Barclays Premier League Season 2011/2012

[ballsathome]

Bramble held in sex assault probe

28 September 2011

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Sunderland defender Titus Bramble has been arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and drug possession.

The 30-year-old, who played in Sunderland's 2-1 English Premier League defeat at Norwich earlier this week, was arrested by police in Cleveland, outside Middlesbrough, on Wednesday.

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: "A 30-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and possession of a Class A drug."

"He is currently being questioned by police and inquiries are on-going."

A Sunderland spokesman said: "The club is looking into this matter but due to ongoing police investigations is unable to comment further at this stage."

Bramble was arrested last year over an alleged rape in Newcastle but was later released without charge.

 

[ballsathome]

Chimbonda signs for Doncaster
Doncaster have signed former Tottenham defender Pascal Chimbonda on a short-term deal, subject to a medical and approval from the Football League.

Doyle pens new Wolves deal
Wolves striker Kevin Doyle has signed a new contract to keep him at the club until June 2015.

Redknapp warns City over Tevez
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has launched a stinging attack on Carlos Tevez, but has warned Manchester City the striker "holds all the aces".

City study legal route over Tevez
Manchester City's legal team will go through the small print of Carlos Tevez's contract before deciding how to deal with the controversial Argentina striker.

Souness: Tevez a disgrace to football
Former Liverpool manager Graeme Souness has branded Carlos Tevez "a disgrace to football" after the Man City striker refused to come on against Bayern Munich.

Distin in talks to extend Everton deal
Everton defender Sylvain Distin says he is in talks with the club over extending his deal at Goodison Park.

Rangers still hopeful of BPL switch
Rangers owner Craig Whyte admits that the club are still hoping to move to the Premier League in England, and insists they are working on that "behind the scenes".

King eyes new Spurs deal
Ledley King is determined to play enough games in what he admits is the biggest season of his career to earn a new contract at Tottenham.

Ankle operation for Huddlestone
Tottenham midfielder Tom Huddlestone will undergo an ankle operation on Monday, manager Harry Redknapp has confirmed.

Redknapp: Arsenal shouldn't abuse Ade
Tottenham chief Harry Redknapp admits that Emmanuel Adebayor is sure to be the subject of abuse from Arsenal fans this weekend.

 

[ballsathome]

Distin: No Everton new deal yet
Sylvain Distin has rubbished reports suggesting he is holding out for a new two-year contract at Everton.

John Jensen to leave Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn assistant manager John Jensen is to leave his position with Rovers, the club have confirmed.

Martinez rules out El-Hadji Diouf move
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez has ruled out signing out-of-contract forward El-Hadji Diouf.

"This is worst Arsenal squad ever"
Ex-Arsenal captain Frank McLintock has admitted that the current squad of Gunners is the worst he has ever seen.

Gallas unlikely to play against Arsenal
Tottenham defender William Gallas is unlikely to play against former club Arsenal due to a calf injury.

Kuyt: Suarez will only get better
Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt has warned the Premier League that Luis Suarez will only get better.

QPR: Hard for Beckham to join us
QPR remain keen on signing David Beckham, but know they are unlikely to be his first choice.

Lampard wants run of Chelsea games
Frank Lampard has admitted he was not happy at being left out of the Chelsea side, insisting he needs a run of games to maintain his form.

FIFA comes down hard on Tevez
FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce believes Manchester City forward Carlos Tevez should be banned "from taking an active part in football".

Evans takes on more responsibility
Defender Jonny Evans knows this season could prove to be a pivotal step in his Manchester United career.

Welbeck keen to prove his worth
Danny Welbeck is determined to repay Sir Alex Ferguson's faith in him and become the latest local lad to make good in a Manchester United shirt.

Aguero "sad" for banned Tevez
Sergio Aguero admits he feels "sad" for fellow countryman Carlos Tevez as Manchester City slapped a two-week ban on the controversial striker.

 

[ballsathome]

Wednesday 28th September 2011

Rangers still hopeful of BPL switch

Rangers owner Craig Whyte admits that the club are still hoping to move to the Premier League in England, and insists they are working on that "behind the scenes".

But the new Gers owner says they would also consider a link up with Nordic or Dutch clubs to form a new league, as has been suggested in the past.

Whyte, who is also battling Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs over a possible £49million bill, believes English football would make the club a lot more viable.

"We are in Scottish football so it is not a viable proposition to go put £100million into the team," he told The Daily Telegraph.

"If we went forward into another league set-up, say the English Premier League, then it is very viable to put £100million more in. We are not there at the moment, but we would like to be.

"[Joining the Premier League] is clearly something that we would like to see examined, it is something we are working on behind the scenes. But there are other potential ideas in terms of European leagues, joining some of the Nordic countries, the Netherlands to create a league."

Whyte took control of the club from Sir David Murray in May, but there are concerns over a course being brought by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs who are seeking £49 million in back-taxes, interest and penalties.

HMRC claims Rangers wrongly used Employee Benefit Trusts for a decade, effectively to reclassify regular salaries as loans that avoided income tax and National Insurance.

Rangers' own advice at the time they were established was that they were legal, and HMRC made no complaint until last year, when it changed its guidance on EBTs.

Whyte believes Rangers have been singled out as a test case and accuses HMRC of leaking information to the media. Should Rangers lose the case there is the threat of administration.

"It is one of the possibilities we have looked at, yes. The choice, in terms of an adverse finding, is pretty obvious really," he said.

"I think I can turn this around and sort out the problem. I have put money in and I'm prepared to put money in but I have said it is not a bottomless pit.

