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Kenny Dalglish: Fabio Capello should not pick Andy Carroll for England

• Liverpool manager says £35m striker is not fully fit
• Dalglish opens talks over two-year contract at Anfield




  • Dominic Fifield
  • The Guardian, Saturday 19 March 2011 <li class="history">Article history
    Andy-Carroll-007.jpg
    Andy Carroll has completed one game for Liverpool since coming back from a thigh injury. Photograph: Michael Mayhew/Sportsphoto Kenny Dalglish has expressed concern over the prospect of Fabio Capello calling up Andy Carroll for next weekend's Euro 2012 qualifier against Wales. The Liverpool manager urged his England counterpart to be "responsible" with the £35m forward.
    Thursday's goalless Europa League draw against Braga was Carroll's first complete game for Liverpool after more than two months out with a thigh injury and he completed it in front of Capello. Dalglish said that the striker had not regained peak fitness. But Capello sees Carroll as a key part of his attack, in partnership with Manchester United's Wayne Rooney.
    Carroll's England debut, against France in November, prompted controversy. Before the forward was called up his club at the time, Newcastle United, said he was struggling with an ankle injury. The prospect of his selection to face the Welsh has generated similar concern at Anfield.
    Dalglish, who has opened talks with Liverpool's American owners over a two-year deal to continue as manager after a positive start in temporary charge, said: "I don't know if Fabio wants to pick him or not but there is no point us being as guided as we have been in his recuperation, and doing such a good job to get him to where he is now, if someone else is going to waste all that. There is nothing we can do to stop them picking him but common sense has to prevail.
    "It is great to have the big fella back but he also needs games and I don't know what kind of state he will be in after the Braga game, when he stayed on longer than we hoped he would have to. A lot of things he did in that game were encouraging and he still has a good bit of fitness to come but England have to be responsible with him.
    "It is not a case of going to war with anyone. We fully understand somebody wanting to pick his best players for England but they also have to understand the fact that [Carroll] is not really there yet for fitness. If [Capello] picks him, he picks him. That's up to him."
    Capello is due to name his squad on Sunday evening. The Italian would like to select Carroll and Tottenham Hotspur's Peter Crouch. His instinct is to retain two taller strikers and two quicker players – presumably Rooney and Darren Bent – in his party.
    However, a fifth striker could well be included, most likely Jermain Defoe of Spurs. With the friendly against Ghana on the following Tuesday in mind, Capello intends to announce a slightly larger squad of up to 25 names. Some regulars may be rested for the Ghana match. John Terry will captain the team at the Millennium Stadium, and potentially at Wembley three days later, in place of the injured Rio Ferdinand and Steven Gerrard.
 
Phil Jagielka signs a new four-year contract with Everton

&#8226; Defender's existing contract was due to expire in 2014
&#8226; 'Hopefully there are exciting times ahead for me and the club'




  • Press Association
  • guardian.co.uk, Friday 18 March 2011 23.10 GMT <li class="history">Article history
    Evertons-Phil-Jagielka-ha-005.jpg
    Everton's Phil Jagielka has signed a new four-year contract. Photograph: Barrington Coombs/EMPICS Sport Phil Jagielka has signed a new four-year contract with Everton. The deal replaces his existing one, which was due to expire in 2014.
    Jagielka has been one of David Moyes' major transfer successes, having arrived from Sheffield United in 2007 and won the club's player of the year award the following season despite sustaining a serious knee injury in the second half of the campaign.
    "I'm really pleased," the defender told evertontv. "We had talks a while ago and I knew it would only be a case of getting it signed and sealed and you can tell by the smile on my face that I am absolutely delighted to commit my future to Everton.
    "I had a little while left on my last one but it is obviously nice to get a new one. I can concentrate on the football and hopefully there are exciting times ahead for me and the club."

 
Let the cloying, ignoble hype begin

Click here to have the Fiver sent to your inbox every weekday at 5pm, or if your usual copy has stopped arriving


  • Paul Doyle
  • guardian.co.uk, Friday 18 March 2011 16.01 GMT <li class="history">Article history
    Chelseas-John-Terry-slips-005.jpg
    John Terry's fateful slip in Moscow in 2008 ... same again in 2011? Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA HERE WE GO AGAIN ...

    A penalty shoot-out please. That's what every right-thinking football fan (if that's not oxymoron) wants to see at Old Trafford on Wednesday 13 April. Of course there will be hype - cloying, sickening, ignoble hype - ahead of Big Cup quarter-final between Chelsea and Manchester United, which was picked out during today's draw between brunch and elevenses at Uefa HQ, but it could all be worth it if the outcome of the gruelling duel comes down to spot-kicks.
    Because then we could marvel yet again at Nicolas Anelka's nonchalance as he eschews any run-up, taps the ball at the goalkeeper, shrugs his shoulders and casually explains that it would have been entirely unreasonable to expect anything else from a supposedly world-class striker &#8230;. and thrill as Tabloid Wayne waddles up and, outdoing his recent effort against Arsenal, sends the ball so high into the sky that production immediately begins on a six-part documentary series about it presented by Professor Brian Cox &#8230;. [pause for breath]
    [and relax] ... and gasp as Fernando Torres survives Nemanja Vidic's repeated attempt to block off his run-up but then wastes his chance to finally get off the mark for his new club by tripping over the ball before blaming his own basic malfunction on the on-going effects of past injuries, the inadequacy of his team-mates, the chaos at his club and malevolent lawnmowers ... and wonder how Paul Scholes is still on the pitch to take the next penalty &#8230;
    [breathe, man, breathe] .. and, most of all, delight as England's Loyal John Terry mans up to take the decisive kick, undeterred by the tears cascading like naff mascara from his mighty heroic eyes, focused solely on Stuart Pearce-style redemption for his inability to keep neither his head, feet nor dignity at a similar moment in Moscow 2008, and &#8230; and &#8230; and ... and then we get either Terry triumphalism and Lord Ferg whinging about the referee, or Lord Ferg triumphalism and Terry whinging about the referee.
    So perhaps, after all, nothing good can come of this tie. Unless, of course, you're Arsene Wenger and the extra stress that this clash, along with the FA Cup semi-final, puts on United's creaking squad hands Arsenal the title that they have been pitifully incapable of grabbing themselves.
    Meanwhile, the Big Cup draw also served up a tie that actually promises attacking football as well as offensive posturing. Having watched the Special One guide Inter to Big Cup glory last year with a player picked up for a pittance from Real, Real will be hoping that the Special One can ensure that Spurs don't pull off a similar achievement this year. Rafael Van der Vaart will be hoping he can't. "We don't have pressure, we can play our game and we have a chance," spouted Van der Vaart in response to a question nodded down to him by Peter Crouch.
    Quarter-final draw: Real Madrid v Spurs, Chelsea v Manchester United, Barcelona v Shakhtar Donetsk, Internazionale v Schalke.
    Semi-final draw: Real Madrid or Spurs v Barcelona or Shakhtar Donetsk; Inter v Schalke or Chelsea v Man Utd.
    QUOTE OF THE DAY

    "When I was there it was not too bad. There was no instability [at Liverpool]. I played in [Big Cup] final and because I left, everything collapsed after that" - When he's not dancing like your Granddad at a Hawaii Five-0-themed knees-up, **** Zenden has other ways of being entertaining.
    DOUBLE YOUR MONEY WITH BLUE SQUARE!

