Manchester United went level on points with rivals Manchester City at the top of the Premier League on Tuesday night with a 2-0 win over Stoke at Old Trafford.
The home side sealed victory through penalties from Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov, with one being converted in each half.
Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson was delighted with the performance: “It was terrific – I thought our performance was very, very good.
“We kept playing our football, we kept moving the ball and played with great consistency and we could have won by maybe more – we should have had another two penalties I think.
“When you see we have won by two penalties it doesn’t really reflect how we performed, I thought it was a good performance by us.” SkySports
United are now equal on 54 points with City, and travel to take on Chelsea next at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
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Last weekend Liverpool cruised past Newcastle 3-0 at Anfield. While Newcastle fans were disappointed by the result, they were angered even further by seeing former striker Andy Carroll play against them in a Liverpool shirt. You might have thought that the Magpies’ frustration at losing Carroll in the January transfer window was dampened somewhat by the £35 million they received for their former number nine, but that didn’t seem to be the case on Sunday as the Toon Army were holding nothing back in their chants against the striker. Carroll only came on towards the end of the match and didn’t make a significant impact, but it was enough to cement in Newcastle fans’ minds that he really has left the St James’ Park club. Here’s Andy getting close to former Newcastle teammate Joey Barton, but what’s being said between the two ‘bad boys’?
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Newcastle United boss Chris Hughton has played down rumours suggesting he is interested in bringing Shay Given back to St James' Park.
The Manchester City shot-stopper has lost his place to Joe Hart at Eastlands and was linked with a move away from Roberto Mancini's side before the transfer window closed three weeks ago.
It had been suggested that Hughton was keen to bring the Republic of Ireland international to Tyneside after Steve Harper sustained a shoulder injury during Saturday's 1-0 victory at Everton.
However, when quizzed about the possibility, Hughton would only say the rumours were "wild stuff".
He had earlier said of Harper:"Steve is still being assessed. It's shoulder ligament damage and he'll be out for more than just weeks. We'll have to wait and see.
"We'll use the squad and there will be significant changes (for Wednesday's Carling Cup clash at Chelsea).
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"I don't mind the supporters who are travelling down knowing that. You have to look at the members of the squad who didn't play at Everton. We have a lot of options and there will be changes to the team."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Former Hull striker Dean Windass has admitted that he tried to commit suicide last week, after becoming depressed following the end of his playing career.
The bulky forward quit football at the age of 42, and has revealed the harrowing time that he has had since he has stopped playing.
“I have cried every day for the last two years since retiring,” he told People.
“People outside football think we have it all. But I was in a hole that I honestly didn’t know how to get out of.
“Just over a week ago I hit rock-bottom and decided to end it all.
“I first took an overdose and when that didn’t work tried to hang myself. I felt so alone and believed I had nothing to live for. I need to sort myself out which is why I’m speaking out now.
“People have this image of me as this big strong man who can take anything life throws at him. But I’m not ashamed to say I wanted to end it after a string of setbacks.
“I knew I’d been a fool but I couldn’t shake off the depression at feeling what a failure I’d become,” he concluded.
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This summer, football clubs throughout Europe will have to reconsider their usual transfer policies and contract negotiations as UEFA implements the first phase of its so-called Financial Fair Play policy. Designed to curb lavish spending far exceeding turnover and reduce the reliance on rich owners at clubs such as Chelsea and Manchester City, the following three seasons will prove a testing time for football as a whole. By 2014, UEFA President Michel Platini hopes to impose sanctions and limits on clubs who don’t meet the new financial requirements and for the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester United and Barcelona, the three richest in terms of income, this is unlikely to effect their future participation in European Competitions too severely. But what of the smaller clubs hoping to invest and make the step up to the highest level of club football?
Sadly these days football is not just about what happens on the pitch. Whilst the likes of Manchester United have achieved their position through consistent growth and fantastic commercial infrastructure, the likes of Chelsea have managed to invest heavily initially in players to gain a competitive advantage over rivals and build a title-winning side. Admittedly the London club’s commercial revenues have now caught up and, with the exception of the most recent transfer window, huge spending has slowed. But, the club was still able to grow courtesy of a rich benefactor.