"Whatever happens Rangers will be moving forward. I will not allow the club to go bust. I can control the debt process absolutely, and whatever happens Rangers is going to be there playing in the SPL at Ibrox.

"Nothing is out of my hands because I control the club, I am the only secured creditor, or rather Rangers FC Group is. So on any decision, while HMRC might push, the group company controls the debt."

 

[ballsathome]

Arsenal owner defends under-fire Wenger

30 September 2011

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Arsene Wenger has been given the full support of Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke after a rocky start to the Premier League campaign.

After managing just two wins from six games, the Gunners have made one of their poorest starts to the season, leading to many questioning the French boss' future.

However, Kroenke has insisted that he still has complete faith in the manager, writing off claims from critics that he should leave the Emirates. "I have tremendous confidence in Arsene," he told The Daily Telegraph.

"He is one of the great managers in the world. Arsene is one of my favourite people I have met in the last 20 years. He is a great person and I love the way he handles himself. He is a very intelligent guy."

Arsenal's start to the season followed captain Cesc Fabregas leaving for Barcelona, while midfielder Samir Nasri soon joined Manchester City, moves that heaped the pressure on Wenger even more.

But Kroenke maintains that while the sale of some of his side's top players was not ideal, it was inevitable that they would go through at some point and it will allow young players to step up.

"It's a rocky start but what do people really expect? Cesc Fabregas is a great player who Arsene developed from the age of 16. He decided last year that he wanted to leave," he continued.

"Maybe it is one of those times when we have to work our way through, maybe with some young players. Arsene has been really good at developing these guys, people like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jack Wilshere. There are some really good players that Arsene thinks can be special. Arsene's our man."

When asked whether or not he had any influence over the sale of Fabregas, the American insisted that the decision was between manager and player, adding: "I like the kid but I'm not going to change his mind. Arsene made the decision."

"I also get it on Samir Nasri. If we didn't do something on Nasri people would be looking at us next summer and saying, 'Why didn't you do this?' We bought in a lot of resources that we can use on other players."

 

[ballsathome]

Lampard refuses to condemn Tevez
Frank Lampard has refused to put the boot into Carlos Tevez, even though the Chelsea midfielder insisted he would obey his own manager.

Welbeck hoping for starting nod
Danny Welbeck may find himself on the Manchester United bench when Norwich visit Old Trafford on Saturday.

Chelsea ponder £20m Khedira bid
Chelsea are considering making a £20million bid for Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedia in the January transfer window.

Same game, different year for Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish returns to Goodison Park as Liverpool manager for the first time since quitting as Reds boss 20 years ago.

Sunderland to suspend Titus Bramble
Sunderland defender Titus Bramble has been suspended by the club as investigations continue into allegations of sexual assault and possession of a class A drug.

Shearer: Back Mancini or sack him
Barclays Premier League legend Alan Shearer insists Manchester City must back Roberto Mancini over the Carlos Tevez affair or else sack him.

Adebayor says sorry to Arsenal fans
Tottenham Hotspur striker Emmanuel Adebayor admits he regrets running the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of the Arsenal fans back in 2009.

Tevez gets Scholes' sympathy
Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has backed Carlos Tevez over his apparent refusal to warm up that has caused a furore.

Dzeko issues apology for tantrum
Edin Dzeko has apologised to Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini for his reaction to being substituted in Munich on Tuesday.

Grudge derby fixtures dominate BPL
Manchester City begin life without Carlos Tevez at Blackburn this Saturday on a weekend of derby action in the Barclays Premier League.

Ramsey: Arsenal aren't the underdogs
Aaron Ramsey is refusing to buy into the belief that Arsenal will enter Sunday's North London derby as underdogs.

 

[ballsathome]

Norwich lose Vaughan to injury
Norwich manager Paul Lambert has confirmed striker James Vaughan will be out for several months with a knee injury.

Warnock: Get out of England, Tevez!
QPR boss Neil Warnock weighed into the Carlos Tevez debate by declaring: "The sooner he leaves the country, the better."

PFA offers to mediate Tevez affair
Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor does not believe it would be good for the game for the Carlos Tevez "conflict" to rumble on.

Blackpool loan for Liverpool's Shelvey
Blackpool have swooped to secure the services of Liverpool midfielder Jonjo Shelvey on a three-month loan.

Mancini: Tevez is not my problem
Roberto Mancini insists the row regarding Carlos Tevez's apparent refusal to play for Manchester City is "not my problem".

Ferguson hails 'strong' Mancini
Sir Alex Ferguson has praised Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini for his "strong management" in dealing with Carlos Tevez' apparent refusal to play in midweek.

Martinez: I snubbed Villa for Wigan
Wigan manager Robeto Martinez has revealed he snubbed Aston Villa this summer to repay chairman Dave Whelan.

Ferguson: United squad must refocus
Sir Alex Ferguson has warned his Manchester United players to abandon the "cavalier attitude" that has crept into their game.

Hicks and Gillet continue legal appeals
Liverpool's former American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett are still trying to sue after losing control to Liverpool.

Coyle: I knew AVB was a genius
Bolton manager Owen Coyle recognised Andre Villas-Boas was destined for greatness when he first met the Chelsea boss four years ago.

Hammers sign Almunia on loan
West Ham have signed experienced goalkeeper Manuel Almunia on a month's loan from Arsenal.

City try to shutter Tevez furore
Manchester City tried to pull down the shutters on the Carlos Tevez incident by warning journalists not to ask Roberto Mancini about the issue.

 

[ballsathome]

Thursday 29th September 2011

Ferdinand loses "kiss and tell" case

Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand lost his privacy action over a "kiss and tell" story on Thursday.

