Bellamy slams JT

Craig Bellamy had a dig at John Terry after Manchester City's 4-2 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. The build-up to the game had been dominated by the first on-field meeting between Terry and Wayne Bridge following the Chelsea captain's alleged affair with the mother of Bridge's young son. "You guys (the media) make a lot more of it you know. I know what JT is like and nothing surprises me about it, so I'm not going to comment on that. I think everybody in football knows what the guy is like, but that's off the field," Bellamy told Sky Sports. "On it he's an outstanding player. He's a great captain for Chelsea. It's always going to be difficult when you play him and his team," he added.

We can win it - Clichy

Arsenal defender Gael Clichy firmly believes the club can still win the league. The Gunners have cut an eleven point deficit on leaders Chelsea to just three points over the last couple of months. "When you find yourself 11 points behind, you ask yourself 'Are we capable of doing it?'" admitted the Frenchman on Saturday. "But we kept confidence high and a few weeks later were back in the title race. That shows the character here. Now we want to prove Arsenal can win something this season. People said we weren't good enough when we played Manchester United and then lost against Chelsea. But it's realistic to think about the title. Every team is dropping points."

Stevie G is quietly optimistic

Steven Gerrard is confident Liverpool can still end the season on a high. The Reds have started to slowly turn their dismal campaign around in recent weeks after a nightmare start which saw them crash out of the Champions League, the EPL race and both domestic cups. Now the Anfield skipper is convinced the club can lift the Europa League trophy and clinch that coveted top-four slot - if they have the nerve. "We have to be realistic. We know the season up to now has been very frustrating," admitted Gerrard on Saturday. "In an ideal situation, we'd still be in the Champions League and the title race. That's gone now, so we have to reassess and go for different targets. The target now is to try and win the Europa League and finish fourth."

Ancelotti loses his cool

Carlo Ancelotti finally lost patience with questions about the John Terry affair on Saturday. Speaking at a press conference, Ancelotti slipped from English into Italian as his irritation rose to the surface when quizzed about it ahead of Chelsea's clash with Manchester City. “It didn’t flare up for us,” insisted Ancelotti, adopting his native tongue. “It’s only for you people. I’m getting p****d off with it!" Speaking in English again, the Italian added: “I’ve not known anything like this in Italy. We never had anything like this in Italy. I have never been interested what happens outside the pitch. I always said that we’re focused on our players and the job and nothing else. From what I see the players have stayed focused and professional. They don’t have problem to play and maintain concentration.”

United may be forced to sell and other red-hot gossip

Manchester United may have to sell as many as 15 players at the end of the season to help clear their rising debt. Heading the list are goalkeeper Ben Foster and striker Michael Owen as the club look to lower the £716m they owe the bank. Elsewhere, Wayne Bridge received words of support from five of his former Chelsea teammates ahead of Saturday's clash between the Blues and Manchester City regarding the John Terry affair; the fastet man on earth, Usain Bolt, is desperate for Manchester United to beat Aston Villa in Sunday's Carling Cup final, claiming "I want to be celebrating at the end"; and Brazilian wonderkid Alexandre Pato has admitted he loves London fueling speculation of a move from AC Milan to Chelsea.

Chelsea head Villa queue

David Villa wants to leave Valencia, and Chelsea have emerged as firm favourites to sign the sought-after Spanish international. Real Madrid, who had also been tracking the striker, have decided to persevere with struggling Frenchman Karim Benzema. This has catapulted the Blues to the front of the queue for Villa. Valencia remain under financial pressure to sell and Chelsea are waiting to take advantage with a £30m offer. Coming on top of their failure to reach agreement on a new contract with Nicolas Anelka, Chelsea are now desperate to sign a proven striker for next season. Anelka is demanding £120,000 a week, £40,000 a week more than he currently earns.

Fabio to urge Bridge to reconsider

Fabio Capello is going to do his utmost to convince Wayne Bridge to reconsider his England future. The left-back retired from international football on Thursday after claiming his position in any England squad would be “untenable” following revelations of John Terry’s affair with his former girlfriend and the mother of his child. But with questions over Ashley Cole’s fitness for the World Cup following an ankle injury, Capello suddenly fears he will be left very short at left-back if Bridge is also unavailable. "It surprised me but I respect the decision of all the players,” said Capello on Friday. "The door for him is always open. We have time, there is still three months until I decide my final squad for South Africa. I hope that Wayne Bridge will be with us at the World Cup but I respect his decision."

Carra fears life outside footy

Jamie Carragher has admitted that he fears life outside football. The defender has played over 700 games for Liverpool but at 32 is approaching the twilight of his distinguished career. "I don't want to turn into one of those bitter old b*****ds who's moaning because he's not playing," Carragher told the News of the World newspaper recently. "I first played for a team when I was five. All I've known for every week of my life is there is a game or two to play. The idea of that being taken away terrifies me,” he adds.

Tummy bug decimates Spurs

A flu bug has decimated the Tottenham squad. So severe is it that boss Harry Redknapp has declared the club’s training ground “off limits” ahead of their match with Everton this weekend. "We've closed the training ground. Everything is off limits. We're just going to train there and that's it." Five Spurs players have already cried off with stomach ailments this week.

Adebayor handed ban

Emmanuel Adebayor has been slapped with a four-match ban after being sent off during Manchester City’s FA Cup fifth-round replay loss to Stoke on Tuesday. The Togo forward was dismissed after hitting Potters defender Ryan Shawcross with a flailing arm, and has chosen not to appeal against the FA’s decision. Although it was the Togo international’s first red card of the season he was handed an extra one-game ban on top of the usual three-match suspension because it is the second occasion on which he has been found guilty of violent conduct. The 25-year-old Adebayor was given a three-game ban earlier in the season for a challenge on former Arsenal team-mate Robin van Persie in City's 4-2 Premier League victory over the Gunners in September.

A Bridge too far as Wayne retires

Wayne Bridge has retired from international football. The Manchester City defender released a short statement on Thursday claiming his position in the England squad was "untenable and potentially divisive" following revelations that England team-mate John Terry had an affair with Vanessa Perroncel, the mother of his child. Terry has subsequently been stripped of the national captaincy and replaced by Rio Ferdinand. "It has always been an honour to play for England," said Bridge in the statement. "However, after careful thought, I believe my position in the squad is now untenable and potentially divisive. Sadly, for the sake of the team and what would be inevitable distractions, I have decided not to put myself forward for selection," added Bridge.

New record for Stevie G

Steven Gerrard blasted his way into the record books on Thursday when he became the top scoring Brit in Europe. The inspirational midfielder netted the third goal in Liverpool’s 3-1 win over Romanian minnows Unirea to fire his team into the last 16 of the Europa League. It took his goal tally to 33, one more than Alan Shearer. "This is a historic club with a lot of records so to have an individual one like this is massive for him and very important for Liverpool too,” said Reds boss Rafa Benitez afterwards. Gerrard himself was equally pleased. "It's always nice to break records but the main thing is to get into the next round - and the most pleasing thing is to do that.” The win earned Liverpool a clash with Lille but came at a price with centre-back Martin Skrtel limping off with a broken ankle.

Given jumps to Mancini’s defence

Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given has jumped to the defence of coach Roberto Mancini following the club’s exit to Stoke in the FA Cup earlier this week. The Irish stopper claims that the Blues are well on course to achieve all their targets for the season. "We were disappointed, obviously, - it was a huge disappointment for the players, the club and the supporters," said Given. "But what can you say? We're knocked out of the cup and we have to move on." He also said it was too early to be questioning Mancini position. "Yes. It is a big club, and there is huge expectation, but we have to just try and take a deep breath and try and finish the season on a high.” Mancini secured six wins in his first seven games in charge after succeeding Mark Hughes but has since recorded only two wins in eight.

Injury setback for Gunners

Arsenal’s outside chance of landing the EPL title suffered a setback on Thursday with the news of an injury to inspirational defender William Gallas. According to reports, the 32-year-old broke down in training and is out of Saturday’s trip to Stoke. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger admits that he does not know when the Frenchman will return. “Gallas has had a recurrence of his calf injury. He tried hard on Monday and Tuesday but on Tuesday he had a little problem again. We will have to assess that.” Veteran Sol Campbell is set to partner Thomas Vermaelen at Stoke as Arsenal desperately try to close the gap on title rivals Manchester United and leaders Chelsea. Also out are Andrey Arshavin and Abou Diaby Fit-again Eduardo has returned to training and could be in the squad for Stoke.

Yaya in EPL about turn and other red-hot gossip

Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure has ruled out a move to the EPL, despite claiming that Manchester City and Arsenal are keen to sign him. The brother of City defender Kolo, Yaya has been a peripheral figure at the Camp Nou this season and has long sought a move away so his change of heart comes as a bit of a surprise. Elsewhere, Everton are eyeing a trio of players from Norweigan club Molde, including defenders Knut Olav Rindaroy, Magne Simonsen and Vegard Forren; Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez has returned from compassionate leave in Argentina following the premature birth of his second daughter, and is in contention to face Chelsea on Saturday; and Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo says he would love to play with his former Manchester United teammate Wayne Rooney again one day.

Rooney’s the head honcho

Wayne Rooney is as surprised as anybody at his recent aerial prowess in front of goal. Two headed goals against AC Milan and another two against West Ham on Tuesday took his headed goals tally for the season to eight (out of 27). "I've been working on my heading like I work on a lot of things. I've been working on it ever since I've been at United with one of the coaches,” admitted the 1.78m tall 24-year-old on Thursday. "It's paying off now and I'm grateful for that because I've put a lot of time in and thankfully it has shown on the pitch. I've scored a few now." He added that playing in a new position has also helped. "I'm playing more central now so I'm in the box when the balls come in, rather than out wide crossing them.”

Mancini not worried after FA Cup exit

Roberto Mancini has scoffed at suggestions that his job at Manchester City is under threat - despite the Citizens being dumped out of the FA Cup by Stoke. It was City’s last chance this season to end their 34-year wait for a trophy. They have now only won twice in their last eight games. "I am disappointed because this was a great chance to win a trophy," said Mancini afterwards . "I don't feel under pressure at all. We are disappointed, but this is football. I am happy with my players because they played well.” Mancini, who replaced Mark Hughes in the City hot-seat earlier this season, will now have to focus on finishing fourth in the EPL if he is to keep the club’s wealthy Arab owners happy.

Mourinho chipper after Chelsea defeat

Jose Mourinho was in a confident mood following Inter Milan’s 2-1 win over his former club Chelsea in the Champions League on Wednesday. The match at the San Siro was Mourinho’s first against the Blues since his 2007 Stamford Bridge exit. "We can go there with a legitimate ambition to go through," said Mourinho afterwards. "It's obviously not the result which ends the tie, it's not 3-0 or 4-0, but the most important thing is the result and we are ahead.” He added that the return in London on 16 March will be an emotional affair. "I have to control my emotions and have to be professional like I was today. At Stamford Bridge, I don't expect anything other than people to be glad to have me back as we worked so well together.” Mourinho won two successive EPL titles at Chelsea.

