Arsenal
Arsene Wenger acknowledged Barcelona’s four-goal hero Lionel Messi was the difference on the night as his side crashed out of the Champions League following a 4-1 defeat at the Nou Camp. Arsenal went ahead through Nicklas Bendtner early on to take the lead in the tie for the first time, but the Gunners’ joy was short-lived as Messi struck a brilliant first half hat-trick, before compounding the Londoners’ misery with a fourth late on. Wenger likened Barca’s brilliant Argentinian winger to a computer creation. “He’s like a PlayStation,” the Arsenal coach said after the match, when asked to describe the Argentinian’s performance. I think he can take advantage of every mistake you make. Barcelona are a very good side but of course they have Messi who can make the difference at any moment in the game,” he said.
Aston Villa
Midfielder James Milner is poised to return to the side for Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final showdown with Chelsea at Wembley. Milner sat through Villa’s 1-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers on Saturday on the bench after heading into the match as a doubt with an Achilles injury. Manager Martin O’Neill is convinced the respite will have helped the 24-year-old, and he will now be raring to go for the cup tie. O’Neill said: “I’m pleased we could rest him, because I think it was probably good for him. It was pleasing to have won the game without him, and I’m hoping he will recover in time for next Saturday and the rest will do him good.”
Birmingham City
Striker James McFadden has hinted he would like to renegotiate his Birmingham City contract. McFadden signed his current deal, which has a year to run with an option for another two, under the previous regime of David Sullivan and David Gold. The Scotland international admits the emphasis of that deal, which offers him just one more guaranteed full season at St Andrews, is not to his liking and after helping Blues establish themselves in the Barclays Premier League is looking to renegotiate terms. “With the weird and wonderful way the contracts are done here, I’ve got a year left with a two-year option so we will wait and see what happens,” the former Everton midfielder said. “That was the way it was done before and hopefully that can change – and there won’t be this confusion for everyone.”
Blackburn Rovers
Veteran defender Michel Salgado believes Blackburn Rovers will be the last European club of his illustrious career. The former Real Madrid and Spain right-back has not ruled out a lucrative move further afield but plans to see out his playing days in Europe at Ewood Park. “In Europe, yes. I think this is enough,” Salgado, who signed a two-year deal with the Barclays Premier League club earlier this season. “It’s a long career with competitive teams, 10 years with Real Madrid, and now I am really enjoying it with Blackburn. I think it’s going to be my last in Europe, but I still think I have some exciting time ahead here. I wouldn’t keep playing if I didn’t believe that.”
bolton wanderers
Stuart Holden is planning to resume full training in two weeks and aims to be back in action for the final two fixtures of the Barclays Premier League season. The American, who joined Wanderers in January on a short-term deal until the end of the campaign which has since been extended to the end of next term, fractured his right fibula on international duty. Trotters manager Owen Coyle revealed the player was expected to be sidelined for six weeks, but was hopeful the injury would not damage Holden’s prospects of playing in the World Cup this summer. “It’s actually progressed well so I’m looking to start running, jogging next week and then getting full blast toward the end of the week and then hopefully back in full training in two weeks,” Holden said. “I have to start training and build up a bit of fitness again but I think I’ve targeted in my own mind the last two games – Tottenham away and Birmingham at home. Those are two games I’m looking to play in and help contribute and hopefully we’re safe by that point and building to next season.”
burnley
Manager Brian Laws has vowed to do everything possible to keep the Clarets in the Barclays Premier League. Laws’ side have claimed only one point from the last nine matches – and only four in total since he took charge in mid-January following the departure of Owen Coyle. Saturday’s 6-1 defeat against Manchester City at Turf Moor forced Laws to apologise for his side’s abject display, but he has promised his team will not give up the fight ahead of Saturday’s crucial trip to fellow strugglers Hull City. “We’ve set ourselves a target for how we’re going to approach this week,” Laws said. “We’re going to work all week on making sure we get it right. We’ve got a lot of talking to do and a lot of thinking to do over the next few days. We’ve got to take our punishment. You’ve got to have belief in your players and I’ve got every belief in them.”
Chelsea
Yuri Zhirkov says it is ‘far too early’ for Chelsea to believe they will be Barclays Premier League champions after returning to the top of the table. Chelsea’s impressive 2-1 win at Manchester United at the weekend lifted Carlo Ancelotti’s side two points clear of their title rivals with five matches left to play. The Blues are now favourites to be crowned champions for the first time since 2006, but Zhirkov is not taking success for granted. With tricky away matches against Tottenham and Liverpool on the horizon, Russian full-back Zhirkov is aware there is still work to do for Chelsea to beat United and Arsenal to the top-flight crown. “It is far too early to become deluded,” said Zhirkov. “The champion’s race continues. We have some hard games ahead – particularly those against Liverpool and Tottenham. We are determined to win our remaining games.”
everton
Ayegbeni Yakubu has been assured by manager David Moyes he has a future at the club. Yakubu played his part in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with West Ham United with his third goal in his last six matches after climbing off the bench at Goodison Park. Despite the run of form, speculation had surfaced that Yakubu could potentially be on his way this summer amid concerns he has not been the same player since suffering an Achilles injury in November 2008 that sidelined him for several months. Moyes, though, appears to have dismissed suggestions he will look to move on the 27-year-old Nigerian when the transfer window re-opens. “Has he got a future? Yes, he has a contract,” said Moyes. “He has had a difficult year with his Achilles. It has been tough for him. To have a ruptured Achilles tendon like David Beckham has is a real bad injury, it really is. To get back is hard. Yak has worked hard to get back into condition, and we want to give him every opportunity to get back to where he was.”
