Sunday's B*ll*x

[Chinners]

Chelsea eye £20m Richards swoop
Chelsea are ready to make a £20million move for Micah Richards – after the unsettled Manchester City defender demanded showdown talks with Roberto Mancini.
The faltering champions believe they can prise the England defender away from Eastlands following comments from Richards that he would rather leave the club than be reduced to a squad player under Mancini.
Sunday Mirror Sport can reveal that Richards met with the City manager on Thursday to tell him that he was unhappy with his role – less than 24 hours after playing in the goalless draw at Arsenal.
He was followed into the manager’s office by Joleon Lescott, who asked for assurances about his future after being left on the bench at the Emirates.
Mancini told both players that they were part of his plans and will not be allowed to leave.
But Chelsea have been long-term admirers of 22-year-old Richards.
If their advances are rebuffed this time then they will be back in the summer, with Roman Abramovich now forced to accept that he has to invest in the club’s ageing squad.
City, though, are in no mood to sell Richards – particularly to a club they view as rivals for the title.
But Mancini will not stand in the way of Emmanuel Adebayor, Roque Santa Cruz, Wayne Bridge or Shaun Wright-Phillips who are all likely to leave on loan deals.
Monaco, Aston Villa and Fulham are interested in Adebayor and Santa Cruz’s likely destination is Lazio or Blackburn.
West Ham are set to beat Villa to a loan deal for defender Bridge and Liverpool were interested in winger Wright-Phillips although that deal is uncertain after Roy Hodgson’s departure from Liverpool. Sunday Mirror

Manchester City midfielder Patrick Vieira confirms that he could retire at the end of the season
Frenchman reckons there is a '50 per cent chance'
Manchester City midfielder Patrick Vieira has admitted that he is entertaining thoughts about retiring at the end of the season.
The 34-year-old spent some of his best years bossing Arsenal's engine room, and eventually left the north London club in 2005. And after spells at Juventus and Inter in the Serie A, the Frenchman chose to return to the Premier League and reunite with former boss Roberto Mancini at the Eastlands outfit.
But the ageing midfielder has made only two league starts for the club this season, and is now considering the prospect of calling time on his career.
"There is a 50 per cent chance [that I quit at the end of the season]," Vieira told L'Equipe.
"I think Manchester City will be my last challenge. Calling it quits in June would not bother me. It will be an easy decision."
Vieira's contract with City expires during the summer, and the midfielder conceded that he is happy to have had a career filled with several winners' medals including the 1998 World Cup.
"I accept the fact that it is almost the end... There is a past, wonderful memories, but it was before,' he said.
"If I had to do it again, I would not change anything. Sunday Mirror

Manchester City face a double Italian raid for striker duo Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli in the summer. Inter Milan are keen on Tevez and AC want Balotelli. (News of the World)

City keeper Shay Given has been told he can leave Eastlands this January. (News of the World)

RESENTING BOLLOX
JOE HART would like to get those huge goalkeeping hands of his around the necks of the growing band of baiters hating Manchester City.
He’s rarely at a loss these days after an incredible three years which have seen him go from virtual ­obscurity to stardom as England’s No.1 choice between the posts.
But why so many people are attacking the club he loves is beyond him.
Hart, 23, says the popular portrayal of his team-mates a a gang of money-mad mercenaries is way wide of the mark.
He said: “I don’t understand why there is resentment.
“We have come in with a lot of money but I don’t remember reading in the rule book at the start of the season that you are not allowed to have money.
“I don’t understand what we are ­ doing wrong. We’re not unsettling any other clubs. We’re minding our own business.
“I don’t think it’s got anything to do with our success because we haven’t been successful yet.
“Everyone has always got to see ­someone as the villain and I suppose we are at the moment.”
Hart is also happy to put the record straight after photographers caught Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor ­slugging it out in training.
He said: “It happens at every club. That’s football. We’re laughing and ­joking about it. We’re giving Kolo the Rocky shout and Adebayor the same.
“We’re grown men. We want to win. It’s a contact sport.
“Yes, we have a ­rumble but you can’t fight on the pitch in front of 60,000 so every now and again you need to have a little scrap in training.
“People have fights in work. If you went down the road to United’s ­training ground there’s probably the odd scrap. Go anywhere. That’s just the nature of the beast. If we all accept things we wouldn’t be where we are.
“It’s embarrassing, all this fighting talk, because it just shows we’re ­winners. We have got people in the trees trying to take pictures.
“I’m watching training and thinking they don’t want to watch someone score a goal. That’s not what they’re ­interested in. But as soon as the ball is in between two players you hear the camera shutters clicking.
“They’re just trying to make out it happens. It’s embarrassing.
“I’m embarrassed for what’s going on. The way people are targeting City.”
Hart will meet up again today with Leicester boss Sven Goran Eriksson and will thank him for ­giving him his big break at City.
Eriksson said back in 2007 that Hart would be England’s No.1. Even after fulfilling that prediction, the City ­keeper is taking nothing for granted.
He said: “It’s mad how it’s all worked out. But as high as you can fly, you can drop like a stone as well. That doesn’t scare me but I’m very aware of it.”

