Barclays Premier League Season 2011/2012

[ballsathome]

Warnock thrilled by new boys
QPR boss Neil Warnock hailed the impact of his club's new players after the 3-0 win over Wolves at Molineux.

Wenger: It's just not good enough
Arsene Wenger admitted Arsenal have endured a "terrible" start to the season after the Gunners disintegrated against Blackburn.

"I don't care about Old Trafford fans"
Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas claims he could not care less if his touchline antics provoke Manchester United fans.

Barton takes swipe at Henry
Joey Barton appeared to take a swipe at Karl Henry by labelling the Wolves midfielder a "Sunday league player" after getting the better of their latest battle.

Fergie wants Mou as United boss
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson plans to recommend Jose Mourinho to replace him when the Scot retires.

Neville puts the pressure on AVB
Ex-Manchester United star Gary Neville has put the pressure on Chelsea manager Andre Villa-Boas, saying their clash was " a big moment".

"Liverpool will make top four this season"
Liverpool legend John Barnes believes that the Merseyside club will finish in the top four of the Barclays Premier League this season.

Parlour slams Arsenal defence after loss
Ex-Arsenal star Ray Parlour has slammed Arsenal's poor defending as the reason for their poor season so far.

 

[ballsathome]

Premier League Weekend Team News

Barclays Premier League football is once again upon us, and we take a look at all the team news ahead of this weekend's fixtures.

All eyes will be on Sunday's clash between title contenders Manchester United and Chelsea, and Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson has already confirmed David de Gea will be in goal despite Anders Lindegaard's impressive performance in midweek against Benfica.

Sunday's Fixtures

Tottenham vs Liverpool

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp will revert to his first-choice XI for Sunday's game against Liverpool after resting a number of key players for Thursday night's Europa League clash at PAOK Salonika.

Rafael van der Vaart (hamstring), Aaron Lennon (groin) and William Gallas (calf) are making good progress in their recovery from injury and could play some part in the game at White Hart Lane.

Steven Pienaar (groin), Tom Huddlestone (ankle) and Ledley King (knee) face fitness tests but Michael Dawson (Achilles) is out and Sandro (knee) is unlikely to be risked despite returning to light training following a knee injury he suffered this summer.

Tottenham (from): Gomes, Friedel, Cudicini, Bale, Kaboul, Bassong, Gallas, Corluka, Walker, King, Assou-Ekotto, Parker, Huddlestone, Lennon, Modric, Kranjcar, Livermore, Townsend, Lennon, Pienaar, Pavlyuchenko, Defoe, Dos Santos, Adebayor, Van der Vaart.

Liverpool (from): To be confirmed.

Sunderland vs Stoke

John O'Shea could return to bolster Sunderland's defence against Stoke on Sunday. The Republic of Ireland defender missed the defeat by Chelsea due to a calf strain but has returned to training. Nicklas Bendtner is likely lead the attack and Connor Wickham could make his first start. Craig Gordon, Fraizer Campbell and David Meyler (all knee) remain sidelined.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis will check on the condition of a host of players. Several squad members did not travel to Ukraine for this week's Europa League game against Dynamo Kiev, with record signing Peter Crouch staying at home as a precaution after missing training, and Matthew Etherington (back), Rory Delap (groin) and Marc Wilson (hamstring) also absent from the trip.

That quartet and Jonathan Woodgate, who is not registered for the Potters' European campaign and has been working to shake off a minor injury, are among those that will be assessed, while goalkeeper Asmir Begovic - rested for the Dynamo game - is expected to return in place of Thomas Sorensen.

Sunderland (from): Mignolet, Westwood, Bardsley, Brown, O'Shea, Richardson, Turner, Bramble, Laing, Cattermole, Gardner, Vaughan, Colback, Elmohamady, Bendtner, Sessegnon, Wickham, Ji, Cook.

Stoke (from): Begovic, Wilson, Huth, Shawcross, Upson, Wilkinson, Whelan, Whitehead, Diao, Etherington, Walters, Jones, Sorensen, Shotton, Arismendi, Woodgate, Pennant, Delap, Crouch, Palacios, Jerome.

Fulham vs Man City

Manchester City midfielder James Milner has been ruled out of Sunday's Barclays Premier League trip to Fulham. Milner missed the midweek Champions League game against Napoli after a clash of heads in last week's defeat of Wigan. Midfielder Nigel de Jong (foot) remains 10 days to two weeks away from fitness while full-back Aleksandar Kolarov is not hindered by a broken nose.

Bryan Ruiz is set for a return to the Fulham squad. The 26-year-old deadline day signing was ineligible for the midweek Europa League clash with FC Twente, whom he played for in the Champions League play-offs earlier in the season. Aaron Hughes also missed the Group K tie with a knee injury and is a doubt, while Dickson Etuhu is struggling with a thigh injury.

Fulham (from): Schwarzer, Etheridge, Baird, Hangeland, Hughes, Kelly, Grygera, JA Riise, BH Riise, Duff, Sidwell, Dembele, Dempsey, Etuhu, Gecov, Murphy, Sa, Zamora, Johnson.

Manchester City (from): Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Kolarov, Richards, Clichy, K Toure, Savic, Nasri, Barry, Y Toure, Silva, Johnson, Dzeko, Balotelli, Tevez, Aguero, Razak, Pantilimon.

Manchester United vs Chelsea

Sir Alex Ferguson has reported no fresh injury concerns ahead of Manchester United's Premier League showdown with Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday. Nemanja Vidic (calf), Tom Cleverley (foot) and Rafael (shoulder) remain sidelined, whilst Danny Welbeck (hamstring) is not expected to be available until next week.