Good news for Gunners fans

Arsenal fans received some good news on Wednesday with the announcement that star striker Robin Van Persie will make his much awaited comeback this season. The Dutch goal ace has been out since late November after suffering ankle ligament damage playing for his country. Holland coach Bert van Marwijk claims the 26-year-old could be back in action at the start of April after receiving a positive update on the Arsenal forward's recovery from an ankle injury. "I spoke to him on the phone last week and he is improving all the time and feeling better," Van Marwijk said. "You can hear it in his voice that he feels he is improving. I hope that he will play at the beginning of April and he feels this is maybe possible." Van Persie is desperate to be fit for the World Cup in June.

SAF warns Rio and other red-hot gossip

Sir Alex Ferguson has called on star defender Rio Ferdinand to re-evaluate his England career if he is to prolong his playing days at Manchester United. Ferdinand has suffered from chronic back problems in recent years and there are now growing fears about his long-term fitness if he does not manage his playing time correctly. The 32-year-old was recently named England captain and is likely to only decide on his international future after the World Cup. Elsewhere, Guinea international Kamil Zayatte wants to quit Hull - and is targeting a move to Manchester United, Arsenal or Chelsea; Birmingham are closing in on the signing of highly-rated Argentine striker Maruo Boselli; Manchester United are ready to make a fresh move for Spain and Valencia striker David; and Barcelona right-back Dani Alves has dismissed speculation linking him with a move to Chelsea, claiming he wants to stay at the Nou Camp.

Terry aiming very high

John Terry plans to put the setbacks of the past couple of weeks behind him and is aiming very high this season. The Chelsea skipper, who lost the England captaincy to Rio Ferdinand recently following revelations of an affair with a former team-mates girlfriend, has declared that he wants to win the EPL, Champions League and World Cup this year. Speaking to The Sun newspaper on Tuesday, Terry said: "I'm not ashamed to say it, I wouldn't be John Terry if I felt any differently. I'm playing my heart out, we're still clear at the top of the Premier League and I want to lead us to glory in Europe and play my part at the World Cup. I'm responding by doing what I've always done - by looking straight ahead. I've got broad shoulders and nobody's going to knock me out of my stride.”

Fergie can’t stop his Roo gushing

Wayne Rooney is on the road to becoming an Old Trafford legend. This is according to Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who watched his star striker take his goal tally for the season to 27 with two goals against West Ham on Tuesday. "If Wayne continues to improve at his present rate, he will be a complete player, ready to join the distinguished band of Manchester United legends," commented Fergie after the 2-0 win which took United to within a point of EPL leaders Chelsea. "He is the answer to the hole left by Cristiano Ronaldo, a player who has not only improved his scoring rate, but who has added even more pace to his game, certainly in the way he is running at opponents. He is terrifying them with the kind of form that is fast putting him up there alongside world greats like Ronaldo, Messi and Kaka."

Naughty Ashley gets the boot

Ashley Cole has paid the price for his sleazy ways after his stunning pop star wife Cheryl walked out on him on Tuesday. This follows reports that the Chelsea and England defender cavorted with two women in a hotel room while on a pre-season tour of the USA. He is also alleged to have had a string of other affairs. 'Cheryl Cole is separating from her husband Ashley Cole. Cheryl asks the media to respect her privacy during this difficult time,' said a statement released by the ‘Girls Aloud’ singer’s representatives . Cole’s behaviour is already thought to have cost between £200,000 and £400,000 in the form of a fine from his club, and now looks likely to cost him his marriage. Real Madrid and Barcelona are waiting in the wings to sign the left-back if life in England gets too much for Cole.

Rio in new injury scare

Rio Ferdinand's will have to wait to make his debut as England captain after re-injuring his back. He also looks set to miss the Carling Cup final against Aston Villa. According to reports, the Manchester United star felt a twinge in his back in training and Sir Alex Ferguson claims he will be out for at least a fortnight. "He had been training great, too, with no mishaps at all. But when you get these twinges, you can't take a chance,” revealed Ferguson on Tuesday. "He won't be ready for Sunday and unfortunately for him, he will miss a couple of games." England boss Fabio Capello will also be disappointed that he cannot anoint Ferdinand as his new skipper and finally draw a line under the John Terry affair. Steven Gerrard is expected to lead England against Egypt on Wednesday at Wembley.

Capello gets tough and other red-hot gossip

England manager Fabio Capello has read the riot act to his squad because he is so furious at the recent off-the-field exploits of some of his players. The gruff Italian has apparently warned his highly paid stars that he will not tolerate any bad or risky behaviour ahead of the World Cup in, and that any player stepping out of line won’t make the trip to South Africa. Elsewhere, West Ham are planning a summer swoop for Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart; Tottenham are set to swoop for Zambia's 16-year-old left back Emmanuel Mbola in a £1m deal from Armenian side Yerevan; and Portsmouth's off-field troubles boiled over on to the training ground on Monday when Jamie O'Hara and Michael Brown were involved in a bust-up following an over-zealous challenge by the latter on the former.

Wenger blasts media over Walcott

Arsene Wenger has lashed out at the media for putting “terrible pressure" on Theo Walcott to be fully fit ahead of the World Cup in South Africa in June. A series of injuries to the 20-year-old’s back, knee and hamstring have limited him to just five EPL starts for the Gunners this season. "The World Cup is not today, it is in June. I think he will make the squad," fumed Wenger on Monday. "The problem is that everyone has the England national team in their mind and, because you want to bring the World Cup back to London, you want everybody to be on top today. They will be back in the long run but when players have been out for a while it takes a while to get back to your best with confidence, sharpness and zip. That will come back with Theo."

Troubled Cole set for Spain?

Ashley Cole’s marriage to pop star wife Cheryl may have hit the skids and his Chelsea career could soon be a thing of the past, but there is an escape for star left-back with La Liga giants Barcelona and Real Madrid both ready to snap up the England international. Recent revelations about a string of sleazy affairs, have seen Cole’s life fall apart with Chelsea at best threatening to fine him £400,000 or at worst boot him out of the club. But now Real and Barca are prepared to pay £25m to get a player they have both long coveted. The 29-year-old, who many regard as the best left-back in world football, could expect to earn up to £150,000 a week in Spain.

Brazil legend ready to quit

Football legend Ronaldo, the all-time leading World Cup goal scorer with 15 goals, will retire from football in 2011. The two-time World Cup winner, who is regarded as one of the best footballers ever, has spent most of his career in Europe but will end it with Corinthians in Brazil. "I've already made up my mind - these will be my last two," revealed the striker on Monday. The 33-year-old, who has played for PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Real Madrid in a stellar career, has scored 62 goals in 97 appearances for Brazil and hopes to be in the squad for this summer's World Cup although he hasn’t played for his country since 2006. He won the World Cup with Brazil in 1994 and 2002. He has named the Fifa World Player of the Year three times in 1996, 1997 and 2002.

Tevez to heed SOS call

Carlos Tevez will heed Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini’s SOS call and will be back to face Chelsea on Saturday. The plucky striker has been back in Argentina attending to his wife and new baby daughter who was born six weeks early. Tevez, the club’s leading goal scorer this season, has missed City’s last three games. “When your child is in intensive care it's a very serious matter,” said the player’s agent on Monday. "But Carlos hopes to be back for the Chelsea game. He hopes things will get better, for his daughter's sake and because he wants to get back and play. Obviously he's having to go through a very difficult period but he's dealt with them before and will continue to do so. The signs are very positive in terms of his daughter's recovery and we are all hoping this is the case."

Toffees fight to keep starlet and other red-hot gossip

Everton have issued a "hands-off" warning to rival clubs regarding teenager Jack Rodwell. The 18-year-old is one of the most sought after talents in England with both Manchester United and Chelsea keeping a close eye on a player who is equally comfortable in central midfield or central defence. Everton are also mindful that Wayne Rooney left them for United at the same age as what Rodwell is now. Elsewhere, Sunderland are targeting £3.5m Portsmouth defender Marc Wilson; Manchester United are leading the race to sign QPR's highly rated 15-year-old midfielder Raheem Sterling; and Real Madrid winger Cristiano Ronaldo is so distraught about the catastrophic floods that have killed 32 people in his native Madeira and has pledged to help the devastated island.

City desperate for Tevez return

Manchester City are desperate for Carlos Tevez to return to the club in order to save their season. The plucky striker has been away in Argentina on special leave tending to his pregnant wife Vanesa and has missed City’s last three games. Vanesa recently gave birth to a baby daughter, who arrived six weeks early. Following Sunday’s dour goalless draw with Liverpool, City manager Roberto Mancini said: "I hoped Carlos would be back for this game but he wasn't. I don't know if it will be tomorrow or this week. But I hope he will be back in a few days because I have a big problem at the moment. I have only Emmanuel Adebayor in attack. Bellamy only worked with the team over the last few days and Roque (Sanata Cruz) also has a problem with his knee.” City are desperate to finish fourth in the EPL.

Gunners to cash in on star defender

Arsenal are prepared to cash in on one of their star players. According to reports from England, manager Arsene Wenger will consider offers for left-back Gael Clichy at the end of the season despite many considering the young Frenchman to be one of the best in the position in the EPL. Last season Clichy attracted the interest of Real Madrid with the Spanish giants offering to pay £16 million for the 23-year-old’s services. But with the emergence of Kieran Gibbs and the improvement of Armand Traore, Wenger is now prepared to let Clichy go in order to strengthen his squad elsewhere. Selling Clichy, possibly to AC Milan, would free up £80,000 per week on the club’s wage bill. Clichy has struggled this season since returning from a stress fracture of the back.

Fergie in fresh City swipe

Sir Alex Ferguson has taken his customary weekly dig at Manchester City, claiming the Blues will never match the spirit of Manchester United. Speaking on Sunday, the Manchester United manager said that despite all the riches in the world, City would never achieve what the Red Devils have. "It has increased that competitive element between the fans, no doubt about it," admitted Fergie."This is a club with so much wealth they could buy every player in the world, but can they buy a team, can they buy a Manchester United spirit? I don't expect City to be bigger than us, I really don't, even with all that money. The problem with having all that money is that you buy indiscriminately.”

Still all to play for – Ancelotti

Carlo Ancelotti is refusing to get carried away after Chelsea extended their lead to four points at the top of the EPL this weekend, with eleven matches to play. The Blues swept past Wolves with second placed Manchester United surprisingly going down to Everton on Saturday. But the Italian insists the title race is far from over. "We went into this game knowing we had the chance to improve our position after the Manchester United result. “There will be a lot of games between now and the end of the season, and nothing is decided at this moment. There are still a lot of points to play for,” said Ancelotti after two goals from Didier Drogba secured the points at Molineux. Chelsea must now focus on Wednesday's Champions League game against Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan.