In the case of Roman Abramovich, he is one of the richest men in the World and free to do as he wishes with his money. He has brought huge wealth into football which has filtered down through the game. For example, without his £50million outlay on Fernando Torries, Liverpool would not have spent so much on Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll. Similarly, the signing of David Luiz from Benfica allowed the Portuguese club to invest in three further players.
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However, for every Chelsea and Manchester City there is also a Portsmouth or a Leeds. These are clubs that tried to invest heavily to progress the club and did, in the short team, achieve success on the pitch. But, without the security blanket of an Abramovich or a Sheik Mansour, the growth was unsustainable, the clubs were liable and eventually crumbled.
There have been clubs to achieve European Football without excessive spending in recent years, however. The likes of Everton and Tottenham both achieved Champions League qualification through merit on the pitch alone. And, following their recent Carling Cup victory, Birmingham look to have qualified for next season’s Europe League.
But, without the financial clout to invest heavily, Everton didn’t make it past the qualification stage in 2005. Spurs have had a fantastic debut season in the Champions League but, even with seven games still to play, Champions League qualification is far from certain next year. And, despite qualifying through their Carling Cup success, Birmingham could still be refused the required UEFA license to participate in the Europa League due to their financial status. But will the new Financial Fair Play laws lessen this gap and reduce the vast difference in the game between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’?
Admittedly it will be a slow integration period as clubs will still be allowed to post losses of up to £38.5m for the following two seasons whilst commitments to transfers, amortisation and wages pre-June 2010 will be excluded from the rules. But, by 2014 clubs must be able to prove financial stability and ensure expenditure is covered by turnover. But with transfer fees and player wages seemingly spiralling out of control, where will this extra income come from? It would be a shame to see fans alienated by even more ticket price increases. And, bearing in mind the money the biggest teams bring into the game through Television revenues, would UEFA really have the clout to prevent the likes of Chelsea or Barcelona from participating in its flagship event?
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Financial Fair Play will, hopefully, encourage long-term planning and the building of profitable teams. But, bearing in mind the way wealth is distributed at the top-end of the game, it must be careful not to alienate those smaller teams hoping to achieve Continental status through strong performances on the pitch and, more importantly, the fans who watch the game week-in, week-out.
Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has warned midfielder Javier Mascherano that he will not be allowed to leave the club on the cheap, despite continuing interest from Barcelona.
The 26-year-old was absent from the Reds squad for the 3-0 defeat at Manchester City on Monday evening, with Hodgson feeling that the Argentinian's head was not right for the game.
He warned after the game:"Unfortunately the fee the club thinks is the correct fee and the fee we are being offered are very far apart.
"Unless that can be resolved he might be unhappy for a long time to come. But I have no wish to create headlines over the Mascherano situation.
"The discussions between Barcelona and the club are being held at high club level and as a result I don't really want to get involved in it.
"It is not the first time these things have happened – there are quite a lot of clubs suffering at the moment by their players being courted by others and their players being unhappy at being required to fulfil their contracts.
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"It has happened to us now. Hopefully matters will get resolved, certainly before the end of the transfer window and I'll have a chance to pick him again, but last night would not have been a good time to select him.
"It will happen, I guess, a day when the offer for him matches our valuation, but until that day he stays with us."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Sunderland manager Martin O’Neill is targeting a run in the FA Cup after seeing his side dispatch Peterborough 2-0 on Sunday.
Second half goals from Sebastian Larsson and James McClean ensured that The Black Cats made it through to the fourth round, where they will take on Middlesbrough in a North East derby.
O’Neill feels that the Stadium of Light fans will be delighted with the draw, and is eager to have a run in the cup to lift the supporters’ spirits.
“The last few supporters in the ground let out a big roar when the draw was made,” O’Neill told Sky Sports.
“It will be one that we look forward to. It’s a great tie for both sets of supporters and we are at home so we will see if we can make that count.
“The Cup is important to this club. We haven’t done well in it recently but I will try and put that right,” he commented.
The Northern Irish coach was also full of praise for goalscorer McClean, who he has been impressed with since taking over at the Wearside club.
