Cardiff - Watford

Home side are promotion contender, currently two points behind rivals Swansea (with a game in hand). Pressure on Dave Jones is growing recently as they won only two of their last nine league games. He has signed on loan Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey and striker Jay Emmanuel-Thomas. Both will be available for the game. Bothroyd returned to training and will have some role today. Bellamy should start.  

Before the start Watford were one of my favourites for relegation (as ‘Boro were for promotion), but they’re currently holding 6th place and have noticed seven wins in a row (six in league), having scored the highest number of goals (50, two goals per game in average)! Malky Mackay also has strengthened his squad with signing winger Townsend and striker Weimann on loan. Despite skipper Eustace and midfielder Cowie are sidelined, I’m sure they won’t be lacking in self-confidence.

Cardiff should be favourite here, but I’m not sure does it worth at 2.00. Games between these two sides are usually high scoring affairs, last nine(!) ended with three or more goals and I’m going on over.

Bet: Over 2.5
Odd: 1.87 188bet
Stake: 8/10

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Tuesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Atletico Madrid playmaker Sergio Aguero has expressed his admiration for Chelsea, describing them as "one of the most feared clubs in Europe" and London as being "a really amazing city to live in". The Blues have been linked with a big-money move for the Argentina international.(Daily Express) 
Barcelona are mulling over a move for Arsenal left-back Gael Clichy. The Catalan giants could offer about £10m for a player they tried to sign last summer.(The Guardian) 
Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy's relationship with manager Roberto Mancini has reached breaking point, with the Wales international wanting a move from Eastlands in the summer if the Italian remains in charge.(Daily Mail) 
Liverpool are weighing up an offer for Bolton defender Gary Cahill. Reds boss Rafael Benitez believes £12m may be enough to prise the 24-year-old away from the Reebok Stadium.(Caught Offside) 
Arsenal's Eduardo could be heading to Ligue 1 side Lyon, with the likely arrival of Marouane Chamakh expected to displace the Croatia striker in manager Arsene Wenger's plans.(Caught Offside) 
Birmingham City boss Alex McLeish wants to take Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster on loan next season.(Daily Mirror) 
Ajax manager Martin Jol has told former club Tottenham that they are not big enough to sign striker Luis Suarez.(The Sun) 
Everton are close to wrapping up a deal to sign 24-year-old Standard Liege striker Dieumerci Mbokani.(Footylatest) 
Blackburn are hoping to seal a £5m deal with Lech Poznan for Poland international striker Robert Lewandowski.(Daily Mirror) 
Arsenal midfielder Fran Merida is set to head to Atletico Madrid at the end of the season when his contract with the Gunners runs out. (Daily Mail) 
Manchester United's £10m winger Zoran Tosic has said he wants to make his loan move to Cologne permanent after scoring four goals in his last three games. (Daily Mirror)
Midfielder Paul Scharner will leave Wigan in the summer and claims that Fulham, Everton, Aston Villa and Sunderland are all looking to sign him up.(Daily Mail) 
Slovakia's Vladimir Weiss, the midfielder on loan at Bolton from Manchester City, is set to return to Eastlands next season after growing frustrated with a lack of starts for the Trotters.(Daily Star)
Manchester United are chasing Newcastle's 17-year-old Slovenian midfielder Haris Vuckic, who has made three first-team appearances for the Magpies this season.(Daily Mail) 

OTHER GOSSIP

West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola will be replaced by former England boss Steve McClaren, currently in charge of Dutch side FC Twente, at the end of the season if the Hammers stay up.(Daily Mail) 
England coach Fabio Capello is considering calling Michael Dawson into his World Cup squad after being impressed by the Tottenham defender's recent performances.(Daily Mail) 
Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien could return after four months out against Stoke on Sunday.(Daily Mirror) 

AND FINALLY

Al Pacino's American football film Any Given Sunday and Invictus, which recounts South Africa's win at the 1995 Rugby World Cup, were part of the entertainment on board Barcelona's team bus. The European champions are travelling by road to the first leg of their Champions league semi-final againt play Inter Milan.(The Independent) 
Ipswich manager Roy Keane says he wants to sign "four or five real men" next season and will axe up to half his current squad. (Daily Mail) 
Celtic striker Robbie Keane has been voted the club's player of the year, despite only arriving on loan from Tottenham in February. The Republic of Ireland international has scored 13 goals in 15 games. (Daily Mail)
Tottenham forward Roman Pavlyuchenko has claimed Chelsea were fortunate not to lose 6-1 rather than 2-1 at White Hart Lane on Saturday. He describes the Blues players as being "too confident of victory" before the match.(Daily Star)
www.bbc.co.uk

