Archive for the ‘Premier League’ Category

Newcastle midfielder Kevin Nolan has already switched his focus to winning the Championship title after securing promotion on Monday.

Having already been told they had returned to the Premier League before the match, the Magpies came from a goal behind to beat Sheffield United 2-1 at home with Nolan grabbing the winner.

Although he expressed his delight at gaining promotion, the 27-year-old stated that his side now want to ensure they finish the season on top of the league.

“To win the game after going 1-0 down – it was a bit of an anti-climax (after) us actually being up before the game,” he told Sky Sports 1.

“But you just have to look at this, what it means to these (fans) and what it means to the lads.

“We’ve gone through a tough ten months but we’re not finished yet, we’ve got five games left and we’re going to give it our all until the end of the season.

Main goal

“Not only do we want promotion, we want to go and win it (the title) now and that’s the main thing for us now.”

Nolan also paid tribute to the Newcastle fans for maintaining their strong attendances despite being down in the second tier.

He added: “Tonight, they way they’ve turned out and they’ve turned up all season – we can’t thank them enough.”

Goalkeeper Steve Harper also relished the Magpies’ promotion and echoed his team-mate’s sentiments about title glory.

Harper added: “A lot of questions were asked about everybody at this football club back in the summer and as a group of players and staff we’ve got together and achieved what we set out at the start of the season.

“We’ve got to go on and try and win the league but to get promoted with six games still to go is a massive achievement.”

Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill has confirmed the club are to offer James Milner a new deal in the summer.

Milner signed a four-year deal when he joined Villa from Newcastle in the summer of 2008.

The former Leeds ace has enjoyed a fantastic season for Villa this season after being moved into a central midfield role and he is expected to be part of Fabio Capello’s England World Cup squad.

Villa are now ready to tie down Milner to a new long-term bumper deal to ward off potential suitors.

“I said to James couple of months ago that we would sit down in the summer about a new contract, regardless of whether he plays for England or not (at the World Cup),” said O’Neill.

Chelsea marched back to the top of the Premier League table with an emphatic 3-0 defeat of on-form Birmingham at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

A Frank Lampard double helped Carlo Ancelotti’s side end Birmingham’s 15-match unbeaten run on a night when Arsenal were held to a goalless draw at Aston Villa.

Chelsea were in control from the start, with Florent Malouda heading in a Joe Cole cross to secure a fifth minute lead.

Ricardo Carvalho then headed against the woodwork before Frank Lampard doubled the lead with a drive from 20 yards just after the half hour mark.

Birmingham could have ensured a tense finale if James McFadden had not squandered a great chance to put them back in the game.

As it was, Lampard claimed his second right at the death to ensure Chelsea moved back to the top with the bonus of a significant boost to their goal difference.

Ancelotti’s men are now a point ahead of Manchester United with the advantage of having played a game less than the champions.

Arsenal, who entertain United at The Emirates on Sunday, are two points adrift of Sir Alex Ferguson’s side while Villa remain in seventh place, four points off Tottenham, the side currently occupying the fourth and final qualifying place for next season’s Champions League.

Ancelotti paid fulsome tribute to Lampard’s contribution. “I think he’s the best running midfielder in the world,” he said. “He has this fantastic quality to time his run into the box.”

The Italian added: “It’s good we are back at the top. We have one more point with a game in hand on United and two points more than Arsenal.

“That’s important because on Sunday United play Arsenal. Maybe we can improve our position on Saturday.”

Arsenal came closest to breaking the deadlock, twice hitting the woodwork in an entertaining contest at Villa Park.

Cesc Fabregas rattled a shot against the post in first-half stoppage time and Tomas Rosicky struck the underside of the bar after the interval after Brad Friedel had kept out Andrey Arshavin’s shot.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admitted Villa had done a good job of nullifying his side’s passing game.

“Villa know how not to let us play and they did that very well tonight,” the Frenchman said.

Blackburn moved closer to mid-table safety after a 2-1 win over Lancashire neighbours Wigan, who were left just two points clear of the relegation zone.

Morten Gamst Pedersen fired Blackburn into a 20th-minute lead with a fine half-volley that was cancelled out just before the hour mark by Scotland defender Gary Caldwell’s header.

Blackburn always looked marginally the better side however and they were rewarded with 14 minutes left when Nikola Kalinic headed home from a Pedersen corner.