Cole facing whopping fine and other red-hot gossip

Ashley Cole is facing a £400,000 fine from Chelsea after recent headlines heaped further embarrassment on the club. The married England defender is alleged to have taken two women back to the team hotel on the club’s pre-season tour of the USA which is against club rules. And coming on the back of John Terry’s recent infidelity, the club are moving to insure their sleazy reputation is done away with. Elsewhere, AC Milan manager Leonardo has offered to quit following the club's defeat by Manchester United in the Champions League last week; Wayne Rooney's young brother John has landed a week-long trial at Championship team Derby County; and the revitalised form of Nani will see Manchester United offer him a new improved contract only months after it looked as though his future lay away from Old Trafford.

No panic for Fergie

Sir Alex Ferguson won’t panic after Manchester United’s title ambitions were dented on Saturday. The Red Devils suffered a 3-1 defeat to an inspired Everton at Goodison Park. With Chelsea winning at Wolves, United slipped four points off the pace. "It was a bad result for us and at this time of the year you can't afford results like that, but I don't think we will panic because it has been a funny season," said Ferguson afterwards. "Teams have been losing points that you don't expect so the very nature of the league suggests we still have a chance.” United play West Ham on Tuesday. With 11 games of the season remaining, it now looks unlikely United will get to the 90-point mark that has tended to be required to clinch the championship in recent times.

Henry in line for sensational EPL return

EPL legend Thierry Henry could be set for a sensational move back to England. According to reports in Spain, the Frenchman will be put on the transfer list by Barcelona in the summer which should spark a worldwide scramble for his services. Henry has been a peripheral figure at the Camp Nou this season scoring just two goals in 13 appearances. The 32-year-old is on a whopping £7.5m-a-year deal at Barcelona until 2011. He was recently linked with a move to the New York Red Bulls but a move back to England, with Manchester City leading the way, appearing more likely.

City in mega Liverpool raid

Big-spending Manchester City will make a sensational £140m swoop for Liverpool stars Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard in the summer, according to a report in a leading British tabloid. “It's not even a secret within the City corridors of power that the hierarchy are plotting a £140million double swoop for both Torres and Gerrard,” claims the News of the World on Sunday. And just to iterate City’s spending power, it is claimed that Emmanuel Adebayor, “a striker not remotely in Torres’ class”, picks up £140,000 a week at City which is substantially more than the £95,000 a week Torres earns from a four-year deal signed last year. Liverpool are reeling under a massive debt problem and selling their two star would go some way to relieving the financial burden.

Ade’s new look on life

Emmanuel Adebayor thought he was going to die during last month’s horrific gun attack on the Togo team bus during the African Cup of Nations in Angola. "I sent texts to my mum and dad saying 'I'm going to die',” revealed the Manchester City striker on BBC1's Football Focus on Saturday. "To explain what happened (on the coach) is difficult...you can't imagine the sound of the bullets. I have one more chance to be alive - but what God has given to you he can take back.” Two people died in the attack. Adebayor also revealed that his recent subdued goal celebrations are as a result of his changed outlook following the attack. "When I came back to Manchester City all the players were very nice to me - they gave me more confidence. But I have a different perspective on everything now. I'm happy to be alive.”

United want Portuguese star and other red-hot gossip

Manchester United are lining up a summer move for Sporting Lisbon ¬midfielder Miguel Veloso. The £10million-rated ¬Portuguese international has been on Old Trafford boss Sir Alex Ferguson’s radar for several years. The 23-year-old can operate in central defence as well as in a defensive ¬midfield role. Elsewhere, Chelsea are leading the chase for highly-rated Argentine winger Angel Di Maria, who will cost them £36m from Benfica; Spanish striker David Villa is ready to quit Valencia for Chelsea this summer with Real Madrid indicating that they will stick with French star Karim Benzema; and Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger and Inter Milan’s Jose Mourinho will be in Real Madrid's sights should current manager Manuel Pellegrini be shown the door.

Cheating Cole cops hefty fine

Chelsea are set to fine defender Ashley Cole a whopping £200,000 for cavorting with two women on the eve of matches for the club. Cole, who is married to pop star Cheryl, is alleged to have smuggled the ladies into his hotel room on two separate occasions. This is against club rules. Coming on the back of club captain John Terry’s indiscretions, Blues owner Roman Abramovich has now vowed to get tough with his star players. "It was the owner's idea and we have had a meeting with all the players this week, explaining to them the behaviour that is expected here,” said manager Carlo Ancelotti on Friday. "Now everyone knows what they have to do to protect the image of this club." The 29-year-old Cole earns £100,000-a-week.

Masch in stunning City put-down

Star midfielder Javier Mascherano has vowed never to leave Liverpool for Manchester City because the big-spending Blues “can't buy history." The Argentina captain has long been linked with a move away from Anfield, with Barcelona and City mooted as likely destinations. But on Friday his put down of City was his strongest hint yet that he is happy to stay on Merseyside. "Manchester City have bought some very good players and they have a very good team, but I will say one thing: you can buy players, but you cannot buy history," said the tough-as-teak player. "You can buy stars, you can spend a lot of money to be in the top four - more money than us - but you cannot buy what we have at Anfield.” Liverpool and City clash on Sunday in a match that could go a long in deciding who finishes fourth in the EPL.

Barca drop Fab interest in favour of...

In a stunning about turn, Barcelona are set to turn their noses up at Cesc Fabregas in favour of Manchester United star Wayne Rooney! According to reports, the Spanish giants have decided to use the £60m ear-marked for the Arsenal midfielder on luring the Manchester United star to the Camp Nou. "He is not a temptation,” said Barca president Joan Laporta on Friday when asked if Fabregas would be signed in the summer. He refused however to provide a similar assurance regarding Rooney, declining to comment on reports that the Catalan club are interested in the England hitman. Rooney’s value has sky-rocketed this season after a number of stunning displays for United in which he has already bagged 25 goals. Estimates are that his value could eclipse the £80m Real Madrid paid for Cristiano Ronaldo last June!

Fergie urges club legend to roll-on

Paul Scholes must shelve his retirement plan, says Sir Alex Ferguson. The 35-year-old Manchester United legend has long hinted that this could be the last season of his illustrious career. But with his contract ending in June, the club are now moving frantically to offer him a one-year extension. "He is showing on the field what he is capable of and another year would not be a problem for the lad," said Ferguson on Friday. "I would be happy to do something about Scholes' contract but there is nothing yet. He was brilliant in Milan and his form in the last few weeks has been incredible. There is no need for him to think of retirement like some people were saying a few weeks ago,” added Fergie. Scholes has featured in 25 of United’s 40 games this season, scoring five goals.

Robinho severs England ties and other red-hot gossip

Robinho’s career in England appears to be over despite him still being a Manchester City player. The Brazilian joined Santos in his home country in January on a six-month loan with suggestions he could return to City after the World Cup. But now reports claim he has cleared his house, sold his car, shipped his possessions back to Brazil and told his representatives to arrange a permanent move away from Eastlands in the summer. Elsewhere, Everton are moving swiftly to extend Stephen Pienaar’s contract with Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Manchester City all eyeing the red-hot South African midfielder; Spanish giants Barcelona are keen to use midfielder Yaya Toure as bait to secure the services of Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas; and Ajax striker Luis Suarez has snubbed interest from Chelsea and Manchester City and given Manchester United and Arsenal the green light to launch a £30m summer move for him.

Unnerved Fergie hails United’s courage

Despite being the most experienced manager in European football, Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted that the atmosphere in the San Siro stadium on Tuesday night unnerved him. The Red Devils eventually edged AC Milan 3-2 in the last 16 first-leg Champions League tie but not before falling behind to an early Rosseneri strike. "The one thing that's so amazing is that for the first 15 minutes I was feeling in shock, really in shock, because the atmosphere was unbelievable," admitted Fergie on Thursday."That, coupled with the noise when they scored, it certainly unnerved me, and it unnerved my players. No matter how much experience you've got, you get into that cauldron of noise, and the response it had from the Milan players, and you're in there. So to get through that really did take a lot of courage.” The return leg is on 9 March at Old Trafford.

Bust-up at Man City

Roberto Mancini and Craig Bellamy have fallen out, with the Manchester City boss yelling at the Welsh striker to “get out and don’t come back for three months!” According to reports, the incident happened after Bellamy refused to train with one of Mancini’s assistant coaches. "The manager was yelling 'Why are you always questioning me? Why won't you do as you are told? Why are you always questioning everything at training and in games,” a club insider told The Sun newspaper on Friday. The £14million striker argued back that he only wanted what was the best for the club as he recovered from a knee injury. "But Mancini snapped 'I want you to leave now. And do not come back for three months'." Bellamy is a firm fan favourite for his never-say-die attitude, so it will be interesting to see what support he receives.

Fire still burns in Vieira’s belly

It seems that veteran midfielder Patrick Vieira has lost none of his old fire. The 33-year-old EPL legend was on Thursday banned for three matches for violent conduct after an incident with Glenn Whelan during Manchester City’s 1-1 draw with Stoke City on Tuesday. The Frenchman has chosen not to contest the charge as he ran the risk of it increasing to four matches if he was unsuccessful. The midfielder is now likely to miss his team's key EPL matches against Liverpool and Chelsea, plus an FA Cup fifth-round replay - against Stoke. Vieira is no stranger to controversy, having been sent-off ten times during his nine-year Arsenal career. He was also booked over 100 times while playing for the Gunners. Tuesday’s match was only his second for City since joining them on a free transfer from Inter Milan in January.

Fab support for not so Fab ‘keeper

Arsenal players have rallied around their embattled young goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski following his disastrous display in Wednesday’s 2-1 Champions League loss to Porto. Deputising for the injured Manuel Almunia, Fabianski produced a shocking display as his costly errors gifted Porto both goals in the last 16 first-leg tie. Gunners captain Cesc Fabregas, however, claimed on Thursday that the young Pole had the complete support of the dressing room. "He is a very good keeper," said the Spaniard. "He had his chance and sometimes it doesn't go your way. But we will stand up and support him until the end because he is a good character and I am sure he will be back." Fabianski looks set to play against Sunderland this weekend. Fabregas added: "Lukasz is strong and we have to be there for him. Sometimes when you are young in a big game, these things happen to you."

Feuding stars to kiss-and-make-up and other red-hot gossip

It may be time for John Terry and Wayne Bridge to kiss-and-make-up as they look set to be named in Fabio Capello’s England squad for a friendly against Egypt. The former Chelsea teammates fell out recently after it emerged that Terry, who is a married father of two, had an affair with Bridge’s girlfriend. Terry was subsequently stripped of the England captaincy for his indiscretions. Elsewhere, Arsenal are keeping a close eye on Lazio striker Mauro Zarate after he claimed he could walk out of the Italian club; Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones says that the speculation linking him with Liverpool in January upset his form and that he does not want to leave the Black Cats; and Manchester United will make a move for Joe Cole if he cannot resolve his contract dispute at Chelsea.

