Football Corner

Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor has today admitted he can't see Arsenal winning the Premier League this season if they perform like they did against Tottenham on Wednesday. The Gunners conceded two very late goals against their North London rivals Spurs to draw the game 4-4 leaving everyone at the club feeling sick as parrots.

The 24-year old said : "To be champions in this way? You can never be a champion ... There is a lot of disappointment. We are down at the moment because we did everything to get the three points and we ended up with one ... We feel very sorry for ourselves that the things are not going the right way ... It was one of the most difficult games in my life because I cannot understand that after 90 minutes we were leading 4-2 - I don't know how we finished with a draw.

Arsenal also threw away silly points against lesser opposition earlier in the season, most notably the shock 2-1 home defeat by Premier League new boys Hull City. The Gunners now travel to Stoke City on Saturday where a defeat would almost certainly put to bed their chances of winning the title this season.

Personally I am a little bit surprised to see Adebayor come out with these statements. Following such a shock result, a player should be coming out and saying that the side can recover from such a result or not to worry we can still challenge for the league. But hey, at least he is saying what he really feels and I like that in a footballer, however I don't know whether or not these comments will have a positive or negative effect on the players come Saturday.

That's the opinion of our readers anyway. In a poll run over the last 24 hours, Football Corner asked it's readers if they thought Liverpool would win the Premier League this season and the answer was, yes. Liverpool have made a sensational start to the season which sees them three points clear at the top and you think they will now last the pace and win their first title in 19 years.

Here is the full result of the poll :

Yes - 55 votes (58%)
No - 22 votes (23%)
Not sure, let's wait and see - 17 votes (18%)

Total Votes : 94

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who voted and I would encourage all of you to vote in our latest poll which can be found on the far right-sidebar of the site. Who will be the Premier League's top scorer this season?

After weeks of speculation, it has been confirmed this evening that David Beckham will join AC Milan on January 7. The England international will spend two months on loan with the Serie A giants in order to try and maintain his place in Fabio Cappelo's plans for the national team.

The LA Galaxy midfielder was keen to leave the MLS club on a short-term loan deal in order to keep his place in the England team. The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star currently has 107 caps under his belt, one behind Bobby Moore who lies in second place behind Peter Shilton.

The 33-year old now gives Milan boss Carlo Anceolotti another option in midfield and will certainly add to the array of talent currently on show at the San Siro. LA Galaxy had to cancel a friendly game with Australian side Queensland Roar earlier this week because they could not guarantee that Beckham would be able to play.

Personally I hope Beckham does really well in Milan. He was and still is a terrific footballer who many of Europe's elite would love to have in their squad's. I am sure Cappelo is delighted that Beckham has made the move because it would of looked wrong for him to keep picking him if he wasn't playing any football over the winter.

That they are real fighters now Ramos has left. At 4-2 even the most ardent Spurs fan would of said OK we are going to lose but hey there are a lot of positives to take from the result. But Tottenham are different under new manager Harry Redknapp. They are now a side who never say never and it is that attitude which I think will see them suddenly rise up the Premier League table.

Under Juande Ramos Spurs could of easily went on to lose 6-2 to Arsenal, but the spirit the Spurs players showed in the last five minutes was terrific. In particular David Bentley. Since joining from Blackburn in the summer, Bentley has struggled to show any kind of form but suddenly in the last two games, with Redknapp in charge he looks a different player altogether.

He didn't stop running for the whole 90 minutes and if he keeps that kind of form up he will certainly become a first team regular in the England squad. I feel now it is essential for Spurs to keep that kind of form up for the rest of the season, starting with Liverpool at the weekend and they could easily finish top ten

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has today admitted he has held talks with United's Argentine striker Carlos Tevez in a bid to keep him at the club. Tevez' two-year loan deal at the club is set to expire at the end of this season and so far United have been reluctant to cough up the £32 million needed to make the deal permanent.

Following the arrival of Dimitar Berbatov, Tevez has found it hard to keep his place in United's starting eleven which has led to speculation that he may leave Old Trafford once the January transfer window opens. Both Real Madrid and Manchester City have been linked with the player in recent weeks, however as of now neither club have made their interest known.

Ferguson told The Guardian this in relation to the matter : "I sat down with him only last week to stress that our faith in him is absolute and, that he remains a top player in the eyes of myself, the players and supporters .... It's just that three players won't fit into two positions and my job is to balance the team .... Carlos understands this and I have explained that when the season really hots up we will need everyone."

It is clear that Ferguson is getting worried that he may not be able to sign Tevez on a permanent deal. I would not be one bit surprised to see Tevez leave the Premier League and Champions League Champions this winter. I personally feel Tevez is without doubt one of the best strikers currently playing in Europe and I am sure he does not want to be sitting on the bench every week waiting for his chance. If he is to leave United, a move to Real Madrid is a real possibility however he may want to stay in England and join money-bags Man City.

Tottenham are preparing a £12 million bid for Everton striker Yakubu. New Spurs manager Harry Redknapp is keen to add to his striking options once the January transfer window opens and it has been widely speculated that he will have money to spend.

Redknapp signed Yakubu from Maccabi Haifa back in 2003 during his days at Portsmouth and is now keen on bringing the player to White Hart Lane.

Spurs have been linked with a whole host of strikers since Redknapp's arrival at the club last week but the signing of Yakubu now looks a real possibility.

