Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko has apologised to manager Roberto Mancini, after he reacted angrily to being substituted against Bayern Munich in midweek.
The Bosnia international was removed by the Italian coach as the Premier League team were 2-0 down, and exchanged words with his boss before marching off.
The reaction was overlooked due to Carlos Tevez’s refusal to come on against the Bundesliga giants, but Dzeko has apologised.
“I know my reaction was bad,” he told Sky Sports.
“I have spoken to the guys and to the coach as well. I have apologised for the reaction and Roberto has accepted it and said that everything is okay and that we have to be positive for the next game.”
“I was unhappy because we were 2-0 down and I wanted to win the game.
“It was something special for me to go back to Germany where I played for a long time. I wanted to do well and wanted the team to do well. Things didn’t go well for us. That is why I was extra frustrated,” he continued.
City travel to take on Blackburn at Ewood Park on Saturday, and are looking to put their slow European start behind them.
“Everyone has had a sleep and a rest after the Bayern game. We know we could have done better but it is football and you cannot win every game.
“Bayern Munich is behind us, we are feeling positive and looking forward to the next game. That is our new target now,” he concluded.
Written By Gareth McKnight
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Most football fans, especially those affiliated with Manchester City, may have felt that Carlos Tevez could not do anything to surprise them anymore or cause their opinions of him to sink any lower. Sadly they would be very wrong. Poor Carlos, who let’s not forget is recovering from an eating disorder caused by the stress of playing for Manchester City and living in England on hundreds of thousands of pounds per week, has now hinted that he is considering suing manager Roberto Mancini for defamation of character after the Italian stated Tevez had refused to play during that fateful night at the Allianz Arena.
Manchester City have this week cleared Tevez of such accusations, instead finding the Argentinian guilty of ‘failing to warm up’ and fined the player four weeks wages, suspending him for two. It is this lack of backbone showed by City that has led to this ridiculous situation for the club and more to the point Roberto Mancini, who has shown far more integrity and strength than either the club or Tevez throughout the whole saga.
Understandably, City were unable to find a player who would admit that Tevez refused to warm up, those being on the bench that night unfortunately for Mancini are close friends with the disgraceful Tevez, yet the comments post game were clear – Tevez may point to them being lost in translation, yet it was blindingly obvious the striker had thrown a hissy fit to surpass that of even mad Mario when he learnt he was not the first substitution. City should have taken a harder stance on his actions, and backed their manager to the fullest extent.
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What should be a brilliant week for City and the continuation of their most promising season ever, is now being overshadowed by the Tevez saga yet again, and now having effectively backed down over the whole affair, have set a dangerous precedent for players’ behaviour in the future and what they are clearly able to escape sanction for. With Tevez now looking to not only overturn this ruling but also to sue manager Mancini, now the whole of the Premier League, if not world football, needs to take note.
Imagine the consequences and reprisals if Tevez was to win this case, and Mancini was found guilty of what are effectively slanderous comments towards the player. How many players will then retrospectively attempt to sue managers for the same thing? How often will this happen in the future? Player power would reach new and unacceptable levels, not to mention the fact that post match interviews will be basically neutered, with managers too afraid to express any kind of opinion due to possible lawsuits following, what would be the floodgates opening, should Tevez win his lawsuit.
Clearly the above consequences are for football as a whole, but for City themselves, one can only imagine how this would affect their season and divide the squad, with Mancini having staunch support from certain players in the dressing room yet Tevez being close to a number of others. Should the saga roll on into next year, the effect on City could be disastrous, not to mention the fact that Mancini may feel as though he has been left exposed by City, and not supported to the level he feels that he should have been.
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It is not just the consequences for City that would be dire should Tevez proceed and god forbid win this lawsuit, but for the implications on all of sport in general, with a dangerous precedent threatening to be established. From Carlos Tevez’ point of view, when considering who has really damaged his reputation and character, it seems best for him to stand in a full length mirror and take a long hard look into it – only then will he see the real culprit in this whole sorry affair.
