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Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini is desperate to have Carlos Tevez back for the Premier League run home.Argentina forward Tevez sustained a hamstring problem in the recent 3-0 defeat to Liverpool and will not be available when City host West Ham on Sunday.

Mancini said there is also a doubt whether his captain will be back for the FA Cup Final against Stoke on May 14.

“On Tuesday Carlos started to run and of course we will do everything possible to help him recover,” Mancini said.

“It is difficult to say now if it is possible or not but it will be possible only if Carlos can play in our game against Tottenham the week before.”

Edin Dzeko finally broke his Premier League duck last weekend after having gone 10 league games without scoring.

The 27 million pound Bosnia forward scored the winner at Blackburn on Monday and Mancini backed him to star next season.

“I am very happy for Edin to score because he has not played many games and I know that is difficult for any striker,” Mancini said. “I am happy because I think he is a fantastic striker.”

“Next season he can do everything because he can score more goals. After pre-season he will be better.”

City could still finish in third place and have an FA Cup Final to look forward too – a stark contrast to the fortunes of Sunday’s opponents.

West Ham have spent the whole season drifting around the relegation plughole and have just four games left to make sure they do not fall down the drain and out of the Premier League.

“Our season will finish step by step and now we have West Ham to play,” Mancini said.

“We had a hard game against Blackburn last week and we played brilliantly in the first half. In the second half it was different because they started to play long ball and it was difficult for us.”

“Sunday will be a tough game. We are at home but it will be difficult because I saw West Ham play Chelsea and they were on top for an hour. That shows how well we will have to play on Sunday.

Manchester City will be without defenders Jerome Boateng (knee) and Micah Richards (hamstring).

Sunderland defender Anton Ferdinand is adamant that the club’s players are behind captain Lee Cattermole, even though the former Middlesbrough and Wigan Athletic star has been sent off twice already this season.

Former West Ham United star Ferdinand was handed the captain’s armband when Cattermole was dismissed in the 22nd minute of last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Wigan Athletic.

Cattermole is banned for this weekend’s game against Arsenal, with Ferdinand saying:“When it happened, you could see in his face how gutted he was. I spoke to him before he went off and just told him to keep his head up.

“Catts is a fantastic player and everyone can see what he brings to the team – his competitiveness and enthusiasm are why the manager made him captain.

“Sometimes he lets it boil over, but he wouldn’t be the same player if you tried to take his competitive edge away from him. He deserves to be captain. He’s only young and he has a lot of time to learn. For me, he’s still the right choice.

“I picked up the armband when Catts went off at Wigan because I was the nearest. Every time I’ve captained this football club I’ve enjoyed it but, in my eyes, Lee is the right man for the job.

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“But in the meantime, over the next two games against Arsenal and my old club West Ham, I’d be very, very proud to captain the side.”

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Transfer speculation will be going into overdrive as the transfer window opens in January. What areas of the squad should Sir Alex Ferguson be looking before the window slams shut?

We currently find ourselves in a precarious position with the number of injuries we have, especially in the midfield area, so it is to be expected that the press will link us with a number of players.

Sir Alex Ferguson has already stated that he won’t be rushed into signing anyone and there is no panic but coach Rene Meulensteen has let slip a player that United could seek to sign if he becomes available.

Christian Eriksen has created a bit of a buzz starring for Ajax and Denmark and his performance against England earlier this year raised his stock further.

Meulensteen has confirmed to Voetbal International he is a player that interests Man United,

“This is a player that is on our radar.

“But that is to be expected. If people weren’t looking, no-one would ever have an opinion on these players.

“It is true that a player like Eriksen would fit our transfer policy. He is being strongly linked with us, but to suggest that we are about to make a move is not true.”

I can’t help but be excited by the prospect of Eriksen joining the club. Having seen him play on a number of occasions this season, it’s clear that he has come on in leaps and bounds. He’s starting to look like the real deal and could be a real asset for Manchester United .

If the price is right, I hope that United can take a step forward and make a genuine bid for the 19-year-old. He may be young, but he has a big future.

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But what’s your take? Should United go after Eriksen? How much would it take to ply him from Ajax’s grip?

Written by Chudi from TheBusbyWay

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Roma coach Vincenzo Montella is refusing to be distracted by off-field matters ahead of his side’s Coppa Italia semi-final with Inter Milan.Roma became the first Italian club to be owned by foreigners on Saturday, when a consortium led American businessman Thomas Di Benedetto acquired a 67 percent share of the club for 70.3 million euros.

After losing 2-1 to Palermo on Saturday – the side’s second successive loss at home – Roma are hanging on to a Europa League spot by just a single point from Juventus, and Montella believes the furore surrounding the takeover had weighed on his players’ minds.

Having all but conceded the team’s chances of qualifying for the Champions League, Montella is targeting a strong showing in Tuesday’s Coppa Italia semi-final first-leg with Inter.