Changes are anticipated though, with Ferguson expected to recall many of the players who were left out of his starting line-up for the midweek Champions League draw with Benfica.

Chelsea will once again be without Didier Drogba. The striker will not be risked at Old Trafford three weeks after his sickening head injury, meaning manager Andre Villas-Boas must decide whether to start Fernando Torres or Nicolas Anelka.

Ramires returns after being suspended for Tuesday's Champions League win over Bayer Leverkusen, while goalkeeping understudies Hilario and Ross Turnbull are both carrying knocks, although one will be on the bench.

Man United (from): De Gea, Lindegaard; Evans, Evra, Fabio, Jones, Smalling, Ferdinand, Anderson, Carrick, Fletcher, Giggs, Nani, Park, Valencia, Young; Berbatov, Hernandez, Owen, Rooney.

Chelsea (from): Cech, Ivanovic, Bosingwa, Ferreira, Terry, Luiz, Alex, Cole, Mikel, Romeu, McEachran, Ramires, Lampard, Meireles, Mata, Malouda, Torres, Anelka, Sturridge, Kalou, Lukaku, Hilario, Turnbull.

 

[ballsathome]

​

Mancini wants more players for City
Manchester City's three-year spending spree may be fast approaching £400million, but that did not stop Roberto Mancini suggesting he needed even more players.

AVB defends Cole's tackle
Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has defended Ashley Cole's tackle on Javier Hernandez.

Cole in the clear after Hernandez tackle
The Football Association confirmed on Monday that Ashley Cole would not face further action for his shin-high tackle on Javier Hernandez.

Man City plan for new training complex
Manchester City unveiled on Monday their plans for a giant new training complex that the club claim will be the best in the world.

Houllier unlikely to return to football
Gerard Houllier confirmed on Monday he was unlikely to return to management after revealing he was still only "85%" recovered from his latest heart scare.

Dalglish refuses to criticise referee
Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish refused to criticise referee Mike Jones' decision to send off two of his players in Sunday's 4-0 defeat at Tottenham.

Mancini: Aguero not joining Madrid
Roberto Mancini has rubbished rumours that Sergio Aguero could move from Manchester City to Real Madrid at the end of the season.

Redknapp ready to reward Modric
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp insists Luka Modric deserves a pay rise despite his public plea to leave the club this summer.

AVB: United defeat means little
Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas insists his side's 3-1 defeat at Manchester United will not have a detrimental effect on their Premier League title chances.

 

[ballsathome]

Gerrard return imminent for Liverpool
Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish has stressed the imminent return of Steven Gerrard will not detract from the work which will have to be done after Sunday's humiliation.

Man City aim to follow Barca academy
Manchester City say they are aiming to emulate Barcelona on and off the pitch after announcing detailed plans for a giant new training complex.

Man City prepare new De Rossi bid
Manchester City are reportedly preparing another offer for Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi when the transfer window reopens in January.

Graham makes case for Arsenal defence
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has been urged to tighten up his defence by the man who built the great Gunners backline.

Molde to fend off Solskjaer advances
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will not be leaving Molde for Blackburn, according to the Norwegian club.

Liverpool hit by Agger rib injury
Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish will be forced into another reshuffle at the back yet again this season after it was confirmed Daniel Agger had broken a rib.

Sinclair: Chelsea neglect youngsters
Scott Sinclair is adamant that he made the right decision to leave Chelsea for Swansea as he does not believe youngsters get much of a chance with the Blues.

Chelsea eye £20m Everton youngster
Chelsea are set to launch a £20million raid on Everton for their young starlet Ross Barkley.

Hernandez set for quick recovery
Javier Hernandez will be back in training on Wednesday, according to the Manchester United striker's agent.

 

[ballsathome]

Carragher: Gerrard return will lift Reds
Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes the impending return of captain Steven Gerrard will boost the spirits of the team.

Taarabt accepts loss of QPR armband
Queens Park Rangers assistant manager Mick Jones claims Adel Taarabt has accepted the decision to hand the captain's armband to Joey Barton.

Tottenham target Chinese winger
Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly interested in the services of China international Feng Renliang.

Barkley unfazed by Chelsea move talk
Everton assistant manager Steve Round is confident Ross Barkley is unaffected by talks linking the youngster with a big-money move away from the club.

Spurs' stadium plans progress
Tottenham's plans to redevelop White Hart Lane took another small step forward on Wednesday when they signed a planning agreement with Haringey Council.

Gazidis: Wenger is going nowhere
Ivan Gazidis is sure Arsene Wenger will not walk out on Arsenal and fully expects him to honour his contract - even if England come calling for him next summer.

"Barca still way ahead of Man United"
Steve Coppell declared Manchester United were still not ready to topple Barcelona as European champions, despite their record-breaking start

Drogba keeping his perspective
Didier Drogba returns to action with Chelsea admitting that his life has been put into a whole new perspective because of the recent bloodshed in his native Ivory Coast.

AVB denies attempt to influence ref
Andre Villas-Boas denied he was attempting to influence referees by complaining to Mike Riley about the officiating in Chelsea's defeat at Manchester United.

 

[ballsathome]

Wenger to avoid Arsenal fans' ire
Arsenal have postponed an annual shareholder's meeting, after expecting a backlash from supporters because of their poor start to the season.

Villa to welcome back Cuellar
Aston Villa defender Carlos Cuellar is poised to return to full training after missing the start of the season through injury.

Owen happy to silence his critics
Michael Owen admits he gets as nervous ahead of his sporadic appearances for Manchester United as he used to do before the biggest games of his entire career.

