WENGER HOPES FUNDS AVAILABLE IN JANUARY

Gunners manager, Arsene Wenger has admitted that he would like to bring in reinforcements in the January transfer window to bolster his Arsenal side's faltering title challenge but does not know the club will make the necessary cash available.

 

Wenger knows his side must improve in the second half of the season but is hamstrung by long-term injuries which rule out Cesc Fabregas, Tomas Rosicky and Theo Walcott. One player Arsenal have been linked with is Zenit St Petersburg playmaker Andrei Arshavin. However, Wenger refused to confirm he is chasing the Russia forward.

 

BOLA BOYZ   ARSENAL

STEVEN GERRARD ARRESTED

Steven Gerrard was arrested on Monday after a brawl at a restaurant. The Liverpool captain was among six men arrested when officers were called to the Lounge Inn in Southport, Merseyside. A local man was taken to hospital with facial injuries, which are not thought to be serious. Police said the 28-year-old footballer and five other men were arrested on suspicion of assault.

 

Gerrard went out with friends just hours after his side's 5-1 victory over Newcastle at St James' Park. He was arrested after a disturbance at the Lounge Inn, a modern restaurant close to the junction of Bold Street and Stanley Street. The venue converts to a late-night club venue with live music and DJs. No one was available to comment on Monday. The seaside town is a popular destination for wealthy footballers looking for a night out. 

BOLA BOYZ LIVERPOOL

MAN UTD 1 - MIDDLESBROUGH 0

Middlesbrough forced Manchester United to work hard at Old Trafford before conceding a 1-0 loss. After missing a series of chances, Dimitar Berbatov spared their blushes with the only goal. The Bulgarian volleyed home from close range in the 69th minute after Michael Carrick's left-wing cross had bounced back off Boro defender David Wheater.

 

Berbatov, who replaced Boxing Day's match-winner at Stoke Carlos Tevez after he returned to Argentina on a ''family issue'', was one of the guilty culprits in the first hour of the match. But he was not the only one with Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Rafael, Nemanja Vidic and Park Ji-sung all squandering chances against a determined Middlesbrough side. United may have won with just one goal but managed to keep Premier League leaders Liverpool within their radar.

 

BOLA BOYZ MAN UTD

ARSENAL 1 - PORTSMOUTH 0

Former captain William Gallas came to Arsenal's rescue with a late header in a 1-0 win against Portsmouth which keeps the Gunners in the Premier League title chase. The breakthrough came in the 82nd minute when David James flapped at Denilson's free-kick and Gallas rose to head the ball into the Pompey net.

 

The victory was barely deserved but it prompted a wave of Arsenal attacks as they at last took control of a game they had struggled to grasp for great swathes against a Portsmouth team which is going through its own crisis of confidence under another former Gunners captain, Tony Adams.

 

BOLA BOYZ   ARSENAL

FULHAM 2 - CHELSEA 2

Clint Dempsey's last-minute header dented Chelsea's Barclays Premier League title challenge as Fulham earned a battling 2-2 draw at Craven Cottage. Chelsea, who have now taken just 10 points from their last 21, had been on course for a west London derby win after two second-half strikes from Frank Lampard.

 

But Dempsey, who had given Fulham the lead after 10 minutes, popped up with seconds remaining to extend the Cottagers' unbeaten run to nine games. Chelsea now head into the new year three points behind league pace-setters Liverpool, who had signed off 2008 earlier in the day with a 5-1 win at Newcastle.

 

BOLA BOYZ  CHELSEA

NEWCASTLE 1 - LIVERPOOL 5

Liverpool tightened their grip at the top of the Premier League with a superb 5-1 win at Newcastle. England midfielder, Steven Gerrard claimed a fine double as he got the ball rolling with a 31st-minute opener and then after Sami Hyypia and Ryan Babel had struck either side of David Edgar's header, he completed the job with a 66th-minute second.

 

Xabi Alonso also converted a 76th-minute penalty after fellow newcomer David Ngog had been tripped by Edgar to complete a miserable afternoon for Joe Kinnear's injury-ravaged side, for whom goalkeeper Shay Given made seven remarkable saves.

 

BOLA BOYZ  LIVERPOOL 

ASTON VILLA 2 - ARSENAL 2

Zat Knight rifled home an injury-time equaliser to rescue a well-deserved 2-2 draw against Arsenal. and provide a significant boost for Aston Villa's fight for Champions League qualification. Martin O'Neill's side had battered the Londoners throughout the first half but somehow found themselves two goals down only to mount a superb fightback.