Wenger lashes out at ref

Arsene Wenger has lashed out at referee Martin Hansen after a Sol Campbell back-pass led to Porto's winning goal in the Champions League on Wednesday. Gunners goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski stupidly handled Campbell's pass, before Falcao quickly took the ensuing free-kick, scoring the decisive goal in the Portuguese giants 2-1 win. "The goals we conceded were difficult to imagine in a Champions League game. The back-pass was accidental," said Wenger afterwards. "What can you do about the second goal? Whenever do you see the defender kick the ball back with his toe? The ball hit Sol, it was not on purpose and it has to be intentional to be a free-kick," Fabianski was also at fault for Porto’s first goal, allowing Silvestre Varela's cross to slip into the net after only 10 minutes. Campbell hit back soon afterwards with a towering header into the net. The second-leg is on 9 March.

Roo to fire England to glory – Becks

Wayne Rooney will fire England to World Cup glory. This is according to David Beckham, who watched the red-hot striker net two goals in Manchester United’s 3-2 win over his AC Milan team in the Champions League on Tuesday. "Burnout won't be a problem. Wayne is ready for any game. It doesn't matter how many matches he's played or will be involved in until the end of the season - he'll be ready,” insisted Beckham on Wednesday. "Of course, he can sustain that level until the middle of July. He is only 24 - he should be able to,” added the 34-year-old. Beckham also insisted that Rooney’s talent is starting to be appreciated beyond the shores of England. "Wayne is looked upon as a great player in Italy. All the Italian people care about is whether he's doing the right thing and scoring.”

Next goal vital – Fletch

Whoever scores the first goal in next month’s second-leg last 16 match between Manchester United and AC Milan will be in the pound seats to advance, claims United midfielder Darren Fletcher. The Red Devils hold a slight advantage after their 3-2 win at the San Siro on Tuesday. "The next goal is going to be crucial," said Fletcher on Wednesday."We went to win the first leg and we've done that but it is still all to play for in the tie. We have seen the quality Milan have got in their side. They are capable of creating chances and scoring goals so we will have to be on top form to get through." United, however, have not been beaten by two goals on home soil in 53 years of European football.

Torres blow behind Reds CL woe

Rafa Benitez believes the absence of Liverpool’s devastating striker Fernando Torres was behind their Champions League disappointment this season. The Reds crashed out of Europe’s premier club competition in the group stage with Torres playing little part due to injury. "In every team if you lose your top scorer, for a lot of games it will cost you," commented Benitez on Wednesday. "We lost a lot of players at the same time, and players with quality - Daniel Agger, Glen Johnson, Yossi Benayoun, Steven Gerrard and Torres - all at the same time. For any team, it is difficult to manage without players, numbers and quality. And it is even more difficult if you lose your striker, who can be such a difference." Torres has struggled with injury for most of the season but may return for Liverpool’s crucial clash with Manchester City on Sunday.

Fab can go and other red-hot gossip

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will not prevent midfield star Cesc Fabregas from leaving England to join Barcelona in the summer, according to Spanish newspaper Sport. Fabregas has been strongly linked with a £60m move to the Spanish giants, a club he spent six years at as a youngster. Elsewhere, big-spending Manchester City and Chelsea are on alert after Sevilla's Brazilian striker Luis Fabiano refused to rule out a move to the EPL; Chelsea are plotting a £70m spending spree this summer to rejuvenate their squad with Borussia Dortmund's Serbia centre-back Neven Subotic, winger Angel Di Maria of Benfica, Napoli midfielder Marek Hamsik and Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger their main targets; and Sunderland striker Darren Bent has stopped using social networking site Twitter as it distracts him from playing.

Rooney is devastating – Fergie

Sir Alex Ferguson hailed Wayne Rooney performance after the striker grabbed two goals during Manchester United’s 3-2 win over AC Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday. The brace, courtesy of two headers, took Rooney’s goal tally to 25 for the season and put the Red Devils in the driving seat to move into the quarterfinals ahead of the second leg. "He's in devastating form, they could not handle him second half. He was marvellous," said United boss Ferguson afterwards. "What we said he has to do is improve his goalscoring and now he's doing it." The United boss also said he felt Rooney could now be spoken of in the same breath as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. "His basic ability is as good as those players. He must be regarded alongside them."

Becks pays tribute to “on fire” Rooney

The plaudits just keep flying in for Wayne Rooney! The latest is from David Beckham, who featured in the AC Milan team beaten 3-2 by Manchester United in the Champions League on Tuesday, a match in which Rooney banged in his 24th and 25th goals of the season. "Rooney is obviously on fire again," said Beckham, who produced a muted performance before being substituted in the 72nd minute of the last 16 first leg match. "He's been on fire for a few weeks now and I've always said he's one of the best goalscorers in the world."

Gunners face injury crisis ahead of Porto clash

Arsenal go into Wednesday’s Champions League showdown with Porto without five regular players. William Gallas, Manuel Almunia, Alex Song, Andrey Arshavin and Eduardo have all been ruled out of the last 16 first leg tie. "Ideally you would always like them all to play. But you have to focus on those who are able to play,” said Gunners manager Arsene Wenger on Tuesday. "The question is whether we can have a good result with those players and I believe the answer is yes.” Trying to sound positive, Wenger said it was all about the development of the club. "That is part of a successful team, going into big games without your whole squad. These are tests you have to pass." French star Samir Nasri, was not so positive. "This season we've had bad results in big games. We lack experience at the highest level."

Carlo not fussed on Blues bed partners

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti doesn’t give a hoot who his players share a bed with as long as they produce the goods on the pitch. Blues captain John Terry was recently stripped of the England captaincy for having an affair with the former girlfriend of former Chelsea player Wayne Bridge, while star defender Ashley Cole was recently accused of exchanging explicit text message with a model, despite being married to pop star Cheryl Cole. "It doesn't interest me with who my captain and my soldiers go to bed with," said Ancelotti on Tuesday. "I only care about the ideas they wake up with in the morning."

No truth in Vidic rumours and other red-hot gossip

Nemanja Vidic is tired of reports linking him with a move away from Manchester United in the summer. Rumours have been running wild that the Serbian wants to leave England because his family have failed to settle. AC Milan and Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona have all been linked to the defender. His agent however has refuted all reports of a move. “There is nothing true in these reports. Me and Nemanja are becoming tired of such rumours," Silvio Martino told calciomercato.com. Elsewhere, Nadir Belhadj is an unlikely target for Barcelona after the Portsmouth defender was singled out for praise from midfielder Xavi Fernandez; and Andrey Arshavin says he would understand if Cesc Fabregas leaves Arsenal for Barcelona in the summer, but hopes the midfielder will stay at the Emirates.

United suffer blow ahead of Italian trip

Nemanja Vidic’s long awaited return to action for Manchester United has been put on hold after he failed to make the trip to Italy to take on seven-times winners AC Milan in the Champions League. The tough Serbian was expected to feature at the San Siro on Tuesday night when the two giants of European football clash in the last 16 of Europe’s premier football competition. Vidic, who has a nerve problem in his leg, has not featured for the Red Devils in 2010. Jonny Evans or Wes Brown should partner new England skipper Rio Ferdinand in central defence. Also absent are veteran Ryan Giggs, who is out with a broken arm, and misfit Brazilian Anderson, whose United career appears to be coming to an end. Otherwise manager Sir Alex Ferguson has a full squad to choose from.

United fan Becks wants them to lose

Despite the sentiment of playing against a club he still holds very close to his heart, David Beckham is determined to help AC Milan beat Manchester United when they clash in the Champions League on Tuesday. The England midfielder spent 12 years with United before joining Real Madrid in 2003. He later moved to the LA Galaxy and is now on loan with the Rosseneri. "It's going to be emotional but, as a United fan, it's the first time I am going to want them to lose," said Beckham on Tuesday. He also paid tribute to Sir Alex Ferguson despite the fact that his Old Trafford career ended amid reports that his relationship with the fiery Scot had become strained. "Sir Alex will always be a father figure to me," added Beckham. "He always has been and he always will be.

Rafa talks up Mascherano

Javier Mascherano is the man to lead Liverpool’s assault on the top four now that the spectre of joining Barcelona has disappeared, reckons Reds boss Rafa Bentitez. The tough Argentine has struggled this season raising doubts about his Anfield commitment. Recently, however, he has recaptured the form that made him a cult hero at the club last season. "Mascherano is showing on the pitch why he is the captain of Argentina. He has a great character, he's very positive and inspires those around him,” commented Benitez on Monday. "He's setting an example to the rest of the team. I am really pleased with the way all of them are playing but Mascherano is doing really well.” The Reds travel to Manchester City on Sunday knowing defeat could leave them six points adrift of their Eastlands rivals in the race for the fourth and final Champions League spot.

Rooney is loving life

Wayne Rooney believes he has hit the prime of his career, stating that “I’ve never felt better.” The striker has been in wonderful form this season and has already netted 23 goals this season as he has stepped out of the departed Cristiano Ronaldo’s shadow to become the club’s driving force. “I’ve got more responsibility in the team now and I’m enjoying having more of that responsibility,” said Rooney ahead of United’s Champions League clash with AC MILan on Tuesday. He added: “Wherever I’ve played, I have always given my all. It’s the only way I know how to play. But with the system we use, the difference is I’m playing up front instead of Ronaldo now, whereas before I might be put out wide. The truth is I’m loving being the main striker up front on my own, that is my favourite position.”

Spurs block Russian flops move and other red-hot gossip

Tottenham have blocked a £10.5m move to Lokomotiv Moscow for out-of-favour striker Russian striker Roman Pavlyuchenko. The Russian, who is behind Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch in the pecking order, has been a flop at White Hart Lane since joining the club for £13m last season. Apparently Spurs manager vetoed the move because he is not prepared to weaken a squad chasing a top-four League finish and FA Cup glory. Elsewhere, Stipe Pletikosa's move from Spartak Moscow to Tottenham is back on as the Croatian keeper's knee injury has improved; Everton manager David Moyes has been on a personal scouting mission to check out Benfica striker Oscar Cardozo, who is also attracting the attention of Tottenham, Aston Villa and Blackburn; and the EPL is considering having play-offs for the final Champions League slot for the clubs that finish fourth to seventh.

Berba relishing Milan clash

Manchester United star Dimitar Berbatov has revealed how he grew up dreaming of playing for or against AC Milan. As a young boy in Bulgaria, he idolised Milan’s legendary Dutch striker Marco van Basten. "I've played against each big club in the world but never against Milan - I'm very excited,” revealed Bernbatov ahead of United’s last 16 Champions League clash with the Serie A giants on Tuesday. "I was a fan because Van Basten was there. I was a big admirer, he is one of the greatest forwards ever." The 29-year-old Berbatov expects a classic match against the Rossoneri. "It will be a great game. Some people say Milan are not in the best shape but I think that's deceiving. There's no favourite - it's 50-50. It's about who is the smartest, who can use the mistake of the other team and just score the winning goal."