Vargas back on Gunners' radar
Arsenal are lining up a January move for Fiorentina midfielder Juan Manuel Vargas, according to reports in Italy.

Swansea eyeing Zoltan Liptak
Swansea are weighing up a move for Hungarian defender Zoltan Liptak as Brendan Rodgers looks to bolster his defensive options.

Jol hoping to keep Andy Johnson
Fulham boss Martin Jol has admitted he could sell Andrew Johnson in January if he fails to agree a new deal at Craven Cottage.

Kean making plans for Rochina
Blackburn manager Steve Kean believes midfielder Ruben Rochina could be a key factor in the club's revival.

Joey Barton reveals Arsenal talks
Joey Barton has claimed he held talks with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger before joining QPR.

Wolves' Doherty hopes for loan boost
Wolves starlet Matt Doherty is keen to further his development on loan after stepping out at Molineux for the first time in Tuesday's Carling Cup win over Millwall.

Anelka uncertain over Chelsea future
Nicolas Anelka has insisted he has yet to make up his mind whether to quit Chelsea at the end of the season.

 

[ballsathome]

"Swansea not interested in Campbell"
Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers has dismissed speculation linking the club with a move for Sol Campbell.

Coyle: Arsenal still want Cahill
Bolton manager Owen Coyle would not be surprised if Arsenal mounted another bid to sign star defender Gary Cahill during the January transfer window.

Stars return for top BPL sides
Rio Ferdinand and Steven Gerrard could return for Manchester United and Liverpool after injury layoffs this weekend.

Dalglish: England, careful with Gerrard
Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has urged England coach Fabio Capello to be "intelligent" when it comes to considering Steven Gerrard for international duty.

Ferguson hoping for Ferdinand recovery
Sir Alex Ferguson is hoping central defender Rio Ferdinand will be fit for Manchester United's Premier League trip to Stoke on Saturday.

Man United could postpone SGX listing
With the global markets faltering, Manchester United's American owners could choose to delay their initial public offering in Singapore.

 

[ballsathome]

"Swansea seek bonus against Chelsea"
Midfielder Mark Gower says Swansea will be going in search of "bonus points" when they meet Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Jones out for United clash
Stoke striker Kenwyne Jones has been ruled out for three weeks with the hamstring injury he suffered against Tottenham.

Wenger: Title race isn't over yet
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insists the race for the Barclays Premier League title is far from over despite the Gunners trailing Manchester United.

AVB: Chelsea critics are "naive, stupid"
Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas hit out at the pundits who branded his team "naive and stupid" in their Barclays Premier League defeat at Manchester United.

Warnock upset with Barton feud
QPR manager Neil Warnock is disappointed that Joey Barton's feud with Karl Henry has dominated the headlines.

Coyle confident of Arsenal potential
Owen Coyle is convinced Arsenal will finish in the top four despite their woeful start to the season.

Ferguson untroubled by Stoke physicality
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has no intention of joining the army of critics who have followed the Stoke bandwagon.

Dalglish: Liverpool bigger than Gerrard
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard's return from injury briefly deflected the spotlight away from striker Andy Carroll but manager Kenny Dalglish knows it is bound to return.

Fergie: Hernandez can play Stoke
Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted Javier Hernandez has been lucky to emerge from a wild tackle by Ashley Cole unscathed.

Walcott: Blame players, not Wenger
Theo Walcott believes Arsenal's poor start to the season is down to the players and not manager Arsene Wenger.

Pardew: Carroll needs more time
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew says criticism of his former star striker Andy Carroll is premature and the England international will prove his worth at Liverpool.

Ferguson defends United medical team
Sir Alex Ferguson has backed Manchester United's "brilliant" medical staff after Owen Hargreaves hit out at the treatment he received at Old Trafford.

Treatment regrets for Hargreaves
Midfielder Owen Hargreaves has claimed that he felt like a "guinea pig" at former club Manchester United while having treatment on knee problems.

Ginola: Ben Arfa set for great things
Former Newcastle United favourite David Ginola has tipped Hatem Ben Arfa to develop into one of the best players in the Barclays Premier League this season.

Shawcross: We can upset United
Stoke captain Ryan Shawcross believes that his side has a chance of beating the in-form champions when both sides clash on Saturday.

Mulumbu calls time on Congo career
West Brom midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu has announced his retirement from international football with DR Congo to concentrate on his club career.

Leci: Can you hear the drums?
ESPN Star Sports presenter Andrew Leci believes that Fernando Torres is facing a crossroads in his football career.

Wigan pleased with Rodallega return
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez hopes to see striker Hugo Rodallega return from a knee injury sooner than expected.

 

[ballsathome]

Wenger: Criticism doesn't bother me
Arsene Wenger maintains he is 'bulletproof' to the stinging criticism which has come his way following Arsenal's worst start under his 15 seasons in charge.

Dalglish pleased with Bellamy desire
Kenny Dalglish feels returning striker Craig Bellamy has "unfinished business" at Liverpool.

Everton snap up Marcus Hahnemann
American goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann has joined Everton on a short-term deal, the club have confirmed.

Wilshere to undergo ankle surgery
Arsenal have been hit with a major blow after it was confirmed that young midfielder Jack Wilshere will undergo surgery on his right ankle.

Sir Alex: Ferdinand still in my plans
Rio Ferdinand still has a major role to play at Manchester United, according to manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

United hit back at Hargreaves claims
Manchester United have rejected Owen Hargreaves' claims he was incorrectly given injections to cure long-standing knee problems during his time at Old Trafford.