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    FIVER LETTERS

    "Can I just suggest to Roberto Mancini that he asks his players to face the opposing half and knock it goalwards? I'm no expert, but I believe this is how to win games" - Thom Ayre.
    "Just think: what if Liverpool had appointed Kenny Dalglish back in 2000 - how many European trophies would they now be on? Six? Seven? Certainly fewer than they are now. Maybe George Smith (Fiver letters passim) can give us his thoughts?" - Aidan Grant.
    "Re: John Tellefson questioning whether '57' is the Fiver Number (yesterday's Fiver letters) - it never ceases to amaze me that Fiver readers, like Heinz beans, come in so many varieties" - Annie Massey (and 56 others).
    "If Lenny Kravitz was responsible for Vanessa Paradis's best output (Fiver letters passim), who was responsible for the Fiver's? (2005-06 if you were wondering)" - Andy Powell.
    Send your letters to the.boss@guardian.co.uk. And if you've nothing better to do you can also tweet the Fiver.
    BITS AND BOBS

    Mohammed bin Hammam is confident he can lever Sepp Blatter out of the Fifa big chair he's been sat in since 1784 after drumming up support for his presidency bid, which he officially announced today.
    If Liverpool and Man City weren't so rubbish in Euro Vase, Channel Five might have been able to show a decent game of football for once. As it is their conquerors, Braga and Dynamo Kyiv, will ESPN-it-out in the pick of the quarter-finals.
    And Arsene Wenger reckons Manuel Almunia will be motivated by the presence of Jens Lehmann, 82, on the bench for Arsenal's match at West Brom tomorrow. "[Jens Lehmann] will show him every day he is ready to fight for his place," droned Wenger.
    STILL WANT MORE?

    England's Loyal John Terry isn't the only player who will want to make amends for taking a shoddy penalty in the 2008 Big Cup final when Chelsea play Manchester United in Big Cup, reckons Kevin McCarra.
    Feel weighed down by your Cheltenham winnings? Well, lighten your pockets by following James Dart's best bets in the Football League this weekend.
    Rio Ferdinand tweets more than he touches a football these days &#8230; and that's bad news for Manchester United (and the general public, surely? &#8211; Fiver ed), writes Paul Hayward.
    Rangers and Celtic's tussle in the final will bring a bit of raciness to the soon-to-be-sponsorless and very much unloved Scottish League Cup, och-ayes Ewan Murray.


 
Let the cloying, ignoble hype begin

Click here to have the Fiver sent to your inbox every weekday at 5pm, or if your usual copy has stopped arriving


  • Paul Doyle
  • guardian.co.uk, Friday 18 March 2011 16.01 GMT <li class="history">Article history
    Chelseas-John-Terry-slips-005.jpg
    John Terry's fateful slip in Moscow in 2008 ... same again in 2011? Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA HERE WE GO AGAIN ...

    A penalty shoot-out please. That's what every right-thinking football fan (if that's not oxymoron) wants to see at Old Trafford on Wednesday 13 April. Of course there will be hype - cloying, sickening, ignoble hype - ahead of Big Cup quarter-final between Chelsea and Manchester United, which was picked out during today's draw between brunch and elevenses at Uefa HQ, but it could all be worth it if the outcome of the gruelling duel comes down to spot-kicks.
    Because then we could marvel yet again at Nicolas Anelka's nonchalance as he eschews any run-up, taps the ball at the goalkeeper, shrugs his shoulders and casually explains that it would have been entirely unreasonable to expect anything else from a supposedly world-class striker …. and thrill as Tabloid Wayne waddles up and, outdoing his recent effort against Arsenal, sends the ball so high into the sky that production immediately begins on a six-part documentary series about it presented by Professor Brian Cox …. [pause for breath]
    [and relax] ... and gasp as Fernando Torres survives Nemanja Vidic's repeated attempt to block off his run-up but then wastes his chance to finally get off the mark for his new club by tripping over the ball before blaming his own basic malfunction on the on-going effects of past injuries, the inadequacy of his team-mates, the chaos at his club and malevolent lawnmowers ... and wonder how Paul Scholes is still on the pitch to take the next penalty …
    [breathe, man, breathe] .. and, most of all, delight as England's Loyal John Terry mans up to take the decisive kick, undeterred by the tears cascading like naff mascara from his mighty heroic eyes, focused solely on Stuart Pearce-style redemption for his inability to keep neither his head, feet nor dignity at a similar moment in Moscow 2008, and … and … and ... and then we get either Terry triumphalism and Lord Ferg whinging about the referee, or Lord Ferg triumphalism and Terry whinging about the referee.
    So perhaps, after all, nothing good can come of this tie. Unless, of course, you're Arsene Wenger and the extra stress that this clash, along with the FA Cup semi-final, puts on United's creaking squad hands Arsenal the title that they have been pitifully incapable of grabbing themselves.
    Meanwhile, the Big Cup draw also served up a tie that actually promises attacking football as well as offensive posturing. Having watched the Special One guide Inter to Big Cup glory last year with a player picked up for a pittance from Real, Real will be hoping that the Special One can ensure that Spurs don't pull off a similar achievement this year. Rafael Van der Vaart will be hoping he can't. "We don't have pressure, we can play our game and we have a chance," spouted Van der Vaart in response to a question nodded down to him by Peter Crouch.
    Quarter-final draw: Real Madrid v Spurs, Chelsea v Manchester United, Barcelona v Shakhtar Donetsk, Internazionale v Schalke.
    Semi-final draw: Real Madrid or Spurs v Barcelona or Shakhtar Donetsk; Inter v Schalke or Chelsea v Man Utd.
    QUOTE OF THE DAY

    "When I was there it was not too bad. There was no instability [at Liverpool]. I played in [Big Cup] final and because I left, everything collapsed after that" - When he's not dancing like your Granddad at a Hawaii Five-0-themed knees-up, **** Zenden has other ways of being entertaining.
    DOUBLE YOUR MONEY WITH BLUE SQUARE!

