Sunday's B*ll*x

[Chinners]

The rest of the media and world have known for a good month now but the chaps at the Mirror claim to have an exclusive today ...

Man City stadium poised to become bigger than Old Trafford - Exclusive
Manchester City's owners are assessing plans to make Eastlands the biggest stadium in English club football.
Sunday Mirror Sport can reveal that the Abu Dhabi United Group’s blueprint to oversee a major regeneration of the East Manchester area will include a project to expand their council-owned ground.
One of the plans being discussed is to add another tier and 30,000 seats to take the capacity of the City of Manchester Stadium to almost 80,000. City’s bitter rivals Manchester United currently have the biggest ground in the Premier League, with Old ­Trafford able to hold 75,769.
But City owner Sheikh ­Mansour has already ­promised to build one of the best teams in world football – and he wants a stadium to match.
Feasibility studies are being conducted to formulate how Eastlands’ 47,726 capacity can be increased.
A City source confirmed: “The owners want to build the best football club possible – both on and off the pitch.
“Everything is at a very early stage and the only thing that is set in stone at the moment is the development of a City Street outside the stadium, based on a ­European-style fan zone. But the owners are ­looking into every single aspect of how the club is run – including the possibility of expanding the stadium.
“But it won’t be just about increasing stadium capacity. We are looking at the whole match-day experience, from how fans are catered for on the concourses to how we look after corporate guests.”
The Blues are currently the third-best supported team in the Premier League, with only United and Arsenal boasting bigger average attendances this season.
But there is a belief at the club that if City become a major force in Europe demand for tickets will outweigh current supply.
One revolutionary idea being discussed is pitching ticket prices at a level that will attract future generations of fans to the club. City already offer some of the best deals in football, with junior ­season ticket prices just £90 and tickets for some games as low as £5 for under-16s.
Prices for next season have yet to be announced, but City have asked all of their 36,000 season ticket holders to fill in an on-line questionnaire so to gauge how they can offer even better value.
Sunday Mirror Sport ­revealed last month how City are planning to build a £50million training ground close to Eastlands.
They have since entered into a partnership with Manchester Council and the New East Manchester Regeneration Agency that will see major redevelopment in the area around the stadium.

Lescott wants to end career with Manchester City
Joleon Lescott has only been at Manchester City seven months, but he has seen enough to want to stay at Eastlands for the rest of his career.
The England defender angered Everton boss David Moyes when he forced through a £24million move to City last ­summer.
But at 27, he believes he has found the ­perfect club for his peak years. Lescott, currently sidelined by a groin ­problem, said: “I really ­understand why David Moyes wanted me to stay, but I hope he understands why I wanted to leave.
“There are no regrets. I don’t look back on my ­decision.
“This is where I wanted to be and I now want to be here for the rest of my ­career. I can’t see me ever going.”

Manchester City must fend off interest from arch rivals Manchester United if they want to sign German defender Jerome Boateng.
Manchester City were linked with 21 year-old Boateng during the January transfer window but at the time he hinted he would sign a new deal at Hamburg. However, Boateng is now stalling on a new deal and he has a 13 million Euro release clause in his current contract, with City in pole position to sign him.
Boateng is highly rated and starred for the Germany under-21 side against England in last summer's European under-21 championship final.
However, the News of the World report that Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is hoping to lure Boateng to Old Trafford. Ferguson has already strengthened his back four with the signing of Fulham youngster Chris Smalling . However, there is still some doubt over Nemanja Vidic’s Manchester United future and Rio Ferdinand’s long-term fitness.
Manchester City meanwhile have been rumoured to be looking to strengthen their defence for some time due to the disappointing partnership between big money signings Kolo Toure and Joleon Lescott.