The England and Manchester United centre-back was not at London's High Court to hear Mr Justice Nicol dismiss his claim against MGN Ltd.

Ferdinand, 32, brought his case for misuse of private information over an April 2010 Sunday Mirror article in which interior designer Carly Storey gave her account of their 13-year relationship in return for £16,000.

The judge said: "Overall, in my judgment, the balancing exercise favours the defendant's right of freedom of expression over the claimant's right of privacy."

Ferdinand had branded the piece - "My affair with England captain Rio" - a "gross invasion of my privacy", and said he had not seen Ms Storey for six years by the time it appeared.

At a hearing in July, his lawyers asked for a maximum of £50,000 damages and a worldwide gagging order.

The article claimed Ferdinand, who has three children with wife Rebecca, ended the relationship within days of being handed the England skipper's armband in February 2010.

MGN said it was in the public interest to run the story about Ferdinand, who replaced John Terry as England captain before Terry was reinstated by manager Fabio Capello this year.

Its counsel, Gavin Millar QC, said Ferdinand was appointed England captain on the basis of being reformed and responsible.

In fact, as the article said, this was not the case.

He argued that the case was not really about Ferdinand's privacy but about the effect on the public image he had so painstakingly constructed, and was without merit.

Afterwards, Sunday Mirror editor Tina Weaver said in a statement: "The Sunday Mirror is very pleased that the court has rejected Rio Ferdinand's privacy claim.

"The judge found that there was a justified public interest in reporting the off-pitch behaviour of the then England captain and discussion of his suitability for such an important and ambassadorial role representing the country.

"We are pleased the judge ruled that Mr Ferdinand had perpetuated a misleading public image and the Sunday Mirror was entitled to correct this impression.

"There has never been greater scrutiny of the media than now, and we applaud this ruling in recognising the important role a free press has to play in a democratic society."

 

[ballsathome]

Friday 30th September 2011

Gazidis happy with Arsenal financial figures

Chief executive Ivan Gazidis is confident Arsenal's commercial future is bright after a "very solid" set of results.

The Gunners, who have American billionaire Stan Kroenke as their majority shareholder, reported group turnover for the year ended May 31, 2011 as £255.7million, down from £379.9million in 2010, while profit before take was also reduced from £56million to £14.8million.

However, factors such as reduced income from property sales at the Highbury redevelopment and increase of player wages have played their part, with the high-profile summer sales of captain Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri not taken into account in this period.

The 60,000-seater Emirates Stadium, though, continues to more than pay its way as continued improved matchday income helped to reduce the group's overall debt down from £135.6million to £97.8million, much of which is secured on low, fixed-interest rate bonds paid back over a long period against the cost of relocation in 2006.

Speaking to the club's official website, www.arsenal.com, Gazidis said: "In terms of our financial base and in terms of our platform, we are very secure - it's a good set of results again.

"We haven't seen the same kind of profits from the property side that we have seen in the past but that was entirely to be expected. Our property business is debt-free so any new sales of property do accumulate cash, which is very positive for the future.

"We didn't have the same kind of profit from player sales that we had in the previous season and that explains the slight reduction in profit, but this is a very solid, very healthy set of results and it gives us a good platform to move forward from."

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger celebrated his 15th anniversary in charge, and has found himself under the spotlight more than ever this season following a terrible opening few weeks which saw them humiliated 8-2 at Manchester United before the last international break.

Despite Arsenal's robust performance off the pitch, Gazidis accepts what happens on it will always be what comes first for the fans, who have not seen their team lift a trophy since the 2005 FA Cup.
"I think it's important to start by saying that what our fans care about is what happens on the pitch and how their club represents them," he said.

"The reason we even get into talking about the financial results is only because the financial base of the club is important for creating those two things. That's what this is all about."

 

[ballsathome]

Friday 30th September 2011

City want RVP as Tevez replacement

Several British newspapers have reported that Manchester City are lining up Arsenal captain Robin van Persie as a replacement for the disgraced Carlos Tevez.

City manager Roberto Mancini has insisted Tevez has played his last game for the club, after revealing the Argentinean refused to come on as a substitute in Tuesday's 2-0 defeat to Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League.

---

Why Arsenal must hold onto RVP
15 years of Wenger: An appreciation​

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In the immediate aftermath of the incident, Tevez has been handed a two-week suspension while the club's legal department assess possible sanctions they can impose on the temperamental striker, with a contract termination yet to be ruled out.

And it now appears that Mancini has identified Van Persie as the perfect addition to his attacking ranks.

Arsenal's Dutch talisman has hit form recently, netting a brace in last weekend's 3-0 win over Bolton, and The Guardian, The Telegraph and The Independent all believe City have now firmly set their sights on him.

At present, Van Persie's contract is set to expire in 2013, and the striker earlier this week declared he was not ready to enter extension talks just yet.

"I still have almost two years left here, so for the moment that's fine. But I don't know, we will have to look," said the Dutch striker.

"I'm happy with my contract, I'm good. That's how it is, I can't say much more. I can't look into the future."

However, Arsenal will be aware speculation will continue to mount as long as he fails to extend his current deal, and the Gunners may eventually have to sell him if they do not want to lose him on the cheap.

City have already raided Arsenal once earlier this season when they swooped to sign playmaker Samir Nasri, whose contract with the Gunners had been due to expire next summer.

Meanwhile, all three papers also believe City are prepared to accept cut-priced offers for Tevez in the January transfer window, with The Guardian and The Telegraph both stating the Citizens will be lucky to receive anything in the region of £20million.

