Swindon - MK Dons

That’s what you get when you sell the best players. Instead a play-off spot, a ticket for the lower division. The Robins scored a late winner and won at Brentford which was first Paul Hart’s win since he took the charge (eight games) and first club’s win after 18 matches! That’s some boost, but they still lack in quality and remain as serious candidates for moving down. Goalie Lucas, striker Andrew and defender Frampton could all return after injuries.

The Dons are doing well in the third tier, they look safe for play-off, have a decent quality and play nice passing game. Defeat at the last trip vs. S’ton was the first failure after eight games (six of them were wins), but they bounced back in the previous round against Carlisle (coming from behind). Not so good record on the road, only seven wins of 20 games but five of those came in last 8 games. Defender Woodards is out, striker Balanta could start after he scored in previous round coming from the bench.

Bookies give the advantage to the home side and cannot say I’m not well surprised with the odds. The fact Swindon are desperate for a win doesn’t mean they will defeat one of the best squad in the league. Maybe I can see them snatching a draw, but win... No, I don’t think so. Going on the Dons with securing the draw.

Bet: MK Dons
Odd: 2.08 188bet
Stake: 8/10
.
Support the blog and open a betting account using the banners from the left. You'll get some free bets as well.
Make e-mail subscription and get my picks directly in the mail box.
p

Crystal Palace 1-1 West Brom

West Brom denied Crystal Palace the chance of securing their Championship status, handing relegation rivals Sheffield Wednesday a reprieve.
Palace, who need a buyer by the end of the season, went ahead when Steven Reid sliced a free-kick into his own net. 
But the Baggies drew level inside four minutes when Gabriel Tamas headed home a Chris Brunt left-wing free-kick. 
Palace, who had Neil Danns sent off for a headbutt, now face a relegation showdown at Wednesday on Sunday. 
With the Owls having lost 3-2 at Cardiff on Saturday, Palace knew three points against West Brom on Monday would have been enough for them to avoid relegation to League One. 
But the south Londoners failed to take their chance, meaning that a season to forget - during which they have been docked 10 points as a result of falling into administration and lost manager Neil Warnock to Queens Park Rangers - will be decided by a visit to Hillsborough. 
Bon Jovi's Living on a Prayer echoed round Selhurst Park before kick-off but during an engrossing game the home side's players fought tooth and nail to be the masters of their own fate. 
They gave themselves the perfect start when Darren Ambrose's well-placed right-wing free-kick was sliced past his own keeper by Reid from six yards. 
But Paul Hart's men were pegged back four minutes later when Tamas headed the visitors level.
However, in the last 10 minutes the Eagles twice had chances to make sure of the points only for substitute Stern John to head wide at the back post before, six minutes into injury time, Marek Cech cleared an Ambrose effort off the line. 
That Palace were even in a position to potentially snatch a winner late on was a testimony to both the wastefulness of the dominant visitors and the superb performance from home keeper Julian Speroni. 
The Argentine stopper produced a string of saves to deny the Baggies, most notably to keep out Chris Brunt from close range, tip over a dipping 35-yard effort from Graham Dorrans in the first half and block well-struck efforts from Cech and Youssouf Mulumbu in the second. 
In addition, West Brom striker Roman Bednar missed a number of good opportunities, heading a Dorrans cross against the bar and then shooting harmlessly wide after being released by the same player. 
After Danns was shown a straight red by referee Dean Whitestone for headbutting Dorrans it seemed certain that West Brom would make their numerical advantage count. 
But they were unable to do so, and Palace's own late profilgacy in front of goal means they face a long, nervous final game of the season in Sheffield. 
As long as Hart's men, who have a two-point advantage over Wednesday, avoid defeat they will beat the drop, sending the Owls down.
www.bbc.co.uk

Crystal Palace - Bristol City

Thankfully to 10 points penalty, Palace are fighting to avoid relegation instead for play-off. They’re 21^st with same number of points as first under the line Sheff.Wed. (Palace have one game more to play). Ex-boss Warnock, left the club (to QPR) and it was a big hit, but club’s management (their PR office) did an excellent job showing him as a traitor who looks for more money. So, dressing room atmosphere is good again and after three consecutive defeats (all at home), Eagles noticed a hard fought draw on the road vs. Doncaster and in last round home win against play-off contenders Sheff.Utd.. The morale has been boosted, but  they have to continue winning. New manager, Paul Hart, has one injury doubt, midfielder Neil Danns. Palace have won their last four home league games against Bristol City.

 

The Robins are five points far from relegation zone, they have only one win in last ten games, while on the road have a winless run of seven games (just two wins in total this season). In those seven games, they scored just once! They’re typical home side and away City play very defensively trying with counter-attacks and individual efforts of Nicky Maynard (who is usually cut off from the play). The problem for this game is defensive line which is a base of they play suffered a disaster in previous round at home vs. Doncaster and conceded five goals (2-5). So, confidence won’t be on the highest level. They’ll also fight against statistics which say City haven’t won at Selhurst Park since December 1961. Boss Johnson can not count on forward Evander Sno and midfielder Elliot. Midfielder Brian Wilson, defenders Jamie McCombe and Jamie McAllister also continue to struggle with the injury problems.

 

This will be a hard battle and I don’t expect too many goals. Who score first will probably win. Team quality, current shape, motivation, and a manager are the main factors here (beside home ground). Don’t think visitors can resist. Home win. 1.95 at 888sport.

.

Available free bets, bonus offers and promotions:
Expekt - First deposit bonus up to €35 / £25 for all new customers
Make your first deposit at expekt.com and we will immediately double your money up to max €35 / £25. Take these 3 easy steps to start profiting from sports betting: 1.Register an account with expekt.com here. 2.Deposit a minimum of €10 into your expekt.com account. 3.Send an email to 35eurbonus@expekt.com with your customer number and deposit amount included. The bonus amount up to €35/£25 will be added to your account within 48 h

Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester United's financial problems may result in them having to sell star asset, striker Wayne Rooney. (Daily Express) 
Stoke manager Tony Pulis is battling to seal a shock season-long loan move for Portsmouth and England goalkeeper David James.(Daily Mirror) 
Former Wigan striker Amr Zaki, who currently plays for Egyptian side Zamalek, is set to join Stoke in a £1m deal. (The Sun) 
Liverpool have made a shock offer for Reading goalkeeper Adam Federici, who played in the Royals' 2-1 FA Cup victory at Anfield on Wednesday. (Daily Mail)
Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool are all chasing Racing Santander's 18-year-old striker Sergio Canales. (The Independent) 
Brazil midfielder Sandro has claimed his £6m move to Tottenham is a "dream come true". Sandro, 20, has agreed to move to White Hart Lane but his club Internacional want to keep him until they finish their Copa Libertadores campaign, which is South America's equivalent of the Champions League, in the summer. (Daily Mirror) 
Tottenham have been offered the chance to sign Legia Warsaw keeper Jan Mucha, who is also attracting the interest of of Stoke. (The Sun)
Spurs are also keeping tabs on midfielder Joe Cole's contract negotiations with Chelsea. (The Independent) 
Portsmouth are trying to sign Egypt striker Emad Moteab. The 26-year-old scored in his country's 3-1 victory over Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday.(Daily Mail) 
Birmingham manager Alex McLeish is considering a fresh approach for Red Bull Salzburg striker Marc Janko. The 26-year-old, who is 6ft 5in and has scored 67 goals in 92 games for his Austrian club, is available for £6.5m. (Daily Mail) 
Birmingham are also chasing Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko, 28, after Liverpool forward Ryan Babel, 23, refused to move to St Andrew's.(Daily Mirror) 
Blackburn are leading a quartet of Premier League clubs in the chase for Aston Villa midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker. Bolton, Wigan and Hull are also interested in the 25-year-old, who could leave Villa for £5m.(The Times) 
But midfielder Reo-Coker is set to reject an approach from Blackburn.(The Sun) 
Arsenal are looking for a Spanish club to loan their new Bolivian attacking midfielder Samuel Galindo to. The 17-year-old will struggle to get a work permit to start playing in England.(Daily Mirror) 
Burnley boss Brian Laws is going back to his old club Sheffield Wednesday with a £1.5million bid for keeper Lee Grant. (Daily Mirror) 
Fulham will tie up the loan signing of exciting young Roma striker Stefano Okaka Chuka, 20, next week.(Daily Mirror) 
Former England manager Steve McClaren wants to take Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere, 18, on loan to his FC Twente side in the Netherlands.(Daily Mail) 
But new Bolton manager Owen Coyle is also attempting to take Wilshere to the Reebok Stadium in a loan deal. (The Independent) 
Hull are lining up a £1.25m bid for Derby winger Kris Commons.(The Sun) 
The arrival of Commons could signal the departure of Hull midfielder Stephen Hunt to Wolves, with manager Mick McCarthy upping his offer for the Irishman to £3.5m. (The Sun) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Liverpool's shock FA Cup defeat by Reading on Wednesday has put manager Rafael Benitez on the brink of losing his job. (Daily Mail)
Manchester United may be forced to sell Old Trafford to help reduce the club's reported £700m debt.(Daily Mail) 
Manchester United are also exploring the possibility of selling their training base at Carrington.(Daily Telegraph)
Chelsea will discover at a Premier League tribunal on Thursday how much they must pay Manchester City for signing Daniel Sturridge. The 20-year-old striker clinched a four-year deal with the Blues last summer, with City wanting £10m and Chelsea offering £3m.(The Times) 
Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti is prepared to do nothing in the January transfer window - after being told by the club board they will win their appeal against the Fifa transfer ban, which is currently in place until June 2011. (Daily Mirror) 
Paul Hart is fighting to save his job as QPR manager after falling out with midfielder Adel Taarabt. The 56-year-old only took over as boss in December. (Daily Mirror) 

AND FINALLY

Manager Roberto Mancini plans to overhaul his Manchester City players' pre-match meal, introducing pizza and wine to the menu. "You need chicken, pizza, carbohydrates, even a glass of wine, but they are not on the table," he said.(Daily Mirror)

www.bbc.co.uk

Profit!

Sheff Wed 0 - 2 Swansea

Darren Pratley's two goals condemned Sean McAuley to a losing start as Sheffield Wednesday caretaker boss.
The midfielder took just five minutes to put Swansea in charge, Gorka Pintado laying the ball on for Pratley to take in his stride and beat Lee Grant. 
Wednesday rallied and it took a good save from Dorus de Vries to keep out Jermaine Johnson's fierce shot. 
But the Owls then struggled and Pratley struck a second goal, meeting Nathan Dyer's low cross at the near post. 
Wednesday parted company with Brian Laws last weekend but McAuley was unable to inspire an improvement as Swansea maintained their push for promotion. 
The Owls are now winless in the last 10, having lost the last six and face the harsh reality of relegation if they do not make drastic improvements.
.

QPR 1 - 1 Sheff Utd
New Queens Park Rangers manager Paul Hart saw his side draw with Sheffield United in his first game in charge.
Mikele Leigertwood opened the scoring for the home side with a right-footed strike from the edge of the area after just two minutes. 
Toni Kallio set up Richard Cresswell to fire home from close range for the equaliser six minutes later. 
Ben Watson headed against the crossbar in injury-time for the home side but both teams had to settle for a point. 
QPR manager Paul Hart:
"I thought we played extremely well. In the second half we were excellent, it was wave after wave. 
"I work with players to try to help them improve. I'm here to steady the ship. 
"I think this is a great club and it's a privilege to be working here." 
Sheffield United manager Kevin Blackwell:
"We talked about it in the week, it's not the time to be playing a team when a new manager walks through the door. 
"The players have got to show them what we are about. 
"All the talk was about QPR but my players were very resilient and did a professional job."
www.bbc.co.uk

QPR - Sheffield United

Paul Hart will have his debut as a manager, but also will have to cope with bad shape of his players, injury worries and strong opponent. Rangers are in run of five games without a win, three defeat and two draws. More disturbing is a fact till the previous round their performances didn’t look as top club’s at all. At Monday against WBA on the road, Rangers were defending whole hour than took a lucky lead after an own-goal. With a wind in the back score another and were keeping the lead till 94^th minute when conceded for a draw. So, their shape is far from promotion chasers and with not so good dressing room atmosphere, Hart will have a difficult job to make a harmony in the team. Also, he will hand a number of players late fitness tests (didn’t precise who, but defender Matt Connolly is one of them). Key midfielder Akos Buzsaky is expected to miss out again with a knee problem. But, good news full-back Gary Borrowdale should return after missing Monday's draw and midfielder Steven Reid is also close after two weeks out with a hamstring injury. Goalkeeper Radek Cerny will be available despite jarring his ankle attempting a goal-kick against and striker Angelo Balanta is fit after a groin injury.Midfielders Gavin Mahon, Lee Cook and Martin Rowlands (all knee) are long-term absentees.

