Villa boss Lambert : Victory not about revenge

Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert insists victory at Norwich City was not about revenge.

Lambert has now won twice on his old stomping ground following Villa's Capital One Cup quarter-final win in December.

"Chris Hughton is a terrific manager and this is a terrific club," said Lambert, who put up with a bit of well-natured banter from the home supporters behind the dugout.

"I had a great rapport with the fans when I was here and it was a really great time.

"Nothing should blight the relationship I had with the Norwich crowd, but things happen, it got sour and you have to move on, that's football."

Man City on another Swansea star Davies

Manchester City are eyeing Swansea City fullback Ben Davies.

Blues produced one of the surprises of last summer by signing Swansea winger Scott Sinclair. Now they are tracking Davies, 20, who has been a revelation this season.

An injury to Neil Taylor gave ­Davies his big chance and he has grasped it with both hands for both club and country, having taken Taylor’s place in the Wales team too.

MAN UTD BOSS FERGUSON HAILS LAMPARD: I SHOULD'VE SIGNED HIM

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson admits he regrets not signing Chelsea star Frank Lampard.
Ferguson began tracking the ­England midfielder when he was a teenager breaking through at West Ham.

He admitted: “Lampard is fantastic, he’s an incredible player.

“If he gets to the 202-goal record at Chelsea it will be a fantastic achievement. I don’t think there will be another midfield player who will do that again.

Man United to Upgrade Jones deal

Manchester United are set to hand defender Phil Jones a new deal.

The Sunday Mirror says Jones still has three years remaining on his Old Trafford deal, but United plan to hand him a pay rise and tie down his long-term future to 2018.

Jones earns around £60,000 a week, but can expect to be offered a hike to £85,000 with two more years put on his current deal.

Steve Clarke: Baggies fans ruled Odemwingie out

WEST BROM boss Steve Clarke admitted he kept Peter Odemwingie on the bench against Wigan because he was being abused by his own fans

 Home supporters, angry at his transfer deadline-day arrival at QPR and Twitter rants at the Baggies, jeered the striker as he warmed up.

Clarke said: “It was a negative reaction from the crowd. I asked Peter, Jerome Thomas and James Morrison to warm up. “But, if I’m being honest, the crowd reaction made me go with James and Jerome.”

I indeed pity our own man..

Source: thesun uk

Nemanja rowed in FA for Matija

NEMANJA VIDIC does not have an FA Cup winner’s medal — but he has played a key role in the one Matija Nastasic could pick up on Saturday.
Manchester City centre-back Nastasic asked his fellow Serb for advice when the chance to join the Etihad outfit came up last August. And even though the 20-year-old was thinking of joining United’s big rivals, Red Devils skipper Vidic gave the £12million move from Fiorentina the thumbs up.

Nastasic, who faces Wigan at Wembley, said: “I discussed things with Nemanja.

Jagielka must Phil the gap

DAVID MOYES has told Phil Jagielka to be more responsible if he wants to become Everton’s Captain Marvel.
The England defender, 30, currently wears the armband in Phil Neville’s absence and looks set to take over the role full-time when the club skipper leaves Goodison in the summer. But manager Moyes said: “Jagielka is always bouncing up and down in the corridor and you can hear him when he comes on the training pitch.
“It is good to have that type of character.

Gareth Bale: England was never my choice

GARETH BALE has revealed how he could never have lived with himself if he had rejected Wales to play for England.

The Tottenham hero and proud Welshman qualified for the Three Lions through his grandma. But, to the misery of England fans worried about getting to Rio 2014, Bale was not interested in the white shirt.
Spurs flier Bale, 23, said: “They would never have let me back in the country if I’d played for England.

“My grandmother on my mum’s side is English — but I’m Welsh, it’s as simple as that. Playing for England did not enter my head. I had no interest in doing that, it never appealed to me.” Bale — who has just won the treble of PFA and FWA Footballer of the Year, plus PFA Young Player of the Year — bagged another wonder goal, his 20th of the season, against Southampton yesterday to boost Spurs’ Champions League bid.

