after a fall-out with club owner Roman Abramovich.

‘The Special One’ has never hidden his desire to one day return to England after falling in love with the Premier League whilst in charge at Stamford Bridge, and it is now believed that he plans to return this summer after three years away with Inter and Real Madrid.

There would be no shortage of suitors for Mourinho, who is regarded as one of the world’s finest coaches, with Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City all likely to be interested in the charismatic manager.

Chelsea’s £50 million striker, Fernando Torres, claims he, along with his team-mates, would welcome the opportunity to work with Mourinho, and is quoted by The Sun as saying:

“Mourinho is a big coach and is very much wanted at Chelsea.

"I'll work with him anytime but I know it's difficult."

Mourinho is currently in his first year of a four-year contract at Real Madrid though there are tensions behind the scenes after the club were reportedly unwilling to finance any move for a new striker in the January transfer window, and currently trail arch-rivals Barcelona in Spain's Primera Division.

Borussia Dortmund’s Mario Goetze ‘Dreams’ Of Moving To Manchester United

2011-03-12T07:33:00.000-08:00

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Mario Goetze has effectively issued a ‘come and get me’ invitation to Europe’s top clubs after making a big impact in the Bundesliga this season.

Goetze, 18, has been a star performer for Dortmund, who are currently top of the German league by 12 points.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has reportedly sent scouts out to watch Goetze on several occasions as he looks to replace the ageing Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs at the end of the season.

The German attacking midfielder has 39 months left on his current deal with Dortmund and has already identified the clubs he would love to play for if he were to leave the Bundesliga,

“Who would not dream of playing with a club like Real Madrid, Barcelona or Manchester United?” he was quoted as saying in an article in The Manchester Evening News.

“However, I have a contract with Borussia Dortmund until 2014.”

Ferguson has focused his recruitment on signing young players with lots of potential in recent years, as the signings of Javier Hernandez, Bebe and Chris Smalling have confirmed. The United boss is looking to build a side capable of winning the Premier League once his current crop are past their best.

Ferguson has been linked with several midfielders in recent months, with Jordan Henderson, Jack Rodwell and Ashley Young all touted as possible replacements for Scholes and Giggs as they come towards the end of their playing days.

Goetze is soaring up the Castrol Rankings. He was ranked 2338th in May 2010, but had climbed to 790th by January of this year and is currently placed 294th.

Birmingham City 2-3 Bolton Wanderers: Late Lee Chung-Yong Winner Sends Owen Coyle's Men To Wembley For FA Cup Semi-Finals

2011-03-12T07:31:00.000-08:00

Bolton Wanderers secured a place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup with a last-gasp winner from Chung-Yong Lee against Birmingham City.

A gripping cup tie looked like it was heading for a replay after Kevin Phillips’ equaliser in the 80^th minute, but anything less than a victory for Bolton would have been harsh for the team who were never behind in the match.

The match was initially slow to kick into life, with a bobbly pitch not helping either team particularly well, though a strong visiting side looked slightly more comfortable than a much-changed Birmingham team.

In the 18^th minute the Trotters came close to opening the scoring, following a fine passing move involving Ivan Klasnic, Kevin Davies and Stuart Holden, with the latter unable to control the ball properly, as it rolled to Ben Foster.

Birmingham had a fair warning that Bolton were in the mood, and in the 22^nd minute, the Wanderers took the lead through an altogether more direct route.

A long ball from Jussi Jaaskelainen – making his 500^th appearance for Bolton, was partially cleared, but Fabrice Muamba headed on to Klasnic, who produced a fine flick to send Johan Elmander through on goal.

The Swede hadn’t scored for 10 matches, but showed no sign of rustiness, slamming the ball past Foster who had no chance of stopping the shot.

Things went from bad to worse for Birmingham, who had to make two substitutions in the next eight minutes, as first Martin Jiranek, who had been struggling for some time after Holden had accidentally trodden on his ankle, was replaced by Liam Ridgewell.

