Ahead of TheGame: Benitez vents fury at Ferguson

News in 60 seconds 

BENITEZ VENTS FURY AT FERGUSON
The Liverpool manager launched an astonishing and calculated verbal attack on his Manchester United counterpart today. The Spaniard says Ferguson is the only manager who is not reprimanded for outspoken attacks on officials. He also accuses the Scot of playing mind games with his claim that the fixture list had been set to undermine United.

FERGUSON: FERDINAND GIVES US THE EDGE
The Manchester United manager claims the return of the centre back will give his side a psychological advantage in Sunday's match against Chelsea at Old Trafford. Ferdinand has been missing due to back spasms. "We are lucky to have some good young players here to come in and replace him," Ferguson said. "But having Rio back makes a difference because of his stature and presence."

SCOLARI: WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE
The Chelsea manager admits that defeat by United on Sunday would leave the London club "in trouble". "We need to think about winning because then we will be in front of Manchester and it is in our hands," he said. The Brazilian ruled out the possibility of Tottenham signing Joe Cole. "He is a fantastic player and important for the club. His future is here,” he said.
 
ALLARDYCE WANTS NEW SANTA CRUZ BID
The Blackburn manager has encouraged Manchester City to lodge an increased offer for the forward. City had a bid believed to be worth £15million rejected yesterday. "It is down to Man City to make the offer and blow us out of the water," Allardyce said.
 
JOHNSON SIGNS NEW DEAL
The Portsmouth full back has put an end to speculation that he could leave the club by signing a new contract that keeps him at Fratton Park until 2013. "It's great news," Tony Adams, the manager, said. "I'm delighted to have him here, I want him here for a long time." 

BOWYER JOINS BIRMINGHAM
West Ham have loaned their midfielder to the Championship club until the end of the season. "Lee's a dynamic player and I want to bring a dynamic look back to the team," Alex McLeish, the Birmingham manager, said.

PREVIEWS: BRIDGE SET FOR CITY DEBUT
The full back is set to play his first game for Manchester City away to Portsmouth, while Stewart Downing is in the Middesbrough squad to face Sunderland after having a transfer request rejected. Plus, all the other news on the weekend's Premier League games.

LIVE MATCH COMMENTARY
Follow the action from every Premier League game this weekend and results from across Europe with our live scores and stats service.

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If you've got another couple of minutes

What should happen to West Ham?
A difficult season for the London club worsened yesterday when the FA and the Premier League ordered a fresh inquiry into the Carlos Tevez affair. Amid a credit crunch in which Björgólfur Gudmundsson, the club's Icelandic owner, has lost hundreds of millions of pounds and put the club up for sale, they now face the prospect of another fine or a points deduction. Do they deserve such punishment? 

Messi's omission
Is the Barcelona forward bitter that Cristiano Ronaldo beat him to the European Player of the Year award? You suspect as much on reading the team of 2008 he picked for Uefa.com. Despite naming Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney in his XI, and choosing Sir Alex Ferguson as coach, Messi found no place for the United winger. Click here for his explanation: 

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>>>>>THE TABLOID TALE<<<<<
Jer not the one for me - Daily Mirror
What you need to know: 1) Jermaine Pennant has dumped his girlfriend Amii Grove. 2) The Liverpool forward, recently linked with a move to Real Madrid, decided the romance was moving too quickly. 4) If only you could say the same about his wing play.

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In TheGame

Cascarino: Football must share blame for Gascoigne's problem
Our columnist says that, although many of the former England player's personal difficulties are self-inflicted, his sport must also shoulder some responsibility. "Because he was a great player, a national icon, and because football is an environment where you can get away with childish behaviour as long as you’re talented," he writes, "the game indulged Gazza’s excesses and ignored his problems." 

Liverpool Fanzone: All quiet on the Texan front
Our Anfield devotee is glad that success on the field has called a halt, at least temporarily, to stories about the club's ownership. He is less optimistic, however, about the effect the credit crunch will have on Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr. "They bought the club with the dollar trading at almost two to the pound," he writes. "If they bought the club for £300m, they had to pump in $600m. If they sell for £300m, they would now receive around $450m. Sooner or later, it will come."

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1
Top-flight French league match likely to be played at temperature above freezing this weekend.

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Joe Bloggs' Soapbox

We were delighted to see that Ronaldo's car crash got the humour mill rolling. Here's David J. Harrington-Wright, of Manchester:
"Is it just a vicious rumour or was Rondalo’s Ferrari tripped as it went into the tunnel? Bet he puts that in his insurance claim form, 'Oh, I was just minding my own business, when out of nowhere I was pushed in the back and the car fell over. ' "

Bill Arthur:
"Nice to see Ronaldo go straight into the wall - he usually goes over it!"

Stuart Crane has added to a debate inspired by Gabriele Marcotti's column on Martin O'Neill:
"With the greatest respect to Aston Villa, their league position is due to not having suffered from the raft of injuries that the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal have. Let's see them lose a handful of first-team regulars and then maintain their position in the top four, or even five."

Read Marcotti's column: http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2009/01/carlos-tevez-re.html

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And expect...

The match at Old Trafford on Sunday to pass calmly and without incident, while Ferguson offers the officials his full support and keeps his counsel over Benitez's outburst. Expect also to spot a flock of swine pass overhead.