Manchester City has a dream

After the derby match with United, it seems that Manchester City is even more determine to make it BIG this time around, by bringing in superstars.
And if the rumours were indeed real, then it indeed spell danger for the rest of the giants. While Red Devils manage to keep City at their place, it is only a matter of time before the new boss of City splash his cash to make a big impact on the Premier League.

The Independent says the Abu Dhabu United Group are determined to land a "world superstar" by the time January finishes. Kaka and Lionel Messi lead the list, closely followed by Fernando Torres, Carlos Tevez, Samuel Eto'o and even Cristiano Ronaldo.

It is suggested that the new proprietors would be willing to pay upwards of £70m for a new star to play alongside Robinho, who they signed for £32m in September.

This free-spending policy will be the next stage in a bid to establish City as a suitable destination for the game's top names.

A source, supposedly close to the discussions, said: ""They are going for a big player. If they really want to be a big club and move to a new level they need to get a big player in and that would mean one of Kaka, Messi, Ronaldo or Tevez, because of his availability. Unless a player like that can be signed then it will be a struggle and the sooner it is done the better, which means trying to do so in January. Then others will follow."

Manager Mark Hughes also has a wish-list for less starred names, which include Roque Santa Cruz, Wayne Bridge, Lassana Diarra and Benfica's Luisao. Other big-name targets are Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and Valencia striker David Villa but these are believed to be assigned as summer purchases.

The owners have looked at how Chelsea, in the early years of Roman Abramovich's purchase, went about signing players such as Juan Sebastian Veron, Hernan Crespo and Adrian Mutu rather than concentrating on one or two superstars. City believe that strategy has, ultimately, proved wasteful and sense they can make a bigger impact by signing a big name.

Liverpool wasted it...good for Manchester United and the Gunners...

Liverpool again wasted a chance to take a commanding lead at the top of the Premier League as brave West Ham forced a goalless draw at Anfield.

It is 45 years since they have won at this stadium, so this first point in nine years at Liverpool was a fine achievement.

West Ham have never been known for their defensive reliability at Liverpool, but they were magnificent as they stretched an unbeaten run to three games.

At the back goalkeeper Robert Green, England defender Matthew Upson and Welshman James Collins stood defiant.

And another Welshman, former Liverpool man Craig Bellamy, came close to breaking the deadlock with a 30-yard shot which crashed against a post.

Liverpool are back on top of the table, but by only one point, and this disappointing display follows hot on the heels of an identical result achieved by Fulham here in the previous home league game.

Liverpool dominated, but West Ham repelled the waves of attacks as they grabbed a crucial point in their own battle for survival.

Liverpool called in veteran defender Sami Hyypia and former West Ham winger Yossi Benayoun, keen to take advantage of Chelsea's defeat by Arsenal 24 hours earlier.

Robbie Keane and Andrea Dossena replaced the injured pair Fernando Torres and Fabio Aurelio, with Daniel Agger and Javier Mascherano rested to the bench.

West Ham, without a win at Anfield since 1963, brought in Hayden Mullins in midfield for ankle injury victim Lee Bowyer, in the only change from the side that won at Sunderland last time out.

Mark Noble returned to the Hammers bench after a knee injury, while Diego Tristan made his first appearance in the squad since he joined on trial two months ago.

Liverpool had two early penalty appeals turned down by referee Peter Walton when both Benayoun and then Dirk Kuyt drove the ball at Herita Ilunga from close range.

West Ham had looked nervy, and after 14 minutes Green raced from his line to punch weakly away. The ball fell to Albert Riera whose shot was blocked in the six-yard box by James Collins.

Then from a right-wing corner, Hyypia rose to head narrowly over the bar. The Liverpool pressure increased and Mullins was booked after 19 minutes when he tripped Benayoun in full flow.

Two minutes later another header from Hyypia was kicked off the line by Ilunga.

West Ham's only shot until this point had been a weak long-range effort from Julien Faubert, scooped up by Jose Reina.

But Liverpool kept plugging away, showing the sort of patience in such situations that Benitez called for after the stalemate against Fulham nine days earlier.

Steven Gerrard worked his way in from the right and fired into the sidenetting, before Bellamy - on his return to Anfield after moving to West Ham 17 months ago - almost broke the deadlock.

