Ferguson determined to improve Euro record September 26, 2011 MANCHESTER UNITED vs BASEL MANCHESTER UNITED manager Sir Alex Ferguson insists only once his side have claimed a fourth Champions League crown can they claim to be enjoying a golden period in their European history. United have contested three of the last four finals, a return which not even current holders Barcelona can match, but [...]
I’ll repay loyal Chelsea fans with goals, swears revitalised Torres September 26, 2011 CHELSEA striker Fernando Torres hopes his new-found ruthlessness in front of goal will help repay loyal Blues fans who backed him through his drought. Torres’ goal against Swansea on Saturday, following his effort at Manchester United six days previously, means he has now scored in successive games for the first time since his £50m January [...]
Gutsy Rangers make sure that justice is Dunne September 25, 2011 QPR (1) vs ASTON VILLA (1) AN INJURY-TIME own goal from Richard Dunne earned 10-man Queens Park Rangers a deserved point against Aston Villa but it wasn’t enough to spare referee Michael Oliver the wrath of R’s boss Neil Warnock. Rangers were made to pay for their first half profligacy when Oliver, 26, harshly adjudged [...]
Hargreaves frightened by end of injury ordeal September 22, 2011 REVITALISED Owen Hargreaves admits he was scared before making a triumphant Manchester City debut in Wednesday’s Carling Cup win over holders Birmingham. The midfielder’s injury-ravaged career looked all but over, having barely played at all in the last three years, until City took a chance and signed the 30-year-old free agent last month. He repaid [...]
Van Persie: We’ll fight out of crisis September 22, 2011 ARSENAL captain Robin van Persie has urged the beleaguered Gunners to come out fighting when they resume their Premier League nightmare against Bolton tomorrow. Last week’s defeat at struggling Blackburn marked another low in an already testing season and prompted fresh questions about manager Arsene Wenger’s future. But Van Persie said: “We realise this is [...]
Carter’s return can help All Blacks edge thriller September 22, 2011 NEW Zealand and France have played out some epic matches over the years, so rugby fans’ eyes everywhere will have lit up when they were drawn together in Pool A. The hosts came into the tournament with successive Tri-Nations defeats, but now look to have found their feet with two wins from two. Pool A [...]
Dream return for Hargreaves capped by his first City goal September 21, 2011 INJURY-JINXED Manchester City midfielder Owen Hargreaves scored on his club debut to help dump holders Birmingham out of the Carling Cup in a convincing 2-0 win. The 30-year-old (below), a surprise summer signing from Manchester United, opened the scoring with his first goal since April 2008, locating the top corner from 25 yards just 17 [...]
Barton was close to Arsenal move September 21, 2011 FOOTBALL: Queens Park Rangers captain Joey Barton has revealed he was close to signing for Arsenal. The midfielder claimed an incident that saw Arsenal’s Gervinho sent off scuppered a deal. Barton was criticised for going to ground too easily as the Ivory Coast forward was red-carded in the Premier League opening day 0-0 draw with [...]
United could be forced to delay its IPO September 20, 2011 MANCHESTER United may be flying on the pitch but its IPO in Singapore appears to have stalled. Sources close to the transaction told City A.M. the club is struggling to convince cornerstone investors to invest at its target price against a backdrop of volatile markets. The club is hoping to raise in the region of £640m [...]
Wenger’s not an idiot and won’t be fired, say Arsenal September 20, 2011 ARSENAL chief executive Ivan Gazidis has strenuously rebuffed talk of a crisis at the Emirates Stadium and insisted there is no chance of embattled manager Arsene Wenger being sacked. The Gunners have endured their worst start to a top-flight season for more than 50 years, with Saturday’s 4-3 defeat to Blackburn leaving them 17th in [...]