Lens have made a €10 million bid for Portsmouth’s Younes Kaboul, although have had their move for the defender rejected.

 Sunderland are also in the hunt for the Frenchman and would be prepared to offer £7 million plus centre half Anton Ferdinand, or a straight cash deal of £9 million.

ESPN Soccernet revealed last week that Pompey have slapped a £14 million price tag on the head of Kaboul who is pushing for a World Cup place but, so far, the club have kept their nerve and their vow not to sell their star players (the few that are left) on the cheap.

Kaboul is clearly the man to bring in the short term cash boost to help the club over their current financial crisis and there are a number of big Premier League hitters taking a look at Kaboul, including Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal.

Lens, though, are leading the chase for Kaboul, but with the January transfer window still with plenty of time to run, Pompey would expect to get closer to their £14 million valuation.

A Pompey insider told ESPN Soccernet: “When you think about it, where are the next generation of centre halves, who is going to take over from the likes of John Terry and Rio Ferdinand? Kaboul has the quality, he is pushing for the French World Cup squad, and his value will soar in the summer.”

However, Pompey might not be able to wait until the summer to attract an offer that reflects their valuation, so a comprise is likely to be sorted out before the close of the January window.

Birmingham City have finally concluded their lengthy pursuit of Sporting Gijon midfielder Michel after announcing that the Spaniard has joined the club for a fee of £3 million.

Michel has been a target for Birmingham manager Alex mcelish for over 12 months and, having signed a two-and-a-half-year deal, he becomes the first signing of what is expected to be a busy transfer window for the Premier League club.

“Michel is in a great age group and has got good legs and a lovely touch on the ball, as you would imagine from a Spanish player performing at La Liga level,” McLeish told the club’s official website.

Birmingham have also failed with a bid for Liverpool forward Ryan Babel and have in the region of £40 million to spend in January.

Michel is the first acquisition of the window though and he is making his first move abroad having emerged from the Sporting youth system.

The 24-year-old made 138 appearances for the Spanish side, scoring seven goals, and will now aim to break into a midfield that has taken on a very settled look in recent weeks.

The quartet of Sebastian Larsson, Barry Ferguson, Lee Bowyer and James McFadden have played an important role in Birmingham’s stunning run of 13 games unbeaten in all competitions. Blues are currently eighth in the Premier League.

 

 

It may be impossible to focus minds on football after the horrors that descended upon the Togo national team on Friday, but that is the agenda Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba is doing his best to promote as the African Cup of Nations kicks contentiously into gear.

Togo coach Hubert Velud has been among those suggesting football authorities should call-off the continent’s showpiece tournament following the machine gun attack that led to the inevitable withdrawal of Emmanuel Adebayor’s Togo on Sunday, yet Chelsea striker Drogba believes the moment has come for Africa’s football family to unite.

 

The sporting battles scheduled for Angola will need to be an electrifying spectacle if they are to lift the dark cloud currently hovering over the event, with news that the death toll in the terror attack had risen to three heightening the sense of shock that has descended on the sporting public.

 

However, Drogba is urging the African football community to put on a show to remember in the African Cup of Nations and with the World Cup finals a matter of months away, he believes his Ivory Coast side are capable of putting the continent on the sporting map like never before.

 

“People have an opinion of Africa and it is not so good, but we have to let sport unite us all,” says Drogba. “They see us as being behind the rest of the world in financial and in sporting terms, but this year give us a chance to show people a different Africa.

 

“Africa has some problems, we all know that, but we all have a chance to make 2010 the special year that puts this continent on the sporting map forever. We have this Africa Cup of Nations and then there is the big prize of the World Cup.

 

“All of us in the Ivory Coast squad believe we can create history and becomes the first African team to win the World Cup. There is no outstanding favourite for the tournament and we also have the massive advantage of playing in Africa this time. In the past, it’s always been a story of so close for African teams, but now we have players who are proven at the top level of the game and they have the experience to compliment their talent. The Ivory Coast are ready to be winners at last.

 

“Just imagine what it would mean to the people in our country and to the whole of Africa if we won the World Cup. It would be one of the greatest sporting moments of them all and we can be the heroes who make it happen. This is our chance of a lifetime.