Bellamy picked up possession and unleashed a fine, swerving drive which crashed against Reina's right-hand post and bounced across goal to safety.

Then Green made a fine point-blank save from Kuyt's header following Xabi Alonso's corner, two minutes from the break.

Kuyt and Keane both saw shots go wide as Liverpool opened the second half on the attack. But Bellamy was still a danger for West Ham, and after running past Hyypia he was body-checked by Alonso, the Spaniard being booked.

Then Green produced a stunning save to turn over a Benayoun drive, before Alonso volleyed fiercely over from a squared Gerrard free-kick.

Four minutes later the ineffective Keane was replaced by French striker David Ngog.

West Ham fancied their chances, breaking out of defence after 67 minutes and winning a corner. And when Bellamy curled it towards the near post, Carlton Cole headed inches wide.

Liverpool then sent on Ryan Babel for Riera after 78 minutes, with West Ham by that stage hanging on as the pressure mounted.

Hyypia headed just wide from a Gerrard corner, the Kop behind Green's goal demanding that Liverpool attack more.

West Ham sent on Luis Boa Morte for Faubert with six minutes of regulation time left.

Green then produced another fine save from a close-range Kuyt effort following Gerrard's deep cross.

Bellamy and Parker created a chance for Boa Morte on the break, but he sliced his effort wide. Babel then broke to see a shot deflected over.

Upson pleased for Zola Matthew Upson believed Gianfranco Zola was beginning to get his rewards after West Ham ground out a 0-0 draw with Liverpool at Anfield.He told Setanta Sport: "It's a massive result: it's another clean sheet and perhaps at the end we could have nicked something."He (Zola) stuck to his beliefs: he had had a bit of pressure to change things."He has got us more organised and drilled and started to change things."I'm very happy here at the moment, the team are doing well, I've just got to take each game as it comes."Former Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy hit the post with a long-range shot in the first half and he also rued the side's inability to convert their chances."I'd love to see Liverpool win every game for the rest of the season apart from when we play them. I'm West Ham now," he said."We tried to make it frustrating for them and also had decent opportunities."It's very difficult to get a result here because they have great players. But maybe we could have got a goal at the end."

Berbatov is back?

Berbatov has returned to training after a hamstring injury but Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is still to decide how to use him in Sunday's derby clash with Manchester City.

The Red Devils' record £30.75million signing has missed the last two games after reporting back from international duty with a minor problem picked up against Serbia.

He was able to join his team-mates for the latter part of the training session on Thursday morning, putting him in contention to face Mark Hughes' side at Eastlands.

But Ferguson has vowed not to take any chances with the former Spurs striker and will assess his fitness over the next 72 hours.

''Dimitar started training today but hamstring injuries are never easy to deal with,'' said the United boss. ''We have to be careful because he has never had one before.

''We will have to gauge whether it is wise to use him from the start on Sunday or better to have him on the bench. It really depends how he comes through the next couple of days.''

Ferguson also confirmed veteran duo Gary Neville and Paul Scholes were back in training.

Neville has been struggling with a groin injury, although he might face City, but Scholes - who had a knee operation after the Champions League trip to Aalborg on September 29 - is more likely to be held back until the return meeting with the Danes in a fortnight.

Meanwhile, Ferguson has insisted Manchester United are ready to tackle head on any challenge from their super-rich neighbours.

After buying Brazilian forward Robinho for a British record transfer fee of 32.5 million pounds ($50.18 million) in August, City are poised to try and make more major signings in the January transfer window, but the United boss is ready for the challenge.

"It was an immediate impact and what we had to do was sit back and accept this challenge," Ferguson said.

"We experienced it with Chelsea when (Roman) Abramovich came in and bought all those players that summer and they won the league in the next two years," Ferguson told reporters.

"The one thing you can say about this club is that it can accept a challenge and do something about it and we had to do something about it or we would be second for ever more.

"We accepted it and fortunately we have won the last two leagues."

Ferguson also said his major focus remained on Chelsea and leaders Liverpool as third-placed United look to make up an eight-point deficit and stay in contention for a hat-trick of titles.

"There may be a different focus (on the derby) this time with the prospect Mark Hughes has got of money available and buying so many players in January, but that doesn't change our side of it," he said.

