Lampard: This is my best season yet

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard claims he is having the best season of his career.

The 30-year-old has scored 12 Premier League goals during a campaign in which the Blues started inconsistently under Luiz Felipe Scolari but have returned to form since the arrival of Guus Hiddink in February.

Chelsea are still in with a shout for three trophies as they are in the FA Cup final, the last four of the Champions League and are four points off leaders Manchester United in the Barclays Premier League.

I think personally it has been my best season,' said Lampard.

'Over the course of the season different things have cropped up, and as a group we've had some ups and downs, but I'm very pleased with the way I've been playing.

'Hopefully my thirties can be my best years. I'm more experienced, more aware of how to play the game and how to manage myself in between games.

'People used to joke about me hitting shots from all over the pitch, and when you're younger you do try a lot of things.

'Now I'm looking for the right moment to slip people in and the right moment to score.

'If you can make two assists like I did on Saturday you don't get the glory of scoring the goal, but you get the glory of winning the game.'

It has been almost two years since Chelsea won a major trophy and Lampard is delighted they have a good chance of ending the drought this season.

'When you have a couple of years of winning leagues and cups and then a couple of barren years you're upset about not winning anything,' he said.

'We're close to winning again and we are playing as well as we did during those times. I hate to compare the Mourinho era, but there's certainly an element of that strength and belief in the team we had then.

'We lost that at the start of the season. We lost points and games through giving away late goals, but now there's a much stronger feeling.'

Bent could quit Spurs to boost World Cup hopes

Tottenham striker Darren Bent admits his future at White Hart Lane is likely to be decided in the next month and will depend on the role he plays in the club's late push for European football.

Bent is Spurs' top scorer this season with 16 goals but the return of Jermain Defoe and Robbie Keane has intensified competition for starting places.

Defoe has now recovered from his foot injury and it means Bent could be back on the bench after starting the last six Premier League games.
With five matches to go and Spurs chasing a seventh-placed finish, Bent agreed who starts in those matches could point towards where his future lies.

'No one likes to sit on the bench,' said the 25-year-old, who scored the winner in the victory against Newcastle at the weekend.

'I'll have to see what happens and take it from there,' he said. 'My season has been up and down. The end of the season is coming and we'll have to see what happens after that.'

Bent feels there is an England World Cup place up for grabs next year if he is playing regular football.

However, he admitted: 'If you don't play for your club regularly you won't play for England. As long as I keep working hard and scoring, hopefully I'll be in there.'

England boss Fabio Capello was at White Hart Lane to see Bent in action at the weekend and the striker added: 'Wayne Rooney is obviously the No.1 [striker] and there is always a fight for the other spot.

'As long as I can keep scoring goals and playing well when he's [Capello] watching me, it's all I can ask for.'

Manchester United to raise price of season ticket

Manchester United have confirmed they will increase season ticket prices by £1 a game next term.

While many clubs have reduced prices to attract more cash-strapped fans at a time of a global economic crisis, United once again feel confident about bucking the trend because they are still turning away an average of almost 5,500 fans per game.

Fans' groups are not too impressed with the rises, which take the cost of a ticket to a top-price £49. The cheapest ticket at Old Trafford will be £27.
However, United feel the continued clamour to watch Sir Alex Ferguson's men - average Premier League attendances this season are 75,299 - is justified.

'We are still turning away over 5,000 people per game on average and we believe it represents good value for money,' said a United spokesman.

Earlier this month, the Glazer family revealed debts of £650million.

Since then the OFT have refused to ask United to scrap their automatic cup scheme, meaning fans who do decide to purchase a season ticket - which will be reduced in number - are again committed to purchasing tickets for all cup games, apart from the Carling Cup.

In addition, the decision of the Treasury to refuse to acknowledge tickets purchased last year should be reduced because of the mid-season cut in VAT has effectively meant supporters have felt no benefit, other than with their cup purchases.

United claim they are 'highly unlikely' to add the additional 59 pence to a £27 ticket when VAT returns to its previous 17.5% level on December 31, although supporters' groups remain unimpressed.

'It has been said in the past that the owners of the club will squeeze United supporters until the pips squeak and this is clearly the case,' said Sean Bones, vice-chairman of the Manchester United Supporters Trust.

'Earlier in the year, the government gave a 2.5% reduction on the price of VAT on tickets.

'The Glazers have absorbed this benefit and added more increases on top.'

Arshavin: Arsenal fans have still to see best of me

Andrey Arshavin maintains there is plenty more to come from him after the Russian's four goals put a massive dent in Liverpool's title bid at Anfield last night.

The 27-year-old produced a brilliant individual display as Arsenal almost snatched victory over the Reds, but were once again undone by poor defending as Yossi Benayoun grabbed an equaliser deep into stoppage time as an amazing match ended 4-4.

Arshavin cannot play in the Champions League semi-final against Manchester United as he turned out for Zenit St Petersburg earlier in this season's competition.
However, the deadline-day signing - left on the bench for most of the FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday - insists his display last night is only the start of things to come.

'I do not think I have adapted yet because in the first half I was quiet, except for the one moment when I scored,' the Russian said.

'It is difficult, but I will try - I need time.

'I am a new player, I have to go through [my own] pre-season and then everything will be better.'

Arshavin added: 'I had only scored a hat-trick twice in my career.