 

“First we have to prove we are the best in the African Cup of Nations and as this will be the last time I play in this competition, I have to avoid the pain of not winning it once in my career. I will sweat from every pour to make it happen.”

 

Drogba’s confidence in his Ivory Coast side is backed up by their tag as favourites, with fellow Chelsea star Salomon Kalou, Arsenal’s Emmanuel Eboue and the Toure brothers of Kolo (Manchester City) and Yaya (Barcelona) giving them with a powerful depth of talent.

 

Yet the facts don’t support Drogba’s boasts that they are the dominant African force as the last two editions of the Nations Cup have seen the Ivorians fail to live up to their billing, with their semi-final defeat against Egypt two years back exposing their tendency to freeze at the big moment.

 

Some 18 years have passed since the team known as the Elephants triumphed in the African championships and their challenge this time has not been made any easier by a group draw that sees Drogba preparing for a meeting with second favourites Ghana, who will be led by his Chelsea pal Michael Essien.

“The draw has not made it easy for us in this competition or the World Cup,” reflects Drogba, who has been spared a meeting with Adebayor following Togo’s withdrawal. “Ghana will be tough opponents in the group stages in the Nations Cup and then you look at the teams we have been put next to in South Africa summer. Getting Brazil and Portugal in our World Cup group means there will be no room to start slowly, but I see this as a positive.

 

“Our team has been in development for a long time and now the Ivory Coast needs to prove we are ready. We are all proud to represent a nation where the people do not have the good fortune all of us in the team have enjoyed in our lives and it is important that we help to make our people happy.

 

“I know some Chelsea fans who don’t understand why we go away in January every couple of years, but we cannot let our country down. It’s not perfect to leave in the middle of the Premier League season, but the organisers insist it is like this.”

 

Drogba’s positive words cannot disguise the damage the attack on the Togo team bus has done to the image of African football, with question marks over the continent’s ability to stage this summer’s World Cup bound to be raised in the coming months.

 

South Africa will be better equipped to stage a major event when compared to the troubled outpost of Angola, but there are still grave concerns over the safety of spectators preparing to visit crime hotspots such as Johannesburg this summer.

 

After numerous reporters covering the Confederations Cup in South Africa last summer were victims of muggings and car-jackings, many came to the conclusion that the World Cup will provide a jamboree for the criminals who recklessly tarnish the country’s beautiful landscape.

 

While security is bound to be tightened around all the competing teams after the events in Angola this week, the spectators dreaming of a holiday of a lifetime at South Africa 2010 need to act with common sense to ensure their holiday of a lifetime does not turn into a nightmare this June.

 

It would be a tragedy if the biggest stories of the World Cup finals took place away from the football pitches of South Africa, though the events of the last few days have reminded us all that bringing the game’s ultimate competition to a continent still in its development phase can only be viewed as a gamble for all concerned. 

Togo coach Hubert Velud has been among those suggesting football authorities should call-off the continent’s showpiece tournament following the machine gun attack that led to the inevitable withdrawal of Emmanuel Adebayor’s Togo on Sunday, yet Chelsea striker Drogba believes the moment has come for Africa’s football family to unite.

 

The sporting battles scheduled for Angola will need to be an electrifying spectacle if they are to lift the dark cloud currently hovering over the event, with news that the death toll in the terror attack had risen to three heightening the sense of shock that has descended on the sporting public.

 

However, Drogba is urging the African football community to put on a show to remember in the African Cup of Nations and with the World Cup finals a matter of months away, he believes his Ivory Coast side are capable of putting the continent on the sporting map like never before.

 

“People have an opinion of Africa and it is not so good, but we have to let sport unite us all,” says Drogba. “They see us as being behind the rest of the world in financial and in sporting terms, but this year give us a chance to show people a different Africa.

 

“Africa has some problems, we all know that, but we all have a chance to make 2010 the special year that puts this continent on the sporting map forever. We have this Africa Cup of Nations and then there is the big prize of the World Cup.

 

“All of us in the Ivory Coast squad believe we can create history and becomes the first African team to win the World Cup. There is no outstanding favourite for the tournament and we also have the massive advantage of playing in Africa this time. In the past, it’s always been a story of so close for African teams, but now we have players who are proven at the top level of the game and they have the experience to compliment their talent. The Ivory Coast are ready to be winners at last.