Mancini keeps his feet on the ground
Robert Mancini was keeping a cool head as Manchester City became the first team to score five goals before half-time in the Premier League.
Emmanuel Adebayor (two), Craig Bellamy, Carlos Tevez, Patrick Vieira and Vincent Kompany were all on target in a 6-1 win at Burnley as City took full advantage of Tottenham's defeat against Sunderland to move back into fourth place in the race for a Champions League spot.
Mancini said: "It is a good position to be in and an important one. But it will be more important at the end of the season. We have some difficult games ahead and we need to show the kind of concentration we did. If we do that we have a good chance as it is going to be a battle with Liverpool and Tottenham."
The Italian added: "We played very well, especially in the first 25 minutes, and were focused as we wanted to win the game. We pressed high up the pitch and had a lot of ball in and around the box which gave us some chances."
Adebayor started the ball rolling in the fourth minute and added his second on the stroke of half-time.
In between Bellamy, Tevez and Vieira, with his first for the club, also found the target.
Kompany added a sixth in the 58th minute before Fletcher got a goal back for Burnley, who are facing a swift return to the second tier following last season's promotion.
Burnley manager Brian Laws apologised to the supporters after seeing his side cave in.
He said: "The game was over after the first seven minutes. The supporters and myself didn't expect that. They opened us up and killed the game.
"I apologise to the supporters for an awful display. It wasn't good enough and was unacceptable. I feel I am getting full commitment from the players but I am disappointed and feel let down. Everyone is in shock. It was incredible. However, I've got to pick them up as we have a massive game against Hull next week."

Spurs join chase for £25million Wolfsburg star
Tottenham have joined the race for £25million-rated Wolfsburg star Edin Dzeko.
The Bosnian striker, 24, has opened the door for a ­possible summer move to­ the Premier League after previously claiming he would prefer to move to Italian giants AC Milan.
Dzeko has attracted ­interest from English clubs, including Chelsea and ­Manchester City.
Spurs boss Harry ­Redknapp is looking to ­offload forwards Robbie Keane and Roman ­Pavlyuchenko in the ­summer, but knows Tottenham must qualify for next season’s Champions League to attract players of Dzeko’s reputation.

TRANSFER BOLLOX
Arsenal are set to confirm the signing of Bordeaux's Moroccan striker Marouane Chamakh on a £12m four-year deal. Mail on Sunday

Or the Gunners may instead decide to try to sign 22-year-old striker Loic Remy, who is valued at £12m by his side Nice.caughtoffside.com

But the Gunners could lose Cesc Fabregas with new Barcelona president, Sandro Rosell preparing to launch a £50m bid to bring the Arsenal captain back to the club of his youth. Mail on Sunday

Manchester United's hopes of landing long-term target Karim Benzema have been boosted by claims Real Madrid are ready to let the Frenchman leave the Bernabeu on loan next season. Sunday Mirror

Fulham are in talks with Fenerbahce's Turkey international striker Semih Senturk, who is available on a free transfer in the summer. (News of the World)

Wigan midfielder James McCarthy is set to snub a move to Arsenal, having already rejected a transfer to Liverpool. (News of the World)

Palermo are set to renew their interest in West Ham midfielder Valon Behrami.Sunday Mirror

Bolton are lining up a move for German striker Cacau after he confirmed he is set to leave Stuttgart on a free this summer. Sunday Mirror

Benfica are set to offer Liverpool's Brazilian keeper Diego Cavalieri an escape route out of the Anfield club this summer. Sunday Mirror

WAG FESTIVAL
http://www.triplem.com.au/melbourne/sho ... year-party

OTHER BOLLOX
Liverpool are on course to secure fresh investment, or even completely new owners before the end of the season after a deadline was extended for a potential buy-out of George Gillett and Tom Hicks. Mail on Sunday

But Liverpool are set to reject a £110m deal from New York-based fund management company Rhone Group - the offer expires on Monday. Independent on Sunday

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted that the club's potential to win trophies will determine whether he commits his future to them. The Frenchman is under contract until 2011 but Real Madrid are interested in taking him to Spain. Sunday Telegraph

Aston Villa are lining up Mark Hughes as a replacement for manager Martin O'Neill should the Irishman walk out on the club in the summer. News of the World

Manchester United centre-back Nemanja Vidic is prepared to stay at the club if they increase his wages to in excess of £100,00 per week. News of the World

Birmingham midfielder Craig Gardner has rejected claims his tackle on Arsenal skipper Cesc ­Fabregas contributed to the Spain midfielder breaking his leg four days later against Barcelona. Sunday Mirror