Tevez back in Argie for personal reasons

Carlos Tevez is in danger of missing Manchester City’s clash with Liverpool next Sunday. The match is shaping up to be crucial to both team’s hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League. Tevez, however, had to make an emergency trans-Atlantic flight to Argentina on Saturday to be with his pregnant girlfriend who is weeks away from giving birth. He will definitely miss City’s clash with Stoke on Tuesday. The Blues management have told him to take as much time as he needs to deal with his personal matters. "There is a family problem and I don't know how long he will stay,” said City manager Roberto Mancini. "I don't think Carlos can come back for Tuesday. I don't think he can play. I hope he can recover some time. I hope so, but it's difficult." Tevez has been in scintillating form this season, scoring 19 goals for City.

Disappointment for Reds fans

Liverpool fans will be disappointed to learn that star striker Fernando Torres will not return to action for next Sunday’s crucial clash with Manchester City at Eastlands. The two clubs go head-to-head in what is shaping up to be a crunch clash with both desperate to finish fourth and grab a spot in next season’s Champions League. Torres suffered a knee injury in last month's shock FA Cup loss to Reading. "I think it [the match at Eastlands] will be too early,” manager Rafa Benitez told the Liverpool website on Sunday. "He is training with the physios and the fitness coach, but he's still not involved with the team. We will see next week how he progresses." Torres is the Reds top scorer this season with 12 goals, despite only playing 21 times due to injury.

United could land star for knockdown price

Manchester United could land Karim Benzema from Real Madrid for a bargain. The Frenchman was United’s prime transfer target last summer but eventually joined the Spanish giants for £35m, £10m more than what the Red Devils were prepared to pay Lyon for his services. His time at the Bernabeau has however been disappointing, scoring just seven times in 19 games. With Real now hot on the heels of Valencia star David Villa, rumours are circulating that Benzema will be offered to United for a knockdown price of £18m. AC Milan and Inter Milan are also keeping an eye on the situation and may be ready to scupper United’s bid for the player. Benzema moving to Inter would however suit Manchester City as it would pave the way for Mario Balotelli to move to Eastlands.

Van Persie’s City snub and other red-hot gossip

Arsenal striker Robin van Persie has revealed he snubbed offers to join Chelsea and Manchester City last summer. The Dutch goal ace, who has missed a large chunk of the season with an ankle injury, instead decided to sign a four-year £70,000-a-week contract at the Emirates. Elsewhere, Manchester United are lining up Palermo's £10m-rated Danish defender Simon Kjaer as a replacement for Nemanja Vidic who is set to leave at the end of the season; Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips' future is up in the air after a breakdown in contract talks at the club; Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini wants to splash £20m on Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli; and Arsenal defender William Gallas is AC Milan’s prime summer target, with the Italians hoping to land the centre-back on a free transfer in the summer.

Ron hints of United return

The world’s most expensive player has hinted of a return to Manchester United. Speaking to the News of the World tabloid newspaper on Sunday, Cristiano Ronaldo admitted that he misses life at Old Trafford. “Of course I miss playing for Manchester United," the Real Madrid star is quoted as saying. "Not just the club but my friends are still there, too. I played there for six years and that's a long time. Whenever I have the opportunity, I watch them play. I am still interested in watching Manchester United and, you never know, maybe in the future I could return to play there. It's always possible." Ronaldo left United for Real Madrid last June for a world record transfer fee of £80m. “When I have the opportunity I speak with him, with Ferdinand, Vidic, and Evra. We talk about football and everything,” added Ronaldo.

Rooney as good as Ronaldinho – Becks

Wayne Rooney is as good as Brazilian legend Ronaldinho, according to David Beckham. Beckham is a team-mate of the Brazilian former two-time world player of the year at AC Milan. The Italian giants clash with Rooney’s Manchester United in the last 16 of the Champions League later this month. Asked if Rooney was comparable to Ronaldinho, Beckham said: "Without a doubt! I've always said Wayne is one of the best goalscorers in football." The England striker is enjoying a stellar season, scoring 23 goals in 32 appearances for the Red Devils this season. "He is at a great club like Manchester United and he's doing what he does best - scoring goals," added the 34-year-old Beckham, who will return to Old Trafford for the first time as a player since he left United in 2003.

Flamini eyes phyiscal battle with United

AC Milan midfielder Mathieu Flamini believes the battle for midfield supremacy will decide their Champions League tie with Manchester United on Tuesday. The two giants of world football clash over two legs in Europe’s premier football competition over the next few weeks. Flamini is a former Arsenal player and has been involved in many fierce battles with United over the years. “I played for four years in England and it was a formative and fantastic experience. Apart from playing against Portsmouth I haven’t played against an English club since then,” said the Frenchman on Saturday. “I have told my team-mates to expect a tough, physical game. It will be a battle for us. Whoever wins the ¬battle in midfield will win the tie.”

Carlo vows to axe under-performing stars

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti is prepared to drop any player if their off-field behaviour impacts their performance on the pitch. This comes in the wake of the lurid details about Blues captain John Terry’s private life being exposed in the press. "I want to judge my players on their professional behaviour, their professional life," said the Italian on Saturday. "I think that the players are professional. They know very well what their jobs are and what their behaviour should be.” Terry was recently axed as England captain for having an affair with a former team-mate’s girlfriend. He is currently taking a break in Dubai with his family in order to patch things up with his wife. "When a player's private life affects the professional life of the players, then it is a problem for me. But that's not happening here,” added Ancelotti.

Van der Sar to soldier on and other red-hot gossip

Veteran goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar is preparing to sign an extension to his Manchester United contract. The 39-year-old stopper had been expected by many to announce his retirement at the end of the season but now appears set to sign a new one-year contract worth £5m at Old Trafford. Elsewhere, Barcelona have set aside £60m to tempt Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas to the Nou Camp in the summer; Manchester City could make a sensational swoop for Manchester United star Nemanja Vidic; Everton have put a £30m price tag on teenager Jack Rodwell who is wanted by Manchester United; and finally, Stoke City's Matthew Etherington claims to have squandered £1.5m gambling on horses, greyhounds and playing poker.

Ancelotti hopeful on Cole

Never mind the World Cup, Ashley Cole will play for Chelsea before the end of the season. This is according to Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti, after the England defender fractured his ankle during Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat to Everton in midweek. Initial fears were that Cole would be in a race against time to make England’s opening game of the World Cup against the USA. "I'm disappointed because Ashley is a very important player for us, but it can happen that a player gets an injury,” admitted Ancelotti on Friday. "I hope he recovers quickly and comes back before the end of the season. That's a realistic possibility. He will have surgery today and we hope to recuperate him quickly. In three months he will be ready to play, so for England he can play in the World Cup." Russian Yuri Zhirkov will stand in for Cole at Chelsea.

'Drogba the Warrior' fires Rooney warning

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has thrown down the gauntlet to Wayne Rooney, claiming he will score more goals than the Manchester United hitman this season. Rooney currently leads the way with 23 goals this season, with Drigba hot on his heels with 22 strikes despite missing almost the whole of January on international duty with Cote d’Ivoire. "I want to be the top scorer in England. I want to make sure people remember 'Drogba the Warrior' in this campaign,” said the burly Ivorian on Friday. "My absence at the African Nations Cup could end up being decisive. It gave an advantage to Wayne and my other rivals. But I warn them I shall be fighting until the very last match." Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe is the EPL’s third highest scorer with 20 goals, followed by Manchester City's Carlos Tevez (18) and Darren Bent of Sunderland (15).

Show some maturity guys – Cesc

Cesc Fabregas insists that Arsenal must stop blaming the youthful nature of their squad for their failure to win silverware. The Gunners breathed new life into their EPL fortunes with a 1-0 win over Liverpool in mid-week following successive losses to fellow title rivals Manchester United and Chelsea. And with the Red Devils and Blues failing to win on the same night, Arsenal are now right back in the mix, just six points off leaders Chelsea. Club captain Fabregas now wants his team-mates to show their maturity. "As a team, we need to be stronger," commented Fabregas on Friday. "We can't hide behind people saying we are too young or we have injuries. We just have to compete. People say you must learn from your mistakes, but you learn how to play football when you are 12, 13, 14, 15. You don't learn these things when you are 25.”

Vieira hits back at jibes

Patrick Vieira has slammed the critics who claim he is over-the-hill. The Frenchman, an EPL legend following a stellar 10-year career with Arsenal, returned to England after four years in Italy to play for Manchester City during the January transfer window. He completed his first full match for Roberto Mancini's side in the 2-0 win against Bolton earlier this week. “I've heard a lot of things said about me. They say I'm an old man and that p****s me off,” said the 33-year-old on Friday. "It makes me angry because I believe I still have a lot left in me and I can still do a lot.” Vierira made a perfectly-weighted pass to provide Emmanuel Adebayor with the clincher against Bolton. "Giving the assist to Adebayor gave me satisfaction.”

Real set to sign United star and other red-hot transfer news

Nemanja Vidic is set to join his former Manchester United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid next season, According to reports, the Spanish giants will pay £20m for the Serbian international whose wife has failed to settle in the north of England. AC Milan have also been tracking the 28-year-old who has missed much of the season with injury. United have already bought Chris Smalling from Fulham for £10m to replace Vidic. Smalling joins in the summer. Elsewhere, Real Madrid legend Raul has been linked with a move to the United States to join New York Red Bulls; Chelsea defender Alex is wanted by German club Bayern Munich; and Mikael Silvestre is set to leave Arsenal after being snubbed by boss Arsene Wenger for last Wednesday's clash with Liverpool.

Champions League setback for United

Manchester United’s Champions League ambitions suffered a big setback on Thursday with the news that Ryan Giggs will be out for a month with a broken arm. United clash with Italian giants AC Milan later this month in the last 16 of Europe’s most prestigious football competition. Giggs will miss both legs - and a reunion with former team-mate David Beckham - the Carling Cup final against Villa at Wembley on 28 February, plus a sequence of key EPL matches. The Welsh veteran should however be back for the crunch clash with Liverpool at Old Trafford on March 31. Giggs suffered the injury during the club’s 1-1 draw with Aston Villa on Wednesday.

Cole’s World Cup dreams hanging

Ashley Cole’s World Cup dreams were thrown into doubt on Wednesday after he fractured his ankle during Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat by Everton. The left-back is expected to be out for three months and will also miss the Blues title run-in. He limped off at Goodison Park after a challenge from Everton’s USA international Landon Donovan. Ironically, England’s first World Cup match is against the United States on 12 June and Cole is now in a race against time to be fit in time for it. The 29-year-old has been in superb form this season and his absence will be a blow to Chelsea. Russian Yuri Zhirkov or Portuguese international Paulo Ferreira look likely to step into the side at left-back.