 

“Just imagine what it would mean to the people in our country and to the whole of Africa if we won the World Cup. It would be one of the greatest sporting moments of them all and we can be the heroes who make it happen. This is our chance of a lifetime.

 

“First we have to prove we are the best in the African Cup of Nations and as this will be the last time I play in this competition, I have to avoid the pain of not winning it once in my career. I will sweat from every pour to make it happen.”

 

Drogba’s confidence in his Ivory Coast side is backed up by their tag as favourites, with fellow Chelsea star Salomon Kalou, Arsenal’s Emmanuel Eboue and the Toure brothers of Kolo (Manchester City) and Yaya (Barcelona) giving them with a powerful depth of talent.

 

Yet the facts don’t support Drogba’s boasts that they are the dominant African force as the last two editions of the Nations Cup have seen the Ivorians fail to live up to their billing, with their semi-final defeat against Egypt two years back exposing their tendency to freeze at the big moment.

 

Some 18 years have passed since the team known as the Elephants triumphed in the African championships and their challenge this time has not been made any easier by a group draw that sees Drogba preparing for a meeting with second favourites Ghana, who will be led by his Chelsea pal Michael Essien.

“The draw has not made it easy for us in this competition or the World Cup,” reflects Drogba, who has been spared a meeting with Adebayor following Togo’s withdrawal. “Ghana will be tough opponents in the group stages in the Nations Cup and then you look at the teams we have been put next to in South Africa summer. Getting Brazil and Portugal in our World Cup group means there will be no room to start slowly, but I see this as a positive.

 

“Our team has been in development for a long time and now the Ivory Coast needs to prove we are ready. We are all proud to represent a nation where the people do not have the good fortune all of us in the team have enjoyed in our lives and it is important that we help to make our people happy.

 

“I know some Chelsea fans who don’t understand why we go away in January every couple of years, but we cannot let our country down. It’s not perfect to leave in the middle of the Premier League season, but the organisers insist it is like this.”

 

Drogba’s positive words cannot disguise the damage the attack on the Togo team bus has done to the image of African football, with question marks over the continent’s ability to stage this summer’s World Cup bound to be raised in the coming months.

 

South Africa will be better equipped to stage a major event when compared to the troubled outpost of Angola, but there are still grave concerns over the safety of spectators preparing to visit crime hotspots such as Johannesburg this summer.

 

After numerous reporters covering the Confederations Cup in South Africa last summer were victims of muggings and car-jackings, many came to the conclusion that the World Cup will provide a jamboree for the criminals who recklessly tarnish the country’s beautiful landscape.

 

While security is bound to be tightened around all the competing teams after the events in Angola this week, the spectators dreaming of a holiday of a lifetime at South Africa 2010 need to act with common sense to ensure their holiday of a lifetime does not turn into a nightmare this June.

 

It would be a tragedy if the biggest stories of the World Cup finals took place away from the football pitches of South Africa, though the events of the last few days have reminded us all that bringing the game’s ultimate competition to a continent still in its development phase can only be viewed as a gamble for all concerned.

Togo have withdrawn from the African Nations Cup in Angola following the machine gun attack on their team bus on Friday, with the death toll now understood to have risen to three.

The team bus was attacked by rebels after crossing the border from the Democratic Republic of Congo into the Angolan enclave of Cabinda ahead of the tournament.

 

There have been conflicting reports about the identity of those shot, but Togo assistant coach Abalo Amelete and a spokesperson, Stanislas Ocloo, have died along the bus driver; while the condition of goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale, who was reported dead earlier, is unclear.

Kodjo Samlan, a Confederation of African Football (CAF) official, confirmed that Ocloo and Amnalate had died. “Communications chief Stanislas Ocloo and assistant coach Abalo Amnalete died at four o’clock this morning,” he said.

Confusion came as striker Jonathan Ayite confirmed that Obilale had also been killed, telling French radio station RMC: “He (Obilale) is dead and even if you bring the president and even (Barack) Obama himself, we’re leaving immediately. We’re going back home. Ghana and the Ivory Coast are in solidarity with us.”

But a statement from Obilale’s club, French team GSI Pontivy, read: ”According to news given by coach Alain Le Dour and GSI Pontivy president Philippe Le Mestre, Kodjovi Obilale is not dead, despite the news reported on the internet, radio and television, and has been moved to South Africa.”

