Ahead of TheGame: Eriksson get the push at City
The news in 60 seconds
ERIKSSON GETS THE PUSH AT CITY
The Manchester City manager will be sacked at the end of the season. Thaksin Shinawatra, the club's owner, has told the Swede that he is not the man to take the team forward and will look for a new manager in the summer. "I had a meeting with Dr Thaksin and his people on Sunday morning and at this moment with two games to go in the season I don't want to make any comment about that," Eriksson said. We think his diplomacy will make little difference.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article3837997.ece
EUROPEAN PREVIEWS: PUYOL TO PLAY
The Barcelona captain returns from a ban and will replace Rafael Marquez, who is suspended, against Manchester United. Sir Alex Ferguson is hoping that Nemanja Vidic and Wayne Rooney will be passed fit after suffering injuries against Chelsea.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3839302.ece
LIVE COMMENTARY: MANCHESTER UNITED V BARCELONA
The circumstances are set for a classic. The scores are level, the stakes huge, Barcelona rediscovered some of their best form last week and United have dipped below theirs. No fan can afford to miss it. Follow the big game with us tonight from 7.45pm.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/sports_commentary/football/index.html
BENITEZ WANTS STRONG REF
The Liverpool manager is worried about the track record of Roberto Rossetti, the Italian referee in charge of the Champions League semi-final second leg against Chelsea. "In the last six games in Europe he has refereed, five times the local team have won and once they haven't," Benitez said. "That was Valencia against Chelsea - it's very curious. If he knows he must be strong, that is OK." Can't you get in trouble for saying things like this?
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article3838737.ece
ADEBAYOR KEEPING HIS POWDER DRY
The Arsenal striker admits it would take "a miracle" for the Gunners to win the Premier League title this year but insists they will not finish empty-handed next season. "We are sticking together and showing that we are getting better and better," he said. "This season we may end up with nothing, but it will not look the same this time next year." Wooo, scary.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/arsenal/article3840336.ece
BLATTER WANTS TO RESTORE CLUB IDENTITY
The Fifa president says supporters are behind his plans to introduce a quota on the number of foreign players in the Premier League. "Club football at the beginning had a local identity, later a regional and now some of the leagues - I am speaking here about the big clubs of the Premier League - there is no more national identity," he said.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article3840320.ece
WEST BROM PREPARED FOR STEP UP
Jeremy Peace, the club's chairman, believes they are better prepared for the Premier League than when they were last promoted to the top flight four years ago. "I grew up following Albion in the 1960s and 1970s when we had great footballing sides and I think to have that culture here at the moment is great," Peace said. "As Tony [Mowbray] has said before it does equip us a bit better for the Premier League."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article3840333.ece
BOURNEMOUTH'S IMMEDIATE FUTURE SECURED
Gerald Krasner, the League One club's administrator, announced that Jeff Mostyn, the former chairman, had provided him with £80,000 to keep them afloat. "As a result of the substantial sum Mostyn gave me the club will now go forward to the end of the season with no problem," he said. "I know that's only a week away, but bearing in mind what's happening on the football field I want to keep things as smooth as possible." Since being docked ten points for going into administration, the Cherries have recorded six straight wins.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article3840383.ece
LIVE MATCHTRACKER FROM 7.45PM
If Massimo Moratti [yesterday's AOTG] was the chairman of either Chester or Stockport he would say their League Two match tonight is as important as the supermatch game at Old Trafford. Stockport need to avoid defeat to secure a play-off place and Chester can still drop out of the league. On that basis, he'd be right.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/live_match_tracker/
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If you've got another couple of minutes
One season wonder
Manchester City enjoyed a tremendous start to the season - at one stage sitting third in the Premier League - and have never once looked in danger of relegation. Indeed, European qualification is still an outside possibility. So, is Thaksin Shinawatra mad to sack Sven? Have your say and vote in our poll.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/04/is-thaksin-righ.html
You're the manager
Sir Alex Ferguson needs your help. The Manchester United manager was widely criticised for his defensive tactics in Spain, so how should he approach tonight's Champions League semi-final second leg match against Barcelona? Should United attack with Rooney partnering Ronaldo up front? Would you play Hargreaves in the centre of the park to add some defensive steel? Is it time for Giggs to come back in and provide some balance on the left wing? And how do you stop Messi? Share your tactical nous with us.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/04/how-should-ferg.html
Disguised pass
Ronaldo, the AC Milan forward, scored a spectacular own goal after being questioned by police for an alleged altercation with transvestites in a Rio de Janeiro motel. The World Cup winner left a nightclub with three prostitutes only to discover more than he had bargained for. "He admitted to everything, he wanted to have fun," Carlos Augusto Nogueira, a police inspector, said. "But he committed no crime at all, it was immoral at best."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article3838660.ece
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>>>>>THE TABLOID SCANDAL<<<<<
Rio's a coward and a disgrace - The Sun
What you need to know: 1) The husband of the Chelsea steward kicked by Rio Ferdinand in the players' tunnel has criticised the defender for his behaviour. 2) Steve Wray claims his wife, Tracy, suffered stud marks and a four-inch bruise on her thigh and had to have hospital treatment. "He's not fit to be captain of England or Manchester United," he said. 3) Ferdinand's agent has insisted that flowers have been sent to Tracy but added that the descriptions of her injuries are "not true".