David Moyes will obviously be keen to keep Yakubu at Goodison Park however the Nigerian international may be tempted by the chance to link back up with Redknapp in North London. I feel the signing of Yakubu would go some way to filling the void which the exit of Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane obviously left.

Source : Premiership Latest

Ten Premier League players have been included in the short-list for FIFA's World Player of the Year award. The list is made up of 23 players from all around the world that will eventually be whittled down to just three in December.

The winner will be decided by national team captains and coaches and the winner of the award will be announced at a ceremony in Zurich in January. Cristiano Ronaldo is the hot favourite to take the award after he was recently awarded with the FIFPro world player of the year.

AC Milan's Kaka won the award last year with Real Madrid's Fabio Cannavaro winning it the year before. In total, 20 European players have been nominated along with 3 South Americans and 3 Africans. Here is the list in full :

Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo), Sergio Aguero (Argentina), Andrei Arshavin (Russia), Michael Ballack (Germany), Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), Iker Casillas (Spain), Deco (Portugal), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast), Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon), Cesc Fabregas (Spain), Steven Gerrard (England), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden)

Andres Iniesta (Spain), Kaka (Brazil), Frank Lampard (England), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Franck Ribery (France), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), John Terry (England), Fernando Torres (Spain), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Netherlands), David Villa (Spain) and Xavi (Spain).

Will Liverpool win the Premier League title this season? Simply place your votes on the right-sidebar and the results will be published at a later date.

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is keen on bringing Manchester United keeper Ben Foster to White Hart Lane once the January transfer window opens. Foster, 25, has struggled to nail down a first team place at Old Trafford ever since arriving at the club three years ago, due to injury and the form of Edwin Van Der Sar.

The England international spent two seasons on loan at Championship side Watford where he certainly impressed. During his two years at Vicarage Road he was promoted and relegated with the club, with Watford boss Aidy Boothroyd claiming "He is going to be the best goalkeeper in the world." It is understood that Redknapp is looking to take Foster on a six-month loan deal once the window opens.

Spurs currently have Heurelho Gomes as their number one, however he has done little to impress in the opening quarter of the season and the club are now keen to add to their goalkeeping options. I personally feel it would be a great move for both parties should Foster move to North London. Spurs would be getting a top young goalie for nothing and Foster would be getting some much needed first team football.

Source : Daily Mirror

Diego Maradona is tonight on the verge of becoming the manager of the Argentinian national team, according to Carlos Bilardo who led the country to World Cup glory back in 1986. Maradona is a legend in Argentina and this news will no doubt be met with joyous scenes in the country.

Bilardo, who is to become the director of football for the national team once Maradona's appointment is confirmed, was quoted as saying : "Diego will be the next coach of the national team,"

Could you imagine Maradona leading Argentina to World Cup glory in South Africa in 2010. I certainly wouldn't bet against it. It will be fascinating to see how he handles managing such a great bunch a players, who just two months ago won gold at the Olympics. His first game is likely to come in Scotland next month when the sides meet for a friendly.

Manchester City are to join Tottenham in the race to sign Portsmouth midfielder Lassana Diarra. The French international has been repeatedly linked with a move away from Fratton Park when the January transfer window opens ever since ex-Pompey boss Harry Redknapp claimed that he rejected a £15 million bid for the player on transfer deadline day.

City boss Mark Hughes is keen to add to his midfield options come January, with Diarra now high on his wish-list. Diarra, 23, moved to Pompey at the beginning of the year from Arsenal where he spent just six months on loan from Chelsea. He has proved a real hit at Portsmouth becoming a firm fan favourite at the club, however Tony Adams now has a fight on his hands to hold onto him.

Diarra is a terrific midfield player that would be a great signing for either side in question. He certainly knows how to pass a ball and has definetly become one of the Premier League's best midfield players. It will be interesting to see, should he opt to leave Pompey, will he choose to join money-bags City or re-ignite his partnership with Redknapp at White Hart Lane.

Tottenham have today been linked with a sensational move for former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder David Beckham. The LA Galaxy star looks set to leave the MLS side on a two-month loan deal once the season ends in America, with Italian giants AC Milan looking to sign the player.

Since the arrival of Harry Redknapp at White Hart Lane at the weekend, many players have been linked with moves to the North London club. Beckham, 33, has previously been linked with a move to Spurs but for whatever reason nothing has ever materialised but now Redknapp is ready to try his luck in bringing Beckham back to the Premier League.

During Redknapp's first press conference as Spurs boss this afternoon, a reporter asked him about the possibility of Beckham joining the club to which he simply replied : "I've got David Bentley, who is fantastic."

Although it is highly unlikely, I wouldn't completely rule this out. Beckham is from London and even had a spell in the school of excellence at Spurs so a short-term return to the club may no be totally out of the equation. He would also be keeping his lovely wife Victoria happy who could shop til she drops in the capital.

Portsmouth have today appointed Tony Adams as their new manager following the departure of Harry Redknapp to Tottenham last week. Adams was of course Redknapp's assistant at Fratton Park so it was an obvious choice for Pompey to install Adams as the new manager, but personally I feel it is the wrong decision.

This is Adams' second spell as a first team manager, his first coming at League Two side Wycombe Wanderers. During his spell at Adams Park he had a win percentage of just 22%, spending just over a year at the club. The former England captain handed in his resignation in November 2003, which was accepted.