Wigan defender Antolin Alcaraz will likely be the subject of review from the FA, after the South American appeared to spit at Richard Stearman in the Latics 3-1 defeat to Wolves on Sunday.
Television footage clearly shows the Paraguay international spitting at the Wolves man, in another blow for the game in the United Kingdom.
Referee Lee Probert missed the incident in the dying minutes of the Molineux club’s victory, and the centre back is expected to receive a three match ban according to The Guardian.
Wolves captain Stearman confirmed that the act did happen, but was reluctant to discuss it in detail.
“Yes, but I’m not going to speak about it. A couple of the lads have spoken on it and said it was out of order and it needs to be stamped out. I’ll let other people talk about it and let other people deal with it,” he stated.
“I won’t push for anything [like an official review], it’s one of those things. It’s not nice.”
Wolves boss Mick McCarthy agreed with Stearman that spitting is not acceptable, but admits he has not yet seen the footage.
“I haven’t seen that [incident] but spitting is taboo. I only ever had it once and it’s fair to say he [the perpetrator] didn’t come too close to me for a long time after that.
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“That’s unacceptable behaviour and I think anyone in here [the press room] would react accordingly. If that’s what’s happened, he shouldn’t be doing it,” he concluded.
Everton welcome Wolves to Goodison Park this Saturday desperate to end a run of three consecutive defeats and pull themselves way from the Premier League relegation zone.
David Moyes’ side have suffered a dreadful start to the season with a run of three wins from their opening 10 games seeing them slide down the table to 17th. 10 points from a possible 30 represents a poor return for the Toffee’s and it seems that their challenge for a European place is in jeopardy. Goals have been a serious problem with Louis Saha the only experienced striker at the club after the sales of Jermaine Beckford and Yakubu in the summer. Tim Cahill has been deployed up front for much of the season so far but he has yet to find the net in 2011 which will be worrying Moyes and his back room staff. Saha’s finishing isn’t as sharp as it used to be with the Frenchman missing a hatful of chances against Newcastle last time out. The Merseysiders have recovered well from the loss of Mikel Arteta with on-loan Royston Drenthe and Leon Osman turning in some virtuoso displays in midfield alongside the ever improving Jack Rodwell. Despite those positives their home form needs to improve dramatically after one win in five at Goodison Park with their only victory coming against Wigan in September. In fact they’ve won only once more since then with their last seven games incurring six defeats and Moyes will need to get his side scoring if they are to pull away from the relegation zone.
Wolves on the other hand enjoyed their first win in eight games before the international break seeing off bottom of the table Wigan at Molineux to move up to 13th. They hadn’t enjoyed a victory since beating Fulham at the end of August and a run of six defeats from eight games saw confidence plummet in the Midland’s. However the performance and result will have provided a much needed lift for Mick McCarthy’s men ahead of their trip to Merseyside. Whilst the international break may have come at the wrong time as Wanderer’s try to build some momentum ahead of a tough festive period they will be boosted by the fact they managed to end their torrid run of form. The performances of Jamie O’Hara over the last month or so have been encouraging with his partnership with Kevin Doyle in the attacking third looking deadly against the Latics. The Irishman hasn’t found the net as regularly as has done in previous seasons but his unselfish running and link up play with O’Hara have softened the blow of losing Steven Fletcher to injury. The Scotland striker has been plauged by groin and calf problems but still managed to score three in five starts and is the clubs top scorer. His potential inclusion this weekend will be huge for McCarthy’s side as they seek back-t0-back wins for the first time since they won the opening two games of the season.
Everton – 17th
Last Five
Lost 2-1 v Newcastle (A), Lost 1-0 v Manchester United (H), Lost 2-1 v Chelsea (H), Won 3-1 v Fulham (A), Lost 3-1 v Chelsea (A)
Potential Starting X11
24. T. Howard 2. T. Hibbert 5. J. Heitinga 15. S. Distin [C] 3. L. Baines 23. S. Coleman 26. J. Rodwell 25. M. Fellaini 11. R. Drenthe* 21. L. Osman 8. L. Saha
Injury News
Everton have concerns over captain Phil Jagielka after he suffered a toe injury whilst on England duty. He missed both friendlies against Spain and Sweden and it looks likely he’ll be absent for the visit of Wolves this weekend.