Redknapp pleased with Adebayor impact
Harry Redknapp has been delighted with the start that Emmanuel Adebayor has made to his Tottenham career.

McCarthy: Wolves can upset Liverpool
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy admits he loves being a footballing giant-killer as his team look to topple Liverpool at Anfield again.

Blackburn aim for Newcastle victory
Blackburn will go hunting a win at Newcastle for the sixth season on the trot on Saturday, with Rovers manager Steve Kean looking to put one over on Alan Pardew.

"Wigan won't focus on Gareth Bale"
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez admits there can be no special plan for flying winger Gareth Bale because Tottenham have so many players who can hurt them.

Jol: Ruiz can shine against WBA
Fulham manager Martin Jol insists Bryan Ruiz will come good in time.

 

[ballsathome]

Saturday 24th September 2011

Premier League Weekend Team News

Ahead of this weekend's Barclays Premier League matches, we bring you all the news from the selection table.

Manchester City get the action started in Saturday's early kick-off against Everton, although it will be interesting to see how strong a side Citizens manager Roberto Mancini fields given he has a Champions League tie against Bayern Munich to think about just three days later.

Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United will all face the same selection dilemma in their matches against Swansea, Bolton and Stoke respectively.

Elsewhere, Tottenham will hope to build on last week's 4-0 win over Liverpool when they travel to play Wigan. The Reds themselves have a home match against Wolves.

Blackburn will look for a repeat of last week's 4-3 win over Arsenal when they travel to St James Park to play Newcastle, while West Brom entertain Fulham.

On Sunday, QPR host Aston Villa, while Monday's only match sees Sunderland travel to Norwich.

Saturday's Matches

Man City vs Everton

Roberto Mancini must decide whether to keep Kolo Toure in his starting line-up for Saturday's Barclays Premier League encounter with Everton at the Etihad Stadium. Toure returned from serving a six-month suspension for a failed drugs test in Wednesday's Carling Cup win over Birmingham but Mancini has to work out whether the Ivorian defender is fit enough to complete back-to-back matches.

Mancini has already decided that such a task would be too much for Owen Hargreaves, who hit out at Manchester United's medical team after ending three years on the sidelines with a goalscoring contribution to the Birmingham win. Everton boss David Moyes is likely to restore several players to his first XI.

Tim Howard, Sylvain Distin, Leon Osman and Tim Cahill were all left out of the team that started the Carling Cup third round victory over West Brom on Wednesday and are set to return.

Louis Saha - who has missed the last four games and been working on his fitness - vented his frustration on Twitter last weekend at not being selected for the squad to face Wigan and his chances of featuring against City remain unclear. Victor Anichebe (groin) is injured and new signing Marcus Hahnemann is not part of the squad heading to Manchester.

Man City (from): Hart, Pantilimon, Richards, Onuoha, Kompany, Kolo Toure, Savic, Lescott, Clichy, Kolarov, Bridge, Barry, Milner, Yaya Toure, Nasri, Aguero, Tevez, Silva, Zabaleta, Dzeko, Balotelli.

Everton (from): Howard, Heitinga, Hibbert, Neville, Distin, Jagielka, Baines, Barkley, Fellaini, Osman, Rodwell, Drenthe, Cahill, Stracqualursi, Mucha, Bilyaletdinov, Vellios, Gueye, Saha, Coleman.

Stoke vs Man United

Stoke will definitely be without striker Kenwyne Jones for Saturday's Barclays Premier League clash with Manchester United at the Britannia Stadium. The Trinidad and Tobago international damaged a hamstring in the penalty shoot-out victory over Tottenham in the Carling Cup on Tuesday and, although the injury is not as bad as first feared, he is likely to be out until after next month's international break.

Salif Diao, Cameron Jerome and Jermaine Pennant have all been struggling with niggles this week while utility man Danny Pugh has joined Leeds on loan. Manchester United forwards Javier Hernandez and Danny Welbeck will both be pushing for starting slots alongside Wayne Rooney in Saturday's Barclays Premier League game at Stoke.

Hernandez has made a rapid recovery from the shin injury he sustained in last weekend's win over Chelsea, while Welbeck returned from a hamstring problem in the midweek Carling Cup success at Leeds. Chris Smalling (groin) is a doubt, but fellow England defender Rio Ferdinand is set to return from a calf injury.

Stoke (from): Begovic, Wilson, Huth, Shawcross, Upson, Wilkinson, Whelan, Whitehead, Diao, Etherington, Walters, Sorensen, Shotton, Arismendi, Woodgate, Pennant, Delap, Crouch, Palacios, Jerome.

Manchester United (from): De Gea, Lindegaard, Evans, Evra, Fabio, Jones, Smalling, Ferdinand, Anderson, Carrick, Fletcher, Giggs, Nani, Park, Valencia, Young, Berbatov, Hernandez, Owen, Rooney, Welbeck.

Chelsea vs Swansea

Chelsea could change all 10 outfield players for Saturday's Barclays Premier League game against Swansea. A youthful Blues side were taken to penalties in their midweek Carling Cup third-round win over Fulham and manager Andre Villas-Boas was on Friday considering whether to rest everyone who started bar goalkeeper Petr Cech, who has recovered from the head knock suffered on Wednesday.

Alex is suspended and Daniel Sturridge out with a knee problem, while Michael Essien is still recovering from a long-term knee injury. Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers has no fresh injury concerns.

Striker Danny Graham is set to be available after missing the 3-0 win over West Brom with a back complaint, but may have to settle for a bench spot after Leroy Lita's goalscoring exploits against the Baggies.

