ROUND-UP | LATE MOVES January 31, 2012 Roma’s Pizarro joins Man City MANCHESTER CITY struck an uncharacteristically frugal late deal for Roma midfielder David Pizarro. The Chilean 32-year-old, who played for City manager Roberto Mancini at Inter Milan, has joined the top-flight leaders on loan until the end of the season. Bridge loaned SUNDERLAND have taken Manchester City outcast Wayne Bridge (right) [...]
Mancini takes responsibility for City slump January 31, 2012 EVERTON 1 vs MAN CITY 0 DEJECTED Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini accepted responsibility for his side’s damaging defeat at Goodison Park last night and admitted he had underestimated the challenge Everton would provide. Everton’s recent signing from Manchester United Darron Gibson provided his former employers’ title hopes with a shot in the arm, scoring [...]
AVB: Title talk is nonsense January 31, 2012 SWANSEA 1 vs CHELSEA 1 CHELSEA manager Andre Villas-Boas believes his side are capable of hauling in third-placed Tottenham and achieving automatic qualification to next season’s Champions League after his side overcame Ashley Cole’s red card to rescue a point at Swansea. Former Chelsea winger Scott Sinclair put the Welsh side ahead six minutes before [...]
Bale doubles up for Spurs January 31, 2012 TOTTENHAM 3 vs WIGAN 1 TOTTENHAM reignited their Premier League title hopes with a comfortable Gareth Bale-inspired win over Wigan at White Hart Lane. Welshman Bale smashed home the first after collecting a Luka Modric pass on the half hour, and the roles were reversed two minutes later when the Croatia midfielder spun and shot [...]
Stoke pay Old Trafford penalties January 31, 2012 MAN UNITED 2 vs STOKE CITY 0 MANCHESTER UNITED pulled ominously alongside their local rivals Manchester City at the head of the Premier League table after goals from Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov downed Stoke. Injuries to first-choice goalkeepers David de Gea and Anders Lindegaard resulted in a Premier League debut for Ben Amos, but [...]
Carroll makes his mark in Reds win January 31, 2012 LIVERPOOL moved to within four points of a Champions League place with a convincing 3-0 win at relegation threatened Wolves last night. Andy Carroll, who joined the Reds on the final day of last year’s January transfer window for a British record £35m, scored his first Premier League goal since October early in the second [...]
Bell eager to salvage pride January 31, 2012 ENGLAND batsman Ian Bell accepts criticism of his struggling side is justified but insists the selectors should keep faith with a group of players who are desperate to salvage pride by winning the third Test against Pakistan. The series has already been surrendered and with three middle order batsmen, Kevin Pietersen, Eoin Morgan and Bell [...]
England ready to pounce on Scottish complacency January 31, 2012 OVERCONFIDENCE is likely to prove Scotland’s downfall in Saturday’s Calcutta Cup match with a revamped England side desperate to start their Six Nations campaign with a win that would help accelerate the rebuilding process following last year’s World Cup debacle, according to their coach Graham Rowntree. Scotland have been priced up as underdogs for the [...]
Speed death ‘accident’ riddle January 30, 2012 FORMER Wales manager Gary Speed may have killed himself accidentally, a coroner ruled yesterday, despite hearing evidence that the 42-year-old “talked in terms of taking his life” in the days before his death. Speed’s widow Louise said the couple had argued on the November night before he was found hanged in his garage, and that [...]
QPR move for Cisse as clubs eye deadline January 30, 2012 Maverick French striker ready to join Loftus Road revolution with transfer activity set to increase on the closing day of January sales QPR will go to the wire in a dramatic last ditch attempt to bolster their squad with as many as four new additions, including flamboyant £4m Lazio striker Djibril Cisse, before tonight’s transfer [...]