 

Goals either side of half-time by Denilson and Abou Diaby for Arsenal were not a fair reflection of the game and, after Gareth Barry's penalty pulled a goal back, Knight smashed home a stoppage-time leveller to maintain Villa's three-point lead over the Gunners.

 

Villa captain Martin Laursen was missing and Gareth Barry was made skipper for Villa. Arsene Wenger was without captain Cesc Fabregas through injury and striker Emmanuel Adebayor due to suspension.

 

BOLA BOYZ   ARSENAL 

LIVERPOOL 3 - BOLTON 0

Liverpool reclaimed the top spot of the Premier League with a 3-0 victory over Bolton at Anfield. Chelsea's victory earlier in the day put the London side in pole position until Robbie Keane's double and a goal from Albert Riera ensured the Reds went back to the head of the pack.

 

The win meant Liverpool have completed all of 2008 unbeaten at home in the league. Missing Alvaro Arbeloa with a hamstring injury, manager Rafael Benitez re-jigged his back line, moving Jamie Carragher to right-back with Sami Hyypia slotting into the centre of defence. Liverpool also restored Yossi Benayoun to midfield at the expense of Lucas, who was joined on the bench by fit-again Javier Mascherano.
 

BOLA BOYZ  LIVERPOOL

STOKE 0 - MAN UTD 1

A late goal by Carlos Tevez ensured Manchester United returned to Premier League action with a 1-0 win at Stoke City. The home side had earlier been reduced to 10 men with Andy Wilkinson picking up two yellows.

 

The striker scored the vital goal with seven minutes remaining to end Stoke`s brave resistance, shortly after Andy Wilkinson was ordered off. However it took United a while to get going after they only arrived back on Monday from Japan.

 

BOLA BOYZ MAN UTD 

CHELSEA 2 - WEST BROM 0

Chelsea went back to the top of the Premier League with a comfortable 2-0 win over rock-bottom West Brom at Stamford Bridge. Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard were on target for the Blues as they recorded their first home league win in four games.

 

The Blues took just three minutes to go in front with Drogba, making his first league appearance since the end of September, heading home a cross from Joe Cole. It was the Ivorian's second goal of the season and his first in the Barclays Premier League this term. Lampard, captain in the absence of the suspended John Terry, scored Chelsea's second goal in the first half injury time.

 

BOLA BOYZ  CHELSEA

ASTON VILLA CANNOT WIN TITLE - WENGER

Arsene Wenger realised it is a big game, but turned down the idea of Aston Villa winning the Premier League. The Gunners manager however accepted that Villa is a serious threat for the top four positions challenge.

 

Without Fabregas and suspended striker Emmanuel Adebayor, Arsenal will travel to Villa Park looking for revenge after Gabriel Agbonlahor helped inflict a shock result when the two teams met last month.

 

BOLA BOYZ   ARSENAL

REAL MADRID WANTS PENNANT

Sky Sports News sources understand Liverpool are considering a bid from Real Madrid for Jermaine Pennant. As revealed by skysports.com, Pennant was attracting interest from La Liga and now Real have made a bid for Liverpool man as they look to bring in a new winger in the January transfer window.

 

New Real coach Juande Ramos has made a new right-sided winger one of his top priorites and they have been linked with a host of players including Ashley Young, Aaron Lennon and CSKA Moscow's Milos Krasic. Real have been priced out of the move for the trio and now they have turned their attentions to forgotten Liverpool man Pennant. Pennant has made just four appearances for Liverpool this season and it appears he does not figure in Rafa Benitez's long-term plans.

 

BOLA BOYZ  LIVERPOOL

MICHAEL ESSIEN IS GHANA'S BEST

Michael Essien has been named Ghana Footballer of the Year after a media poll in Accra. Inter Milan's Sulley Muntari and Hearts' Laryea Kingston came second and third respectively.

 

Essien is a regular African Footballer of the Year finalist, has been sidelined since mid-year after picking up an injury while playing for Ghana against Libya in 2010 World Cup qualifier. His absence has been a major factor for Chelsea's inconsistent form lately.

 

BOLA BOYZ  CHELSEA

BOCA JUNIORS WINS APERTURA CHAMPIONSHIP

Boca Juniors have won the Argentine Apertura championship after finishing top of a three-way play-off by the slimmest of margins after losing 1-0 to rank outsiders Tigre in the final match. Boca, Tigre and San Lorenzo all finished the mini-league with three points from two games but Boca took the title on goal difference.