In Wednesday’s other match, Everton continued their recent improvement with a 2-0 win over a Sunderland side moving in the opposite direction.

Everton needed only seven minutes to claim the lead against opponents who have been leaking goals of late and have now won only once in their last 13 league matches.

Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini directed a cross to the near post and Tim Cahill met it with a deft header that found the far corner of Craig Gordon’s net.

Cahill then turned provider for Everton’s second, heading Leighton Baines’s long ball into the path of Landon Donovan, who beat Craig Gordon from the edge of the area for his first goal since joining on loan from Los Angeles Galaxy earlier this month.

Wayne Rooney’s representatives have been hearing offers from big clubs for the striker in an attempt to encourage Manchester United to improve his contract.

Though negotiations for a new deal have not yet formally begun between the player and club, there is already pressure to ensure Rooney, 24, has a salary to match or surpass the top earner at the club, Rio Ferdinand. 

Rooney, whose current deal expires in 2012, pockets around £100,000 a week – which is less than what Ferdinand gets per week and the deal handed to Cristiano Ronaldo in his last season at Old Trafford. 

“New contract negotiations with Manchester United will begin very soon, but Wayne should be one of the highest earners in world football never mind Man United,” a source close to Rooney revealed to Goal.com UK.

Speculation surrounding a lucrative Barcelona switch has intensified in recent days and Cristiano Ronaldo has endorsed his former team-mate’s ability to potentially succeed in La Liga with him at Real Madrid.

The interest is likely to increase unless United take action soon. “We’ve had some very encouraging offers from some very big clubs and we have not discouraged any to be perfectly honest with you,” admitted the source.

“We have been encouraged to hear what they have to say and we have been offered ridiculous amounts of money and all sorts of packages for Wayne’s services.”

Steven Gerrard was Liverpool’s saviour yet again as the Premier League side came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw away to Championship strugglers Reading in the FA Cup third round here on Saturday.

Liverpool, already out of this season’s Champions League and 12 points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea, know the FA Cup represents their last realistic chance of winning a trophy this term.

But they found themselves behind at the Madejski Stadium when Simon Church scored from just a yard out in the 24th minute following good work at the far post by Grzegorz Rasiak.

England midfielder Gerrard, however, equalised 12 minutes later when his 25 yard curling shot beat Adam Federici, although the Australian goalkeeper’s view appeared to be obscured by the run across the six yard box of Liverpool’s Dutch striker Dirk Kuyt.

Reading though continued to attack although Liverpool’s Fernando Torres had a chance to win the game deep into stoppage time only for the Spain striker to head over the crossbar and leave the club facing a replay at Anfield.

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney believes he will beat his best ever goal tally for a single season after inspiring Sir Alex Ferguson’s side to a comprehensive 5-0 demolition of Wigan.

Roberto Martinez’s Wigan held United at bay in the opening stages at Old Trafford on Wednesday before Rooney took over and United cruised home to close the gap on Premier League leaders Chelsea to just two points.

Rooney broke the deadlock for the home side with a fine finish – his 15th of the season – and the England star believes he can overhaul his 2006-07 season total when he netted 23 times for United.

“I hope so. If I don’t score eight goals between now and the end of the season, something is seriously wrong,” Rooney said.

“We went into the game knowing that we were seven goals behind Chelsea and we wanted to close the gap. So scoring five goals has taken us a lot closer and we are pleased with that.

“Five goals against any team is quite rare nowadays, so we have to be pleased.”

United, led by Rooney, were simply too good for the visitors and they went into the break 3-0 up after Wigan had initially frustrated them with some desperate defending.

However, once Rooney’s opener was followed by a goal from Michael Carrick four minutes later, it became clear there would only be one winner.

It was just a question of when Wigan would concede rather than if and a further first-half goal from Rafael Da Silva ensured humiliation was on the cards for the visitors.

So it proved after the break when Dimitar Berbatov and former Wigan player Antonio Valencia also netted, much to boss Sir Alex Ferguson’s delight.

The Scot was full of praise for Rooney, who was easily the best player on the pitch, harrying and probing the Wigan defence and constantly driving United forward.

Ferguson said: “I would agree the first 45 minutes was probably our best of the season, the movement from us was terrific, we created a lot of chances.