    Open an account with online bookies Blue Square, placing a bet of at least £5 and they'll give you a free £10 bet, win or lose! (Terms apply) Register now.
    FIVER LETTERS

    "Can I just suggest to Roberto Mancini that he asks his players to face the opposing half and knock it goalwards? I'm no expert, but I believe this is how to win games" - Thom Ayre.
    "Just think: what if Liverpool had appointed Kenny Dalglish back in 2000 - how many European trophies would they now be on? Six? Seven? Certainly fewer than they are now. Maybe George Smith (Fiver letters passim) can give us his thoughts?" - Aidan Grant.
    "Re: John Tellefson questioning whether '57' is the Fiver Number (yesterday's Fiver letters) - it never ceases to amaze me that Fiver readers, like Heinz beans, come in so many varieties" - Annie Massey (and 56 others).
    "If Lenny Kravitz was responsible for Vanessa Paradis's best output (Fiver letters passim), who was responsible for the Fiver's? (2005-06 if you were wondering)" - Andy Powell.
    Send your letters to the.boss@guardian.co.uk. And if you've nothing better to do you can also tweet the Fiver.
    BITS AND BOBS

    Mohammed bin Hammam is confident he can lever Sepp Blatter out of the Fifa big chair he's been sat in since 1784 after drumming up support for his presidency bid, which he officially announced today.
    If Liverpool and Man City weren't so rubbish in Euro Vase, Channel Five might have been able to show a decent game of football for once. As it is their conquerors, Braga and Dynamo Kyiv, will ESPN-it-out in the pick of the quarter-finals.
    And Arsene Wenger reckons Manuel Almunia will be motivated by the presence of Jens Lehmann, 82, on the bench for Arsenal's match at West Brom tomorrow. "[Jens Lehmann] will show him every day he is ready to fight for his place," droned Wenger.
    STILL WANT MORE?

    England's Loyal John Terry isn't the only player who will want to make amends for taking a shoddy penalty in the 2008 Big Cup final when Chelsea play Manchester United in Big Cup, reckons Kevin McCarra.
    Feel weighed down by your Cheltenham winnings? Well, lighten your pockets by following James Dart's best bets in the Football League this weekend.
    Rio Ferdinand tweets more than he touches a football these days … and that's bad news for Manchester United (and the general public, surely? – Fiver ed), writes Paul Hayward.
    Rangers and Celtic's tussle in the final will bring a bit of raciness to the soon-to-be-sponsorless and very much unloved Scottish League Cup, och-ayes Ewan Murray.
 
Barcelona are not the only bogeymen in the Champions League draw

No one wants to face the Spanish champions but there are other tough tests in Friday's quarter-final draw



  • Jose-Mourinho-007.jpg
    José Mourinho's Real Madrid would prove a tough test for anyone, including Barcelona, in Friday's quarter-final draw. Photograph: Felix Ordonez/Reuters The opportunity for vengeance is never far away for the leading clubs in the Champions League. They are often clustered together, as they will be in the draw for the quarter-finals. The prospect of Chelsea and Barcelona being pitted against each other once more comes readily to mind. It did not take much coaxing for Stale Solbakken, the manager of the FC Copenhagen side knocked out at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, to contemplate such a tie.
    "If they can handle them in the Camp Nou," he said of Chelsea, "they have a better chance than Arsenal because of the physique of the team." The Premier League club seethed over the refereeing of Tom Henning Ovrebo two years ago when the semi-final was won by Andrés Iniesta in stoppage time. It is far from inevitable that the clubs will collide this time but eminence does keep the elite jostling one another.
    Beyond the Premier League perspective, there is the possibility of José Mourinho's Real Madrid and the Barcelona of Pep Guardiola being locked together. Interest would be intensified by the contrast in style as well as yet another clash of those two cities' cultures. If Mourinho, in his first campaign at the Bernabéu, will struggle to overhaul Barcelona in La Liga, he is capable of coming out on top in a two-legged tie. Anyone foolish enough to write him off should reflect on the 3-0 defeat of Lyon and the fact that Mourinho's Internazionale were the undoing of Barcelona last season.
    The notion of being pitted against the Catalan club intrigues everyone, although Sir Alex Ferguson knows that too much appreciation of them can lead to an inferiority complex. "I don't think it's good tactics to go into how good they [Barcelona] are or show apprehension," the Manchester United manager said. "I don't think that's our way. You have to face whoever comes along and we have got experience of playing Barcelona recently. We knocked them out in the [2008] semi-final and then lost the [2009] final to them in Rome. So we've got the experience of being there and it's all the same players they've got."
    There will be trials ahead even if the draw does not concoct such glamour. Schalke, for instance, accounted for Valencia, Shakhtar Donetsk showed prowess by crushing Roma 6-2 on aggregate and Tottenham Hotspur were mature when keeping their nerve to knock out Milan with the only goal of the tie. Given the complete lack of knowhow in the competition that Harry Redknapp's team had at the outset, the speed with which they have adapted is remarkable.
    The holders, Inter, also gave everyone pause for thought when going to Munich and pulling off a 3-2 victory over Bayern. When they took the prize last May, it was regarded as proof of the alchemy that the then manager, Mourinho, has mastered. There have been two successors to him, with Rafael Benítez making way for Leonardo, but the latter has now added to Inter folklore. The situation, after all, had looked beyond recovery when Bayern beat them 1-0 at San Siro. Inter are within five points of the Serie A leaders, Milan, and have a momentum that is also bearing them onwards in the Champions League. Many of the quarter-finalists will feel that their time has come to flourish.

 

Carlo Ancelotti: Chelsea don't want revenge on Manchester United

&#8226; Chelsea manager plays down rematch with United
&#8226; Harry Redknapp says Tottenham can hurt Real Madrid




  • Dominic Fifield and David Hytner
  • The Guardian, Saturday 19 March 2011 <li class="history">Article history
    Gary-Lineker-007.jpg
    Gary Lineker draws teams for the quarter- and semi-finals of the Champions League at Uefa headquarters in Nyon. Photograph: Sebastien Feval/AFP/Getty Images Revenge was prominent in Carlo Ancelotti's thoughts after his Chelsea team were drawn to face Manchester United in next month's Champions League quarter-final. But the Italian does not want vengeance to motivate his players when they take on the club that inflicted a heart-breaking defeat in the 2008 final. True redemption, he says, can come only by lifting the trophy at Wembley in May.
    At least one English club will be in the semi-finals after yesterday's draw in Nyon pitted the Premier League's champions against its current leaders, and Tottenham will make it two if they prevail in a mouth-watering meeting with José Mourinho's Real Madrid. The Spurs manager, Harry Redknapp, was insistent that his side will go into the tie with no fear, with a likely semi-final against Barcelona &#8211; who face Shakhtar Donetsk in the last eight &#8211; awaiting the winners. In the other quarter-final the holders, Internazionale, play Schalke.
    Yet it was the all-English tie that drew the attention. The majority of the Chelsea side who experienced the numbing disappointment of defeat on penalties to United in Moscow three years ago, including John Terry and Nicolas Anelka whose misses from the spot proved decisive, remain at a club still seeking its first European Cup. "I don't think revenge will be a good motivation," said Ancelotti, who was Milan's manager at the time. "It should be fantastic motivation just looking to the future.
    "Winning this competition is not an obsession. It is a dream. But we have four games to reach the final in London. If Chelsea were to reach the final &#8211; not just beating United &#8211; that would be a good revenge for what happened in 2008. The players will remember they lost in Moscow, but we must remind ourselves that we beat United twice last year and have won against them this season, too."
    The clubs will end the season as familiar foes having confronted each other four times in under three months following the champions' 2-1 victory at Stamford Bridge almost three weeks ago. "But each game is a different story," added Ancelotti.
    "I won the trophy with Milan and, at that club, the most important competition is the Champions League. Not Serie A. Every year, because of our tradition and history, we focused on the European Cup. For Chelsea, winning this competition would be so important because it would be the first time. But we have to wait. This tie will be very difficult. United have showed fantastic consistency this season, better than us. But over 180 minutes, the side that plays better will win."
    Redknapp had long maintained that Barcelona were the team to avoid in the last eight, followed by Real, so the draw for Spurs felt harsh particularly with the Catalans potentially awaiting in the semi-finals. But the manager was enthusiastic about the prospect, for now, of taking on the might of Madrid and Mourinho, and he suggested the Spaniards had every reason to fear his players. "Nobody wanted Barcelona, and Real and their players are not far behind them but we have good players, who can hurt teams and they know that," said Redknapp. "If we can get a good result in the first leg, we have a chance. We feel we can play against anybody. They are going to be looking at us as well."
    The Tottenham manager also took the opportunity to load the pressure on Arsène Wenger, saying that Arsenal now had a "clear run" at the Premier League, with United's run-in further complicated by the Champions League tie against Chelsea. "Arsenal are out of everything except for the league, and what an opportunity they have got," said Redknapp. "They are not playing Saturday-midweek-Saturday, as everyone else will be, in massive games. You've got to look at it and think Arsenal have got the most incredible opportunity ever.
    "If United can go on and win the league now, with all these games coming up, including the FA Cup semi-final with Man City, that would be an amazing feat. Arsenal are the only team with a clear run at it. Really now, you'd have to think they've got the best chance they're ever going to have.
    "It's tough for us to fight on two fronts but we want to finish in the top four. And in all honesty, the favourites Manchester City should be in there, shouldn't they? You look at the money they've been able to spend on players."