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A quickie before you go, sir?
AOTG has been saving this for a rainy day. It's Mark E Smith, of The Fall, reading the classified football results. Even Southampton fans will find something to smile about.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBUiPs1PxKo
Enjoy the two Emmanuels - Adebayor and Eboue - dance with glee as Arsenal shoot fish in a barrel at Pride Park in our free Premier League and Football League highlights package.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article2236741.ece
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5
The number of goals Barcelona have scored in their two previous visits to Old Trafford in the Champions League. The matches have ended in draws, 2-2 in October 1994, and 3-3 in September 1998. Mmm, score draws. That's a result Fergie will want to avoid.
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In TheGame
Rio Ferdinand is the subject of the big interview in this month's edition of Inside United, the official Manchester United magazine. With the best timing, the centre-half speaks of the "privilege" of captaining club and country and underlining his commitment to "leading by example". Starting from now.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/04/ferdinand-inter.html
Gabriele Marcotti readies the men in white coats in TheGame Podcast as Mark Pougatch outlines some Gooner-tinted scenario where Arsenal win the Premier League title and Mark Bright thinks that Wigan can really test Manchester United and take the championship race down to the wire. Listen now.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/04/the-two-marks-b.html
In Fanzine Fanzone, our Spurs expert criticises Dimitar Berbatov for his strike rate and suggests he could have doubled his tally of 23 goals this season. Maybe he's doing it so he isn't sold. Have you thought of that?
http://timesonline.typepad.com/fanzine_fanzone/2008/04/drawing-a-line.html
Forget flourescent sashes from cycling proficiency adverts - football smugshots is where you get yourself seen. Matthew Murray takes us back to 1982 and an encounter with Pele in New York and Graham Bethney is ignored by Jack Charlton at a trade fair. It's the story of our lives and long may it continue.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/04/football-smug-s.html
Bill Edgar has posted his daily trivia question: which league club were in the relegation zone in November but are in the play-off places with one game left, and which other club, in the same division, were in the play-off places in November but are now in danger of relegation?
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/04/bill-edgars-t-6.html
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>>>>>THE RIVALS<<<<<
Mowed down 2. Fergie sparks turf war - The Sun
Sven's gone - Daily Mirror
We won't buckle - The Daily Telegraph
West Bromwich Albion leave it late to earn return to the top flight - The Independent
'Immigrant' jibe sparked fight, say players - The Guardian
Sven: I'm finished - Daily Express
United accuse Chelsea - Daily Mail
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Joe Bloggs' Soapbox
"I am sick of those who say Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't perform against the top teams. He is the top goal scorer in the Premiership and the Champions League, what on earth does the guy have to do to prove himself to you doubters? Anyone thinking he lost his nerve on the Barca penalty must have forgot how composed he was with the penalty against Arsenal which he had to take twice."
Dave L defends the PFA Player of the Year.
"Manchester United will not be as bad again as they were last week [in Barcelona]. For all the talk of their form after the first legs, don't forget their victory last year after a defeat in the first leg against Roma. United's blip has coincided with many consecutive away games, they are still awesome at home."
Chris in Worthing is holding his hand out level for all to see.
"My brother (a Liverpool fan) missed the second half of the Chelsea game, saw the Riise goal on the news (with no sound) and thought Liverpool had won 2-0. He was sadly disappointed when he found out the next day."
Clivex from Bristol shares this wonderful tale of stupidity.
"Well that's just great. Thank you, The Times, for sharing these earth-shattering revelations with us."
Thom shares his distaste at our interview with Miss UK [yesterday's AOTG]. Don't worry, Bryan Appleyard and Richard Dawkins are being lined up.
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Tomorrow's news today
- Manchester City fans vent their fury over treatment of Eriksson
- Wembley set to unveil £40m first year loss
- Unfamiliarity with Premier League players is secret to Keegan's success
And expect...
Brazilian tranvestite to complain he was misled by a man claiming to have the body of a professional athlete.
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