Home advantage can give United the edge December 9, 2010 MANCHESTER UNITED vs ARSENAL Monday, 8.00pm, Sky Sports ARSENAL forced their way to the top of the Premier League table last weekend with a 2-1 win against Fulham. Samir Nasri was the hero with a brace against the Cottagers and he has now scored four goals in his last three league games. Manchester United’s game [...]
Pardew set for St James’ appointment December 8, 2010 NEWCASTLE are today expected to anger fans by naming former West Ham and Charlton boss Alan Pardew as their new manager. Pardew, sacked by Southampton in August, is in line to succeed Chris Hughton, who was shown the door at St James’ Park on Monday. Hughton was a popular figure with the Magpies faithful, having [...]
Newcastle merry-go-round will unsettle players December 8, 2010 A FEW weeks ago it was Ray Wilkins, now it’s Chris Hughton. Another club dispensing with the services of an important part of their success. I just can’t understand it. More baffling still is the idea of Newcastle replacing Hughton with Alan Pardew, a manager who has achieved little that the previous incumbant hasn’t. Pardew [...]
Ngog stars in Torres absence as Hodgson praises Reina December 6, 2010 LIVERPOOL 3 vs ASTON VILLA 0 LIVERPOOL striker David Ngog stepped out Fernando Torres’ shadow at Anfield last night, playing a starring role in a win that lifted Liverpool up into eighth in the Premier League. With Torres, whose wife had gone into labor before the match, Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher all missing, Villa [...]
Exclusive: Lee shock at Hughton axe December 6, 2010 FORMER Newcastle star Rob Lee has condemned the St James’ Park hierarchy for sacking manager Chris Hughton just seven months after leading them back into the Premier League. Magpies chiefs yesterday showed Hughton the door, despite being in 11th place after a solid return to the top flight, saying they now wanted someone with more [...]
Perform Group names banks for £500m IPO December 5, 2010 DIGITAL sports media specialist Perform Group has named investment banks Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse to work on a planned £500m flotation for next year, according to weekend reports. People familiar with the matter said last month that owner and billionaire Len Blavatnik was considering an initial public offering of Perform Group on the London [...]
WINNERS & LOSERS December 5, 2010 WHO swam and who sank? City A.M sorts the champs from the chumps. WINNER SAMIR NASRI The France schemer took his goals tally for the season into double figures with an ultra classy brace against Fulham. Nine of Nasri’s 11 goals have come when Cesc Fabregas has been missing. WINNER RICKY BURNS Scotland’s big hope Ricky [...]
Grant insists Hammers will beat the drop December 5, 2010 SUNDERLAND (1) vs WEST HAM (0) WEST HAM manager Avram Grant remains adamant his side will stave off relegation despite seeing the Hammers slide back to the bottom of the Premier League table following defeat at Sunderland. Consecutive home wins against Wigan in the league and Manchester United in the Carling Cup quarter-final had hinted at a possible [...]
Lee backs Becks and Dein for top FA positions December 5, 2010 PR GURU Mike Lee believes England’s 2018 World Cup bid was always destined to fail and has urged the Football Association to appoint former Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein as its chairman, writes James Goldman. Lee, who worked on Qatar’s successful 2022 bid, also suggested the FA integrate itself within Fifa and Uefa by taking more [...]
Hodgson delighted as fringe players and young starlets prove their worth December 2, 2010 STEAUA BUCHAREST(1) vs LIVERPOOL(1) LIVERPOOL manager Roy Hodgson believes his side’s progression to the last 32 of the Europa League is the perfect riposte to those who doubt the depth and quality of his squad. The Reds are through to the knockout stage of the competition with a game to spare following last night’s draw [...]