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[h=1]Manchester United refer City to the FA in dispute over Cup tickets[/h] • Allocation for third-round tie falls short of usual 15%
• City cite logistical and security issues




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Manchester City have said that the short allocation of tickets is because of logistical and security issues. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Manchester United have asked the Football Association to intervene after becoming embroiled in a ticket row with Manchester City that demonstrates the growing scale of rivalry between the two clubs competing at the top of English football.
United want the FA to take up their case after learning that City are prepared to make only 5,400-5,800 seats available to supporters of Sir Alex Ferguson's team for the FA Cup third-round tie at the Etihad Stadium on 8 January.
This falls short of the 15% allocation to which visiting clubs are entitled under FA rules, and has left United complaining that their fans are being treated unfairly. The Old Trafford club had requested 7,170 tickets and they have now asked the FA to write to City to remind them of their responsibilities.
The Premier League's first and second-placed clubs have had since 4 December, when the draw was made, to reach an agreement but have been unable to find a compromise, with neither side apparently willing to change their stance. United's deadline for ticket applications passed last Friday but they have been unable to inform their supporters of what happens next, and there is a suspicion at Old Trafford that it may be a tit-for-tat act on City's part. Roberto Mancini's City deny this, and say it is purely a logistical and security issue.
United are not bound to give visiting clubs the usual 15% allocation because they are given special dispensation from the FA on the basis that Old Trafford is the largest ground in the country. Instead, they routinely give away fans 8,500 tickets for cup ties, and have informed City during discussions about the possibility of a replay that they would not make an exception for their local neighbours, offering roughly 11.2% of their 76,000 capacity. City's offer is almost identical percentage-wise and United have been left to wonder whether this is deliberate.
City say that is not the case and that, owing to the design of their stadium, they have never been able to offer anything higher than 6,100 seats for away fans since leaving Maine Road eight years ago.
They will tell the FA that they have looked at every measure to offer United as close to the stipulated 15% allocation as possible, but they are also bound by strict segregation and security issues for a match that will see one of the largest police operations at a football game in Manchester since the England national team were based at Old Trafford during the rebuilding of Wembley.

The tie has been designated in the highest-risk category because of the history of trouble between rival supporters, in particular the first leg of the Carling Cup semi-final at City's ground in January 2010, which ended 2-1 to the home side.
On that occasion, United accepted City's allocation of 5,300 tickets, so there is an element of surprise at the Etihad Stadium that the two clubs have not been able to agree the allocation this time.





 
[h=1]Five things we learned from watching football this weekend[/h] Wayne Rooney needs Antonio Valencia, Aston Villa's defence is in disarray and Daniel Sturridge should be picked for Euro 2012



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Wayne Rooney celebrates with his Manchester United team-mates after scoring the opening goal against QPR on Sunday. Photograph: Scott Heavey/Getty Images

[h=2]1 Football's focus on individuals is debilitating[/h]There is no burden so heavy as being tagged a "bright, young thing". Promise and potential, no matter how glittering, need to be hardened into something more durable. This we knew before Barcelona's Club World Cup final against Santos but there was nevertheless a salient reminder of how cruel the gap between expectation and reality can be in the miserable night spent by Neymar in the shadow of Lionel Messi.
The 19-year-old was not helped by his coach, Muricy Ramalho, who in the buildup to the match compared the Santos prodigy to Messi. "Before long he'll be the best in the world," he said. "The two are similar but Neymar is a bit more special. His style alternates the direction of the ball as he carries it, while Messi dribbles more in a straight line. Neymar is unpredictable. You don't find anyone in the world who does what he can with the ball."
Admittedly Barcelona hogged possession to such an extent it was largely a moot point as to what Neymar might have done with the ball but as the Spanish side repeatedly ran amok, inspired by two goals from their Argentinian maestro, the folly of suggesting the Brazilian might possibly out-Messi Messi became increasingly apparent.
Coverage prior to the game would have led you to believe that only two players were involved but, if this was a boxing contest, Neymar was horribly overmatched. Football is a team game, however, and the focus on individual talents is a reductive exercise. Messi, as much of a Barcelona company man as there is, could tell you that. Five years Messi's junior, Neymar has plenty of time to realise his talent fully. It would be better for him to do so without premature proclamations of greatness dogging his every appearance. AG
[h=2]2 Rooney needs Valencia[/h]Little in football is quite so devastating as a player in his prime whose career is ruined by injury. Who knows, for example, where Dean Ashton might be now if Shaun Wright-Phillips had not trod on his ankle during an England training session in 2006? Clubs cannot plan for it because there is no way to prevent or predict it happening and it is simply down to luck, a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Given the number of players who have never been the same after a bad break, the way Antonio Valencia has recovered from the broken leg he suffered against Rangers in September 2010 has been remarkable. As soon as he returned to action for Manchester United in March it was as if he had never been away and by the end of the season he was giving Ashley Cole the chasing of his life; the Chelsea left-back had not been so discombobulated since he was driving along in his Bentley one afternoon and his agent told him Arsenal were going to pay him only £55,000 a week.
Recovering from an injury is one thing, however, but getting over the trauma Valencia experienced at the hands of Barcelona in last May's Champions League final is another altogether. That, coupled with the lack of a pre-season, meant he has struggled to find form this season and he has regularly been overlooked in favour of Ashley Young. However, Young has failed to maintain the decent start he made to life at Old Trafford, which has meant a return to the side for Valencia, much to the delight of Wayne Rooney.
The pair have dovetailed beautifully ever since Valencia joined United in 2009. In his first season at the club he created countless headed goals for Rooney with his pinpoint crosses from the right, most notably the winner against Aston Villa in the Carling Cup final and the second goal in United's 3-2 win at Milan that season. Rooney scored 34 goals in the 2009-10 season and it was clear how much he valued the support he received from Valencia. "I couldn't have scored the amount of goals I have this season without him," Rooney said in May 2010. "He's been great this year and the quality of balls he puts in the box for me has been unbelievable."
Judging by the way Rooney and Valencia took QPR apart after 53 seconds on Sunday, the old partnership could be clicking back into gear. JS
[h=2]3 Aston Villa's defence is still mismanaged[/h]On the last day of the summer 2009 transfer window Aston Villa signed Richard Dunne and James Collins from Manchester City and West Ham United respectively, assembling in a day a central defensive partnership that, apart from Carlos Cuéllar helping out a bit for a while, has remained unbroken since.
It is worth remembering, at this point, how good they once looked. In their first season at the club Villa kept 15 clean sheets and had the fourth best defensive record in the division, despite conceding four at home to Blackburn Rovers and seven at Chelsea – two games that between them accounted for 28% of the goals they shipped all season. Martin O'Neill smilingly acknowledged the "bit of luck" that had allowed them to steal Dunne from Manchester for £6m, "incredible value", as the Irishman strolled into the PFA team of the season.
Villa conceded an average of 1.03 goals per game in O'Neill's last season and finished in sixth place but, when the Irishman left, their defensive solidity went with him. The following season, under Gérard Houllier, they kept less than half as many clean sheets (seven). Where they had been notably strong when defending set pieces, they suddenly had the Premier League's worst record. The players blamed the quality of coaching and in March Dunne and Collins were punished after they got drunk during a "team bonding" weekend and decided to tell the coaching staff exactly what they thought of them.
Houllier, bizarrely given the statistics, blamed this defensive uncertainty on his predecessor. "They had their habits for four years and I am not going to change it in the middle of the season," he said. "Next year it is obviously something I'll address."
He did not get the chance. Instead Alex McLeish, a former defender, was chosen to right the ship. "It could help that he used to be a defender but he could also pinpoint our faults more easily," Dunne said in July, welcoming the appointment. "I think as a team we'll be defensively tighter. I think that's where you should start from and that's the basis."
In that same interview, back in July, Dunne spoke about the problems the team was experiencing from set pieces. "We've flitted between man marking and zonal marking in the past few seasons and never really pinpointed which one we should be doing," he said. "But I'm sure over the coming weeks, before the league starts, the manager will have it nailed down and he'll tell us exactly what we're doing, who we're marking and what way we're doing it."
Er, nope. Once again this season Villa have conceded more goals from corners than anyone else and they looked comically hapless in letting Liverpool convert two in the opening 20 minutes on Sunday. Martin Skrtel's goal could be used as a three-second demonstration of the failings of a zonal marking system: he starts beyond the back post, where nobody is watching him, runs unmolested past Dunne, who was minding the far post, and Collins, likewise picking up space, nips in front of Emile Heskey (who was marking Jonjo Shelvey) and gets a free header.
Dunne particularly had a poor game and was embarrassed by Luis Suárez twice in as many seconds before the Uruguayan hit the bar in the second half but Villa's defensive record from set pieces this season and last cannot be blamed on their centre-halves. Set pieces, particularly in defence, are the clearest test of a coach's mettle and it is one Houllier flunked and McLeish is flunking. SB
[h=2]4 Sturridge must go to Euro 2012[/h]It is becoming increasingly difficult to reconcile the perception of Daniel Sturridge as an outsider for England's Euro 2012 squad with the startling effervescence and efficacy of his recent performances for Chelsea, the latest of which brought a splendid goal at Wigan. Rough edges inevitably remain, particularly in his finishing and decision making, but Sturridge's sheer ability and modernity elevate him beyond England's other wide forwards.
It is rare to see a player who has more than one way to skin a left-back but Sturridge is equally effective coming infield to shoot or scorching down the line. He has exhilarating pace, a dizzying step-over and the swagger of a man who thinks no stage is too big. At the moment he should be a cert for England's starting XI, never mind the squad. RS
[h=2]5 Football fans are ******: chapter 423[/h]The regular refrain from visiting managers at Upton Park is that, if they can score early or stay level for 20 minutes, the West Ham fans will quickly start to turn on their own side. Cliched, maybe, but not exactly without justification because Upton Park has become a very sullen place to watch football in recent years. There is always a vague hope that relegation will root out the fair-weather fans, yet ultimately it just makes people angrier and so it was that on Saturday a nadir was reached.
With around five minutes left during West Ham's game against Barnsley and Sam Allardyce's side holding on for a 1-0 victory that was to take them level with the Championship leaders, Southampton, until the Saints' point at Portsmouth on Sunday, it was announced that Kevin Nolan was the sponsors' man of the match, an award that was astonishingly greeted by booing from certain sections of the crowd. Of course, not everyone in the crowd was booing and being loud is not equivalent to being right; a vocal minority are just more noticeable than the silent majority and therefore more cringeworthy.
It is also likely that Nolan, the club captain no less, was not being booed, rather it was the decision not to give the award to Daniel Potts, a 17-year-old who found out he was making his debut at left-back only shortly before kick-off when Abdoulaye Faye failed a late fitness test. The youngster, who battled against leukaemia for four years after being diagnosed with it when he was 12 and whose father is the former West Ham defender Steve Potts, delivered an impressive performance to keep Nile Ranger quiet in difficult circumstances.
But does something so minor as who gets a free bottle of champagne really matter? Surely of more importance was helping the team hold on to their lead in the dying moments, instead of undermining it. But no. The local hero was snubbed, so there had to be a pantomime villain. Well, it is the season for it. JS