 

Carlo Ancelotti: Chelsea don't want revenge on Manchester United

• Chelsea manager plays down rematch with United
• Harry Redknapp says Tottenham can hurt Real Madrid




  • Dominic Fifield and David Hytner
  • The Guardian, Saturday 19 March 2011 <li class="history">Article history
    Gary-Lineker-007.jpg
    Gary Lineker draws teams for the quarter- and semi-finals of the Champions League at Uefa headquarters in Nyon. Photograph: Sebastien Feval/AFP/Getty Images Revenge was prominent in Carlo Ancelotti's thoughts after his Chelsea team were drawn to face Manchester United in next month's Champions League quarter-final. But the Italian does not want vengeance to motivate his players when they take on the club that inflicted a heart-breaking defeat in the 2008 final. True redemption, he says, can come only by lifting the trophy at Wembley in May.
    At least one English club will be in the semi-finals after yesterday's draw in Nyon pitted the Premier League's champions against its current leaders, and Tottenham will make it two if they prevail in a mouth-watering meeting with José Mourinho's Real Madrid. The Spurs manager, Harry Redknapp, was insistent that his side will go into the tie with no fear, with a likely semi-final against Barcelona – who face Shakhtar Donetsk in the last eight – awaiting the winners. In the other quarter-final the holders, Internazionale, play Schalke.
    Yet it was the all-English tie that drew the attention. The majority of the Chelsea side who experienced the numbing disappointment of defeat on penalties to United in Moscow three years ago, including John Terry and Nicolas Anelka whose misses from the spot proved decisive, remain at a club still seeking its first European Cup. "I don't think revenge will be a good motivation," said Ancelotti, who was Milan's manager at the time. "It should be fantastic motivation just looking to the future.
    "Winning this competition is not an obsession. It is a dream. But we have four games to reach the final in London. If Chelsea were to reach the final – not just beating United – that would be a good revenge for what happened in 2008. The players will remember they lost in Moscow, but we must remind ourselves that we beat United twice last year and have won against them this season, too."
    The clubs will end the season as familiar foes having confronted each other four times in under three months following the champions' 2-1 victory at Stamford Bridge almost three weeks ago. "But each game is a different story," added Ancelotti.
    "I won the trophy with Milan and, at that club, the most important competition is the Champions League. Not Serie A. Every year, because of our tradition and history, we focused on the European Cup. For Chelsea, winning this competition would be so important because it would be the first time. But we have to wait. This tie will be very difficult. United have showed fantastic consistency this season, better than us. But over 180 minutes, the side that plays better will win."
    Redknapp had long maintained that Barcelona were the team to avoid in the last eight, followed by Real, so the draw for Spurs felt harsh particularly with the Catalans potentially awaiting in the semi-finals. But the manager was enthusiastic about the prospect, for now, of taking on the might of Madrid and Mourinho, and he suggested the Spaniards had every reason to fear his players. "Nobody wanted Barcelona, and Real and their players are not far behind them but we have good players, who can hurt teams and they know that," said Redknapp. "If we can get a good result in the first leg, we have a chance. We feel we can play against anybody. They are going to be looking at us as well."
    The Tottenham manager also took the opportunity to load the pressure on Arsène Wenger, saying that Arsenal now had a "clear run" at the Premier League, with United's run-in further complicated by the Champions League tie against Chelsea. "Arsenal are out of everything except for the league, and what an opportunity they have got," said Redknapp. "They are not playing Saturday-midweek-Saturday, as everyone else will be, in massive games. You've got to look at it and think Arsenal have got the most incredible opportunity ever.
    "If United can go on and win the league now, with all these games coming up, including the FA Cup semi-final with Man City, that would be an amazing feat. Arsenal are the only team with a clear run at it. Really now, you'd have to think they've got the best chance they're ever going to have.
    "It's tough for us to fight on two fronts but we want to finish in the top four. And in all honesty, the favourites Manchester City should be in there, shouldn't they? You look at the money they've been able to spend on players."
 
Harry Redknapp relishes Tottenham spying mission to Real Madrid

&#8226; Manager praises man-management style of José Mourinho
&#8226; 'They know the damage that some of our players can cause'




