The humiliation of John Terry could scarcely have been more complete. Just after Manchester City had swept upfield, making light of a Chelsea team by then reduced to nine men, and Craig Bellamy had tapped in their fourth goal, Terry could be seen stalking back to the centre circle, a defeated man.
He exchanged angry words with Didier Drogba, though it surely owed more to emotional instinct than rational analysis of what had taken place.
For Chelsea have not experienced a home defeat like this for years and by this stage there was little to argue over:
As they turned to return to their half, Tevez then pointed to Bridge, deflecting the glory to him and indicating the motivation behind a remarkable second-half performance.
It was an afternoon that could scarcely have gone worse for Chelsea or Terry. ‘It was very disappointing,’ said their manager Carlo Ancelotti. ‘We made a mistake and usually in football if you do that, you lose the game. We are still top of the league, if only by a point, but it is a point and that is not bad. That is the only good thing from today. Today is not a good day for us.’ Read more…
Footballer Wayne Bridge refused to shake hands with John Terry today when he came face to face with him for the first time since it emerged his former teammate had an affair with his ex-girlfriend.
There was huge interest in how the pair would behave towards one another ahead of the game between Chelsea and Manchester City at Stamford Bridge, west London,
As the off-pitch tension built up in the wake of allegations about Terry and lingerie model Vanessa Perroncel, the mother of Bridge’s three-year-old son, City player Bridge made his feelings clear by snubbing the Fair Play handshake courtesy to Terry.
As Terry, 29, stood in line with his Chelsea teammates, he held out his hand as Bridge filed past with his fellow Manchester City players.
But while Bridge, also 29, shook hands with the rest of his opponents, he walked past Terry without making any contact.
The ritual was introduced by the Premier League two seasons ago as part of the Get On With The Game campaign to encourage acceptable behaviour.
Such was the interest in the interaction between Terry and Bridge that Sky Sports viewers were able to see the crucial moments before kick-off.
Usually, the broadcaster would screen adverts during the routine and return to the pitch for the main action.
But timings were altered to make sure nothing was missed. Read more…
Although Bridge pulled out of the World Cup, City boss Roberto Mancini feels he is in the right frame to play at Stamford Bridge - and face John Terry.
‘I think Wayne is okay,’ said Mancini. ‘I don’t know what has happened in the last two weeks but I am sorry for him.
But mentally he is fine. He is an important player for us and we want him to play.’
Only a fortnight ago Mancini expressed confidence that Bridge would go to South Africa, despite the obvious issues with Terry over his affair with Vanessa Perroncel, the mother of Bridge’s young son.
So it came as a shock to both Mancini and England coach Fabio Capello when Bridge released his statement yesterday saying that his position within the Three Lions fold was now ‘untenable’.
‘I thought Wayne would stay with the national team,’ said Mancini. ‘It must have been a very difficult decision because I know how important the national team is for any player.
‘He didn’t speak to me before he made the decision. I don’t know what has changed, but he has changed his decision because I thought that he would play for the national team. But I respect what he has done. Read more…
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini admitted he does not know when Carlos Tevez will return from compassionate leave having spoken to the striker three days ago.
The Argentina international has been in his homeland for over a week after his wife gave birth prematurely.
With Tevez’s wife Vanesa now out of hospital, although the baby is still in intensive care, Mancini wants the 26-year-old back in England.
However, there is no indication yet as to when the 19-goal striker is due to return - which is a concern for Mancini with an FA Cup replay against Stoke and a trip to Barclays Premier League leaders Chelsea in the coming days.
“I don’t know where Tevez is - I think in Argentina,” said Mancini after the goalless draw at home to Liverpool. Read more…
Tale of the game
United have the chance to return to the top of the Premier League because of the early kick-off and they face Everton on the back of an eight-match unbeaten. In that period, going back to the 3-0 loss at Fulham in December, they have taken 20 points from a possible 24. They miss the suspended Nani – sent-off in the 1-1 draw at Aston Villa – and Rio Ferdinand, also banned, while Ryan Giggs is ruled out with a broken arm. Wayne Rooney will be looking to add to his 21 League goals.