 

Before the season started, Blades were considered as one of the clubs that should fight for a direct promotion. Thankfully to injury crisis that was shaking the club in October, United noticed eight games without a win and dropped in the bottom half of the table. But as the players started to recover, United started to collect the points, have made a run of six games without a defeat (four wins and two draws) and have kept clean sheets in four of the last five. Currently hold eighth place and with a win today would make a break into top six. However, boss Kevin Blackwell also has some injury concerns and also refused to name them. The most important is condition of key striker Darius Henderson who missed the last three matches, but it seems he’ll appear today. Midfielder Nick Montgomery is back in contention after serving a one-match ban.

 

QPR have a quality for a top challenge for sure, perhaps syndrome of new manager will make some good impact, but problem with them is they don’t look as a squad. Most of their goals came after individual efforts, while defense line looks shaky and have been leaking a lot. They deserved this odd just for stopping WBA. Blades are permanently improving the shape and results and I expect them in top six very soon if not today. They also gain a style of play that doesn’t suit to QPR who also will have some problems with their passing play on the bad pitch. Pinnacle offer 3.09. Dnb 2 look safe, away win as a gamble.

.

Available free bets, bonus offers and promotions:
Expekt - First deposit bonus up to €35 / £25 for all new customers
Make your first deposit at expekt.com and we will immediately double your money up to max €35 / £25. Take these 3 easy steps to start profiting from sports betting: 1.Register an account with expekt.com here. 2.Deposit a minimum of €10 into your expekt.com account. 3.Send an email to 35eurbonus@expekt.com with your customer number and deposit amount included. The bonus amount up to €35/£25 will be added to your account within 48 h

Saturday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Tottenham hope to sign Arsenal target Marouane Chamakh on a free transfer, as the Bordeaux striker is out of contract at the end of the season. (Daily Mail)
Bolton insist that they will not cash in on defender Gary Cahill in the January transfer window. (Daily Star) 
But with defender Joleon Lescott injured and Kolo Toure departing for the African Nations Cup in January, Manchester City are the latest club rumoured to be interested in Cahill.(Daily Express) 
Arsenal want QPR wonderkid Raheem Sterling and are considering a player-plus-cash deal involving Gunners striker Jay Simpson.(Daily Mirror) 
Gunners manager Arsene Wenger says the club will not be "busy" in the January transfer window, also urging football to get its financial house in order.(Daily Telegraph) 
New QPR boss Paul Hart wants to make Gillingham's £1.5m-rated striker Simeon Jackson his first signing.(Daily Mirror) 
Birmingham are stepping up their efforts to sign Schalke's Germany striker Kevin Kuranyi. (Daily Mirror) 
And Birmingham manager Alex McLeish says he will bring in "two or three" new players in January as he looks to maintain their fine season. (The Independent) 
Stoke City say they will listen to offers for striker James Beattie in January's transfer window after his dressing-room altercation with manager Tony Pulis.(The Times) 
Wolves are interested in West Bromwich Albion's Slovenia midfielder Robert Koren. (Daily Mail) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester City boss Mark Hughes is set to be axed this weekend - even if his side beat Sunderland at Eastlands on Friday.(The Sun) 
Russia boss Guus Hiddink and former Germany manager Jurgen Klinsmann are on Manchester City's wanted list to replace Hughes.(The Sun) 
And Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has refused to rule himself out of the running to replace Hughes at City.(Daily Star) 
But City striker Carlos Tevez has urged the club not to "panic" and sack Hughes with former Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini waiting in the wings to take over. (Daily Telegraph) 
West Ham's director of football Gianluca Nani is coming under pressure within the club to justify his signings, with the club languishing in the relegation zone. (Daily Mirror) 
Former Northern Ireland and Fulham Lawrie Sanchez boss has declared an interest in the vacant manager's job at Reading. (The Times)

.

AND FINALLY

The total amount in fines that Tottenham's players will have to pay for their secret Christmas party in Dublin is £1.3m.(Daily Mirror)

www.bbc.co.uk

Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Barcelona have stated they will "fight" to sign Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas next season and are ready to bid £40m for him.(The Sun) 
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is set to make a £6m bid for Wigan left-back Maynor Figueroa, and will raise the funds by selling Gareth Bale. (Daily Mirror) 
Redknapp is also poised to make a move for Chile's highly-rated striker Humberto Suazo, who plays for Mexican side Monterrey.(Daily Mirror) 
Everton are weighing up a cut-price deal for Atletico Madrid midfielder Maxi Rodriguez. (Daily Mirror) 
The Toffees are also close to securing a loan deal for LA Galaxy striker Landon Donovan. (The Independent)
Former Chelsea striker Eidur Gudjohnsen is looking for a return to the Premier League after falling out with his boss at Monaco. (The Sun) 
Bolton boss Gary Megson is still unsure whether to pay £1.4m to make Ivan Klasnic's loan move from Nantes a permanent deal. (Daily Mirror) 
Hull boss Phil Brown has been told to slash £6m of the club's wage bill be selling players during the January transfer window. (The Sun) 
Alex McLeish has told Birmingham owner Carson Yeung that signing "galaticos" next month could wreck City's brilliant form.(Daily Mirror) 
On-loan winger Jerome Rothen wants to quit Rangers and return to Paris St Germain in January. (Various) 
Jerome Rothen will be told by Rangers he no longer figures in their plans and that he can return to Paris St Germain in January as the on-loan winger returns from a bout of reported swine flu. (Daily Record)
West Ham are set to bid for 18-year-old Belgian winger Geoffrey Hairemans, who plays for Royal Antwerp. (Daily Mirror) 
Former Bolton defender Ivan Campo is having a trial at Cypriot club AEK Larnaca. (Daily Mirror)
Crystal Palace have given a trial to Dutch side Heerenveen's Bonavnture Kalou, the brother of Chelsea striker Salomon. (The Sun) 