  • David Hytner
  • guardian.co.uk, Friday 18 March 2011 22.30 GMT <li class="history">Article history
    The-Tottenham-Hotspur-man-005.jpg
    The Tottenham Hotspur manager, Harry Redknapp, is to fly to Spain to watch Real Madrid ahead of the Champions League quarter-final. Photograph: Tony O'Brien/Action Images Harry Redknapp wasted no time in trying to book his flight to Madrid, for a scouting trip he might only have dreamed of in the not too distant past. At the back of his mind, however, was the need to avoid humiliation.
    "Real are playing Atlético and I am going to go back to Madrid to see if I can get mugged again," the Tottenham Hotspur manager said, referring to his last trip to the Spanish capital, when he had his pocket picked outside the Vicente Calderón stadium. "They know I had a few quid on me last time and they are waiting for me. The boys will be out there, saying: 'Where's that mug?' I'm going to take Joe Jordan with me this time."
    Redknapp's quip about his assistant related to the Scot's recently reinforced reputation as a hardman. No one at Spurs can quite believe that Jordan has been banned by Uefa for one European match after he was headbutted by the Milan captain, Gennaro Gattuso. "Seriously, what is Joe supposed to have done?" Redknapp said. "He has been banned for being nutted. It's crazy."
    Redknapp, though, was quickly back into his stride. "Joe won't have any money on him," he warned any Bernabéu thieves. "Joe also said to me that he had never been to the Bernabéu ... I told him, 'You're not going to make it this time, either.'"
    Redknapp is buzzing with excitement and so are his players, particularly Rafael van der Vaart, who was out of his seat when Tottenham were drawn with Real Madrid, his former club, in the Champions League quarter-finals. "Tottenham against Madrid for a place in the last four of Europe's elite competition." The club's supporters cannot say the sentence enough and the sense of pride is palpable.
    "Real Madrid are a great name in world football," Redknapp said. "I remember watching the 1960 European Cup final on TV, when they beat Eintracht Frankfurt 7-3, with Puskas, Di Stefáno, Gento ... Real were the team in world football."
    The modern vintage is not too bad, either, and Redknapp will enjoy pitting his wits against José Mourinho, a manager he described as "one of the all-time greats." Mourinho has his team five points behind Barcelona in La Liga with ten matches to play and one of them is El Clásico at the Bernabéu on 17 April.
    "I wasn't close to José when he was in England but I respected him. And when you speak to people like young Frank [Lampard], he said he was fantastic. You look at what he achieved at Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan ... he has an amazing record. I like his style. He has real personality and I thought he livened up the place when he was here."
    Redknapp admires Mourinho's man-management. "José gets the best out of players &#8211; players want to play for him," he said. "You saw how upset the Inter players were when he left them after last season's Champions League final and it was like that at Chelsea, too. The players loved him and he loved English football."
    It would not surprise Redknapp were Mourinho to return to the Premier League. The Portuguese has been touted as Sir Alex Ferguson's successor at Manchester United. A more outlandish theory has him coming to Tottenham when Redknapp leaves for England. "I could tell you why he won't come here," Redknapp said, leaving the audience to speculate about his frustration at the chairman Daniel Levy's tight wage structure.
    But when Spurs play Madrid, the mouth-watering match-ups will not be in the dugouts. Real's attacking threats have panache, beginning with Cristiano Ronaldo, Mezut Ozil and Karim Benzema but Redknapp said that the Spanish club would be wary of his main men too. The stage is set for Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and Van der Vaart.
    "Let's not kid ourselves," Redknapp said. "They know the damage that some of our players can cause. We feel we can play against anybody."
    Tottenham have done things the hard way on their Champions League debut. After flirting with disaster in the play-off round, on the artificial pitch of Young Boys of Bern, they were placed in what Redknapp felt was the toughest group, which contained the champions, Internazionale. It felt as if Milan in the last 16 was no reward for progressing as group winners . If they can get past Madrid, it is likely that Barcelona will bar the path to the Wembley final.
    Yet Redknapp and Tottenham have shown a relish for taking on the biggest names, an ability to be inspired rather than intimidated, and they will approach the Madrid tie with the exuberance that has carried them this far. Redknapp said that he wanted to get back to White Hart Lane for the second leg with his team's hopes still alive. Humiliation will not come into it.

 
Harry Redknapp relishes Tottenham spying mission to Real Madrid

• Manager praises man-management style of José Mourinho
• 'They know the damage that some of our players can cause'




  • David Hytner
  • guardian.co.uk, Friday 18 March 2011 22.30 GMT <li class="history">Article history
    The-Tottenham-Hotspur-man-005.jpg
    The Tottenham Hotspur manager, Harry Redknapp, is to fly to Spain to watch Real Madrid ahead of the Champions League quarter-final. Photograph: Tony O'Brien/Action Images Harry Redknapp wasted no time in trying to book his flight to Madrid, for a scouting trip he might only have dreamed of in the not too distant past. At the back of his mind, however, was the need to avoid humiliation.
    "Real are playing Atlético and I am going to go back to Madrid to see if I can get mugged again," the Tottenham Hotspur manager said, referring to his last trip to the Spanish capital, when he had his pocket picked outside the Vicente Calderón stadium. "They know I had a few quid on me last time and they are waiting for me. The boys will be out there, saying: 'Where's that mug?' I'm going to take Joe Jordan with me this time."
    Redknapp's quip about his assistant related to the Scot's recently reinforced reputation as a hardman. No one at Spurs can quite believe that Jordan has been banned by Uefa for one European match after he was headbutted by the Milan captain, Gennaro Gattuso. "Seriously, what is Joe supposed to have done?" Redknapp said. "He has been banned for being nutted. It's crazy."
    Redknapp, though, was quickly back into his stride. "Joe won't have any money on him," he warned any Bernabéu thieves. "Joe also said to me that he had never been to the Bernabéu ... I told him, 'You're not going to make it this time, either.'"
    Redknapp is buzzing with excitement and so are his players, particularly Rafael van der Vaart, who was out of his seat when Tottenham were drawn with Real Madrid, his former club, in the Champions League quarter-finals. "Tottenham against Madrid for a place in the last four of Europe's elite competition." The club's supporters cannot say the sentence enough and the sense of pride is palpable.
    "Real Madrid are a great name in world football," Redknapp said. "I remember watching the 1960 European Cup final on TV, when they beat Eintracht Frankfurt 7-3, with Puskas, Di Stefáno, Gento ... Real were the team in world football."
    The modern vintage is not too bad, either, and Redknapp will enjoy pitting his wits against José Mourinho, a manager he described as "one of the all-time greats." Mourinho has his team five points behind Barcelona in La Liga with ten matches to play and one of them is El Clásico at the Bernabéu on 17 April.
    "I wasn't close to José when he was in England but I respected him. And when you speak to people like young Frank [Lampard], he said he was fantastic. You look at what he achieved at Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan ... he has an amazing record. I like his style. He has real personality and I thought he livened up the place when he was here."
    Redknapp admires Mourinho's man-management. "José gets the best out of players – players want to play for him," he said. "You saw how upset the Inter players were when he left them after last season's Champions League final and it was like that at Chelsea, too. The players loved him and he loved English football."
    It would not surprise Redknapp were Mourinho to return to the Premier League. The Portuguese has been touted as Sir Alex Ferguson's successor at Manchester United. A more outlandish theory has him coming to Tottenham when Redknapp leaves for England. "I could tell you why he won't come here," Redknapp said, leaving the audience to speculate about his frustration at the chairman Daniel Levy's tight wage structure.
    But when Spurs play Madrid, the mouth-watering match-ups will not be in the dugouts. Real's attacking threats have panache, beginning with Cristiano Ronaldo, Mezut Ozil and Karim Benzema but Redknapp said that the Spanish club would be wary of his main men too. The stage is set for Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and Van der Vaart.
    "Let's not kid ourselves," Redknapp said. "They know the damage that some of our players can cause. We feel we can play against anybody."
    Tottenham have done things the hard way on their Champions League debut. After flirting with disaster in the play-off round, on the artificial pitch of Young Boys of Bern, they were placed in what Redknapp felt was the toughest group, which contained the champions, Internazionale. It felt as if Milan in the last 16 was no reward for progressing as group winners . If they can get past Madrid, it is likely that Barcelona will bar the path to the Wembley final.
    Yet Redknapp and Tottenham have shown a relish for taking on the biggest names, an ability to be inspired rather than intimidated, and they will approach the Madrid tie with the exuberance that has carried them this far. Redknapp said that he wanted to get back to White Hart Lane for the second leg with his team's hopes still alive. Humiliation will not come into it.
 