Captain Barry Ferguson, playing with a broken rib, was then forced to leave the field seemingly with a thigh problem, to be replaced by Nathan Redmond, who celebrated his 17^th birthday only six days before the match.

The encounter was beginning to get bogged down in a battle of long balls, and Birmingham found their way back into the match through one such opportunity.

A long ball flicked on by Cameron Jerome was cleared poorly by David Wheater, straight back to the striker, who took a touch before hitting the ball on the half-volley into the bottom corner of Jaaskelainen’s net.

The'keeper could be disappointed to be beaten by the shot, especially considering it was at his near post. Owen Coyle will certainly be angry that such a simple goal got Birmingham level, with Wheater failing so far to impress when filling in for the injured Zat Knight.

That was the last real action in the first half, and the first flash point of the second came after seven minutes when a long ball was pumped into the box, this time by Bolton, and after the ball was flicked on in the penalty area, the ball hit Curtis Davies on the hand. However, referee Phil Dowd gave a free-kick to Birmingham, after Gary Cahill had pushed Davies in the back.

Only four minutes later, Dowd again made the correct call, this time at the other end. With Jerome sent clear, Jaaskelainen came hurtling out of goal, and took down the striker just inside the edge of the penalty area. However, he had gotten a vital touch on the ball, despite the Birmingham fans’ protestations.

Bolton substitute Chung Yong Lee had been on the pitch a matter of seconds when he cleared the ball off the line in the 62^nd minute. A Birmingham corner found its way to the far post and bounced off Phillips and Lee was in the right place at the right time to clear.

With that clearance the momentum of the tie swung in Bolton’s favour. Davies put the ball in the net two minutes later, only to be correctly flagged offside.

And only a minute later, Bolton had a penalty. A long ball seemed to be heading safely back to Foster under the stewardship of Curtis Davies, only for Davies to intervene.

After muscling the centre-back off the ball, the striker was brought down fairly routinely, and Phil Dowd finally had legitimate reason to point to the spot.

Davies dusted himself down to slot the penalty down the centre, and put the Trotters in pole position to reach Wembley.

Phillips almost pulled Birmingham level only minutes later, taking on both Cahill and Wheater before crashing a shot across goal, with Jaaskelainen making an excellent save to push the ball onto the outside of the post.

Both teams looked weak defensively, but when Bolton attacked it looked like they might score at any moment.

With 15 minutes to go Bolton almost put the tie beyond doubt, when Elmander raced onto Davies’ flick on, but he could only poke a finish which Foster was equal to.

With 10 minutes to go, however, the 37-year-old Phillips turned the tie on its head. Curtis Davies headed the ball on from the halfway line, and Wheater charged to reach a ball that he had no real chance of reaching. This left a gap in behind after Jean Beausejour’s flick on, and Phillips exploited it brilliantly.

On the turn – while falling to the ground – the striker spun to volley the ball over Jaaskelainen’s head and into the net, a truly wonderful goal.

But in the 90^th minute, Bolton did manage to secure their place at Wembley in the semi-finals. After Wheater hit a truly awful free-kick from long range that was cleared, Paul Robinson, the last man back on the halfway line saw Davies marked only by Beausejour at the back-post, a mismatch if ever there was one.

Davies headed the ball back across goal to an on-rushing Lee, to head past the helpless Foster and spark wild celebrations. The goal was yet another great advert for the FA Cup which has enjoyed something of a renaissance this season, and a truly remarkable end to an enthralling tie.

Leaving Out The People's Player Carlos Tevez Is A Huge Risk For Argentina Coach Batista

2011-03-12T07:29:00.000-08:00

Whilst reading through the 25-man Argentina squad selected for the friendly fixtures against the USA and Costa Rica in a fortnight, the first thoughts of most will be of a strong outfit, one that should easily brush aside both opponents this month, but looking beyond this reveals a far more intriguing tapestry of events.