OTHER GOSSIP

The Scottish FA has approached Dundee United for permission to speak to Craig Levein about the Scotland manager's vacancy. (The Guardian)
Dundee United chairman Stephen Thompson is unlikely to reject the Scottish Fa's request to speak to Craig Levein about the national manager's job. (Daily Record) 
Wolves fans who travelled to see their weakened side lose at Manchester United on Tuesday have bombarded the club with demands for their money back.(Daily Mirror) 
Former Portsmouth boss Paul Hart will be appointed as the new manager of QPR on Thursday, with Mick Harford as his assistant. (Daily Mirror) 
Reading have put ex-Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate at the top of their wish list of names to fill their vacant manager's position.(The Sun) 
Or, Reading are pondering a move for former Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson to take over from sacked boss Brendan Rogers. (Daily Mirror) 
Alternatively, Steve Coppell is in line for a return as Reading manager. (Daily Star)
Former Watford boss Graham Taylor has revealed he fears for the club's future as the Hornets veer towards administration.(Daily Mirror) 
Real Zaragoza want Gus Poyet to become their new manager, despite the Uruguayan having signed an 18-month deal at Brighton just over a month ago.(The Sun) 
Hearts midfielder Laryea Kingston is on a collision course with his club again after ruling himself out of action for seven weeks, saying he has another hamstring strain while set to report for African Cup of Nations duty with Ghana. (Daily Record) 

AND FINALLY

David Beckham is hoping AC Milan draw Manchester United in the Champions League knockout phase so he can return to Old Trafford with the Italians, whom he joins on loan in the new year, and knock out his old team.(The Sun) 
Wigan boss Roberto Martinez has compared defender Maynor Figueroa to France legend Zinedine Zidane after the left-back scored a 60-yard free-kick last Saturday. (The Sun)

www.bbc.co.uk

Friday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Tottenham will get rid of David Bentley in January following a heated row between the winger and manager Harry Redknapp. (Daily Express)
Redknapp has been told by Spurs chairman Daniel Levy that he will have to sell before he can make any signings in the new year.(The Guardian) 
Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce is preparing a new-year raid for Stoke striker James Beattie following his row with manager Tony Pulis after the defeat at Arsenal.(Daily Telegraph) 
Portsmouth manager Avram Grant has been ordered to offload players as the club's cash crisis mounts.(Daily Telegraph) 
Blackburn are poised to complete the signing of France Under-21 midfielder Amine Linganzi from St Etienne in January.(Daily Mirror) 
Wigan are set to allow Ghana goalkeeper Richard Kingson leave the club in the new year after failing to unseat Chris Kirkland from the number one spot.(The Sun) 
The entire playing staff of Crystal Palace have been put up for sale in order to solve the club's cash problems. Wigan and Sunderland are interested in midfielder Darren Ambrose, winger Victor Moses and goalkeeper Julian Speroni.(Daily Mail) 
Sought-after Ipswich striker Connor Wickham, 16, who has attracted the interest of Tottenham, Arsenal and Chelsea, is set to sign a new five-year deal at Portman Road.(Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

West Ham striker Dean Ashton is considering whether he can sue Shaun Wright-Phillips and his then employers Chelsea for the challenge in 2006 that he will claim ended his career.(Daily Telegraph) 
Paul Hart, who parted company with Portsmouth last month, will take charge at Queens Park Rangers should they sack manager Jim Magilton.(The Sun) 
The people in charge of Notts County have days to complete negotiations over a management buy-out otherwise director of football Sven-Goran Eriksson will leave the club.(The Times) 
And Eriksson will need to find £500,000 of his own money if he wants to complete the buy-out.(Daily Mail) 
David Gold and David Sullivan will make a bid for West Ham in the next 24 hours but no money will go to the current owners. The cash will instead be used for players and debt repayments in return for a 50% stake.(The Independent) 
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has come under fire from Jurgen Klinsmann for the way he manages the club. The German, who was once lined up to take the top job at Anfield, says Liverpool lack pace, creativity, quality and consistency.(The Sun) 

AND FINALLY

With a name like Roque Santa Cruz, you would think finding the Christmas spirit would be easy. However, the Paraguay striker was the only player not wanting a light blue santa hat as Manchester City's stars filmed a video of them singing "Jingle Bells".(The Sun) 
England manager Fabio Capello says he is dreaming of a final against his home country Italy in next year's World Cup final. "The strangest moment will be during the national anthems," he said. "But, I am wearing a different shirt now and I must work for the England shirt."(Press Association)
www.bbc.co.uk

Portsmouth - Manchester United

Pompey made the disaster start of the season. Returned back with away win against Wolverhampton 1-0 and a draw also on the road vs. fellow strugglers Hull. After that, two 4-0 wins at home (Stoke and Wigan in Cup) and again two defeats on the road. In last round vs. Stoke away, Kevin-Prince Boateng missed the penalty at the start of the game and tight match finished with another defeat (0-1). After the game, Paul Hart got fired. Few reasons why I think it was a mistake. First, squad simply hasn’t enough quality and even top manager couldn’t do better. Hart also made some kind of family atmosphere and players are in shock because his departure. His replacement is Avram Grant. When he was appointed in Chelsea, players started the riot because his old fashioned training and team needed some time to adjust to his way of work (some players never accepted him as a man in charge). Can’t see why in Portsmouth this should be better. And last, but not the least, first game is against furious United. Also, should be mentioned, Grant will be officially appointed after the game, caretaker will lead the team. First goalie, David James, suffered an injury during the warming-up for game against Stoke and will miss again. His place will take a substitute, Jamie Ashdown. Papa Bouba Diop, John Utaka and Steve Finnan are all battling to be fit.

After CSKA finished his game against Wolfsburg and won 2-1, Sir Alex changed the team and sent a bunch of youngsters to bring him a point and first place in the group, counting on opponent’s lack of motivation. But, the painful truth is European competition isn’t Carling Cup, Turkish side defeated United and made of them a main story in Britain. Well, history learns us Man.Utd. are the most dangerous when their dignity is hurt. I expect their response and Ferguson surely will send the hard artillery on the pitch. No European game next week and no reason for resting players and calculation. This game should be a message to Chelsea (who btw. already have a surplus of five points). Only Rio Ferdinand and John O'Shea, beside Hargreaves, are confirmed missings. Evans, Fabio and Berbatov (who should appeared against Besiktas) will have a late fitness test.

I would write-off the new manager effect here, ‘cause the players are not the least pleased with that. Portsmouth advantages will be smaller pitch (as always) where they create chances easier than on the road and maybe United’s defense line. I think it will be far from enough to resist from visitors’ revenge. I’m little cautious about the stake just because Wes Brown and his habit to make stupidities. However, Pompey look just like a victim of bad circumstances. United's win with a handicap.

.

Very probably one more pick before the kick-off in England.