 
Rutashubanyuma said:
[h=1]Sir Alex Ferguson's praise of Spurs may be a dig at Manchester City[/h] The Manchester United manager may have ulterior motives in his admiration of others




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In a possible dig at Manchester City, Sir Alex Ferguson said he thought that Spurs have been playing the best football so far this season. Photograph: John Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images

Sir Alex Ferguson believes there are five teams in the title race, and reckons Tottenham Hotspur have been playing the best football of the past couple of months, although the Manchester United manager is convinced two or three sides will have fallen away by the closing weeks of the season.
"At the moment there are still five who can win it, which is a fantastic boast to be able to make, but although you would like to think that might still be the case going into the last week of the season experience suggests it won't happen," he said. "It never does seem to happen like that. It is always two teams fighting it out at the death."
Who that may be is hard to predict at this stage, with Manchester City top but inexperienced, Chelsea experienced but a way behind, Manchester United and Arsenal looking ready to go the distance and Spurs, with a game in hand, by no means out of the picture. Ferguson is so keen to make it known he likes the look of Harry Redknapp's team that it is tempting to speculate on his motivation. Is the United manager seeking to undermine City, by claiming Spurs have been playing the best football, or is he laying the foundations for a late United bid for Luka Modric or Gareth Bale? Is this his way of sending out Christmas cheer towards his old pal Redknapp, or is he playing the old managerial trick of praising rivals so they start to believe their own publicity?
"Spurs were unlucky at Stoke the other day, but they are still in with a shout," Ferguson said. "I have been very impressed with the football they have played over the last eight games or so, and they are definitely strong enough to mount a challenge. Going out of the Europa League will help them too.
"You always expect the usual four teams to be in the hunt: ourselves, City, Arsenal and Chelsea; but to my mind Spurs have been the best team to watch recently. Chelsea will be lifted by their result against City on Monday, they did the league a good turn there and brought a bit more balance to the picture at the top. Arsenal could do the same thing and do themselves a favour this weekend.
"It's a big game at City and it could change the situation again, but we've all got big games to play between now and the end of the season. I don't doubt that everyone will drop points to each other, but the key thing at this stage is to try to be near the top at the turn of the year. You don't want to leave yourselves with too much ground to make up."
Ferguson is right about one thing. Going out of the Europa League will do Spurs no harm at all. Maybe City and United would secretly like to exit the unloved competition almost as quickly, although with the glamour ties they have been handed, against Porto and Ajax respectively, it is not easy to envisage that happening. Approaching the packed festive programme and the halfway point of the season, however, such considerations can be left until European football starts up again in February.
The question for now, as the Manchester Scot says almost every season, is what the league table will look like in early January, after five games in quick succession have tilted it towards the end rather than the beginning and left every club with a clearer idea of what must be done in the matches that remain. If City are still on top after playing Arsenal, Stoke and Liverpool they will have done well, although all three of those fixtures are at home. United should be able to keep in touch with a relatively undemanding run of games against QPR, Fulham, Wigan and Blackburn, although anything less than a near maximum harvest of points over the holiday period would not only allow City the chance to increase their lead but see the Old Trafford recovery scuppered by Ferguson's own logic. Arsenal's title credentials are up for examination at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. Spurs' and Chelsea's turn comes on Thursday at White Hart Lane, a festive cracker that seems certain to leave either Redknapp or André Villas-Boas looking glumly at the empty end as the other dons the party crown.
Villas-Boas and his relationship with the Chelsea players is turning into everyone's favourite Christmas story, although not every tale relates to the top end of the table. Down at the bottom, this could be the season when the Premier League loses all three of its small but tenacious Lancashire clubs. Looked at another way, this could be a season when all three promoted clubs stay up. QPR were most people's prediction for a season-long struggle followed by relegation, although in a similar manner to Arsenal they managed to reinvent themselves in the last couple of weeks of the transfer window and now look remarkably buoyant, certainly in better shape than Wolves, West Brom and the teams below them. That could change in the next couple of weeks, but that is the essence of frantic, festive football. Everything could.
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mwache tu huyu mzee aendelee kuiunderrate city ije imuoneshe jinsi ndoo inavyobebwa..
 



