European football

Alan Pardew admits St Mary's Stadium might not be the best place for the faint of heart this afternoon. His Southampton side were beaten by Brighton at home last Sunday - and Pardew wants to prove it was nothing more than a minor blip. "I am expecting a good Norwich side, for them to be confident and us to be slightly nervous after Sunday," he admitted.

They were absolutely roaring for us on Sunday and we let them down so I hope they start by roaring us on again, and hopefully our response will be better.   -Alan Pardew

 

CHELSEA midfielder Frank Lampard has flown to Serbia for treatment on the torn thigh muscle he suffered training with England ahead of last weekend's friendly with Brazil, British media reported today. The Guardian said the 31-year-old Lampard flew to Belgrade on Thursday to see Serbian doctor Marijana Kovacevic, who has treated several players from leading Premier League clubs. Kovacevic has received widespread publicity in England for using a controversial treatment involving the use of fluids deriv  

Half the Liverpool and Manchester City players who have had 'horse placenta' treatment will be fit for today's lunchtime showdown - participation of the other half will depend on the going. It's hard to know whether this is a north-west derby or a donkey derby. City signed stars they thought could win the player-of-the-year award but most will have a better chance of winning the best turned-out award.  

In what one UEFA official called European football's worst ever match-fixing scandal, investigators said on Friday criminals may have netted 10 million euros ($A16.23 million) rigging 200 games in nine countries. A 200-strong band operating across Europe is suspected of swaying matches in Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Croatia, Slovenia, Turkey, Hungary, Bosnia-Hercegovina and Austria, prosecutors in Germany said. They include three Champions League ties, 12 matches in the Europa League, formerly the

Without doubt this is the biggest scam there has ever been in European football   -Peter Limacher

 

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney will have to be patient before he gets the chance to be club captain. England manager Fabio Capello last week handed Rooney the armband for the friendly with Brazil in Qatar and despite Sir Alex Ferguson twice naming the 24-year-old as captain in Champions League games, he is unlikely to be permanent captain any time soon. "I have never really been an advocate of center-forwards being captain," Ferguson told the Press Association .

I have never really been an advocate of center-forwards being captain   -Alex Ferguson

 

Everton will visit Manchester United in Saturday's English Premier League match with half a dozen players suffering knee injuries of various types. The injured list includes Phil Jagielka, Mikel Arteta, Victor Anichebe, Phil Neville, Jo, James Vaughan and Steven Pienaar. "The lads that have been in the team have been fantastic but we need that bit of extra help," Australia midfielder Tim Cahill said.

The lads that have been in the team have been fantastic but we need that bit of extra help   -Tim Cahill

 

Rafael Benitez acknowledges that Liverpool's clash with Manchester City today will be "make or break" to their hopes of ensuring Champions League football next season. City, now the world's richest club, have made no secret of their desire to gate-crash the top four and gain a place among the Champions League elite. At the moment the most vulnerable member of the established 'big four' are Liverpool, who are floundering outside the top six and are also at risk of missing out on the last 16 of this yea

This is a big game, an important game. But then all Liverpool games are important. But this could be described as a make-or-break game for our season.   -Rafael Benitez

 

TELECOMS millionaire Denis O'Brien , who funds a significant portion of Giovanni Trapattoni 's salary, challenged the French to reconsider their position on the World Cup hand-ball controversy. Mr O'Brien -- who admitted he was "gutted" by the manner of Ireland 's World Cup exit -- said it was now time for the French, FIFA and the player at the centre of the controversy, Thierry Henry , to reconsider their positions. He strongly endorsed calls for a replay of the World Cup qualifier.

I just couldn't believe it. It was absolute daylight robbery   -Denis O'Brien

 

Carlo Ancelotti has revealed high hopes for a player he might give a debut to today against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Almost certainly never has the name of a teenage Chelsea player, Jimmy Greaves included, been so widely known before he has even kicked a ball for the first team. The on-going case concerning Gael Kakuta's move to the club has seen to that, but with the ban on the 18-year-old taking part in competitive games suspended , Ancelotti announced on Friday that the midfielder is on the bench t

He is a very good talent   -Carlo Ancelotti