Brenda Rodgers: Positive outcome from Suarez ban

BRENDAN RODGERS reckons there is one good thing about Luis Suarez’s 10-match ban — it has shown Liverpool are not just a one-man team.

The Reds responded to Suarez’s suspension for biting Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic by walloping Newcastle 6-0.And Rodgers pointed out that in the previous match the Uruguayan star sat out, Liverpool won 3-2 at West Ham.

The Kop boss said: “If you are the second-highest scorers away, it’s not really just one guy who is doing it.
“That was proved last week, absolutely. Luis hasn’t played two games and we’ve scored nine goals away from home.

“It’s a bit unfair to say we were totally reliant on him, although Luis did his job really well, there’s no doubt.
“And because of his availability to play, and because we were short on strikers, then of course he was playing the games and getting the goals.

Thoe Walcott : Arsenal in top-four command

THEO WALCOTT insists Arsenal are in command of the top-four race.

Match-winner Walcott scored after 20 seconds to sink QPR and send Arsene Wenger’s side third. He piled the pressure on rivals Tottenham and Chelsea, who have a game in hand but play each other on Wednesday.
Walcott said: “Without a doubt, I prefer having the points.

“It’s always important to have the points on the board and let the other clubs worry about us.
“We’re not going to care about the others, as long as we get three points every week we’ll be right there at the end of the season.” Arsenal still needed a superb save from Wojciech Szczesny to deny Loic Remy an equaliser.

Alan Pardew : Display against West Ham dispells disharmony 'myths'

Despite a 0-0 draw taking their Premier League destiny out of their own hands, the Magpies manager was pleased with his side's performance at Upton Park after a tough week

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew feels his side's performance in the 0-0 draw against West Ham has dispelled the "stupid myths" circulating the club during the week.

The Daily Telegraph reported internal strife and disharmony among the squad on Wednesday, prompting strenuous denials from Newcastle managing director Derek Llambias and Pardew leading up to the game at Upton Park .

Despite the draw - earned against the backdrop of mounting second-half pressure from the hosts - leaving the 16th-placed club at the mercy of Sunderland and Wigan below them in the Premier League relegation fight, Pardew felt the performance demonstrated the cohesion of his side.

Swansea striker Michu rule out for the rest of the season

The Dane also vented his anger at the officials' decision to turn down a penalty appeal in the 0-0 draw with Manchester City, but praised his squad's performance

Swansea manager Michael Laudrup has confirmed that striker Michu will miss the final three games of the season after picking up an injury in their 0-0 draw with Manchester City.

The Swans' top goalscorer, after spurning a good chance to open the scoring, came off in the second half due to a hamstring concern as both sides failed to break the deadlock.

Laudrup admitted he was not aware of the true extent of the damage and was just as concerned with his side's failed first-half penalty appeal after Matija Nastasic appeared to impede the striker.

Aston Villa boss Lambert hails Agbonlahor after Norwich double

The manager lavished praise upon his team, singling out the striker, as the Villans took three points against the Canaries to rise to 13th and hit the 40-point mark

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has hailed Gabriel Agbonlahor's "excellent" performance after the forward scored both goals in a crucial 2-1 win over Norwich City.

Grant Holt levelled matters via the penalty spot after the 26-year-old broke the deadlock early in the second half, only for Agbonlahor to claw back the three points with an 89th-minute winner.

The victoryy aw Villa rise to 13th in the table with two games remaining - though 18th-placed Wigan have a game in hand against Swansea on Tuesday - and Lambert lavished praise upon his matchwinner after the huge boost to his team's survival hopes.

Arsenal Bacary Sagna open to PSG switch

The 30-year-old claims he has not been contacted by the Ligue 1 leaders and reveals that his current team-mates believe he will return to France during the summer

Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna admits he is open to a move to Paris Saint-Germain but claims he has not been personally contacted by the French club.