[h=1]Liverpool furious as Luis Suárez banned in Patrice Evra racism row[/h] • Striker set to miss eight games and is fined £40,000
• Liverpool consider appeal against striker's conviction




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Liverpool have cast doubt on Patrice Evra's credibility as a witness. Photograph: Andrew Yates/AFP/Getty Images

Luis Suárez has been banned for eight matches and fined £40,000 for racially abusing Patrice Evra, prompting an extraordinary response from Liverpool accusing the Manchester United player of being "not credible" and alleging that the Football Association had deliberately set out to punish their player even before hearing the evidence.
In a statement that also calls for the FA to press charges against Evra, Liverpool described themselves as "surprised and disappointed" with the "extraordinary" decision to find Suárez guilty of aiming racist abuse at the Senegal-born Frenchman during the 1-1 draw at Anfield on 15 October.
Their manager, Kenny Dalglish, tweeted: "Very disappointed with today's verdict. This is the time when @luis16suarez needs our full support. Let's not let him walk alone. KD"
The club are considering an appeal, with the punishment suspended and Suárez free to play until the process is completed, and the wording of their statement makes it clear they will not contemplate taking their own disciplinary action against a player who is understood to have admitted calling his opponent a "negro".
"We find it extraordinary that Luis can be found guilty on the word of Patrice Evra alone when no one else on the field – including Evra's own team-mates and all the match officials – heard the alleged conversation between two players in a crowded Kop goalmouth while a corner-kick was about to be taken," the statement said.
"It is our strong belief, having gone over the facts of the case, that Luis Suárez did not commit any racist act. It is also our opinion that the accusation by this particular player was not credible – certainly no more credible than his prior unfounded accusations."
That was a reference to Evra's disciplinary case in 2008 when he was banned for four matches and fined £15,000 after an altercation with a Chelsea groundsman. The FA hearing at the time ruled his evidence was "exaggerated and unreliable" and Liverpool made a great point of focusing on this during the Suárez case.
However, the FA's three-man independent commission, led by Paul Goulding QC, did not accept Suárez's argument that the words he used were perfectly acceptable for someone from Uruguay, a defence of culture and semantics that has led to it being described as one of the more complex cases ever to fall under the remit of the FA's disciplinary unit. Suárez said on Twitter: "Today is a very difficult and painful day for both me and my family. Thanks for all the support, I'll keep working!"
There was no apology and it soon became apparent why as Liverpool turned the focus back on to the man who made the allegation. "It is key to note that Patrice Evra himself in his written statement in this case said: 'I don't think that Luis Suárez is racist'. The FA in their opening remarks accepted that Luis Suárez was not racist," their statement said.
"Luis himself is of a mixed-race family background as his grandfather was black. He has been personally involved since the 2010 World Cup in a charitable project which uses sport to encourage solidarity amongst people of different backgrounds with the central theme that the colour of a person's skin does not matter; they can all play together as a team.
"We do not recognise the way in which Luis Suárez has been characterised. It appears to us that the FA were determined to bring charges against Luis Suárez, even before interviewing him at the beginning of November.
"Nothing we have heard in the course of the hearing has changed our view that Luis Suárez is innocent of the charges brought against him and we will provide Luis with whatever support he now needs to clear his name. We would also like to know when the FA intend to charge Patrice Evra with making abusive remarks to an opponent after he admitted himself in his evidence to insulting Luis Suárez in Spanish in the most objectionable of terms. Luis, to his credit, actually told the FA he had not heard the insult."
Evra had reportedly pushed away Suárez's hand when the Uruguayan attempted to pat him on the head and used words to the Liverpool player along the lines of: "Don't touch me, you South American." Liverpool have asked the FA to issue the same charges that have now led to Suárez's reputation being tarnished.

The FA's hearing, that began last Wednesday, had ruled that Suárez used "insulting words" that "included a reference to Mr Evra's colour". The full written reasons will be provided to Liverpool in the next few days and they will have 14 days to appeal. However, if they were to lose an appeal Suárez could potentially face an even longer ban. In the meantime Suárez is set to play in the league fixture at Wigan Athletic on Wednesday.





 
[h=1]Milan must pay the price for Carlos Tevez, says Roberto Mancini[/h] • Manager refuses to consider loan deal for striker
• Mancini criticises Wayne Bridge for failure to secure move




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Manchester City's Roberto Mancini says Milan must buy Carlos Tevez, rather than take him on loan. Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images