Left-back Neil Taylor has recovered from the blow to the head he suffered in a challenge with Peter Odemwingie but Rodgers remains short of centre-halves with Alan Tate (broken leg) and Steven Caulker (knee) injured, so captain Garry Monk and Ashley Williams will again pair up in defence. Midfielder Kemy Agustien (hamstring) and striker Craig Beattie (ankle) are also sidelined.

Chelsea (from): Cech, Ivanovic, Bosingwa, Ferreira, Terry, Luiz, Cole, Bertrand, Mikel, Romeu, McEachran, Ramires, Lampard, Meireles, Mata, Malouda, Torres, Drogba, Anelka, Sturridge, Kalou, Lukaku, Turnbull.

Swansea (from): Vorm, Williams, Taylor, Britton, Graham, Sinclair, Dyer, Dobbie, Routledge, Monk, Lita, Moore, Bessone, Moreira, Rangel, Allen, Tremmel, Gower, Richards, Lucas.

Newcastle vs Blackburn

Newcastle midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa could be in line for his first Barclays Premier League appearance since October 3 last year as Blackburn arrive on Tyneside on Saturday. The France international played 70 minutes of Tuesday night's 4-3 Carling Cup win at Nottingham Forest, his first competitive action since breaking his leg in two places, and although manager Alan Pardew does not want to rush him back, he may figure at some point against Rovers.

Striker Shola Ameobi is a doubt with a shoulder problem, while Davide Santon has returned to training after having fluid drained from his knee but will miss out, as will Alan Smith (hamstring), Haris Vuckic (broken hand) and Mike Williamson (broken arm). David Goodwillie, Morten Gamst Pedersen and Michel Salgado are all fit for Blackburn.

The trio's return means Steve Kean has almost a full squad to choose from. Only David Dunn (calf) and Ryan Nelsen (knee) remain sidelined.

Newcastle (from): Krul, Elliot, Harper, Simpson, R. Taylor, Ferguson, Coloccini, S. Taylor, Tiote, Cabaye, Gutierrez, Marveaux, Obertan, Gosling, Guthrie, Ben Arfa, Abeid, Ba, Shola Ameobi, Lovenkrands, Best, Sammy Ameobi.

Blackburn (from): Robinson, Dann, Samba, Olsson, Salgado, Givet, Petrovic, Nzonzi, Hoilett, Formica, Goodwillie, Rochina, Lowe, Roberts, Yakubu, Vukcevic, Hanley, Pedersen, Slew, Blackman, Bunn.

Liverpool vs Wolves

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has a decision to make over whether to start Steven Gerrard against Wolves on Saturday after his captain ended a six-month injury lay-off with a 20-minute comeback in midweek. Midfielder Charlie Adam and Martin Skrtel are both available again after serving one-match suspensions in the Carling Cup win over Brighton for their red cards last weekend.

Skrtel is likely to replace Daniel Agger (broken rib) in central defence while Martin Kelly is expected to return at right-back with Glen Johnson (hamstring) still injured. Wolves skipper Roger Johnson and striker Steven Fletcher will return. Johnson missed the midweek Carling Cup win over Millwall with a sore calf while Fletcher has recovered from a recent groin injury.
Kevin Foley (ankle), Jody Craddock (hamstring), Ronald Zubar (groin) and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (knee) are still sidelined.

Liverpool (from): Reina, Kelly, Carragher, Skrtel, Enrique, Adam, Lucas, Kuyt, Gerrard, Downing, Suarez, Carroll, Doni, Flanagan, Coates, Robinson, Rodriguez, Spearing, Henderson, Carroll, Bellamy.

Wolves (from): Hennessey, Stearman, Johnson, Berra, Elokobi, Kightly, Henry, O'Hara, Jarvis, Ward, Doyle, Fletcher, De Vries, Guedioura, Hunt, Hammill, Milijas, Vokes, Edwards.

Wigan vs Tottenham

Wigan striker Hugo Rodallega will miss Saturday's visit of Tottenham and could be sidelined for a month after injuring his knee last weekend. Defender Emmerson Boyce was absent for the defeat at Everton with a hamstring problem and remains a doubt. Defenders Steven Gohouri (calf) and Antolin Alcaraz (thigh) are still not fully fit. Tottenham duo William Gallas and Aaron Lennon will miss the game.

Benoit Assou-Ekotto is doubtful due to a throat infection and Roman Pavlyuchenko and Niko Kranjcar will not travel to the north west because of hamstring injuries. Danny Rose (ankle) and Steven Pienaar (groin) are back in training but are unlikely to be risked while Michael Dawson (Achilles) and Tom Huddlestone (ankle) are definitely out.

Wigan (from): Al Habsi, Caldwell, Figueroa, Lopez, Watson, Diame, Moses, Gomez, Di Santo, Jones, Stam, Van Aanholt, McArthur, McCarthy, Thomas, Sammon, Maloney, Crusat, McManaman, Kirkland.

Tottenham (from): Gomes, Friedel, Cudicini, Bale, Kaboul, Bassong, Corluka, Walker, King, Assou-Ekotto, Rose, Parker, Modric, Livermore, Townsend, Carroll, Falque, Sandro, Pienaar, Pavlyuchenko, Defoe, Dos Santos, Adebayor, Van der Vaart.