Goal.com exclusively revealed in March that Arsenal are prepared to offload the 30-year-old this summer after his attitude was called into question by manager Arsene Wenger.

The France international's current deal at the Emirates Stadium expires in the summer of 2014, and amid interest from Paris Saint-Germain, Sagna revealed that even his Arsenal team-mates believe this is his last season in the Premier League

Blood clot Sincs Scott

MANCHESTER CITY winger Scott Sinclair is undergoing treatment in hospital for a blood clot on his shoulder.

Sinclair, 24, did not travel with Roberto Mancini’s squad to face former club Swansea today after being taken ill during training on Friday.

The former England Under-21 star is understood to be comfortable and the condition is not life-threatening.City boss Roberto Mancini said: “Scott had a problem yesterday, I don’t think it is a bad situation and it is under control.”

Sinclair is reportedly being treated at Manchester’s Alexandra Hospital and the club expect to know more within the next 48 hours. To round off a frustrating first season with Mancini's side, Sinclair now appears to have no hope of playing a part in next Saturday’s FA Cup final against Wigan at Wembley.

Since quitting Swansea for the Etihad last summer, he has made just two Premier League starts and Mancini is willing to sell the £6.2million signing at the end of the season.

Watford missed out on automatic promotion

Watford missed out on automatic promotion after losing to Leeds in a game delayed by serious injury to keeper Jonathan Bond.

Dominic Poleon put Leeds in front, but Almen Abdi levelled shortly after.

Watford's Troy Deeney then saw red for two bookable offences before news of a late Cardiff equaliser at Hull left the Hornets needing a goal to go up. But Ross McCormack scored Leeds' winner with the help of a blunder by replacement keeper Jack Bonham.

Watford will now turn to a play-off semi-final against Leicester City in pursuit of promotion and will hope to recover from an emotionally draining day to replicate their play-off victories in 1999 and 2006. The Hornets have been out of the top flight for six years now, but have been genuine promotion contenders all season with the dawning of a new era under owners the Pozzo family.

The Italians have injected life into the Hertfordshire club, firstly by appointing Gianfranco Zola as boss and then by bringing in players on loan from Udinese and Granada - both clubs also owned by the family.
                                      
                                            More news and pictures after cut

Hull City got promoted : Steve Bruce says players deserve success

Manager Steve Bruce said Hull deserved their promotion to the Premier League after showing "guts" on a dramatic final day of the Championship season. The Tigers, held to a 2-2 draw by champions Cardiff, finished two points ahead of third-placed Watford, who lost 2-1 at home to Leeds.
Leading 2-1, Hull missed a late penalty before Cardiff levelled from the spot.

"I've been in the game a long time and I have never experienced anything like the last 10 or 15 minutes," said Bruce Hull had started the day one point ahead of Watford in the table, but had failed to win their previous three games. And the Tigers fans had to wait around after the final whistle before promotion was confirmed as there was a 16-minute delay in the Watford game following a serious injury to keeper Jonathan Bond.

More pictures after cut

Mourinho wants JT and Lamps to stay

JOSE MOURINHO wants to keep legends Frank Lampard and John Terry at Chelsea next season.
But he has ruled out a move for Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao and Real Madrid midfield maestro Xabi Alonso.

Mourinho’s imminent return has already stirred up Alex Ferguson, who smiled: “Yeah, he can get me angry again. I think going back is a big attraction for him.” The Special One is already making plans ahead of his July return to West London — and keeping Terry and Lampard is high on his “to-do” list.

Look who's at war again

 

The old foes have traded jibes ahead of tomorrow’s Old Trafford showdown. Manchester United boss Fergie says Chelsea’s interim manager is too interested in personal glory.

He said: “Benitez has done a good job in the last few weeks but he is concerned about his CV. He refers to it a lot.” MAN UNITED boss says handshake and post-match drink are important - but Benitez is not always keen

Rafa blasted: “When you are with a top side and have had more money than anyone for Benitez, who was named April’s Manager of the Month yesterday, took a swipe at Ferguson’s Champions League record.