Available free bets, bonus offers and promotions:
Expekt - First deposit bonus up to €35 / £25 for all new customers
Make your first deposit at expekt.com and we will immediately double your money up to max €35 / £25. Take these 3 easy steps to start profiting from sports betting: 1.Register an account with expekt.com here. 2.Deposit a minimum of €10 into your expekt.com account. 3.Send an email to 35eurbonus@expekt.com with your customer number and deposit amount included. The bonus amount up to €35/£25 will be added to your account within 48 h

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

Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is ready to sign Valencia winger Juan Mata for £16.5m next summer.(The Sun) 
Liverpool and Manchester United are monitoring David Villa after the Spain striker sacked his agent for failing to secure a summer move away from Valencia.(Various) 
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is keen to make a move for 16-year-old Mexican Martin Luis Galvan.(Daily Mirror) 
Porto Alegra's Brazilian midfielder Sandro is interested in a move to Tottenham. (Daily Mirror) 
Watford will ask Manchester United and Arsenal to extend the loan deals for Tom Cleverley and Henri Lansbury. (Daily Mirror) 
Ipswich manager Roy Keane has been rejected in his bid to sign Stoke defenders Danny Higginbotham and Leon Court on loan until January. (Daily Mirror) 
Burton Albion manager Paul Peschisolido wants to sign Crewe striker Anthony Elding on a three-month loan deal.(Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Roman Pavlyuchenko's agent has suggested the Tottenham striker's recent poor form is down to "psychological problems" and not a lack of match practice.(The Sun) 
Further doubt has been cast over the future of Hull boss Phil Brown after Adam Pearson quit his post as Derby chairman on Wednesday to take on the same role at the KC Stadium.(The Sun) 
Brown is on the brink of being forced out of the club following their decision to replace his staunch ally, Paul Duffin, with Pearson.(Daily Mirror) 
Brown has been told his future as Hull manager is safe for now, having been called to a meeting with club officials on Monday night and asked to explain his vision for the side after just three league wins in 2009. (Daily Star)
Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina, currently earning £60,000 per week, will be offered a new £95,000-a-week contract to pledge his next five years to the club.(The Sun) 
Portsmouth will be banned from signing players until they pay money owed to Arsenal and Chelsea for the signings of Lassana Diarra and Glen Johnson respectively. (Various) 
Pompey have been linked to another takeover and their latest potential savious - Levi Kushnir and Balram Chainrai - are close to completing a deal for the club.(Daily Mirror) 
Portsmouth manager Paul Hart has emerged as a shock candidate to take charge at Championship side Reading if the Royals sack under-fire boss Brendan Rodgers.(Daily Mirror) 
Former Birmingham chairman David Gold will step up his bid to buy West Ham next week. (Daily Star)
Tottenham striker Robbie Keane believes his side have caught up with north London rivals Arsenal and a ready to overtake them.(Various) 
Former Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd has criticised Magpies owner Mike Ashley's decision to sell the naming right to St James' Park. (Daily Mirror) 
Sheffield United hope to be granted permission next week to increase the capacity of Bramall Lane to 44,000. (The Sun) 
Bristol City's new stadium plan for a 30,000-seat ground in the Ashton Vale area has been boosted after the council recommended its approval. (The Sun)

AND FINALLY

Blackburn centre-back Christopher Samba lost 10lbs in two days after contracting swine flu. (The Sun) 
Referee Chris Foy mistook Fabio da Silva for identical twin brother Rafael and booked the former instead of the latter in Manchester United's 2-0 Carling Cup victory over Barnsley on Tuesday. United will ask for Fabio's yellow card to be transferred to fellow defender Rafael.(The Sun) 
Nottingham Forest manager Billy Davies has received a written apology from Crystal Palace after they accidentally broadcast commentary from the club's radio station over the PA system during last weekend's 1-1 draw. The commentator accused Davies of "throwing his toys out of his pram". (Daily Star)
www.bbc.co.uk

Double for decent Tuesday

Tottenham 2 - 0 Everton 

Tottenham shrugged off Everton to book their place in the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup.
Robbie Keane wasted a Spurs chance when his shot hit a post but Tom Huddlestone atoned for his team-mate by half-volleying in David Bentley cross. 
Keane earned a penalty after a foul by Sylvain Distin and, after Tim Howard had saved his initial strike, he scored following a goalmouth melee. 
Everton rarely looked like staging a comeback as Spurs saw out the game. 
The main disappointment for Spurs was the form of Roman Pavlyuchenko, who made a rare start in the first ever meeting between the two sides in the League Cup. 
Spurs boss Harry Redknapp had a visit from Russia manager Guus Hiddink recently to discuss how to get the best out of the striker.
Pavlyuchenko is propping up the Spurs pecking order of forwards and is also struggling to keep his starting place in Hiddink's side.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp on David Bentley:
"He's got to play like that and put that effort in. Aaron (Lennon) has played so well, he's not had the opportunity. 
"His attitude was not as good in training as it could be and I spoke to him about that. 
"He accepts that and is determined to put that right."
.

Portsmouth 4 - 0 Stoke 
Frederic Piquionne was the star as Portsmouth put their poor league form to one side to easily qualify for the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup.
The much-changed hosts were always in control after Piquionne headed past Steve Simonsen on 17 minutes. 
The on-loan Lyon striker then turned provider for Danny Webber to cut in and drive home, before stabbing in his side's third after a Simonsen mistake. 
Kanu added a fourth from close range late on to cap a dominant display. 
The Carling Cup has provided some welcome relief from a horrendous start to the Premier League season for Portsmouth, and Paul Hart's side can now look forward to a place in the quarter-finals. 
Tony Pulis had illustrated the Carling Cup's order in his priority list this season by making 10 changes to the side that beat Spurs at the weekend, but Stoke were still surprising lacklustre throughout. 
Piquionne was one of seven changes for Pompey, but he certainly made a strong case for a starting place against Wigan on Saturday.
Portsmouth boss Paul Hart:
"Obviously we need to take a little bit of that into our league performances. The players were determined to put a performance in. 
"I was pleased to get a clean sheet - the more of those we rack up the better chance we have of winning matches. 
"And on top of that, the number of chances we created was pleasing." 
Stoke manager Tony Pulis:
"The four we conceded were very poor goals to give away and were typified by Glenn Whelan falling over the ball for their fourth. 
"When we got in Pompey's final third there were at least five times where our final ball was absolutely shocking. 
"If we'd picked people out we'd have had great opportunities ourselves."
www.bbc.co.uk