Defender Serge Akakpo, who plays his club football in Romania, was confirmed by his club last night as the other player shot in the attack. Reports in France suggested early on Saturday that the players had taken the decision not to take part in the competition, which starts on Sunday, and midfielder Alaixys Romao later confirmed they had withdrawn.

“We’re waiting for the plane to return to Lome,” the Grenoble player told L’Equipe. “We’re also talking to the other teams in our group to try to convince them to boycott the competition, too.”

A statement on Manchester City’s website also stated that Emmanuel Adebayor and his team-mates were returning to their clubs.

It read: “Togo has pulled out of the Africa Cup of Nations after their team bus came under gunfire in Angola. City star Emmanuel Adebayor, who is captain of the Togo side, was unharmed in the ambush and he and his team-mates met this morning before deciding that they wished to pull out of the tournament.

“Their first game in the tournament had been scheduled to take place on Monday against Ghana, but they are now heading home to their families. Two players were shot and injured in the attack in the northern province of Cabinda, and the coach driver was killed. Seven others were wounded. Organisers have so far insisted the tournament will go ahead.

“The club is in regular contact with Emmanuel, his advisors and the English Football Association. It has been made clear by manager Roberto Mancini and senior officials that Emmanuel will now be given as much time as he needs to recover from the horrific attack.”

Coach Hubert Velud had earlier claimed the authorities should seriously consider whether to call off the tournament after the attack. Angola insist their country is committed to hosting a secure tournament and said they would step up security.

Officials are set to hold a meeting with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Saturday and Velud believes the future of the competition should be called into question.

“We can at least pose ourselves that question,” Velud told French radio station RMC on Saturday morning. “It’s an act of barbarism while we are here to celebrate African football.

“We left the hospital a short time ago to come to the centre for the teams in the competition. We stayed in the hospital a long time so that we could be very united. In these situations, you become a bit paranoid, you doubt everything. We don’t feel that the authorities are taking this very seriously.

“I don’t mean that they want to hush up the matter, but almost. What will happen I don’t know. We will have a meeting with the players and technical staff to take a decision.”

Cesc Fabregas has been linked to Real Madrid for some time, but it appears as though a deal will only be realized if Gonzalo Higuain moves in the opposite direction.

According to Marca, Arsene Wenger is a huge fan of ‘El Pipita’, and would be willing to let Fabregas leave if he got Higuain in return. For their part, Los Merengues have no intention of letting the Argentine go, unless the Gunners can cough up a minimum of €35 million.

However, the fact that Barcelona’s presidential candidates are all likely to focus on trying to snare Fabregas means that Madrid may be willing to make a sacrifice in order to snatch him from their bitter rivals. Therefore, Arsenal believe they can pick up Higuain in the bargain.

Both players have recently stated their commitment to their respective clubs, but whether the prospective deal tempts either team is another matter.

Sevilla defender Sergio Sanchez admits he feels “shattered and destroyed” after having to stop playing football due to a heart condition but is trying to stay positive.

The 23-year-old, who joined the club from Espanyol last summer, has been told to stop all physical activity for the time being, and there are serious questions marks over his footballing future.

“I’m shattered and destroyed from a football point of view,” he told Catalan television channel TV3, “but I have to look at the positives. Not playing is very hard for me. Fortunately I have a lot of people by my side and I know that I have to think positive.”

The news about Sanchez comes just five months after his former Espanyol team-mate Dani Jarque died at the age of 26 when his heart stopped following a training session at a pre-season camp in Italy.

In 2007, Sevilla defender Antonio Puerta died after suffering multiple organ failure in hospital, three days after a cardiac arrest during a league match against Getafe.

And Sanchez, who has returned to his home town of Barcelona to be with his family before undergoing further tests, knows that in one sense he is very fortunate.

“The families of Jarque and Puerto would pay to be in my situation. For that reason I have to stay positive and have to cheer up,” he said.

Real Madrid midfielder Ruben de la Red has been sidelined since collapsing during a Copa del Rey tie in October 2008 after suffering what club medical chief Carlos Diez described as “acute fainting probably brought about by cardiac strain”.

