Gerrard out for another week

Liverpool have confirmed Steven Gerrard will miss the Barclays Premier League match with Arsenal on Tuesday after being ruled out for at least one more week with an adductor injury.

The Liverpool skipper aggravated the problem ahead of the the Champions League encounter with Chelsea on Tuesday, forcing him to sit out the second-leg clash at Stamford Bridge which saw the Blues progress with a 7-5 aggregate win.

"In the training session before the Champions League game at Chelsea, Steven Gerrard unfortunately aggravated a small strain he had previously suffered in his adductor muscle," a Liverpool spokesman confirmed on Saturday. "A scan has since confirmed our medical team's initial diagnosis and the player is expected to be out for between seven and 10 days."

Brown back to boost United glory bid

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes Wes Brown’s return from injury could not be better timed as the club look to clean up when the trophies are handed out at the end of the season.

Brown has missed the last 15 matches because of a foot injury and will sit out Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final with Everton.

But the England defender is back in training and could have a run out with United’s reserves next week with a view to making himself available for the crucial run-in.

Having already secured the FIFA Club World Championship and the League Cup, United are chasing success in the Premier League, the FA Cup and the Champions League.

And Ferguson believes 29-year-old Brown can play a key role in helping the club sweep up.

“Wes Brown has started training with the first team again and that’s great news,” said the United manager. “I’m contemplating playing him in a reserve game soon.

“It’s maybe a bit early, but given the time of the season and the important games we have got coming up, we may rush him back. It’s a thought.

“It will be good to have him available because he is such a fantastic defender. His availability would give us options.”

Meanwhile, Ferguson has restated his criticism of the decision to play this season’s FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley Stadium.

United take on Everton in the last four on Sunday after the venue has staged the tie between London rivals Chelsea and Arsenal on Saturday.

Ferguson believes the Football Association should have left Wembley for the final and staged his team’s clash closer to home.

“It used to be that the only way to get to Wembley was to get to the final,” said Ferguson.

“There are some great players who never got the chance to play there. It’s hard to take that the semi final is at Wembley when the final is there as well.”

Bayern target leaders Wolfsburg

Bayern Munich welcome back Germany star Bastian Schweinsteiger for Saturday’s Bundesliga clash at Bielefeld as they look to put their Champions League heartbreak behind them and chase league leaders Wolfsburg.

Schweinsteiger scored in last Saturday’s 4-0 league win over Frankfurt, but a knee injury kept him out of Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Barcelona which knocked Bayern out of the Champions League.

“We hope that the problem will be healed by the weekend,” said Bayern boss Jurgen Klinsmann with his side second in the table.

Schweinsteiger’s Germany team-mate Lukas Podolski is still out with a calf problem and the striker has not trained with the team this week.

As Bayern focus their thoughts on retaining their Bundesliga title, Klinsmann says it is all about points now and the ex-Germany boss was booed by his own fans at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday.

“We have to concentrate purely on the Bundesliga and win points, points, points,” said Klinsmann, with Italians Carlo Ancelotti and Robert Mancini both being linked to his job by the Italian media.

Bayern are three points behind leaders Wolfsburg, who are at home to Bayer Leverkusen.

Wolfsburg have few injury worries as they prepare to host Leverkusen. Strikers Edin Dzeko and Brazilian Grafite have scored 36 league goals between them, but coach Felix Magath is keeping his feet on the ground.

“Look at Hertha Berlin: three rounds ago, they were four points ahead of us. Now, they are five points behind. It can happen so fast,” said Magath, with Hertha now fourth in the league.

Hamburg, who qualified for the UEFA Cup semi-finals on Thursday, are at home to strugglers Hanover, who shocked Hertha Berlin 2-0 last weekend.

Hamburg are level on points with Bayern and can still win the treble of the Bundesliga, German Cup and UEFA Cup this season.

Hertha Berlin are in danger of dropping out of the title race and another defeat at home to Werder Bremen on Sunday will seriously damage their hopes.

Hot-shot striker Andrei Voronin has been banned for three games after being sent off last weekend, while fellow forward Marko Pantelic is out with a groin strain.

Having climbed up to fifth in the league thanks to Germany striker Mario Gomez scoring an injury-time goal last week, Stuttgart have a good chance to take three more goals at strugglers Cologne.

Gomez has now hit 15 goals in 26 league games this season.

In the weekend’s other games, Schalke 04 are at home to strugglers Energie Cottbus on Friday while bottom club Karlsruhe are home to Hoffenheim who are now 10 points off Wolfsburg and effectively out of the title race.

Mid-table sides Bochum and Dortmund will slug it out Saturday and Eintracht Frankfurt, who were humbled 4-0 at Bayern on Saturday, are up against Borussia Moenchengladbach who are third from bottom and in the relegation zone.