Arsenal vs Bolton

Arsenal will welcome back midfielder Aaron Ramsey (ankle) and Tomas Rosicky (knee) for Saturday's Barclays Premier League game against Bolton at the Emirates Stadium. Full-back Bacary Sagna has recovered from a dead leg suffered in the 4-3 defeat at Blackburn. However, midfielder Yossi Benayoun (thigh) and centre-half Johan Djourou (hamstring) picked up minor knocks in the midweek Carling Cup win over Shrewsbury.

Midfielders Jack Wilshere, Abou Diaby and defender Thomas Vermaelen continue their rehabilitation from ankle injuries. Bolton manager Owen Coyle will make a late check on Stuart Holden before deciding on the United States midfielder's availability. Holden returned from a six-month absence with a knee injury in Tuesday's win at Aston Villa but Coyle does not want to jeopardise the influential midfielder's fitness by demanding too much, too soon.

Ricardo Gardner (groin) will also be checked after making his first appearance of the season at Villa Park as the Trotters look to end a four-game losing streak by beating Arsenal away from home in the league for the first time since 1962.

Arsenal (from): Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Santos, Walcott, Song, Ramsey, Arteta, Van Persie, Gervinho, Fabianski, Arshavin, Chamakh, Coquelin, Frimpong, Gibbs, Rosicky.

Bolton (from): Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, Knight, Robinson, Eagles, Muamba, Reo-Coker, Petrov, Holden, K Davies, Tuncay, Bogdan, Wheater, Gardner, M Davies, Pratley, Kakuta, Ngog, Blake.

West Brom vs Fulham

Fulham could have defender Aaron Hughes back from a knee injury for the trip to West Brom. Forward Andrew Johnson (ankle) is also close to being in contention, but midfielder Dickson Etuhu (thigh) and defender Bjorn Helge Riise (groin) remain sidelined. Brede Hangeland, Damien Duff, Clint Dempsey and captain Danny Murphy are all set to feature after being rested for the midweek Carling Cup penalty shoot-out defeat at Chelsea.

West Brom manager Roy Hodgson will revert to his first-choice side. Hodgson made nine changes for the Carling Cup defeat at Everton, with only Jonas Olsson and Peter Odemwingie surviving, but most of those should return. Defender Gabriel Tamas remains suspended following his red card against Norwich, but striker Shane Long could return after illness ruled him out of Wednesday's game.

West Brom (from): Bednar, Brunt, Cox, Dorrans, Fortune, Foster, Fulop, Jara, B Jones, Long, McAuley, Morrison, Mulumbu, Odemwingie, J Olsson, Reid, Scharner, Shorey, Thomas, Tchoyi, Daniels.

Fulham (from): Schwarzer, Hughes, Hangeland, Baird, J Riise, Kelly, Sidwell, Duff, Kasami, Murphy, Dempsey, Dembele, Ruiz, Zamora, Etheridge, Senderos, Briggs, Grygera, Frei, Gecov, Sa, Johnson.

Sunday's Matches

QPR vs Aston Villa

QPR have no fresh injury concerns heading into Sunday's Barclays Premier League match against Aston Villa. Kieron Dyer remains out with a foot injury, while Clint Hill joined Nottingham Forest on loan this week. Jamie Mackie is not yet fit to feature but returned to full training on Friday for the first time since suffering a double leg break against Blackburn in January.

Aston Villa striker and record signing Darren Bent has been ruled out of the game. Fellow forward Emile Heskey (hamstring) is still sidelined but transfer deadline day signing Jermaine Jenas is given a 50-50 chance of recovering from a thigh problem. Villa boss Alex McLeish has recalled rookie striker Andreas Weimann from a loan spell at Watford while Charles N'Zogbia will return to the side after being rested for the Carling Cup tie with Bolton.

QPR (from): Kenny, Derry, Hall, Gabbidon, Taarabt, Campbell, Bothroyd, Faurlin, Traore, Buzsaky, Connolly, Barton, Young, Smith, Helguson, Murphy, Wright-Phillips, Ferdinand, Puncheon

Aston Villa (from): Given, Guzan, Hutton, Collins, Dunne, Warnock, Bannan, Petrov, Delph, N'Zogbia, Agbonlahor, Delfouneso, Weimann, Ireland, Albrighton, Beye, Jenas, Gardner, Lowry.

Monday's Matches

Norwich vs Sunderland

Norwich will again be without centre-half Zak Whitbread (hamstring) for Monday night's Barclays Premier League clash against Sunderland at Carrow Road. Manager Paul Lambert has no fresh injury worries, and could freshen his team up after making half a dozen changes for last week's win at Bolton, with captain Grant Holt pressing for a recall.
Defenders Elliott Ward (knee) and Dani Ayala (both knee) remain out.

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce will again be without full-back Phil Bardsley. Bardsley will sit out the second of four games through suspension after being charged on video evidence with a second sending-off offence for the season during the 2-1 home defeat by Chelsea.

Bruce otherwise has no fresh concerns with midfielder David Meyler having played 45 minutes for the reserves in midweek, although he is not yet ready to return to senior action after a second serious knee problem, while Craig Gordon and Fraizer Campbell (also knee) continue to work their way back to fitness.

Norwich (from): Ruddy, Tierney, Barnett, R Martin, Naughton, Fox, Johnson, Hoolahan, Crofts, Pilkington, Holt, Bennett, Morison, Vaughan, C Martin, de Laet, Surman, Rudd.

Sunderland (from): Mignolet, Westwood, Brown, O'Shea, Richardson, Turner, Bramble, Laing, Cattermole, Gardner, Vaughan, Larsson, Colback, Elmohamady, Bendtner, Sessegnon, Wickham, Ji, McClean, Cook.

 

[ballsathome]

wolves away form is horrendous

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy admits he loves being a footballing giant-killer as his team look to topple Liverpool at Anfield again.