Adams joined Portsmouth in June 2006, becoming Redknapp's assistant and remained in that position until this afternoon. The 42-year old has admitted he has taken a risk in accepting the opportunity to manage the Premier League side and in my view it won't be long until he is on his way out the exit door at the club.

Just look at the likes of Sammy Lee and Chris Hutchings. Bolton parted company with Sam Allardyce two seasons ago and immediately gave assistant manager Sammy Lee the job. He only won one game in his short spell at the club which ended just six months after his appointment. When Paul Jewell left Wigan, Chris Hutchings was given the job and he did just as bad as Lee, lasting just six months at the JJB Stadium.

I feel the price of 14/1 from Paddy Power on Tony Adams to be the next Premier League manager to be sacked or leave his post is a very decent bet because if Pompey are to go four or five weeks without a win, suddenly pressure starts to build on Adams from the fans and the board and the sack is inevitable.

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has opened the door for Tim Sherwood to return to White Hart Lane after five years away from the club. Sherwood, 39, has been offered a role in Redknapp's new coaching staff at the North London club, however he is currently considering his options.

Sherwood, who currently works as a pundit on Setanta Sports, had this to say about the offer : "I'm due to speak to Harry but I have a lot of things to consider ... It's a great opportunity - there must be a queue a mile long for that job." Sherwood left Spurs in 2003 to join Redknapp at Pompey and now five years on, Redknapp has made him a totally different offer.

Redknapp has been quoted as saying : "Tim's knowledge of the game is tremendous and he tells it as it is. He's terrific in the dressing room ... He's got a big future in the game if he takes that gamble." Sherwood has expressed a desire to return to Spurs but he doesn't know if he could give it "One million percent of my time".

I really think this could be a superb move for Spurs if Sherwood does in the end join. Sherwood would provide great Premier League experience for Spurs, with the former England international having captained Blackburn to the title back in 1995. Overall I feel it would be a great move for both parties and lets hope a deal happens.

Joe Kinnear has revealed that Joey Barton will start Newcastle's Premier League encounter with West Brom. This will be the first game which Barton has started since his release from prison, which has been the centre of much debate in football over the past few months.

The former Manchester City midfielder was only a substitute in Newcastle's 2-1 defeat to Sunderland at the weekend, with the player receiving much abuse from the home fans whilst warming-up. He even had missiles thrown at him from the Sunderland fans, however Kinnear is keen to get Barton back in the team.

Kinnear was quoted as saying : "Joey will start. I am pleased he is back in the fray. He is a very decent player ... I'm hoping all the supporters will get behind him and support him. Joey will be doing the best he possibly can for the club and the supporters."

Although I personally think Barton is a scum bag and he deserves all the abuse he is getting, I still feel he is a very good player. During his days at Man City he was without doubt one of the best midfielders in the country but for his own actions he has seen his career slow down dramatically but could tonight be the night that he shows the footballing world who the real Joey Barton is.

New Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is believed to be preparing a raid on his former club Portsmouth. Redknapp made a shock exit from the South Coast club last week to move to White Hart Lane and he is already understood to be preparing moves for some of his former employees.

Jermain Defoe is believed to be high-up on Redknapp's January wish-list with the Spurs manager claiming "You never know do you? ... If he came back up for sale then I'm sure we would be interested." It has been claimed that a possible cash plus player bid could be made by Spurs with Aaron Lennon being used as bait for Defoe.

After seeing Defoe leave Spurs just eight months ago to join Pompey it would be a massive shock to see him return. He has proved a massive hit at Fratton Park in his brief spell at the club, scoring 13 goals in 19 League games, however the 26-year old England international may be tempted by first-team football at Spurs under his former boss.

Harry definetly wants him in his squad but do you? Well you can sign Defoe for just £6.5 million in this season's "You the Manager". You never know, he may be the man to win you some terrific monthly and weekly prizes so sign-up now (below) and start picking your eleven.

Arsenal striker Eduardo is on the brink of a return the football after eight months out with a serious leg injury. The Croatian international broke his leg back in February after Birmingham City defender Martin Taylor made a awful tackle on him but the good news is that he could return in a matter of weeks.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger said at the time that Taylor should never be allowed to play football again for the tackle, a statement which he later back-tracked on. The 25-year old signed for the Gunners back in 2007 from Dynamo Zagreb and he made an immediate impression. He scored 12 goals in 31 appearances for Arsenal and became a real crowd favourite at the Emirates before the injury.

Great news for everyone at Arsenal and indeed football. Eduardo is a terrific player and it would be great to see him return to top form as soon as possible because he definitely deserves it. It was a real shame for Eduardo that the injury happened when it did because he missed the Premier League run-in and also missed Croatia's Euro 2008 campaign.

Inter Milan manager Jose Mourinho has today claimed that Chelsea striker Didier Drogba is a diver. The former Chelsea boss has today decided to speak out about the Ivory Coast international and this is what he had to say :

“I am no longer Chelsea coach and I do not have to defend them any more but I think it is correct if I say Drogba is a diver.” Mourinho brought Drogba to Stamford Bridge back in 2004 for a fee believed to be worth as much as £24 million.

Great stuff from Mourinho. Even the biggest Drogba fans will agree with Mourinho, Drogba is a diver. I would love to see if Chelsea met Inter in the latter stages of the Champions League and if Drogba was involved in a dodgy penalty decision.