Friday

Schalke 04 v Energie Cottbus

Saturday

Arminia Bielefeld v Bayern Munich, Cologne v VfB Stuttgart, VfL Wolfsburg v Bayer Leverkusen, VfL Bochum v Borussia Dortmund, Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia M’gladbach, Karlsruhe v Hoffenheim

Sunday

Hertha Berlin v Werder Bremen, Hamburg v Hanover 96

Gerets rejects Belgium job

Marseille’s Belgian coach Eric Gerets has turned down the chance to become the coach of his country’s national team, the Belgian Football Federation (URBSFA) revealed on Friday.

The president of the federation’s technical committee “contacted Mr Eric Gerets with regard to the appointment of a new national team coach”, according to a statement from the URBSFA.

“Mr Gerets declared himself honoured to have been considered for a role which he cannot take up in the immediate future, but remains opens to proposals in the medium to long term,” the statement added.

Gerets, 54, “thanked the federation for the interest in him they had shown”, the brief statement concluded.

Belgium are looking for a successor to 55-year-old Rene Vandereycken, who was sacked at the beginning of the month after a string of poor results in Belgium’s World Cup 2010 qualifying camapign.

“I’ve always said that to be coach of your own country is an honour,” said Gerets last week. “I haven’t changed my opinion. It would be ideal when it is possible for everyone at the right time.”

Gerets has guided Marseille to the top of the French first division and the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup although they were knocked out by Shakhtar Donetsk on Thursday.

Juve playing for pride not title

Serie A’s top two come face to face in an epic battle at Turin’s Stadio Olimpico on Saturday with only seven matches left until the end of the season.

The scene should have been set for a massive title decider but instead the whole event risks turning into a damp squib.

Not because the two sides aren’t worthy of their position at the top of the table or because there won’t be top class players on display but because Juventus have as good as given up the ghost.

They trail Inter by 10 points with just seven matches left to play and even a victory, or a convincing one, would hardly result in a situation that appears any more favourable to them.

Their best case scenario after Saturday’s game would be trailing by seven points with six matches to go, including a trip to AC Milan.

Instead of playing for the title, Juve are merely playing for pride, according to their president.

“As well as the points on offer, we’re playing for pride and for our honour,” said Giovanni Cobolli Gigli.

“It will be a very difficult match especially as we have some important players suspended and others have yet to recover from injuries.

“The title is still possible but only mathematically. Second place is extremely important and we have to do everything to defend it. We want it more than Milan.”

Juventus lead Milan by only two points and the rossonero have a distinctly easier looking task in the visit of Torino to the San Siro.

The title may not be at stake but this match is still called the ‘derby of Italy’ and like clashes between Real Madrid and Barcelona or between Manchester United and Liverpool, there is always much to play for.

“There is a rivalry between us and Milan,” said Marco Tronchetti, president of Inter’s shirt sponsors Pirelli.

“But with Juventus, for the success they have had, for the history between the two teams and for the dramas, they have always been the A+ rivalry.”

It’s not just the historic rivarly that will fire up the visitors, though. Coach Jose Mourinho is a proud man and won’t want to concede anything in his quest to demonstrate how superior Inter are to the rest of Serie A.

He may have claimed a week ago that a draw would suffice to ensure the title stays with Inter for the fourth year in a row, but his president Massimo Moratti insists the team will still go out with the intention of winning.

“On Saturday we have to go to Turin to win because it’s the right thing to do in such a prestigious match and because when you play for a draw things don’t go well,” said Moratti.

“Of course we can’t be hypocrites, right now we can feel the possibility of winning the scudetto.

“We need to be fired up otherwise we won’t have the right attitude for the game.”

The clash between the top two may be dominating the build up to the weekend but there is more than just that to play for.

Milan can go second if they win and Juve lose while Genoa, who host Lazio on Saturday, could close right in on both Milan and Juve.

Genoa are in a fight with Fiorentina for fourth place and the final Champions League qualifying place but they are only four points behind Milan and six off Juve.

A strong finish to their campaign could even see them sneak into the top three and gain automatic entry into the group stages of Europe’s premier club competition.

Meanwhile, the bottom five all play away this weekend so any points gained could boost their survival hopes.

Fixtures:

Saturday

Genoa v Lazio, Juventus v Inter Milan

Sunday

AC Milan v Torino, Atalanta v Reggina, Cagliari v Napoli, Catania v Sampdoria, Palermo v Bologna, Roma v Lecce, Siena v Chievo, Udinese v Fiorentina

Great teams, but have they got great keepers

It is said that great teams are built on great defences. Without a solid base, it is impossible to go on to dominate and win games at the very top.

A look at the four UEFA Champions League semi-finalists goes a long way to prove that point.

Headlines

Whilst the likes of Messi, Henry and Eto’o, Drogba, Lampard and Ballack, Ronaldo, Rooney and Berbatov, Adebayor, Van Persie and Walcott might pick up a vast majority of the headlines, there are other players who are equally crucial and some would say, even more so.