Monday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Everton have joined the race for Middlesbrough's £6m-rated winger Adam Johnson.(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester City striker David Ball is wanted on loan by injury-hit Championship side Sheffield United.(Daily Mirror) 
Former Celtic manager Gordon Strachan will put Huddersfield keeper Alex Smithies at the top of his wish-list when he takes over as boss of Middlesbrough.(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester United right-back Danny Simpson, who is on loan at Newcastle United, is ready to quit Old Trafford.(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester City face competition for Barcelona striker Thierry Henry, with the former Arsenal star also wanted by Major League Soccer side New York Red Bulls.(Daily Mirror) 
Coventry's number two keeper Dimi Konstantopoulos says he may seek a loan move away from the Ricoh Arena if his lack of match action continues. (Daily Telegraph) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has revealed that it was only on the team coach going to Anfield that he decided to use Spanish striker Fernando Torres from the start against Manchester United. (Daily Mirror) 
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp blamed suspended Jermain Defoe for his side's defeat to Stoke, saying the in-form striker would have made the difference on Saturday. (The Sun) 
Portsmouth manager Paul Hart says he will be responsible for improving the club's fortunes over the coming months and not new director of football Avram Grant.(Daily Express) 
Meanwhile, Portsmouth have received a £15m 'loan' from Israeli property developer Levi Kushnir as new owner Ali Al-Faraj attempts to restructure the club financially.(The Sun) 

AND FINALLY

Football could be heading for a swine flu crisis after Blackburn stars David Dunn and Chris Samba were diagnosed with the virus. (Daily Mirror) 
Millwall have vowed to ban for life the fan who taunted Leeds United supporters by wearing a Galatasaray shirt during Saturday's League One match. Two Leeds fans were stabbed to death the day before the Uefa Cup semi-final against the Turkish club in 2000.(The Sun)
www.bbc.co.uk

Wednesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has urged Blues manager Carlo Ancelotti to sign French midfielder Patrick Vieira from Inter Milan in January.(The Sun) 
Another Inter player in demand is midfielder Sulley Muntari, who is being tracked by Tottenham.(The Sun) 
Former Liverpool winger Bolo Zenden is keen to join Sunderland and will train with Steve Bruce's side in a bid to win a deal.(Daily Mirror) 
European champions Barcelona are believed to be weighing up a January move for Arsenal full-back Emmanuel Eboue.(The Sun) 
Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul is wanted by Italian side Juventus, who are preparing a £3m bid.(Daily Star) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster and manager Sir Alex Ferguson were involved in a dressing-room bust-up after the draw with Sunderland, after the Scot pointed the finger at the England man for his part in Kenwyne Jones's goal for the Black Cats.(Daily Star) 
Portsmouth manager Paul Hart is facing the axe, as new owner Ali Al Faraj is keen on installing a bigger name in charge at Fratton Park.(Daily Mirror)
In addition, new Pompey owner Al Faraj has promised a spending spree in the January window to save the club from relegation.(Daily Mirror) 
Mike Ashley's long running quest to sell Newcastle United has taken a new twist after City sources confirmed that a new South African bidder had emerged.(Daily Mirror) 
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has been left stunned by quotes attributed to Reds' co-owner George Gillett, who says any failures on the pitch are down to the Spaniard and not himself and American co-owner Tom Hicks.(The Sun) 
However, Benitez will be given a £12m transfer kitty this January by his American bosses in an attempt to salvage the club's title bid.(Daily Mail) 
Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou is set to become an unlikely beneficiary of Chelsea's transfer ban, with the 23-year-old set to sign a new contract.(The Times) 
Manchester City forward Robinho, who broke a bone in his ankle six weeks ago on international duty, is targeting a return to action against Fulham on 25 October, a month ahead of schedule.(The Sun) 
David Sullivan will step up his efforts to buy West Ham next week when he gets the £25m from Carson Yeung's buyout at Birmingham.(Daily Mirror) 
The outgoing Blues chief has also taken a swipe at Birmingham fans, who he claims have forced him out of the club.(Daily Mirror) 
Hull midfielder Geovanni has revealed he snubbed a return to Brazil in favour of pledging the rest of his career to the Tigers, with whom he recently signed a new three year deal.(Daily Mirror) 
Iain Dowie is being lined up as Director of Football at Notts County so Sven Goran Eriksson can move higher up on the Meadow Lane board.(The Sun) 

AND FINALLY

Manchester United's French midfielder Gabriel Obertan has taken up gardening in a bid to help him cope with his injury hell. He has yet to play since signing from Bordeaux in a £3m deal in July because of a back problem.(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given has joked that in-form Blues striker Craig Bellamy is so demanding of high standards from his teammates that he "probably moans in his sleep".(Daily Mirror)
www.bbc.co.uk

How I tipped

Carlisle 1 - 3 Portsmouth 

Portsmouth came from behind to beat Carlisle and register a rare win which eases the pressure on boss Paul Hart.
Pompey's dreadful run of results looked set to continue when Ian Harte smashed home an early penalty following an Aaron Mokoena foul on Joe Anyinsah. 
But a great strike from Aruna Dindane on debut and a Danny Webber header turned things around for the visitors. 
Anthony Vanden Borre lost his marker to easily make it three but Carlisle can still be proud of a battling display. 
No-one will be more pleased with the display than Hart, who has watched his side start the Premier League with a record-breaking six consecutive defeats. 
His job is still anything but safe, but he will certainly be feeling more comfortable on the 300-mile journey back to the south coast than he did on the long trip north.

.

Peterborough 2 - 0 Newcastle 

Peterborough dominated a much-changed and disappointing Newcastle side to reach the fourth round of the Carling Cup for the first time since 1994.
Craig Mackail-Smith put the hosts ahead early on with a sharp header before Tom Williams made it two from 18 yards. 
And it should have been a much greater margin, with Mackail-Smith and Aaron McLean both hitting the bar. 
Danny Guthrie saw red for a second yellow card after the break, allowing the hosts to ease to a comfortable win. 
It should have come as no surprise that the London Road crowd saw such a poor performance from the visitors after Chris Hughton made nine changes to the side that beat Plymouth. 
Steven Taylor and Peter Lovenkrands were the only survivors of that game for the Magpies, with four youngsters handed their debuts.
www.bbc.co.uk

Carlisle United - Portsmouth

After previous season, when they narrowly avoided relegation beating Millwall in the last round, recent campaign looks nearly the same. They have only two wins in opening eight rounds in League One (with same number of draws and four defeats), they have won only one of their last five matches and currently hold 17th place. Home shape is even more disturbing. A single win against main relegation contender, Tranmere Rovers 3-0 and three defeats. Points from Brunton Park were taking Brentford, Exeter City and Brighton & Hove Albion and interesting is it was the only away win for all these three clubs. Addition to their poor record is two consecutive league defeats, both without a scored goal. So far, only bright moments they live in Cup competition. After elimination of Oldham Athletic (1-0 at home), popular the Cumbrians caused a big shock in the previous round by winning at Bristol City (who btw. have the best home record in Championship, after Newcastle). Manager Greg Abbott will have to decide whether to make changes after weekend’s defeat, but he surely won’t be able to count on defender Simon Lakeland who remains out with a knee injury. Carlisle are playing in the third round of the League Cup for the first time in 34 years.