Bacary Sagna admits 'hatred' towards Pablo Zabaleta - but insists he's no gangster
Bacary Sagna ‘felt hatred’ for Pablo Zabaleta after the altercation that led to the two players being sent off during Wednesday’s goalless draw between Arsenal and Manchester City.
The Gunners defender twice pushed his head into the face of his Argentine opponent after an insult Sagna claims ‘pushed him to limit’.
Both players were sent off for the incident but Zabaleta yesterday had his red card rescinded. Sagna however, will have to serve a three-match ban, and claimed that the City defender’s constant jibes made him lash out.
Burst blood vessels: The fiery Frenchman and the angry Argentine exchange pleasantries
‘I have been having to take kicks from opponents for a good many weeks without referees cracking down on them,’ the 27-year-old said, who last weekend was the victim of a crude stamp by Birmingham City’s Lee Bowyer.
‘When Zabaleta swore at me I just blew a fuse. I can speak Spanish, and I understood the insults he aimed at me. I did not want to take them lying down - he pushed me to the limit.
‘I regret my actions, and I am the first to say that these types of gestures should be banned from the field of play. But I cracked up on Wednesday. I felt hatred for him.
‘But I am not a gangster. The sending-off will serve as a lesson to me for the future, and I won’t make the same mistake again.’

WAG OF THE DAY - Sophie Reade

Super Mario has allegedly been dating the Big Brother babe since August last year, when he signed for City in a £24 million move from Inter Milan.
However Reade revealed on Twitter last week that the love rat had slept with her pal at a festive party. She wrote:
“Would like to let everyone know @FayeEvette is a s*** and slept with the guy I was seeing! What a friend and welcome 2011.”
Later adding:
“Mario Balotelli is a ****er!!”
Speaking to The News Of The World Sophie blasted the sportsman further saying:
“I didn’t for one minute believe he would cheat on me especially with my best friend while I was in his flat with them.”
“I feel utterly betrayed by Mario. I really cared for him and he insisted he felt the same way about me.”

OTHER BOLLOX
Real Madrid want to exploit the Liverpool crisis with a bid for skipper Steven Gerrard. Sunday Mirror

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres is a £45m target for Juventus. caughtoffside

Torres and keeper Pepe Reina have vowed never to quit Liverpool to join arch-rivals Manchester United, despite the crisis at Anfield. (News of the World)

But Liverpool are ­preparing a bid of their own - for £20m Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku - despite Roy Hodgson being given the boot. Sunday Mirror

Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy has warned Liverpool must think long and hard about their next managerial appointment after the failure of Roy Hodgson in the Anfield hotseat. talksport

Meanwhile, another former Liverpool player, Phil Thompson, believes the 'unprecedented' way the club's fans had turned on manager Roy Hodgson was instrumental in his departure. Mail on Sunday