 

The Third-tier Leeds United produced the shock of the third round by knocking record 11-times winners Manchester United out of the FA Cup with a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Fallen giants Leeds, the League One leaders who are 43 places below English champions Manchester United, won thanks to Jermaine Beckford’s 19th minute goal and then denied their hosts, second in the Premier League, an equaliser.

It was the first time Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had lost in the third round of the FA Cup, the stage at which teams from England’s top two divisions enter the knockout tournament, since he arrived at Old Trafford 24 years ago.

 Not since 1984, when beaten by third tier Bournemouth, had Manchester United lost at this stage of the competition.

 Victory was also Leeds’s first at Old Trafford since 1981.

 Their goal came after Jonny Howson’s superb 50-yard pass over the head of wes brown found striker Beckford and he outpaced the defender before sliding the ball left-footed into the far corner and beyond goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak.

 United did threaten and, after Leeds keeper Casper Ankergren had advanced quickly to block Wayne Rooney’s initial shot, Jason Crowe had to clear off the line from the England striker.

 Ankergren then produced another good block to deny Danny Welbeck early in the second-half.

 Just short of the hour mark, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson made a double substitution with veteran forward Ryan Giggs replacing Gabriel Obertan and striker Antonio Valencia coming on for Danny Welbeck.

 But still Leeds denied the home side and, with 20 minutes left, Ferguson sent on Michael Owen, his final substitution, only to see the England striker scuff a shot from inside the box moments later.

 Rooney then fired way over the crossbar and, with 12 minutes left, Beckford could have made it 2-0 only for his shot to whistle past the far post.

 Leeds substitute Robert Snodgrass then hit the crossbar and, in the five minutes of stoppage time, Ankergren saved from Rooney.

Third-tier Leeds United produced the shock of the third round by knocking record 11-times winners Manchester United out of the FA Cup with a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford on Sunday.Fallen giants Leeds, the League One leaders who are 43 places below English champions Manchester United, won thanks to Jermaine Beckford’s 19th minute goal and then denied their hosts, second in the Premier League, an equaliser.

It was the first time Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had lost in the third round of the FA Cup, the stage at which teams from England’s top two divisions enter the knockout tournament, since he arrived at Old Trafford 24 years ago.

Not since 1984, when beaten by third tier Bournemouth, had Manchester United lost at this stage of the competition.

Victory was also Leeds’s first at Old Trafford since 1981.

Their goal came after Jonny Howson’s superb 50-yard pass over the head of Wes Brown found striker Beckford and he outpaced the defender before sliding the ball left-footed into the far corner and beyond goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak.

 United did threaten and, after Leeds keeper Casper Ankergren had advanced quickly to block Wayne Rooney’s initial shot, Jason Crowe had to clear off the line from the England striker.

Ankergren then produced another good block to deny Danny Welbeck early in the second-half.

Just short of the hour mark, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson made a double substitution with veteran forward Ryan Giggs replacing Gabriel Obertan and striker Antonio Valencia coming on for Danny Welbeck.

But still Leeds denied the home side and, with 20 minutes left, Ferguson sent on Michael Owen, his final substitution, only to see the England striker scuff a shot from inside the box moments later.

Rooney then fired way over the crossbar and, with 12 minutes left, Beckford could have made it 2-0 only for his shot to whistle past the far post.

Leeds substitute Robert Snodgrass then hit the crossbar and, in the five minutes of stoppage time, Ankergren saved from Rooney.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson feels there is little more he can do to help striker Michael Owen make England’s World Cup squad.

The 89-cap striker is eager to play in a fourth World Cup this summer but has not played for England since the friendly against France in March 2008.

After Owen’s contract at Newcastle expired last summer, he hoped a surprise move to United would propel him into Fabio Capello’s plans for South Africa.

Ferguson needed to compensate for the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez and saw Owen as a valuable addition to his squad. But the 30-year-old has spent most of the season on the bench playing second fiddle to in-form Wayne Rooney. The England star has taken on the mantle as United’s leading goal threat from Ronaldo, and Ferguson feels Rooney’s form and style of play make it impossible to give Owen any more game-time.

“I’m sure Michael would love to go to the World Cup, a player with that history and goalscoring ability,” he said. “He’d want to re-enact what he did back in 1998 when he had a great World Cup. “We’ll try to get him there as best we can, but it’s difficult when you’ve got a squad of our size. It’s difficult to leave Rooney out of your team.

