Old boys’ return is shrewd business January 12, 2010 SOL CAMPBELL is poised to return to Arsenal on a short-term deal and, like Manchester City’s signing of his former Gunners team-mate Patrick Vieira, it looks a shrewd bit of business. Manager Arsene Wenger knows Campbell well and has had him training with the club for weeks now, so he is perfectly placed to decide [...]
Pompey lifted by Mokoena January 12, 2010 after extra time COVENTRY CITY (1) vs PORTSMOUTH (2) A DRAMATIC winner in the dying seconds of extra time from Aaron Mokoena saw Premier League strugglers Portsmouth edge out Coventry in a cup thriller at the Ricoh Arena. The Championship side deservedly went a goal ahead thanks to a superb strike from Leon Best, and [...]
Sizzling Tevez hits hat-trick as City home in on top three January 11, 2010 MANCHESTER CITY (4) vs BLACKBURN ROVERS (1) MANCHESTER City boss Roberto Mancini warned his side to keep their eyes off the Premier League table after seeing a Carlos Tevez hat-trick reignite their title hopes. A treble from red-hot Tevez, who now has 10 in seven league games, and a wonder-goal from Micah Richards propelled City [...]
Ronaldo sale keeps United out of the red January 11, 2010 ONLY the world record sale of superstar winger Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid helped Manchester United avoid a £31.8m loss last year. United, ranked second only to Real Madrid in the most recent annual football money league compiled by analysts Deloitte, yesterday announced a pre-tax profit of £48.2m for the year ending 30 June 2009. [...]
Vieira warns: I’m playing as well as ever January 10, 2010 NEW Manchester City signing Patrick Vieira says he is a better player now than he was when he left the Premier League four-and-a-half years ago. The 33-year-old has rejoined his former Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini after penning a six-month loan deal at Eastlands. Critics believe the French international is well past his best and [...]
‘Is it selfish motivation?’ questions Wenger January 10, 2010 ARSENAL boss Arsene Wenger has questioned the motivation behind his fellow Premier League bosses who want their players pulled out of the Africa Cup of Nations. Friday’s gun attack on the Togo team bus has prompted managers’ calls for players to be able to leave Angola and return home. Wenger has Cameroon’s Alex Song and [...]
League chiefs to defend stance on freeze victims January 10, 2010 THE Premier League is ready to vigorously fight their corner if the decision to postpone the majority of matches this weekend is questioned. Only two top-flight matches, the games at Arsenal and Birmingham, survived the big freeze, sparking fears of a fixture pile-up. Questions have been raised after pictures showed the surrounding areas of Upton [...]
Liverpool to begin their climb back up the table January 7, 2010 LIVERPOOL vs TOTTENHAM SUNDAY – 4.00PM SKY SPORTS LIVERPOOL put in another lacklustre display when they were outplayed by struggling Reading in the FA Cup last weekend and things are still not right at Anfield. However, they notched back-to-back Premier League successes for the first time since September when they won at Villa Park over [...]
Fixture chaos as big freeze hits weekend January 7, 2010 UNCERTAINTY hangs over what remains of the weekend’s sporting schedule after heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures claimed more fixtures yesterday. Four of tomorrow’s Championship football matches have already been called off, the League One and League Two programmes have been decimated, and all 10 Scottish Cup games have been postponed. Rugby union’s Premiership and Magners [...]
Ballack criticises Blues policy January 7, 2010 CHELSEA midfielder Michael Ballack admits the club’s quest for glory has been hampered by its ruthlessness towards managers – but is confident current boss Carlo Ancelotti will steer them to silverware. Blues owner Roman Abramovich has dispensed with four managers since Ballack arrived at Stamford Bridge three-and-a-half years ago – in which time they have [...]