Friday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester City will revive an £11m move for Hamburg's German defender Jerome Boateng in the summer and are also keen on highly-rated Osasuna right-back Cesar Azpilicueta, 20.(Daily Mail) 
Everton are being linked with a move for Dinamo Zagreb's Croatian centre-forward Mario Mandzukic, 23.(Daily Mail) 
Lokomotiv Moscow have not given up on signing Roman Pavlyuchenko from Tottenham.(Daily Mail) 
Spurs could be lining up a summer move for Lazio's former Aston Villa midfielder Thomas 'The Hammer' Hitzlsperger, 27, after the German struggled to settle in Italy.(The Sun) 
Nice striker Loic Remy is keen to join Arsenal in the summer.(TribalFootball.com) 
The Gunners have been rebuffed in their attempts to sign Stuttgart's 15-year-old goalkeeper Odessas Vlachidimos for £1m.(Daily Mail) 
Newcastle defender Steven Taylor, reportedly involved in a training ground bust-up with team-mate Andy Carroll, will leave this summer with Everton and Aston Villa chasing the 24-year-old.(The Sun) 
Portsmouth have been offered £250,000 by Spartak Moscow to terminate Quincy Owusu-Abeyie's loan early and send him back to the Russian side. (Daily Mail) 
Birmingham are ready to offer Matthew Taylor an escape route from Bolton by bidding £2m for the unhappy 28-year-old this summer.(The Sun) 
Stoke City are interested in Congo-born Belgian striker Christian Benteke, 19, who is on loan at KV Kortrijk from Standard Liege.(Daily Mail) 
Birmingham boss Alex McLeish is reportedly keen on Nantes youngster Jonathan Nanizayamo.(Daily Mirror) 
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy is plotting a double raid on cash-strapped Portsmouth with a joint £1.5m bid for Tommy Smith and Aaron Mokoena.(The Sun) 
Everton want to lure Bristol City youngster Christian Ribeiro to Goodison Park.(TribalFootball.com) 
Nottingham Forest have suffered more transfer frustration after failing to land Aston Villa left-back Wilfred Bouma on loan.(Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola banned team co-owner David Sullivan from a meeting with his players after their relationship broke down in the wake of Sullivan's highly critical open letter to fans.(Daily Mail) 
Zola says he is confident he can keep the Hammers in the Premier League, but is less confident he will still be manager next season.(Daily Express) 
Norwich boss Paul Lambert, a former Celtic player, is the favourite to succeed Tony Mowbray on a permanent basis as manager of the Bhoys - with Henrik Larsson an outside bet.(The Times) 
Craig Bellamy is being investigated by Manchester City after allegations of an incident in the players' tunnel at the end of their 2-0 defeat by Everton on Wednesday.(Daily Mail) 
Meanwhile, Everton want an apology from Manchester City chief executive Garry Cook after he had a VIP fan and his wife thrown out of Eastlands.(Daily Mirror) 
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has told his players their Premier League game against Birmingham on Saturday is the "priority" over next week's Champions League meeting with Barcelona.(Daily Mirror) 
Wenger has suspended contract talks with stars such as William Gallas and Mikael Silvestre, refusing to discuss terms until crucial matches are out of the way.(The Guardian) 
Meanwhile, the Gunners could welcome back Dutch striker Robin van Persie within three weeks as he continues to make progress after an ankle ligament injury.(The Sun) 
Chelsea defender Paulo Ferreira has revealed some of Chelsea's older players fear they will never win the Champions League after last week's last 16 defeat to Inter Milan.(Daily Star) 
No such worries at Liverpool, where midfielder Javier Mascherano has pledged his future to the club and expects to sign a new contract soon.(PremierLeague.com) 
Though Reds legend Phil Thompson has urged stars Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres to threaten to quit the club unless there is real investment in the playing squad at Anfield.(The Sun) 
Portsmouth boss Avram Grant will ask Tottenham's permission to let on-loan midfielder Jamie O'Hara play in the two sides' FA Cup semi-final meeting next month.(Daily Mirror) 
England fans are angry that the team will play three Euro 2012 qualifiers on Fridays so that players can return to their clubs a day early.(The Guardian) 
Portsmouth's Ricardo Rocha has accused Chelsea star Florent Malouda of setting out to hurt him with a swipe of the elbow during the teams' Premier League clash on Wednesday.(Daily Mail) 
Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves has moved a step closer to a return after being pulled out of a reserves game to train with the first team.(Daily Mirror) 
Sven-Goran Eriksson, Mark Hughes and Bernd Schuster will find out on Friday which one of them is to coach Ivory Coast at the World Cup in South Africa this summer. (Daily Express) 
Burnley are facing a mass exodus in the summer after refusing to give in to players' wage demands, with 11 first-teamers out of contract at the end of the season. (Daily Star)
Former Peterborough manager Mark Cooper has emerged as the favourite to replace Steve Staunton as boss of Darlington.(The Sun) 

AND FINALLY

Paul Gascoigne confronted an imposter who posed as him on social networking site Twitter, taking a photo of himself in front of a TV news channel displaying the date and time to prove he was the real Gazza.(Daily Star) 
Riot police in Brazil restored order in a league match between Genus and Moto Clube by baton-charging and then pepper-spraying the players.(The Sun) 
Three-time world player of the year Ronaldo has apologised for making an obscene gesture to fans of his Corinthians team in Brazil after their defeat by Paulista.(NBC) 
Juventus goalkeeper Antonio Chimenti was so upset after conceding a 35-yarder against Sampdoria that he broke his hand punching a dressing room table. (The Sun)

www.bbc.co.uk

Tuesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester United are considering a fresh attempt to lure Benfica's £20m-rated winger Angel di Maria to Old Trafford.(Daily Mail) 
Aston Villa, Sunderland and Blackburn are eyeing up Wolves defensive midfielder and captain Karl Henry, 27.(Daily Mirror) 
Liverpool are offering key Argentine midfielder Javier Mascherano a two-year contract extension with a pay rise to keep him out of Barcelona's clutches. (The Sun) 
Blackburn are eager to sign Aruna Dindane - on loan at Portsmouth this season - in £2.5m deal from Lens.(Daily Mirror) 
Barcelona midfielder Alexander Hleb is desperate for a return to the Premier League, with Manchester City and Aston Villa standing by to sign him. (Daily Mirror) 
Michael Owen has dismissed the prospect of leaving Manchester United this summer by insisting he is happy to accept a reduced role at Old Trafford in exchange for silverware. (Daily Telegraph) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson made a personal phone call of support to Ryan Shawcross after the Stoke defender's tackle broke Aaron Ramsey's leg. (Daily Mirror) 
England boss Fabio Capello will turn to Tottenham's injury-plagued defender Ledley King as he attempts to solve his centre-back crisis. King, 29, won his last England cap almost three years ago.(Daily Mail) 
Neil Warnock joined Queens Park Rangers as manager after the club agreed a £400,000 compensation deal with Crystal Palace. Warnock will be paid £15,000 a week at Loftus Road.(Daily Mail) 
Meanwhile, Steve Coppell has turned down the chance of an emotional return to replace Warnock at Selhurst Park, leaving the manager's door open for Paul Hart to take charge.(Daily Mirror) 
Liverpool striker Fernando Torres has urged club manager Rafael Benitez to stop fretting about his fitness while he is away on international duty with Spain. (Daily Mirror) 
Liverpool defender Daniel Agger is to undergo treatment - but not surgery - for a bruised bone in his knee which he sustained against Blackburn on Sunday. The centre-back left Anfield on crutches after the match. (The Independent) 
Birmingham defender Liam Ridgewell will escape FA action for a lunge that took out a Wigan player, corner flag and linesman after referee Anthony Taylor cleared him. (The Sun) 
Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart believes he can answer the question at the heart of Fabio Capello's bid to win the World Cup. (Daily Express) 
Craig Bellamy's international future is in doubt after John Toshack, the Wales manager, refused to confirm that the Manchester City striker was part of his plans for the future. (The Guardian) 

AND FINALLY

Crisis-club Portsmouth are offering financial advice to supporters on their website. Pompey, who are in administration and have huge debts, are advertising PFC Financial Services division, which claims to bring everyday financial solutions to fans' families. One supporter said: "It's got to be a sick joke."(Daily Mirror)

www.bbc.co.uk

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Veendam 0 - 1 FC Eindhoven

0-1 B.v.d. Eede  89.min.