Rooney on fire – Cuellar

Aston Villa defender Carlos Cuellar believes Wayne Rooney can fire England to glory in the World Cup. This comes after Rooney ran the Villa defence ragged in another vintage performance on Wednesday night. While not adding to his 23 goal tally, he covered every blade of grass on the pitch as a 10-man Manchester United drew 1-1 at Villa Park."Rooney is playing very well. He is on fire now,” said Cuellar afterwards. "He is scoring a lot of goals. He will cause anyone lots of problems. If Rooney continues to play like that, England can win the World Cup.”

Why not - Wenger

Arsenal are right back in the title race claims Arsene Wenger after he watched his side rebound from consecutive defeats to beat Liverpool 1-0 on Wednesday.The win cut the gap on leaders Chelsea to six points after the blues lost to Everton. Wenger said: "It is a fantastic night for the club. Why not win the title?” The Gunners owe their win to a headed goal by midfielder Abou Diaby. "I said we'd fight until the last minute of the season, and we showed that tonight." He added: "Nobody realises how hard it is to play United, Chelsea and Liverpool on the trot with no time to recover. So to come back from Sunday's disappointment to get back to six points is great for us."

Villa mum on future and other red-hot gossip

In-demand striker David Villa will not decide on his future until after the World Cup. The Valencia and Spain striker is one of the most wanted players in Europe with Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City and Real Madrid all chasing his signature. "I am only thinking about the World Cup in June, I didn't get involved in any transfer talk last year, and this year even less so," the 28-year-old said on Thursday. Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero has put many EPL clubs on alert by claiming he won’t stay in Spain forever; Portsmouth and England keeper David James could lead the exodus of the club's top players if the cash-strapped side goes bust; and Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho has taken a swipe at his former club Chelsea claiming that nothing had changed since his departure, adding: "even the warm-up is the warm-up they did in our time."

No Fab deal – Barca

Barcelona have laughed off reports that they have signed Cesc Fabregas. In recent days newspapers have claimed that the Spanish giants have sealed a deal that will see the midfielder move to the Camp Nou after the World Cup. "Barca flatly deny that there have been any negotiations or agreements with the player,” said a Barca statement issued on Wednesday. "In accordance with Fifa regulations, our contract policy has always made it a priority to negotiate with the club of origin before making any particular agreement with the player.Barcelona wishes to stress we have always maintained excellent relations with Arsenal." Fabregas spent six years as a youth-team player at Barcelona before joining the Gunners in 2003. This season he has scored 11 goals in 20 EPL games, which is his best return yet.

Reds seal Serbian’s signature

Liverpool have sealed the signature of striker Milan Jovanovic from Belgian giants Standard Liege on a free transfer. The 28-year-old Serbian had also been linked with AC Milan, Juventus and Valencia. "We have reached an agreement for three years, with the option to extend with another season,” Jovanovic told Belgian newspaper Sporza. "I opted to sign for Liverpool because they're one of the biggest teams in Europe - definitely in the top 10." Jovanovic, who has also played for Shakhtar Donetsk and Lokomotiv Moscow in his career, has scored 12 goals in 23 games to date this season. He rejected a move to Real Madrid last season fearing he would warm the bench at the Bernabeau.

Now Nani’s loving life at United

Times have changed for Nani at Manchester United. For so long a figure of frustration for Red Devils fans, the Portuguese winger has stepped up to the plate in recent weeks to play an integral role in United’s impressive form. He now insists he is loving life at Old Trafford and would never consider quitting the club. "When you are feeling low and things aren't going well, you do feel alone and there have been times like that,” Nani told The Sun newspaper on Wednesday. "But I never thought about quitting and going back to Portugal. Of course, your confidence does suffer on occasions and you get down. I am a strong personality. If you are not a strong character then it will drag you down. I am not like that. I am sure I have the quality to be one of the best in the world."

We don’t have the cash – Wenger

Arsene Wenger has conceded that Arsenal do not have the funds to compete with the big guns in the transfer market. Following heavy defeats to title rivals Manchester United and Chelsea in recent weeks, many fans have criticised him for not strengthening the squad in the January transfer window. Speaking to The Sun newspaper on Wednesday, Wenger said he would continue to develop young talent. "We've gone for a policy and need to be strong, patient and sometimes get knock-backs but still persist because it's the only way this football club can be run. Football lives in an artificial world at the moment. You know what the situation is. We have to live in a realistic world at Arsenal and we are very proud of that. If you go on high transfers, you go on high wages. It is linked. We cannot afford that."

Blues target Brazilian superstar and other red-hot gossip

Chelsea's first summer target will be Barcelona's £30m-rated right-back Dani Alves. The Brazilian international is one of the best players in his position on the planet and is a renowned free-kick artist. He is however not first choice for Brazil having lost his starting place to Inter Milan’s Maicon. Elsewhere, Manchester United are chasing Roma's two star 15-year-old, Valerio Verre and Filippo Cipriani, Arsenal have beaten Liverpool to the signature of Marouane Chamakh, with the Bordeaux striker is set to agree a five-year, £50,000-a-week deal with the Gunners; and out-of-favour Manchester City midfielder Stephen Ireland has admitted he may be forced to look for a new club.

Robinho lashes Mancini’s tactics

Robinho has blamed Roberto Mancini’s tactics for his departure from Manchester City. The club’s record signing joined Brazilian club Santos on a six-month loan deal in January. "Mancini has a different way of thinking,” moaned Robinho on Sunday after marking his Santos debut with a goal in the 2-1 win over Sao Paulo. "In Brazil, the coach respects the player's characteristics. In Europe, they are used to playing with two lines of four players and they don't want to know what you can do.” Robinho’s fortunes were expected to be revitalised under Mancini after former City manager Mark Hughes froze him out. But he never found favour under the Italian either. "There, if you are a forward, the coach sends you on to the pitch just to run. You have to run and that's it,” added the £32.5m British record signing.

Boom or bust for Red Devils - Wes

Manchester United’s season faces boom or bust every time they take the field from now on, claims defender Wes Brown. The Red Devils clash with Aston Villa on Wednesday knowing that any dropped points will harm their chances of overhauling Chelsea in the EPL championship race. "Once we get to this stage of the season it is no longer about wanting to win — we have to win,” said Brown on Tuesday."We have to play well and we have to score goals. Recent results mean we have a lot of confidence at the moment. Hopefully we can keep it that way against Villa." United, who trail Chelsea by two points, lost to Villa earlier this season.

Tearful Terry to fight for his marriage

A tearful John Terry has vowed to save his marriage, according to a leading British tabloid. The Chelsea defender, who was stripped of the England captaincy last week for having an affair with Vanessa Perroncel, the ex-girlfriend of former club-mate Wayne Bridge, is said to have poured his heart out to his mother over the issue. “I’m all right, Ma. We’ll start again,” Terry is quoted as telling his 51-year-old mother Sue in the Mirror newspaper on Tuesday. The Mirror goes on to quote ‘a Chelsea insider’ as saying: “There were a few tears with his mum when the family got together behind the scenes. But he told her not to worry and that he was going to be fine – and that he would battle his way through it.”

Reds now targeting third

Liverpool’s good run of recent form means they can now target third place in the EPL, according to club captain Steven Gerrard. After a disastrous first half of the season in which they suffered seven defeats, the Reds have won five and drawn two of their last seven matches to spring in to fourth place on the standings. Third placed Arsenal, who have hit a rocky patch in recent weeks, are now firmly in their sights. Liverpool play Arsenal on Wednesday and a win over the Gunners will take them within two points of the Londoners. “We've certainly got to do what Manchester United and Chelsea have done to them, which is try and give them very little space and hit them on the counter attack. Everyone knows that if you give Arsenal time and space they will absolutely crucify you,” Gerrard told talkSPORT on Tuesday.

Barca and Inter wanted Ronaldo and other red-hot gossip

It has emerged that Barcelona and Inter Milan tried to sign Cristiano Ronaldo after Real Madrid had agreed a deal with Manchester United to sign the Portuguese winger in December 2008. The Portugal international joinedr Real, the club he supported as a boy, for a world record transfer fee of £80m in June 2009. Elsewhere, Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery likes the thought of teaming up with his France team-mate Thierry Henry at Barcelona; Arsenal are now favourites to sign Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh after his proposed move to Liverpool collapsed; and Spanish giants Barcelona and Sevilla want Glasgow Rangers defender Madjid Bougherra after he impressed them playing for Algeria during the recent Africa Cup of Nations.

Terry still crucial to England’s dreams

John Terry remains crucial to England’s World Cup dreams despite losing the team captaincy. This is according to England boss Fabio Capello, just 48 hours after stripping the Chelsea defender of the skipper’s armband for his affair with a former team-mates girlfriend. “This is now over, it is finished. It is time to move on,” said Capello on Monday. “But John Terry is still an important player for England. He is one of the most important players for England.” Rio Ferdinand is expected to take over from Terry.

We can still win it – Walcott

Theo Walcott believes Arsenal can still be crowned EPL champions. This comes after the Gunners fell nine points behind leaders Chelsea following their 2-0 loss to the Blues on Sunday. But England winger Walcott claims his club’s league campaign is not over. "We have to believe we are always in the title race, no matter where we are in the league,” said Walcott afterwards. "We would like to have more points than we had from these last few games but now we just have to get the result against Liverpool on Wednesday. If we perform like we did at Chelsea but take our chances, then we can beat anyone on our day.” The 20-year-old Walcott has seen his impact limited by injuries this season.

Robinho is welcome back – Mancini

Roberto Mancini would love to welcome a rejuvenated Robinho back to Manchester City. The Brazilian, City’s record £32m signing, was allowed to join Santos in his home country on a six-month loan recently after he became disenchanted with life at Eastlands. “If Robinho rediscovers his love for the game back in Brazil then he will be amongst the best players in the world,” said Mancini on Monday. “If he’s playing well, has a good World Cup, and wants to return to City then I would be very happy.” Robinho, who joined City from Real Madrid two years ago, remains the most expensive player in the EPL. He made a dream debut on his return to Santos by coming off the bench to score the winning goal against Sao Paulo on Sunday.

No more slip-ups – Stevie G

Liverpool cannot afford anymore slip-ups if they are to secure Champions League football next season, warned Steven Gerrard on Monday. Despite suffering seven defeats this season, which is five more than in the whole of the previous EPL campaign, the Reds are still in with a good chance of finishing in the Top Four. They have won five and drawn two of their last seven matches. "Everybody is still on a high and now we have got to take that high into the next game," said Gerrard ahead of the midweek clash with Arsenal. "It's a tough one, Arsenal away always is, but we’ve used beating Everton as a platform in the past and we've got to do it again. We want to extend our run and go on to better things as we can't afford any slip-ups because there is pressure coming from Tottenham, Manchester City and Aston Villa."