Where would Barcelona be without the brilliance of Danny Alves, Puyol and Marquez? Would Chelsea be such a force without Terry, Carvalho and Cole? Would United be looking for five trophies without Ferdinand, Vidic and Evra and would Arsenal have turned their season around without Sagna, Toure and Clichy?

Of course the answer to all those questions is no. We all need a strong a defence. Surely, behind every strong defence sits a strong goalkeeper, doesn’t there?

Strong

A look at these four teams, the best in Europe, and I don’t think the goalkeeping position is all that strong.

At Barcelona we have Victor Valdes. Approximately 90% of the comments on this site concerning Barcelona plead with Pep Guardiola to get in a new keeper.

The twenty-seven year old Spaniard played a few games for his country at under twenty-one level but has never been given a full cap. Valdes has played over two hundred and fifty games for Barcelona and has the record for the longest clean sheet in European competition at 466 minutes.

Successive Barcelona managers appear to have faith in him but the fans and the national team managers don’t.

Best

At Chelsea we have Petr Cech. Without doubt, up until a couple of years ago, Cech was one of the best keepers in the world. Is he now? I don’t think so.

The 6’5” Czech Republic international is still only twenty-six years old and has represented his country sixty-eight times. Prior to 14th October 2006 he was a truly great keeper. After that date he has not really looked like a shadow of his former self.

The collision with Reading’s Stephen Hunt that he suffered on that day was horrific. He suffered a depressed fracture of the skull and Doctors later reported that the injury could have been fatal.

Cech bravely returned after just a few months wearing his protective skull cap. He hasn’t been the same since and who can blame him?

Legend

At Manchester United we have Edwin van der Sar. Don’t get me wrong, the Dutch keeper is a legend of the game. He has won just about everything a keeper can win and earlier this season he broke the record for consecutive clean sheets in the Premier League.

There is no doubt that he is still a good keeper, but at thirty-eight, is he still great? There are one or two worrying signs that Edwin might be beginning to lose some of his powers. He doesn’t look too comfortable with crosses and the amount of times that Rio Ferdinand or Nemanja Vidic give him a piece of their mind seems to be increasing.

If Ben Foster hadn’t had such terrible luck with injuries, would Van der Sar still be Fergie’s first choice?

Injured

Last of the four we come to Arsenal. Their first choice keeper, Manuel Almunia is currently injured and his place has been taken by Lukasz Fabianski.

Straight away one has to ask if either of these keepers is truly world class. I suspect the answer is a resounding no. Fabianski is only twenty-three and he has fourteen caps for Poland already. He has potential and he will probably get better. Is he good enough to be in goal for the Champions League winners though?

Almunia is thirty-one years old and has done a decent job for his club. No better and no worse, just decent. He has never been capped by Spain and I expect he is even further down the pecking order than Victor Valdes!

Great

So there we have it. Four great teams with great attackers, great midfield players and great defenders. I would suggest that none of them have great goalkeepers.

There are great keepers out there but these top four teams seem to be managing OK without them.

Champions League round-up - Arsenal and Manchester United make it three of the four semi-finalists from England again

Football Tickets - All European matches and MLS
Largest selection of European football tickets online. All tickets shipped via FedEx or DHL. 120% refund!

Fightmania.com - The Latest MMA & UFC News!
Join the evolution of MMA and be a part of one of the best MMA communities!.

£25 Free Bet
FREE £25 bet when you sign up from SoccerNews.
Bet on the new football season at Betfair.

Football Jerseys & more
Largest selection of soccer gear on the Net! Get the latest club & national jerseys of your favorite teams.

Astonishing goal

So, who would join Barcelona and Chelsea in the semi-finals of the Champions League? Porto and Arsenal went into last night’s games with a slight advantage as they had drawn their away games and scored away goals. The current champions Manchester United and Spanish side Villarreal were certainly not going to give up without a fight.

Problems

Arsenal went into the game with serious problems at the back. Defenders Johan Djourou with a knee and Gael Clichy with a bad back, joined William Gallas and goalkeeper Manuel Almunia on the injured list.

The good news for Arsenal was that versatile midfielder Abou Diaby and experienced defender Michel Silvestre were both available after injury.

Absent

Villarreal had serious problems of their own with the excellent Spanish international Marcos Senna missing the game after getting injured at the weekend and fellow midfielder Santi Cazorla also absent.

Despite the problems they had at the back, Arsenal would have backed the fire power they possess going forward to see them through to the semi-final.

Manager Arsene Wenger said,

“I believe the team has shown great mental strength through the whole season. We have another good opportunity to show those mental strengths against Villarreal on Wednesday. What makes me confident is that recently, in every single game, when the odds were against us we found the resources within the team with a strong response every single time. That happened at Villarreal, that happened again at Wigan on Saturday and every time we came out strong. I believe we have turned the season in a very positive way and put ourselves in a great position to qualify and we want to take advantage of that. These boys are winners. The hunger they have shown every single day in training and the focus they have shown is great, so that’s why we have improved a lot. So there is still a lot more to come.”