Champions League draw: Analysis and verdict

The Champions League draw has thrown up some mouth-watering ties not least Chelsea against Manchester United in a repeat of the 2008 final



  • Manchester-United-vs-Chel-007.jpg
    Chelsea will be seeking to revenge their Champions League final defeat to Manchester United in 2008. Photograph: Sergey Dolzhenko/EPA Real Madrid v Tottenham Hotspur

    Harry Redknapp will instil a 'no fear' mentality into his side ahead of this mouth-watering confrontation with Real, particularly with the second leg to come at home. This is a dream tie for neutral observers as well as for Rafael van der Vaart, who was the last of the Dutch contingent to be dispatched from the Bernabéu but will be determined to have the final say in that relationship. The Spanish team will pose a considerable threat. José Mourinho has overseen the re-emergence of Karim Benzema this season, but it is the back-up attacking play of the pacey Angel di María, the astute Mesut Ozil and the individualistic brilliance of Cristiano Ronaldo which will threaten most. The emerging Sandro and, maybe, a fit Tom Huddlestone will need to stifle and help Luka Modric provide the ammunition for Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale to attack the Spaniards' full-backs, Sergio Ramos and Marcelo. Great nights are in prospect but, crucially, the advantage of the second leg at the Lane could be key. Could Mourinho have to come to London and park the bus, as he did with Internazionale against Barcelona to yield last year's semi-final victory?
    Verdict Spurs to progress 3-2 on agg
    Chelsea v Manchester United


    Chelsea have the power but have been underperforming lately. The superstitious will point to this being an opportunity to gain revenge for Moscow. But United do have the comfort of the second leg at Old Trafford. Squad strength will be key. United will need Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand available, whereas Carlo Ancelotti will be seeking to generate more threat from his front men. They will certainly need to be far less wasteful than they have been since Fernando Torres joined the club. The manager must also settle upon a forward partnership. By the time the second leg approaches, Torres should have regained form so Sir Alex will need Darren Fletcher, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs to be perfectly rested and fighting fit. Yet it should be noted that this competition provides Ancelotti with his only remaining opportunity to secure silverware this season. An intriguing tie awaits.
    Verdict Chelsea to win 2-1 on agg
    Barcelona v Shakhtar Donetsk


    The Spanish giants will not relish the second leg in Ukraine and could well need to secure a two-goal advantage from the first clash. Shakhtar, group winners in the first phase and clear victors over Roma, were dark horses but have been unlucky with the draw. Confident of their squad, their owner, Rinat Akhmetov, chose not to reinforce his options during the January window, perhaps with good reason: this is a team that won group games against Braga and Arsenal and are 12 points clear of Dynamo Kyiv back home. That is an indication of their strength. Darijo Srna, at right-back, Dmytro Chygrynskiy at centre-back and Eduardo da Silva, who is plundering goals again, all have real class. But Barça's familiar middle three, and the trio up front, are all irresistible. Shakhtar must defend for their lives in the Camp Nou and hope the Catalans are off colour at the Donbass Arena. I doubt they will be able to progress further.
    Verdict Barcelona to win 4-1 on agg
    Internazionale v Schalke


    Leonardo has proved a successful appointment since replacing Rafael Benítez and he will relish the opportunity to take on the Germans. Schalke will have their own incentives now that Felix Magath, their coach, has been dismissed and taken up the reins at Wolfsburg. Jefferson Farfán is a goal threat, the goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has many admirers, and Raúl has retained his goalscoring instincts, but I cannot visualise him being successful against the likes of Lúcio and Iván Córdoba, protected as they are by Javier Zanetti and Esteban Cambiasso. That pair will give Wesley Sneijder enough opportunities to get on the ball and supply Samuel Eto'o and Diego Milito. The second leg on German soil will be Schalke's hope, but Inter were not dispirited when 3-1 down on aggregate in Munich. Inter are hardened competitors who failed at Tottenham Hotspur. But this will be another story.
    Verdict Inter to win 2-0 on agg

 
Chelsea v Manchester United: a chance to refight that night in Moscow

So many players who took part in the 2008 Champions League final are still at Manchester United and Chelsea, making their quarter-final the pick of the draw




  • Link to this video The Champions League draw seethed with the promise of renewed rivalries and inevitable controversies. The tournament, from these quarter-finals onwards, is virtually the preserve of the affluent, but there will be raw passions. Manchester United and Chelsea clash once more in this tournament, with the overtones of the 2008 final all the more marked because so many of the players continue to be on the books of those clubs. Anyone seeking freshness can rejoice in the encounter to come between Tottenham Hotspur and José Mourinho's Real Madrid.
    The draw for the last four has also been made and, with due apology to White Hart Lane sensibilities, the prospect of Barcelona and Real Madrid being locked together in the semi-finals is mesmerising. Mourinho did get his wish, though, since he has avoided two of his former clubs, Chelsea and the Champions League holders, Internazionale. Given the character of the Portuguese, he will be intrigued rather than concerned by a potential rematch with Barça, who beat his side 5-0 at the Camp Nou in November.
    Such a clash is hypothetical, however, while the games between United and Chelsea are bound to be visceral. It is normal for the clubs to vie with one another and Chelsea became Premier League champions last season by finishing a point ahead of United. Regardless of the regular encounters between the sides, it will still be compelling. That 2008 final did leave us with an image that has become indelible, much as Chelsea would love to erase it.
    After Frank Lampard had cancelled out the opener from Cristiano Ronaldo, the match at the Luzhniki Stadium went to its shoot-out. The drama of those penalties was all the greater for those sitting in the stand, side-on to the pitch. John Terry had his invitation to deliver the trophy and, despite leaning back while taking the kick, seemed to have done so as Edwin van der Sar dived to his right while the ball went in the other direction. There was a split second of surprise as the effort clipped the outside of the post. The lore of football can be peculiar, though, and it is barely mentioned that Nicolas Anelka's failed penalty was the fatal one.
    There will now be an opportunity for the Frenchman to superimpose a triumph against United over his recollection of a horrible evening. The clubs have scarcely lost touch with one another over the past three seasons. Since that night in Moscow, the club have taken three wins and a draw from their five encounters with United.
    Three days after the 2008 final, the manager, Avram Grant, was sacked. Chelsea then employed Luiz Felipe Scolari and, on a temporary basis, Guus Hiddink, before Carlo Ancelotti took over the post. As a man who had taken the Champions League twice as manager of Milan, his arrival in London seemed to imply that the Chelsea owner, Roman Abramovich, had selected the candidate best qualified to deliver the one great prize that has been lacking. While Ancelotti would hardly have been rebuked, it was therefore ironic that he should have completed a Premier League and FA Cup double last season after Mourinho's Inter had won both matches in the first knockout round of the Champions League.
    A round further on, this time it is Harry Redknapp who is confronted by the Portuguese. There is less mystique to such an occasion since Mourinho, as is inevitable with Real's wealth at his disposal, has superior forces and could even be ditched by his impatient club if he fails to land a spot in the last four and still lags behind Barcelona in La Liga. At least Redknapp can be the more relaxed manager in the tie. There will be angst and strain just about everywhere else.
    Sir Alex Ferguson, like Ancelotti, may well feel that his squad is in need of some rejuvenation in key areas. That process has begun at Stamford Bridge, but David Luiz is ineligible for the Champions League and Fernando Torres, awaiting his first goal for Chelsea, is yet to settle down. There are no such exotic issues at Old Trafford.
    United's side are at the head of the Premier League almost out of habit. The squad is even less altered than Ancelotti's. Nine of the starting lineup in the Champions League final are still on the books, although it is doubtful whether Owen Hargreaves should be counted as a possible participant after 10 minutes of first-team action in this campaign. The men who have gone since 2008 are Carlos Tevez and Ronaldo. Each, in his own fashion, was able to make an impact and they have not been replaced fully, regardless of the effect Nani has had under Ferguson.
    Neither club are quite what they were, but that may make the encounters at Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford all the more intense.