Hodgson will be handed a £7.5m pay-off from Liverpool despite only spending six months in the job. News of the World
Kenny Dalglish - who has been installed until the end of the season - is determined to stay at Liverpool for the long haul. Sunday Express

Dalglish was informed by a text message that he was taking over from Hodgson with Liverpool playing Manchester United in the FA Cup on Sunday. Mail on Sunday

Hodgson's sacking has upset the League Managers Association who are furious at the way the former Fulham boss was dismissed. Hodgson's sacking apparently came in the form of an e-mail from owner John Henry. Sunday People

Hodgson will seek a speedy return to management in a bid to salvage his dream of managing England. Sunday People

Dalglish and Liverpool's director of football Damien Comolli have drawn up a January wish-list that includes Benfica full-back Fabio Coentrao, Stoke City centre-back Ryan Shawcross and Utrecht striker Ricky Van Wolfswinkel. caughtoffside

Borussia Dortmund's Japanese star Shinji Kagawa is a £15m target for Manchester United. (News of the World)

United are interested in Napoli striker Edinso Cavani who is also valued at £15m. (Sunday Express)

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is keen on signing Sunderland ­midfielder Jordan Henderson and is keeping tabs on Newcastle full-back Jose Enrique. Sunday People

United are set to make Rene Adler's dream come true by triggering a £15m get-out clause for the Bayer Leverkusen keeper. Sunday Mirror

Arsene Wenger has moved to reject fresh reports in Spain that an agreement has been reached to sell Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona. Mail on Sunday

Barcelona themselves have placed a £34m cap on what they will offer for the Spain midfielder in the summer.Sunday Times

And Fabregas himself has pledged to stay at Arsenal until he has won trophies at the club. (News of the World)

Arsenal's out-of-favour keeper Manuel Almunia is a target for Turkish side Galatasary. (News of the World)

Tottenham are interested in signing David Beckham permanently when his LA Galaxy contract expires in November. Mail on Sunday

Chelsea are to battle Tottenham for the signing of Everton winger Steven Pienaar. (Sunday Times)

Blackburn are keen on signing Aston Villa's defensive duo Stephen Warnock and James Collins. Sunday People

Villa's versatile duo Ciaran Clark and Ashley Young are also a £30m target for Manchester United. caughtoffside

Fiorentina are keen on replacing Adrian Mutu with the Scottish Premier League's top goal-scorer - Rangers striker Kenny Miller. imscouting

After 19 years at the top, Manchester United's Gary Neville has revealed that he will retire at the end of the season. Goal.com

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is set to fly to the club's Surrey training ground this week for crisis talks with manager Carlo Ancelotti after a run of two wins in 11 Premier League games. Mail on Sunday

Manager Carlo Ancelotti has been offered an escape route out of Chelsea with Roma interested in bringing him back to Italy. (News of the World)

Mark Hughes has been handed £8m to spend in January but will have to wait until the summer to land Swansea defender Ashley Williams. (News of the World)

Avram Grant has told West Ham's owners he needs more transfer cash to pull the club out of relegation danger. Mail on Sunday

But the Hammers are eyeing up former Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill to replace Grant at Upton Park. (Sunday Times)

West Ham may also replace Grant with former Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce who could get a six-month contract to save the Hammers from relegation. Mail on Sunday

However, Roman Abramovich will ­offer Avram Grant a stunning return to Chelsea - as director of football - if he is sacked by West Ham this week. Sunday People

Liverpool's Glen Johnson has launched a Twitter attack on Paul Merson after the former Arsenal midfielder criticised his attitude this season. Mail on Sunday

Winger Theo Walcott has admitted diving in an attempt to rescue Arsenal from an FA Cup defeat against Leeds United.: talksport

FA CUP BOLLOX
FA Cup Fourth Round Draw: 3:45pm
The draw for The FA Cup Fourth Round will take place at The FA's HQ at Wembley later today shortly after the Man U v Liverpool match at around 3.45pm.

Manchester City will be draw number 13 should we overcome Leicester.