Tevez's current market value represents a huge drop from the £40m Corinthians reportedly offered City earlier in the summer.

 

[Alamaking]

SAFC can sign him LOL

 

[zeddy]

Tommorow Merseyside Derby

My Predictions... Everton to win slimly against Lpool or a draw for both teams... Skertel fuckin useless as a centreback... He's an accident waiting to happen.. Carragher looking like a player his age.. Very shaky, slow and not as commanding as before.. No hope for a Lpool win with their defence leaking goals like tap water..

 

[ballsathome]

Tommorow Merseyside Derby

Carragher looking like a player his age.. Very shaky, slow and not as commanding as before..

In ‘honour’ of Jamie Carragher’s leg-shredding, shin-raking ‘tackle’ on Nani.

 

[ballsathome]

Moyes laments financial divide

Everton manager David Moyes has admitted to frustration at the spending power of Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish since he took charge at Anfield earlier this year.

The financial divide between the two clubs is currently vast, with Dalglish backed by wealthy owner John W Henry, whilst Moyes has to juggle his squad with one hand tied behind his back given the constraints.

Villas-Boas reveals Dakar dream

Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas has revealed he dreams of entering the Dakar Rally.

Villas-Boas gave an insight into his life away from football, admitting he was a petrol head who loved nothing better than racing motorbikes and cars in his spare time.

Trophy hurt drives Wenger on
Arsene Wenger used his 15th anniversary at Arsenal to reveal the hurt six years without a trophy has caused him.

Manchester City reject Tevez enquiry
Manchester City have rejected an enquiry from West Ham to take Carlos Tevez on loan.

 

[ballsathome]

Saturday 1st October 2011

United fans poke fun at Tevez saga

Manchester United fans have extracted revenge for their City rivals' taunts over Carlos Tevez's move two years ago with a billboard poking fun at his latest saga.

The image being shown in Manchester city centre says 'Welcome to Carlos, Manchester' - mocking the giant blue poster erected by City when Tevez moved from United in 2009 showing a picture of the Argentina striker over the words 'Welcome to Manchester'.

The latest Tevez taunt was the work of the Manchester United Supporters' Trust who described it as "a warm-hearted message from some old friends".

Tevez has been suspended by his club pending an investigation into his apparent refusal to come off the bench during City's 2-0 defeat by Bayern Munich on Tuesday.

City today tried to pull down the shutters on the affair by warning journalists not to asked manager Roberto Mancini about the issue.

Mancini appeared at his usual Friday press conference this morning but beforehand City's chief communications officer Victoria Kloss read out a statement it would be called off if he was asked about Tevez.

Kloss said: "Questions in relation to Carlos Tevez in general, in relation to his alleged conduct on Tuesday evening and the potential ramifications of that conduct and in relation to his future at the football club is strictly off limits and will not be answered.

"Breaches of this will result in the press conference being suspended. This decision has been made to protect the interests of all parties and safeguard the integrity of the investigation that is currently taking place."

Mancini was given backing for his handling of the incident by rival boss Sir Alex Ferguson, who praised him for his "strong management".

The Manchester United manager said: "I think that Roberto Mancini has come out and shown his strength of character, his strength of management and I think that is important.

"We have all experienced our own difficulties in management and you cope with it as best as you can. In my own experience strong management is important and there is nobody more important than the manager at a football club."

Meanwhile, QPR boss Neil Warnock weighed into the Tevez debate by declaring: "The sooner he leaves the country, the better."

Warnock also called for FIFA to allow clubs to slap long bans on players who show the kind of disobedience towards their managers Tevez is alleged to have displayed this week.

Warnock has no love for Tevez, who was at the centre of the third-party ownership saga four years ago that saw West Ham - who were today linked with an audacious bid to take their former player on loan - keep their top-flight status at the expense of his own Sheffield United.

Warnock said: "I can't see it being sorted by him staying. Within a few months, he'll be kissing another badge."

 

[ballsathome]

Saturday 1st October 2011

Premier League Weekend Team News

All eyes will be on Goodison Park and White Hart Lane this weekend as derby fever once again hits the Barclays Premier League.

Saturday's early kickoff sees Liverpool travel to play Everton in a game which could see the return of Steven Gerrard to the Reds' starting lineup. The England international has featured sporadically since recovering from a groin injury, but owing to the magnitude of the fixture, could just be thrusted into the deep end by manager Kenny Dalglish.

On Sunday, Tottenham play hosts to Arsenal in the North London derby, where it will be interesting to see the kind of reception Emmanuel Adebayor gets from the travelling Gunners faithful. Having already incurred their wrath by running the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of them whilst playing at Manchester City, there is certainly no love lost between player and fans.

Elsewhere, City and local rivals Manchester United will look to bounce back from disappointing Champions League fixtures in midweek when they take on Blackburn and Norwich respectively. Here, we take a look at all the news from the selection table.

Saturday

Everton vs Liverpool

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard may have to settle for a place on the bench again in Saturday's 216th Merseyside derby against Everton. The England midfielder has played just 25 minutes after a six-month lay-off from a groin operation.

Defenders Glen Johnson (hamstring) and Daniel Agger (rib) will not feature - although the latter has returned to training - while forward Dirk Kuyt is pushing for a recall at the expense of Jordan Henderson.

Everton manager David Moyes believes Tim Cahill should be fit for the game. Cahill sustained severe bruising to his shin after seemingly being stamped on by Vincent Kompany during the 2-0 defeat by Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium last weekend. After simply doing light jogging on Thursday, according to Moyes, Cahill has trained more seriously on Friday, with the Scot hopeful he will be ready.