Roberto Mancini's frustration with Carlos Tevez broadened into a critique of Wayne Bridge's lifestyle as the Manchester City manager expressed his distaste for the way footballers can bank vast sums of money without kicking a ball.
Mancini's exasperation with Tevez was accompanied by a clear sense of regret as he considered a congested fixture schedule that begins with Stoke City's visit to the Etihad Stadium and could see the Premier League leaders play eight games in January. His falling-out with the Argentinian was "strange and frustrating", he said. "With Carlos in the squad, we're a better team. Carlos is a fantastic striker, so we were better, 100%."
But it was when the conversation turned to Bridge, the best-paid non-playing footballer in the league, that Mancini was at his most outspoken. The City manager is unwilling to protect a player who earns £90,000 a week at a club but is no longer wanted.
"I don't understand this," Mancini said. "For every player, it should be important to play football. I don't know why someone would want to stay at one club when they know they cannot play. Wayne has had two or three chances [to leave], maybe not in the Premier League but in the Championship. In the summer he had the chance to play for Celtic, and this is an important team."
Bridge turned them down, as well as rejecting offers from Turkey and Russia, and Mancini was asked what the former England player did on his average Saturday. "I don't know," he replied. "Golf?"
Bridge has earned around £4.7m since his last league game for the club, a year ago. His only appearance this season came in a Carling Cup tie against Birmingham City in September and he was not in the squad for Sunday's match against Arsenal despite two left-backs, Gaël Clichy and Aleksandar Kolarov, being unavailable. The Gunners are the latest club believed to show an interest in signing Bridge, on loan, after suffering injuries to Kieran Gibbs and Andre Santos.
"When we are young and start to play football, we don't play for money," Mancini said. "We play because we like football. Every player should have this target in mind: play football. Wayne is a good guy but it should be important for him to play."
Bridge, signed from Chelsea for £10m in January 2009, often trains with City's youth team. Mancini was asked if this was humbling for a player with 36 caps. "It's for this reason he should want to play," he said. "He trains with us sometimes, and sometimes he trains with the young players. I hope [he will reconsider in January]. It's difficult for a player to stay here every day then we get to Saturday and no [not playing]."
At least City are getting closer to unburdening themselves of Tevez and his £250,000-a-week salary, which is still being paid despite the player going on strike and flying to Argentina on 8 November. A delegation from Milan will be in Manchester . Mancini, however, said the Serie A club would have to change their offer of a loan arrangement.
"Milan know they can't get Carlos on loan, and they know this very well. But if they want to buy Carlos, then for us it's OK. We don't have a problem with that, we want Carlos to find a good solution, but no one can get him on loan.
"When Manchester City bought all these players we paid a lot of money but every time we want to sell one, the [buying] clubs want to get the player on loan. This is not good for this club or the other clubs. City paid a lot of money [for Tevez] three years ago and I think it's only correct that if Milan, Juventus and PSG want him they should pay the value."
Mancini also revealed that he planned more talks with François Zahoui, the manager of the Ivory Coast national team, after learning that Yaya and Kolo Touré may be called up for the Africa Cup of Nations earlier than expected.Zahoui, who knows Mancini after spending two seasons at Ascoli in the 1980s, had agreed to waive Fifa's two‑week rule and allow the Tourés to play in the FA Cup third-round tie against Manchester United on 8 January and the home leg of the Carling Cup semi-final against Liverpool three days later.
The Cup of Nations starts on 21 January, in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. Mancini also wanted his players to face Wigan a week earlier. However, other clubs have made similar requests, citing the precedent at City, and the offer has been revoked. The brothers may therefore have to leave after the United match.
 
[h=1]David Moyes says Everton will not be forced to sell Jack Rodwell[/h] • 'I don't think we would be selling because we need the money'
• Everton have had bid accepted for Cliftonville's Ryan Donnelly




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David Moyes, the Everton manager, believes Jack Rodwell's immediate future is best served at Goodison Park. Photograph: Clive Mason/Getty Images

David Moyes has said Everton do not have to appease the banks by selling Jack Rodwell in January but admits the club's financial position leaves them vulnerable to big offers for their coveted players.
Rodwell, Everton's latest homegrown England international, has been strongly linked with a move to Chelsea when the transfer window reopens and though Moyes insists there has been no approach from the Stamford Bridge club so far, he was unable to provide assurances that the 20-year-old will not be sold after a year of substantial cost-cutting at Goodison Park.
Everton have raised approximately £30m in 2011 by trading in Mikel Arteta, Steven Pienaar, Jermaine Beckford, Yakubu Ayegbeni and James Vaughan, reducing their wage bill significantly in the process, plus selling their former Bellefield training ground. That enabled the club to fall into line with Barclays' decision to cap its overdraft at £25m although, with only Royston Drenthe and Denis Stracqualursi signed on loan in the summer, the team has struggled and currently languish four points above the relegation zone.
Moyes insists the cuts have alleviated pressure from the banks to sell players in January. "I don't think we would do it because of the circumstances as I think we got the money we needed back in the summer and I don't think we would be selling because we need the money for the bank or anything like that just now," he said.
The Everton manager said that it would therefore be a football decision if the club, which values Rodwell in the £20m bracket, does decide to cash in on another asset. "I've not heard any differently," he said. "But we've not had a bid and we've not heard anything from Chelsea. All I can say is we've had zero contact. I don't know what I could add to that."
The Everton manager conceded, however, that financial constraints at a club £44.9m in debt continue to have a bearing on whether he accepts offers for players who may seek Champions League football elsewhere. "We have tried not to be that [a selling club] but times have changed, finances have changed and the position where Everton have moved to, our stature has grown and we have players that are good enough for the top teams. Maybe in the past there weren't players at Everton who were good enough for the top teams but I think Everton have that now.
"We don't want to be seen as a club which is preparing players for other clubs, I don't certainly. David Moyes wants to be making sure that we have a team that is competing but obviously the players want to be successful, they want to be winning things and playing in teams that are winning games and that's always something I need to consider as well.
"I still make the football decisions. Obviously there's a little bit more business involved in it now where there's other financial things that we always need to keep our eye on so not all of the decisions can be solely down to just what's happening on the football field."
But the Everton manager believes Rodwell's immediate future is best served with his boyhood club, having progressed through the ranks to win his first senior England caps against Spain and Sweden and with more regular first-team football on offer at Goodison ahead of Euro 2012. He said: "There was a bit of speculation about Jack in the summer as well. Nothing came of it and I'm just looking at this one as a similar sort of speculation. Hopefully nothing will come of this one either. His development here has been good, he came on the scene very early but overall I will always think that players are better served being at Everton."
Moyes believes his slender squad cannot be weakened further if Everton are to avoid the threat of relegation but, with just 11 days to go before the transfer window reopens, the amount he has available remains unclear. "We need to add to the squad for the second half of the season. For us to get the results we need we need to add to it," said the Scot, who has had a £100,000 bid for the Cliftonville striker Ryan Donnelly accepted by the club and is awaiting a decision from the coveted 19-year-old.
Asked if he was confident that the Everton squad will be stronger when the transfer window closes, Moyes said: "I couldn't be sure one way or the other. I would hope that we will be but it's not a good market in January and it tends not to be a good time to spend your cash but we'll be out looking."
 
[h=1]Arsenal consider loan options after injury setback for Kieran Gibbs[/h] • Left-back will take longer to recover after hernia surgery
• Arsenal may consider loan move for Man City's Wayne Bridge




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Kieran Gibbs has not played for Arsenal since mid-October as he looks to recover from hernia surgery. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Arsène Wenger has begun to scout the loan market for a left-back after Kieran Gibbs suffered a setback in his recovery from hernia surgery to deepen Arsenal's defensive crisis.
The manager has lost all four of his specialist full-backs, together with Johan Djourou, the centre-half who has provided cover at right-back of late, and Wenger will once again string four central defenders across his back-line for the trip to Aston Villa on Wednesday night. Ignasi Miquel, the 19-year-old Spanish centre-half, stands by to make his full Premier League debut at left-back.
Wenger had hoped Gibbs would be in contention for the Villa game, when the team intend to bounce back from the defeat at Manchester City on Sunday, but the medical bulletin brought further frustration. Gibbs, who has endured more than his share of injuries, last played in mid‑October.
Wenger's other left-back, André Santos, the summer signing from Fenerbahce, is out for three months with ankle ligament damage and on the right flank, Bacary Sagna (fractured fibula) and Carl Jenkinson (stress fracture in back) are also unavailable. Wenger did report "good news" on Sagna; the France international started running in training on Monday but Gibbs's setback, and the need to explore fresh options, preoccupied him.
Wayne Bridge, who is out of favour at City, is one player under consideration. The former England left-back does not figure in the City manager Roberto Mancini's plans – he has only played in one Carling Cup tie this season and he was loaned out for the second half of the last campaign to West Ham United. Another loan move might suit all parties.
"Gibbs sees a specialist and if something happens there, that he has had a real setback, then possibly yes," Wenger said, in answer to the question of an incoming January loan. "It is not a shop … you just take a good opportunity that is on the market when you can. Overall, that is what we are doing at the moment. We are starting to look at players if Gibbs is not back."
Wenger admitted that the situation was not ideal, with none of his centre-halves relishing playing at full-back or the different physical demands of the role, which raises their susceptibility to injury. Djourou damaged his groin at City and is out for three weeks.
"It's difficult," Wenger said, "because first of all we have centre-backs who do not like to play at full-back. We are a team who likes to go forward through the full‑backs so, of course, they are in a position where they have to produce different games.
"That is much more demanding physically. That exposes us even more to injuries, so I try to rotate people – one time right-back, one time centre-back. They do not use their positional play and do not get exposed too much physically [at centre-half] because we have nobody ready to come back. I can use Sébastien Squillaci, Ignasi Miquel, Francis Coquelin. Let's be frank and honest, no solution will be ideal because whatever we do, two players will have to play out of position."
 