“We had one cleared off the line, Wayne hit a post, it was just marvellous stuff. Sunday against Hull City and, again, here Wayne was absolutely fantastic.

“The energy he shows, his desire to win, is marvellous. But this particular time the whole team played well.

“I think the second half of the season has always been the period when experience is going to be important and we have got that.

“We’ve got the squad, got the energy to do it. Let’s hope we can.”

Wigan manager Martinez was understandably more subdued than his counterpart and branded his side’s performance as unacceptable.

Wigan lost 5-0 to United back in August and Martinez had claimed that his side would perform at a higher level in their away encounter against the Premier League champions but his words backfired on him.

“You come to places like Old Trafford, it is not good enough to be good,” he said.

“You have to be perfect in what you’re doing. You need to be very, very solid and you need to earn the right to be on the ball and express yourself.

“We did things the other way round. They were playing like individuals, we never looked like a team, and when you do that you get heavily punished.

“Too many times it has happened this season and it’s unacceptable. We have to correct it.

“When you have got a selfish performance like we had, it’s totally unacceptable. We have bounced back before and will carry on doing it.”

The Reds were frustrated by Mick McCarthy’s team until referee Andre Marriner sent Stephen Ward off just after the interval.

Gerrard soon scored his first goal in almost two months — his fifth of the campaign — to put Liverpool ahead.

And Benayoun was also on the scoresheet to give the scoreline a decisive feel that Liverpool, who had won only four of their previous 17 games, did not deserve on their performance in the first hour.

Whether this is the start of a revival will be put to the test when they travel to Aston Villa on Tuesday.

With Alberto Aquilani making his first Premier League start five months after joining in a 20-million-pound deal from Roma, Liverpool totally dominated the opening quarter of the match.

Fabio Aurelio’s floated free kick was held by Wolves’ goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann with just a minute on the clock.

And Aquilani showed he will not be intimidated by the physical nature of the Premier League by flying into a challenge with Karl Henry, setting up the chance for Gerrard’s bobbling shot to force a save from Hahnemann.

As Liverpool continued to control the game, Emiliano Insua sent Fernando Torres wide on the left but the Spaniard cut in to hit a powerful drive at the near post that was pushed away by Hahnemann.

Wolves had barely threatened but they more than made up for that as the half wore on.

Serbian midfielder Nenad Milijas only managed a wild effort that flew into the stand.

But after Matthew Jarvis tore past Glen Johnson down Wolves’ left flank, he sent over a cross that saw Sylvan Ebanks-Blake force a low save from Pepe Reina with a shot on the turn.

Milijas hit a free kick that was just pushed over by Reina as the visitors continued to battle.

The resulting corner from Milijas picked out Ebanks-Blake at the front post but the unmarked striker failed to hit the target from five yards.

There was more concern for the hosts when Kevin Doyle lobbed over his head and Milijas dragged another shot wide from just outside the area.

And as Liverpool attempted a response at the other end, Gerrard worked some space and pulled back for Torres, who sliced wide.

The Anfield crowd were growing more and more frustrated and Lucas drove over from 25 yards.

Liverpool’s irritation continued after the break, with Aurelio’s free kick from the right flying over the Reds’ attackers and straight to Hahnemann.

Five minutes into the second period, a calm passing move saw Insua feed Gerrard, whose dipping shot was heading for the corner before it was turned wide by Hahnemann.

Liverpool were handed a numerical advantage when Ward was sent off — despite referee Marriner initially showing a card to the wrong player.

Ward had already been booked for tugging at Yossi Benayoun moments before he tripped Lucas. Marriner mistakenly showed Christophe Berra the yellow card before consulting with his linesman and sending Ward off.

That proved to be the turning point and, just after the hour, Liverpool finally managed to take the lead.

Argentinian left back Insua burst clear down the left and floated a cross over that Gerrard reached first to head into the corner of Hahnemann’s net.

With 20 minutes remaining, Aurelio’s cross from the left beat everyone in the area and Benayoun’s shot deflected off George Elokobi to double Liverpool’s lead.

Liverpool were able to play out the rest of the game in comfort but they will have to improve considerably on this performance when they travel to Villa.

McCarthy’s opener for Blackburn should have come after five minutes, when Junior Hoilett found him with a diagonal ball into the penalty box.

It was not clear if the South Africa striker was trying to shoot or cross but his effort finished wide of the far post after taking a deflection off Titus Bramble.