dark saturday

Chelsea 2-4 Man City

Manchester City inflicted Chelsea's first home Premier League defeat this season in a game which began with Wayne Bridge refusing John Terry's handshake.
Frank Lampard's low strike put Chelsea ahead but Carlos Tevez equalised after a long ball was not dealt with, before Craig Bellamy shot beyond Hilario. 
Tevez scored a penalty after Juliano Belletti saw red for a trip on Gareth Barry before a Bellamy tap-in. 
Michael Ballack also saw red and Lampard scored a consolation penalty. 
City had failed to score in their previous seven visits to Stamford Bridge, while Chelsea had only conceded eight at home in the Premier League all season. 
But those statistics were rendered meaningless on an afternoon of triumph for City coach and former Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini, who pitted his wits in the Premier League for the first time against ex-AC Milan manager Carlo Ancelotti. 
City saw their hopes of silverware this season ended by their FA Cup defeat at Stoke in midweek but they boosted their prospects of a top-four finish by completing the double over Chelsea for the first time since 1957.
With Manchester United not in league action this weekend, victory would have taken Chelsea four points clear at the top of the Premier League. 
But it was a disastrous afternoon for Ancelotti, whose side had only dropped points in one previous home game this season, a 3-3 draw with Everton. 
What's more, his team lacked discipline after the break and were vulnerable in defence, with Hilario looking particularly suspect.
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Swansea 1 - 0 Peterborough

David Cotterill extended promotion-chasing Swansea City's unbeaten run to 12 games and pushed bottom club Peterborough closer to relegation.
Cotterill struck from the spot after Charlie Lee brought him down. 
Nathan Dyer had an effort cleared off the line while keeper Joe Lewis denied Ferrie Bodde and Lee Trundle. 
Lee Frecklington put a header wide for the Posh but Swansea's biggest worry was the injuries to midfielder duo Bodde and Darren Pratley. 
Bodde was making his return from five months out with a knee problem and the Dutchman's exit after just 28 minutes raised question marks as to whether he was ready to play. 
It was the third time in 15 months Bodde has suffered an injury to his left knee. In November 2008 he suffered cruiciate ligament damage and then broke down after eight minutes of his starting return against Sheffield United last September. 606: DEBATE 
Give your thoughts on Swansea v Peterborough 
The double-blow will add to manager Paulo Sousa's midfield woes with Joe Allen, Andrea Orlandi and Jordi Lopez already sidelined. 
But the fourth-placed Swans kept their focus on the job in hand and are seven points off an automatic promotion spot and eight ahead of Sheffield United in seventh. 
Peterborough remain 10 points adrift of safety and winless on the road.
www.bbc.co.uk

Chelsea - Man City

Chelsea played an exhausting match in Italy at Wednesday, but Man.Utd. are on just point behind and they have to continue collecting the points. Good thing is they, despite a defeat, made a good result. At Stamford they have a brilliant record in Premier with 12 wins from 13 games (and draw vs. Everton 3-3), scored 38 goals and conceded just 8! Bad thing is they lost Cech for at least a month and Hilario will take his place. There’s nothing much to say about Chelsea and their shape. They’re most quality team in Premier, playing without turbulence through the season and they’re desperate to win. Beside mentioned Cech, Ancelotti will miss Bosingwa, Deco, Essien and Ashley Cole. In last 8 games against City at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea won 7 and drew one game with goal difference 20-1!

It seems the “honeymoon” for Mancini in Manchester has been finished as they won just once in last six competitive games. Considering their players’ quality they should be just behind Chelsea, but problem is motivation, as they could attract only specific kind of players that evaluate material motives (money) before sport’s. Robinho for example has already left the club, while Adebayor looks bored and not interested (got 4 games ban at Stoke and won’t appear, btw.). There’s also unrest in the dressing room between Mancini and the players. Started with Bellamy (who else?), continue with other players who are dissatisfied with training sessions and progress with Tevez’ trip to Argentina. Tevez has returned to England and will play, but was accused from Mancini for lack of fitness (got response “I don’t care”). This issue is getting on importance as Argentinean is the best goal scorer with 19 goals, second is Adebayor with 9 and with Bellamy that’s almost all attacking potential for Citizens. Also, the reason for Tevez’ trip to home was his wife who just had a birth before the date and his concentration today will be questionable. City also played a game at Wednesday and were knocked from the Cup at Stoke after 120 minutes. Their away shape isn’t something to be proud on as they have won just one of their last 11 league matches on the road. 

This game will also have a tension as “old friends”, Terry and Bridge will have to face each other which could include rest of the players. As the result I can see few more yellow cards and maybe one red on the visitors side (can’t to not think on Bellamy). Considering all, this game is a derby only on a paper. The Blues are hard favorites and anything less than a win with 2-3 goals margin would be a first class surprise. Odd isn’t too high, but considering the risk looks adequate. Home win with -1 asian handicap.

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Sunday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester City are planning a £140m bid in the summer for Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard and striker Fernando Torres. (News of the World) 
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. (News of the World) 
Manchester United are lining up a swoop for £10m-rated Sporting Lisbon midfielder Miguel Veloso. The versatile 23-year-old, who can also operate in defence, was watched by United scouts in Sporting's 2-1 Europa League loss at Everton on Tuesday.(Sunday Mirror) 
French striker Thierry Henry is set for Barcelona's exit door having just netted just twice in 13 appearances this season for Pep Guardiola's team.(Sunday Mirror) 
Chelsea are closing in on a £36m move for Benfica's 22-year-old highly-rated forward Angel di Maria. (News of the World) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Brazilian forward Robinho has revealed he rejected a move to Barcelona when he left Manchester City during the January transfer window. The former Real Madrid winger is on a six-month loan at his original club Santos.(imscouting.com) 
Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini is facing a players' revolt. The Italian admitted last week he had a spat with striker Craig Bellamy and it seems a growing number of players are unhappy with the sporadic nature of the training sessions.(Mail on Sunday) 
Real Madrid are keen on securing the managerial services of Jose Mourinho, but would have to pay up to €7.5m (£6.5m) to break his contract at Inter Milan. The pressure on Real's current coach Manuel Pellegrini increased following Tuesday's defeat by Lyons in the Champions League.(Sunday Times) 
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger will be in Real's sights should Pellegrini be shown the door and Mourinho decides not to go to Spain.(Daily Mail) 
Edwin van der Sar is close to signing a new contract with Manchester United after deciding to play on beyond his 40th birthday. The Dutch goalkeeper recently returned to action following a serious illness suffered by his wife Annemarie.(Sunday Mirror) 
Man City defender Wayne Bridge will happily line up with Chelsea's John Terry when England play Egypt in a friendly next month. A confidant of Bridge, whose ex-girlfriend was at the centre of an alleged affair with Terry, said: "He is still anxious to play for his country and won't allow the Terry furore to blind his judgement."(Sunday Express) 
Arsenal are considering breaking their contract structure by offering defender William Gallas a new two-year deal. The Gunners normally offer players aged over 32 one-year deals.(imscouting.com) 
Former England striker Gary Lineker believes Martin O'Neill is the ideal man to take over from Sir Alex Ferguson when the Scot decides to retire at Manchester United.(Daily Mail) 
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp insists his side can pip Manchester City, Aston Villa and Liverpool to the fourth and final Champions League slot this season.(Daily Telegraph) 
Redknapp also looks set to reward defender Ledley King, who suffers from a chronic knee problem, with a new one-year contract extension in the summer.(Daily Mail) 
Manchester United winger Nani is set to hold talks over a new four-year deal on the back of a recent surge in form for the Portuguese star.(News of the World) 
Manchester City winger and £7m signing Adam Johnson says he wants to be the club's equivalent to Ryan Giggs.(Sunday Times) 

