Brown knows his days are numbered

(06-12-2010) Wes Brown is resigned to the fact the sun is starting to set on his Manchester United career. The versatile 31-year-old is currently only third choice to start at right-back and the club’s fifth choice centre-back. "I'm not getting any younger now and every game I do play, I just try to enjoy and do my best for the team. That's the most important thing,” he admitted on Sunday. Brown has only started five games and come off the bench in four more this season. He has 18 months left on his current contract. The red-haired player, who has made 356 appearances for the Red Devils, is hoping to make a rare start against Valencia in the Champions League on Tuesday, with United already guaranteed a place in the knockout stages.

Reds in for Hammers ace and other red-hot gossip

(06-12-2010) Liverpool will look to beef up their midfield by making a play for West Ham skipper Scott Parker in January. The Reds, however, will face competition from Tottenham for the signature of the England international. The 30-year-old Parker has previously played for Charlton, Chelsea and Newcastle in his career. Elsewhere, Manchester United have reignited their interest in defender Ryan Shawcross who is in the frame for a return to the club he left in 2007 to join Stoke; Bayern Munich are ready to swoop for Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic, with the Serb yet to pen a new deal at Stamford Bridge; Fulham are ready to take on Aston Villa in the bidding for Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick and Tottenham striker Robbie Keane; and Aston Villa are keen to sign former Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse from Greek side Panathinaikos.

Father time is catching up on me – Giggs

(05-12-2010) Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs has dropped his broadest hint yet that he may hang up his boots in the summer. Speaking to the The Daily Telegraph newspaper on Saturday, the 37-year-old said: "It gets closer every year, the thinking that, 'This could be my last season'. I'm closer this season than I was last season, but that's probably because I haven't been playing regularly. If I have a run in the team and play well, then I will probably want to carry on. If I don't, then I'll have to assess it. But I think I have a relationship with the manager where, if I really wasn't enjoying my football or I didn't think I was being effective, I could just sit down with him and we would both be honest to each other and say, 'Right, that's it'." Giggs has made almost 850 appearances for United.

Wenger hails ‘exceptional’ Nasri

(05-12-2010) Arsene Wenger has hailed Samir Nasri’s “exceptional” contribution this season. This comes after the French midfielder netted two goals against Fulham on Saturday in the Gunners 2-1 win - a result that sent them to the top of the table. "It was a combination of touch, intelligence, special talent and calmness as well," said Wenger afterwards. "I'm happy because he had a game that was, at the start, only based on coming to the ball. But now he has more variation in his game: turns, runs in behind without the ball, and as well coming to the ball and taking it to his feet. So his game is improving and he is, of course, more efficient." Nasri has now scored 11 goals this season. Arsenal lead the EPL by a single point from Manchester United, and two from third placed Chelsea. United play on Sunday.

Ancelotti fumes at ‘scared’ Blues

(05-12-2010) Carlo Ancelotti raged after watching Chelsea blow a lead against Everton on Saturday. Following the 1-1 draw, the Italian manager said he was "disappointed and angry" after the Blues allowed Everton to dominate at Stamford Bridge and grab a late equaliser. "First half the spirit was good. I saw the players in focus and concentrated with good tactical discipline. But in the second half they were scared, afraid and played the long ball,” he fumed afterwards. "We’re working to play a particular kind of football and I don't understand why we have changed it. We have to look at it and I have to understand and change it.” He added: "I am worried yes, because we haven't won a lot of games. The second half was totally wrong. We have to do better." Chelsea have fallen to third place in the standings, two points behind leaders Arsenal.

Chamakh happy there’s no price tag pressure

(05-12-2010) New Arsenal sensation Marouane Chamakh believes his instant success at the Emirates is because he hasn’t had the pressure of a big price tag to live up to. The Moroccan striker, a free capture from Bordeaux in the summer, has already scored 10 goals this season. "I told myself I would need a year or two to be up to scratch,” Chamakh told The Sun newspaper on Saturday . "I used to read articles about former French league players who were abroad, about their struggles. I knew I would be homesick when I left my cocoon in Bordeaux. But I didn't cost the club anything. If I had been bought for £18million, different things would have been expected from me at the start.” He added: "I was lucky that two centre-forwards from last season got injured (Robin van Persie and Nicklas Bendtner). I played and profited from that.”

Lescott set for controversial summer move and other red-hot gossip

(05-12-2010) Joleon Lescott has been told he can leave Manchester City in January with Liverpool a likely destination. Lescott joined City from the Reds bitter Merseyside rivals Everton in 2009 for £24m but has failed to shine at Eastlands. Elsewhere, Everton look set to miss out on Tottenham midfielder Niko Kranjcar because the club cannot afford the £3m asking price for the Croatian international; Manchester United are set to take a £34m hit on injury-plagued England midfielder Owen Hargreaves by allowing him to leave Old Trafford for free at the end of the season; Manchester United will target Benfica's Portugal left-back Fabio Coentrao if Patrice Evra joins Real Madrid in the summer; and Manchester City are preparing a sensational £45m January swoop for Tottenham winger Gareth Bale.