Route One's Daily Football News Round-Up - 2/10/2012

We find the latest football news stories making the headlines, so you don’t have to.

Pic Courtesy of the Bleacher Report

Sir Alex Ferguson has defended Nani after further accusations of the Portuguese winger being a consistent ‘simulator’.

He was criticised again following the Red Devils’ defeat against Tottenham on Saturday evening. But Sir Alex gave those allegations short shrift.

"As a subject it is not worth going down,” he said.

“We have known for quite a few years there are plenty of players diving and, you have to say, particularly foreign players. 

"Nani is not the type to dive. He has never been that type of player." 

United are set to be without four key players for tonight’s Champions League tie at CFR Cluj.

Michael Carrick and Ryan Giggs are both suffering from illness, and have not been risked for the trip to Romania. 

Antonio Valencia missed the game against Spurs, and still hasn’t recovered from the ankle injury that kept him out, whilst Paul Scholes played 90 minutes in that game and the 37-year-old has been rested.

Meanwhile, QPR remain anchored to the foot of the Premier League table after being beaten 2-1 by West Ham last night.

Matt Jarvis gave the Hammers a dream start after three minutes, and Ricardo Vaz Te doubled the lead shortly before half-time.

The Hoops rallied after the break, and Adel Taraabt soon reduced the deficit. But it was not to be, and to rub salt into the wounds Samba Diakite was sent off late on after picking up a second yellow card. 

In a feisty encounter, West Ham received EIGHT bookings, and are likely to be fined up to £25k as a result of their ill-discipline.

Jimmy Bullard has announced his retirement from professional football.

The 33-year-old has suffered terrible luck with injuries in his career, including two cruciate knee injuries. And the former Wigan, Fulham and Hull City man has decided to call it a day.

"My old knee injury has never allowed me to get back to where I want to be as a football player," he said.

Bullard had signed a deal with MK Dons, and made three appearances this season.

While one midfielder bows out another makes his comeback, as Jack Wilshere had his first taste of football in over a year yesterday.

The 21-year-old played for an hour in Arsenal’s Development Team’s fixture against West Brom, as he makes his latest step on the road to recovery following an ankle injury.

 “I’m shattered,” was all he could say, in news that will delight Arsenal and England fans alike.

Route One's Daily Football News Round-Up - 20/9/2012

We find the latest football news stories making the headlines, so you don’t have to. 

Pic courtesy of Totally Cool Pix

A debut double from Oscar was not enough for his new Chelsea team-mates, as they were held to a 2-2 draw with Juventus.

It was defensive lapses from Mikel and John Terry that allowed the Italian club to pinch a point in this Champions League Group E curtain raiser, after the £25 million Brazilian had given his side a two goal cushion.

A rare Michael Carrick strike was enough for Manchester United to claim a narrow 1-0 win against Galatasaray in Group H.

Despite the result it was a night to forget for Sir Alex Ferguson’s men, for whom Nani missed a penalty, and the Turkish side will be disappointed not to have taken at least a point home with them.

They were denied a spot kick of their own when Nemanja Vidic bundled Umut Bulup to the ground, and went on to hit the woodwork three times. A close shave for United then, who will have been buoyed by the first appearance for eleven months of Darren Fletcher.

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has confirmed that his top goalscorer Demba Ba could leave the club in January.

The Senegalese marksman has a £7m buy-out clause in his contract, and talks over a new deal have yet to surface. Vultures from across Europe will be getting ready to swoop.

"There is that clause in his contract and it makes us vulnerable," Pardew said. "It's still open in the next window."

In the Championship, Huddersfield and Sheffield Wednesday played out a rip-roaring Yorkshire derby, with the Terriers taking the plaudits 3-1.

Both sides were reduced to ten men in this feisty encounter, with the result seeing Simon Grayson’s men leap into sixth place.

Elsewhere, Leicester City beat Burnley 2-1 and Wolves took the spoils following a 2-0 win at Ipswich.

England women’s team qualified for the 2013 European Championships following their 3-0 victory over Croatia.

Hope Powell’s ladies secured automatic qualification with goals from their captain Casey Stoner, Eni Aluko and Jill Scott. They finished top of Group Six, following an exceptional campaign in which they remained unbeaten.

Route One's Daily Football News Round-Up - 19/9/2012

We find the latest football news stories making the headlines, so you don’t have to. 

A last-gasp winner from Cristiano Ronaldo broke Manchester hearts at the Bernabeu in a thrilling Champions League curtain raiser.