Let's do it again Mick.

 

[ballsathome]

Fergie: Rooney facing spell out
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson expects Wayne Rooney to be out for more than a week after the England striker missed their 1-1 draw at Stoke.
​

Hutton hits out at ex-boss Redknapp
Former Tottenham right-back Alan Hutton has hit out at Spurs boss Harry Redknapp following his exit from White Hart Lane.

Mancini backs Balotelli to shine
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini is expecting a major contribution from Mario Balotelli this season.

Bruce: No Sunderland-Gordon talks yet
Steve Bruce has admitted he can't start contract talks with Sunderland goalkeeper Craig Gordon anytime soon.

Mancini: Hargreaves could face United
Roberto Mancini has raised the spectre of Owen Hargreaves facing old club Manchester United at Old Trafford next month.

"Don't blame Arsenal's medical team"
Ex-Arsenal star Ray Parlour has defended the club's medical team, despite Jack Wilshere's continued troubles with his ankle.


​

Redknapp keen to keep Adebayor
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp admitted he would love to sign Emmanuel Adebayor on a permanent basis after the on-loan striker inspired Spurs to a 2-1 win at Wigan.

AVB won't seek Torres apology
Andre Villas-Boas insisted Fernando Torres had "nothing to apologise for" despite the striker's sending off in Chelsea's Barclays Premier League 4-1 win over Swansea.

Ancelotti eyes Premier League return
Former Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti insists he is not planning to take a year out of football and would return straight away if the right opportunity came up.

Drogba: I'm lucky to still be alive
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba felt he was "lucky to still be alive" after a collision in his side's match against Norwich left him with concussion and a perforated eardrum.

Aguero reveals Owen admiration
Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has revealed his admiration for Michael Owen, despite the latter playing for arch-rivals Manchester United.

 

[ballsathome]

Mancini: Balotelli has bright future
Roberto Mancini believes Mario Balotelli has all the attributes required to become one of the world's top strikers - if he can just keep his mind focused on the job.

Blackburn hit by injury worries
Blackburn boss Steve Kean has been left sweating over the fitness of Scott Dann, Gael Givet and Michel Salgado following Saturday's 3-1 defeat to Newcastle.

Warnock: I almost quit QPR
Neil Warnock has admitted he would have quit Queens Park Rangers had Tony Fernandes not taken over the club.

David Moyes angry with Kompany
Everton boss David Moyes has accused Vincent Kompany of deliberately trying to hurt Tim Cahill during the 2-0 defeat at Manchester City.

 

[ballsathome]

Monday 26th September 2011

AVB: Lampard must fight for place

Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas has told his 'superstar' players - including Frank Lampard - to fight for their starting places.

Lampard, who was an unused substitute in the Blues' 4-1 win over Swansea on Saturday, has thrown his future at Stamford Bridge into doubt by walking away from the bench during the match.

Villas-Boas is believed to be planning a gradual sifting out of aged players such as Lampard, who has been a regular fixture at the club over the years.

And according to the Daily Mail, the Portuguese coach has made it clear to his players that they would have to fight for their places as he looks to implement a squad rotation policy this season.

Villas-Boas, meanwhile, has insisted that Lampard remains an important player in his plans this season and that one should not read too much into his recent exclusion from the starting line-up.

"Lampard (is still) an iconic and a fantastic player, and a key player for sure, no doubt about it," he was quoted as saying.

"He started five games and played 90 minutes in four of them. We count on him like we count on the others."

 

[ballsathome]

Bale happy to take the hits
Tottenham talisman Gareth Bale has no problem being kicked by Barclays Premier League defenders - as long as referees keep sending them off.

Suitors eye El Hadji Diouf
Former Blackburn forward El Hadji Diouf is attracting interest from a number of clubs with Wigan and Doncaster leading the chase.

Wilshere faces five months out
Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere will be sidelined for a period of between four and five months following surgery to remedy a stress fracture to his right ankle.

Wright-Phillips enjoying QPR life
Recent QPR signing Shaun Wright-Phillips admits he is loving life at Loftus Road.

Milner: No problem with Balotelli
James Milner insists Mario Balotelli has not stepped out of line during his wait to break into the Manchester City team and has hailed the striker as "top quality".

Bramble backing Steve Bruce stay
Titus Bramble believes Sunderland would have nothing to gain if they opted to sack manager Steve Bruce so early in the new season.

Jagielka delivers Man City warning
Phil Jagielka believes Everton produced the type of approach Manchester City will have to get used to playing against during Saturday's game at the Etihad Stadium.

Torres thankful for Chelsea support
Fernando Torres has thanked Chelsea's fans for refusing to turn on him after the £50million man's Stamford Bridge career hit a new low.

Van Persie coy over Arsenal future
Robin van Persie has revealed he is in no rush to sign a contract extension at Arsenal - but insisted he is happy with his current deal.

Dalglish hails inspirational Suarez
Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish admits striker Luis Suarez is the man his side look to for inspiration and is delighted he has delivered so far.

 

[ballsathome]

Tuesday 27th September 2011

Ferguson troubled by TV power

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has launched an attack on television's power over football - saying clubs are having to pay the price for "shaking hands with the devil".

The Scot also claimed that clubs do not get enough cash from TV deals.

United earned more than £60million in television money from the Premier League last season plus a further £46million from the Champions League.

But Ferguson said the clubs deserved more from overseas rights and he blamed television schedules for creating "ridiculous situations" for teams playing in Europe.