[h=1]Repercussions of Luis Suárez case could be far-reaching for Liverpool[/h] • Ruling will hit Liverpool's tilt for Champions League spot
• Luther Blissett raises prospect of legal action




Luis-Suarez-patrice-evra-007.jpg
Liverpool's Luis Suárez, left, and Manchester United captain Patrice Evra during the game at Anfield in October. Photograph: Lindsey Parnaby/EPA

Kenny Dalglish said recently that he did not measure Luis Suárez's value to Liverpool in terms of goals and you could not dispute his argument. The 24-year-old has meant far more than that to Liverpool since he arrived for £22.8m from Ajax in January and the repercussions of his eight‑match ban from the Football Association, and the reasons for it, will also be far‑reaching at Anfield.
Suárez has scored five Premier League goals for Liverpool this season but that statistic does not begin to explain his importance. His goals, his assists and his breathtaking skill are the fundamental reason why Liverpool swiftly moved on from what appeared at the time at least to be the agonising departure of Fernando Torres to Chelsea. He is why, this season, in a division of increased competition and quality at the top of the Premier League, Dalglish's men harbour genuine ambitions of returning to the Champions League following a two-year absence.
Now they may have to do without him for a demanding new year period when Steven Gerrard is recovering from injury and Andy Carroll struggles to show why Liverpool sent £35m of the £50m Torres transfer fee in the direction of Newcastle United. His loss represents a devastating setback to Liverpool on the football field but the consequences of their Uruguay international being found guilty of racially abusing Patrice Evra do not end there.
Liverpool, and Dalglish in particular, have been staunch defenders of Suárez against the racism charge from the moment it was first aired by Evra to Canal Plus after the 1-1 draw between Liverpool and Manchester United on 15 October. They said in their statement, following the decision: "It is our strong belief, having gone over the facts of the case, that Luis Suárez did not commit any racist act. It is also our opinion that the accusation by this particular player was not credible."
Defending your own is par for the course at a football club, and an unwritten rule in Dalglish's eyes, and he was quick to declare that "everyone at the club is totally and utterly behind Luis Suárez", a point the club reiterated in its statement. After the decision, he tweeted: "Very disappointed with today's verdict. This is the time when @luis16suarez needs our full support. Let's not let him walk alone. KD." Dalglish's position provided a contrast to Sir Alex Ferguson who, in one of his few utterances on the subject, stressed the difficulties that confronted both clubs and, in turn, the three-man independent panel, who started their hearing last Wednesday, to reach a verdict. "It's not an easy one because everyone knows that Manchester United and Liverpool have great responsibilities in terms of what happens on the field," said the United manager days after the Anfield game.
"I thought Saturday's game was terrific game and both sets of fans were good, there was none of the silly chanting we've heard in previous years and both sets of supporters deserve praise for that. It's not something that we want to level at Liverpool, and it's not against Liverpool. Obviously Patrice feels very aggrieved at what was said to him."
Dalglish has taken a risk in defending Suárez so vigorously and so frequently in the 10 weeks since the controversy erupted. Liverpool, their manager and owners, are active supporters of anti‑racism initiatives and it will sit badly with John W Henry and the Fenway Sports Group in Boston to have a player of Suárez's profile found guilty of racist abuse.
Liverpool may not have to contend with just punishment from the FA either. Speaking on a local Liverpool radio station on Saturday, Luther Blissett, the former Watford and Milan striker who now works as an ambassador for Show Racism the Red Card, raised the prospect of legal action.
Blissett said: "If Suárez is found guilty then you have got to look at supporters who have been found guilty of this sort of thing and people have gone to jail for it. If that is the case, you could anticipate the same sort of thing happening to him. You look at his profile, and people label sportsmen in the public eye as a role model, then it is doubly important they do something about it. If he's found guilty of this then he should be treated just like everybody else. You've got to abide by the law of the land. It doesn't matter how much money you have, the law is the law."
 
[h=1]Repercussions of Luis Suárez case could be far-reaching for Liverpool[/h] • Ruling will hit Liverpool's tilt for Champions League spot
• Luther Blissett raises prospect of legal action




Luis-Suarez-patrice-evra-007.jpg
Liverpool's Luis Suárez, left, and Manchester United captain Patrice Evra during the game at Anfield in October. Photograph: Lindsey Parnaby/EPA

