Manchester City defender Wayne Bridge will face John Terry for the first time time this Saturday at Stamford Bridge since the fall-out from Terry’s alleged affair with his ex-girlfriend. He has also stated that he does not wish to be chosen for the England World Cup squad.
Bridge released a statement through his lawyers on Thursday, confirming that he does not wish to be selected for Fabio Capello’s squad for this year’s World Cup in South Africa because his presence would be potentially “divisive”.
The former Chelsea left-back has been considering his international future since reports of Terry’s affair with his former partner Vanessa Perroncel, a French underwear model with whom he has a four-year-old child, first came to light.
Terry was stripped of the England captaincy by Capello as a result of the scandal and the Italian had thought Bridge would continue to play for his country.
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Arsenal became the latest member of the Premier League’s elite to suffer an early exit from the FA Cup as Ricardo Fuller’s double strike inspired Stoke’s 3-1 win over the Gunners in the fourth round on Sunday.
Manchester United, humbled by League One Leeds, and Liverpool, shocked by Reading, both perished in the third round and Arsene Wenger’s much-changed side were condemned to an equally chastening defeat at the Britannia Stadium.
After claiming that Arsenal remain vulnerable to physical opponents, Fuller underlined his pre-match jibe by heading the hosts into the lead after 70 seconds.
The Gunners defence, including debutant Sol Campbell, failed to deal with Rory Delap’s trademark long-throw and Fuller nipped in front of hesitant goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski to head home from close-range.
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Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez called former Manchester United teammate Gary Neville a “boot-licker” and an “idiot” on Argentinian radio, reigniting the former feud between the two players.
Tevez and Neville exchanged gestures during the clubs’ Carling Cup semi-final clash at Eastlands on Tuesday night after Neville claimed in an interview at the weekend that United boss Sir Alex Ferguson had done the right thing in letting Tevez leave in the summer.
The Argentina forward told ESPN Radio: “In all the press here, Gary Neville came out and stood by Ferguson’s comments, saying that I wasn’t worth £25million.
“I thought he was in the wrong because we were team-mates and I never disrespected him, I always respected him.
“I feel he was a boot-licker when he stood by Ferguson’s comments that I wasn’t worth that money.
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Manchester City took on Manchester United in the League Cup derby and are one step closer to the final as they came from behind to beat the Red Devils 2 - 1.
Ryan Giggs opened the scoring in the first half before Carlos Tevez struck twice, once from the spot, to swing the tie in the Citizens’ favour.
The game took 15 minutes to warm up, but United scored with the first genuine goal scoring opportunity of the game. Playing out from the back, Patrice Evra lofted a pass to Antonio Valencia, who beat his marker, attacked the byline and hit a low cross to the front post. Wayne Rooney hit a side-footed shot from close range, Shay Given saved but the rebound spilled out to his right andGiggs was on hand to tap the ball into the open net: 1-0 to Manchester United.
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Arsenal beat Liverpool 2 - 1 in their League Cup match at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday to take the Gunners to the quarter finals.
Manchester City thumped Championship (second division) Scunthorpe United 5-1 to take their place in the last eight and Chelsea saw off Bolton Wanderers 4-0 at Stamford Bridge.
That trio joined holders Manchester United, last year’s runners-up Tottenham Hotspur, Blackburn Rovers, Portsmouth and Aston Villa in an all-Premier League draw for the quarter-finals which takes place on Saturday.
Manager Arsene Wenger, in charge of Arsenal for the 750th time and seeking his club’s first silverware since 2005, put his faith in younger players as he usually does in this competition and they rose to the occasion with a well-deserved win.
Fran Merida, their 19-year-old Spanish midfielder, put them ahead with a superbly struck curling left-foot shot after 19 minutes, before Liverpool equalised with an equally stunning shot from Argentine Emiliano Insua, his first for Liverpool, six minutes later.
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Manchester City climbed back on the winning path on Monday with a 3 - 1 win against West Ham United thanks to a double from Carlos Tevez against his old team.
Tevez, whose goals helped West Ham avoid relegation in 2007 before he moved to Manchester United, scored after five and 61 minutes as City completed a deserved win.
Monday’s result rounded off an entertaining weekend of Premier League action with the 10 matches producing 37 goals.
Manchester United, 2-0 winners at Stoke City, top the table on 18 points, ahead on goal difference of Chelsea, who dropped points for the first time this season when they lost 3-1 at Wigan Athletic.
City’s win took them to 15 points, alongside Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool, who had thumping victories over Burnley and Hull City respectively. Arsenal and Aston Villa have 12.
West Ham remained third-last with four points from six games.
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It seems the FA and Manchester Police will have their hands full this week with formal complaints and charges following the Manchester derby between Manchester United and Manchester City.
Craig Bellamy and Gary Neville are both expected to be called to account for their behaviour immediately after Michael Owen’s injury-time winner while Manchester City are reportedly preparing to take their grievances with the game’s officials to the governing body. The police, meanwhile, have charged a 21-year-old man, Jake Joseph Clarke, with “going on to a playing area without lawful authority or excuse” and are still probing an incident at half-time when City substitute Javier Garrido was apparently struck by a coin thrown from the stands.
Although City’s assistant manager Mark Bowen last night announced that the club will be taking no action against Bellamy after he was pictured striking Clarke, the FA are expected to charge the striker with violent conduct.
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Michael Owen became an instant hero with Manchester United fans following his late winner against Manchester City on Sunday.
Owen’s stoppage time strike clinched a 4-3 win for Manchester United that will live long in the memory and Scotland captain Darren Fletcher believes it is a sign of how big an impact the former England striker could have at Old Trafford.
“The whole move was superb,” Fletcher enthused. “Ryan Giggs’ pass was unbelievable, as was the way Michael controlled the ball with the outside of his right foot and finished it the same way.
“A natural goalscorer makes natural goalscoring movements and over the next few months Michael is going to be an important player for us.”
Fletcher is also hoping to hit the goalscoring trail himself after finding the net with two powerful headers against City.
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Emmanuel Adebayor will not regret stamping on his former Arsenal teammate Robin van Persie because he did not intend to hurt him.
The Football Association have hit Adebayor with a three-match ban for violent conduct following an incident in Manchester City’s 4-2 win over Arsenal last weekend.
The Togo international caught Van Persie in the head during the second half, but continues to protest his innocence by stressing he did not intend to hurt his ex-strike partner.
“I am sorry Robin got hurt, but I can’t regret something I did not mean to do,” Adebayor told The Sun.
“Anybody who knows me knows I would not set out to hurt anybody and I would especially not mean to hurt an old team-mate.
“I really am glad Robin was OK because I know my stud was close to his eye, but there was really nothing I could have done - there was no way I could have got out of the way in time.”
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Manchester City star player Carlos Tevez might be doubtful for the all-important match against Manchester United next weekend.
The Argentina star tweaked his knee during World Cup duty with his country last weekend and has already been ruled out of Manchester City’s clash with Arsenal on Saturday.
Early indications are Tevez will also sit out the Old Trafford encounter with United on September 20.
Tevez is desperate to play against his former club, having assumed cult hero status at City due to his bitter departure from United.
And Hughes will give the South American every opportunity.
“The Argentine medical people said it would be two or three weeks,” said the City boss.
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