He added: “Should he have done more in Europe? I don’t know. We’ll leave it there.” This will be the Spaniards’ last visit to Old Trafford as Blues boss — but he is not planning a farewell tipple with Fergie.

Benitez said: “We won’t have a glass of wine together because I don’t drink wine.”

Steven G on new Liverpool deal of £130,000-a-week wages

 

STEVEN GERRARD has opened talks about a new Anfield deal. The Liverpool skipper, 32, has just a year left on his current contract and the new offer will see a likely rise in his £130,000-a-week wages.

Gerro said: “The talks have started but I think it is something that will get sorted at the end of the season. “It’s not a stand-off or anything like that. They want me to extend, I want to extend. How long for I’m not too sure yet. That’s under discussion.”

The news is a boost for Liverpool ahead of tomorrow’s Merseyside derby. Kop boss Brendan Rodgers said: “Stevie is England captain, he’s 32 and an iconic figure at the club who has been remarkable for me this season.

Today's transfer gossip

Barcelona are preparing a £35m offer for Chelsea's Brazilian defender David Luiz, 25, but the Stamford Bridge club will ask for £40m.

Jose Mourinho wants to keep both Frank Lampard, 34, and John Terry, 32, at Chelsea next season. However, he has ruled out a move for Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao, 27, and Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso, 31.

Manchester City have made a breakthrough in their pursuit of Napoli's Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani, 26, with the Italian club willing to include City forward Edin Dzeko, 27, in the deal.

Agent Jorge Mendes says Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho is 80% sure to rejoin Chelsea in the summer and has refused to rule out the possibility of Real forward Cristiano Ronaldo, 28, joining Paris Saint-Germain.

Bayern Munich are set to beat Manchester United and Chelsea to the signing of Borussia Dortmund's Poland striker Robert Lewandowski, 24.

Paul Lambert : I don't care if Norwich go down

 

PAUL LAMBERT insists he does not care if his old club Norwich are relegated — after he was snubbed by huffy club chiefs on his last visit.The Aston Villa boss was not shaken when Canaries directors churlishly refused to personally greet him before a Capital One Cup clash earlier this season.

But he has been stirred ahead of today’s relegation crunch at Carrow Road.And despite his respect for Norwich fans, following three hugely successful years with the Norfolk club, Lambo says he does not give a damn if City lose the top-flight status he delivered to them in 2011.

He said: “There’s no sentiment in football. Would I prefer ourselves and Norwich to survive? No, it’s all about us now. There are a lot of good people at Norwich, people I’ll say hello to. I’ve got nothing but gratitude to that football club. We had a good time there together for three years.

Javier Hernandez bait to Ron

REAL MADRID will demand Javier Hernandez in any cash-plus-player deal for Cristiano Ronaldo.
Manchester United had hoped to tempt the Spanish giants with an offer of £65million plus Nani. But Real want Hernandez and are set to bid £25m even if a deal for Ronaldo falls through.

Qatari-backed Paris Saint-Germain have already bid £80m for Ronaldo — the fee United sold him for in 2009. And Premier League champs United are one of the few clubs that could afford the 28-year-old megastar.

Man United boss Sir Alex Ferguson to Undergo surgery

 

ALEX FERGUSON will have a hip operation this summer. The Manchester United boss, 71, is to undergo surgery after the five-match pre-season tour of the Far East and Australia.And he is expected to be ready for action when United set out to defend their Premier League title in August.

Fergie had a pacemaker fitted when he was 62 and last year admitted age was catching up with him.
He said: “We are all vulnerable to age. It does not come without penalties.” I hope he see through his current contract and handover to another manager.

Fernandes : paid for my learnt lesson

IT has cost Tony Fernandes £50million to discover what many of us could have told him for nothing.
That beneath its glossy exterior and marketing hype, the Premier League is a murky world full of money-grabbing mercenaries and unscrupulous characters who will do almost absolutely anything to make a fast buck.