He said the vast amount of money pumped into the game by broadcasters means clubs have lost control of their fixture lists.

Ferguson told BBC North West Tonight: "When you shake hands with the devil you have to pay the price. Television is God at the moment.

"It shows itself quite clearly because when you see the fixture lists come out now, they can pick and choose whenever they want the top teams on television.

"You get some ridiculous situations when you're playing on Wednesday night in Europe and then at lunchtime the following Saturday.

"You ask any manager if they would pick that themselves and there would be no chance."

The Premier League have seen the biggest growth in the value of television rights from overseas deals - the current deals are worth a total of £1.4billion over three years, more than double the previous amount.

Ferguson insisted the clubs deserved more however.

He pointed out the Premier League sold their product to 200 countries and added: "When you think of that I don't think we get enough money."

 

[ballsathome]

Tuesday 27th September 2011

Ferguson turns off the "hairdryer"

Ahead of their Champions League clash against Basle, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson gave an insight to his softer side.

After almost a quarter of a century managing the Premier League giants, the Scot gave an insight towards what has driven him all these years, as well as how he has toned down his temper to suit footballers of a newer generation, according to reports in the Daily Mail.

Reflecting on his character over the past two decades, Ferguson admitted: "It's my own make up. I like to see myself in all of my players and that is somewhat obsessive. I'm driven. I don't like losing.

"It's been instilled through the years. It becomes a normal situation when players come into the squad and say "I'd better be like the rest or I won't be here too long". It's driven by me, of course.

"When I started at 32, I made sure I wasn't going to fail in this job but I've mellowed. Maybe I've got a short fuse but it goes away quicker", he revealed.

"I switch off quite quickly now. When I was younger, dealing with people away from the game was difficult. At Aberdeen, my assistant Archie Knox and I would find a corner of the pub but someone would come over and voice an opinion, which wouldn't go down well.

"Now I just go straight home and what's really important is the post-match drinks with visiting coaches. We never talk about the game because it's gone. You accept it. It's about dealing with people with the same problems as yourself, the same anxieties, the same feelings of losing", Ferguson admitted.

The Manchester United manager also talked about "the hairdryer" treatment that he has reserved for players who incurred his ire over the years, and whether or not he has damaged stars with his treatment, especially in light of a rumoured bust-up with David Beckham.

"I hope not," replied Ferguson. "There's a lot of myth attached to that. In training there's nothing but praise for every player. Nothing but positives.

"Where David and other people are coming from is how I react to defeat, which is not easy for me. I don't think I should change. I don't like people who change. I think you should stick by your nature. But after it's over it's over. I never go back. Tomorrow is another day for me.

"The hairdryer is part of the myth and the circus. It's completely exaggerated, like throwing the tea cups.

"But I'm a confrontational character and I don't like people arguing back to me. I think that's where the hairdryer treatment came from", he concluded.

 

[ballsathome]

Lucas: Henderson will come good
Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva has sprung to the defence of new signing Jordan Henderson by telling critics the England Under-21 international must be given time to settle in.

Darren Bent back for Aston Villa
Aston Villa have received a huge boost with the news that striker Darren Bent has returned from injury.

AVB dismayed by Lampard speculation
Andre Villas-Boas hit out at the "negative" readings of Frank Lampard's reduced role at Chelsea, insisting he is still one of the club's key players.

Clarke: Red's poor start due to changes
Liverpool first-team coach Steve Clarke believes the club's "average start" to the season is partly due to the changes taking place within the squad.

Barton has England call-up hopes
Recent QPR signing Joey Barton admits he would welcome an England call-up and could see himself playing until his forties.

Wenger backs Gunners medical staff
Arsene Wenger is adamant Arsenal's medical staff are not to blame for Jack Wilshere's extended absence.

Wolves set for McFadden talks
Wolves are ready to open talks over a deal for Scotland international James McFadden.

Wenger calm over Van Persie contract
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger insists there is no issue with Robin van Persie's contract situation.

Jonas puts pen to Newcastle extension
Argentina international Jonas Gutierrez has signed a new contract which will keep him at Newcastle until 2015.

Kuyt unsettled by losing Liverpool place
Dirk Kuyt has admitted that he is upset at sitting out of Liverpool's starting eleven on several occasions this season.

Wright backs Ade to hurt Gunners
Arsenal legend Ian Wright reckons it is "written in the stars" that Emmanuel Adebayor will score for Tottenham in Sunday's North London derby.

 

[ballsathome]

Tuesday 27th September 2011

No Qatar bid for Man United

The Qatar Investment Authority's executive chairman has denied making a takeover bid for Manchester United.

Permission was granted last week for United to launch a floatation on the Singapore Stock Market, allowing the club to open dialogue with potential investors.

The development fuelled discussion about the future ownership of United, with reports suggesting that Qatar prime minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani was in London to negotiate a£1.6bn purchase of the club.

Sheikh Hamad, who is also Qatari royalty and executive chairman of the QIA, says he has no interest in assuming control of the Premier League club.

"That's not true," said Sheikh Hamad in an interview on the Qatar-owned Al Jazeera channel.

"We announced a few weeks ago that we did not negotiate that. A lot of people talk about 'Qatar now will buy this, they will pay that.'

This also makes the price good for anything that will be sold."

The precise details of United's plans were not announced when their planned floatation was given the go-ahead, although it is thought the Glazer family are looking to sell 25 per cent of the club, which they hope will net them £600million.

 

[no_faith]

with reports suggesting that Qatar prime minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani was in London to negotiate a£1.6bn purchase of the club.

aiseh, prime minister can chicai use state funds to buy football club.