Fulham
Roy Hodgson has hit out at the reaction of some fans to his side’s poor first-half showing against Wigan Athletic on Sunday. The Cottagers trailed 1-0 at the break to Jason Scotland’s strike, but quickly go back on terms after the interval through Stefano Okaka’s first Barclays Premier League goal before Brede Hangeland headed the winner. Hodgson said: “We’ve done so much this year that sooner or later we’re going to hit a barrier we’re incapable of surmounting. It would be nice if people showed some sympathy and understanding for that. They don’t deserve people shouting at them to wake up. It’s a question of getting tired legs going yet again. I mean the people behind me, the more executive types, than those in the Hammersmith End.”
Hull City
Keeper Boaz Myhill is hoping victory over fellow relegation candidates Burnley on Saturday will spark their climb away from trouble. The 27-year-old American is backing his side to bounce back from their 2-0 defeat at Stoke City at the weekend to pile the misery on Brian Laws’ men as the teams currently in 18th and 19th places in the Barclays Premier League meet at the KC Stadium. Myhill said: “Burnley is a game we need to win. “We will have a good build-up this week and we will go onto the pitch and give it our all on Saturday. That is all we can do. Stoke was a disappointing end to what had been a promising day because we went there believing we could get something. It’s another game gone, but like I have said, we have got some good home games coming up and the chance to bounce back.”
Liverpool
Manager Rafael Benitez has urged his players to still believe they can play Champions League football next season. Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Birmingham City further dented the Reds’ hopes of finishing fourth in the Barclays Premier League and winning a place at Europe’s top table next term. Benitez’s side trail fourth-placed Manchester City by four points, and fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur by three, and they have played a match more than their two rivals. Benitez, though, is convinced Champions League football is not beyond his players, and is demanding they do not lose heart. “The players were disappointed after Birmingham because it was a good performance and we had some chances at the end,” Benitez said. “But I told them, ‘There’s still five games so we need to keep going’.”
Manchester City
England Under-21 star Nedum Onuoha is ready to turn his back on the Three Lions and represent Nigeria in the World Cup. The Manchester City defender was born in the African country but moved to the UK when he was seven. He has been stalling on a decision on his international future to see what the likelihood was of him making a successful elevation into the senior ranks after being a member of the Under-21 squad that reached last summer’s European Championship final. However, with progression at City Onuoha is keen to hear from Nigeria coach Lars Lagerback ahead of this summer’s finals in South Africa. “I would like to play in the remaining six games for City. If I did that maybe the chance would be there to play for Nigeria,” Onuoha said. “But if I am not playing week in, week out, I wouldn’t expect to receive a call from anyone because that wouldn’t be right. Everyone wants to play in the World Cup, but things have to be right and you have to be selected. A lot of people are talking about it as though it is an option but I have never been called up.”
Manchester United
Nemanja Vidic has called on Manchester United to rediscover their famed winning mentality to prevent their season ending in shattering disappointment. A week ago, Sir Alex Ferguson’s men were facing up to a crucial eight-day period with high hopes of strengthening their quest for a Premier League-Champions League double. Yet after a couple of disappointing matches, United are acutely aware if they cannot defeat Bayern Munich at Old Trafford on Wednesday night they will be staring into the abyss of a barren season, save for February’s Carling Cup triumph over Aston Villa. For Vidic, who has reached the Champions League semi-finals and won the Braclays Premier League in all three full seasons he has spent with United, the prospect is not a pleasant one. “I believe and hope we can find some energy,” he said. “We need to rediscover that winning mentality. We need to stick together and we need to play like a team. The last few games have been hard. They have been emotional. But we are in this position now and we need to deal with it the best we can.”
Portsmouth
Central defender Ricardo Rocha believes rock-bottom Portsmouth can find the inspiration to get to the FA Cup final. The relegation-doomed club will be without full-back Anthony Vanden Borre against Tottenham Hotspur in the semi-final at Wembley on Sunday after he was sent off for two bookable offences in the goalless draw with Blackburn Rovers on Saturday. But Rocha, who played 14 times for Spurs in two years at White Hart Lane between 2007-2009, said: “It’s unfortunate for Anthony. It’s a real shame that he won’t be involved in the game. We’re still confident. We’ve been trying hard in every game but we have to give even more because it’s such a crucial game.” Rocha is still suffering pain from a cheekbone injury he received when he was elbowed by Chelsea’s Florent Malouda last month. It was aggravated by another blow on Saturday. “I still have some pain in my cheek but there are a lot of injuries in the side, so I needed to play,” said Rocha. “I had another knock in the same place but that’s football and you get used to it.”
Stoke City
Tony Pulis is sticking to his principles as he makes his way in the Barclays Premier League. Despite his years of experience in the lower leagues, Pulis is a relative novice in the top flight as he approaches the end of his second season. However, his approach has not altered. He said: “I haven’t changed my principles from when I was younger, you are just working with better players these days. “I still expect the same effort and commitment. The one thing you can guarantee if you play for me is that you have to give everything. At every club I have been at, I think the supporters have appreciated players who had a go.”
sunderland
Keeper Marton Fulop will be in reserve team action on Tuesday amid speculation that his time on Wearside could be drawing to a close. The Hungary international has made little secret of his desire to play first-team football, and with
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