Everton (from): Howard, Heitinga, Hibbert, Neville, Distin, Jagielka, Baines, Barkley, Fellaini, Osman, Rodwell, Drenthe, Cahill, Stracqualursi, Mucha, Bilyaletdinov, Vellios, Gueye, Saha, Coleman.
Liverpool (from): Reina, Kelly, Carragher, Skrtel, Enrique, Lucas, Adam, Kuyt, Downing, Suarez, Carroll, Doni, Flanagan, Coates, Spearing, Gerrard, Henderson, Bellamy, Rodriguez.

Man United vs Norwich

Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez and Jonny Evans will all be back from injury for Manchester United when Norwich visit on Saturday. Chris Smalling (groin), Nemanja Vidic (ankle) and Tom Cleverly (foot) are still missing but could return after the international break. Norwich will be without striker James Vaughan as he is set to be out for up to four months with a knee injury.

Centre-back Zak Whitbread is still recovering from his hamstring problem, while on-loan United defender Ritchie de Laet is unavailable against his parent club. Defenders Elliott Ward and Dani Ayala (both knee) remain out, while young midfielder Korey Smith is set for a spell on the sidelines after ankle surgery.

Manchester United (from): De Gea, Lindegaard, Evans, Evra, Fabio, Jones, Ferdinand, Anderson, Carrick, Fletcher, Giggs, Nani, Park, Valencia, Young, Berbatov, Hernandez, Owen, Rooney, Welbeck.
Norwich (from): Ruddy, Tierney, Barnett, R Martin, Naughton, Fox, Johnson, Hoolahan, Pilkington, Bennett, Morison, Rudd, C Martin, Crofts, Holt, Francomb, Wilbraham, Drury.

Aston Villa vs Wigan

Wigan defender Emmerson Boyce is close to a recall to face Aston Villa having recovered from the hamstring problem which has kept him out of the last two league matches.
His return would be welcome as Steve Gohouri is suspended having been sent off against Tottenham last week. Fellow defender Antolin Alcaraz (thigh) and striker Hugo Rodallega (knee) are unavailable.

On-loan Tottenham midfielder Jermaine Jenas is in contention to make his Aston Villa debut after recovering from a thigh problem. Record signing Darren Bent has shaken off a groin injury while fellow striker Emile Heskey is also in the frame after a recent hamstring setback.

Villa boss Alex McLeish will give a late fitness test to defender James Collins who suffered an ankle knock against QPR last weekend. Carlos Cuellar, Chris Herd and Eric Lichaj remain sidelined.

Aston Villa (from): Given, Hutton, Collins, Dunne, Warnock, Jenas, Petrov, Delph, N'Zogbia, Ireland, Bannan, Agbonlahor, Bent, Heskey, Albrighton, Weimann, Given, Delfouneso, Beye, Lowry, Gardner, Clark.
Wigan (from): Al Habsi, Caldwell, Figueroa, Boyce, Lopez, Watson, Diame, Moses, Gomez, Di Santo, Jones, Stam, Van Aanholt, McArthur, McCarthy, Thomas, Sammon, Maloney, Crusat, McManaman, Kirkland.

Blackburn vs Man City

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini may give Edin Dzeko a starting role against Blackburn in the Barclays Premier League after the striker apologised for his angry reaction to being substituted against Bayern Munich in midweek. With Carlos Tevez suspended by the club following his apparent refusal to come off the bench in Munich, the Bosnian is likely to partner Sergio Aguero in attack.

Nigel de Jong is likely to be on the bench again and though Adam Johnson is back in training after an ankle injury it may be to soon for him. Blackburn manager Steve Kean is still waiting on the fitness of defenders Scott Dann and Michel Salgado. Neither player has trained this week and the pair will undergo late tests to determine whether they will be able to face City at Ewood Park.

Martin Olsson is definitely out through suspension following his red card at Newcastle but Gael Givet has recovered from the knock he sustained at St James' Park and should be available, while Kean confirmed Ryan Nelson and David Dunn are edging closer to a return.

Blackburn (from): Robinson, Samba, Dann, Salgado, Givet, Hoilett, Lowe, Nzonzi, Formica, Yakubu, Bunn, Hanley, Grella, Pedersen, Petrovic, Rochina, Goodwillie, Roberts, Vukcevic, Slew.
Manchester City (from): Hart, Pantilimon, Richards, Onuoha, Kompany, K Toure, Savic, Lescott, Clichy, Kolarov, Bridge, De Jong, Barry, Milner, Y Toure, Nasri, Aguero, Silva, Zabaleta, Dzeko, Johnson.

Sunderland vs West Brom

West Brom central defender Gabriel Tamas is available for Saturday's Premier League clash with Sunderland at the Stadium Of Light after completing a three-game suspension. But he faces a battle to regain his place following an impressive performance by summer signing Gareth McAuley in last weekend's goalless home draw with Fulham.

Defender Craig Dawson is expected to recover from the illness which meant he was unable to train on Thursday, but midfielder Zoltan Gera and striker Marc-Antoine Fortune are still sidelined through injury. Sunderland defender Titus Bramble will miss out after being suspended by the club.

The 30-year-old will not train or play with his team-mates until an investigation into allegations of sexual assault and possession of a Class A drug has been completed. Midfielder Sebastian Larsson has been playing after having pain-killing injections in a broken toe and his condition will be assessed, while striker Connor Wickham (groin) is a doubt and Craig Gordon and Fraizer Campbell (both knee) continue to work their way back to fitness.