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AND FINALLY

Man United striker Wayne Rooney says Fabio Capello has been "fantastic" as England boss and revealed some of his training tactics. Rooney said: "He records everything and he once had Glen Johnson going over a tape of a throw-in for 30 minutes because he wasn't happy with it. I was almost falling asleep!" (Daily Star)
www.bbc.co.uk

Manchester City – Bolton

City suffered an unexpected defeat in last round, on the road from Hull. They had a comfortable approach to the game and it resulted with two conceded goals. They woke up after, but was too late. However, it was the third defeat in Mancini’s era (Hughes had only two and got sacked) and this game could be decisive in their CL pursuit. They have top quality players, but main problem is how to motivate them. Owners promised last week generous rewards (good way in my opinion) for reaching CL spot and for winning FA Cup. Citizens will play in next rounds against Liverpool and Chelsea and in case of another failure tonight will find themselves very far from promised money. Craig Bellamy will see a specialist about his long-standing knee injury and he won’t appear. City have scored in 21 consecutive home matches and in last four at least twice. 

Bolton are first above the relegation line with just a single point more. In this game they go after an unlucky home draw against Fulham. Trotters missed some very good chances for a lead and at the end were short for probably regular goal cancelled by referee. Owen Coyle obviously made a positive impact, but it’s also obvious they lack in quality. And that level of quality will be even more damaged tonight, as Coyle will miss key defender Gary Cahill (has suffered a blood clot in his arm and is set to miss the rest of the season) and best goal scorer with 7 goals, second scorer Klasnic (6 goals), on-loan winger Vladimir Weiss, while Andy O'Brien (thigh) and Fabrice Muamba (ankle) are both doubtful. Bolton have kept one clean sheet in their last 23 Premier League away matches.

As I wrote, the main problem for Citizens is motivation and probably the best way for it is money. The class difference is more than obvious and with correct approach it will be a win by few goals margin. Trotters will try to keep a goalless draw, but with first goal conceded the game for them will be finished. Home handicap win. 

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Monday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Roma are close to signing out-of-favour Bayern Munich and Italy striker Luca Toni, who has been linked with both West Ham and Chelsea. (Reuters)

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Craig Bellamy has rubbished claims he wants to quit Manchester City and denies he led a player rebellion in the wake of Mark Hughes' sacking.(Daily Mirror) 
Bolton boss Gary Megson is attempting to sign veteran Real Madrid midfielder Guti.(Daily Mirror) 
Harry Redknapp has paved the way for Roman Pavlyuchenko's Tottenham exit and says he would not necessarily need a replacement if the Russian quit White Hart Lane in January.(Daily Mirror) 
Portsmouth goalkeeper David James has refused to rule out a January switch to Spurs as he attempts to ensure he is England's No 1 at the World Cup.(Sun) 
Manchester City are on the brink of signing Inter Milan defender Ivan Cordoba, 33, who has fallen out with boss Jose Mourinho.(Daily Mail) 
New Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini wants record signing Robinho to remain at Eastlands, despite the the 25-year-old Brazilian striker being linked with a move away from the club next month. Mancini said: "The important thing for me is that Robinho stays here because he can earn a place in the history of the club." (Various) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Portsmouth are being sued by French side Lens over alleged unpaid transfer fees for striker Aruna Dindane and defender Nadir Belhadj.(Daily Mail) 
Manager Carlo Ancelotti has admitted for the first time Chelsea are low on confidence, despite his side still heading the Premier League table.(Sun) 
Former Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson has set his sights on becoming the Reading new boss after Brendan Rodgers was sacked by the Royals earlier this month.(Daily Star) 

AND FINALLY

South Korean playmaker Ki Sung Yueng has told his new Celtic team-mates to just call him Dave to avoid confusion. "Communication is so important if players are to be comfortable with each other," the 20-year-old said helpfully. (Daily Record)
Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho is planning to make his first trip back to Stamford Bridge since he was sacked to watch his former club Chelsea play Fulham on Monday.(Sun)

www.bbc.co.uk

Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is keeping tabs on striker Craig Bellamy should new Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini ditch the Wales international in January's transfer window. However, Redknapp must sell before he can buy, with Roman Pavlyuchenko the likely candidate to fund Bellamy's arrival. (The Sun) 
Redknapp is also tracking former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, as well as West Ham defender Mathew Upson and Liverpool winger Ryan Babel.(Daily Mirror) 
Portsmouth defender Younes Kaboul is one of Mancini's January transfer targets. The Italian is lining up a potential £8m swoop for the Frenchman. (The Sun) 
Mancini is also keeping tabs on Palermo's Danish central defender Simon Kjaer, who is also attracting interest from Manchester United. (Daily Star) 
Aston Villa are ready to outbid Liverpool to land £12m-rated Sunderland striker Kenwyn Jones.(The Sun) 
But Stoke boss Tony Pulis is also keen on the Trinidad and Tobago international. (Daily Star) 
Portsmouth may not be able to extend Jamie O'Hara's loan stay from Spurs because of the club's transfer embargo preventing them from bringing in new players.(The Sun) 
Newcastle are lining up a move for Rangers striker Kris Boyd in the new year. (Daily Mirror) 
West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola could be resigned to losing defender Matthew Upson in January. (The Times) 
Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce must sell before he can make a swoop for Stoke striker James Beattie.(The Sun) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti faces a crisis up front after losing all his strikers for Monday's derby against Fulham. (The Times) 
Ipswich manager Roy Keane believes former Manchester United team-mate Mark Hughes should never have joined Manchester City. "I wouldn't have got involved with City - never," he said.(The Sun) 
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has revealed he held talks with Steven Gerrard about the midfielder's struggle for form. (The Guardian) 
Manchester City chief executive Garry Cook has suggested Liverpool sounded out Roberto Mancini as a replacement for Rafael Benitez before the Italian moved to Eastlands. (Daily Telegraph) 
Manchester United look set to give striker Mame Biram Diouf his debut next month after the Senegal international was finally granted a work permit.(Daily Mail) 