The two main characters in this rich plot are Carlos Tevez and Sergio Batista. Carlitos is arguably the most popular footballer in Argentina, his poor, tough background, his gutbusting workrate and his incredible performances at the country’s most popular club, Boca Juniors, sees him more revered than arguably the best player on the planet, Leo Messi. Whilst Messi’s ability is appreciated, by leaving for Barcelona at such a tender age, the viewing public have had little chance to see him in action on home soil and haven’t built up such an emotional attachment.

This links nicely with Batista, as Messi’s first real starring act on Argentine soil came in September against Spain, in a game to mark the 200^th anniversary of independence from Spanish rule. The 4-1 drubbing by the home side was a true festival of football, with Messi’s barely credible show of poise and balance wowing the home crowd for the first time in the flesh. However, it was still Tevez who received the best reception from the crowd despite playing a limited part in the game.

The game in question was Batista’s ‘trial run’ if you will, he had been promoted from the U-20’s role where he’d won the 2008 Olympic games gold and had probably earned the chance following the Maradona implosion that we saw in South Africa. This victory over the newly-crowned world champions was hailed as a new dawn in Argentina, and despite a loss to Japan in a friendly in October, Batista was handed the job permanently.

However, when Tevez pulled out of the squad –supposedly injured - for the friendly vs Brazil in Qatar last November, Batista was incandescent with rage to see him line up for Manchester City in their next fixture. “There could be consequences for Carlos” was the manager’s line at the time and having been snubbed for the game vs Portugal and now for these two games, Tevez future in international football looks in doubt.

Whilst the player has previously made comments about a possible retirement from international football, Sergio Batista is seemingly unmoved by the possibility of losing the Argentina star forever. The big decision to be made will be selecting the squad for the Copa America, to be held in Argentina this July. The absence of the Manchester City forward would put his international future in considerable and serious doubt.

What should be noted though, is that the squad selected is a progressive one, of a side in transition with the coach is putting his trust in players like Lavezzi, Banega (who both won the Olympics under Batista in Beijing) and Pastore - but if Argentina slip up, then the public pressure for Tevez’ return will be huge, and Batista will have a monumentally tough decision to make.

PSV's Balazs Dzsudzsak Could Be The Answer To Juventus' Or Liverpool's Left Midfield Problems

2011-03-12T07:27:00.000-08:00

Stefan Coerts believes that PSV winger Balazs Dzsudzsak is ready for the next step in his career and could the answer to the problems Juventus and Liverpool have on the left wing.

When PSV announced the capture of Balazs Dzsudzsak from Debreceni in October 2007, most followers of the Dutch game weren't too impressed. He had by then already made his debut for Hungary's senior side, but was still relatively unknown to the mainstream.

Dzsudzsak didn't need long to make an impact though as he quickly developed into an important first team member at the club. The left footer made his official PSV debut in the 1-0 win over Feyenoord in January 2008 and eventually netted three goals in 17 Eredivisie appearances to help his side to the Dutch title in his first season in the Netherlands.

From there on, the Hungary international has become integral for PSV, scoring 42 goals in 107 Eredivisie appearances to date, and has been one of the most efficient players around in the Dutch league in recent years.

The Debrecen native has become a star name at Philips Stadium this year and aside from scoring 14 goals and giving 12 assists in the Eredivisie, Dzsudzsak has also been PSV's standout player in the Europa League.

Dzsudzsak| not afraid to take on an opponent

His good performances have not gone unnoticed elsewhere and he has been linked with clubs such as Atletico Madrid, Lille, Juventus and Liverpool in the past couple of months. A January transfer seemed to be on the cards for Dzsudzsak, but he instead decided to sign a contract extension until the summer of 2015.

Dzsudzsak's contract renewal hasn't scared off potential suitors though as Liverpool and Juventus in particular are still closely monitoring his performances. Both sides are desperate to add a new left midfielder to their squad in the summer transfer window and the PSV star looks like the perfect candidate.