Sunderland (from): Mignolet, Westwood, Brown, O'Shea, Richardson, Turner, Laing, Cattermole, Gardner, Vaughan, Larsson, Colback, Elmohamady, Bendtner, Sessegnon, Wickham, Ji, McClean, Cook.
West Brom (from): Foster, Reid, Tamas, Dawson, Olsson, McAuley, Shorey, Brunt, Dorrans, Mulumbu, Thomas, Long, Odemwingie, Morrison, Fulop, Jones, Cox, Scharner, Tchoyi.

Wolves vs Newcastle

Davide Santon will be included in the Newcastle squad for the first time for Saturday's Barclays Premier League trip to Wolves. The 20-year-old Italian played 90 minutes for the reserves in midweek after having fluid drained from his knee and could make his senior debut at Molineux.

However, striker Shola Ameobi will miss out once again with a shoulder injury, while Alan Smith (hamstring) and Mike Williamson (broken arm) remain on the sidelines.

Defender Richard Stearman is Wolves' major new fitness doubt. Stearman suffered a toe injury during the 2-1 defeat against Liverpool at Anfield and was substituted at half-time. If he is ruled out, 19-year-old Matt Doherty will start against the Magpies.

Striker Steven Fletcher has recovered from the groin problem which restricted him to a second-half substitute's role against the Reds. Jody Craddock, Ronald Zubar, Kevin Foley and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake are still unavailable through injury.

Wolves (from): Hennessey, Stearman, Johnson, Berra, Ward, Hunt, Henry, O'Hara, Jarvis, Edwards, Doyle, Doherty, Fletcher, Guedioura, De Vries, Elokobi, Hammill, Milijas.
Newcastle (from): Krul, Harper, Simpson, R. Taylor, Santon, Ferguson, Coloccini, S. Taylor, Tiote, Cabaye, Gutierrez, Marveaux, Obertan, Gosling, Guthrie, Ben Arfa, Abeid, Vuckic, Ba, Lovenkrands, Best, Sammy Ameobi.

Sunday

Bolton vs Chelsea

Daniel Sturridge could return to the Chelsea line-up for Sunday's Barclays Premier League trip to Bolton. The forward missed Saturday's win over Swansea with a knee injury and also sat out Wednesday night's Champions League draw at Valencia, but he is fit to return to the club where he spend the second half of last season on loan.

Fernando Torres starts a three-match ban, goalkeeping understudy Hilario is still a week or two away from recovering from a hip and back complaint, while Michael Essien (knee) is a long-term absentee. Bolton manager Owen Coyle faces further selection issues ahead of the game.

Coyle is already without a number of long-term injured, with the casualty list compounded this week when it was announced midfielder Stuart Holden faces another six months on the sidelines with a knee problem. To add to his woes, on-loan Gael Kakuta is ineligible as he cannot face his parent club, David Wheater and Ivan Klasnic are suspended, and goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen is doubtful with a leg knock.

Bolton (from): Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, Knight, Eagles, Robinson, Muamba, Reo-Coker, Petrov, K Davies, Tuncay, Bogdan, Gardner, M Davies, Pratley, Ngog, Blake.
Chelsea (from): Cech, Ivanovic, Bosingwa, Alex, Ferreira, Terry, Luiz, Cole, Bertrand, McEachran, Mikel, Romeu, Ramires, Lampard, Meireles, Mata, Malouda, Drogba, Anelka, Sturridge, Lukaku, Kalou, Turnbull.

Swansea vs Stoke

Stoke winger Matthew Etherington will undergo a fitness test ahead of the Potters' Barclays Premier League trip to Swansea on Sunday. Etherington limped out of Thursday night's 2-1 Europa League Group E victory over Besiktas with a dead leg.

Defender Jonathan Woodgate is available again having missed that game because he is not part of Stoke's squad for Europe, and the rested Asmir Begovic is set to return in goal in place Thomas Sorensen.

Salif Diao (fractured cheekbone) is another injury doubt, while Kenwyne Jones (hamstring) is not expected to make his comeback until after the international break. Midfielder Leon Britton is the major fitness concern for Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers.

Britton is still struggling with the back complaint that saw him withdrawn early against Chelsea last weekend but Rodgers is hopeful his playmaker will be available. Striker Danny Graham could come back into the starting line-up in place of Leroy Lita but midfielder Ferrie Bodde is set to undergo yet another operation in the latest setback to his recovery from a series of knee injuries.

Garry Monk and Ashley Williams are again the only fit centre-halves with Alan Tate (broken leg), Steven Caulker (knee) and Kemy Agustien (hamstring) all sidelined.

Swansea (from): Vorm, Williams, Taylor, Britton, Graham, Sinclair, Dyer, Dobbie, Routledge, Monk, Lita, Moore, Bessone, Moreira, Rangel, Allen, Tremmel, Gower, Richards, Lucas.
Stoke (from): Begovic, Wilson, Huth, Shawcross, Upson, Wilkinson, Woodgate, Whelan, Whitehead, Etherington, Walters, Sorensen, Shotton, Arismendi, Pennant, Delap, Crouch, Palacios, Jerome, Nash.

Fulham vs QPR

QPR defender Armand Traore is supended for Sunday's west London derby at Fulham following his red card against Aston Villa last weekend. Danny Gabbidon looks certain to miss out again with a knee injury picked up in Rangers' Barclays Premier League win over Wolves almost a fortnight ago, while the game comes soon for Jamie Mackie, who this week played in a friendly for the first time since suffering a double leg break in January.