FINAL BOLLOX
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson says Wayne Rooney has already been doing some carefully monitored cardiovascular work at the club's Carrington training complex as he tries to recover from his ankle ligament injury. Sunday Telegraph

Rooney may even have a chance of making a miraculous recovery in time to face Bayern Munich on Wednesday for the Champions League quarter-final second leg at Old Trafford. Sunday Mirror

[guv111]

The Mirror doesn't seem to know what its identity is. The paper obviously thinks it's a cut above the likes of the Sun and the Star, but doesn't quite have the bottle to raise itself up to being a less right-wing version of the Mail or Express, aimed at slightly more literate readers. Instead, you get a hybrid of celebrity tat, the occasional good article, and football reporting that makes even the Independent look half decent.

[Chinners]

Bottom line is, it's a blatent lie. It's not an exclusive and they have not revealed anything we didn't already know. Had the subject been about one of those celebs personal lives, they'd get their arse sued off

[Chinners]

Manchester City & Inter In Discussions Over Striker Mario Balotelli -
Plans are reportedly being hatched to bring 'SuperMario' to England...
Inter and Manchester City have reportedly begun preliminary discussions to bring Nerazzurri star Mario Balotelli to the Citizens during the upcoming summer transfer window.
Should the 19-year-old accept an offer to play in England, he would be reuniting with former coach Roberto Mancini, who acted like a mentor and father figure to him, according to Novantesimo.it.
Over the past few weeks, the Italian international has had a falling out with current Nerazzurri coach Jose Mourinho, but all seems to be forgiven now.
It is also alleged that the Beneamata have told the Eastlands club that they are willing to part company with the hitman, if the price is right. An offer starting from approximately £15 million would be required to tempt the star striker away from the Giuseppe Meazza is what the website is claiming.

Liverpool failed to claim three points away at St. Andrews in a 1-1 draw against Birmingham, a clear blow to the Reds’ pursuit of Champions League football. Although Tottenham lost to Sunderland 3-1, Manchester City moved up to 4th place in the Premier League standing with a comprehensive 6-1 away win at Burnley. Man City are sitting in 4th with 59 points from 32 games, Tottenham are in 5th with 58 points from 32 games, and Liverpool are in 6th with 55 points from 33 games. The table tells us that the race for the final Champions League spot is a two-horse race, but the table hardly tells the whole story. Here are two reasons why Liverpool still have a chance to bring Champions League football back to Anfield next year:

1. Manchester City and Tottenham have the toughest remaining schedules out of any team in the Premier League.

Manchester City are in very good form, however, The Citizens’ last six matches of the campaign are against Birmingham, Manchester United, Arsenal (away at the Emirates), Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur, and West Ham (away at Upton Park). Though four points clear of Liverpool with a game in hand, how many points can City really expect to gain from these fixtures? Mancini would accept a draw against the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal, and it is tough to expect to gain three points against quality sides like Aston Villa, Birmingham, and Tottenham. Not to mention that in the last fixture away at Upton Park the Hammers could well be fighting for their lives to stay up in the Premier League. I cannot realistically see Manchester City finishing finishing with more than 70 points.
Tottenham, on the other hand, have it no easier. Hosting Arsenal, then Chelsea, and then traveling to Old Trafford to face United, Harry Redknapp has it all still to do. After those three matches the Spurs face Bolton, travel to the City of Manchester Stadium, and then close with Burnley. Again, I cannot see Tottenham taking more than 10 points from these closing matches.
2. Liverpool have perhaps the easiest remaining schedule
Liverpool’s five remaining fixtures: Fulham (Home), West Ham (Home), Burnley (away), Chelsea (home), Hull City (away).
With the exception of the Chelsea match at Anfield, there is no excuse for Rafa Benitez’s men to not take three points from every one of their remaining matches. Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres are finally hitting their form, the Reds are playing world-class football in front of their home supporters, and even with a poor away record there is no excuse for not winning against Burnley and Hull. It’s certainly possible that Liverpool could win all five of their remaining fixtures and finish with 70 points, which I think is the magic number for Champions League football this campaign.