David Beckham has today joined Serie A giants AC Milan on a short-term loan deal. The England international was desperate to move to Europe in order to keep himself in Fabio Cappelo's plans for the national side and has decided to leave MLS side LA Galaxy for their close season.

The former Real Madrid and Manchester United midfielder joined LA Galaxy two years ago in a move that shocked the footballing world. The 33-year old has managed to regain his place in the national squad despite Cappelo leaving him out of his first England selection.

Interesting move. Beckham was and still is a great player who is without doubt one of the best passers of the ball in the game. It is expected that Beckham will join up with AC in January and although the length of the deal hasn't been declared I feel it will last around about two months before he has to return to America for the start of the new season in March.

Atletico Madrid directors are preparing a move for under-fire Tottenham manager Juande Ramos to replace Javier Aguirre at the helm of the Spanish giants. Ramos, 54, could be out of a job pretty soon if Spurs fail to improve on their current poor form, with the side currently lying rock bottom of the Premier League.

Atletico are ready to sack Aguirre, who only joined the La Liga side back in 2006, in a bid to persuade Ramos to move to the Vicente Calderon. It has been speculated in recent days and weeks that Ramos is keen to return to his homeland after leading Spurs to their worst start in the league in a century.

Ramos moved to White Hart Lane almost a year to the day from Sevilla and has since gone on to guide Spurs to their first bit of silverware in nine years with the side winning the Carling Cup last season. Although I do feel a little bit sorry for Ramos, considering the way in which the club (Damien Commolli) have gone behind his back in selling and buying players, I think he may be given the boot within weeks and a move to Atletico could be on the cards.

Here is a joke a friend of mine text me yesterday after Tottenham's latest Premier League defeat to Stoke City.

I was playing scrabble last night when by chance I managed to assemble "Tottenham Hotspur FC", what a disappointment it's only worth two points.

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has today admitted he turned down the chance to sign Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero. The Spaniard admits he was offered the chance to sign Aguero back in 2006, however Benitez thought he was too young and was unwilling to pay what Atletico wanted at the time.

Aguero, 20, is now regarded as one of the best strikers in the world and has even been linked with a possible January move to Anfield. Benitez told The Times "Two years ago the agents were talking with us about players and he was one of those but he was too young ... Atletico paid big money for him, around £14 million for a player who was a risk ... In the Premier League it's different and sometimes players will need more time here to improve."

The Argentine international will be looking to show Liverpool what they missed out on when the two sides meet in the Champions League on Wednesday at the Vicente Calderon. Personally I feel Aguero is an unbelievable talent and I am sure Benitez regrets his decision not to sign him when he had the opportunity but you never know he may yet join Liverpool in the future.

Liverpool have today entered the race to sign Amr Zaki, who is currently on loan at Wigan Athletic. The Egyptian striker has made an immediate impact in the Premier League, scoring an impressive seven goals in just eight games including a double against Liverpool at the weekend and now Rafa Benitez is ready to offer him the chance to move to Anfield.

Zaki, 25, is on-loan at the JJB Stadium until the end of this season from El Zamalek but he is expected to move to England on a permanent deal but to who is unclear. Steve Bruce has claimed that Wigan already have first refusal on the player which seems to lessen Liverpool's chances of signing the powerful striker.

Benitez told The Times : "Everybody will be checking his situation now," Manchester City are also understood to be interested in signing Zaki, with reports claiming that the world's richest club are to meet with his advisers during the week. Zaki has 48 caps for his country, with an impressive tally of 29 goals for the African nation.

This really has the potential to turn into a very interesting transfer saga. There is no doubt Zaki has turned out to be an unbelievable hit in the Premier League but how long will that last. Well by the look of things, very long. He is a player that gives 100% every time he goes out on the football pitch and he is a player that fans love watching.

Now here is a real bargain. Zaki costs just £3 million in this season's "You the Manager". You never know, the big Egyptian could be the man to win you some terrific monthly and weekly prizes, so sign-up now (below) and enter your Premier League eleven.

Real Madrid are monitoring Carlos Tevez' situation at Old Trafford following reports that Manchester United are unwilling to pay the £32 million needed to make the deal permanent. The Argentine international has spent the last season and a half at United and has impressed, however Sir Alex Ferguson is not prepared to fork out the money demanded by Tevez' owner Kia Joorabchian.

Real Madrid manager Bernd Schuster is desperate to add to his attacking options once the transfer window opens in January following the departure of Robinho to Manchester City last month. Tevez , 24, has made a total of 58 appearances for the Premier League giants during his time at the club scoring 20 times.

He won both the Premier League and the Champions League during his first season at the club and he is understood to be keen to make the move permanent as soon as possible. United originally paid Joorabchian £9 million to bring Tevez to the club on a two-year loan deal but that will expire at the end of the season with Ferguson desperate to make the move permanent.

Although I feel Tevez has been magnificent for United during his time at the club I don't think he is worth a total of £41 million. He is a player that works his socks off in every single game and is constantly pressuring defenders but for I don't see Ferguson splashing out all that money on one player and I feel a move to either Real Madrid or even Manchester City could be on the cards.

Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho is preparing a January move for Manchester City midfielder Elano. The Brazilian international has impressed at the City of Manchester Stadium since his £8 million move from Ukrainian side Shakthar Donetsk and now it is understood that Mourinho is desperate to bring the player to Italy.

The 27-year old has today admitted he is flattered by the interest from the former Chelsea manager. Elano was brought to Eastlands by former City manager Sven Goran Eriksson and he immediately impressed, scoring some absolute belters during his first few months at the club. He has over 30 caps to his name for Brazil scoring just 4 times in the process.

I am a massive fan of Elano. He is a player who I feel can change a game all by himself and I think he is well capable of playing at the very highest level. Although I would love to see him stay at City ( because I am a City fan) I do think if Mourinho were to bid somewhere around the £10 million mark City may just let Elano leave and sign another midfielder just like him for £30 million.

The Premier League's 'Top 4' all claimed maximum points from their respective games today. Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United were particularly impressive whilst Liverpool had to battle hard to claim all three points at home to Steve Bruce's Wigan Athletic.

Chelsea began that day top of the Barclays Premier League table and they looked keen to keep it that way from the off at Middlesbrough. In truth, Boro never really looked like getting anything from the game as soon as Salomon Kalou put the visitors in front after just a quarter of an hour. Luis Filipe Scolari's men ran out 5-0 winners in the end with goals from Belletti, Kalou (2), Lampard and Malouda.

Liverpool knew that three points were needed to keep them level with Chelsea at the top of the table and they just managed to do so. Rafa Benitez' men had to come from behind twice after Amr Zaki put the visitors ahead on two occasions. However it was the home side that ran out 3-2 winners with goals from Kuyt (2) and Riera.

Arsenal were looking to move into third place in the table with a win at home against Everton. It wasn't all plain sailing for the home side though as David Moyes' took an early lead through Leon Osman. But it was Arsene Wenger's men that claimed all three points with three second-half goals from Nasri, Van Persie and Walcott. Arsenal 3-1 Everton the final score.

The Champions, Manchester United, hosted newly-promoted West Brom at Old Trafford in the late kick-off. The visitors certainly proved no push-overs, keeping the scoreline level until ten minutes into the second-half. Once Sir Alex Ferguson's side got their first goal they ran riot. The game finished 4-0 but in truth United could of scored several more. The goals coming from Rooney, Ronaldo, Berbatov and Nani.

Impressive stuff from the big boys in the Premier League today. Chelsea were outstanding and I think Scolari deserves a lot of credit for the way in which has side went about their business today at the Riverside. All four sides now face tricky Champions League matches mid-week.

Elsewhere it finished : Bolton 0-0 Blackburn, Fulham 0-0 Sunderland, Aston Villa 0-0 Portsmouth.

Barcelona are ready to test Liverpool's resolve by offering them £12 million for midfielder Xabi Alonso. The Spanish giants are keen to add to their midfield options come the new year with Alonso said to be high on their wish-list but whether or not Rafa Benitez will be willing to let him go is a difficult one.

Alonso, 26, was heavily linked with a summer exit from Anfield with Serie A side Juventus reportedly interested. The Spanish international admitted earlier this week that he still may Liverpool in January despite winning his place back in the Reds starting eleven. Barca boss Pep Guardiola is keen to bring Alonso to the Camp Nou once the transfer window opens in January.

I personally think it would be a real shame to see Alonso leave Liverpool. It is clear that the fans love him and that they would be gutted to see him go but would Benitez reject £12 million for the former Real Sociedad man? Although I don't want to see him leave the Premier League, I do think he would be a quality signing for Barca.

Source : The Sun

Liverpool fans travelling to next week's Champions League game against Atletico Madrid next week can breath a huge sigh of relief this evening. UEFA have decided to temporarily lift the ban which they had given Atletico earlier this week which would of prevented the side from playing their next two European games on home soil.

Many Liverpool fans were left fuming on Tuesday after it was announced that the game was to be moved to a different stadium almost 200 miles away from the Vicente Calderon. However, UEFA have decided to accept Atletico's appeal which leaves them free to host Rafa Benitez' men next Wednesday.

Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry told the club's website: "We're delighted at the decision because it means our fans can travel to the game as previously planned without additional expense or inconvenience. "Liverpool are grateful for the help the FA have provided and pleased Uefa have listened to and acted on the arguments we put forward this week."

Tottenham are preparing a January move for CSKA Moscow striker Vagner Love in a bid to cure their current striking problems. The Premier League side have struggled for goals this season following the departure of Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane during the summer and they now have their sights firmly set on Love.

The Brazilian international has been linked with several moves to England in years gone by but for whatever reasons he has never made the move. Spurs boss Juande Ramos has come under increasing pressure in the last few weeks for the side's poor showing this season, however he is now looking to spend as much as £12 million the bring Love to White Hart Lane.

The 24-year old has made over 100 appearances for CSKA since joining from Brazilain outfit Palmerias back in 2004. He has a terrific goals to game ratio at the Russian giants, scoring almost a goal every second game. I personally feel Love would be superb signing for a side like Spurs. He is a real flair player and I think he is just what Spurs need at this testing time, although they will have to wait until the transfer window opens on New Years day.

Source : Daily Star

Liverpool are preparing a cheeky £12 million January move for Tottenham midfielder David Bentley. The England international has struggled to settle at White Hart Lane since his move from Blackburn during the summer for a fee of £15 million and it has been claimed that he may be tempted to quit the club come the new year.