Moroccan to chose Gunners over Reds and other red-hot gossip

Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh says he would prefer to join Arsenal over Liverpool in the summer. Chamakh's contract with the French club finishes at the end of the season. Liverpool are hoping to tempt him with £50,000-a-week plus a huge signing-on fee, but Arsenal have always remained confident of getting him. Elsewhere, Everton striker James Vaughan will be allowed to leave the club on loan this week, with Derby County and Coventry both interested in the 21-year-old; Portsmouth could be welcoming their fifth owner of a turbulent season after executive director Mark Jacob revealed that "two or three groups" have approached the board; and axed England captain John Terry has phoned new skipper Rio Ferdinand to offer the Manchester United defender his support.

Wenger refuses to surrender

Arsene Wenger has refused to throw in the towel on Arsenal’s championship chances despite their crushing 2-0 loss to a Didier Drogba-inspired Chelsea on Sunday. He does however admit that they are now outsiders after the result left them trailing EPL leaders Chelsea by nine points. "It is difficult to swallow a defeat like that when we felt we were the better team,” lamented Wenger after his side were undone by two first half goals by Drogba. "Chelsea defended well until the last minute so you have got to give them credit. We are outsiders but we will fight until the last day of the season. I believe everyone can drop points. Let's come back to win our next game first and then see where we stand."

JT circus inspired us – Drogba

Didier Drogba claims Chelsea used the recent furore surrounding John Terry to inspire them to victory over Arsenal on Sunday. Blues skipper Terry was stripped of the England captaincy on Friday after revelations of his affair with the girlfriend of his former Cheslea team-mate Wayne Bridge. "It's been a difficult week for the club,” admitted Drogba after his two goals gave Chelsea a 2-0 win over their London neighbours. "But we've tried to stay together and focus on the games and we must look forward. We have offered John Terry as much support as we can, but the best thing for him is to play football.

Rooney is world’s best player – Ancelotti

Wayne Rooney is currently the best player on the planet and the only thing that stands between Chelsea and winning the league title, according to Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti. “United are using Rooney very well in this moment. Every game he proves his quality. He’s a fantastic, fantastic player,” said Ancelotti on Saturday. “I am surprised because he never drops, he always improves his performance. It’s a good thing not only for Manchester United, but also for the national team because to have Rooney in this condition is very important for England at the World Cup. Is he the best in the world at the moment? I think yes. At the moment he’s the most decisive player in the world." Rooney is having the season of his life and is the EPL’s leading scorer with 21 goals.

Rooney’s low down on Capello

Wayne Rooney has revealed the incredible attention to detail displayed by England boss Fabio Capello and also how he can get physical with his players if they do not deliver on the pitch. Admitting that he was initially not keen on a foreigner managing England, Rooney says he quickly warmed to the ways of the Italian. “His attention to detail is just unbelievable. He once made the whole squad watch a half-hour tape of Glen Johnson doing a bad job of taking throw-ins,” said Rooney. “The players couldn’t believe it. But that’s how he works. He has his own ideas about what players should do and he leaves absolutely nothing to chance.” And if you do not display the same level of commitment? “There have been times during training sessions when he has physically grabbed players and placed them into the positions he wants them to occupy,” added Rooney.

What Capello told Terry and other red-hot gossip

England manager Fabio Capello told John Terry to “get some help” to sort out his private life when he axed the Chelsea defender as his national captain on Friday. Terry was sacked for having an affair with England team-mate Wayne Bridge’s girlfriend. According to reports, Terry may take a break from the game to try and resolve issues in his private life. Elsewhere, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson wants Everton star Jack Rodwell to come to Old Trafford in the summer and is prepared to pay top-dollar for one of the EPL’s leading talents; Juventus are planning a £13m raid for Tottenham defender Gareth Bale; and Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini is prepared sell Stephen Ireland at the end of the season, which will alert the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Spurs.

SAF proud of Rio

Sir Alex Ferguson is "proud" that Rio Ferdinand has followed in a long line of illustrious Manchester United players to become England captain. Ferdinand took over as national skipper after John Terry was axed on Friday for having an affair with a former team-mate’s girlfriend. "It's great for Manchester United to have one of our players captaining England," said Ferguson. "Over the years we've had Gary Neville, David Beckham, Bobby Charlton and Bryan Robson for 60-odd games or something so we're very proud of that," added Ferguson. Ferdinand has made only nine starts for United this season because of a niggling back problem and is currently serving a four-match ban, which he is contesting, for striking a Hull player during a match in late January.

Rafa gushes forth

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has lauded his players spirit following their 1-0 success in Saturday’s Merseyside derby. The Reds played most of the match with 10-men after Sotirios Kyrgiakos was red-carded for an ill-timed challenge on Marouane Fellaini. Dutch international Dirk Kuyt grabbed the only goal of the hotly fought contest when he headed home Steven Gerrard's 55th-minute corner to boost the club’s top-four hopes. "Hopefully we'll have more confidence for the next game against Arsenal, we are doing much better and we won today with 10 players, so we cannot ask for more,” said Benitez. "It was an amazing performance from the team and a massive result for us. I felt the fans were behind the team working so hard and we were defending well and dangerous on the counter-attack. The commitment of our players was fantastic so everything was positive."

Bridge jeering upsets Mancini

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini heaped scorn on Hull’s fans for booing Wayne Bridge after Manchester City slipped to a shock 2-1 defeat at the KC Stadium on Saturday. Bridge, back in action following two months out with a knee injury, was subjected to a number of chants about John Terry's alleged affair with his ex-girlfriend. "I think sometimes we have to have respect for people,” fumed Mancini afterwards. "It was not good, especially in the first half, as the people did not respect him." The Italian however refused to comment on the Terry situation but said he was happy to have Bridge back in action. "It was important he played and I hope in the next week he can improve. Wayne is an important player for us."

I'll return to Barca someday – Cesc

Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas has vowed to return to Barcelona later in his career but has played down reports linking him with a move back to his hometown in the summer. Fabregas spent six years with Barcelona as a youth team player. "I have not been called by anyone. Neither me or my agent. But I can only speak from what I know and answer what I know. I have never hidden the fact that one day I will return to Barcelona," Fabregas told a Spanish radio station on Saturday. He added: "Since I was nine months old, my grandfather would take me to the Barca stadium and I spent all my life wearing those colours. For one reason or another I had to go, but one never knows what can happen." Fabregas has scored 11 goals in 20 EPL appearances for Arsenal this season.

Serie A giants want Reds star and other transfer gossip

Juventus are poised to make an £8m summer bid for Liverpool's Martin Skrtel. The Italians - who had also targeted Reds boss Rafa Benitez - are apparently looking for a stopper to replace the ageing Fabio Cannavaro at the heart of their defence. And they firmly believe that the Slovakia international fits the bill as a no-nonsense defender with the ability to organise the backline. Skrtel joined Liverpool in 2008 for £6.5m from Zenit St Petersburg. Elsewhere, Everton, Liverpool and Spurs are all in the chase for Hull's 19-year-old midfield starlet Tom Cairney.; Chelsea could make a move for Borussia Dortmund defender Neven Subotic over the summer.; and Arsenal will offer Cesc Fabregas a £30 million contract in a bid to keep him out of Barcelona’s clutches.

England axe JT as skipper

England have axed John Terry as their national captain following allegations he had an affair with an England team-mate's ex-girlfriend. Terry met England boss Fabio Capello on Friday for talks following which the announcement was made. "After much thought I have made the decision that it will be best for me to take the captaincy away from John Terry," Capello said in a statement. "What is best for all of the England team has inspired my choice,” he added. Terry said he abided by Capello's decision. "I fully respect Fabio Capello's decision," the Chelsea defender said in a statement. "I will continue to give everything for England."

England name new captain

England boss Fabio Capello has named Rio Ferdinand as the new England captain following John Terry’s axing on Friday. Although no official announcement was made, vice-captain Ferdinand was elevated to full skipper. "When I chose John Terry as captain, I also selected a vice-captain and also named a third choice. There is no reason to change this decision," said Capello. Steven Gerrard will be Ferdinand’s deputy. If Manchester United defender Ferdiannd does succeed Terry, it will be despite problems of his own. In his career he has been charged with drunk driving (1998), while he was banned for eight months for skipping a drugs test and missed Euro 2004 as a result. He is currently serving a four-match ban for violent conduct after hitting Hull's Craig Fagan.

Deco taunts Gunners

Chelsea star Deco taunted Arsenal on Friday, claiming the Gunners don’t have what it takes to win the EPL. The Blues clash with their London rivals on Sunday. Chelsea beat Arsenal 3-0 at the Emirates in November. Arsenal also recently lost 3-1 at home to Manchester United. "Arsenal have a good squad but this season have failed in the big matches against United and us,” said Deco. "That is the key when it comes to fighting for the title and perhaps the pressure and the anxiety of it all is damaging Arsenal's performance at decisive moments.” The 32-year-old Portuguese international also claimed that Chelsea were firmly on course to win the treble. "I do think Chelsea are favourites to win the treble. Other big clubs are already out (of the FA Cup) and this gives us a good chance along with the EPL and Champions League."

Fergie is super chilled-out

Following twenty years of continually challenging for league honours, Sir Alex Ferguson claims he is feeling so relaxed about this year’s title run-in that doesn't even know when arch rivals Chelsea are playing. He also claims he only heard about the Blues dropping two crucial points in midweek against Hull on his car radio. "You know, I didn't realise they were playing on Tuesday," said Fergie on Friday. "I was at a game at Preston and left with five minutes to go and on the radio it said it was still one each at Hull.” United can go top if they beat Portsmouth on Saturday. Chelsea play Arsenal on Sunday. "Before we worry about what happens on Sunday, I think we've got to do our own favour first. I think the key to this is us winning against Portsmouth. Hopefully, then, Arsenal can get a result on Sunday."

French star wants EPL move and other transfer gossip

Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery has not ruled out a move to England. He said: "Last season, I had many possibilities with Manchester United, Real, Barcelona or Chelsea. I hope I'll have the same ones plus Bayern next summer." The French international’s comments are sure to catch the attention of Chelsea, and Manchester City and Manchester United. Elsewhere, Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas has declared his love for London, and Barcelona which will only fuel speculation regarding a move back to Spain in the summer; and Liverpool are confident of beating AC Milan and Valencia to the signature of Milan Jovanovic, who is available on a free transfer from Standard Liege in the summer.

Italian giants want United star

AC Milan want to sign Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic, with the Italian giants prepared to offer Dutch striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar as a makeweight in the deal. The Red Devils apparently value the 28-year-old Serbian at £25m and have already turned down an offer of £20m from Real Madrid for him. They could however offload him to Milan due to Huntelaar. United have struggled in the strike department this season with Dimitar Berbatov playing through the pain of a knee injury for most of the season while Michael Owen's long-term future remains in doubt. Sir Alex Ferguson's recent £10m signing of Fulham star Chris Smalling seems to have been done with the view of Vidic leaving at the end of the season.