“He has played three on the trot now and he’s been brilliant.
“In my first week here he played against Manchester United in a reserve game that I thought was going to be called off because of 70mph winds.
“The conditions were dreadful but he quickly came in to the game.
“He did brilliant on the night and he showed a real aptitude for it. We took a chance with him. He had a little bit of luck when he came on against Blackburn but he electrified the place and he has continued to do that,” he concluded.
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Reigning European champions Inter Milan face an uphill battle to progress to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals at Schalke on Wednesday.The Italian giants gave up two leads in their home tie at the San Siro before eventually succumbing to a 5-2 defeat.
Schalke exposed numerous holes in the Inter defence and three second-half goals have put them on track to go through to their first semi-final.
The Bundesliga outfit is unbeatable in European competition at Gelsenkirchen, winning all four games at home.
Italian sides have a winless record at the venue with Schalke winning three and drawing two of the five games.
Beginning with their 3-1 defeat of Valencia in the last phase, Schalke have won five of their last six outings in all competitions.
The loss to Schalke capped off a poor period of four days for Inter, who first lost to AC Milan to drop further behind in the Serie A title race.
But at 2-0 win at Chievo on the weekend kept their slim hopes of winning the title alive.
Leonardo’s men did come from behind to beat Bayern Munich in the previous phase, but it was a one-goal deficit rather than the three they face this time around.
It would be a historic result if Inter were to advance, with only one other team ever achieving the feat in UEFA competition – Dinamo Bucharest overcoming a 3-0 forfeit first-leg defeat against Czech side Slovan Liberec.
Leonardo reportedly offered his resignation to Inter president Massimo Moratti after the first-leg defeat and the pressure is firmly upon him at the highly successful club.
With goals needed, strike duo Samuel Eto’o and Diego Milito will need to be on form in Germany.
Milito was on the scoresheet in the first-leg, but he missed a glorious chance to put Inter up for a third time early in the second half.
The Germans are a pressing and attacking side and with attackers like Raul Gonzalez, Edu and Jefferson Farfan, it is hard to see them playing otherwise.
Another early goal could help Inter set the trend, but they will need to keep a clean sheet in order to make up for their first-leg drubbing.
Manchester City's England defender Micah Richards is determined to stay at Eastlands and fight for a regular starting spot, despite being constantly linked with a move away from the club.
The versatile 22-year-old faces competition for a starting spot at right-back from Pablo Zabaleta and summer signing Jerome Boateng, but Richards is up for the challenge.
He told the club's official website:"There have been lots of things said and written about my future at City this summer.
"But I think from the effort I have put in during training and in the pre-season games that it is evident to everyone that I want to stay at City.
"It does affect your concentration when you are consistently linked with a move away or people are talking about you being replaced – especially as I have been here for so long.
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"Sometimes you get a bit down when these things are constantly being said and I play best when I am happy and confident, which I am at the moment."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Chelsea manager Andre Villas Boas has confirmed that the club have opened informal talks with Petr Cech over the goalkeeper’s contract, with the Stamford Bridge outfit keen to extend his deal.
The Czech Republic international has 18 months left on his current deal, and although he is a mainstay in the Premier League club’s starting XI, rumours have circulated regarding a potential exit the summer after next.
The Portuguese coach has dismissed this, and feels Cech is an integral part of his plans going forward.
“There are false stories about Petr Cech leaving the club,” the ex-Porto trainer told reporters at a press conference.
“We are trying to reach an agreement with Petr. He knows that we are trying to reach an agreement with him and that we are interested in renewing his contract.
“The goalkeeper position is very, very specific,” he stated.
Chelsea signed young Belgian goalkeeper Thibault Courtois in the summer, and the 19-year-old is currently impressing in a loan spell at Atletico Madrid.
Villas Boas has stated that he has a decision to make regarding Courtois, but that he will not be replacing Cech any time soon.
“Regarding Courtois, we have to make a decision. We won’t recall him in January, for sure.
“At the end of the season, we have to decide,” he concluded.
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Cech can expect to be a busy man on Monday night, as Chelsea entertain Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.