Kenny Dalglish said recently that he did not measure Luis Suárez's value to Liverpool in terms of goals and you could not dispute his argument. The 24-year-old has meant far more than that to Liverpool since he arrived for £22.8m from Ajax in January and the repercussions of his eight‑match ban from the Football Association, and the reasons for it, will also be far‑reaching at Anfield.
Suárez has scored five Premier League goals for Liverpool this season but that statistic does not begin to explain his importance. His goals, his assists and his breathtaking skill are the fundamental reason why Liverpool swiftly moved on from what appeared at the time at least to be the agonising departure of Fernando Torres to Chelsea. He is why, this season, in a division of increased competition and quality at the top of the Premier League, Dalglish's men harbour genuine ambitions of returning to the Champions League following a two-year absence.
Now they may have to do without him for a demanding new year period when Steven Gerrard is recovering from injury and Andy Carroll struggles to show why Liverpool sent £35m of the £50m Torres transfer fee in the direction of Newcastle United. His loss represents a devastating setback to Liverpool on the football field but the consequences of their Uruguay international being found guilty of racially abusing Patrice Evra do not end there.
Liverpool, and Dalglish in particular, have been staunch defenders of Suárez against the racism charge from the moment it was first aired by Evra to Canal Plus after the 1-1 draw between Liverpool and Manchester United on 15 October. They said in their statement, following the decision: "It is our strong belief, having gone over the facts of the case, that Luis Suárez did not commit any racist act. It is also our opinion that the accusation by this particular player was not credible."
Defending your own is par for the course at a football club, and an unwritten rule in Dalglish's eyes, and he was quick to declare that "everyone at the club is totally and utterly behind Luis Suárez", a point the club reiterated in its statement. After the decision, he tweeted: "Very disappointed with today's verdict. This is the time when @luis16suarez needs our full support. Let's not let him walk alone. KD." Dalglish's position provided a contrast to Sir Alex Ferguson who, in one of his few utterances on the subject, stressed the difficulties that confronted both clubs and, in turn, the three-man independent panel, who started their hearing last Wednesday, to reach a verdict. "It's not an easy one because everyone knows that Manchester United and Liverpool have great responsibilities in terms of what happens on the field," said the United manager days after the Anfield game.
"I thought Saturday's game was terrific game and both sets of fans were good, there was none of the silly chanting we've heard in previous years and both sets of supporters deserve praise for that. It's not something that we want to level at Liverpool, and it's not against Liverpool. Obviously Patrice feels very aggrieved at what was said to him."
Dalglish has taken a risk in defending Suárez so vigorously and so frequently in the 10 weeks since the controversy erupted. Liverpool, their manager and owners, are active supporters of anti‑racism initiatives and it will sit badly with John W Henry and the Fenway Sports Group in Boston to have a player of Suárez's profile found guilty of racist abuse.
Liverpool may not have to contend with just punishment from the FA either. Speaking on a local Liverpool radio station on Saturday, Luther Blissett, the former Watford and Milan striker who now works as an ambassador for Show Racism the Red Card, raised the prospect of legal action.
Blissett said: "If Suárez is found guilty then you have got to look at supporters who have been found guilty of this sort of thing and people have gone to jail for it. If that is the case, you could anticipate the same sort of thing happening to him. You look at his profile, and people label sportsmen in the public eye as a role model, then it is doubly important they do something about it. If he's found guilty of this then he should be treated just like everybody else. You've got to abide by the law of the land. It doesn't matter how much money you have, the law is the law."
 
[h=1]Suarez given eight-game ban[/h] Published 20:05 20/12/11 By MirrorFoootball


Patrice-Evra-Luis-Suarez+cropped


Liverpool will almost certainly challenge the eight-match ban given to Luis Suarez after the striker was found guilty of racially abusing Patrice Evra.
The Football Association imposed the punishment, suspended for 14 days pending any appeal from the club, and a £40,000 fine after a ruling by an independent regulatory commission.
Liverpool have steadfastly supported the Uruguay international since the incident was occurred in mid-October and in a strongly-worded response have stressed they do not believe the player is a racist.
Read the full text of Liverpool's statement here

Livid Liverpool want Evra to be suspended too
Banned Suarez: I'm upset - I respect everybody
The club also said they were "looking forward to the publication of the commission's judgment" and have also questioned the credibility of Evra's evidence.
A statement read: "Liverpool Football Club is very surprised and disappointed with the decision of the Football Association Commission to find Luis Suarez guilty of the charges against him.
"We will study the detailed reasons of the commission once they become available but reserve our right to appeal or take any other course of action we feel appropriate with regards to this situation.
"We find it extraordinary that Luis can be found guilty on the word of Patrice Evra alone when no-one else on the field of play - including Evra's own Manchester United team-mates and all the match officials - heard the alleged conversation between the two players in a crowded Kop goalmouth while a corner kick was about to be taken.
"It is our strong held belief, having gone over the facts of the case, that Luis Suarez did not commit any racist act.
"It is key to note that Patrice Evra himself in his written statement in this case said 'I don't think Luis Suarez is racist'.
"The FA in their opening remarks accepted that Luis Suarez was not racist.
"It is also our opinion that the accusation by this particular player (Evra) was not credible - certainly no more credible than his prior unfounded accusations."
The mention of "prior unfounded accusations" is a reference to racism allegations Evra made against Chelsea groundsman Sam Bethell in 2008 which were not proven.
Liverpool made a staunch defence of their stance on racism, which the club "considers in any form to be unacceptable - without compromise".
"The club takes extremely seriously the fight against all forms of discrimination and has a long and successful track record in work relating to anti-racist activity and social inclusion," said the statement.
"We remain committed to this ideal and equality for all, irrespective of a person's background.
"Luis himself is of a mixed race family background as his grandfather was black.
"He has been personally involved since the 2010 World Cup in a charitable project which uses sport to encourage solidarity amongst people of different backgrounds."
Suarez's defence was based on claims that he was unaware language that is acceptable in Uruguay is viewed as racist in Europe.
Liverpool also accused the FA of being intent on bringing charges before they had even spoken to Suarez.
"It seems incredible to us that a player of mixed heritage should be accused and found guilty in the way he has based on the evidence presented," the club statement continued.
"We do not recognise the way in which Luis Suarez has been characterised.
"It appears to us that the FA were determined to bring charges against Luis Suarez, even before interviewing him at the beginning of November.
"Nothing we have heard in the course of the hearing has changed our view that Luis Suarez is innocent of the charges brought against him and we will provide Luis with whatever support he now needs to clear his name.
"We would also like to know when the FA intend to charge Patrice Evra with making abusive remarks to an opponent after he admitted himself in his evidence to insulting Luis Suarez in Spanish in the most objectionable of terms."
Suarez himself admitted it had been a tough day, writing on Twitter: "Today is a very difficult and painful day for both me and my family. Thanks for all the support, I'll keep working."
The commission's ruling, which emerged just after 8pm, stated: "An Independent Regulatory Commission has today found a charge of misconduct against Luis Suarez proven, and have issued a suspension for a period of eight matches as well as fining him £40,000, pending appeal.
"Mr Suarez used insulting words towards Mr Evra during the match contrary to FA Rule E3(1); "The insulting words used by Mr Suarez included a reference to Mr Evra's colour within the meaning of Rule E3(2)."

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[h=1]Exclusive: Chelsea all set to capture Cahill[/h] Published 23:00 20/12/11 By James Nursey & Alan Nixon

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/tra...ve-from-Bolton-in-January-article844949.html#
gary-cahill-peter-crouch-bolton-stoke-cropped


Chelsea are set to clinch the £7million signing of Gary Cahill in January.
Bolton have agreed to sell the England defender, rather than lose him for nothing when his contract expires in June.
Chelsea are prepared to pay the fee Bolton want and Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas has been given the go-ahead to do a deal.
Talks have moved along so fast that the 26-year-old will be cleared for Stamford Bridge after the Christmas games.

Villas-Boas is ready to ship out centre-back Alex, while David Luiz's form has been repeatedly questioned.
Chelsea could also add Everton's Jack Rodwell to their squad in January, although the cash-strapped Toffees will want around £25million for the midfielder.
 
[h=1]Exclusive: QPR line up surprise Bent swoop[/h] Published 23:00 20/12/11 By John Cross

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/tra...-Villa-striker-in-January-article844963.html#
Aston-Villa-Darren-Bent+cropped


Queens Park Rangers are ready to make a shock move for Darren Bent in the January window.
Ambitious QPR chairman Tony Fernandes has the cash to bankroll a move after being alerted to Bent's fall-out at Aston Villa.
Rangers boss Neil Warnock has made a striker his top priority in the transfer window and Fernandes will back a huge offer for Bent.
Villa publicly denied any rift between Bent and boss Alex McLeish but the England striker was pictured shopping while his team mates were losing at home to Liverpool on Sunday.