So, was Wenger right to have so much belief in his men?

The answer was a most definite yes. Arsenal produced a vibrant display of attacking football that will have worried the other teams left in the competition. It soon became not a matter of whether they would win, but a matter of by how many they would.

Opened

The excellent Theo Walcott opened the scoring after just ten minutes, running through onto a Fabregas flick and finishing expertly.

Villarreal were never in the game and the tie was made almost safe on the hour when Adebayor finished neatly.

Arsenal got the third goal their play deserved nine minutes later when Robin Van Persie fired home from the penalty spot. Villarreal’s night was summed up by the dismissal of Sebastian Eguren for disputing the award of the spot kick.

Relieved

Champions Manchester United were mightily relieved to name Rio Ferdinand in their starting eleven. His partnership with Nemanja Vidic has been crucial to their success this season and he had been sorely missed during his spell on the sidelines.

Porto were at full strength accept for defender Jorge Fucile.

The two teams went into the game at the top of their respective leagues but in vastly contrasting form. United lost two games in a row and then stumbled to victories over Aston Villa and Sunderland, whilst Porto were unbeaten in twenty games.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson called on his players to show the same sort of spirit his side did in 1999 when they won 3-2 in Juventus,

“We have had a lot of good European nights but Juventus is probably the one that stands out. After a draw at home, we won away, which we hope is the same again. It was a night when a lot of the big players played well. There are plenty of performances we would like to replicate and I trust these players to do it. They deserve that because of their performances over the last two or three years in big away games in Europe.”

So, was Fergie right to trust his players?

He most definitely was. United became the first English team to ever win in Porton and brought an end to the Portuguese champions long unbeaten run.

The man who stepped up to the mark was the player officially called the best in the world. Many have questioned whether Cristiano Ronaldo can produce the goods in the big games but after just six minutes of this one he produced something of astonishing quality.

Unstoppable

The ball broke to Ronaldo and from forty yards he struck an unstoppable shot into the top corner of the Porto net. It was a breathtaking goal and one worthy of being scored by a truly great player.

For the next eighty-four minutes Porto huffed and puffed but rarely troubled the exceptional partnership of Ferdinand and Vidic back together again. In fact, the best chance fell to Vidic who somehow managed to put the ball over the bar when it looked easier to score.

Second year

So for the second year running three of the four semi-finalists are from England and at least one finalist is guaranteed to be English for the fifth year in succession.

PREMIER LEAGUE

2008 - 2009 TOTAL
Pos Team Pld W D L F A Diff Pts
1 Man. Utd. 31 22 5 4 54 21 33 71
2 Liverpool 32 20 10 2 59 21 38 70
3 Chelsea 32 20 7 5 55 20 35 67
4 Arsenal 32 17 10 5 54 28 26 61
5 Aston Villa 32 15 8 9 48 42 6 53
6 Everton 32 14 10 8 47 34 13 52
7 West Ham 32 12 8 12 37 36 1 44
8 Fulham 32 11 10 11 33 28 5 43
9 Tottenham 32 11 8 13 38 36 2 41
10 Wigan 32 11 8 13 31 36 -5 41
11 Man. City 32 11 5 16 47 42 5 38
12 Bolton 32 11 4 17 39 49 -10 37
13 Stoke 32 9 9 14 32 48 -16 36
14 Portsmouth 31 8 10 13 34 48 -14 34
15 Hull 32 8 10 14 36 55 -19 34
16 Blackburn 32 8 10 14 35 54 -19 34
17 Sunderland 32 8 8 16 30 43 -13 32
18 Newcastle 32 6 12 14 37 52 -15 30
19 Middlesbrough 32 7 9 16 25 47 -22 30
20 W.B.A. 32 6 7 19 28 59 -31 25
Full Table

World Cup matches moved out of Pakistan

2011 World Cup matches out of Pakistan.

The decision was taken at the executive board meeting in Dubai on Friday.

The ICC said the decision was made due to the "uncertain political situation" in Pakistan.


Related Articles

* Latest sport bulletin
* Today's top sport headlines


Tags


* trophy
* sri lanka
* priority
* pakistan
* gaddafi stadium

Security in Pakistan has deteriorated drastically since the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto last year.

Australia and New Zealand refused to tour the country last year due to security fears, while South Africa refused to participate in the Champions Trophy in September last year.

The Champions Trophy was then postponed by 13 months and subsequently moved to South Africa.

Most recently, on March 3, the Sri Lankan team bus was attacked by gunmen in Lahore as they made their way to the Gaddafi Stadium for the third day of the second Test between the sides. Eight people were killed in the attacks and a number of the Sri Lanka team were injured.