Bentley has already come in for some stick from the Spurs faithful for his below average performances for the Premier League strugglers. Rafa Benitez was previously linked with a move for the former Arsenal man, however Juande Ramos managed to tempt him to join Spurs during the summer.

The Spaniard is now ready to re-ignite his interest in the 24-year old. It has been predicted by many experts and fans that several of Spurs' summer acquistions may leave the club once the transfer window opens, with the club languishing at the foot of the table with only two points. I personally feel that Bentley has a lot of talent and that he could prove a real hit at Anfield should he decide to move in January.

Source : The People

Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso has today admitted he may still sign for Serie A side Juventus come the opening of the January transfer window. The Spanish international was heavily linked with a move to Italian giants all summer, however Juve boss Claudio Ranieri last week claimed that he didn't sign Alonso because he was too slow.

Alonso, 26, looked almost certain to leave Anfield during the summer, with Reds boss Rafa Benitez attempting to sign Aston Villa's Gareth Barry. Since then, Alonso has regained his place in the Liverpool starting eleven and a January move away from the Merseyside club looked highly unlikely until today.

The former Real Scoeidad man told Gazzetta dello Sport : "To be honest, for my part, the attraction (to Juventus) has remained intact ... one thing I can say is that I personally appreciated the honesty of the club executives ... they told me their tactics on the pitch were different and that is why they chose Poulsen and not me.

"These are things that happen in football and it's fine. I could have gone but I didn't because, in the end, they chose someone else ... Juventus are Juventus, the most prestigious club in Italy, but you cannot be disappointed when you play for Liverpool." I personally wouldn't like to see Alonso leave England because he is a fantastic player and I feel he still has a lot more to give.

That's the view of our readers anyway. For the past week, Football Corner has asked you, the readers, if you think Kevin Keegan will return to Newcastle United for a third spell in charge and the answer is, no.

Here is the full result of the poll:

Yes ( He will return) 19 votes (34%)
No ( He won't return) 24 votes (45%)
Maybe ( He might return) 10 votes (18%)

Total votes : 53

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our readers who voted and I would also like to urge all of you to vote in our latest poll on the right-hand side of the page, who will be the next Premier League manager to leave their job?

Manchester City are to go on a massive spending spree once the January transfer window opens with Gianluigi Buffon, Kaka and Fernando Torres all on their wish-list. City boss Mark Hughes is to be given a massive £100 million transfer kitty for January and they are already trying to persuade some of football's biggest names.

Since the arrival of Robinho on the final day of the summer transfer window, City have been linked with dozens of player's, however it is now thought that the Premier League club are beginning to whittle down their targets. City's new owners, Abu Dhabi-United group, have promised to spend big in their efforts to make City the biggest club in the world, with Kaka, Buffon and Torres all attracting interest.

Although I would love for City to sign all these players (I'm a City fan!) I just can't see it happening. I feel it will be at least another season or two before we can really start to think of signing these players. The signing of Robinho has really lifted the expectation at Eastlands but I think we should all try and keep our feet on the ground for a little while anyway, including the owners.

Source : News of the World

Yes, Real Madrid manager Bernd Schuster has today confirmed that the Spanish giants will be re-igniting their interest in signing Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo once the next transfer window opens. The Portuguese international was the centre of a massive transfer-saga in the summer, with Real rumoured to be prepared to spend as much as £80 million for Ronaldo.

Real manager Schuster told Spanish newspaper Marca : "We must do everything possible as it would be worth it to have this player ... I think this year it will be a little complicated for his club to hang on to him." The 23-year old has always spoken of his desire to join Real, however United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has maintained that he will not be leaving the club anytime soon.

Personally, last summer was just so boring. Listening and reading the same crap everyday about the future of Ronaldo was so frustrating at times. Please for the sake of January, give up Real and just let it be until next summer and them maybe make another bid for Ronaldo. Perhaps, United's local rivals Man City will come into the equation come January.

Juventus are preparing a January move for Tottenham midfielder Luka Modric. The Croatian international has struggled to to make any kind of impact in the Premier League since his £16 million move from Dynamo Zagreb in the summer and Juve boss Claudio Ranieri is ready to offer Modric an exit door from White Hart Lane.

The 23-year old was linked with several of Europe's elite before his move to Spurs in the summer with Juve rumoured to be among his admirers. After a promising pre-season with the North London club, Modric has played a part in the club's worst start for the past century, which sees Juande Ramos' side sit bottom of the league with just two points.

This may be the best thing for all parties. Spurs could cut their losses from the signing of Modric, the player can start fresh at one of the best teams in Serie A and Juve will have a terrific midfield player with over 30 caps for his country. If Juve were to make a bid of £15 million, I feel Ramos (supposing he is still at the club) would be mad not to accept.

Source : The Observer

Barcelona midfielder Alexander Hleb has today admitted he is begging Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas to come join him at the Camp Nou. The former Arsenal midfielder left the Emirates in the summer to join Barca and he admits he would love to Fabregas to move to La Liga to re-ignite their central midfield partnership.

Fabregas, 21, admitted during the week that it would be "a dream come true" to move back to Barca where he spent his days as a youngster. Despite signing a new deal at the club only last year (which will keep him at the club until 2013) Fabregas admits he will review his options at the end of the season.