 
Drogba set for 'interesting' talks


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Updated Mar 18, 2011 6:55 AM ET
Didier Drogba will hold talks with Chelsea about his future at the end of the season, and admits: "It will be interesting to see what happens."
Speculation about Drogba has been rife since the arrival of Fernando Torres, which was believed by some to herald the beginning of the end of the Ivorian's six-and-a-half-year Stamford Bridge career.
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The 33-year-old's contract expires next year and it is unclear whether he or Chelsea intend to extend it.
"It will be very interesting to see what happens in May," Drogba said. "Then we can sit and speak about it and have a coffee."
The £50million signing of Torres saw Drogba lose his automatic place in the side, while he has also struggled to strike up an understanding with his new team-mate when they have played together.
Drogba admitted intially struggling to accept no longer being top dog, but insisted he quickly came to accept manager Carlo Ancelotti's policy of rotating his forwards.
"It wasn't easy the first week but that's normal," he said. "Today, I know that we're doing this for the best of the team. The team is more competitive.
"Everybody talks a lot about my future but I'm enjoying it and I'm happy to be here."
It was Torres' turn to be rotated in Wednesday night's Champions League last-16 second leg against FC Copenhagen, with Drogba starting alongside Nicolas Anelka.
"We have a lot of strikers but I can't complain, I'm not the only one," said Drogba. "Salomon Kalou is not playing, (Florent) Malouda is not playing, sometimes Anelka, sometimes me, Nando.
"I think it's good for the team. A team like Chelsea must have a lot of players to achieve a lot in a year."
Drogba revealed he was "really happy" with Ancelotti's explanation for the rotation policy.
"Communication is important - communication is what makes a player feel profitable in every situation," said the forward, who has failed to find the net in his last nine games.
His latest blank came against Copenhagen but a goalless draw was enough to seal Chelsea's place in the quarter-finals ahead of Friday's draw.
Thet have already gone further than last year, when they lost to eventual winners Inter Milan but Drogba admitted a semi-final spot was the minimum requirement for Ancelotti's men.
"For a team like Chelsea, we have to be, minimum, in the semi-final every year," said Drogba, who has played in all but one of the Blues' five semi appearances in the last seven years.
"You need to keep trying.
"I think it's little details in the Champions League, it's all about details and also we need a little bit of luck to win it.
"We didn't have it in the last final but you have to do everything to have luck on your side.
"Hopefully, this time we're going to do it."
 
Mancini to axe 'stupid' Balotelli


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Updated Mar 18, 2011 6:25 AM ET
Roberto Mancini is threatening to axe Mario Balotelli for Manchester City's Premier League encounter with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
The Blues boss left Eastlands an angry man on Thursday night, raging at Dynamo Kiev and Balotelli, who was sent off as City crashed out of the Europa League.
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Mancini was fuming at the time-wasting tactics of the Ukrainian side, who went down at every opportunity as they successfully defended their first-leg lead.
But that fury was matched with the anger Mancini reserved for Balotelli, who was sent off after 36 minutes for a ridiculous challenge on Goran Popov.
Right in front of both the referee and his assistant, Balotelli put his studs into the chest of the Dynamo defender, then shoved them into his thigh for good measure.
And it seems Mancini's patience has finally snapped with a player who seems incapable of behaving responsibly.
"I don't think he will be in the squad," said the Italian as he looked ahead to Sunday's game against Chelsea.
"I didn't see the foul properly but I am very disappointed because in a game like this it is very difficult if you pick up a red card, and you can pick up a red card for doing something stupid," said Mancini.
"The problem for Mario is that he thinks he could be a fantastic player. But when he does something stupid like that, it is difficult for me, difficult for him and difficult for the team."
Although Balotelli's suspension will not kick in until next year, Mancini must wonder how long he can maintain any trust in the 20-year-old, who for all his exceptional ability, at times is an acute liability.
Not that Balotelli was the only subject for Mancini to grumble about.
The City boss was incensed by Dynamo's time-wasting tactics.
"Every time they dived and every time the referee saw it," he groaned. "But that is what happens. That is it."
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Mancini's complaints were met with a sharp rebuttal from Dynamo coach Yuri Semin.
"It is part of football," he shrugged. "There were some quite serious clashes. It was a tough game out there. That is why the referee gave quite a few yellow cards."
If there is one piece of good news for City it is that the relentless slog of two games a week that they have been ploughing through for most of the season has now come to an end.
It also means they will have a free week ahead of them before the FA Cup semi-final with Manchester United in the middle of next month when their opponents are engaged in a Champions League quarter-final.
That does seem minor consolation in the wake of Balotelli's madness though.
"It was going to be difficult for us anyway with 11 players," continued Mancini.
"We played very well and stopped them from creating any chances but with 10 players it was very hard."
 
Fifth still do-able, roars Reina


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Updated Mar 18, 2011 7:33 AM ET
Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina has not ruled out playing European football next season as the squad are targeting a fifth-placed finish.
Thursday night's goalless draw at home to Braga saw the Reds exit the Europa League at the last-16 stage and raised the prospect of the club failing to qualify for continental competition for the first time since 1999.
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They now have nine matches in which to overhaul Tottenham, who are six points ahead with one match in hand.
"We are disappointed and we know it's a trophy we can no longer fight for," said Reina, who had little cause to celebrate his 300th Liverpool appearance.
"Now we have to make sure we finish as high as possible in the league.
"Fifth is still do-able. There are nine games to play and a lot of points.
"Tottenham are involved in the Champions League still and have plenty of games.
"Hopefully we'll win enough games to get fifth but of course everyone knows it's difficult.
"We have to bounce back now - that's football. It's not about how you get knocked out - it's about how you react.
"We're Liverpool and we have to react. It's a difficult moment and it's not nice but there are still two months ahead of us and we have to keep going.
"It's always important for this club to be involved in European competition.
"We have been better in the last three months and that's positive.
"We have to look at the big picture and we are improving, we are growing."
 