ICC president David Morgan said: "It is a regrettable decision. Our number one priority is to create certainty and deliver a safe, secure and successful event."

Pakistan's cricket fraternity reacted with dismay to the decision with PCB chief operating officer Saleem Altaf claiming: "This is shocking. I don't know what transpired at the meeting, but this is a disappointing decision.

"We were keen for international cricket to return to Pakistan and were working on a security plan to convince the ICC and other countries," he added.

Cockerill confirmed as Tigers coach

Leicester have confirmed Richard Cockerill as their permanent head coach with immediate effect.

Cockerill, who appeared in 262 matches for the Tigers, has been their acting head coach since Christmas when Heyneke Meyer was forced to return to South Africa for personal reasons.

Since then he has guided the team to the top of the Guinness Premiership and into a position to challenge for a place in the play-offs as well as into the semi-finals of the Heineken Cup.




As a player, Cockerill won five league titles and two Heineken Cup medals with Tigers, and collected 27 England caps.

Tigers chairman Peter Tom CBE said: "Richard has been doing a tremendous job as acting head coach and we have been very impressed by his work in that role.

"He knows what makes this club tick and he is very passionate about bringing the best out of the players and bringing success to Leicester Tigers.

"Richard has worked very well with the players and forged a good team with assistants Matt O'Connor and Paul Burke and the backroom staff.

"We have watched his coaching and management style develop since he joined the coaching staff and we are convinced that he is the man to continue to push Tigers forward."

Cockerill said: "I know that the job of head coach at Leicester Tigers is one of the biggest jobs in rugby and I feel privileged to be given the appointment.

"The players have been fantastic, I have had great support from the staff and I am very happy to be appointed. This club is very important to me, it has been a big part of my life and I just want success for Leicester Tigers and the people here."

Hughes targets seventh spot

Manchester City manager Mark Hughes believes the door to Europe for a second successive season is still ajar after his side were knocked out of the UEFA Cup by Hamburg on Thursday night.

It means City must keep their foot on the pedal as they are six points adrift of seventh in the Barclays Premier League with only six games remaining, three of which are at home.

He said: "We will try to get in to Europe by virtue of our league position. If we can continue our good home form we have a chance of being in the mix for seventh place."
Hughes, however, has taken great heart from their performance against the Bundesliga high-flyers, despite losing the quarter-final tie 4-3 on aggregate.

Goals from Elano - with a penalty - and Felipe Caicedo gave them a 2-1 victory on the night, but it was not enough after losing the first leg 3-1.

Hughes is calling for a similar spirit on Sunday when they face bottom side West Brom at Eastlands.

He added: "The players were very low in the dressing room, it was an emotional night. But we have another big game at the weekend.

"We have got to pick ourselves up. It is a case of making sure we recover, clear our heads and go again.

"It will be difficult to re-focus and get back to Premier League action but we will take encouragement from this performance against Hamburg.

"It is important now we have a really strong finish. One of the things we have to do is address our away form, which has not been good enough."

Zola keen on new Hammers deal

Gianfranco Zola is hopeful of signing a new contract at West Ham despite a looming change in the club's ownership.

Current owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson is expected to have to hand over West Ham to his major creditor, Icelandic bank Straumur, and it is understood they are not looking to sell West Ham off quickly.

And Zola has insisted he wants to stay at Upton Park saying in the Evening Standard: "I have started something at this club and I want to see how it goes in the next few years. On the contract there are some positive things. We will see but hopefully in the next few weeks things will be settled."


Related Articles

* Latest sport bulletin
* Today's top sport headlines
* Football fixtures, results and stats


Tags


* zola
* upton park
* steve clarke
* ownership
* funds

He added: "Hopefully there will be no problems. The club wants to look after us and I hope everyone will be satisfied."

Zola has made it clear however that he wants his assistant Steve Clarke and the rest of the coaching team to stay.

He added: "The club knows that is the first condition. This is not just about me but the whole team.

"The secret this season has been that everybody has done a great job together and now we must go forward as a team, otherwise we will stay where we are."

The ownership change inevitably raises questions about how much money Zola will have available for transfers.

But the fact West Ham have performed so well and are challenging for Europe will make Zola an asset in the eyes of the owners, allowing him to make a strong case for having funds made available.

Zola said: "We know that if we play in Europe we will need more players. One of the reasons we have a policy of having good young players available is that they can come in and do a good job for the team."

FA defend Riley appointment

The Football Association have backed Mike Riley as 'one of the best referees in the world' after Everton boss David Moyes questioned his appointment for Sunday's FA Cup semi-final.

Moyes raised the suggestion that Riley is a fan of Manchester United, Everton's opponents at Wembley.

An FA spokesman said in a statement on Friday: "Mike is one of the most highly respected referees in this country and around the world and has handled matches at the highest level. His integrity is without question."


