Van Persie scores twice for Under-21s

By Arum Victor, Reporter
Filed: Friday, April 29, 2015 at
6:27 NG
Last updated: Friday, April 29, 2015
at 6:27NG

Robin van Persie stepped up his
recovery from an ankle injury by
scoring twice for Manchester United ‘s
Under-21 side against Fulham last
night.
It took the Dutch striker just 13
minutes to break the deadlock at
Craven Cottage when he converted
Andreas Pereira ‘s through pass.
Then, 10 minutes from time, the 31-
year-old beat Magnus Norman for a
second time to secure a 4-1 win for
United.
Van Persie also hit the woodwork on
two occasions before he was replaced
in the 81st minute.
Following that outing, there have been
suggestions that the forward, who has
found the net on 10 occasions this
season, could start against West
Bromwich Albion at Old Trafford on
Saturday evening.

Luis Enrique hails “unstoppable” Barcelona

          Barcelona 6-0 Getafe
                                            Messi (9′ pen.,
47′), Suarez
(25′, 40′),
Neymar (28′),
Hernandez
(30′)
                                                   

By Arum Victor, Reporter
Filed: Friday, April 29, 2015 at
6:44 NG
Last updated: Friday, April 29, 2015
at 6:44 NG

Luis Enrique has praised the
performance that his Barcelona
players put in during their 6-0 win
over Getafe last night.
Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez both
helped themselves to two goals
apiece, while Neymar and Xavi also
weighed in as Barca stretched their
lead over Real Madrid at the top of La
Liga to five points.
Speaking to the club’s official website,
head coach Enrique said: “I don’t
remember ever seeing a game with
quite so many spectacular goals.
When the team is as effective as that,
they’re unstoppable.
“I want to congratulate the team.
Things could have turned difficult
today but the players resolved the
situation in the best possible way.”
Barca’s advantage will be cut to two
points this evening if Madrid
overcome Almeria.

Lewandowski hopeful of facing Barcelona

By Arum Victor, Reporter
Filed: Friday, April 29, 2015 at
6:38 NG
Last updated: Friday, April 29, 2015
at 6:38NG

Bayern Munich striker Robert
Lewandowski remains hopeful of
facing Barcelona in the Champions
League semi-finals despite suffering
concussion.
The Poland international sustanined
the head injury after clashing with
Mitchell Langerak during his side’s
DFB-Pokal semi-final defeat to
Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday. He
also broke his nose and upper jaw.
Lewandowski is expected to be
sidelined for the foreseeable future,
but the 26-year-old has suggested
that he could make a surprise
recovery for next week’s first leg at the
Camp Nou.

Its a few more days till the match at
Camp Nou, i really hope i will be
able to play!
— Robert Lewandowski
(@lewy_official) April 29, 2015

Lewandowski has scored 22 goals in
42 appearances for Bayern since
joining the club from Dortmund last
summer.

Walcott: ‘Arsenal can win league next season’

By Arum Victor, Reporter
Filed: Friday, April 29, 2015 at
6:36 NG
Last updated: Friday, April 29, 2015
at 6:36NG

Theo Walcott has backed Arsenal to
win the Premier League title next
season, as long as they remain injury
free throughout the campaign.
The Gunners can still catch current
leaders Chelsea at the top of the
standings, although Sunday
afternoon’s goalless draw against
their rivals is likely to see them settle
for second place.
Following a poor start to the term,
Arsenal have managed to click into
gear in recent months to string
together an impressive run of form,
and Walcott believes that stands his
side in good stead in preparation for
next year.
“There’s a lot of competition for
places so everyone seems to lift a gear
and play extremely well,” he told the
club’s official website. “It makes it a bit
more difficult for people to get into
the team.
“I think, especially this season, not
many people thought we’d be second
and challenging for the Premier
League. In this calendar year, we’ve
been the best team in Europe.
“It’s the strongest the squad has been
and everyone is staying fit as well.
There aren’t many injuries in the
squad, which is important. If we had
an injury-free season, I think we could
lift the title.”
Arsenal are currently 10 points behind
leaders Chelsea, with five games of
their season left to play.

Report: United confident of De Gea stay

By Akinwande Franklin, Reporter
Filed: Friday, April 29, 2015 at
6:32 NG
Last updated: Friday, April 29, 2015
at 6:32NG

Manchester United have reportedly
grown increasingly confident that
David de Gea will sign a new contract
with the club.
The Spanish goalkeeper’s current deal
at Old Trafford is due to expire in the
summer of 2016, which had resulted
in strong links with Real Madrid .
United boss Louis van Gaal recently
revealed that the 24-year-old had
been offered an extension to his
terms, but gave no clue as to whether
De Gea would accept the offer.
However, the chances of the keeper
remaining at United, despite Madrid’s
supposed interest, has increased over
recent weeks, according to The
Independent .
The report added that De Gea is now
likely to commit to a new deal, which
will be worth around £200,000 a
week, but he could still depart for the
Bernabeu at the end of next season.
If that were to be the case, the Red
Devils could demand a larger fee for
the former Atletico Madrid man.