The draw in full ...
1 Burnley
2 Coventry City
3 Sheffield Wednesday
4 Fulham
5 Doncaster Rovers or Wolverhampton Wanderers
6 Brighton & Hove Albion
7 Huddersfield Town
8 Crawley Town or Derby County
9 West Ham United
10 Reading
11 Arsenal or Leeds United
12 Aston Villa
13 Leicester City or Manchester City
14 Bolton Wanderers
15 Blackburn Rovers
16 Swansea City
17 Wycombe Wanderers or Hereford United
18 Stevenage
19 Burton Albion
20 Birmingham City
21 Southampton
22 Watford
23 Chelsea or Ipswich Town
24 Notts County
25 Everton
26 Manchester United or Liverpool
27 Wigan Athletic
28 Stoke City or Cardiff City
29 Tottenham Hotspur or Charlton Athletic
30 Nottingham Forest
31 Leyton Orient
32 Torquay United

[Original Dub]

£20m? So he's got his value back then...

Nah, at 22, I want to keep him. I think he's on the way back TBH.

[Ted Hughes]

£20m? So he's got his value back then...

Nah, at 22, I want to keep him. I think he's on the way back TBH.

Same here.

[ruralblue]

£20m? So he's got his value back then...

Nah, at 22, I want to keep him. I think he's on the way back TBH.

Same here.

DITTO!

Think at the moment he's shown more promise than Boateng.

[Beeks]

20 mil?!? Snap their hands off!!!

And Zab would eat Sagna for fucking breakfast

[Beefymcfc]

So, Zab's swore at poor old Sagna so he portrays it as he is getting no protection from the ref. Typical Arsenal 'Poor Us' mentality in an aim to get the refs ear during the game. Another pre-conceived statement most probably masterminded by the professor himself.

Just one thing though Arsene, please take a look at your own disciplinary record before moaning to the refs and you'll see that you cannot really talk, and with the likes of Fabregas and van Persie gobbing at anything and everything, you should take a look closer to home.

Whinging Twat!

[Slim]

After 19 years at the top, Manchester United's Gary Neville has revealed that he will retire at the end of the season. Goal.com

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

[ashton287]

Balotelli is funny. Acts like a scally thats won the lottery.

[Slim]

Balotelli is funny. Acts like a scally thats won the lottery.

Every single person who has ever appeared on Big Brother down here has been a complete talentless media whore willing to do anything to prolong their 15 minutes of fame. It wouldn't surprise me if Mario had given her an anonymous quickie in the club bathroom and she took that to the press telling them they were engaged.

[Ted Hughes]

After 19 years at the top, Manchester United's Gary Neville has revealed that he will retire at the end of the season. Goal.com

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

This is tragic. He was hilarious v WBA. I think he should give us another season.

[svengali]

Funny Bollox today. Load of our players want out. As do Liverpools and Arsenals but Manure are linked with about 70 million pounds worth of players.

No unsettling going on there as usual then...

[Beefymcfc]

Funny Bollox today. Load of our players want out. As do Liverpools and Arsenals but Manure are linked with about 70 million pounds worth of players.

No unsettling going on there as usual then...

Taggart doesn't buy in January as there's no value and you don't see the best from a player for 12 months. He said that himself!

There's no way a 'Sir' could be lying is there?

[CityFanFromRome]

Whatever you say about Mario, you have to give it to him that he always lands hot babes, lol.

[Chinners]

EVENING BOLLOX
The agent of Manchester City striker Jo claims his client has five offers to consider in the January window.
The Brazilian striker has figured in Roberto Mancini's plans on a more regular basis this term, but remains on the fringes of the first-team picture at Eastlands.
Having previously spent time on loan at Everton and Galatasaray, there are reports that he could be heading for the exits once more.
Another short-term deal away from City has been touted, with a number of options said to be on the table.
Greek giants Olympiakos were believed to be among those leading the hunt for the 23-year-old, keen to add him to their attacking arsenal.
Jo's representative has ruled out such a switch, but admits there are a number of clubs away from England keen to strike a deal.
"There is no option for Jo to go to Greece," Guliano Bertolucci told Greek website Sday.
"He has played in most of the last few games at City and doesn't want to leave on loan.
"Jo has five offers right now from clubs outside of England but he doesn't want to leave.
"There is no offer from Olympiakos. We have offers from Spain, France and Russia."