“The Coppa Italia, both for Roma and Inter, is almost the last realisable objective available to us this season,” Montella said.

“Tomorrow evening two wounded teams will face each other and for this season they will need big motivation. The team that has the greater personality and temperament will win.”

“The difference will be made by personality, not by individual acts.”

Montella, in charge in an interim capacity since replacing Claudio Ranieri in February, said he was looking forward to locking horns with Inter coach Leonardo on Tuesday in Roma’s last chance for silverware this season.

“I hold him in great esteem, he is a really smart guy and he’s doing a great job at Inter Milan, if we consider what he did at AC Milan last season too, so I’m happy to meet him tomorrow,” Montella said.

Montella said he was unfazed by criticism of Roma’s recent poor results and said he would stick by his coaching philosophies.

“Mine is a simple and clear idea and I think I’ve already explained that before: I’m doing and I’ll do everything I believe is right to improve the players’ performances,” he said.

“If I act like this it’s because I believe it right. I hear what the people and the supporters say too, so if I wanted the people and media on my side it would be very easy for me.”

“My main task here, since I’ve arrived and up to the end of the season, is to make them give their best, considering their characteristics and how they behave.”

As fans embark upon the new Premier League season, Arsene Wenger’s description of Stoke’s “rugby tactics” offers a frank similarity to the last campaign -cast your mind back to November 2008 and you may recall almost identical remarks regarding the physicality of the same opposition.

Wenger said: “I saw some footage last Sunday; you cannot say any more it is football, it is rugby on the goalkeepers [rather] than football” on the eve of his sides game against Blackburn who play in a similar way.

And whilst, many may scorn at Wenger’s comments, concluding that they stem from a fear of Arsenal’s soft under belly being exposed once more, perhaps Wenger is justified in his criticism and Stoke will be found out this season.

Last term Stoke created fewer shooting opportunities than any other side in the league last season, averaged less possession per game than anyone else (39.6%) and although the Britannia remains a tough place to go, I feel teams have wised up to their robust approach. Combine those stats with a dependence on set-pieces and long throws and you have yourself a dismal style of play.

Wenger continued to say “When a team plays long ball and head the ball and become physical, I accept that completely and I respect that – but it has to be in respect of the rules,”

They will face another stern test against Blackburn tomorrow managed by a man at the opposite of the footballing spectrum to the Frenchman and Big Sam will look to emulate the physical style in which he orchestrated a 2-1 victory against the Gunners’ last season.

One thing is certain, Arsenal have to toughen up and show the mental fortitude Tottenham did when they visited Stoke-on-Trent last weekend if they are to overcome sides of a similar description.

Whilst I agree with some of Wenger’s comments, maybe he should be taking note of how Blackburn and Stoke “win ugly” instead of criticising them, for is it not this that has reigned Arsenal back in a bid to secure a trophy for the first time since 2005.

Former midfielder Emmanuel Petit added to this notion when describing a victory over Derby during his time at Arsenal saying:

“It was a tough match and Derby gave everything. But we won. That was the crucial thing. Now this Arsenal team must learn to do the same thing. Win ugly, if you like”.

It is sure to be an interesting affair at Ewood Park and if Arsenal can record victory, they may be able to dispel doubts about the soft side which detracts away from their beautiful footballing philosophy.

Follow me on twitter at http://twitter.com/hyndsbcfc

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Click on image below to see the gallery of Mario Balotelli’s stunning girlfriend

Chelsea have confirmed that John Terry will be fit and able to play against Tottenham at White Hart Lane on Thursday after picking up an injury in training.

The Blues’ skipper was rumoured to have injured his Achilles blocking a shot in team training on Monday, and sat the remainder of the session out after being helped from the field.

Fears that the England international would be sidelined for the game against Tottenham have been mooted however, as the Stamford Bridge outfit have stated that it was only a minor knock and that he will be available for selection.

Meanwhile midfielder Jon Obi Mikel has stated that Chelsea must learn from the mistakes they made against Wigan on Saturday, as a late Jordi Gomez goal resulted in a 1-1 draw at the DW Stadium.

“The goal was a lucky goal but it was a mistake from us, but this is what we need to learn from,” he told the club’s official website.

“We knew what we were coming into, it was going to be hard it was going to be difficult and they certainly made it difficult.

“We started the game well and then problems just kept on mounting, we found it hard to get hold and control the game.

“They played very smartly, pushing everyone forward and made it difficult. We just have to keep on going,” he concluded.

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By Gareth McKnight

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Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini took responsibility for his team’s inept performance in their 3-0 defeat away to Liverpool.City were undone by Andy Carroll’s first goals for Liverpool and a Dirk Kuyt strike, all in the first 35 minutes of Monday’s match at Anfield.

The result leaves City fourth in the English Premier League table, just three points clear of Tottenham Hotspur and in danger of slipping out of the all-important Champions League qualification places.

“Tonight I made a mistake, it was my fault,” Mancini said. “I’m very sorry for the fans and I’m very sorry for this game.”