Want to seem more of Balazs Dzsudzsak? Watch official, LIVE high-quality Eredivisie matches and free highlights at www.LiveDutchEredivisie.tv.

Juventus have used Jorge Martinez, Claudio Marchisio and Simone Pepe in the left midfield position in the past couple of weeks, but none of the aforementioned players has suitably impressed. This has made la Vecchia Signora a very one-sided team this season with Serbia international Milos Krasic as his side's only player with the abilities to create something down the wing.

The club's technical staff has also identified this problem and the capture of a left winger is Juventus' primary objective this summer. Aside from Dzsudzsak, the Serie A side are also keeping tabs on Hamburg's Eljero Elia and Olympique Lyonnais star Michel Bastos. The former is right footed and prefers to cut inside, while the latter seems to be too expensive for Juventus.

Dzsudzsak on the other hand would be the perfect partner for Krasic down the wings because of his tendency to stay out wide and try and take on an opponent before sending in a cross. Additionally, the Hungary star could be available for the relatively low price of €15 million.

Balazs Dzsudzsak

Factfile

Position: Left winger
Date of Birth: 23 Dec 1986 (24)
Place of Birth: Debrecen, Hungary
Height: 179cm
Nationality: Hungarian

Stats

Season	Club	Games	Goals
2004-05	Debreceni	2	0
2005-06	Debreceni	10	2
2006-07	Debreceni	23	7
2007-08	Debreceni	13	5
2007-08	PSV	17	3
2008-09	PSV	32	11
2009-10	PSV	32	14
2010-11	PSV	26	14

The situation at Liverpool is pretty similar to the one at Juventus. The Reds have tried Joe Cole, Milan Jovanovic, Fabio Aurelio and Maxi Rodriguez on the left in recent weeks, but manager Kenny Dalglish considers none of those as a shoo-in for a starting berth.

Therefore, Liverpool are expected to make a move for a left winger in the summer transfer window. They have not only been linked with Dzsudzsak in recent weeks, but also with Aston Villa attacker Ashley Young. However, the England international won't be available on the cheap and Liverpool are unlikely to pay over €25 million again after this winter's spending spree, making Dzsudzsak their top target.

Dzsudzsak himself recently declared that he wasn't interested in leaving PSV during the winter transfer window as he was not done learning yet in Holland. Nevertheless, he might be underestimating himself. The 24-year-old is not getting any serious opposition in the Eredivisie and needs to move on if he's to continue developing into a better player. Dzsudzsak has all the right attributes to succeed in a bigger league and he would become a starter at either Juventus or Liverpool.

Even though Dzsudzsak has only just signed a new deal without a minimum fee release clause, there's little doubt that PSV would allow him to move on if the price is right. Sporting director Marcel Brands has verbally agreed not to frustrate a potential move to England, Germany, Italy or Spain and it's very much likely that the Eredivisie will lose its third star player in the space of six months after the departures of Ibrahim Afellay to Barcelona and Luis Suarez to Liverpool.

Tottenham's Wilson Palacios Out For Three Weeks With Knee Injury

2011-03-12T07:26:00.001-08:00

Tottenham's Wilson Palacios Out For Three Weeks With Knee Injury

Club confirm Honduran has had surgery...

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Wilson Palacios is set to be sidelined for three weeks after picking up a knee injury in training.

The club's official website states that Palacios complained of an injury to medical staff after training on Thursday and has subsequently undergone surgery on his injured knee.

The Honduran has been an important figure for Spurs this season and is likely to miss Premier League fixtures against West Ham United, Wigan Athletic and Stoke City.

Spurs paid £12 million to bring the 26-year-old from Wigan Athletic to White Hart Lane in 2009 and he has featured in 20 games in the league this season for Harry Redknapp’s team.

Palacios will be hoping to return in time to face Manchester City at Eastlands on April 17 in what will be a key game for both clubs as they seek to secure a top four finish.