'I feel good, but also disappointed because we did not get the victory.

'Both teams wanted to win. What can I say? It was unbelievable football, but that is England for you.'

Arsenal - now unbeaten in the Premier League for 19 matches - host Middlesbrough on Sunday before heading to Old Trafford for the first leg of their European tie on April 29.

Manager Arsene Wenger accepts his makeshift defence - which could have first-choice goalkeeper Manuel Almunia back from an ankle injury - must cut out costly basic errors.

He said: 'The big regret we have is that 10 minutes into the second half we were 2-1 down, but not from something created by Liverpool - it was from balls we did not clear properly from the back.

'Now we want to continue our unbeaten run in the Premier League and also qualify in the Champions League.'

Shearer pins Newcastle hopes on Barton

Newcastle manager Alan Shearer is hoping forgotten man Joey Barton can revitalise his midfield.

The former Manchester City star (pictured) is expected to return to full training this week after recovering from a fractured metatarsal, putting him in contention for the must-win Premier League clash with Portsmouth on Monday evening.

Newcastle have just five games in which to avoid relegation from the Premier League and Shearer said: 'If everything goes well over the next few days, we might have him [Barton] in full training on Thursday or Friday.

He can run on and get past the forwards, which, with all due respect, Nicky Butt, who is 34, can't do. 'If Joey is there to do that, it would free up other players.'

Liverpool legend Dalglish ready to return to Anfield

Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish has admitted he would love a return to the club he served so well as a player and a manager.

Speculation at the weekend suggested the 58-year-old Scot was to be brought in to oversee youth development at the club.

And although Dalglish, who had a 14-year spell at Anfield before quitting as manager in 1991, said he had little knowledge of any possible approach, he stressed he would be happy to help out. 'I was as far removed from the weekend's speculation about me returning to a role at Liverpool Football Club as it was possible to be but that's not to say the Sunday paper stories and TV debate escaped me,' he told LFC Magazine.

'All I can say at the moment is what I've said many times; if I can help Liverpool Football Club in any way, shape or form then I'm in. That's not a new revelation.

'If I can be of help to the club I love in any capacity then I'm more than happy to play any part that I can.

'If the manager (Rafael Benitez) or the people running the club think there's a role for me then I'll fill it happily.

'Similarly, if the club think the best thing for the club is for me to stay out of the way then I'm not going to take offence at that either.

'At the moment there's not much more that I can say other than that if and when there's anything to say to the supporters - the people who keep this club alive - then they will be the first to know.'

Ipswich sack boss Magilton

Ipswich have confirmed they have sacked manager Jim Magilton after the club's failure to make the Coca-Cola Championship play-offs.

Magilton was appointed in June 2006 and after being handed £12million to spend on players by new owner Marcus Evans was expected to challenge for promotion this season.

However, despite beating deadly rivals Norwich 3-2 on Sunday, Ipswich are marooned in midtable, some 12 points adrift of the top six. Magilton had been under fire from Ipswich fans for the majority of the season after a lack of progress on the field despite spending heavily on new players like David Norris, Jon Stead and Veliche Shumulikoski.

In a statement Evans said: 'Today is a sad day for me.

'I have enjoyed working with Jim over the past 15 months and no one has worked harder to bring success to Ipswich Town in that time.

'Jim has a passion for the club but unfortunately we have not made the progress both he and I expected this season.

'I would like to put on record my thanks for his commitment to this Football Club and wish him every success for the future.'

Assistant manager John Gorman, who arrived to help Magilton at the end of January, has also left Portman Road.

No announcement has yet been made over who will take charge of the final two games of the season while Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock has already been linked with the post.

Ferguson treasures Scholes the unsaleable

Paul Scholes will make his 600th appearance for Manchester United against Portsmouth tonight - with boss Sir Alex Ferguson claiming he has never once had an approach by a rival club for the midfielder.

Scholes is a famously private man and very rarely speaks to the press but at Old Trafford he will join a select band of United legends to reach the 600 milestone.

Only Bill Foulkes, Sir Bobby Charlton and current team-mate Ryan Giggs have played more often for the Red Devils than the former England midfielder, who made his debut as a 19-year-old against Port Vale in 1994.
And Ferguson says not once has another manager enquired about Scholes' availability.

'Funnily enough we have never had one enquiry for Paul,' said the United boss. 'You know why? Because they all know he will never leave.

'Maybe he has had private situations where people have begged him to join them because that is how it happens with agents phoning up and all that nonsense.

'But they all know he wouldn't leave here.' Scholes will aim to help his side recover from their FA Cup semi-final defeat on penalties by Everton on Sunday as they attempt to strengthen their bid for the Premier league title.

And Ferguson rates the 34-year-old, who retired from international duty in 2004, among the best players the club has ever seen.

'At United, you can go back to the Best, Law and Charlton era,' added Ferguson. 'Before that you have Duncan Edwards. You are talking a wide panorama of players.

'But in my time he would be in the top six or seven without a doubt. His contribution and quality have been great, even without the fantastic goals he has scored.'

Scholes will earn a starting place against Pompey, along with Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, who missed the Wembley clash.

Ryan Giggs, who holds the United appearance record with 798, Dimitar Berbatov and Patrice Evra are all expected to return with only Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic remaining from the semi-final team.