Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor has emerged as an injury doubt ahead of Saturday's Premier League trip to Tottenham.
The England international missed the opening few games of the season with a calf problem.
He made a substitute appearance during last weekend's 2-1 victory over Wolves but has missed training the week with a groin problem.
"My concern is Gabby because he again has felt his groin," revealed manager Gerard Houllier.
"We will have to investigate a bit more. The calf problem has gone now. Now it's gone up his body. I hope it doesn't get much higher."
Meanwhile, Houllier has welcomed the selection headache Carlos Cuellar's performances at centre-half in the absence of Richard Dunne have brought.
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He added:"That sort of headache I can take. A bad headache is when you've not got enough players.
"Carlos looked strong and solid and reminded me of (Liverpool's) Jamie Carragher. He goes for everything in the air and is brave."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has admitted that he was happy with his side’s discipline in their 1-0 win over QPR on Sunday.
Leon Best scored the only goal of the game at the Sports Direct Arena, ruining Mark Hughes’ first match in charge of the Loftus Road outfit.
Pardew was pleased with his side’s efforts after the game and spoke of an accomplished performance by the Tyneside team.
“We were disciplined with the goal that we had and tried to look for another,” The Magpies’ boss told Sky Sports.
“And then in the last period of the game we were just seeing it out really, it was a nice disciplined performance from us.
“The most pleasing part was the second half when we took a grip of the match and didn’t really open the game up,” he stated.
The only downside for Pardew and Newcastle was an ankle injury to Yohan Cabaye, but the home team’s coach has stated that it doesn’t look serious.
“It was a strong challenge, but Shaun Derry is a player who makes strong challenges. The referee was right on top of it.
“I thought it was borderline yellow/red, but I think probably it was a yellow. He seemed to get the ball.
“There always controversy about tackling. It’s very, very difficult for referees, so I am not going to sit here and criticise that decision.
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“But Yohan was upset. He felt it was probably a little bit over-exuberant, but the doctor thinks he is going to be okay,” he concluded.
Newcastle United captain Kevin Nolan is fit to play at Anfield on Sunday, hopefully against former house guest Andy Carroll.Carroll joined Liverpool from Newcastle in January 35 million pounds – a record transfer for a British player.
But the young striker, who sat out Liverpool’s 5-0 hammering of Birmingham after a knee injury sustained against Arsenal, is rated “doubtful” for the clash.
Nolan had missed two games with suspension, but impressed in the 1-1 draw at Bloomfield Road before being replaced late by James Perch, prompting fears of an injury.
Yet Nolan has quickly allayed those fears.
“I just felt a bit of a niggle,” Nolan told the Newcastle Chronicle.
“It was only a precaution and to get somebody on who could run a bit faster than me really.”
“It’s been horrible to be honest to miss two games. But it is just part and parcel of it all.”
Nolan joked he hopes that Carroll is fit for Sunday so he can “kick” his former team-mate, who was ordered to live with Newcastle captain when released on bail following assault charges in October 2010.
“The big man missed out because of an injury,” Nolan said.
“He missed out and he doesn’t know how long he will be out.”
“Hopefully he’ll be back so I can kick him.”
“There will be a lot of friends and family there in both ends for him. We’re looking forward to it.”
“We’ve been brilliant away from home this season and we’re full of confidence.”
“They had a fantastic result and so they’re full of confidence too. It will make for an entertaining game.”
Carroll netted 12 goals for the Magpies this season before joining Liverpool and has added two more to his tally in a red shirt after his big-money January switch.
“I don’t know if I want him to play or not,” Nolan said.
“I do so I can kick him, but I don’t want to him to play because of the threat he can pose.”
“He’s clicking into gear. You will see the best of him next year I think. But he’ll be desperate to play against us.”
United have not won a Premier League game at Anfield since 1994.
“We don’t worry about anything like that. This is a different team to ones that have gone there in the past,” Nolan said.
Newcastle are in ninth place on 41 points, and trail sixth-placed Liverpool by 11 points.
Not even the 750 miles of land and sea between Italy and England can stop Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson taking a swipe at his old Liverpool enemy Rafael Benitez.
Sir Alex chose to reopen old wounds ahead of last Sunday’s clash between his United side and fierce rivals Liverpool by blaming Benitez for the recent decline of the five time European Champions and not the club’s squabbling American owners. Ferguson could have easily avoided the Benitez issue if he had wished, but couldn’t resist one last dig at the new Inter Milan boss.