AND FINALLY

Liverpool want "placenta doctor" Marijana Kovacevic to take up a permanent role with the club. The Serb, who has worked with players such as Robin van Persie as well as Liverpool midfielder Yossi Benayoun, uses fluid from the placenta of a horse to treat injuries.(Daily Mail)

www.bbc.co.uk

Wednesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Under-fire Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez wants to sign two players in January, with Aston Villa's former Reds striker Emile Heskey being one of them.(Daily Mirror) 
New Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini will make strengthening his defence a priority in the new year. West Ham centre-half Matthew Upson (£10m), Inter Milan full-back Maicon (£15m), Juventus full-back Giorgio Chiellini (£10m) and Bolton's Gary Cahill (£10m) are all on the wanted list.(Daily Star) 
And City striker Craig Bellamy could be the first player to be shown the door after clashing with Mancini in his first training session. Mancini has reportedly ordered double training sessions but Bellamy was only expecting a light workout because of a recurring knee injury.(The Sun) 
Valencia striker David Villa believes the time is right for a switch to England after failing to secure moves to Barcelona and Real Madrid.(The Times) 
Sporting Gijon midfielder Michel is to become Birmingham City owner Carson Yeung's first signing.(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester United have bid £9m plus Nani for Benfica winger Angel di Maria.(Daily Mail) 
Everton are in talks with Valencia midfielder Manuel Fernandes about the possibility of the 23-year-old returning to Goodison Park for a third loan spell.(Daily Mirror) 
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is under pressure from the club's shareholders to spend big in January. Wenger wants to bring in a striker and West Ham's Carlton Cole, Andre-Pierre Gignac of Toulouse and Bordeaux's Marouane Chamakh have all been linked with the Gunners.(Daily Mirror) 
Real Madrid are keen on in-form Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic.(Daily Mail) 
Tottenham defender Michael Dawson is poised for a move to Sunderland.(Daily Mirror) 
Former Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant is set for a return to the Premier League after being told by Spanish club Real Zaragoza that he is no longer wanted. Aston Villa are thought to be interested in the 26-year-old.(The Sun) 
Everton are considering making a loan move for former Arsenal winger Jose Antonio Reyes, who is now at Atletico Madrid. (Daily Mail) 
And Everton will battle it out with Tottenham for Watford's England Under-21 goalkeeper Scott Loach. (Daily Star)
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce wants to sign Coventry goalkeeper Keiren Westwood as his new number one.(Daily Mirror) 
Portsmouth manager Avram Grant could still be prevented from signing players in the new year, even if the club pay off all their transfer debts.(Daily Star) 
But if the ban is lifted, Grant wants to buy Wigan midfielder Olivier Kapo.(Daily Mirror) 
New Queens Park Rangers manager Paul Hart will go to his former club Portsmouth to try to sign defender Mike Williamson and striker Tommy Smith.(The Sun) 
Wolves boss Mick McCarthy is interested in Celtic winger Niall McGinn, who is valued at £1.5m.(Daily Mail) 
Glasgow giants Celtic are set to join Newcastle in the race to sign Sheffield United defender Matthew Kilgallon.(The Sun) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Former England, Tottenham and Chelsea manager Glenn Hoddle is set for a return to the English game with Championship side Reading.(Daily Mirror) 
New Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini is not convinced that his tenure at Eastlands will last beyond next summer.(Daily Mail) 
Notts County director of football Sven-Goran Eriksson is closing in on a £2m buy-out at the club, with backing from Scandinavian investors. (Daily Express)
Sunderland midfielder Jordan Henderson's impressive form has alerted England boss Fabio Capello.(The Independent) 
Saudi prince Faisal bin Fahad bin Abdullah is ready to buy the 50% stake of Liverpool co-owner George Gillett.(Daily Mail) 

AND FINALLY

As captain of England, John Terry is known to millions but that did not prevent the Chelsea defender from being snubbed when saying hello to darts player James Wade at a chemist in Surrey. "I thought it was someone trying to be a pest so I gave him the flick," explained Wade. "But a few hours later he texted my girlfriend with the message 'How rude is your other half?'. I've never been so embarrassed in my life."(Daily Star)

www.bbc.co.uk

Tuesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich will spend up to £55m in the January transfer window to boost his side's title challenge, with £40m-rated Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero and Monaco midfielder Jerko Leko top of his wish list and Ajax forward Luis Suarez, Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi and Everton midfielder Jack Rodwell seen as back-up options.(The Sun) 
Chelsea are worried Manchester City will gazump them with a bid for Aguero and want to push through a deal for the Argentina international in the next few days. (The Times) 
Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy and goalkeeper Shay Given are considering quitting the club in protest over the sacking of former manager Mark Hughes. (The Sun) 
New Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini will hope to beat Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool to the signing of Palermo centre-back Simon Kjaer and his other targets include Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini, Rubin Kazan left-back Cristian Ansaldi, Osasuna right-back Cesar Azpilicueta, Sporting Lisbon centre-back Daniel Carrico, Sampdoria forward Antonio Cassano, AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso and CSKA Moscow midfielder Milos Krasic. (Daily Mail) 
Tottenham are ready to sell Robbie Keane to Celtic in January but want goalkeeper Artur Boruc as part of the deal. (Daily Mirror) 
Or, Keane will stay at White Hart Lane and remain club captain - despite angering Harry Redknapp by organising the club's Christmas party in Dublin behind the manager's back. (The Sun) 
Blackburn hope to re-sign James Beattie and will offer Jason Roberts to Stoke City in a swap deal for the striker, who began his career at Ewood Park. (Daily Mirror) 
Middlesbrough boss Gordon Strachan is planning a swoop for Leeds striker Jermaine Beckford. (Daily Mirror) 
Roma have joined Barcelona, Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham, Sunderland, Fulham, Wigan, Birmingham and German side Hoffenheim in the race to sign £5m-rated Crystal Palace forward Victor Moses. (Daily Mail) 
Blackburn and Everton will battle it out to sign Tottenham's Scotland full-back Alan Hutton for £4m in January. (Daily Express) 
West Ham hope to hijack Celtic's £2.5m swoop for Tours FC striker Olivier Giroud, who has also been targeted by Monaco, Toulouse, Valenciennes and Montpellier. (Daily Record) 
Former Chelsea striker Mateja Kezman has been offered to West Ham by French club Paris St Germain, who are looking to offload the Serbian frontman. (Daily Mirror) 
Matthew Upson could leave West Ham in January after admitting he is unsure whether he will still be at Upton Park at the end of the season. (Daily Express) 
Portsmouth boss Avram Grant has set up a loan deal for Benfica defender Miguel Vitor, who will move to Fratton Park in January if the club's transfer embargo is lifted. (Daily Mirror) 
Wolves boss Mick McCarthy is lining up a £1m move for Birmingham midfielder Lee Carsley, 35, who has been told he can leave the Blues and is also wanted by Ipswich. (Daily Express)
Celtic hope to beat Hull, Bolton, Burnley and Newcastle to the £1m signing of Sheffield United defender Matthew Kilgallon.(Daily Record) 
Barnsley are close to signing Ivory Coast defender Steve Gohouri on loan from German side Borussia Monchengladbach until the end of the season. (Daily Star)
Hearts will hold talks with Charlton striker Izale McLeod this week about taking the former England Under-21 star on loan in January.(Daily Record) 
Bournemouth and Notts County both want to sign Bangor City striker Chris Sharp, the son of former Everton and Scotland striker Graham Sharp. (Daily Star)