Five minutes later Blackburn defender Chris Samba’s header from Bramble’s hopeful punt beat his own goalkeeper Paul Robinson but the England international managed to scramble back and claw the ball off the goalline.

Blackburn went ahead after half an hour following a foul by Rodallega on former Spain defender Michel Salgado.

Keith Andrews punted the resulting free-kick into the box and, after Ryan Nelsen had headed across the area, McCarthy was on hand to finish from close range.

Paul Scharner could have equalised almost immediately but knocked Charles N’Zogbia’s inviting cross from the right wide of the target and only a superb save from Robinson prevented Jason Scotland from levelling things up in first-half stoppage time.

Steven N’Zonzi might have doubled Blackburn’s lead after a cute back-heel from McCarthy soon after the restart, but shot wide from 12 yards.

And Wigan made Blackburn pay for that miss when Rodallega met N’Zogbia’s cross with a textbook header past Robinson, eight minutes into the second period.

Colombia striker Rodallega could have sealed all three points for the home side when he headed Maynor Figueroa’s cross straight at Robinson.

But Blackburn also had their chances to claim victory with only a fine stop from Wigan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland preventing McCarthy from scoring a second with an overhead kick seven minutes from the end.

Fulham manager Roy Hodgson believes Bobby Zamora’s dazzling goal-scoring form has been instrumental in the Cottagers’ push into the top half of the English Premier League as well as into Europe.

The 28-year-old striker scored his 10th goal of the season in Saturday’s 3-0 shock win over Manchester United, justifying his decision to turn down a move to Hull in the summer.

His form has also left Hodgson unconcerned about his failed nine-million-pound bid to buy England striker Peter Crouch from Portsmouth before the season got underway.

“Crouch had the chance to join Fulham or Tottenham and he chose them. That meant we were able to keep Bobby. With Bobby playing well it’s not something we’ve missed,” said Hodgson.

“When Bobby was on his way to Hull, as was being mooted at the time, it would have been much more problematic for us. Peter made his decision and we’re pleased he’s doing well but we’ve survived with the players we have.”

Zamora will lead the Fulham attack against Tottenham on Saturday and at league leaders Chelsea on Monday.

Fulham will renew their Europa League campaign in February against Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk.

Arsene Wenger has claimed that Arsenal’s last four trophy-less seasons have given him more satisfaction than any other spell in his long career with the Premier League team.

Wenger’s side have failed to win major silverware since lifting the FA Cup in 2005, but the Gunners boss, who arrived in north London 1996, believes the progress made by the club on and off the pitch makes it the most rewarding time.

The Frenchman has overseen Arsenal’s move to the Emirates Stadium, the construction of a new training ground and the development of a hugely successful youth academy.

“For me the best period at the club is the last four years but unfortunately it is also the period where we have not won trophies,” Wenger said.

“But people forget we have been reasonably consistent and it has been the most difficult period, but as well for me, the period where I worked the best.

“Moving into a new stadium, with less resources, people should respect the fact we have still made some money in every single year without the team dropping a level and maintaining a successful period in the Champions League and reasonably in the league. I think it was quite difficult.

“The last four years have been the most challenging. It’s not linked with the fact we have won no trophies. I think it is moving into the new stadium and keeping the team at the top.”

Wenger, reflecting on his 13-year reign in a webchat with arsenal.com, admits there have been positive and negative changes to the Premier League since his arrival from Japan’s Grampus Eight.

He is happy to be part of a league with such a renowned global brand, but feels the vast sums of money spent by top clubs have made the game too serious.

“It has become a worldwide product and when I travel nowadays I see how popular this league has become and we shouldn’t take it for granted in England,” he said.

“Firstly it’s a worldwide product, secondly the ownership has changed completely, the structure of the game has changed. And don’t forget, for example, referees have become completely professional.

“The league has become much more professional, the pressure has become much bigger, financial input has become much bigger which means the quality of the games has become much better.

“All that has changed. In some ways for good, and some ways a bit more negatively because it’s less relaxed. Everybody is a bit more tense.

“I felt 13 years ago a defeat was less dramatic than it is now, it’s much more dramatic and tense.

“It is because of money and it is all about the Champions League now, being in the top four. A few years ago it was a bit more open and as soon as you are a bit out from what is expected of you now, it is a crisis.”