 

Boca had a goal difference of one, compared to zero for Tigre and minus one for San Lorenzo. The play-off was held after the three teams finished level on points after the regular championship, where goal difference is not used to decide the title. It was Boca's 23rd title under the various formats used since Argentine football turned professional in 1931.

 

INTECH2U   MAT KEPOH   TIME FOR LAUGH

UEFA TO PUNISH VIDIC

Nemanja Vidic will miss Manchester United's Champions League clash with Inter Milan at the San Siro after being sent off in the final of the Club World Cup against LDU Quito. The Serbian was shown a straight red card for elbowing Claudio Bieler in the second half of the Red Devils' 1-0 win on Sunday and under FIFA rules the subsequent suspension is carried over to the next match of the club's federation.

 

In this case that means the next match in a UEFA competition and rules Vidic out the European Champion's trip to Milan on February 24, 2009. A FIFA spokesman confirmed that he will get at least a one match ban. However, with FIFA still to ratify the exact punishment, Vidic could face up to a three match ban. That would rule the centre-back out of the entire Champions League tie with Inter and possibly the first leg of the quarter-final should United overcome Jose Mourinho's men.

 

BOLA BOYZ MAN UTD 

FABREGAS OUT FOUR MONTHS

Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas is set to be sidelined until April with a knee injury. The Spaniard had to be substituted at half-time in Arsenal's 1-1 draw against Liverpool on Sunday following a challenge with Xabi Alonso.

 

The full extent of the damage has now been revealed, with Arsene Wenger confirming that he has a partial rupture of the medial knee ligament. Fabregas had only recently returned to fitness following a problem with the same knee and he will now miss most of the rest of the season. He will have to sit out a crucial period of the Premier League as well as Arsenal's UEFA Champions League tie against Roma.

 

BOLA BOYZ   ARSENAL 

FERDINAND APPRECIATES SIR ALEX WORDS

Rio Ferdinand hopes a motivational team-talk from Sir Alex Ferguson will prove to be 'a defining point' in Manchester United's season. United lifted the Club World Cup on Sunday with a 1-0 victory over Liga de Quito in Japan and Ferdinand admits Ferguson made the players aware of the significance of the game.

 

The centre-half revealed the United manager warned the Premier League and European champions that losing in the Club World Cup final would have a negative effect on their campaign.

 

BOLA BOYZ MAN UTD

EVERTON 0 - CHELSEA 0

Chelsea had John Terry sent off at Goodison Park but were able to hold Everton to a goalless draw. The Blues relinquish their 100 per cent away record and miss the opportunity to sit top of the Premier League table at Christmas, while the Toffees remain in the European hunt despite their failure to breach 10-men.

 

The hosts began the game in the more positive fashion, making a mockery of their failings on home turf this season. However, despite Phil Neville and Marouane Fellaini keeping Petr Cech on his toes, the Chelsea rearguard was rarely threatened.

 

BOLA BOYZ  CHELSEA 

ARSENAL 1 - LIVERPOOL 1

Striker Robbie Keane dealt a fresh blow to Arsenal's fading title hopes as he secured a point for Barclays Premier League leaders Liverpool in a 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal had striker Emmanuel Adebayor sent off in the second half, which hampered their hopes of finding a winner after Keane's goal had cancelled out Robin van Persie's strike.

 

Arsene Wenger's men went into the match eight points off the pace, and perhaps more significantly they were - and remain - out of the top four following Aston Villa's win at West Ham. Despite taking the lead through a fine strike from Van Persie after 24 minutes, it proved a false dawn as the Reds levelled before the break when Keane latched onto a long ball up-field and lashed in a thunderous shot.

 

Arsenal were forced to play the final 30 minutes with only 10 men after referee Howard Webb showed Adebayor his second yellow card for a clumsy challenge on Alvaro Arbeloa.

 

BOLA BOYZ   ARSENAL   LIVERPOOL 

MAN UTD 1 - LDU QUITO 0

Ten man United clinched the world title in Japan. A second-half strike from Wayne Rooney handed Manchester United a deserved 1-0 victory over LDU Quito in the Fifa Club World Cup Final at the Yokohama Stadium. The UEFA Champions League holders dominated the first half but were unable to break the deadlock as goalkeeper Jose Cevallos was called into action on several occasions.

 

The Red Devils were dealt a setback four minutes after the interval when centre-back Nemanja Vidic was handed a straight red card by referee Ravshan Irmatov for catching Claudio Bieler with his elbow. South American club champions LDU Quito began to make their numerical advantage pay but they were undone on 73 minutes as Rooney smashed home the winner after he was teed up by Cristiano Ronaldo.

 

BOLA BOYZ  MAN UTD