Key Player
Royston Drenthe – After a brief settling in period on Merseyside the on-loan Real Madrid midfielder has shone for the Toffee’s and didn’t deserve to be on the losing side last time at Newcastle. His pace and trickery down the right flank caused problems all afternoon for the Magpies and supporters will be hoping his endeavours won’t be in vain this on Saturday.
Match Fact
Everton suffered only one Premier League defeat at the hands of Wolves drawing three and winning the other two and are unbeaten in the last four meetings since a 2-1 loss back in 2004.
Wolves – 13th
Last Five
Won 3-1 v Wigan (H), Lost 3-1 v Manchester City (A), Lost 5-2 v Manchester City (A), Drew 2-2 v Swansea (H), Lost 2-0 v West Brom (A)
Potential Starting X11
1. W. Hennessey 5. R. Stearman 14. R. Johnson [C] 16. C. Berra 11. S. Ward 12. S. Hunt 8. K. Henry 4. D. Edwards 17. M. Jarvis 26. J. O’Hara* 29. K. Doyle
Injury News
Mick McCarthy could have defender Kevin Foley back after his recovery from an ankle injury but Ronald Zubar is still out with a groin strain. Apart from that Wolves have a clean bill of health.
Key Player
Jamie O’Hara – Since being given the free role behind Doyle up front the former Tottenham playmaker has hit three goals in four games and looks back to his creative best. His intelligence on the ball and ability to pick a telling pass is something no other Wolves play possesses and his important on the field continues to grow each and every week.
Match Fact
Wolves haven’t lost on their last two visits to Goodison Park with both games ending in draws although they haven’t won in the blue half of Merseyside since a 3-2 victory back in 1979.
Last Time at Goodison Park
Premier League, 21st August 2010
Everton 1-1 Wolves
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Cahill, 43
Ebanks-Blake, 74
Attendance: 37,767
Referee: Lee Mason
PREDICTION
Everton are suffering a real crisis of confidence at the moment and don’t look like a team who can go out and win a game. Their performance against Newcastle two weeks ago was encouraging but not enough and with their strikers faltering at every opportunity it could be another long afternoon on Merseyside. Wolves on the other hand will head to Goodison buoyed by their win over Wigan and will be desperate to make it consecutive wins for the first time since August and beat the Toffee’s on their own patch for the first time in 32 years.
Score: 1-1
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Under-fire Blackburn Rovers boss Steve Kean has been given a pay rise by club owners Venkys, despite the fact that his side sit in the relegation zone.
The Ewood Park club have won only seven points from 12 Premier League games this season, and a section of the club’s fans have been petitioning for the Scottish coach to be replaced.
Despite this, Kean has been awarded a better deal. Although the manager’s contract has not been extended, his annual salary has been increased to a supposed £1.5million.
The favourable terms have been announced by the club, as Kean continues to get the backing of the Indian owners.
“Following recent media speculation Blackburn Rovers FC can confirm a revision to manager Steve Kean’s existing contract has been completed. An agreement made in the summer has now been formalised,” an official statement reads.
“Contrary to some reports there is no change to the length of the contract. The club respects that all contracts are private and confidential and no further comment will be made,” it concluded.
Rovers travel to the Britannia Stadium to take on Stoke on Saturday.
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Manchester United defender Chris Smalling is reported to have contracted glandular fever, which could keep him out of action for up to three months.
The England international missed The Red Devils’ 5-0 win over Wigan on Boxing Day with a flu, but The Daily Mail have stated that Smalling actually has glandular fever.
If this is the case it will add to Sir Alex Ferguson’s injury woes, as he currently has Nemanja Vidic, Darren Fletcher, Ashley Young, Tom Cleverley, Anderson and Jonny Evans on the sidelines.
When quizzed on the seriousness of the condition, former Liverpool and Sunderland physio Mark Leather stated that a typical period of unavailability would be around three months.
