Boro won't give up fight

Gareth Southgate refuses to accept Middlesbrough are doomed to relegation, despite last night's damaging Tyne-Tees derby defeat at Newcastle.

Boro took the lead at St James' Park but second-half goals from Obafemi Martins and Peter Lovenkrands earned Newcastle a 3-1 win, lifting the Magpies out of the relegation zone and leaving the visitors deep in trouble.

Southgate's men are three points from safety with two games to go, but the Boro boss insists they will not give up the fight.

It's difficult for us to take, but we have to lift ourselves,' he said of last night's defeat.

'Even though it's out of our hands now, we have got six points to play for. We have to try to take them, and you just never know.

'It might still happen. We have got to just win our matches.'

Boro host Southgate's former club Aston Villa on Saturday before finishing their season away to West Ham on May 24.

Southgate, who lost record signing Afonso Alves to a suspected broken bone in his foot at Newcastle, was left to reflect on key decisions which went against his side in the run-up to Martins' strike.

He said: 'For them to lose in manner we did having gone ahead is very difficult for all of us to take. It's a tough evening for everyone associated with our football club.

'The players gave everything, but unfortunately, key events on the night went against us.

'The second goal, looking at the television pictures, I thought at the time it was a foul on Huth by Viduka, but it was also offside.

'It then dropped straight to their guy - they are key things and unfortunately, they didn't go for us.'

Spurs boss Redknapp to ban booze after King arrest

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp says he'll ban his players from drinking alcohol after Ledley King's weekend arrest outside a London nightclub.

Defender King was arrested for an alleged assault in the early hours of Sunday morning, after a night out drinking with friends.

And Redknapp claimed: 'I'll implement a strong rule next season that drinking is a no-no here. Footballers should not drink.
You shouldn't put diesel in a Ferrari. I know it's hard but they are earning big money, they are role models to kids. They should dedicate their lives to playing.'

King has since apologised to Redknapp, describing the incident as 'a night out with friends" which "went too far'.

But the Tottenham boss added: 'We wouldn't get these problems if the players weren't drinking. 'There's still too much of a drinking culture in English football but it's not as bad as it used to be.

'At Tottenham we do a lot with kids, a lot of them underprivileged.

'We have to set an example. Too much drinking goes on in this country. Too many people are not happy unless they have had a drink.'

Arsenal new boy Arshavin 'baffled' by left-wing role

Arsenal's bad week appears to have got worse, with new Emirates Stadium idol Andrey Arshavin claiming he is 'baffled' by Arsene Wenger's insistence on playing him on the left wing.

The Russian playmaker has proved a huge hit in north London, scoring six goals in ten Premier League starts and quickly establishing himself as a favourite with supporters.

However, Gunners boss Wenger has often deployed the 27-year-old on the left of midfield, a decision Arshavin - used to playing as a second striker for Zenit St Petersburg and Russia - admits he struggles to understand.
'My personal plan for my initial three months with Arsenal wasn't about scoring a certain number of goals or making a set number of assists,' he told a Russian newspaper.

'I wanted to get the feeling whether I can play in England or not. Sometimes I feel that I can but other times that I don't. It's probably because that I play as a left midfielder.

'I still can't get used to the idea that I'm capable of playing on the left of midfield - and frankly having to do it keeps me baffled.

'I don't understand if it's only because God is taking care of me, or I really can play so well as a left-winger.'

Arshavin indicated he wouldn't mind being replaced in his position by another Russian - CSKA Moscow international Yuri Zhyrkov, who is strong playing all along left side of the pitch and has been linked with Chelsea.

'Yes, I know Yuri well,' added Arshavin. 'But the problem is, would he like to move to Arsenal?'

Arshavin missed the Gunners game against Chelsea on Sunday for having a flu but he expects to be fully recovered by Saturday when his team faces Manchester United at Old Trafford.