"That's the future: how Mark Hughes uses the money and how he shapes his team. At the moment our threats are still Chelsea and Liverpool, who are sitting above us."

Good news for Azzurris....

will there be a repeat of such triumph?

Italy coach Marcello Lippi claims his record-equalling run of results would be meaningless if he had not won the World Cup two years ago.

The Azzurri's 1-1 draw in Greece on wednesday saw Lippi equal the world record of 31 consecutive international games without defeat set by former Spain coach Javier Clemente and ex-Argentina boss Alfio Basile.

Lippi also bettered Vittorio Pozzo's unbeaten run, but the 60-year-old has his eyes set on one of the former Italy coach's other records - leading Italy to back-to-back World Cups.

"Let it be clear," said Lippi. "Pozzo did something incomparable by winning two World Cups. Or should I say, we can equal him if a miracle happens. There, now that would be a record.

Such joy back then....will the Azzurris be strong enough to maintain their title....Lippi certainly wants to achieve that success!!

"I'll continue my run of unbeaten results, but I am happy to have won the World Cup, to have achieved 30 or 31 results without having won anything wouldn't have mattered.

"Among that run there is a World Cup won and and an attempt to build a squad which seems to me to be going well."

But recently, the Italian isn't as promising as they did two years back. And they certainly need fresh blood!!

Arsenal, uncertainty!!

Arsenal has been one of the most interesting football side last season, with their fashionable style and youngsters all out to wrestle the League title from the Red Devils and yet it seem while they were so close, they don't have the enough momentum to keep going until the end of the season. As usual, a new season means a new hope for the Gunners but with Arsene Wenger sticking to his youngsters, it seems that there need to be more changes with the Gunners struggling this season to be consistent.
And now the latest news: William Gallas yet again prove to be a doubt as a leader for Arsenal.
Arsenal skipper William Gallas has revealed rifts in the dressing room undermining the club's current campaign and has suggested his team-mates have been unsettled by one member of the squad.

Gallas has called Arsene Wenger's side ''not brave enough in battle'' and has urged them to fight to revive a season that has already included four Premier League defeats.

The 31-year-old also claims that some of his team-mates have approached him to complain about one member of the squad. Gallas would not reveal the player's identity but revealed the team-mate to be six years younger than him.

"There are things that can't be said and can't be tolerated," Gallas said on the Times website. "When, as captain, some players come up to you and talk to you about a player ... complaining about him ... and then during the match you speak to this player and the player in question insults us.

"There comes a time where we can no longer comprehend how this can happen. I am trying to defend myself a bit without giving names. Otherwise I'm taking all the blame. It's very frustrating. I'm 31, the player is six years younger than me.

"There was a problem at half-time at Tottenham.The only thing that I could say at half-time was 'Guys, we resolve these problems after the match, not at half-time.'"

Gallas also believes the youngsters emerging into Arsene Wenger's team lack the stomach required to cope with physical matches and fears that lack of fortitude could shatter their already faint title hopes.

"We are not brave enough in battle," Gallas said. "I think we need to be soldiers. We have to be warriors. There are teams who can do it well against us, and we have to be able to face up to these attacks.

"We are coming up against teams who are not scared to play football against us, who are not scared to take us on at our place, and this is becoming dangerous for Arsenal."

Gallas has yet to win a trophy since moving to Arsenal from London rivals Chelsea in 2006 and the Gunners are nine points behind league leaders Chelsea are losing four matches already this season.

The centre-back is growing increasingly frustrated by the team's failure to challenge for silverware.

"I have to win something this year. I have to win something, Arsenal has to win something," Gallas said. "It's four or five years since Arsenal won anything. That's nearly five years, and that's not good.

"For me the title is not over, it's true that we are nine points behind Chelsea, but you have to be optimistic and you can't give up.

"Four defeats is a lot, but it's a long season. I think it will be very tight this year and we will have to hope that Chelsea draw a few games and have a few defeats."

I think this is definitely a bad news for Arsene Wenger to hear this from the captain at this point of time....

Oops...times up!!

Real Madrid sporting director Predrag Mijatovic has issued a vote of confidence to embattled coach Bernd Schuster

Speculation over the future of coach Schuster had intensified after a 1-0 to Real Valladolid at the weekend - their third loss in four games - as arch-rivals Barcelona opened up a three-point gap at the top of La Liga.