It has been a painful and expensive lesson for the QPR chairman, who saw his club relegated last Sunday. As he sifts through the wreckage of Rangers’ spectacular crash, the Air Asia tycoon admits he has been shocked by what he has seen during his two seasons at the controls at Loftus Road.

Fernandes said: “I’ve seen all the parts that make football quite immoral.

Lukas Podolski to succeed Arsenal goal king

LUKAS PODOLSKI will be given the chance to succeed Robin van Persie and become Arsenal’s long-term goal king.The £11million ace has scored 14 times since joining from Cologne last summer despite playing on the wing for much of the season.

Podolski, 27, who started as a lone striker in the 1-1 draw with Manchester United last Sunday, will once again lead the line against QPR today with Olivier Giroud suspended.Gunners boss Arsene Wenger said: “Lukas was a little bit rusty against United because he had not played a lot.

“I believe it is his best position. Him and Theo Walcott are two of the best finishers.

Man United Paul Scholes set to make 500 marking

PAUL SCHOLES will get the chance to reach a milestone of 500 league games before he finally retires for good. SunSport revealed in December that this would be the veteran midfielder’s last season having already made one comeback.

He has had a knee injury in the second half of this season and has not played since January.But Scholes, 38, has been training for the last 10 days and will be on the bench for tomorrow’s visit of Chelsea.

He has made 497 league appearances and needs to appear against Chelsea and in the final two matches at home to Swansea and away to West Brom to make it to 500.

Mancini : No future ''WORRIES''

Roberto Mancini insists he has no worries about his future at Manchester City — and does NOT need a vote of confidence...hmmmm that smart.

A lunch meeting between City’s sporting director Txiki Begiristain and the agent for Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini set the rumour mill churning this week. Pellegrini is the latest name to be linked with City and Mancini is getting tired of it. The City boss, who has four years left on his contract, said: “I hope he had a good meal.

QPR boss Harry Redknapp pay cut

HARRY REDKNAPP will have to take a pay cut following QPR’s relegation.
Chairman Tony Fernandes revealed boss Redknapp and more than half of his squad have relegation clauses reducing their salaries next season.

Fernandes said: “Do we have relegation clauses? Yes. Do all the players have them? No. But at least 60 per cent do. The manager? Yes. His salary goes down as well. Rangers, who appointed boss Redknapp on a £3million-a-year deal in November, were relegated to the Championship after last week’s 0-0 draw at Reading.

Sir Alex Ferguson hails Rio Ferdinand's 'BEST' year

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson says Rio Ferdinand has had his best season for the club and will sign a new deal at Old Trafford. Ferdinand was signed from Leeds in 2002 and has overcome long-standing injury problems to start more games than any other United centre-back this term.

The 34-year-old was also named in the Professional Footballers' Association Premier League team of the year.

Chelsea : Jose Mourinho has not decided to leave the Real Madrid

Jose Mourinho insists he has not decided to leave Real Madrid at the end of the season, despite speculation he has already agreed a return to Chelsea.

The Blues have refused to comment on reports the Portuguese boss will confirm his return on 1 July.
"When I decide on my future, my wife and kids will be the first to know, then the president and general director," said the 50-year-old.

"I haven't decided to leave. If I go, I will not give explanations." Mourinho, who has previously spoken of his desire to return to the Premier League, added: "I'm working with total professionalism and I still have the same honour and pleasure to work for this club as I did a month or two ago.

Arsene Wenger : Arsenal in GOOD position for the future

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes the club are in "a very, very strong position for the future" after handling a "sensitive period intelligently".

Ahead of Saturday's QPR trip, Wenger, 63, again insisted he would honour his contract until 2014, saying he would be happy to stay on if he was doing well.

"We have gone through a period that was very sensitive, we are coming out of it now," the Frenchman said.
"Everything is here to have a great future."