Portsmouth are breaking all the records in Premier League. They made six consecutive defeats at season opener (plus two from last two games in previous campaign). All started with late takeover of the club by Arab businessman Sulaiman Al Fahim that caused the most of club’s signings came in the final week of the summer transfer window. There are a bunch of new players at Fratton Park and they simply need some time to gel up. Despite the zero on their balance, pitch performances give a hope for better days. At last home game, Pompey put a decent display against Bolton, but thankfully to big errors in defence line finished empty handed. In last round at Villa Park, once again team looked fine, but same story with defensive frailties and zero remained. Manager Paul Hart somehow keeps the good dressing room atmosphere and even fans don’t lack in support. But, next game could be decisive for their future. Cup progress should boost a team’s morale, despite the missings Portsmouth have Premier league players, very competitive squad and win is very reachable. Otherwise, defeat from a third league, mediocre team can sealed their fate. Hart can not count on recent signings O'Hara, Prince-Boateng, Williamson and Smith, who all miss out due to being cup-tied after playing for their previous clubs in earlier rounds of the competition. Defenders Steve Finnan (hamstring) and Hermann Hreidarsson (foot) will probably be sidelined.

Home side already made a first class surprise in Bristol and for them every cup victory has historical weight. However, despite their certain maximum effort tonight, I don’t think they will be even near to make another upset. For the visitors, moment when this encounter comes makes this game as a battle for life and death. They’re without several keys, but the players that are coming in are more than capable to win. Pinnacle offer 2.01. Away win.

Available free bets, bonus offers and promotions:
Expekt - First deposit bonus up to €35 / £25 for all new customers
Make your first deposit at expekt.com and we will immediately double your money up to max €35 / £25. Take these 3 easy steps to start profiting from sports betting: 1.Register an account with expekt.com here. 2.Deposit a minimum of €10 into your expekt.com account. 3.Send an email to 35eurbonus@expekt.com with your customer number and deposit amount included. The bonus amount up to €35/£25 will be added to your account within 48 h.

Tuesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Blackburn defender Michel Salgado will try to convince his former Real Madrid team-mate David Beckham to join him at Ewood Park. Beckham is keen to move to Europe from Los Angeles Galaxy in January. (The Sun) 
Forward Lionel Messi is set to sign a £170,000-a-week deal (after tax) to stay at Barcelona until 2016. (Daily Mail) 
West Brom want to sign Fulham striker Diomansy Kamara on loan. (The Sun)
Baggies boss Roberto di Matteo also wants to agree a loan deal for Blackburn defender Zuran Khizanishvili. (Daily Mirror) 
Everton are keeping tabs on Bristol City full-back James Wilson, who is currently on loan at Brentford. (Daily Mirror)
Fulham could also be set to lose Sweden international defender Fredrik Stoor, who is hoping to secure a loan move from the club. (The Sun) 
Bolton centre-back Danny Shittu is set to move to Sheffield United on loan, with a view to a permanent switch. (Daily Mirror)
Aston Villa striker Marlon Harewood, who has been suffering from a badly bruised foot, is hoping to prove his fitness in order to secure a three-month loan move to Newcastle. (Daily Mirror) 
Notts County boss Ian McParland has confirmed he is interested in signing Malta international striker Michael Mifsud, who is a free agent after leaving Coventry. (Daily Star)
Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate has reiterated his determination to hang on to winger Adam Johnson, who is out of contract at the end of the season.(Daily Mirror) 
Southgate is also set to tie up loan deals for Preston defender Sean St Ledger and Hull striker Caleb Folan. (Daily Mail) 
Preston are keen on Stockport striker Carl Baker. (The Sun) 
Tottenham striker Robbie Keane has emerged as a transfer target for Celtic boss Tony Mowbray.(Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester United striker Michael Owen's 2010 World Cup hopes have been hit after he was told by Old Trafford boss Sir Alex Ferguson he will only be used as a back-up striker. (The Sun) 
United, meanwhile, want Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor banned from the teams' Premier League meeting on Sunday after his alleged stamp on Arsenal's Robin van Persie.(The Sun) 
Kevin Keegan has started his battle for £10m in compensation from Newcastle, claiming he was forced out of his position as manager in September 2008. (Daily Mirror) 
Portsmouth boss Paul Hart says he does not fear the sack, despite presiding over the club's worst start to a season in their 111-year history. (Daily Star) 
Wolves boss Mick McCarthy has fined defenders Ronald Zubar and George Elokobi a fortnight's wages after the pair turned up late for a team meeting before Saturday's defeat by Blackburn. (Daily Star)
Former Ipswich goalkeeper Shane Supple, who retired from professional football in August at the age of 22, wants to follow in his father's footsteps and join the Irish police force. (Daily Mail) 

AND FINALLY

England bosses have sent a list of demands they want for their South Africa World Cup base - including a computer games arcade. Manager Fabio Capello wants to ensure his players do not get bored and has asked for a special room in their hotel with a Wii, a Playstation and other games. (Daily Mirror)
www.bbc.co.uk