Related Articles

* Latest sport bulletin
* Today's top sport headlines
* Football fixtures, results and stats


Tags


* supporter
* steve bennett
* riley
* referees
* football association

The spokesman added: "Steve Bennett was originally chosen for Sunday's FA Cup semi-final. When he suffered an injury last week Mike Riley, who was due to be the fourth official for Saturday's FA Cup tie, was chosen as his replacement.

"During Mike's 13 years as a Premier League referee he has officiated in more than 300 matches and has refereed both Everton and Manchester United on numerous occasions both home and away.

"Mike has the full support of the Football Association and we have absolute faith in both his integrity and ability to referee such an important fixture."

Moyes has frequently not seen eye to eye with Riley and said on the club's official website: "A member of the press asked me if Mike Riley is a Manchester United supporter - I think that is something you would need to bring up with the FA.

"It is something that one or two managers would have something to say about. It is the FA's appointment; it was originally supposed to be Steve Bennett.

"If you (the press) are saying that Mike Riley is a Manchester United supporter, you would hope the FA would look at that."

Injuries cause Wenger concern

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is yet to decide how to shuffle his squad to deal with the latest injury blow ahead of Saturday's FA Cup semi-final.

The Gunners head into the clash against Chelsea at Wembley with goalkeeper Manuel Almunia out with an ankle injury and Gael Clichy (back), William Gallas (knee) and Johan Djourou (knee) joining him on the sidelines. Bacary Sagna is struggling with illness and Kieran Gibbs is a concern with a groin problem picked up against Villarreal on Wednesday.

"We still have Sagna as a doubt for the weekend," said Wenger. "And after Villarreal we have Kieran Gibbs as a doubt too. He has a little groin problem. Clichy, Almunia and Djourou are still out."

Allardyce 'humiliated' by Rafa gesture

Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce has hit out at Rafael Benitez, accusing the Liverpool manager of being "disrespectful" for what he claims was a "humiliating" gesture made by the Spaniard.

Allardyce has reviewed footage of the incident several times after initially witnessing it following Liverpool's second goal last Saturday, and he insists the gesticulations following Fernando Torres' 33rd-minute header were directed towards him and his team.

"I think if everybody has a look back at his gestures you will see them as pretty dismissive to me and the Blackburn Rovers team as a whole," fumed Allardyce. "I was hugely disappointed by those gestures. I think they were disrespectful and quite humiliating."

Affiliate Cash Secrets: Helping Newbies Get Started with Affiliate Marketing

– Excerpt from CanUDigot? e-Commerce Newsletter’s 03/18/07 Issue — www.canudigot.com A few weeks ago, I found what I consider to be a true GEM among internet marketing programs and opportunities. Why? Because it helps newbies get started with minimal effort, knowledge and investment risk. It truly is one of the best business opportunties I’ve seen. The marketing genius behind Affiliate Cash Secrets is Derrick VanDyke, a very successful affiliate marketer, who has taken it upon himself to …

By: canudigot

The week that was

Didier Drogba tackled (Source: Reuters)


Oscar for Drogba (DISCLAMIER: some very unashamedly biased opinions here!)

For the whole four people who actually read this column, yes, that includes you mum, you will know by now that I have an adverse reaction to a Manchester United player who I affectionately refer to as 'El Diver.'

But after the midweek Champions League game in which Chelsea hung-on for dear life against a formidable Liverpool in what has been called 'The best game EVER' or something to that effect, my loyal affections are now being reserved for one Didier Drogba - who from this day forth shall be known as 'Oscar for Drogba.'

It was not the fact that Chelsea beat the club I have supported since I was a small child to the Champions League semi-final where they will get beaten by Barcelona that bothered me, but the fact of just how sly Mr Oscar for Drogba was during said game.

Examples include: Falling on floor 'injured' off the pitch, seeing Liverpool had ball, rolling back onto pitch. Extra time wasting by falling on floor 'injured' refusing help to get up, limping off pitch then coming back on to run round like a sly spring chicken.

Apparently, I am not the only person in the world who has noticed these performances from Oscar for Drogba as some awesome person has even gone to the trouble of providing us with an Oscar for Drogba montage - enjoy here, with your eyes.



Scolari for QPR

In a strange twist of fate that has seen World Cup winning manager Luiz Felipe Scolari manage top football teams such as Brazil, Portugal and er, Chelsea, it has now emerged that he is the front runner to manage - QPR!

According to reports in the Telegraph, Scolari who is keen to stay in ole Blightey after being unceremoniously sacked by Chelsea said:

"I have received some proposals, some offers, some are from teams that are of an excellent level."

We're not quite sure what team Scolari may be looking at or even where The Telegraph came to this conclusion but we're guessing it probably isn't QPR.

Ron's Real saga continues

Ramon Calderon may have been ousted as El president of Real Madrid but that doesn't mean he still can't stoke the fire after he claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo WILL be a Real Madrid player next season.