OTHER GOSSIP

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has drawn a line under the row over his squad's secret Christmas party after the 16 players involved each agreed to make a £20,000 donation to the club's Tottenham Hotspur Foundation charity. (Daily Mirror) 
Or, the 16 Spurs player were told to pay £5,000 each - pulling in a total of £80,000 for good causes. (The Sun) 
A furious Redknapp read the riot act to his players over the party incident and they have agreed to make a donation to charities which could amount to £1m.(Daily Star) 
The meeting between Redknapp and his players was frank but amicable, with them apologising for their conduct but pointing out they could not be fined as they had not breached the terms of their contracts and the Spurs boss agreeing for them to make donations totalling £300,000 to a charity. (The Guardian) 
Or, Redknapp chose not to fine his players and instead ordered them to pay £2,000 each - about the same amount they paid for their secret night out in Dublin - to a charity. (The Independent) 
Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani, who is still to start a Premier League game for the Reds following his £20m summer move from Roma, has flown to Belgrade to receive treatment on his calf injury from controversial 'placenta doctor' Marijana Kovacevic. (Daily Mail) 
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has been told he will have to sell players before he can add to his squad in the January transfer window and plans to offload Ryan Babel, Andriy Voronin, Andrea Dossena and/or Philipp Degan to raise funds. If buyers cannot be found, Benitez will be restricted to making loan signings. (The Guardian) 
Former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, who succeeded Roberto Mancini as Inter Milan boss 18 months ago, is tipping the Italian to be a big success at Manchester City.(The Sun) 
Mancini hit City's players with a double training-sesssion on Tuesday, just 24 hours after meeting them for the first time. (Daily Express) 
There is deep-seated anger in the Manchester City squad over Mark Hughes's sacking, especially among the the club's British and Irish players, despite chief executive Garry Cook's claims that there is no player rebellion at Eastlands. (Daily Telegraph) 
Birmingham boss Alex McLeish has won his battle with new Blues owner Carson Yeung over the club's transfer policy in January and has been told the Blues will only sign players the manager approves. (Daily Mirror) 
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has ruled out making any signings in January to ease Manchester United's defensive injury crisis.(The Guardian) 
Dundee United boss Craig Levein will officially be named Scotland's new manager on Tuesday. (The Daily Record) 

AND FINALLY

Ipswich boss Roy Keane walks his dogs at midnight to avoid bumping into angry Town fans.(Daily Star)

Saturday's epilogue

Bolton 3 - 3 Man City

.

Carlos Tevez scored twice to salvage another draw for Manchester City in a thrilling game against Bolton.
Ivan Klasnic opened the scoring despite appearing to be offside before Tevez levelled with a deflected strike. 
Gary Cahill's curler put Bolton ahead before Micah Richards equalised - but Klasnic's swivelling shot made it 3-2. 
Craig Bellamy was controversially sent off after being booked for diving, but Tevez's long-range effort claimed a late draw in a memorable game. 
The result means City have now drawn their last four away matches and ensures questions remain as to whether Mark Hughes' side can produce the consistent form necessary to challenge for a top-four finish. 
Bolton, meanwhile, will feel frustrated that they failed to take all three points after an often-dominant display in which they took the lead on three occasions.
The hosts were much-improved from their loss at Wolves last week but that will come as little comfort to manager Gary Megson who is increasingly facing a relegation battle.

Bolton manager Gary Megson:
"We're delighted given how both football clubs are run. It's a decent result because of that but on the other side of the coin we took the lead three times.
"But in terms of what's been going on for us it's a great point. They've got quality all over the pitch and on the bench. Our lads played well and gave it everything. 
"Kevin Davies was right back to his best and I don't think we would have got that result without him. Zat Knight was excellent and so was Paul Robinson." 
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes:
"The first goal was clearly offside and how the hell the official couldn't see that was beyond me.
"I thought the officials were in general very poor. The decision to send Craig Bellamy off was quite honestly laughable. 
"My assistant has been in to ask and he thought Craig had tried to deceive him. I've known Craig for 15 years and I've never seen him dive. 
"If Mr Clattenburg feels he knows my players better than me then I would disagree."

,

Watford 0 - 1 Derby

Substitute Chris Porter's second-half header earned Derby their first away win since April at Watford.
Lee Hendrie and Paul Connolly had Derby chances early on before Danny Graham went close for Watford following a poor clearance by Stephen Bywater. 
But the keeper made amends just before half-time, saving Heidar Helguson's shot through a crowded penalty area. 
Replacing DJ Campbell was a surprise move but it paid off when substitute Porter headed in Hendrie's free-kick. 
Watford manager Malky Mackay told BBC London 94.9:
"It was a disappointing afternoon for us. I think we need to make sure that we come here and do the basics. 
"There are going to be games were you go and break a team down and you have to do those basics properly, and Derby came here today and did that. 
"I think there is a patience needed at times, you've got to keep your decision making and your quality up." 
Derby manager Nigel Clough:
"It's been a long, long wait for it (a first away win) but for the three performances we've put in this week we've deserved to win at least one of those games. 
"We look solid, we restricted an extremely good attacking side to very few opportunities and then we looked relatively dangerous ourselves. 
"We just felt if we kept it at 0-0, put the ball in the right areas then on a very difficult surface we might just get some reward today."

www.bbc.co.uk

Bolton Wand. - Manchester City

Bolton hold the second place from the bottom and even now it’s obvious they’ll face a hard fight to avoid relegation. They’ve noticed five defeats (four in Premier) in last six competitive games and conceded huge 18 goals (scored just three)! After two rounds on the road, they’ll play at home two times and those two encounters against Manchester City and West Ham will maybe determine the final outcome for the lads from Reebok Stadium. In the previous round, Bolton lost against direct opponent for relegation, Wolwerhampton, 2-1 and that game like some before showed Gary Megson’s 4-5-1 formation works much better when team defends than when is forced to attack. Good news is skipper Kevin Davies has served his suspension and returned to the squad, while midfielder Mustapha Riga and defender Danny Shittu are doubtful. Long time sidelined are Sean Davis and Joey O'Brien.