“I don’t know if Liverpool’s current situation is anything to do with the financial position,” commented Fergie.
“In the last regime they spent a lot of money on players, far more than Manchester United did. They had a huge squad of players, so I don’t know if the financial position is anything to do with it.”
The pair clashed repeatedly over transfer spending and budgets while Benitez was in charge at Anfield. In March 2009 the Spaniard told his United counterpart to ‘check his figures’ after Ferguson argued that the Merseyside Reds had easily outspent their rivals since the start of Benitez’s reign in 2004.
Depending on whose figures you believe, Benitez spent £240m during his six-year Anfield tenure, while Ferguson spent £223m over the same period. The former Valencia boss recouped around £165m, giving him a net spend of £88m (or £14.6m per season). While Ferguson’s net spend over the last six seasons works out at £58m, £30m less than Benitez. Benitez’s £14.6m-a-season certainly does not represent outlandish spending for a club which needed complete overhauling when he arrived in 2004. The over-inflated £80m cheque United received from the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo also tips the scales in United’s favour.
Ferguson spent money reshaping his United side following Chelsea’s emergence as champions in 2004 & 05, while world class talent Wayne Rooney arrived from Everton in 2004 during Benitez’s first summer at Anfield. Sir Alex also added the defensive duo of Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra to his squad in 2006, undoubted high-quality additions to the Old Trafford set-up. Benitez also had successes in the transfer market with signings Fernando Torres, Xabi Alonso, Pepe Reina and Javier Mascherano. Although Ferguson has been building from a position of strength, he can still point to three league titles and a Champions League win having spent less money than Benitez.
Benitez had success himself at Anfield, twice breaking the club’s record Premier League points total, a European Cup and a FA Cup triumph. It is incredibly harsh to blame Benitez for Liverpool’s decline when the club have been underachieving for the last two decades. The ownership saga did not help Benitez who had to manage in difficult conditions throughout his time at the club, as the boardroom battle rumbled on in the background. The effects of the ongoing sale process still continues to suck the life out of the club today and cannot be simply discarded when evaluating the club’s current plight.
Ferguson has seen the departure of six Liverpool managers during his 23-years at Old Trafford, claiming to have got on well will all of them except Benitez.
“You should examine him [Benitez] not me. I’ve always enjoyed a good relationship with Liverpool’s managers,” revealed Ferguson.
“Both clubs have always addressed the situation properly after games. That changed under the last regime, but it’s not a big issue for me.”
Clearly not. Liverpool fans have always backed Benitez’s stance on Ferguson and his refusal to pander to the longest-serving manager in English football. Benitez clearly got under Ferguson’s skin and still continues to provoke strong opinions from the Scot despite having long departed to Italy. Here’s what the former Liverpool boss had to say about Ferguson’s comments.
“I am honestly surprised that an experienced and important manager like him said these things and spoke so much about me, considering I’ve been in Italy for three months,” said the Nerazzurri boss.
“I can only add that the Liverpool fans know the story and they know the truth. They also know it’s easy to judge when you’ve been in power for 24 years.”
Of course Benitez had his failings but you cannot alter history to blame him for the club’s gradual decline and mismanagment over the last 20 years.
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Liverpool old boy taking the Championship by storm
Blackburn boss Steve Kean will be staring down the barrel of a loaded gun after watching his side slip to the foot of the Premier League table after they were beaten by fellow strugglers Bolton in an epic relegation six-pointer at Ewood Park.
In a game that will go a long way to defining both clubs’ season it was the Trotters who came out on top ending a run of five consecutive defeats to give them a real chance of getting themselves out of trouble during the christmas period. As for Rovers they had to endure a third successive defeat and now find themselves four points from safety having played a game more than their rivals at the bottom. The pressure is now firmly on Kean with reports suggesting that his job would be under increasing scrutiny should he lose against West Brom and Bolton in the space of four days. Supporters once again vented their anger and frustration over their manages continued tenure in the dugout leaving the owners with a serious decision to make over whether to give Kean a chance to save the club from the doom of relegation. Since taking over last December the Scot has won only seven games since then and failed to keep a clean sheet in 20 games since their last shut out in April – ironically against Bolton.