“You can get back into shape in two months but it might be another three to four weeks before you’re firing on all cylinders. The first time he would be able to play a full game would be nearer to three months,” the medical staff member stated.
The Premier League champions were also without Phil Jones and Rio Ferdinand for the win over The Latics, but the defensive pair are expected to return for the visit of Blackburn on Saturday.
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Just last week I was reading an interview with Richard Scudamore, in which he gave a very bullish response to the question of if the Premier League could resist the approach of La Liga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona when it comes to their star attractions.
Scudamore stated point blank that the finest league in the world – the English Premier League – would have no such problems in fending off such attempts. Even Cristiano Ronaldo this week has come out and stated that the Premier League is a better league than the Primera Liga – you know the very same league he defected to not that long ago in an £80 million switch.
There are of course certain situations where it is as much of a foregone conclusion that a player will move back to Spain and their first club as it is that Fergie time will arrive should United need a goal in the final few minutes at Old Trafford.
Take Gerard Pique or Cesc Fabregas – both enormous talents, and lighting up the Premier League, but always knowing they would go back to their native Barcelona – Cesc in particular was courted for a good couple of transfer windows before finally completing the inevitable move back to Cataluña.
It was not because the players did not love the Premier League or the style of football, or indeed the club they were at – Fabregas was even Arsenal skipper – yet the lure of returning home proved too strong for these players . That is not just true for Spain however, it is seen in a huge number of foreign players – perhaps not to the extremes of a certain golf playing, warming up refusing Carlos Tevez, but players do miss their home land and for the type of player for whom the saying boyhood club does not have quite the same flippant meaning as it does for Robbie Keane if they get the chance to play for their boyhood club it is hardly breaking news to see them go.
Where the Premier League is facing an increasing problem however is with the approaches from the big clubs around Europe for their star players who are not boyhood fans or through the academies of the clubs attempting to buy them. Barcelona have a strong interest in Spurs star Gareth Bale, and if rumours are to be believed will ready a hefty bid for the Welsh youngster in the summer.
It is this kind of bid that we will see in increasing amounts, and as United proved – only clubs with the financial muscle of Chelsea and City can really turn such an offer down – United could not afford to turn down an astronomical offer for Ronaldo, and it would be interesting to see just how Spurs would react to an offer for Bale of huge proportions – especially after turning down Chelsea’s bid for Modric.
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Of course, telling a player they cannot move across London to Chelsea is slightly different to attempting to stop them from playing for a European giant such as Barcelona or Real Madrid – the fact of the matter is that despite their wealth, neither Chelsea nor City actually hold a candle to either in terms of trophies won, fans across the world and indeed the aura surrounding the club. There are few who do, and for a vast majority of players, being approached by either of these clubs would be too hard to turn down.
Gone are the days where a player is a one club man throughout his career, and moves are made for a variety of reasons, money at the top of the list usually, yet the allure of a very select number of clubs can also be a very strong pull for players, who may feel that they have not really pushed themselves to the very top of their game unless they can prove it at the biggest club on the biggest stage.
It is different for a player to receive an approach from one of the top two in Spain to even a club like AC or Inter – the Clasico rivals are at the very top of their game right now and have the two best managers and players in the world on either side – to be the best you have to play against the best and this is the opportunity open to players such as Bale should they chose to take it. Not to mention playing with the very best – would you blame a player for longing to play week in week out with the likes of Iniesta and Xavi – I would think they were crazy not to.
In the wake of the Premier League being accused of losing its identity recently, with the physical element being slowly eradicated – taking away what makes it so watchable and unique – couple this with the sheer brilliance and allure of both Barcelona and Madrid could well see Scudamore claims fall apart in the coming seasons.
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Before the Little Pea completes a dazzling display,
Ferguson’s joy, AVB’s dismay.
Final whistle, it ends three apiece,
At this point, our poetry must cease,
One game left in Liverpool,
Will it prove the weekend’s crown jewel?