After historic run of seven draws in Premier that caused many turbulences inside the club, Mark Hughes saved his job with a win against Arsenal in Carling Cup 3-0. Just three days later, they defeated the giants 2-1 and returned the good atmosphere in the dressing room. Well, Premier title is probably lost, but City is at sixth place and just two points from Champions League spot. In my opinion, main problem is Citizens can attract only players with specific mental profile and Hughes always has a difficult task to motivate them, especially in situation where all promises about title has been evaporated. However, against London clubs team just proved the potential they surely have. Craig Bellamy and Vladimir Weiss got H1N1 flu, but have been recovering very well and wouldn’t be surprise if they’re ready for the game. Micah Richards, Stephen Ireland and Wayne Bridge all got the knock against Chelsea and their appearance is under a question mark.

Bolton and City will have opposite motives in this game. While hosts will struggle to extend their Premier League life, visitors will try to collect as much points till Christmas as will launch them in the space for Champions League. The problem for City could be it’s seems too easy. This could be a surprise of a day in England and my decision is to back Wanderers.  If you follow with double chance 1x, wait. Odd on City will drop.

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Friday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has doubts as to whether to sign Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero as he weighs up if the Argentine is worth £40m.(Daily Mirror) 
Chelsea are willing to sign Middlesbrough winger Adam Johnson for £4m and loan him back to the Teesside outfit.(Daily Mirror) 
Bolton are lining up a £7m January transfer window bid for Celtic midfielder Scott Brown.(Daily Mirror) 
Portsmouth manager Paul Hart is not keen on signing striker Amr Zaki, who spent a spell on loan at Wigan, even though a fee has been agreed with Egyptian club Zamalek. (The Sun) 
Ipswich are weighing up a move for West Ham midfielder Kieron Dyer. (Daily Telegraph)

OTHER GOSSIP

France striker Thierry Henry was told by his former manager Arsene Wenger that he should have owned up to his handball against the Republic of Ireland.(Daily Mirror) 
Hull trio Kevin Kilbane, Paul McShane and Stephen Hunt - all in the Republic of Ireland squad for the controversial game in France - have been urged to see a sports psychologist by club manager Phil Brown. (Daily Express) 
England's 2018 World Cup bid team are unlikely to get any more financial support from the Premier League.(Guardian) 
Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy fears his career could be over in two years because of his knee problems.(Times) 
Newcastle boss Chris Hughton is concerned over Shola Ameobi opting to play for Nigeria and being ruled out during the African Cup of Nations.(Daily Star) 
Former Birmingham owner David Gold could end his interest in buying West Ham after opening talks to purchase Crystal Palace. (Daily Star) 

AND FINALLY

In the fall-out from Henry's handball, ex-Republic of Ireland boss Mick McCarthy says Fifa stands for Forget Irish Football Altogether. He also says, if he was Richard Dunne, he would not have let Henry sit next to him on the pitch after the game. (The Sun) 
Former Manchester United striker Andrew Cole says the Old Trafford club's manager Sir Alex Ferguson made a mistake in not signing Liverpool star Fernando Torres - and adds that his opinion is backed up by United's players.(Daily Star)
www.bbc.co.uk

Aston Villa 1 - 1 Man City

Craig Bellamy's second-half equaliser earned Manchester City a deserved point and lifted them into the top four after former captain Richard Dunne threatened to wreck Gareth Barry's return to Aston Villa.
Dunne declined the opportunity to celebrate in front of City's fans when he beat Barry to James Milner's corner to head Villa in front early on. 
And he almost added a second before City's growing superiority was rewarded when Bellamy turned Emmanuel Adebayor's cross high beyond Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Friedel after 67 minutes. 
City looked the more likely to claim the three points in the closing stages of an entertaining confrontation between two clubs hoping to disturb the established order in the top four of the Premier League.
Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill:
"I'm disappointed with the result but not the performance because we were just fantastic. 
"The first half was just about the best we have played and we could have gone 2-0 up. City came into it after because they are a very, very good side. 
"The players and the crowd were all fantastic tonight. We were very strong and we played some great stuff too." 
Man City manager Mark Hughes:
"A lot of teams will come here and go under, but I thought we showed a lot of very good qualities. 
"We got level and as the game wore on I thought we looked more likely to win it. But we'll take a point and we've had a fantastic start to the season. 
"When we come back after internationals we will start all over again."
www.bbc.co.uk

Friday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea have turned down an £18m bid from Real Madrid for Brazilian defender Alex.(The Times) 
Manchester United are still monitoring Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery and Valencia's David Silva, despite insisting that their summer spending is over.(The Times) 
Liverpool's Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva has said he may leave the club and return to his homeland if he does not get more first-team action next season.(The Sun) 
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted he is interested in signing Fulham defender Brede Hangeland but said the club are yet to make an offer for the 28-year-old Norwegian.(The Independent) 
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has expressed an interest in bringing Real Madrid's 25-year-old Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder to Villa Park.(The Guardian) 
Manchester City will make one final offer for Everton defender Joleon Lescott, believed to be about £22m. (Daily Mirror) 
Wigan have agreed a £3.5m deal for highly-rated Rayo Vallecano midfielder Mohamed Diame and his team-mate, defender Antonio Amaya. (Daily Mail) 
The move for Diame could signal the end of Lee Cattermole's Wigan career, he is a target for Sunderland, Liverpool, Spurs and Everton.(Daily Mail) 
Portsmouth have made a £2m bid for Vitoria Guimaraes midfielder Nuno Assis and the 31-year-old said he is keen on a move to Fratton Park if "the money and sport aspects can be united". (The Sun)
Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate admits that he is "amazed" that Tuncay is still with the club but expects the 27-year-old to leave by September.(Daily Star) 
Wigan striker Olivier Kapo, 28, is a target for French club Nice. (The Sun)
West Brom are keen on 25-year-old St Mirren midfielder Billy Mehmet. (Daily Star) 
Celtic are lining up a move for Indian international striker Sunil Chhetri, who signed for Dempo Sports Club in May but is available for £1m. (Daily Express)
Portsmouth are poised to make a move for Celtic left-back Lee Naylor. (The Sun) 