Midfielder Kieron Dyer also remains sidelined with a foot problem. Fulham forwards Bobby Zamora and Mousa Dembele are both available after recovering from illness. The Cottagers will give Aaron Hughes (knee) a fitness test on Saturday and Matthew Briggs is also a doubt with a bruised ankle that he suffered in Thursday night's Europa League win against Odense.

Simon Davies remains sidelined by a long-term knee injury but Fulham boss Martin Jol said on Friday that he hopes the midfielder will be available for selection by November.

Fulham (from): Schwarzer, Hughes, Hangeland, Baird, J Riise, Kelly, Briggs, Sidwell, Duff, Kasami, Murphy, Dempsey, Dembele, Ruiz, Zamora, Etheridge, Senderos, Briggs, Grygera, Frei, Gecov, Sa, Johnson.
QPR (from): Kenny, Derry, Hall, Taarabt, Campbell, Bothroyd, Faurlin, Buzsaky, Orr, Connolly, Barton, Young, Smith, Helguson, Murphy, Wright-Phillips, Ferdinand, Puncheon.

Tottenham vs Arsenal

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp will revert to his first-choice line-up for Sunday's north London derby, meaning Emmanuel Adebayor is in line to face his former club Arsenal at White Hart Lane. Redknapp, who made 10 changes to his team for the Europa League win over Shamrock Rovers, will give Aaron Lennon a fitness test after he had to come off with a stiff groin on Thursday night.

William Gallas (calf), Michael Dawson (Achilles) and Tom Huddlestone (ankle) are out but Steven Pienaar is available to play his first game of the season after overcoming a groin problem. Arsenal will give late fitness tests to Theo Walcott (knee) and Gervinho (hamstring) before the game but central defender Laurent Koscielny (ankle) is out.

Johan Djourou (hamstring) also remains out but Yossi Benayoun (thigh) and Sebastien Squillaci both return to the squad after training this weekend. Midfielders Jack Wilshere and Abou Diaby plus defender Thomas Vermaelen continue their rehabilitation from ankle injuries.

Tottenham (from): Gomes, Friedel, Cudicini, Bale, Kaboul, Bassong, Corluka, Walker, King, Assou-Ekotto, Rose, Parker, Modric, Livermore, Townsend, Carroll, Lennon, Kranjcar, Rose, Falque, Sandro, Pienaar, Pavlyuchenko, Defoe, Dos Santos, Adebayor, Van der Vaart.
Arsenal (from): Szczesny, Sagna, Gibbs, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Song, Andre Santos, Frimpong, Arteta, Rosicky, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ramsey, Arshavin, Gervinho, Benayoun, Squillaci, Chamakh, Walcott, van Persie, Fabianski, Park, Jenkinson, Coquelin.

 

[no_faith]

Man United vs Norwich


Blackburn vs Man City

one of them might kelong?

 

[ballsathome]

one of them might kelong?

Which one? Man City?

 

[ballsathome]

Ferguson: We did not play well
Sir Alex Ferguson has hailed Manchester United's virtually flawless home record but he admitted the 2-0 win over Norwich was not among the Red Devils' best displays.

AVB: Sturridge could start for Chelsea
Ahead of Chelsea's upcoming clash against Bolton, the Chelsea manager admitted he could play Daniel Sturridge.

Redknapp: Arsenal won't sack Wenger
Harry Redknapp admits he could never see Arsenal sacking Arsene Wenger and has backed the Frenchman to drag Tottenham's north London rivals back in to the title race.

McCarthy hits out at referee
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy accused referee Mark Halsey of getting two big decisions "wrong" after his side slumped to a fourth consecutive league defeat.

Arsenal scrap zonal marking for Spurs
Arsenal custodian Wojciech Szczesny revealed that Arsene Wenger has scrapped zonal marking against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday night.

The Pole has conceded 14 goals in four Premier League outings, and admitted that the Arsenal manager had decided to scrap zonal marking in favor of a man-marking system, according to reports in the Guardian.

Wayne Rooney wants to be captain
Wayne Rooney hopes to captain both Manchester United and England on a permanent basis.

Wenger: I wanted to sign Modric
Arsene Wenger knew all about the talents of Luka Modric before Tottenham signed the Croatian midfielder.

AVB won't moan over fixtures
Andre Villas-Boas has dismissed the impact of Manchester United playing before Chelsea during five of the next six Barclays Premier League weekends.

Liverpool owner Henry out of hospital
Liverpool owner John Henry has been discharged from hospital after suffering an injury on his yacht.

 

[ballsathome]

​

Premier League Weekend Team News

All eyes will be on White Hart Lane this weekend as derby fever once again hits the Barclays Premier League.

On Sunday, Tottenham play hosts to Arsenal in the North London derby, where it will be interesting to see the kind of reception Emmanuel Adebayor gets from the travelling Gunners faithful. Having already incurred their wrath by running the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of them whilst playing at Manchester City, there is certainly no love lost between player and fans.

Sunday

Bolton vs Chelsea

Daniel Sturridge could return to the Chelsea line-up for Sunday's Barclays Premier League trip to Bolton. The forward missed Saturday's win over Swansea with a knee injury and also sat out Wednesday night's Champions League draw at Valencia, but he is fit to return to the club where he spend the second half of last season on loan.

Fernando Torres starts a three-match ban, goalkeeping understudy Hilario is still a week or two away from recovering from a hip and back complaint, while Michael Essien (knee) is a long-term absentee. Bolton manager Owen Coyle faces further selection issues ahead of the game.

