Phil Jagielka has revealed he is yet to fully recover from a knee injury but will not let the pain stop him playing for Everton.
The centre-half had to take a painkilling injection ahead of the win over Stoke on Saturday and may have to do so again before the Goodison Park side travel to top-four rivals Spurs on Saturday.
Everton are still involved in the battle for a place in next season’s Champions League, as they trail fourth-placed Chelsea by four points, and Jagielka is desperate to do all he can to help his side secure a place in Europe’s top competition next season.
“It’s not quite healed up yet but it will get there and I can play without any problems,” Jagielka told the Liverpool Echo.
“I’ve got to have an injection to take a bit of the pain away because there’s still a bit of scar tissue but it’s part and parcel of being a footballer.
“I’ve been desperate to get back training and playing with the lads. It’s a boring time being on your own, especially being injured.
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“I’ve been there before and so it’s been nice to get back amongst it this week, even more so to play.”
Boss Malky Mackay says he is already working out who to splash his £25m summer transfer kitty on after leading Cardiff to promotion.
The club’s Malaysian owners promised the City boss this allowance if they achieved promotion to the Premier League this season. Now that this objective has been reached following Tuesday’s 0-0 draw with Charlton, he is busy drawing up his wish-list.
“We’re going to plan properly and that’s started already and we’ll now put that into action,” he told BBC sport.
“We’ll make sure the departments we’ve opened up at the football club and the structure we’ve implemented keeps striving forward.
“Change is constant and if you don’t go with it, you’re left behind.”
Cardiff will become the second Welsh side in the top flight next season as they join Swansea in the division and it will be the first time they are back up with the elite since 1961.
Mackay did admit his side would face a “huge challenge” of avoiding relegation next season. However, the manager has the proven ability to transform a club. Within the past two seasons, Cardiff added 20 players and the manager altered their training, scouting and sports science techniques.
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“We’ll continue that to make sure we give ourselves the best chance we can in the Premier League” he said.
To suggest that Atletico Madrid’s prolific hitman Radamel Falcao might already be searching out an English phrasebook might seem a little premature, but with interest in the Colombian reaching almost feverish levels on these shores, there’s every chance that the 27-year-old could find himself plying his trade in England next term.
With a reported release clause of near on £52million and alleged wage demands in excess of £200,000, Falcao is of course a target for only a very select few in the European game.
But with Barcelona’s interest having cooled and Atletico reportedly holding no designs on selling up to local rivals Real Madrid, bar a potential move to Paris Saint-Germain, the path is seemingly paved for the former-Porto man to try his hand within the Premier League.
With the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and even perhaps Manchester United interested in acquiring the Colombian’s services, it’s likely that Falcao will have no shortage of suitors come the summer. But far from simply analyzing what team would benefit the most from his unique set of striking gifts, what club offers the best move for the player himself?
Certainly, from a financial perspective all three of the aforementioned trio – a term used loosely, given the very tentative authenticity of United’s rumoured interest – would have few problems in financing Falcao’s extortionate wage demands.
With the notorious bargaining skills of Jorge Mendes as an agent, no club is likely to be able to bring the 27-year-old to their haunts without laying out a significant financial package. But with Roman Abramovich said to be a huge fan of the player and Manchester City’s de facto owner Sheikh Mansour presumably determined to regain his side’s Premier League crown, Falcao isn’t likely to find personal terms an issue with any of his English suitors.
Differentiating quite where Falcao would be better off from a purely sporting perspective, however, isn’t quite as easy a feat.
Chelsea have long been mooted as arguably the most likeliest destination for Falcao, should he move to England this summer. With the club in need of a consistently world-class striker and current incumbent, the faltering Fernando Torres, reportedly an attractive makeweight for Atletico manager Diego Simeone, a move to Stamford Bridge seems to make sense all ways up.
Yet for as logical as such a move may seen, there are enough variables floating around West London to ensure that the one time-River Plate striker would have plenty of food for thought before agreeing to sign on the dotted line for the Blues.
With Rafa Benitez set to step down from his interim managerial role at the end of the season, there is a strange uncertainty to the future direction in which the Stamford Bridge ship is set to sale. One would imagine that Abramovich would be keen to explain to Falcao in detail who he’s likely to be plying his trade under, yet even with May now fast approaching, we’re still no closer to discovering who is set to take the managerial reigns at the club this season.
With talk of Jose Mourinho’s return to the club now dampened and such a small shortlist of real, renowned European names there for the club to look at, would Falcao feel quite as keen as linking up with, say, a David Moyes like manager? Certainly, should the Blues fail to qualify for the Champions League, they would face an almost impossible task in attracting a player to the club who remains so desperate to play in the competition.
Although if stability is one of the most off-putting factors regarding a potential Falcao switch to Chelsea, then it seems difficult to believe how Manchester City offer a striking foundation of solidarity for the Colombian to become part of.
After a season in which City have so meekly surrendered their Premier League title, there are no guarantees that Roberto Mancini will be there to commandeer his side for another campaign and even fewer clues as to who might feasibly replace him. Either way, should Falcao find himself likely to be offered identical personal terms from both clubs, he’s probably quite likely to find himself offered a similar level of question marks from Chelsea and Manchester City as well.