“I think Liverpool played fantastic in the first 20 minutes. We left a lot of space for them and they were very aggressive while we played very soft.”

“I made three changes to bring in three fresh players but our focus was not good. After 20 minutes we started to play but it was too late.”

“We probably thought that if we played this game less than 100 percent we could still get a win. But football is not like that.”

“I have learned something about myself. I have a lot of experience so it was my mistake not the players.”

Despite the reverse, Mancini insists that City will finish fourth or higher and also believes his team will overcome cross-city rivals Manchester United in Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final.

“I am sure we will get in the Champions League and we will get to the final (of the FA Cup),” he said.

“If we won this game then for the fourth position, third position, (we would have been) ok.”

“Now I think we should fight until the end.”

“For us it was very important to win this game. But now it’s finished it’s important we forget this.”

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish was delighted to see striker Andy Carroll get off the mark following his transfer from Newcastle in January.

“The first goal was a great strike and the second goal, great ball in and a flick on and it ends up in the back of the net,” Dalglish said.

“So that won’t do him any harm to get his first two goals at Anfield. Still waiting for one at the Kop off him, so maybe we’ll get that at the next home game.”

“I think it is a gratifying performance for everybody.”

“I thought they (the Liverpool players) thoroughly deserved their victory, I don’t think it flattered them in anyway.”

West Ham United manager Avram Grant has ruled out allowing England striker Carlton Cole to leave the club this summer.

The 26-year-old has been heavily linked with Stoke City, but Grant has no interest in letting one of his key players move on, especially having decided to adopt a 4-3-3 formation this season.

He commented:"I don't want to sell Carlton. He is working very hard, his attitude is good and he is a good player.

"I think the new system has helped him. We also have a team that know how to play football, so they can give him the pass at the right time.

"If you look at all the goals we have scored this summer, all the goals came from combinations between many players in the team. Of course it is good for him."

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Cole netted ten goals for the Hammers last season, despite being sidelined for almost two months by injury.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish’s gripe at the FA appealing over Wayne Rooney’s three match ban for Euro 2012 may seem like an unnecessary dig at the United striker.

Looking closely though Dalglish actually does make a valid point regarding the FA and their penchant for taking the moral high ground when it suits them and not when it doesn’t. Wayne Rooney has been one of the biggest victims of the FAs double standards in recent years and a prime example of how the Chelsea and City fans at Lancaster Gate play by their own set of rules.

Last season we saw Rooney banned for two games for swearing during United’s win at Upton Park, yet he faced no censure for a similar tirade whilst playing for England during the World Cup.

Dalglish stated, following the FAs successful appeal of Rooney’s three match Euro ban:

‘I find it a bit strange the FA are supposed to be setting an example for things yet they appeal against Wayne Rooney’s three-match ban.

‘I don’t think that’s a good example to set.

To be fair to Dalglish and it pains me to agree with the Liverpool boss, I think he’s bang on the money – at least on this occasion.

The FA dish out bans left right and centre whenever they see fit, with an appeal just as likely to incur an increase as it is a shortening of the games a player will miss. Yet becuase they know England need Rooney, they’re more than willing to appeal his ban, despite discouraging clubs from doing the same.

Dalglish also commented on the Luis Suarez racism charge:

‘The fact it has taken nine weeks to get a decision on one of the other charges is a bit of a joke as well,’ added Dalglish.

‘I don’t think that has helped as well. The circus which is around about him has been caused mainly by that.

‘That will be done sooner rather than later and we will move forward.’

Amazingly I find myself agreeing with the Liverpool boss again- although arguably for different reasons.

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Why the FA need so long to gather evidence and hold a hearing for Suarez is beyond me, but again it seems English football governing body make up the rules and the times it takes to enforce them as they go along.

I’ve never fully trusted the FA, I feel there’s far too much partisanship and politics involved in an organisation that’s supposed to be totally objective. Although Dalglish and I may have differing reasons for not being fond of the way the FA have dealt with certain issues, we do agree on their faults.

Article courtesy of Justin from Red Flag Flying High

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Real Madrid midfielder Sergio Canales says he is desperate to be part of Spain’s squad for the UEFA Under-21 European Championships.The 20-year-old moved to the Bernabeu from Racing Santander last year and has made seven appearances for the La Liga giants thus far.

Canales believes his game is progressing well under the tutelage of Jose Mourinho, and said he would love to be involved with the Spanish squad for the Under-21 European Championships, which take place in Denmark in June.

“I think that it isn’t just Mourinho – my team-mates, the staff and all of Madrid are helping me,” Canales said.

“It hasn’t been an easy year, but I am learning a lot and playing, even though for not much time.”

“I would love to go (to Denmark).”

“It is a great chance to go with my friends and play in an Under-21’s Euro Championship.”

“I know that if you don’t start then it is hard to get into the squad, but those who are there will do a great job. I hope to try and get in, but if I can’t then I send my support.”