Owen Coyles’ side were clearly the hungrier of the two sides out on the field and it was no surprise when they took the lead with only five minutes on the clock. The normally reliable Christopher Samba saw his hashed clearance fall to David N’Gog who found Mark Davies and the midfielder made no mistake drilling the ball past Paul Robinson. The goal was met with jeers and chants demanding Kean be relieved of his duties there and then as the relationship between manager and supporter plummeted to new depths. Such negativity was clearly having an effect on the players as they struggled to and the noise around Ewood Park became even more blue as the Trotters doubled their lead just after the half hour mark. More shoddy defending from the hosts saw Morten Gamst Pedersen fail to deal with Martin Petrovs cross allowing the ball to find Nigel Reo-Coker who swiftly turned and lashed the ball home. Inevitably a torrent of abuse was directed towards the home dugout as Kean stood aimlessly staring out into the mess that was his Blackburn Rovers on field. It almost got worse before the half was over with N’Gog having a shot blocked before the whistle for half time proved the catalyst for more boo’s and jeers.
A major response was needed after the break and luckily for Kean his players provided it 12 minutes after the restart with Yakubu halving the deficit escaping the clutches of Gary Cahill to slam Junior Hoiletts pass into the back of the net. The Nigerian almost levelled the game later on only to see his shot deflected wide as Rovers went on the offensive. However their gung-ho approach left them susceptible to breaks on the counter and Bolton almost profited with Petrov speeding down the wing and crossing for Tuncay who failed to make contact with the ball as it flashed across goal. As the minutes ticked by the home sides hopes of an equaliser faded as the Trotters held on to secure a massively important three points and ease the pressure on Coyle’s shoulders ahead of their Boxing Day meeting with Newcastle. As for Kean and Blackburn, lets see what the morning brings.
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Barcelona and Real Madrid both face UEFA charges following the fall-out of Wednesday’s Champions League clash at the Bernabeu. Both Carlo Ancelotti and Arsene Wenger have dismissed the talk of conspiracies, although I am sure the likes of Jose Mourinho will beg to differ.
In the papers this morning there have been a mixed bag of stories that include Ferguson claims United lack a Ronaldo; Houllier leaves hospital, while Arsenal fans beg Kroenke to halt ticket prices.
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Real and Barcelona go to war again after Uefa charges – Guardian
Wenger won’t sell star names – Sky Sports
Ferguson: United lack ‘Ronaldo’ factor – Daily Telegraph
Newcastle join hunt for Leeds’ winger Snodgrass as Pardew looks for pace – Daily Mail
Arsenal fans beg Kroenke to halt price rises – Daily Telegraph
Gabbidon charged with improper conduct by FA for X-rated Twitter rant – Daily Mail
Houllier leaves hospital – Sky Sports
Carroll told to expect Newcastle abuse – Guardian
Redknapp is a goer for Asamoah – Sun
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Mancini: Tevez could quit even if we reach Champions League – Mirror
Etherington likely to miss Cup final – Guardian
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Joey Barton was signalled out for treatment last Saturday against Wolves. Regardless of what Mick McCarthy would have us believe, there was a plan amidst Wolves’ tactics and it was to rile Barton, in the hope that he would react and that maybe Alan Smith would follow. Half the challenges that Barton felt the brunt of were fair; they were tough but ultimately what we like to see in the Premier League and one of the reasons we love it.
To McCarthy’s credit, it was a ploy that could very easily have worked; Barton’s moustache may have gone, but his temper remains, or does it? Barton waited until the final whistle had gone to remonstrate with the Wolves boss, and although he was vocal during the game about his treatment, there were no overzealous actions on his part.
Joey Barton’s struggles with his aggression are hardly a secret, but if anybody was unaware, here goes (deep breath):
Dec 2004: Stubs a cigar in youth player Jamie Tandy’s eye and tries to set fire to his shirt while on tour with Man City.
May 2005: Breaks a man’s leg while driving his car through Liverpool’s city centre.
July 2005: Assaults a 15-year-old Everton fan in Thailand.
Mar 2007: Arrested and cleared of assault and criminal damage.
May 2007: Assaults Ousmane Dabo during training at Man City. Fined £100k and given a 4-month suspended sentence after pleading guilty in court to the charge of assault.
Dec 2007: Arrested for common assault and affray for an incident in Liverpool. Sentenced to 6 months in prison.
Dec 2007: Admits to suffering from alcoholism.
May 2009: After being sent off in a match crucial to Newcastle’s relegation from the Premiership, Alan Shearer calls him “a s***.” He replies that Shearer is “a s*** manager with s*** tactics.”