Blues star to call time on international footy

Deco will call time on his international career after the World Cup finals in South Africa later this year. "I will end my cycle after the World Cup,” revealed the 32-year-old Chelsea star on Thursday. "For my age and because it is tiring, I will say goodbye to the national team after the World Cup." Deco made his debut for Portugal in 2002 scoring in a 2-1 win over the country of his birth Brazil. He has won 71 caps to date and played a key part in helping Portugal reach the Euro 2004 final and the semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup. At club level, the creative midfielder won titles in Portugal and Spain with Porto and Barcelona respectively before moving to Chelsea in a deal worth £8 million in 2008.

Gunners chase the ‘New Henry’

Arsenal are hot on the heels of a player being dubbed the new ‘Thierry Henry’. According to reports, Arsene Wenger is ready to fork out £14m for young France striker Loic Remy. Remy, who plays for Nice in France, is a close friend of Gunners stars Abou Diaby and Bacary Sagna. "Arsenal are interested in Loic for next season," revealed his agent Frederic Guerra on Thursday. The North Londoners face competition from French giants Lyon for the 23-year-old’s services. Remy actually played for Lyon earlier in his career but was sold for £7m in 2008.

Blues eager to ruin Arsenal’s title ambitions

Chelsea are determined to kill off Arsenal’s title hopes once and for all this weekend. The two London giants clash at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Blues defender Ricardo Carvalho insists that if they beat the Gunners then it will become a two-horse race between them and Manchester United for the title. “I have played in many London derbies and Arsenal have never made it easy for us and this will be a big test for them,” said the Portuguese international on Thursday. “It is maybe their last chance to stay in the title race and if we beat Arsenal then I think it will be face to face between us and Manchester United for the championship.” He also admitted that they will be keeping a close eye on one particular Arsenal player. “We know we will have to stop Cesc Fabregas as he is such a good and dangerous player.”

City want Argentine starlet and other transfer gossip

Manchester City are lining up Argentine ace Mauro Zarata as a replacement for Robinho. The 22-year-old striker enjoyed a brief and exciting spell in the EPL two years ago when he joined Birmingham on a six-month loan. He currently plays for Lazio, signing for the Serie A giants for £17m from Qatar club Al Sadd last season. Elsewhere, Egypt striker Mohamed Zidan’s father claims his son is being chased by Manchester United, Arsenal and Barcelona; Manchester City are likely to make a fresh move for Real Madrid midfielder Fernando Gago at the end of the season; and Birmingham are set for a clear out at the end of the season, with Gary McSheffrey, Lee Carsley, Sebastian Larsson, Garry O’Connor, Stuart Parnaby, Kevin Phillips, Franck Queudrue, Liam Ridgewell, Maik Taylor, Gregory Vignal and Artur Krysiak all headed for the exit door.

England team-mates back Terry

John Terry’s team-mates in the England team want him to stay on as national captain. This comes after widespread calls for him to stand down as England skipper following revelations of his affair with a former Chelsea team-mate’s girlfriend. The English FA have said that a decision to axe Terry rests entirely with England coach Fabio Capello. However one insider claims the players are fully behind the man that led the team to qualification for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. "To change skipper now would be too disruptive and potentially damage the chance we have of doing well." The question however remains: Can Terry still command total respect in the dressing room and on the field? Only time will tell! Capello is believed to want the matter settled before the draw is made for Euro 2012 in Warsaw on Sunday.

No Becks regrets – Fergie

Sir Alex Ferguson insists he does not regret selling David Beckham to Real Madrid in 2003. The England midfielder was sold to the Spanish giants for £25m when he was in the prime of his career. Beckham returns to Old Trafford for the first time as a player since then when the Red Devils take on his current club, AC Milan, in the Champions League later this month. "The only difference with David's return to Manchester United compared with other players is that there will be a big media circus surrounding him,” said Fergie on Wednesday. "He's such a high-profile celebrity — not just a high-profile footballer — and we haven't really seen anybody else return to the club in that situation. Our job is to concentrate on the football match and let the David Beckham media circus carry on — we know we're not going to stop it anyway."

Rafa calls for improved attack

With their defensive frailties’ seemingly behind them, Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has called on his team to sharpen their attack. The Reds have kept clean sheets in their last three EPL fixtures but have found finding the back of the net a little harder. In fact, their 42 goals in 24 matches this season is fewer than any other team in the top six. "We have just had another win (against Bolton) and another clean sheet. That is a positive. Okay, it wasn't as good in attack as we want it to be but we have to keep pushing and we know can improve," Benitez told the Liverpool Echo on Wednesday. "The players know that we are improving. We are doing much better in defence and that is a big difference but we have to improve in attack, which is clear." Liverpool take on Merseyside rivals Everton on Saturday.

We can still win it – Almunia

Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia believes there is no reason why the club cannot still challenge for the EPL title. The Gunners suffered a 3-1 home defeat to Manchester United on Sunday to lose valuable ground in the championship race. But with EPL leaders Chelsea suffering a shock 1-1 draw with Hull in midweek, Almunia cautioned against writing of Arsenal’s chances of forcing their way back into the mix. Chelsea and Arsenal clash this weekend. "We are on schedule to do good things this season, we have only a little step to get back to the top of the league," said Almunia on Wednesday. "Sometimes it is better to come back from third or fourth to challenge than to be at the top all the time." Arsenal trail Chelsea by six points and second-placed United by four.

Italian striker cool on Blues switch and other transfer gossip

Chelsea target Giampaolo Pazzini has scoffed at talk of a summer switch to Stamford Bridge. The Sampdoria striker, Serie A’s top scorer this season with 11 league goals, claims he hasn’t even spoken to the Blues. Italian giants Juventus are also reportedly keeping a close eye on the 25-year-old Italian international. Elsewhere, Arsenal are set to beat Tottenham in the race to sign centre-half Stefan Savic from BSK Borca after the 19-year-old Serb completed a 10-day trial with the club; Birmingham did not sign striker Roman Pavlyuchenko during the January transfer window because Tottenham increased their asking price to £12m at the last minute; and Manchester City are lining up a summer bid for Athletic Bilbao midfielder Javi Martinez.

Carlo open to JT time off

Carlo Ancelotti is prepared to give John Terry time off to deal with the fallout from recent tabloid revelations about his affair with the girlfriend of former Chelsea team-mate Wayne Bridge. Terry featured in both of Chelsea’s most recent matches – the 2-1 win over Burnley last Saturday and Tuesday’s disappointing 1-1 draw with Hull. "If he needs a holiday I will give him a holiday. It is an issue for me and John Terry, it is not your problem I think,” Ancelotti told journalists after the Hull clash. "The atmosphere in the team is the same. No change,” he added. He also vowed not to allow off field distractions to derail their bid for EPL glory. “Nothing can disturb our concentration in this competition," said Ancelotti. Chelsea currently lead the EPL standings by two points from second placed Manchester United.

Fans favour Rooney as England skipper

England’s football mad fans want Manchester United star Wayne Rooney to captain their national team. According to a recent poll, John Terry is no longer seen as the right man to lead the team in the World Cup later this year, with Rooney the supporters' choice to wear the armband. Rooney was red-carded in disgrace at the 2006 World Cup but seems to have put his hot-headed ways behind him in recent years after getting married and becoming a father. His case for the national captaincy has been given further credence as he has almost singlehandedly led United's title challenge this season following the departures of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez. Rooney has hit 21 goals this season. In the poll by Asylum magazine, Rooney received 7,072 and Terry 6,745 with Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard coming third on 5,094.

Hargreaves set for United comeback?

Sir Alex Ferguson has challenged Owen Hargreaves to prove his fitness before Manchester United’s Champions League clash with AC Milan later this month. The England midfielder is back in training following surgery on both knees that has kept him out of the game for 18 months. "I would like to seem him make the squad for the Champions League fixtures against AC Milan, but we won't rush him,” revealed Fergie on Tuesday. "We are being patient with the rehabilitation following his knee operations and he is alternating his training with the reserve and first-team squads, working for two days and then resting a day. It's a matter of him regaining his confidence and, when he is able to train every day, that will be the moment for him to return to match play." Hargreaves cost United £18m from Bayern Munich but has hardly featured for the club.

Reds sign Serbian star – for next season

Liverpool have snapped up Milan Jovanovic from Standard Liege but the Serbian striker will only join the club next season. The Reds, who have been chasing the player for months, have signed him on a three-year contract. The forward, who is set to star at this year’s World Cup, has a prolific record with Liege in Belgium and has bagged 52 goals in 109 league games. Liverpool managing director Christain Purslow said that he and club manager Rafa Benitez spent most of the January transfer window pursuing Jovanovic and their other prime target, Marouane Chamakh."Rafa and I have spent more time in January talking about our summer transfer plans than the January window, which tells you all about what a thin market January actually is," said Purslow.

United want Spanish teenage star and other transfer gossip

Manchester United are hot on the heels of Spanish youngster Sergio Canales who stars for Racing Santander in La Liga. The 18-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season but is said to have verbally agreed to re-sign for Racing before being sold on for a lucrative fee. The club want around £10million for the teenager, but are expected to accept less if he is loaned back to them. Real Madrid are also said to be interested. Elsewhere, EPL bottom club Portsmouth are closing in on a deal for Serbia defender Dusko Tosic and have also replaced Tottenham-bound Younes Kaboul with former Spurs defender Ricardo Rocha; and Sampdoria striker Giampaolo Pazzini, Serie A’s leading scorer this season, has played down talk of a switch to Chelsea.

Big or bust for Gunners – Fab

It’s all or nothing for Arsenal over the next week, according to Cesc Fabregas. The Gunners face EPL leaders Chelsea on Sunday just a week after losing 3-1 to Manchester United. Another loss would largely end their hopes of winning the league title. "It's never a good time to play Chelsea, whether you are five points clear or five points behind them,” admitted club captain Fabregas on Monday. "They are a strong side and have been playing together for a long time. We have to beat them to stay in the title race.” Admitting that Arsenal were outdone by the better side in their recent loss to United, Fabregas claims they are still in with an outside chance of landing the title. "We have to be positive. It's very easy to say we lost to Manchester United and to get down. That would be crazy. We have to be strong."

Keane seals dream move

Robbie Keane has finally fulfilled his lifelong dream of playing for Glasgow Celtic. The striker joined the Scottish giants on loan until June on deadline day of the January transfer window. The Ireland international left Spurs after they signed Eidur Gudjohnsen from Monaco which meant his chances of first team football became even more remote. "I'm not the type who likes to sit on the bench and be a bit-part player. That's why I'm here now," admitted Keane, who was paraded in front of 3, 000 fans at Celtic’s Parkhead home ground on Monday. Said Spurs boss Harry Redknapp: "To go there is a dream come true for him. This opportunity is something he wants to take. And we don't want to stand in his way. I took Eidur Gudjohnsen on loan from Monaco so it's difficult to guarantee Robbie a starting place."