“That’s the thing, because I think he’s identical to Wayne in the position he plays, which is further up the pitch with Dimitar Berbatov in your team.

“Your combination is more likely to be Berbatov and Owen or Berbatov and Rooney. With Rooney and Owen together you’d have to drop Rooney in the hole and I prefer to play him further up the pitch.”

Despite making just four league starts, Owen has still made an important contribution for United this season, scoring the winner in the derby against Manchester City and a UEFA Champions League hat-trick against Wolfsburg.

The former Liverpool man has cast aside doubts over his recent fitness record but Capello has said he needs to be playing regularly to be considered for the World Cup and Ferguson believes the Rooney-Berbatov partnership will go from strength to strength.

“Michael is part of the squad and plays his part,” he said. “When he came to the club it was on that understanding exactly.

“It’s difficult when Rooney’s in the kind of form he’s been in. He’s been great this season.

“Michael’s never had a problem or missed a day’s training with us. When we brought him here we looked at his training record, which was quite good.

“He’s had injuries over the years but not with us. We’re managing him in the right way.” Ferguson added: “There is a combination (between Rooney and Berbatov). They are suited as a partnership.

“The understanding has grown. Some partnerships click straight away, like Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole. That was uncanny. It just happened.

“When I bought Yorkie my thought was maybe he’d partner Ole Gunnar Solskjaer or Teddy Sheringham. But when Yorkie and Cole played together it was unbelievable. “Hopefully Rooney and Berbatov will go on in the same way.

“Berbatov was carrying an injury that was affecting his game and he wondered if he should have an operation.

“But he’s come through that now and we hope he can have a good second half of the season. He’s a talented player.”

 

On-loan Birmingham goalkeeper Joe Hart says he is loving life at St Andrew’s – but refuses to be drawn on where his long-term future lies.

The 22-year-old is proving an outstanding success during his season-long loan from Manchester City, leading to speculation he may stay on with Blues after the summer.

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish has already revealed any hopes the Blues had of making the switch permanent have been dashed as City see Hart as a big part of their long-term plans.

But McLeish has not ruled out trying to take Hart again on loan, although the keeper himself refuses to be drawn on such off-the-field matters, preferring to concentrate on helping Blues extend their 11 game Premier League run.

Hart told the Sunday Mercury: “I’m really enjoying it at Birmingham. They are great people, a good club and great fans.

“You can’t go on a run like we’ve done with a bad egg in the team, we’ve got all good, solid lads.

“Regarding my future, there is nothing I’d rule in or rule out. It’s not anything I’m considering right now simply because I’m just enjoying what I’m doing.

“There’s no hassle. There’s no pressure and I’m on loan until the end of the season. That will never change, regardless of what anyone says.

“So I’m going to be here until the end of the season and I’m really enjoying the prospect of turning out and hopefully getting more performances in like we did at Stoke.”

City have new boss Roberto Mancini at the helm but Hart does not think the Italian will be bringing his own man into the number one spot at Eastlands to replace Shay Given. He added: “Mancini’s got the money but he’s also got Shay Given.

“I don’t know how much money would replace him.

“I speak to Shay regularly. He’s a great guy and a great goalkeeper.”

While Hart has pulled off a number of eye-catching saves in the games against Chelsea and Stoke, he refuses to be singled out for praise, instead heaping the plaudits on the defence in front of him. He added: “I suppose it makes me stand out more, but I’ve said in previous interviews, in the games against Chelsea and Stoke I had to make saves, but in games before that, casting my mind back, I’ve not really had that much to do.

“The lads in front of me have been awesome – they still are. They were excellent at Stoke to keep defending against that bombardment and they’ve given them two chances in the whole game – that says a lot for our defence. I can only repay them by making saves.

“We are growing in confidence and as a team we are a solid unit and we’ve just got to keep doing that.”

Next up is the visit of Manchester United to St Andrew’s on Saturday, where Hart may get singled out by the visiting fans given his City links, although the young keeper is undaunted.

He added: “It’s another bit of fun. It’s a great prospect. It’s good to be going into games how we are – the confidence, the belief and the desire the boys have got – and we can just go and enjoy games like that.

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.