It is prolific at the very least. The thing is, Barton remains a Premier League player because he is rather good. More than just a tenacious hustler, he both energetic and creative. As valuable as an attacking force, as he is helping the likes of Butt and Smith with his midfield defensive duties. Barton, along with Kevin Nolan, Smith and Sol Campbell are the Premier League experience that most promoted teams simply don’t possess. When Barton kept his nose (relatively) clean during his time at Man City he was one of their best players. Under both Kevin Keegan and Stuart Pearce he was a key part of the side, but there was always the next potential explosion simmering away.
Three games into the season may be jumping the gun, but what Barton showed at Molineux is that he is capable of self-control. It must go against all his natural instincts not to lash out, and yet under immense and relentless pressure, he kept his temper in check. While Newcastle’s squad has good players, it is not the largest, and lengthy and unnecessary suspensions will be the last thing that Chris Houghton needs in his quest to ensure Premier League survival.
An in-form Joey Barton will help take Newcastle onto better things. His goal against Villa, although afforded far too much room, was an example of his quality. Some may argue that he doesn’t deserve to play professional football, that he is an awful role model for children, and while this may or may not be true, it is a debate for another day. But Barton is playing professional football, and playing it well. If it continues then Geordie fans will reap the rewards.
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Liverpool have had a decent transfer window so far, and could get even better in the coming days.
Jurgen Klopp surprised everyone by recruiting midfielder Fabinho from Monaco a matter of weeks ago.
The club swiftly moved on from the disappointment of losing the Champions League final to Real Madrid by addressing areas of the pitch that needed improvement.
Goalkeepers have been a regular feature in the gossip columns whenever Liverpool are mentioned, and it appears that the Merseyside outfit are keen to strengthen an already-blistering attack.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”252976″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch 21 things that will definitely happen at the World Cup”]
Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane will take some shifting from the team, but the Reds could do with bolstering the positions in the event of injuries or some much-needed rest for the trio.
With that in mind, one option who Liverpool could consider is Leon Bailey, who currently plies his trade at Bayer Leverkusen.
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According to Calcio Insider, the Reds are keeping tabs on the 20-year-old, who scored 12 goals and created six assists for the Germany outfit last season.
We asked you if Bailey would be a decent addition to the team, and the overwhelming majority of fans are in favour of a swoop.
According to reports in The Guardian, Newcastle United look set to lose out to West Bromwich Albion in the race to sign Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge on loan before the January transfer window slams shut on Wednesday.
What’s the word, then?
Well, The Guardian says that the Baggies are set to sign the out of favour Reds centre-forward on a temporary basis until the end of the season despite reports to the contrary earlier that suggested the England international was heading for St James’ Park.
Magpies manager Rafa Benitez is desperate to add a new striker – and possibly two – before the close of play on Wednesday, but it doesn’t look like it will be the 28-year-old after The Guardian reports West Brom have agreed to pay £1.5m to bring him to the Hawthorns on loan for the remainder of the campaign.
The Tyneside outfit will now have to look elsewhere for attacking reinforcements, with Feyenoord’s Nicolai Jorgensen still a top target.
Would Sturridge have been a good signing for Newcastle?
If he they could have kept him fit, he certainly would have been.
The 28-year-old has shown throughout his career that he is a natural goalscorer if he is consistently on the pitch, and he has scored 75 Premier League goals in his career, as well as 64 in 133 games for Liverpool in total.
With the Magpies only scoring 22 goals in their 24 top flight matches this season, it is easy to see where one of their biggest issues lies, and they need to add goals to their team in the last couple of days of the January window.
How much of a blow is it to miss out?
It will be a huge blow for Benitez, especially losing out to a team currently in 19th position.
While they may also want someone like Jorgensen, Sturridge had that Premier League experience and know-how, and he was a proven goalscorer at this level.
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His presence in the team would have given a huge boost to a club that is desperately in need of one, and there would have been a confidence that the England international would have got the goals to keep the Magpies up.
What happens next?
Newcastle will continue working on other targets, and will have to hope they get at least one over the line by the close of play on Wednesday.
Yohan Cabaye is one of the Premier League’s most sought-after transfer properties this January, following an incredible first half of the season for Newcastle. It remains to be seen whether any of his many suitors, including Arsenal, Manchester United and PSG, will take the reported £22million bait before the end of the month. But either way, the 28 year-old has proved this term that he’s destined for a higher calling than the Magpies – no offence Toon fans.
To suggest the Frenchman wasn’t highly thought of before the current campaign would be untrue. Arsenal launched an ill-fated £12million bid for Cabaye back in the summer, suggesting they felt that after two years at Newcastle, he was ready to handle life at a major club.