Sunday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester City have agreed personal terms with Arsenal defender Kolo Toure in a deal worth £15m, while the Eastlands club also expect to sign Chelsea captain John Terry and Everton defender Joleon Lescott by the end of August. (Sunday Times) 
City's deal for Terry is edging closer with a £35m fee likely for the England captain. (Mail on Sunday) 
However, such a move would actually seem unlikely with Terry ready to commit to a new £150,000-a-week deal which would mean he will end his career with Chelsea. (Sunday Express)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is planning a £7m bid for Chelsea forward Salomon Kalou, 23, whose contract at Stamford Bridge runs out at the end of the season. (News of the World)
And the Arsenal boss is planning to make a £15m move for Real Madrid striker - and Tottenham target - Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and a £10m bid for Wigan midfielder Lee Cattermole (Sunday Express)
Wenger is also leading the race to sign Brazilian 'wonderkid' Wellington, 17.(News of the World) 
LA Galaxy midfielder David Beckham will turn his back on a return to the Premier League and rejoin AC Milan on loan in December. (Sunday Mirror) 
West Ham will demand £15m for centre-back Matthew Upson, who is being chased by Tottenham, but if Manchester City fail to buy John Terry City boss Mark Hughes will make a move for Upson. (News of the World) 
Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch will complete a £10m move to Tottenham on Monday. (Sunday Mirror) 
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp will fly out to Amsterdam to thrash out personal terms with Real Madrid striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, 25, after agreeing an £18m deal with the Spanish side.(News of the World) 
Spurs also lead the chase for Leeds United midfielder Fabien Delph - the highly-rated 19-year-old would cost £6m. (Sunday Times)
Aston Villa look likely to land Totteham midfielder Jermaine Jenas, 26, and Villa boss Martin O'Neill will sell Nigel Reo-Coker and Craig Gardner to make room for the England international. (News of the World) 
Another player who could be leaving Spurs is Scottish right-back Alan Hutton, who is a £7m target for Everton. (News of the World) 
And yet more talk of an exit from White Hart Lane for Spurs striker Darren Bent with Sunderland making a club-record £15m bid for the 25-year-old. (News of the World) 
Stoke, Fulham and Hull are battling to sign West Ham's injury-plagued striker Dean Ashton for £5m. (Sunday Express)
Meanwhile, a move for West Ham midfielder Julien Faubert is being considered by Bayer Leverkusen.(News of the World) 
Hull boss Phil Brown wants to sign Newcastle defender Habib Beye, 31, for £2.5m.(News of the World) 
Porstmouth boss Paul Hart wants to bring Nottingham Forest defenders Wes Morgan and James Perch to Fratton Park. Hart has already had a £1.5m bid for Perch turned down. (News of the World) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has called Manchester City "stupid and arrogant" and a "small club with a small mentality". Ferguson also claimed City's £25m new signing Emmanuel Adebayor had been offered to United and Chelsea after he had agreed a deal to move to Eastlands. (Mail on Sunday) 
However, Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho has stirred the pot further by backing City to win the Premier League this season. "Adebayor up front with Carlos Tevez - unbelievable... City are Champions for sure," said Mourinho.(News of the World) 

AND FINALLY

Wives and girlfriends of players at LA Galaxy are holding a "bury the hatchet" barbeque in an attempt to end tension between David Beckham and the rest of the Galaxy squad.
The WAGS hope the good spirit will filter through to the fans who booed Beckham on his return to the Galaxy after a spell with AC Milan. (Sunday Express)
www.bbc.co.uk

Saturday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc says the club have not received any bids for striker Marouane Chamakh (on photo), despite reported interest from a number of Premier League clubs, including Arsenal. (Press Association)

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Liverpool will intensify their efforts to sign Valencia playmaker David Silva. (The Times) 
Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch will decide over the weekend whether to join Sunderland or Fulham after both clubs made a £12m bid for the England international.(Daily Star) 
Pompey may also allow full-back Sylvain Distin to leave the club, with Aston Villa poised to bid about £3m. (The Independent)
Manchester City's hopes of completing a deal for Emmanuel Adebayor are in the balance as the Arsenal striker is keen on a move to Chelsea.(The Times) 
Meanwhile, City are set to make an improved offer for Everton defender Joleon Lescott after having a £15m bid rejected. (The Times) 
Should Lescott leave Goodison Park, the Toffees would consider West Ham defender Matthew Upson as a replacement.(The Times) 
Hull are ready to offer Newcastle £3m over three years to sign midfielder Joey Barton.(The Sun) 
Sunderland have been told it will cost them £5m to sign Crystal Palace defender Nathaniel Clyne.(Daily Mirror) 
The Black Cats have also made an enquiry about Tottenham defender Alan Hutton. (The Times) 
And Spurs could sell another defender, Pascal Chimbonda, to Blackburn. (The Times) 
Reading are ready to lower their £5.5m asking price for winger Stephen Hunt after receiving no bids. (Daily Star) 
Manchester City striker Ched Evans will complete a £1.5m move switch to Sheffield United next week.(Daily Mirror) 
Aston Villa have made Leeds a 'take it or leave it' offer of £4m plus add-ons for midfielder Fabian Delph.(Daily Mirror) 
But Tottenham are ready to join the bidding for Delph. (Daily Express)
Meanwhile, Spurs have been given until the start of next week to agree a fee with Real Madrid for striker Klass-Jan Huntelaar. (Daily Express) 
Stoke midfielder Seyi Olifinjana is in talks to join French club Monaco. (Daily Star)
Wigan are hopeful of signing Espanyol centre-back Roman Golobart on a free transfer. (The Sun) 
The Latics are also pressing ahead with their move for Crystal Palace winger Victor Moses. (Daily Mail)
Portsmouth boss Paul Hart is giving a trial to Zimbabwe left-back Onismor Bhasera. (Daily Star) 
Wolves are optimistic they can beat Celtic and Wigan to the signature of Hamilton midfielder James McCarthy. (Daily Star)
But Tottenham have joined the race for Accies' in-demand teenager McCarthy with a £2.7m bid. (The Herald) 
Dundee United have offered Argentine striker Damian Casalinuovo a deal after the 22-year-old impressed on trial. (Various)
Bordeaux have called off their bid for Madjid Bougherra because the defender is happy at Rangers. (Daily Record) 
Former Celtic defender Bobo Balde is training with Wolves after failing to win a deal at Birmingham. (Daily Express)
Barnsley are close to tying up a deal for former Darlington keeper David Preece. (Daily Star) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Emmanuel Adebayor is locked in a row with Arsenal over a £2m loyalty bonus. The Manchester City-bound striker says he is owed the cash because he did not put in a transfer request.(Daily Mirror) 
Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti says there will be no 'untouchables' at the club, insisting there are no guaranteed places in his first team. (Daily Star) 
Former Liverpool midfielder Steve McMahon is confident his Profitable Group consortium will complete their takeover of Newcastle in the next few days.(Daily Star) 
New Southampton boss Alan Pardew will offer new deals to strikers Jason Euell and Stern John.(Daily Star) 

AND FINALLY

Manchester City have taunted rivals Manchester United by putting up a Carlos Tevez poster in the city centre declaring: Welcome to Manchester. City signed the Argentine striker from their neighbours this week. (Daily Mirror)
www.bbc.co.uk