Roman 'I actually don't know when to shut up' Calderon fuelled speculation that Ron will be doing more lying in the Spanish sun with busty models (or woman who look a bit like horses if his latest squeeze is anything to go by) in the summer by bigging up himself on French radio:

"I can not give any names but all I can say is that thanks to the DIFFICULT and LABORIOUS work that I did last year, HE (Ron) is ALREADY formally a Madrid player - subject obviously to him being able to sign the relevant contract."

So after all that, Ron isn't actually a Real Madrid player then? Or is he? Oh, my brain hurts!

Babel to leave the Reds

Due to the fact that he gets no play, Liverpool super-sub Ryan Babel has expressed his desire to leave the Merseyside club in the summer - presumable for a career as a crap rapper.

Listen to Babel rapping crapply about ladies and awesome watches here!



Everton ban the beeb

Everton FC banned BBC cameras from their FA Cup semi-final press day last week in protest at how Marouane Fellani and his magnificently returned fro's elbow was portrayed during the match of the day two's coverage of their 3-3 draw with Villa.

According to reports, Everton fear the MOTD coverage may have 'coloured' the refs judgement before the semi-final clash.

Due to the fact they are playing Manchester United, we're guessing the refs judgement has already been clouded due to the fact they are in fact, playing Manchester United.

Blatant self promotion ALERT!

FA Cup semi finals LIVE and exclusive this weekend with TVNZ. Get details HERE

SPOTTED!

Arsene Wenger dancing like your drunken dad, uncle, mother, and brother all rolled into one after Arsenal beat Villarreal to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League! Love it!

'Arry Redknapp quote of the week

This week 'Arry Redknapp takes time out to explain just why, despite the arrival of Carlo Cudicini, Heurelho 'butterfingers' Gomes is the one for him.

"He was excellent against West Ham," Redknapp said and considering his performances in nearly every other Premier League game this season, er, that's about it.

FA Cup semi final two preview

The FA Cup Semi-finals are LIVE and exclusive on TVNZ this weekend. tvnz.co.nz takes a look at the second semi-final, profiles the teams involved, takes a look back at the history of both teams in the prestigious competition and gazes into the crystal ball to predict a likely winner.

Manchester United v Everton: Semi final 2 - Monday April 20, 3am kick-off (NZT)

Manchester United

Best result in FA Cup : The Red Devils have won a record 11 times in 17 final appearances. The truimph in 1990 saved manager Alex Ferguson's career and since then the canny scot has masterminded victories in 1994 (v Chelsea 4-0), 1996 (v Liverpool 1-0), 1999 (v Newcastle 2-0) and 2004 (v Millwall 3-0) - more than any other manager.

Key players: Where do we start? Manager Alex Ferguson has the deepest pockets in the football world, enabling him to assemble a vast array of talent. Defender Rio Ferdinard, Midfielders Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes and the striking trio of Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez and Dimitir Berbatov. The icing on the Old Trafford cake is Portuguese superstar and current world player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo.

Something you may not know: Manchester United are estimated to have 330 million fans worldwide, almost 5% of the world's population.

Nickname: The Red Devils
Advertisement

Founded: 1876

The best of times: The 1999 Champions League final vs Bayern Munich. United scored two goals to injury time to stun the Germans in one of the most astonishing sporting comebacks ever witnessed.

The worst of times: Relegation to the second division in 1974, with one of their ex-players and favourite son Denis Law scoring the goal that sealed their fate.

Everton

Best result in FA Cup: Everton have lifted the trophy on five separate occasions the most recent being in 1995 (1-0 v Man Utd) and 1984 (2-0 v Elton John's Watford).

Key players: Australian midfielder Tim Cahill, Italian midfielder Marouane Fellaini and French striker Louis Saha.

Something you may not know: Everton are the original club of the city of Liverpool, with Liverpool FC being formed 14 years later by a breakway group. The fierce rivalry continues to this day, with more red cards brandished in the Merseyside derby than any other fixture in premiership history

Nickname: The Toffees, the Blues

Founded: 1878

The best of times: Under manager Howard Kendall and captain Kevin Ratcliffe, Everton had a sublime 1984-85 season. They won the league championship, truimphed in the European Cup Winners Cup (their first and only European trophy) and reached the FA Cup final, losing to Manchester United.

The worst of times: Losing the FA Cup finals to bitter rivals Liverpool in 1986 and 1989 and a shocking Premier League season in 1997 where they avoided relegation only on the last day of the season - and on goal difference.

What will happen?

While there is an undoubted gulf in class between the two squads everything points to this being a very close match.

Everton are looking for their first trophy since 1995 (concidentally the FA Cup versus Manchester United) and will be desperate to have something for the cabinet at Goodison Park.

The Manchester club as usual are chasing prizes in several competitions and the FA Cup falls slightly behind in the list of priorities.