Pic courtesy of www.cristianoronaldopics.com/

Real Madrid had bombarded Joe Hart in the Man City goal, but the Light Blues took the lead against the run of play after a tidy finish from substitute Edin Dzeko. 

The Galacticos fought back through Marcelo, but then fell behind again when a free kick out wide from Alexander Kolarov sailed straight in untouched.

In a madcap finish, Karim Benzema equalised before Ronaldo’s effort deceived the unsighted Hart, prompting a wild ‘school disco slide on the knees’ celebration from Jose Mourinho.

Afterwards, Hart was highly critical of his team, prompting a rebuke from his manager Roberto Mancini.

"You can't go 2-1 up with five minutes to go and lose the game," England’s Number One said. "We can only blame ourselves." 

But Mancini insisted that he is the only ‘judge’ that matters. "If anyone should criticise the team, I should criticise the team, not Joe Hart," he responded.

Elsewhere in the Champions League, French aristocrats PSG started their campaign with a 4-1 demolition of Dynamo Kiev, whilst AC Milan were held to a goalless draw at home against Anderlecht.

Borussia Dortmund, Porto, Malaga and Schalke will also be pleased with their starts as they saw off Ajax, Dinamo Zagreb, Zenit St Petersburg and Olympiakos.

Meanwhile back in Blighty, Blackburn maintained their good start to the campaign with a win over Barnsley, cementing their position at the top of the Championship table.

In a packed night of Football League action, Blackpool crushed Middlesborough 4-1 to stay second, Hull and Leeds took part in a humdinger at Elland Road which ended 3-2 to the Tigers, and Derby held off a late comeback from Charlton to also run out 3-2 victors.

There were also wins for Cardiff (against Hull), Birmingham (Bolton), Bristol City (Peterborough) and Brighton (Watford).

In League One, Tranmere remain unbeaten after their 3-0 triumph against Bury.

Victories for Stevenage and Swindon kept them in touch at this early stage, whilst Mk Dons and Notts County duked out a 1-1 draw.

At the other end of the table, a fourth straight defeat for managerless Coventry consigns them to joint bottom of the division, a year after relegation from the Championship.

In League Two, Gillingham stay top despite ending their 1-0 victory against Southend with ten men.

They are joined in the automatic promotion spots by Port Vale and Exeter, who secured wins against Fleetwood and Wycombe respectively.

Chesterfield and Accrington fought out a seven-goal thriller – which the Spireites eventually took 4-3, whilst Barnet remain routed at the bottom following a 1-0 reverse at Aldershot.

In managerial news, Coventry City are set to unveil Mark Robins as their new manager, according to Sky Sports.

The former Barnsley gaffer is the frontrunner to replace Andy Thorn, who won the unenviable race to be first manager sacked this campaign back in August.

Route One's Daily Football News Round-Up - 18/9/2012

We find the latest football news stories making the headlines, so you don’t have to. 

Picture Courtesy of SOS 1878

Everton boss David Moyes was left fuming after two controversial decisions denied his team victory against Newcastle last night.

After seeing legitimate strikes from Victor Anichebe and Marouane Fellaini ruled out, the Scot was left to rue what might have been following the 2-2 draw at Goodison Park.

"I said [to the referee] 'you have missed two goals'. But what can I do about it? We played very well and should have won the game deservedly but didn't."

Manchester City have been given a timely boost with the news that Sergio Aguero is set to return from injury.

Citeh begin their Champions League campaign against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu tonight, and will welcome the Argentinian striker back after a month out with a knee injury.

Across Manchester now and United defender Patrice Evra has returned to full training, and is in contention to start in his side’s Champions League opener against Galatasaray.

Evra missed United’s 4-0 romp against Wigan through injury, and his return to fitness will prompt a selection headache for Sir Alex Ferguson, who would have been impressed with Dutchman Alexander Buttner’s debut in the same game.

Arsene Wenger meanwhile has admitted for the first time that Theo Walcott could leave the Emirates in the near future.

The England winger is out of contract at the end of the season, and so far talks over a new deal have not proven fruitful. 

"Clearly it is a worry," Wenger said. "We are still in a position where we hope Theo extends his contract.” This news will no doubt interest managers across the country.

An Argentinean Premier Division game had to be delayed by over ten minutes when a group of hooligans tried to enter the field of play.

The incident – which happened during the second half of the Velez Sarsfield v River Plate tie – is the latest episode of football-related violence in the country. It is believed that eleven people have died in Argentina this year in fan-based feuds.