Wayne Bridge Deal Is Nearly Done
I bring good news. I think. I am told the Wayne Bridge deal is as good as done. If so, that means it’s one down two to go. I do wonder, however, at what cost this deal has been reached. Surely we can’t be paying him the £90k a week Citeh have been paying him? Didn’t we go there once before with a certain Icelandic chairman?
http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/01/ ... l+I+Die%29

However if the People are to be belived Grant won't get the chance to see the Bridge deal completed with Chelsea lined up to give him a job ...

ROMAN ABRAMOVICH will ­offer Avram Grant a stunning return to Chelsea – as director of football – if he is sacked by West Ham this week.
Stamford Bridge’s Russian ruler is still a huge fan of Grant, the man who led his club to the Champions League final in 2008.
Israeli Grant fell out with Abramovich when he was sacked just days after Chelsea’s penalty shoot-out heartbreak in Moscow but the pair quickly patched up their differences and could work together again.
The Hammers have run out of patience with Grant after last week’s 5-0 drubbing at Newcastle which left them bottom of the Premier League.
And his fate is likely to be sealed at a board meeting scheduled for Wednesday.
But Grant could be back in work in the Premier League within days thanks to Abramovich, who is putting together a new team behind the scenes to run the club the way he wants.
Grant’s return to Stamford Bridge would be unlikely to concern manager Carlo Ancelotti, who has soldiered on despite the sacking of his No.2 Ray Wilkins.
People Sport revealed that Abramovich ended Frank Arnesen’s spell as director of football because he wants to have a more hands-on ­approach and use his list of contacts to land players.
Now the door has dramatically swung open for a Grant return, ­although he will fight hard to keep his grip on the West Ham job.
Grant is seen as ideal for the Chelsea post as he shares many of the same agent friends and contacts as Abramovich. (Sunday People)

FA to investigate Ryan Babel comments on Twitter
Babel came on as a 60th-minute substitute against Manchester United
The Football Association is to look into Liverpool forward Ryan Babel's posts on Twitter.
Babel criticised referee Howard Webb on the social networking site following Liverpool's defeat by Manchester United in Sunday's FA Cup third-round tie.
Babel forwarded on a mocked-up picture of Webb in a United shirt and also said: "And they call him one of the best referees. That's a joke."

The Dutchman later removed the posts before apologising to Webb.
"My apology if they take my posted picture seriously. This is just a emotional reaction after losing an important game," he said.
"Sorry Howard Webb."
Ryan Giggs scored what proved to be the winner from the spot-kick Webb gave for Daniel Agger's apparent foul on Dimitar Berbatov, while Gerrard was sent off after 32 minutes for a challenge on Michael Carrick.
Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish labelled the penalty decision "a joke" and also disagreed with the brandishing of a red card for his captain as his side lost 1-0.
Babel came on as a substitute an hour into the match at Old Trafford but failed to help his side engineer a comeback before his Twitter outburst after the game.
The FA commented before the player's apology that "we will definitely look into this matter".

Ipswich will unveil Paul Jewell as their new manager on Monday to succeed Roy Keane, who was sacked last week.
Jewell, 46, who has been out of the game since quitting Derby in December 2008, pipped Doncaster boss Sean O’Driscoll for the job.
Former Charlton and West Ham boss Alan Curbishley and Chris Hughton, fired by Newcastle last month, were other contenders.

Matt Derbyshire is keen to link up with former Blackburn Rovers team-mate David Bentley at Birmingham.
The Spurs winger is expected to undergo a medical at the beginning of the week with a view to signing a six-month loan deal.
Bentley will hope to restore his confidence at St Andrew's after a difficult period at Tottenham following his £15 million move in 2008.
Derbyshire played alongside Bentley for three years at Rovers, and insists that the winger can still produce the goods in the Premier League.