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Yet if stability isn’t a guarantee at either club, then a wealth of attacking talent most certainly is. Plump for either club and Falcao can look forward to having the likes of Juan Mata and Eden Hazard or David Silva and Yaya Toure supplying him the goods to feed upon. But while Mancini would surely fire Falcao straight into the starting line up at the Etihad Stadium, it’s at Stamford Bridge where you feel a more natural home awaits the prolific marksman.
With Fernando Torres widely accepted to be the one who makes way for Falcao should he arrive at the club, although Demba Ba would have a role to play, the Atletico man would be the indisputable main man down at Chelsea. With the likes of Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez and Edin Dzeko plying their trade at City, regardless of how well Falcao may or may not link up with one of the feted trio, he’s not going to be afforded the autonomy that he will do at Stamford Bridge.
Even if City decide to sell another of the aforementioned trio, at Chelsea, he’s not going to have to play beside another out-and-out striker or face anything in the way of the sort of competition he would do up at the Etihad.
Either club would offer Radamel Falcao a superb base in which to push on during the prime years of his career, but for all the questions that are still to be answered at Stamford Bridge, it’s Chelsea which perhaps offer him the better pick.
After their disappointing defeat to Crystal Palace in the Championship Play-off semi-finals, it seems Gus Poyet might have managed his last match for the Seagulls. Poyet, along with his assistants Mauricio Taricco and Charlie Oatway, were suspended by the Brighton board via a text message on Wednesday evening. Despite initial reports suggesting it was due to comments made by Poyet about the club’s budget, it fails to explain the suspensions for Taricco and Oatway.
It is now suggested that the trio were suspended for alleged breach of contract, with rumours that Poyet told his players on Tuesday that he couldn’t guarantee his future at the club. With a host of clubs linked with Poyet, it seems Brighton have taken a big step towards losing the former Chelsea player as their manager. But whose dugout could the Uruguayan be standing in next season? Click below to reveal the 5 teams he could be managing.
Click on the Goodison crowd to see Gus’ 5 options
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Peter Odemwingie says that he is “delighted” to have joined Cardiff from West Brom.
The controversial Nigerian attacker completed a deadline day £2.5million switch to the south of Wales from the Midlands after falling out of favour at the Hawthorns.
Odemwingie became the newly promoted club’s eighth signing of the summer, and is seen as a player that can add experience and attacking flair to their squad as they look to avoid an immediate return to the Championship.
Speaking to the club’s official website, the 32-year-old revealed that he was very happy to have finalised the move.
“I’m delighted to complete my move to Cardiff City. I’m looking forward to this fresh start at a Club that is really going places, a team that’s progressing fast,” he said.
“I’ve seen a little bit of the City and I know that my wife and I will really enjoy living in Cardiff. I can’t wait to get started – this move makes me very happy.”
Odemwingie fell down the pecking order with West Brom following his antics during the January transfer window.
The versatile forward drove to QPR’s Loftus Road stadium in a bid to push through a late move to the London club, despite not having permission to complete a move.
Cardiff fans, will Peter Odemwingie prove to be a good addition to your squad?
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Barcelona starlet Toni Sanabria does not want to leave the club according to the clubs sporting director Andoni Zubizaretta, reports talkSPORT.
A host of Premier League clubs have been linked with young Paraguayan, who is currently starring for Barcelona’s reserve side.
Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United are all thought to be keen on bringing the talented 17-year-old to the Premier League, especially after the players agent claimed he may need to move on in order to gain regular first team football.
Sanabria is yet to make his first team bow at the Nou Camp, and has the likes of Lionel Messi, Alexis Sanchez and Neymar currently ahead of him in the forward positions.
And whilst the young forward has plenty of time on his side, such have been his performances for the reserve side, he believes he should be on the fringes of the first team at the Nou Camp already.
But former Spanish goalkeeper and director of football Zubizaretta, has moved to dampen the speculation linking the youngster with a move to the Premier League, revealing Sanabria has made no mention of wanting to depart the Spanish champions.
He told Spanish newspaper Sport: “Sanabria has a contract with us and neither he nor his agent has told us they want to go.”
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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has questioned Chelsea’s timing and motive in their sale of Juan Mata to Manchester United, the Guardian reports.
He fears that Chelsea’s short-term aspirations have clouded the Blue’s judgement in letting Mata move to a rival, albeit one that is struggling this season, and has warned Jose Mourinho he may later regret his decision.
Wenger believes the £40m was considered beneficial to Chelsea’s push for the title as the Spaniard will be helping United in upcoming fixtures with Arsenal and Manchester City, who currently sitting first and second respectively.
After Chelsea’s 3-1 victory over United last weekend, in which Mata was an unused substitute, Mourinho said with a smile that he now hopes the Red Devils “beat all of them [the top clubs] to finish fourth.”
“He [Mourinho] sums up what Chelsea’s thinking is,” Wenger said, in regards to Mata.
He went on to stress that Chelsea aren’t doing anything wrong but felt Mourinho was manipulating the market in an unfair manner.