Everton, 2-1 winners over Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday in the Europa League, have won four of their last five League games and have Steven Pienaar available after suspension following his dismissal in the one blip, the 1-0 defeat by Liverpool, their only loss in 11 League games. But Marouane Fellaini is out, as is Tony Hibbert and Phil Jagielka. And, on Tuesday, Tim Cahill injured a calf and looks doubtful.
Who’s saying what?
Sir Alex Ferguson:
“It doesn’t matter where we go at the moment, [Wayne Rooney has] been without a doubt the main player, the star, over the past few weeks. He’s in such great form and that gives us a great confidence. The last few months or so his game has just taken off. Confidence has something to do with it but he has been in absolutely incredible form. Read more…
Bellamy, who was reportedly involved in a heated row with Mancini this week, will be considered for a place on the substitutes’ bench against Liverpool at Eastlands on Sunday if he emerges unscathed from training on Saturday.
But 19-goal top scorer Tévez will be in Buenos Aires when Man City kick-off a game crucial to their Champions League aspirations after being granted permission to return to Argentina following the birth of daughter Katie, who was born six weeks prematurely last Monday.
Although Mancini is keen for the £25 million forward to return to England in time for next Sunday’s trip to Chelsea, if not Wednesday’s FA Cup fifth-round replay at Stoke, the City manager is reluctant to impose a deadline on the 26 year-old.
But with preparations for the Liverpool game disrupted by the Bellamy saga, plus Patrick Vieira’s three-match ban for violent conduct, Mancini insists that his biggest concern revolves around Tévez rather than Bellamy. Read more…
Robin van Persie spurned the chance to leave Arsenal because of his fondness for the north London club.
Four teams - believed to be Chelsea, Manchester City, Juventus and Inter Milan - expressed interest in the Netherlands international, but he revealed: ‘It’s not as easy to leave Arsenal as you maybe think.’
The Gunners are without a trophy since winning the 2005 FA Cup - to date Van Persie’s only major trophy with the club and a statistic which contributed to the departures of players including Mathieu Flamini. But Van Persie, who signed from Feyenoord in 2004, said in the News of the World: ‘It is good that four teams were really interested in me but I had to turn them down. ‘Even if you want to leave, as a player, I don’t think it is easy because when you move to Arsenal you are led there by your heart.’ Van Persie has been out since November with an ankle injury incurred while playing for Holland and he believes his fitness record has hindered his development into a great of the game. Read more…
‘The white Pele’ was how one poster described him here at Old Trafford and the greatest player in history would not have disapproved.
For Ferguson this would have been every bit as sweet as that Every bit as satisfying when the thought of losing to those ‘noisy neighbours’ at Manchester City amounted to the stuff of nightmares at the Theatre of Dreams.
To the list of great stoppage-time goals from the men who have so valiantly served Sir Alex Ferguson in 23 remarkable years at Manchester United, add the header that the finest striker in England produced to settle this stunning Carling Cup semi-final on Wednesday night.
The selection of Ferdinand demonstrated just how important it was to United’s manager. More important, seemingly, than what could yet be a record fourth consecutive championship given the likely consequences of appealing against that Football Association charge for violent conduct.
Ferdinand could now miss four Barclays Premier League matches rather than two but for the first time during Ferguson’s tenure, the Carling Cup took precedence.
Judging by Ferguson’s reaction to Rooney’s goal it looked like it was worth the risk, because City appear to have got to Ferguson in a way that Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea have never quite managed. Read more…
Rio Ferdinand came through his comeback after three months out with a back complaint against Hull on Saturday with no problems and is set to take his place at the heart of the Red Devils defence.
Sir Alex Ferguson has reported no fresh injury concerns ahead of Manchester United’s Carling Cup semi-final decider with Manchester City.
Read more…