City, Chelsea bid to stay in title race


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Updated Mar 18, 2011 12:43 PM ET
Chelsea and Manchester City meet at Stamford Bridge on Sunday in the biggest match in the Premier League, with the loser set to relinquish its faint hopes of catching leader Manchester United and second-place Arsenal in the title race.
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With United losing three of its last five league matches and Arsenal's injury problems slowing its progress, the door is ajar for Chelsea and City to mount a late challenge.
City is seven points off the lead with nine matches left and Chelsea, which has a game in hand, is two points further back.
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba said his team's title chances are "really, really small" after its mid-season slump, but is ruling nothing out.
"We have to focus on third place, because the club has to be in the Champions League," said Drogba, who could be paired with recent signing Fernando Torres again this weekend.
"Let's focus on Sunday - it's going to be a big game for us. We'll see what happens three or four games from the end."
The visitors will hope that playing almost an hour with 10 men in Thursday's 1-0 win over Dynamo Kiev in the Europa League - which wasn't enough to send them through to the quarterfinals - doesn't return to haunt them, with their first-choice team looking jaded by the end of the match.
Italy striker Mario Balotelli, red-carded in that victory for a petulant studs-first lunge in the 36th minute, is set to be dropped by City manager Roberto Mancini.
"I don't think he'll be in the squad," Mancini said. "Mario thinks he could be a fantastic player. When he does something stupid like that, it's difficult for me."
Torres is yet to score for Chelsea since his 50-million-pounds ($81 million) move from Liverpool but after being a substitute in the 0-0 draw against FC Copenhagen on Wednesday, the Spain striker will be raring to go.
Torres is also keen to make his partnership with Drogba work, although manager Carlo Ancelotti could opt to play Nicolas Anelka instead of the Ivory Coast international.
"I think we are mature enough and clever enough to play together," Torres said of Drogba. "There's no question about this."
United will look to extend its unbeaten record at home this season when it hosts Bolton on Saturday but the leaders are without at least four injured defenders, including the first-choice center-back pairing of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, who have hamstring injuries.
That gives in-form Bolton, which is in seventh place, a chance of a first win at Old Trafford in nine years.
"As a player, coach or manager, you want to play against the best. And it doesn't come any better than Manchester United, with the best manager in world football bar none," Bolton manager Owen Coyle said.
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"Sir Alex (Ferguson) knows the way my teams play, and we'll have to be at our best to achieve something."
Arsenal is without a win in its last four away matches in all competitions ahead of its trip to fifth-bottom West Bromwich Albion, which earned a first victory under new manager Roy Hodgson when it beat Birmingham 3-1 last time out.
Fifth-place Tottenham, the other team with an outside chance of catching the top two, is at home on Saturday to West Ham, which has been revitalized by the January signing of striker Demba Ba and the return to fitness of Germany midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger.
West Ham is still in the relegation zone but has won its last two league games.
Elsewhere Saturday, Aston Villa hosts second-bottom Wolverhampton Wanderers in a midlands derby, Blackburn is at home to fellow strugglers Blackpool, Newcastle visits Stoke, Birmingham travels to last-place Wigan and resurgent Fulham goes to Everton.
Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish could pair expensive January signings Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll up front together for the first time when the northwest side visits Sunderland.
Sixth-place Liverpool, which is six points behind Tottenham having played a game more, was eliminated from the Europa League on Thursday and needs to finish fifth to make it into European competition next season.
 
Dalglish unsure of repercussions


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Updated Mar 18, 2011 7:44 AM ET
Kenny Dalglish does not know what the after-effects of Liverpool's Europa League exit will be - but admits their league form is now crucial.
The Reds' goalless draw against Braga at Anfield meant they went out of the competition 1-0 on aggregate at the last-16 stage.
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In order to avoid failing to qualify for Europe for the first time since 1999 they now have to finish fifth in the Premier League.
But that is no easy feat with current incumbents Tottenham six points ahead having played one match less.
"I don't know if it will be a help not being in the Europa League," said the Scot.
"It (the Europa League) was an option for us to get back into Europe next year if we'd won it.
"But we know that in every league game we will have to try to get as much as we possibly can.
"We were going to do that any way, so I don't know if it will be a blessing or not.
"You only get in Europe if you win games. If you win enough games and get enough points we will get in Europe."
Club record signing Andy Carroll made his first start after two substitute appearances after recovering from a thigh injury but even his presence could not force a breakthrough.
But Dalglish was happy with the £35million striker's performance.
"Andy stayed on longer than we hoped he would have to stay on but necessity meant he had to stay on the pitch because we were looking for a goal," said the Reds boss.
"Overall we are pleased to see him back on the pitch and we were not disappointed with his contribution in any way.
"It was a bit unfortunate he did not score a goal; he put one header wide in the first half and then had one stopped by Dirk Kuyt in the second.
"Considering it was his first start I think he can be very pleased with how he played.
"If Andy's header had gone in in the first half it could have been a different outcome but we never put anything past the goalkeeper.
"You need to be really strong creatively if you are going to break down a very organised side or you need a bit of luck and we certainly have not had much fortune over two legs.
"Like every other team in the world we could do with a bit more creativity but we are no different than anyone else."
Braga reached the quarter-finals for the first time in their history and the players enjoyed their moment on the Anfield pitch after the game.
"We have reasons to be proud. We achieved a different level that we have never achieved before," said coach Domingos Paciencia.
"Don't take things the wrong way for the way we celebrated. We are proud."
 
Fergie ready to re-think Roo role


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Updated Mar 18, 2011 12:53 PM ET
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is preparing to abandon the experiment of using Wayne Rooney in midfield.
Sat., Mar. 19​
Tottenham vs. West Ham
Aston Villa vs. Wolves
Blackburn vs. Blackpool
Man Utd vs. Bolton
Stoke City vs. Newcastle
West Brom vs. Arsenal
Wigan vs. Birmingham
Everton vs. Fulham
Sun., Mar. 20​
Sunderland vs. Liverpool
Chelsea vs. Man City
BPL Scores | Table | Fixtures​


After accepting his five-match touchline ban for critical comments about Martin Atkinson in the wake of United's 2-1 defeat at Chelsea earlier this month - even if he still thinks he was right - Ferguson will be sat in the Old Trafford stands for the Premier League encounter with Bolton.
By following up that loss at Stamford Bridge with another reverse at Anfield, United are under pressure to gain a victory that would consolidate their position at the top of the table.
And that might mean a more advanced role for Rooney, who has won plaudits over the past week for a couple of excellent displays in midfield.
"We only started playing Wayne deeper because of the injury situation before the game against Arsenal last Saturday," said Ferguson.
"We were forced into trying to organise a team that gave us a chance of going through. In that particular game it worked.
"But Bolton are a completely different team and I may change it."
One man who definitely won't be involved is Rio Ferdinand, whose absence with a calf injury is about to extend into a seventh week.
Ferguson has raised doubts over the 32-year-old returning before the end of the season, although he insists Ferdinand still has a future, despite having three campaigns wrecked by fitness problems.
"Rio has plenty of years ahead of him," said Ferguson. "He has had a few injuries over the last few years I am sure that are a concern for him.
"Calf injuries can be troublesome and we are not looking at this as a short-term situation for us. He has been out for a few weeks now anyway and has not started training yet.
"It looks to me as if we will be lucky to get him back for some point of the season.
"But he is still capable of coming back and playing at the top level again."
 
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