Coyle is already without a number of long-term injured, with the casualty list compounded this week when it was announced midfielder Stuart Holden faces another six months on the sidelines with a knee problem. To add to his woes, on-loan Gael Kakuta is ineligible as he cannot face his parent club, David Wheater and Ivan Klasnic are suspended, and goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen is doubtful with a leg knock.

Bolton (from): Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, Knight, Eagles, Robinson, Muamba, Reo-Coker, Petrov, K Davies, Tuncay, Bogdan, Gardner, M Davies, Pratley, Ngog, Blake.
Chelsea (from): Cech, Ivanovic, Bosingwa, Alex, Ferreira, Terry, Luiz, Cole, Bertrand, McEachran, Mikel, Romeu, Ramires, Lampard, Meireles, Mata, Malouda, Drogba, Anelka, Sturridge, Lukaku, Kalou, Turnbull.

Swansea vs Stoke

Stoke winger Matthew Etherington will undergo a fitness test ahead of the Potters' Barclays Premier League trip to Swansea on Sunday. Etherington limped out of Thursday night's 2-1 Europa League Group E victory over Besiktas with a dead leg.

Defender Jonathan Woodgate is available again having missed that game because he is not part of Stoke's squad for Europe, and the rested Asmir Begovic is set to return in goal in place Thomas Sorensen.

Salif Diao (fractured cheekbone) is another injury doubt, while Kenwyne Jones (hamstring) is not expected to make his comeback until after the international break. Midfielder Leon Britton is the major fitness concern for Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers.

Britton is still struggling with the back complaint that saw him withdrawn early against Chelsea last weekend but Rodgers is hopeful his playmaker will be available. Striker Danny Graham could come back into the starting line-up in place of Leroy Lita but midfielder Ferrie Bodde is set to undergo yet another operation in the latest setback to his recovery from a series of knee injuries.

Garry Monk and Ashley Williams are again the only fit centre-halves with Alan Tate (broken leg), Steven Caulker (knee) and Kemy Agustien (hamstring) all sidelined.

Swansea (from): Vorm, Williams, Taylor, Britton, Graham, Sinclair, Dyer, Dobbie, Routledge, Monk, Lita, Moore, Bessone, Moreira, Rangel, Allen, Tremmel, Gower, Richards, Lucas.
Stoke (from): Begovic, Wilson, Huth, Shawcross, Upson, Wilkinson, Woodgate, Whelan, Whitehead, Etherington, Walters, Sorensen, Shotton, Arismendi, Pennant, Delap, Crouch, Palacios, Jerome, Nash.

Fulham vs QPR

QPR defender Armand Traore is supended for Sunday's west London derby at Fulham following his red card against Aston Villa last weekend. Danny Gabbidon looks certain to miss out again with a knee injury picked up in Rangers' Barclays Premier League win over Wolves almost a fortnight ago, while the game comes soon for Jamie Mackie, who this week played in a friendly for the first time since suffering a double leg break in January.

Midfielder Kieron Dyer also remains sidelined with a foot problem. Fulham forwards Bobby Zamora and Mousa Dembele are both available after recovering from illness. The Cottagers will give Aaron Hughes (knee) a fitness test on Saturday and Matthew Briggs is also a doubt with a bruised ankle that he suffered in Thursday night's Europa League win against Odense.

Simon Davies remains sidelined by a long-term knee injury but Fulham boss Martin Jol said on Friday that he hopes the midfielder will be available for selection by November.

Fulham (from): Schwarzer, Hughes, Hangeland, Baird, J Riise, Kelly, Briggs, Sidwell, Duff, Kasami, Murphy, Dempsey, Dembele, Ruiz, Zamora, Etheridge, Senderos, Briggs, Grygera, Frei, Gecov, Sa, Johnson.
QPR (from): Kenny, Derry, Hall, Taarabt, Campbell, Bothroyd, Faurlin, Buzsaky, Orr, Connolly, Barton, Young, Smith, Helguson, Murphy, Wright-Phillips, Ferdinand, Puncheon.

Tottenham vs Arsenal

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp will revert to his first-choice line-up for Sunday's north London derby, meaning Emmanuel Adebayor is in line to face his former club Arsenal at White Hart Lane. Redknapp, who made 10 changes to his team for the Europa League win over Shamrock Rovers, will give Aaron Lennon a fitness test after he had to come off with a stiff groin on Thursday night.

William Gallas (calf), Michael Dawson (Achilles) and Tom Huddlestone (ankle) are out but Steven Pienaar is available to play his first game of the season after overcoming a groin problem. Arsenal will give late fitness tests to Theo Walcott (knee) and Gervinho (hamstring) before the game but central defender Laurent Koscielny (ankle) is out.

Johan Djourou (hamstring) also remains out but Yossi Benayoun (thigh) and Sebastien Squillaci both return to the squad after training this weekend. Midfielders Jack Wilshere and Abou Diaby plus defender Thomas Vermaelen continue their rehabilitation from ankle injuries.

Tottenham (from): Gomes, Friedel, Cudicini, Bale, Kaboul, Bassong, Corluka, Walker, King, Assou-Ekotto, Rose, Parker, Modric, Livermore, Townsend, Carroll, Lennon, Kranjcar, Rose, Falque, Sandro, Pienaar, Pavlyuchenko, Defoe, Dos Santos, Adebayor, Van der Vaart.
Arsenal (from): Szczesny, Sagna, Gibbs, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Song, Andre Santos, Frimpong, Arteta, Rosicky, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ramsey, Arshavin, Gervinho, Benayoun, Squillaci, Chamakh, Walcott, van Persie, Fabianski, Park, Jenkinson, Coquelin.