Real Madrid vehemently deny transfer allegations

By Arum Victor, Reporter
Filed: Friday, April 29, 2015 at
6:30 NG
Last updated: Friday, April 29, 2015
at 6:30 NG

Real Madrid have refuted claims that
they are to receive a transfer ban from
FIFA over the signing of underage
players.
It was reported on Wednesday that
Real and city rivals Atletico Madrid are
due to be punished for breaching
transfer rules relating to foreign
minors.
Barcelona were issued with a transfer
embargo last season for the same
offence and later failed in their
attempt to overturn the decision.
Real have now expressed their
disappointment at the allegations
surrounding the club’s transfer
dealings.
“[The allegations are] completely false,
as demonstrated by the fact that the
Spanish Football Federation has
spoken to different media outlets to
refute the claims that Real Madrid is
implicated in any kind of irregular
activity when it comes to signing
minors,” read an official statement.
“Real Madrid reiterates that the club
has always scrupulously adhered to
the FIFA regulations. Real Madrid is
once again saddened by these
reports, some of which are intended
to cause harm, the only aim of which
are to implicate the club in supposed
infractions that have not been
committed.
“Real Madrid reiterates once again its
absolute committment to the defence,
protection and the correct and
healthy development of minors, which
take precedence over sporting
interests and, as a consequence,
confirms its total support of these FIFA
regulations and the club’s adherence
to them.”
The 10-time European champions
continue their La Liga campaign
tonight when they welcome Almeria to
the Santiago Bernabeu.

West Ham chairman: ‘No truth to Allardyce rumours’

By Arum Victor, Reporter
Filed: Friday, April 29, 2015 at
6:27 NG
Last updated: Friday, April 29, 2015
at 6:27NG

West Ham United co-chairman David
Gold has once more moved to
reiterate that no decision over
manager Sam Allardyce ‘s future will
be made until the end of the season.
The 60-year-old is out of contract at
Upton Park this summer, but it is still
unclear whether he will remain in
charge.
Rumours emerged overnight hinting
that talks had began over a new
contract, although Gold has
categorically denied this.
Speaking to Claret & Hugh , he said:
“Can you put the record straight
please. That is simply not true. We
have made it clear over and over
again what we are doing and the
situation remains precisely the same.
“Anything else is just speculation and
rumour-mongering. The decisions
that need making will be made at the
end of the season. I seem to be
saying this for the umpteenth time. I
would ask all fans to wait until the end
of the season. After all, there’s not
long to go.”
West Ham have slipped down to 11th
place in the league table following a
run of one win in their last 12 outings.

Liverpool ‘not considering Brendan Rodgers axe, despite FA Cup exit’

By Udama Gideon , Staff Reporter
Filed: Tuesday, April 21, 2015 at 06:10 NG
Last Updated: Tuesday, April 21, 2015 at 08:56 NG.
Liverpool ‘s American owners are reportedly not planning to sack
manager Brendan Rodgers , despite the team’s failure to reach the FA
Cup final.
Questions over the Northern Irishman’s future were raised once again
after the Reds suffered a 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa in the FA Cup
semi-finals at Wembley on Sunday.
After finishing two points behind Premier League champions
Manchester City last season, Rodgers will finish his third campaign at
Anfield without a trophy and qualifying for the Champions League
looks unlikely as they are seven points behind fourth place.
Despite the main target of the season being a top-four finish,
according to the Liverpool Echo , owners Fenway Sports Group retain
their stance that Rodgers is the manager for the long term and at this
stage have no intention of dismissing him.
The owners, who allowed more than £100m to be spent on new
players last summer, will review the season once it is over in six
games’ time..com.com.com

Fabio Capello: ‘John Terry should still be playing for England’

By Udama Gideon,Reporter
Filed:Thursday,April16,2015 at 9:47NG
Last updated:Thursday,April16,2015 at 9:47NG

Fabio Capello has said that John Terry should still be playing for
England because he believes that the player is one of the best
defenders in the country.
The Italian resigned as England manager after Terry was stripped of
the Three Lions captaincy by the Football Association in 2012 over
allegations that the centre-half had directed racist abuse towards
Anton Ferdinand the previous year.
The Chelsea skipper retired from international football in September
2012 following the FA’s decision to pursue charges against him, and
Capello, who is now in charge of Russia, believes that the 34-year-old
would still excel in England’s backline.
“He is one of the best. [England] haven’t got a lot of defenders but
they sometimes have problems,” BT Sport quotes Capello as saying.
“It’s better to have a player like John Terry than not have him. But I
don’t think he has the chances to play with the national team any
more. [The FA] decided he could not play with the national team and
I didn’t understand because he was not guilty.
“When it happened I said to [then FA chairman David Bernstein], ‘You
decided he’s guilty? No, he’s not guilty’. I fought for this and they
said, ‘No, you can’t decide about the player, you need to wait for the
court decision and everything’. I said, ‘Why have you decided before
I’ve asked you?'”
Terry won 78 caps for England after making his debut in 2003.

Report: Garry Monk contender for West Ham United job

By Udama Gideon,Repoter
Filed:Thursday,April16,2015 at 9:40NG
Last updated:Thursday,April16,2015 at 9:40NG

West Ham United are reportedly considering a move for Swansea City
manager Garry Monk this summer.
Current Hammers boss Sam Allardyce is expected to leave the club
when his contract expires at the end of the season.
With West Ham looking to progress ahead of moving to the Olympic
Stadium in 2016, a number of high-profile managers have been linked
with moves to East London as Allardyce’s replacement, including
Slaven Bilic, David Moyes and Rafael Benitez.
Monk took over as Swansea’s interim player-manager from Michael
Laudrup in February 2014 and secured the club’s survival in the top
flight before taking the reins full-time last summer.
The 36-year-old Monk has now emerged as a serious candidate after
an impressive first full season in charge of the Swans this term.
The South Wales outfit have already equalled their record Premier
League points tally with six games to go, having reached 47 so far.
West Ham are attracted by the fact that Monk is not on big wages
and his contract has a fairly small release clause, according to the
Daily Star.
Monk has two years remaining on his current deal at the Liberty
Stadium.