But they resisted the Magpies’ valuation of £20million, which, at the time, would have broken the Gunners’ record transfer fee by a few million.
Bizarrely however, I’d suggest another playmaking midfielder is the last thing the Premier League table-toppers need right now, and although Arsenal are the calibre of club I believe Cabaye is more than capable of playing for, his contribution would go relatively unnoticed at the Emirates.
That being said, for £20million, or £22million to take the player on midseason according to the tabloids, the France international remains an absolute steal. A record of 17 goals and 15 assists in 79 Premier League appearances is an unbelievable return for a deep-lying midfielder, even if a significant proportion of his output is currently being sourced from dead-ball situations.
That’s only 15 goals and one assist less than Yaya Toure, who has made 30 more Premier League outings than the Magpies star in a far more accommodating Manchester City side. It’s also just two goals less than Steven Gerrard in the last three years, despite the England international’s willingness to shoot from any range and any angle.
Not that output is the only impressive part of Cabaye’s game. This season he’s averaged 2.4 tackles and 2.4 interceptions per match, showing that the 5 foot 9 midfielder is more than competent when it comes to defensive contribution and is by no means a ‘luxury’ player, whilst in possession, he’s made 33 key passes in 17 Premier League starts, illustrating his core ability to unlock opposition defences with telling balls.
But as previously stated, Cabaye’s ability has been known for some time. The difference this season however has been in the great versatility and flexibility he’s shown by changing and modifying his role into the Magpies’ No.10.
Traditionally considered a playmaker of the more Miralem Pjanic, Luka Modric or Paul Scholes variety, finding pockets of space from deep and producing a mix-ranged passing game, Alan Pardew has fielded Cabaye at the tip of midfield of six occasions this season and in return the Frenchman has provided four goals from his new role, including a stunning brace against West Ham at the weekend.
Some would argue it could be a case of a big fish asserting his dominance in a small pond, and transitioning to the ocean of a major club could see Cabaye eaten alive by a shark that won’t even notice the 28 year-old inadvertently swimming down his predatory gullet.
Rather, I’d argue the France international has been a whale the Newcastle puddle for some time.
There’s been an obvious correlation between Newcastle’s league standing and the midfielder’s fitness over the last three years; upon his first campaign in England, in which Cabaye made34 league appearances, the Magpies finished in fifth, and with their talisman operating at full throttle again this term, they possess an outside chance of another continental qualification, currently sitting in eighth place in the English table.
But last year, when Cabaye spent a significant chunk of the season sidelined through injury, missing from November to February due to groin surgery, Newcastle’s form decisively tanked, recording 19 league defeats and lucky to finish the campaign with their top flight status intact. In my opinion, that’s no coincidence and is a fantastic testament to Cabaye’s vitality on Tyneside. No wonder the Magpies few him as a player worth in excess of £20million, which will be their biggest sale since Andy Carroll in 2011.
Of course, the other factor for major clubs to consider before making an acquisition is personality. Back in the summer, Cabaye’s professionalism was tested, as Alan Pardew informed reporters his ‘head had been turned’ by the Gunners’ transfer interest. It seemed Cabaye was set for six months of sulking at the Magpies’ training ground, driving down his value until another club snapped him up in January for a fee that didn’t justify his abilities or facilitate for the rupture his departure could have at St. James’s Park.
But refraining from playing the transfer market to his advantage rather than the beautiful game itself, Cabaye has used his actions on the pitch to prove to his suitors that he’s worth the £20million Newcastle have been asking for, producing the most prominent form of his Premier League career to date. If there was ever any doubt over what quality bracket the Frenchman belongs to, and whether or not he has the temperament or drive to up his game to the next level, surely this season, following a disruptive end to the summer window, is all the evidence one needs.
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Producing free kicks that verge upon artistry, long-range goals that leave one foaming at the mouth, donning a mixed passing game so intelligently orchestrating in its destructive efficiency and a level of work-rate and anticipation out of possession we’d more frequently associate with a natural ball-winner, now demonstrating he’s capable of any role required of him in the middle of the park including at the attacking pivot of the midfield, and a player who has consistently proved himself over three years in the Premier League – what more could a major club want this January for a mere £20million?
David Moyes, Laurent Blanc, Tim Sherwood, Arsene Wenger, Brendan Rodgers – it’s time for Cabaye to answer his higher calling.
Click below to see Arsenal, Fulham and Everton in action this weekend!