Hleb, 27, told El Mundo Deportivo : "We get on very well on and off the pitch. For me he is like a brother. We call each other a lot to talk about things ... He tells me he misses me at Arsenal and, without wanting to detract from anyone, I would love it if he came to Barca to be a part of all this.

"I don't stop insisting that he should return to Barca and he doesn't stop insisting that he is very happy at Arsenal and with Arsene Wenger. "I will keep boring him until he changes his mind. If in the end he listens to me, I think it would be great for Barcelona."

I really hope Hleb stops pestering Fabregas to join him in Spain because I want Fabregas to stay in the Premier League. He is without doubt one of, if not, the best player in the league and I feel he would be a massive loss for both Arsenal and the league itself. I am sure Arsene Wenger will not be overally happy to hear Hleb trying to persuade Fabregas to leave the Gunners.

It came as no surprise to me to see that Hull City's Phil Brown won the September Premier League manager of the month award. The former Bolton Wanderers assistant manager has guided Hull City to the most amazing start to the season, which sees them lying third in the table, with only one defeat to their names.

September saw the Premier League new boys claim, ten points from a possible twelve, with wins away at Newcastle, Arsenal and finally Tottenham. Hull had been many people's tips to go down at the start of the season, with the bookies pricing them at 4/11 to go down. They are now 6/4 to go down, which in my view, are woeful odds.

Great decision by the Barclays Award panel. Brown has done magnificently well to keep Hull miles clear of the relegation zone and I personally feel he will keep them up with ease. Some of his signings have been superb, especially the Brazilian Geovanni, who I think may have caught the eye of some of Europe's elite.

Juventus are planning a January move for Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Eboue. The Ivory Coast international has struggled for first team football so far this season and Juve manager Claudio Ranieri is keen to bring him to the Stadio Del Alpi.

Eboue, 25, joined the Gunners back in 2005 from German giants Bayern Munich. He has made over 100 appearances during his time at the Emirates, scoring just 3 goals in the process. Eboue has previously been linked with moves away from the Gunners, with AC Milan also said to be interested, however nothing has ever materialised.

It would come as no surprise to me to see Eboue move to the Serie A giants in January. I feel if Juve were to make a bid of £6 or £7 million, Arsene Wenger would be mad not to accept. Eboue is good but, quite frankly, he is nothing special. If Eboue is to leave Arsenal in January, I think Wenger should go out and buy someone like Miguel Veloso.

Liverpool could face a fight with Manchester City to hold onto Spanish striker Fernando Torres. It has been reported today that the richest club in the world, Man City, are to offer Torres a massive £200,000 a week contract to try and persuade him to leave Anfield once the January transfer window opens.

It had been speculated that City had bid a massive £50 million bid on the final day of the previous transfer window for Torres, however Reds boss Rafa Benitez denied the speculation and moved quickly to rubbish rumours of a possible January move. The 24-year old has proved a massive hit in the Premier League, scoring an impressive 29 goals in 39 league games for the Merseyside club.

Although City have an abundance of money to spend in January I can't, for one second, see Torres opting to leave Liverpool for Eastlands. There is no doubt he is one of the best players in Europe and why wouldn't the new Arab owners at City want to sign him, however I feel they would be wasting their time trying to sign 'El Nino'.

I don't think City will sign him, but will you? Torres costs just £8 million in this season's "You the Manager" and is certainly worth a look at. Sign-up (below) for your chance to win some terrific weekly and monthly prizes, plus receive 5 teams for the price of 4.

Since the arrival of my new Manchester United away jersey (08/09) I simply haven't stopped wearing it. It is without doubt one of the nicest, most comfortable Man United jersey's there has ever been and I am a huge fan of it.

I am a man who likes to play football, whether it be competitive or friendly, and I am always looking for the best jerseys on the market. This one definitely fits the bill.

The dri-fit technology which Nike have incorporated into this jersey makes a training session or just a simply kick-a-bout with your friends very comfortable and very enjoyable.

United always seem to have a white away jersey and I always look at them and say "hmmm, it's OK, not great though". But not this one. The blue and red trimmings on the outline of the jersey go really well with the pro dominant white.

I personally feel this is a must buy, not just for United fans, but for football fans in general. It looks good on Cristiano Ronaldo but it will look even better on you! So go now to soccerpro.com to order your Manchester United away jersey 08/09 for just $66.50 (£40).

Tottenham midfielder David Bentley has today claimed he has no problems with manager Junade Ramos. Since his arrival from Blackburn Rovers for £17 million in the summer, Bentley has struggled to nail down a first team place at the club amid rumours that he does not see eye to eye with the manager.

The England international has so far failed to show anything like the form which saw him become one of the Premier League's hottest properties during his time at Ewood Park. The 24-year old has come in for some strong criticism from the Spurs faithful after only seven appearances for the North London giants.

When asked about Ramos, Bentley told The Sun, "I'm fully behind him, 100 per cent,". "I know people are having a laugh at the fact we are bottom of the league at the moment. But it's up to everyone at the club to stop the jokes. We have more than enough good players at Tottenham to get us out of this situation and I give my word that we will."

It is clear for everyone to see that Spurs are in great deal of bother. With only two points to their names, they find themselves bottom of the table with nearly a quarter of the season gone already. I suppose it is good to see Bentley come out and show some support for the under pressure manager, although I know Spurs would rather see Bentley producing the goods on the field.