Bent, 27, joined Villa in a £24million deal last January and the Midlands club would want close to their money back.
But QPR may sell Adel Taarabt to Paris Saint-Germain in January and Fernandes has the money to make a bold move for a big-name striker.
The west Londoners have been looking at Tottenham's Jermain Defoe and Roman Pavlyuchenko, Fulham's Bobby Zamora, West Brom's Peter Odemwingie and Arsenal misfit Marouane Chamakh.
Defoe is frustrated at Tottenham and needs a strong second half to the season to stand a chance of making England's Euro 2012 squad.Newcastle are also interested in Defoe.
But a potential move for Bent would show even greater ambition by QPR - and prove their determination to stay in the Premier League.
They also want Tottenham defender Sebastien Bassong, and have money to spend to strengthen the squad in every department.
 
[h=1]Liverpool sign Wycombe boy-wonder Ibe[/h] Published 17:17 20/12/11 By MirrorFootball


Kenny+Dalglish-Liverpool+cropped


Liverpool have completed the signing of teenage prospect Jordon Ibe from Wycombe.
A host of Barclays Premier League clubs were monitoring Ibe but the forward will move to Anfield after the two clubs reached an agreement on Tuesday.
The 16-year-old shot to prominence this season, becoming the youngest ever player to represent Wycombe in the Football League and the youngest scorer for the Buckinghamshire club in its history.
Wanderers manager Gary Waddock said: "It's a fantastic move for him. He's a phenomenal talent which is why we gave him a chance to show what he can do at first-team level.

"Obviously we wanted to keep him, but we didn't want to stand in the way of an opportunity he deserves. I have no doubt in my mind that he will go on to become a big star and I will be keeping a close eye on his progress.
"I would like to wish him and his family all the best for the future."
Bermondsey-born Ibe arrived at Wycombe as a 12-year-old after being released by Charlton.
After two superb seasons in the club's youth team, he burst onto the scene for the first team by scoring a superb goal against Staines in a pre-season friendly this summer.
He made his senior debut in a Carling Cup clash against Colchester in August aged just 15 years and 244 years, and scored a stunning individual goal on his first ever professional start in a npower League One fixture against Sheffield Wednesday in October.
In total, Ibe made 11 first-team appearances for Wycombe..
Would you like to know more?:
Team news: Rodallega doubtful and Reds could rest Bellamy
Wigan will go all-out to beat Liverpool, promises Martinez
 
[h=1]Exclusive: Bridge poised for Arsenal move[/h] Published 23:00 20/12/11 By John Cross & David McDonnell

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/new...ender-set-to-join-on-loan-article844930.html#
wayne-bridge-manchester-city-cropped


Wayne Bridge is poised for a sensational move to Arsenal after a training ground bust-up with Roberto Mancini.
Manchester City boss Mancini accused Bridge on Tuesday of being happy to just pick up his £90,000-a-week wages even though he is not playing.
But the Mirror can reveal those remarks came just 24 hours after a furious war of words between Bridge and the Italian in front of the rest of the City first-team squad.
Bridge has been left upset by the latest row as he has maintained his fitness levels, worked hard in training - often with the reserves - and has been desperate to play.

But Mancini chose to play Pablo Zabaleta out of position at left-back against Arsenal on Sunday, sparking a verbal confrontation between the manager and former England left-back.
City are ready to loan out Bridge, and Arsenal are anxious to sign a left-back on loan as Kieran Gibbs has suffered a new injury setback and Andre Santos was ruled out for three months with an ankle injury.
The situation will test whether City are now prepared to loan Bridge to a Premier League rival.
They blocked a Bridge move to Newcastle in the summer, even though they were ready to do business with Celtic. City refused to do the same deal with the Geordies that they offered to the Scottish side.
Mancini spoke out on Tuesday despite his decision to freeze out Bridge and said: "For a player [like Bridge] it should be important to play football. I don't know why someone would want to stay at one club when they know they cannot play.
"When we are young and start to play football, we don't play for money. We play because we like football and every player should have this target in mind - to play football.
"Wayne is a good guy but for every other player it should be important to play. Wayne has had two or three chances [to go somewhere else].
"In the summer he had the chance to play for Celtic, and this is an important team. I don't know [what he does on Saturdays]. Golf?
"It's difficult for a player to stay here every day then not play on Saturdays. When we are here he trains with us and sometimes he trains with the young players."
Bridge would be a perfect fit for Arsenal, whose manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed he is in the market for a loan signing to strengthen that injury-hit defence.
Wenger said: "It depends now on Gibbs. He sees a specialist again and if something happens there, that he has had a real setback, then possibly, yes [he would be interested in a deal].
"It is not a shop, you just take a good opportunity that is on the market when you can.
"Overall, that's what we are doing at the moment. We are starting to look at players if Gibbs is not back."
Would you like to know more?:
Record-chasing Van Persie tells Wenger: Don't rest me!
Team news: Bent and Heskey out; Wenger short of defenders
Arsenal's Koscielny: My friends call me the 'white Cafu'!
 
[h=1]Aston Villa interested as Chelsea look to loan out Josh McEachran[/h] • Midfielder set to go out on loan in January
• Bolton, Swansea and Fulham also linked to 18-year-old





Josh-McEachran-of-Chelsea-007.jpg
Josh McEachran has struggled for game time with Chelsea this season. Photograph: Andrew Yates/AFP/Getty Images

Josh McEachran has been told by Chelsea that he can go out on loan in January, in order to help his development. Aston Villa are the first club to register an interest in taking the highly rated young midfielder and Bolton Wanderers, Swansea City and Fulham are also expected to express interest.
André Villas-Boas, the Chelsea manager, could favour the 18-year-old going to Bolton, possibly as a "sweetener" for his expected move for the Wanderers centre-half Gary Cahill. McEachran, however, will make the decision that he feels is best for his career.
McEachran has grown frustrated at his lack of opportunities at Stamford Bridge. Having been identified as a future star by Villas‑Boas, and being included on the pre‑season tour of the Far East and promised playing time, he has appeared only once in the Premier League this season, as an 83rd‑minute substitute against Swansea. He has made three starts in the Carling Cup.
Last season, under the management of Carlo Ancelotti, McEachran made 17 appearances in all competitions, four of them in Chelsea's starting XI.

Villa need reinforcements in midfield after losing Jermaine Jenas to a ruptured achilles tendon and they have first-hand experience of McEachran's abilities. He played well and scored against them in the Barclays Asia Trophy pre-season competition.
The Swansea manager, Brendan Rodgers, knows McEachran from his own time at Chelsea, where he worked as the youth team manager and later took charge of the reserves. McEachran has represented England at all youth levels and is considered to be the best of Chelsea's academy products.





 
[h=1]Mancini confirms Tevez isn't available for loan[/h] Published 11:11 20/12/11 By Football Spy

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/tra...an-despite-AC-Milan-talks-article844831.html#
Carlos-Tevez-and-Roberto-Mancini+cropped


Roberto Mancini has stressed once more that controversial striker Carlos Tevez will not be allowed to leave Manchester City on loan in January.
City officials will meet their Milan counterparts on Thursday in an attempt to reach a deal.
Milan and City set for Tevez transfer talks
Milan have already said they do not have the cash just now to buy Tevez outright.

