Torres could face further ban but has Mata support September 29, 2013 CHELSEA midfielder Juan Mata has leapt to the defence of team-mate Fernando Torres, following a fiery display in the fiercely contested London derby with Tottenham on Saturday. The Spain striker was sent off 81 minutes into the 1-1 draw following an aerial collision with defender Jan Vertonghen, though was fortunate to have escaped a red [...]
Premier League: Suarez deserved comeback goals, insists Rodgers September 29, 2013 SUNDERLAND 1 vs LIVERPOOL 3 LIVERPOOL boss Brendan Rodgers feels striker Luis Suarez’s two goals on his return to Premier League action were just reward for months of hard graft. Suarez, making his first league appearance in more than five months following a 10-match ban for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic, looked immediately accustomed to [...]
Holtby plays down title chances September 29, 2013 TOTTENHAM midfielder Lewis Holtby believes talk of mounting a Premier League title challenge this season is unrealistic. Spurs have lost only one of their opening six league games and are third in the table, just two points behind pacesetters Arsenal, following Saturday’s 1-1 draw with London rivals Chelsea. With last season’s top two, Manchesters United [...]
Arsenal are still a long way from being champions, warns Laudrup September 29, 2013 SWANSEA manager Michael Laudrup has insisted that Arsenal remain a long way from becoming a title-winning team, despite watching the Gunners overcome his side 2-1 on Saturday. The win, courtesy of second-half goals from Serge Gnabry and Aaron Ramsey, gave Arsenal a two-point lead in the Premier League. Yet Laudrup, who has also faced Manchester [...]
Hughton hails summer signings as Norwich steal points at Stoke September 29, 2013 NORWICH boss Chris Hughton believes his summer signings are starting to gel, having watched the Canaries climb away from the relegation zone with an important 1-0 victory at Stoke yesterday. Hughton had faced criticism following two straight defeats to Spurs and Aston Villa but was boosted by his team’s second Premier League win of the [...]
Talk of a crisis is premature, says United’s Buttner September 29, 2013 MANCHESTER United boss David Moyes faces an uphill struggle to turn around his team’s fortunes following the Red Devils’ worst start to a season for 24 years, yet full-back Alexander Buttner insists his side is not in crisis. Buttner started Saturday’s shock 2-1 home defeat to West Bromwich Albion, a result that leaves United floundering [...]
Exclusive: Spurs can hurt big boys now Bale’s gone, says Ardiles September 26, 2013 TOTTENHAM are better equipped to challenge the Premier League’s big hitters now that Gareth Bale has left for Real Madrid, according to legendary midfielder Ossie Ardiles. Spurs have dropped only three points so far this season and can move to the Premier League summit with a positive result against Chelsea in tomorrow’s top of the [...]
Nothing cooler than Arsenal winning the title September 26, 2013 ARSENAL’S major shareholder Stan Kroenke has vowed to continue backing manager Arsene Wenger in the transfer market because “there would be nothing cooler” than winning the Premier League title. The Gunners smashed their transfer record last month when they paid Real Madrid £42m to sign midfielder Mesut Ozil and go into this weekend’s fixture at [...]
Villas-Boas to earn his spurs against former employers tomorrow September 26, 2013 BEN CLEMINSON AND BILL ESDAILE WITH THE BEST FOOTBALL AND RACING BETS THIS WEEKEND TOTTENHAM versus Chelsea is always a big game but tomorrow’s derby at White Hart Lane is laden with sub-plots. There’s the master, Jose Mourinho, up against his apprentice, Andre Villas-Boas, the fact Villas-Boas still has a point to prove against his [...]
Capital One Cup: United leave derby defeats behind them September 25, 2013 MANCHESTER UNITED 1 vs LIVERPOOL 0 MANCHESTER United manager David Moyes was delighted with the character his team showed to overcome a string of recent setbacks and reach the Capital One Cup fourth round. United had suffered Premier League defeats to rivals Liverpool and Manchester City already this month, but dug deep to see off [...]