Juventus manager Claudio Ranieri has today given his reasons for not signing Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso during the summer. He is too slow. Yes, the Italian manager has admitted he was interested in bringing the Spaniard to Serie A, however he opted out of a possible £16 million move because he is too slow.

Alonso, 26, had been heavily linked with a move away from Anfield in the summer after falling down the pecking order in the Reds midfield behind the likes of Steven Gerrard, Javier Mascherano and Lucas Leiva. He has since won his place back in the starting eleven and has helped the club to their best start in the Premier League for several years.

"He was a player we wanted," admitted Ranieri. "But he is a player, who even though he is an extraordinary man and a great professional, left me perplexed by the slowness of his movement in midfield. "In the midfield of Rafa Benitez's Liverpool, where all of them are little soldiers, he finds himself in a fantastic position.

"But in our midfield, he would have found it hard to support the midfield line seeing as Mauro Camoranesi and Pavel Nedved are not players that come back to give support like Liverpool's wingers." I personally think Alonso is a magnificent player and would be a great signing for many of Europe's top clubs. "Too slow", what are you on about Ranieri?

Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas has today admitted he may opt to leave the Gunners at the end of the season for a return to Barcelona. The Spanish international spent his youth days at the La Liga giants, however he decided to join Arsenal back in 2003, where he has become a firm fan favourite.

Fabregas, 21, has quickly become one of Europe's best midfield players since breaking onto the scene at Highbury in a League Cup tie against Rotherham United back in 2003. Fabregas has been linked with numerous returns to the Camp Nou in recent months but as yet nothing has happened and the European Championship winner still has several years left on his contract at the club.

"Right now I'm fine at Arsenal but I cannot deny that to return and play for Barca would be a dream come true," Fabregas told Catalan based radio station RAC 1. "I chose to stay at the club last summer and right now I'm totally focused on the reason for that decision which was to try and win trophies. "We'll see how things have gone by the end of the season.

These are definitely worrying comments for all Gunners fans. There is no doubt that Fabregas is one of, if not, the best player at the club at the moment and without him Arsenal would be half the team they are now. I feel if he were to leave next summer, it would not only be bad for Arsenal, it would be bad for the Premier League because Fabregas is certainly one of the brightest talents in the league.

Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel could face up to six months on the sidelines after injuring himself in his sides 3-2 victory away at Manchester City yesterday. The Slovakian international has become a first team regular at Anfield in recent months, keeping Danish defender Daniel Agger out of the squad in the process.

Skrtel, 23, was stretchered off near the end of the game at Eastlands yesterday with suspected posterior cruciate ligament damage to his right knee. "He will see a specialist on Tuesday to assess the extent of the injury," said club spokesman Ian Cotton. "We will then have an accurate idea of the timescales involved before he is back playing again."

This is obviously a massive blow for Reds boss Rafa Benitez. Skrtel has been one of Liverpool's best players this season and has helped the side to it's best start in the Premier League for several years. This could mean a run in the team for out-of-favour defender Daniel Agger and I certainly am looking forward to seeing the big Dane hopefully return to his form of two years ago.

Liverpool ran out 3-2 winners in a game that was certainly not short of controversy at the City of Manchester stadium this afternoon. It ended with both sides having ten men, one player carried off and one sent off, in what proved to be a magnificent game at Eastlands.

The visitors had the majority of possession for the first ten minutes or so before Mark Hughes' City finally started to get into the game. It was the hosts who took the lead on 19 minutes when Stephen Ireland lashed home a superb effort after the ball fell to him from a Alvaro Arbeloa challenge on Robinho.

City took complete control of the game from then and were rewarded for their terrific play when Javier Garrido fired a terrific free-kick past the Liverpool keeper Jose Pepe Reina to send City 2-0 up at the break. I don't know what Rafa Benitez said at half-time but his side looked a far better side after the interval.

They pulled one back early in the second-half through the man of the match, Fernando Torres, when he slotted home from all of six-yards to give the visitors hope of snatching something from the game. City could of killed the game if £32.5 million man Robinho had of steered the ball in from all of two-yards. Moments later City were reduced to ten men when summer signing Pablo Zabaleta was shown a straight red for a challenge on Xabi Alonso.

With ten men, it was simply backs to the wall for the home side. Liverpool were rewarded for their persistence when Torres bagged his second of the game from a Steven Gerrard corner. Liverpool were reduced to ten men when Martin Skrtel landed awkwardly on his right-leg and he then had to be stretchered off and unfortunately for the visitors Benitez' had already used his three substitutions so Liverpool had to see out the remainder with ten men.

This didn't stop Liverpool's dominance on the game and Dirk Kuyt grabbed a goal in stoppage time to hand his side all three points and leave Mark Hughes wondering how on earth he lost the game. As a City fan myself, I must admit I was gutted when Kuyt scored late on. I could of taken a draw but a loss is just heart-breaking.

Maybe it's time you signed Torres for your team. He costs just £8 million in this season's "You the Manager" and I certainly would have him in my team. Sign-up now (below) and receive five teams for the price of four and win some terrific weekly and monthly prizes.

Elsewhere in the Premier League it finished : Everton 2-2 Newcastle, Chelsea 2-0 Aston Villa, Portsmouth 2-1 Stoke City, Tottenham 0-1 Hull City, West Ham 1-3 Bolton.