“I am surprised because Juan Mata is a great player and they sell a great player to a direct opponent,” Wenger said. “It opens [up] again a little bit the opportunity of this transfer market because Chelsea had already played twice against Man United so they don’t play again. They could have sold him last week [before the United game].
“It opens, at least, the opportunity of the dates of this transfer window. Some teams have already played twice against one opponent and some others, not. If you want to respect the fairness for everybody exactly in the game, that should not happen. I just think you would want everybody on the same level. I can understand completely what Chelsea is doing. They do not do the rules but, maybe, the rules should be a bit more adapted to more fairness.”
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Wenger was however previously criticized for his sale of Robin Van Persie to Manchester United, who went on to win the title last season.
Liverpool entertained Aston Villa at Anfield this evening in the Premier League’s late Saturday kick-off. The Reds had their eyes victory to maintain momentum in their Champions League push, whilst the points were the priority for the visitors – Paul Lambert’s side had claimed just four in their last seven league fixtures.
But it was surprisingly the Villians who came out of the blocks flying. Gabby Agbonlahor could have put them ahead in the first minute after finding himself alone in the Liverpool box, but the breakthrough eventually came via Andreas Weimann in the 24th minute, who applied a sliding finish to a low cross. Christian Benteke then found his second goal in successive games ten minutes later.
It seemed Liverpool would enter the interval 2-0 down, but a Daniel Sturridge goal before the break made Brendan Rodgers’ half-time team-talk a little easier. Early in the second half, Brad Guzan then brought down Luis Suarez in the box, with Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard converting the spot kick with a powerful effort.
Here’s how the key events unfolded on Twitter:
With less than a minute on the clock, Gabby Agbonlahor found himself through on goal, but put the effort wide…
And after 23 minutes, Keiran Clark hits the right-hand post with a headed effort from a corner;
A few minutes later, a great counter-attacking move sees Christian Benteke, Gabby Agbonlahor and Andreas Weimann charge down the pitch. Agbonalhor puts in a low cross, the Austrian provides a sliding finish.
At the 35 minute mark, Villa won possession high up the pitch. Agbonlahor whipped in a curling ball from the right hand side fooling Simon Mignolet, leaving Benteke to comfortably nod home into an empty net and make it 2-0 to the visitors.
It took until just before the half-time whistle for Liverpool to get back into the game. Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge combined nicely in the final third, Jordan Henderson applied an inventive flick and Sturridge produced a calm dinked finish;
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The comeback continued when Luis Suarez was brought down inside the box by Villians ‘keeper Brad Guzan. There was some debate over the amount of contact actually made, but Steven Gerrard stepped up to convert the penalty with a drilled finish.
Suarez nearly took the lead with a blistering free kick in the 76th minute. It beat Brad Guzan but wasn’t on target.
Stoke City winger Matthew Etherington has reiterated that he will be leaving the Potters at the end of the season, as reported by Sky Sports.
Etherington has failed to break into the side under Mark Hughes and so will not be offered a new deal when his contract expires at the end of the season.
The former West Ham winger is hoping to stay in the Premier League with a new club but is taking nothing for granted after a tough few months at Stoke.
Etherington is now 32 years old and he knows that he may not have many more years left at the top, so will put a lot of thought into his next move.
“I am definitely leaving,” said Etherington in the Sunday Mirror.
“I have not heard anything from the club, which is fair enough, I have not played a lot lately.
“I will have been there five years in the January just passed and it has been a great time so I am really sad it is coming to an end.
“But there are no hard feelings. I think they are looking to go a different way, which is absolutely fine.”
1) You won’t have to queue for half an hour in your local…
Remember the Italy game? When it was four deep at the bar and the bar staff were ignoring you anyway because they were all watching the game? Oh… we remember. Now, though, that nightmare is over. All the part-time fans have lost interest and you’re laughing all the way to the front of the queue.
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2) The perfect excuse to leave work early
There’s still plenty of games to kick-off at 5pm and what kind of heartless boss would deny a football fan like you the basic human right of leaving work at an adequate time (3.30pm) to take the glorious once-every-four-year spectacle that is the World Cup? If the worst comes to the worst, just bail out and tell the office you’ll make it up to them in the winter.
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3)You won’t have to fight with your partner for the TV remote
So what if it’s the new series of Celebrity Masterchef? That constant, attritional battle with your significant other for possession of the flicker is over. England are out. Of course you’ll want to watch most of the other games, however, letting control of the TV slide when Algeria vs Russia is on will only guarantee your spell in charge when the business end of the tournament comes about.
home tv
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4) You can finally go on summer holiday
Let’s be honest… you were never going to leave the country when England still had a shot at winning the competition. It would have been ethically wrong. Now Roy’s boys are out though, those summer holiday plans that had been put on ice can start to materialise. Go watch the final on a beach somewhere – you’ve earned it.
Happy couple clinking their glasses while relaxing on their deck chairs
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5) It won’t happen again for at least another four years
Take a deep breath, relax. That agonising combination of heart-break, disappointment and self-loathing at your own hopeless optimism can finally be put to bed. Well, for four years that is.