OTHER GOSSIP

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has said he is more worried about Aston Villa this season than he is about Manchester City and said that Mark Hughes' side will not break into the Premier League's top four.(Daily Mirror) 
Wenger also believes that 17-year-old midfielder Jack Wilshere can make the same impact as when Wayne Rooney first played for Everton.(The Guardian) 
Liverpool are expected to end their 17-year association with shirt sponsor Carlsberg when their current £8m-a-year deal finishes at the end of the season. Banking giants Standard Chartered are expected to replace Carlsberg for about £15m-a-year.(Daily Mail) 
Darren Bent has taken a swipe at former club Tottenham after the striker completed a move to Sunderland. The 25-year-old said he never felt wanted at White Hart Lane and criticised manager Harry Redknapp for not giving him enough support. (The Sun) 
Sir Alex Ferguson has backed Michael Owen to score goals for Manchester United this season after the striker missed four good chances in a friendly against Valencia on Wednesday.(The Sun) 
Livingston will today appeal against their relegation to the Third Division, forcing the Scottish Football League to postpone three opening-day fixtures. (The Sun) 
Burnley manager Owen Coyle will not release his three Scotland internationals from their pre-season fixture against St Johnstone ahead of the international side's World Cup qualifier against Norway. (Daily Record)
Manchester City's former Celtic striker Craig Bellamy has blamed Rangers' Lee McCulloch for a foot injury he picked up in Wednesday's friendly defeat at Ibrox. (Various)
Hull captain Ian Ashbee believes his career could be over as the 32-year-old is struggling to recover from a knee injury. (Daily Mail) 

AND FINALLY

Burnley striker Steve Thompson has been fined for drinking a fan's pint of beer on the club's pre-season tour of the United States. The 30-year-old fell over the advertising hoardings and took a swig from the fan's drink as a joke. (The Sun)
www.bbc.co.uk

Monday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso has joined up with his team-mates for their pre-season tour of the Far East but the Real Madrid target has still left a question mark over his future at the club. He told Spanish newspaper AS: "It is always a great feeling when Madrid want you, especially considering the phase of the career I am in now.
"But at this point, whether or not that can happen is not up to me. It's a matter that involves three parties, including myself. I do not like to force the issue. I prefer to talk."

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester City will up their bid to £40m to try to prise centre-back John Terry out of Chelsea's grasp.(Daily Mail) 
Toulouse striker Andre-Pierre Gignac has emerged as a target for Arsenal as Gunners boss Arsene Wenger looks to replace forward Emmanuel Adebayor, who has moved to Manchester City.(Daily Mail) 
Hull City are keen on Liverpool striker Andriy Voronin but want the Ukraine international on loan rather than as a permanent signing.(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester United are trying to negotiate down the price of Gremio midfielder Douglas Costa, while Chelsea, Real Madrid and Villarreal have entered the fray for the Brazilian.(Guardian) 
Everton are battling with Fulham, Ajax and PSV Eindhoven for Swedish Under-21 midfielder Rasmus Elm, who plays for Kalmar.(Daily Mail) 
Fulham have been offered the chance to sign Juventus midfielder Christian Poulsen, who has turned down a £6m move to Fenerbahce.(Times) 
AC Milan boss Leonardo has left the door open to Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder David Beckham returning to the San Siro after the England international's successful six-month loan at the club earlier this year.(Independent) 
Blackburn's flirtation with signing former Inter Milan striker Christian Vieri has ended, with Rovers manager Sam Allardyce believing the Italian is too unfit.(Daily Mirror) 
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is set to wrap up an £11m deal for Sheffield United full-backs Kyle Naughton and Kyle Walker. (Daily Mirror)
Nottingham Forest are close to bringing in Tottenham defender Chris Gunter, Preston midfielder Paul McKenna and QPR striker Dexter Blackstock for a combined £4m.(Daily Star) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has urged fans not to criticise club "legend" and team-mate John Terry if he decides to leave the Stamford Bridge outfit. The England defender has been targeted by Manchester City.(Daily Star) 
Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy says he has no plans to leave the club, despite the increased competition for places up front following the signing of Carlos Tevez, Roque Santa Cruz and Emmanuel Adebayor.(Daily Mirror) 
Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill says Liverpool did not lodge a bid for Gareth Barry before the midfielder's move to Manchester City.(Daily Expres) 

AND FINALLY

There may have been up to 80,000 fans at the Bernabeu to greet former Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo at his Real Madrid unveiling but only 10,000 will be able to attend as he makes his debut against Shamrock Rovers on Monday.(Daily Mail)
www.bbc.co.uk

Everton - Manchester City

Everton is in excellent run of results. They stopped Chelsea on Stamford and were even better opponent. Before that, they eliminated Man. Utd. after penalties and passed to FA final where they'll face Chelsea, again. In League, Europe is reached, now they have a chance to skip Villa and grab fifth place. That would be a big success for Goodison Park lads. They have six consecutive home wins in all competitions. I can't see why they wouldn't extend it today. Interesting thing is Moyes rested some players against Chelsea! So, Hibbert, Jagielka, Fellaini and Saha return on the pitch. No new injury worries, best eleven are expected.

`

What can be said about City. They spent a lots of money on expensive players (usually buying them over the real price), before the season start talk about Champions League(!), but they find themselves stucked in the middle of the table with no real chance to move up (or down). The main reason for that are away games. Five competitive defeats in a row, on the road! Just one win in 16 away games and 10 defeats! It looks the team morale is low, like they really expected C.League and now they have problems with motivation. The best players play way below the expectations, Robinho is just a shadow of R.Madrid player. Craig Bellamy shook the squad, but then injured and won't play again this season. Hughes had a conflict with Richards (today's gossip column), Wright-Phillips and Zabaleta are not fully fit.

`

Everton is in excellent shape. After brilliant results, players are full of confidence. City looks like they're sick of life, can't wait for season end. Their disaster performances on the road can not be improved today. Home side is a clear favorite and I have no doubt. Expekt, as the most of the bookies offers 1.80. Home win and gamble on handicap. More later...

Wales - Germany

In the previous round Wales lost at home against Finland (hope I won't offence anybody, but too old and limited squad) 0-2. It was the end WC dreams. In one moment it seems Wales has young and talented players, they were good in defeats against in group (Russia 1-2 and Germany 0-1, both away) but two wins (both at home against weak Azerbaijan 1-0 and weaker Liechtenstein 2-0) from five games show their lack of quality. Just one well known player Craig Bellamy isn't enough for WC. John Toshack has given up, said that they're not competent to play even with middle class European teams. I don't know too much about their starting eleven, but does it matter?!

Visitors are in very good shape and it seems they return on the "old roads of glory". From five games they lost only two points, Finland 3-3 away, but there are no space for relaxing, Russia breaths on the neck and German lads still have to travel to Moscow. Mario Gomez started Liechtenstein game along Podolsky, but fans were frustrating by his performance, he didn't score in 13 games in a row! Low announced that he will get the last chance tonight.

This game looks like the pick of the day. Odds are not too big, most of the bookies offer 1.40-1.45, at Expekt is 1.42, but it look like a gift. Use it!

I'm thinking about some other games. Scotland,Ecuador and Serbia to win, N.Ireland,Spain and BiH over. Will decide about my bets. And maybe one more analyze,later. Stay tuned.