History is on Arsenal's side for the encounter against Manchester City. Including the League Cup, City have lost 21 of their last 28 visits to Arsenal, failing to score in 18 of those games.

I haven't checked the details but I think West Brom had a similar record. Add the wealth Citeh have been able to splash out and it's not difficult to see history will have little bearing on the outcome of this particular match.

Tumbling is not the way to go for big Nick

There's not much to go on about today. That title is true but only extend to the Arsenal reserves team. We were at the end of a 10-1 drubbing. That is a side which includes a slightly more experienced duo in Craig Eastmond and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas. No matter which way you look at it, being beaten by 9 goals is not good regardless of the level of competition.

Cesc Fabregas has been one of the names that always filled the rumors section in every sports media especially in every transfer market session as the Arsenal midfielder is being watched by many big clubs especially his youth team, Barcelona.

Last summer, the player is reportedly close in re-joining the Spanish champion but the plan failed to materialize, now with Arsenal's current promising run that potential transfer could also be gone as Fabregas recently pledged his future to the London club.

Gerard Houllier claimed the signing of Darren Bent is a "major milestone" that will send out a message about the club's ambitions.

"We are absolutely delighted to have him here and we know he will be a tremendous asset for the months and the years ahead," Houllier said. "His arrival sends out a clear message about the ambition of our football club.

In the wake of Darren Bent's shock transfer to Aston Villa Sunderland manager Steve Bruce attempted to side with the fans by declaring his dismay at the strikers transfer.
Bruce said he felt ‘massively let-down' by the forward, who completed his £18million move to Villa Park on Tuesday.

Roy Hodgson has underlined his ambition to make changes to the Liverpool squad in the transfer window and "stamp his philosophy" on the team.
Hodgson has come under heavy pressure in recent times, with Liverpool failing to deliver consistent performances and the manager having failed to secure the support of a significant number of the fans.

Former Hoffenheim boss Ralf Rangnick's agent has claimed he would love the opportunity to manage in England, though no offers have come his way so far.
The German, who had significant success in guiding his former club from obscurity into the Bundesliga, left on New Year's Day, and has been touted as a potential candidate for Roy Hodgson's Liverpool job.

Arsenal 0-0 Manchester City

In the pub beforehand, there wasn't a single member of our party who envisaged anything other than a home win, and some of us thought we might get three goals (I think I went for 2-1). All I can say in hindsight is it's a good job none of us are bookmakers by trade.

If a team assembled together at a cost totalling over a trillion pounds, 1973 pure gold bars, 45 Ruby's, a diamond mine and a sack of potatoes come to you and play pure lock-down tactics then I think they are paying you the ultimate compliment.
Its either that or the club has an Italian manager in charge.

The humidity and a very damp pitch got to the Roar.
Perth relied on bashing the ball forward and, when Brisbane drew level, bashing Brisbane's front line. And it worked.
In this game, Brisbane missed Franjic. Brisbane was left with a left sided advance that Andy Todd smacked out.

Manchester City's new £27 million man, Edin Dzeko, wasted no time in ingratiating himself with the club's support yesterday, with less than two minutes of his official unveiling ceremony gone before the Bosnian target man proclaimed that 'most people from Manchester are City fans' a premeditated taunt that has seemingly gone down rather well with the blue-hewn Mancunian population.

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- Queens Park Rangers Football Club can confirm that Ali Russell is leaving his post as Deputy Managing Director in order to focus his time on his own consultancy business.

Pepe Reina hopes that Liverpool can resurrect their season and somehow manage to qualify for a Europa League run next term.
The Reds have had an utterly under-par season so far, and are currently only four points above the dreaded drop zone. But they have changed managers as Roy Hodgson was given the boot and fans' favourite Kenny Dalglish was installed on a temporary basis - until the end of the season.

Gerard Houllier claimed the signing of Darren Bent is a "major milestone" that will send out a message about the club's ambitions.

"We are absolutely delighted to have him here and we know he will be a tremendous asset for the months and the years ahead," Houllier said. "His arrival sends out a clear message about the ambition of our football club.

As the January transfer window continues to unfold, a move away from Bloomfield Road for Charlie Adam looks increasingly likely I wish it wasn't...

Although Adam may be destined for greater things, no offence Blackpool, it seems apt that the play-maker should see out the season first.

Wayne Rooney reckons his form has been good since his return from injury although obviously wants to be scoring more goals.

"I feel good," said Rooney. "My form has been good in recent games. As a striker, you always want to be scoring goals and I just want to score as many as possible until the end of the season.

Gervinho has quashed talk of an impending move to England by committing his short-term future to Lille.
Various reports have suggested that the Ivorian striker is a target for a number of Premier League clubs.
Speculation claimed a switch during the January transfer window was a possibility, with Liverpool believed to be among those leading the chase.

I believe they refer to a team like Western New York as one which has "ambition." Are you watching Sounders fans?

Generally regarded as the best women's soccer player on the planet, she is a five-time FIFA World Player of the Year. She turns 25 next month. She has won MVP honors in the WPS twice.

La Liga Lowdown, Jornada 20: Málaga – new manager, new players, same old problems is a post from: Just Football

Until recently, no one really paid too much attention to south coast side Málaga. They're your typical ‘yo-yo' club, bouncing between the top two tiers of Spanish football, the Primera and Segunda División.

Liverpool have rejected Fernando Torres' written transfer request as his potential transfer to Chelsea took another turn today.

Yesterday Liverpool announced that they has turned down a £40million bid from Chelsea for Torres, but the Anfield faithful have to be reeling after hearing that Torres handed in a written transfer request today.

Liverpool have rejected Fernando Torres' written transfer request as his potential transfer to Chelsea took another turn today.

Yesterday Liverpool announced that they has turned down a £40million bid from Chelsea for Torres, but the Anfield faithful have to be reeling after hearing that Torres handed in a written transfer request today.

Vincent Kompany wants Manchester City to take the intensity they use in training into their remaining fixtures this season as they pursue silverware on three fronts.
City currently lie third in the Premier League six points leaders Manchester United, however they remain in the Europa League and the FA Cup and Kompany believes the ambition in the team is to match the success of the clubs around them in league.

By Ainsley Jacobs, writing from London

Torres's transfer request turned down by the Reds but is this really the end of ‘El Nino' at Anfield?

Liverpool supporters could be forgiven for wondering whether they were coming or going on Friday.