Mijatovic, whose own relationship with Schuster has been the subject of tittle-tattle among the Spanish press, sought to head the rumours off at the pass as the nine-time European champions struggle for form.

The Serbian former striker rubbished the speculation, saying he was "fully confident" in his coach. "We have one of the best squads in the world and I am convinced that we can finish the year with a title," he said.

"We have only played 11 games in the league and we are close to the top. We have total faith in our coach. We are all very happy with him. In recent games we have done as we have wished. Not only us, but him as well.

"We want to transmit calm and confidence to the fans."

After being beaten home and away by Juventus in the Champions League, last week saw the Primera Liga champions suffering an embarrassing exit from the Copa del Rey at the hands of Segunda B's Real Union and Spanish media claimed he could well be sacked if Madrid lost against Valladolid.

Spanish daily AS claimed that Schuster's decision to give his players two days off after the defeat at the Estadio Jose Zorrilla has infuriated club president Ramon Calderon, who has detailed Real chiefs Mijatovic and Miguel Angel Portugal to seek out potential replacements.

Roberto Mancini, Victor Fernandez or Real Madrid youth team coach Michel were all supposed to be in the frame should Schuster be given his cards.

Club captain Raul Gonzalez had insisted that all the club's players are 100 per cent behind their under-fire manager but rumours of unrest have been rife for a number weeks.

"It is a lie to say that we are not behind the coach," said Raul. "Of course we are all with him. There is no problem there."

However, Madrid golden-boy Guti and defender Sergio Ramos have been critical of the abrasive German in recent interviews.

Schuster, who represented Barcelona and Real Madrid as a player, won the Primera Liga title in his first season at Los Blancos last term.

Beckham short term in Milan

David Beckham has no intentions of staying at AC Milan beyond his agreed two-month loan deal, his spokesman has said.

Reacting to a report that Beckham was in talks about staying at the Italian club until the end of the season, his spokesman Simon Oliveira said the England midfielder would be returning to Los Angeles Galaxy as agreed in March.

Oliveira said: "As highlighted last week David has signed a loan agreement with Milan for a two-month period and no discussions have taken place with regard to extending that deal."

A statement by LA Galaxy was reported on Sky Sports News, claiming: "Reports that David Beckham is in advanced talks to extend his loan move beyond March are untrue.

"We look forward to having David back with us for the start of the 2009 MLS season."

Beckham will work with a personal fitness coach for the rest of the year to ensure he hits the ground running when he joins up with AC Milan.

The midfielder is determined to play at least some matches for the Italian giants rather than viewing his two-month loan spell as a mere training exercise and is likely to join up with AC Milan at their post-Christmas training camp in Dubai 10 days before he was originally expected to arrive at the club.

The change to his itinerary needs to be given the green light by the Los Angeles Galaxy, but it is expected to happen, while in the weeks before that, he will work with his personal fitness trainer to ensure that he does not arrive in Italy out of condition.

Meanwhile, Rio Ferdinand says he would love Beckham to break Peter Shilton's record of 125 caps for England.

Beckham will equal Bobby Moore's mark of 108 appearances for the Three Lions if he plays some part in next week's friendly with Germany in Berlin.

He would then be 17 behind Shilton, knowing if he keeps his place in an England side that makes significant inroads in the next World Cup in South Africa, he would have a chance of becoming the most capped England player of all-time.

"He would be going some if he could do that," admitted Ferdinand. "But if he does it then it will mean we've had a good tournament - so I'd love him to do it."

"In an England shirt he's always put in 100 per cent and was probably one of the main reasons we got to the 2002 World Cup after that win in Munich - especially when you remember the game against Greece when he scored in the last minute.

"People keep saying 'does he deserve this or that?' but they forget what he did at Man United before he even went to Real Madrid.

"He won five or six championships, FA Cups, European Cup, League Cups, Charity Shields - so he can't be that bad a player. He's won more trophies than probably Bobby Moore did.

"Of course, Bobby Moore won the World Cup, which is the ultimate trophy. But domestically Becks has won everything. He has warranted being in England squads and England teams.

"In my eyes if you get to 108 caps you deserve to be there."