Game of the Weekend
Sometimes games involving the top four fail to live up to the preceding hype. Manchester United’s visit to Chelsea on Sunday cannot be included in that category though. The six goal thriller at Stamford Bridge demonstrated English football at its’ passionate best. Criticism is occasionally aimed at the style of play in the Premier League in that every piece of play must contribute to a goal scoring move. In this case, it only added to what was a thrilling spectacle, if you’re not a Chelsea fan that is. For Manchester United an inspirational comeback. When fans of the Red Devils do eventually calm down, they may be frustrated that they lost ground on Manchester City though.
Player of the Weekend
It is a worrying prospect for Arsenal fans to consider their team without Robin van Persie Yet again he provided a telling contribution against a weak Blackburn side effortlessly thrashed by the imperious Gunners on Saturday. A hat trick for the Dutchman is hardly a special occasion these days but it took him to 22 goals for the season. Gooners will be hoping he can fire Arsenal into the top four places otherwise they risk losing their star forward in the summer.
Goal of the Weekend
Over the course of the season Juan Mata has proved to be a dangerous attacking force. He showed that once again with a stunning volley against Manchester United. The technique he displayed to smash the ball into the roof of the net was sublime.
However, what added to the quality of the strike was the cross supplied by Fernando Torres. He may not be having much luck in front of the goal but the Spaniard’s ball into his fellow countryman was pinpoint.
Save of the Weekend
When Bobby Zamora netted for QPR early on against Wolves, Mick McCarthy must have feared the worst. However, Djibril Cissé’s sending off changed the dynamic of the game. Having turned the match on it’s head through goals from Matt Jarvis and Kevin Doyle, Wolves had Wayne Hennessey to thank for making sure they took three points back to the West Midlands.
His late finger-tip save from Adel Taarabt’s rising effort proved vital. The 25-year-old Welshamn narrowly edges out David De Gea’s stop from Juan Mata’s curling free kick. The Spanish ‘keeper has received plenty of criticism but he must be applauded for ensuring United’s impressive comeback was kept intact.
Honourable Mention: David De Gea
Quote of the Weekend
Settle down children, its story time with Mick McCarthy! After Djibril Cissé’s sending off on Saturday, the Wolves boss recounts an old tale in his post match interview.
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“The rules are you can’t grab anyone by the face now and push them in the throat . Was it a sending off in my day? No, was it heck.”
If you say so Mick. When men were men etc.
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Tuesday night was not an enjoyable one for Chelsea fans as the Blues suffered a 3-1 defeat to Napoli in the first leg of their last 16 Champions League tie despite taking the lead. Juan Mata put Andre Villas-Boas’ side ahead, but once again Chelsea failed to hold onto a lead and now face a difficult task to reverse the tie at Stamford Bridge.
For the match at the Stadio San Paolo, three Chelsea players in particular will have been very disappointed to have found themselves starting on the bench rather than the pitch. Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard especially would have expected starts and while they both came on as substitutes, John Obi Mikel didn’t get to leave his seat.
Here are Chelsea trio Cole, Lampard and Mikel, but what are they saying to each other as they’re stuck on the bench?
Leave your suggestions below…
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This football has been signed by the 2011/12 Chelsea squad, a perfect gift for any Blue.
For the FootballFanCast.com Caption Competition Terms and Conditions click here
Check out our Caption Competition Gallery for some inspiration and to see the winners so far.
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Last week’s winner: ulley – click here to see all entries
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The Premier League is engulfed in an array of talent from nations spanning right across the globe. We’ve got petite playmakers, sublime strikers and domineering defenders but despite this, there are a select few players who perhaps enjoy unworthy praise.
You know the ones, the questionable fan’s hero, the managers’ favourite or the player who’s still trying to justify their enormous price tag. This carefully crafted XI therefore seeks to highlight thee individuals who, throughout this season at least, have failed to live up to expectations.
One things for sure, now that I’ve taken the time to topple these players off their pedestal, they’re bound to have a cracking game at the weekend. I’d get down the bookies if I were you.
Click on Hugo Rodallega to unveil the overrated XI
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Is there anyone I’ve overlooked? Perhaps you feel the need to stick up for your particular player. Send me your views via Twitter @theunusedsub
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