However, it seems unless they do, the fiery Argentina star will not be joining the Serie A giants.
"I hope we can find a good solution for us and Carlos," said Mancini.
"We want Carlos to come back and play football and the best solution for us is to sell him. We can't let him leave on loan."
With Tevez currently still in Argentina, City's stance runs the risk of extending the present impasse beyond the January transfer deadline.
However, as Mancini outlined, there is a simple reason behind the Blues' position.
"When Manchester City buy a player, they have to pay a lot of money," he said.
"But when we want to sell them, they have to go on loan. This is not good. It is not correct for the other players.
"Manchester City paid Carlos a lot of money for three years. It is correct that if one club, it could be Milan, Juventus, PSG, Inter, want him, they pay Carlos for his value. This is correct."
Transfer news, rumours and gossip from Saturday's papers

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/tra...an-despite-AC-Milan-talks-article844831.html# Print Send Share
 
[h=1]O'Neill sends warning to busted Bendtner[/h] Published 22:30 20/12/11 By Simon Bird

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/new...matches-by-Martin-O-Neill-article844913.html#
nicklas-bendtner-sunderland-cropped


Nicklas Bendtner has been handed a formula for Sunderland success by new boss Martin O'Neill: Win me some matches - and behave yourself.
Getting the on-loan Arsenal striker scoring is one of the biggest challenge O'Neill faces, as he looks to end the club's 12 months of terrible form.
Bendtner has only scored twice for the Black Cats since arriving in August, and was arrested last week on suspicion of being involved in a car wrecking spree near to St James' Park, home of Sunderland's arch-rivals Newcastle.
O'Neill is plotting a way to get his new charges scoring more often than they did under predecessor Steve Bruce, and says that involves Bendtner leading the charge and becoming "top of the popularity charts."

Sunderland visit QPR on Wednesday night, having gathered just 34 points in 33 games in this calendar year.
Since England striker Darren Bent was sold to Aston Villa in January it is only 27 points from 30 games - relegation form.
"Nicklas is pretty popular in the dressing room, you know. I just want him to be popular in the manager's office as well!" said O'Neill.
"How? Two basic things. Win us come football matches. And behave himself. Then he will be really popular with me."
O'Neill's managerial style is to give footballers clear and simple messages - and there is nothing complicated about the challenge he has laid down to Bendtner.
He added: "Centre-forwards in times gone by got all the glory for scoring goals, and I don't think that ever changes. If you are capable of scoring goals you will become pretty popular at this football club."
Asked if the club's decline could be traced to Bent's departure, O'Neill said: "You are probably right. A goal-scorer is what the fans are crying out for. That doesn't change here - give yourself some goals and you go top of the popularity stakes.
"He has this challenge where he was not playing regularly at Arsenal.
"Arsenal, whatever you say about him, were prepared to let him go for the season. This is a fantastic opportunity for him at a big club to go and prove himself in the Premier League week in week out.
"I believe that someone like Nicklas can get a few goals and that would breed a bit of confidence.
"He might have played a different way at Arsenal. He didn't always play in the team. He would come on [as substitute].
"Arsenal are a very, very fine side with the capability of keeping the ball for long periods in games. They were the team to really be watching a couple of years ago.
"Nicklas probably fell into a pattern of play there, which is fine. We will need to get more goals from that viewpoint. If he is capable of doing that it would be fantastic for us.
"He is a naturally talented footballer, and I think that if he can put in the work that would be demanded of him at Sunderland, because of our position, he could get the goals for us."
O'Neill has asked his players to take their responsibilities of the pitch seriously following the arrests of Bendtner and skipper Lee Cattermole for the alleged car-damaging incident.
He added: "My own view is that behaviour on and off the field is of paramount importance. The expectation now of footballers, particularly in this league where they're in a very nice position financially, I think they kind of owe a debt, really. That's something that we would like to see happen at this club.
"The police have to finish their inquiries, it's a very serious issue and one that won't be overlooked by the football club.
"We do have some responsibility here and players and managers I believe have extra responsibilities at football clubs."
Bendtner's fellow striker Connor Wickham is out of the trip to Loftus Road with fluid on his knee.
Another Sunderland forward, Fraiser Campbell, is nearing a return after injury and will play in a friendly on Friday, after which he could be up for first team selection.
On the club's league form, O'Neill said: "We don't even have one point per game ratio in the league and that would have to be the starting point. We're behind the clock. We need a few wins."
Would you like to know more?:
Team news: Keeper poser for QPR and Wickham doubtful for Sunderland
 
[h=1]Exclusive: Hughes wanted for Rovers return[/h] Published 23:00 20/12/11 By Alan Nixon

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/new...Rovers-boss-by-Boxing-Day-article844960.html#
fulham-mark-hughes-cropped


Blackburn's owners want to bring back Mark Hughes as manager - with a massive pay-day to keep Rovers in the Premier League.
Venky's had already decided that Steve Kean would have to go before Tuesday night's 2-1 home loss to Bolton and they hope a £1million-plus survival bonus will persuade Sparky.
Blackburn 1-2 Bolton: Rovers bottom at Christmas
Optimist Kean: See you on Boxing Day!
 
[h=1]Wednesday's gossip column - transfers and rumours[/h]
gossip_466.gif

TRANSFER GOSSIP
Benfica's Argentina international midfielder Nicolas Gaitan is in talks with Manchester United over a £25m move, according to his agent.
Full story: Metro
The Old Trafford club are also believed to be keen on Independiente forward Patricio Rodriguez but Benfica, Udinese and Marseille have also shown interest.
Full story: Daily Mail
Manchester City are preparing a £30m bid for Lille's Belgium international midfielder Eden Hazard in January, with Roberto Mancini hoping to beat Arsenal in the race to land the sought-after star.
Full story: talkSPORT
Arsene Wenger is looking to sign a left-back on loan after Kieran Gibbs suffered a setback in his recovery from hernia surgery and Manchester City's Wayne Bridge could be on his list.
Full story: the Guardian
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy wants to sign Stoke frontman Kenwyne Jones in a bid to boost his strike force.
Full story: Metro
Chelsea's young midfielder Josh McEachran has been told he can go out on loan in January, in order to help his development. Aston Villa, Bolton, Swansea City and Fulham are all interested.
Full story: the Guardian
The Stamford Bridge side are also set to clinch the £7m signing of Bolton's Gary Cahill in January. Wanderers have agreed to sell the England defender, rather than lose him for nothing when his contract expires in June.
Full story: Daily Mirror

OTHER GOSSIP
Blackburn's owners are bidding to bring back Mark Hughes as manager - and tempt him with a massive bonus to keep Rovers in the Premier League.
Full story: Daily Mirror
Former Sunderland boss Steve Bruce is rumoured to be in line to take over as the manager of the South Korea national team in the new year.
Full story: Metro
AND FINALLY
Newcastle scout Peter Beardsley was left red-faced on Monday night after making the 600-mile round trip to London to watch Wilfried Zaha - only to discover the Crystal Palace starlet was suspended.
Full story: Daily Mail
 
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