Alex Ferguson has enviable squad depth but even this will be stretched given the demanding schedule his side have faced recently both domestically and in Europe.

Everton have lost only one of their last eleven matches while United have looked shaky since their shock 4-1 defeat at home to Liverpool last month.

United have proven matchwinners across the park but Everton's desire, belief and work ethic maybe enough to get them across the line and into the FA Cup final

tvnz.co.nz fearless forecast : Everton 2 Manchester Utd 1 (1-1 after 90 minutes).

FA Cup semi-final one preview

he FA Cup Semi-finals are LIVE and Exclusive on TVNZ this weekend. tvnz.co.nz profiles the teams involved and takes a stab at who might emerge victorious.

Arsenal v Chelsea: Semi Final 1 - Sunday April 19, 4:15am kick-off (NZT)

Arsenal

Best result in FA Cup : Arsenal have appeared in 17 finals down the years, finishing on the right side of the ledger eleven times. The famous trophy was almost in permanent residence at Highbury between 1998 and 2005 with Arsenal truimphing on four occasions (1998 v Newcastle 2-0, 2002 v Chelsea 2-0, 2003 v Southampton 1-0, 2005 v Man Utd 5-4 (on penalties).

Key players: Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas, Powerful Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor and Dutch winger Robin Van Persie.

Nickname: The Gunners

Club inception: 1886

Something you may not know: Arsenal's notorious offside trap was lampooned during the 1997 film The Full Monty.
Advertisement

The best of times: The 2003-2004 English Premier League season. Arsenal did not lose a single game during the entire campaign on their way to becoming champions - something that had not been achieved since Preston North End in 1889.

The worst of times: Most of the late 1980's and early 1990's when the club was managed by George Graham. They achieved some reasonable results, but became hated throughout the United Kingdom for their ultra-defensive style and notorious offside trap

Chelsea

Best result in FA Cup: Chelsea have won the competition four times with three of those victories coming in the last two decades (1997 v Middlesborough 2-0, 2000 v Aston Villa 2-0 , 2007 v Man United 1-0)

Key players: The South London side has a real galaxy of superstars but some of the best are Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, John Terry, Nicolas Anelka and Frank Lampard.

Club inception: 1905

Nickname: The Blues

Something you may not know: In the 1997 FA Cup final, Roberto Di Matteo scored after just 42 seconds against Middlesborough - the fastest cup final goal ever.

The best of times: The 2004-05 season. The Jose-Mourinho managed side won 29 matches en route to the title, amassing a record-breaking 95 points.

The worst of times: 1983. Chelsea narrowly escaped relegation to the then-third division, were in dire straits financially and had ongoing problems with hooligans.

What will happen on Sunday?

Both teams have qualified for the Champions League semi-finals, albeit through quite different routes. Chelsea overcome a dogged Liverpool side 7-5 on aggregate after two fantastic ties; Arsenal were hardly tested, cruising to a 4-1 result over a very ordinary Villareal team.

Arsenal have struggled in the league during 2009, at one stage going four games without scoring a goal. But Arsene Wenger's side have regained form in recent weeks and will be boosted by the return of Spanish wonderkid Cesc Fabergas in midfield.

Chelsea have showed Mourinho-like consistency under interim manager Guus Hiddink, grinding out a series of 1-0 wins in the league to stay in touch with leaders Manchester United and Liverpool.

Expect a close game, decided by the odd goal. Arsenal as ever will look to play their free-flowing brand of passing football and Michael Eissien, perhaps the best defensive midfielder on the planet will look to shut them down.

The Stamford bridge side do have a physical presence that Arsenal cannot match and this may well be the difference. Look for Chelsea's German midfielder Michael Ballack to star in this fixture. The 29-year-old, one of the highest earning players in the world on a reputed 130,000 pounds per week, has been incredibly inconsistent during his time at Stamford Bridge but will enjoy the wide open spaces of Wembley Stadium on Sunday.

Fearless tvnz.co.nz prediction: Chelsea 2 Arsenal 1

ALONSO GOING NOWHERE

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has expressed his determination to hang on to midfielder Xabi Alonso.

The Spaniard was linked with a move away from Anfield last summer, when a number of clubs were understood to be interested in securing his services.

Benitez insisted it would take a 'massive' offer for him to part with Alonso and was not tempted by a proposal from Juventus.

The 27-year-od has gone on to enjoy an excellent season, helping the Reds challenge for the Premier League title.

Press reports suggest Real Madrid and Barcelona could target Alonso when the transfer window reopens but Benitez has warned any potential suitors he will fight to keep hold of Alonso.

"We had an offer from Juventus and asked a big price as he is a big player. They couldn't meet it," Benitez said.

"In the end, Xabi has been having a very good season. He has been playing well in a lot of games and is a key player for us.

"We have a lot of confidence in him and he is a player we want to keep because he has the quality, and the game, that we need."