I imagine I wasn't alone in being totally gutted upon learning there is next to no chance of Carlos Tevez returning to Old Trafford for the Manchester derby. Whilst it would have been so annoying if he had scored against us, I was really looking forward to the even more heated atmosphere his presence would have brought.

Michael Owen scored a 96th minute winner after receiving a Ryan Giggs through pass. It was a superbly taken goal but did the referee allow a wee bit too much added time? Alex Ferguson was full of praises for the former Kop legend. "Michael was only on for something like 17 minutes," said Ferguson. "He was the best man to be on there when the game is going to be in their penalty box.

Saturday night saw the big South American clásico in Rosario as Argentina hosted Brazil in the qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup, and Diego Maradona's reign as manager will be marked forever by the result: Argentina lost a qualifier at home for only the second time in their history. The first was the 0-5 loss [.

As the Manchester derby heats up for this weekend's clash between Manchester United and Manchester City, you can clearly see that battle lines have been drawn.
This billboard of recent City signee Carlos Tevez in his new colors has sparked a lot of controversy on the Trafford side of town.

.Arsenal Transfered In: Thomas Vermaelen (Ajax, £11m), Damian Martinez (Club Athletico Independiente, £1.3m), Jamie Edge (Cheltenham, undisc) Transfered Out: Abu Ogogo (Dag & Red, free), Amaury Bischoff (Academica de Coimbra, free), Emmanuel Adebayor (Man C, £25m), Kolo Toure (Man C, £14m), Jay Simpson (QPR, loan), James Dunne (Exeter, free), Rui Fonte (Lisbon, free), Rene Steer (Oldham, free), [.

Sir Alex has done some intelligent wheeling and dealing this summer and here is the analysis of the club's transfer activity from COS's Manchester United reporter Christian Bailey.

In

Luis Antonio Valencia

I have to say I wasn't that sure why so many raved about the talent that the former Wigan man had but then I saw him first hand playing for the Latics against us last season and he was immense, he stood out as a player with real ability.

Carlos Tevez has gone and got himself injured playing for his country the poor dear...bless He will now miss the games against Arsenal this week, and is possibly out of his clubs visit to Old Trafford, where we hear he was really looking forward to playing. Tevez suffered a knee injury during Argentina's 3-1 World Cup qualifying defeat at home [.

A full slate of World Cup qualifying matches will kick off around the world on Saturday and no match will have more international interest than Brazil vs. Argentina.

Argentina finds itself in the improbable position of fourth place in the South American World Cup qualifying, just a spot away from missing out on automatically qualifying for the 2010 World Cup.

Foto de R.Ribeiro

What a way to celebrate Independence Day in Brazil today (seriously, it's a mark of a true footballing nation) : by trouncing the Argies 3-1 and qualifying for South Africa! Vamos então!!

Although the midfield still needs a little bit more effort (Ei Andre Santos, o que está fazendo, cara?

Yesterday we asked Offside readers to sound off and let us know who the hardest working player in world football was. We had a great response which helped us define "hard working" a little more specifically. As well as running around, and putting the hours in at training, concepts like willingly playing out of position [.

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Harry Redknapp supports Arsenal!
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Harry Redknapp is associated intrinsically with West Ham United, so it was refreshing for Spurs fans to realise how much the White Hart Lane club are in his blood.

As a kid he trained with Spurs, met the club's greatest legend, Bill Nicholson and rubbed shoulders with the likes of Dave Mackay, John White, Danny Blanchflower and Cliff Jones.

Rio Ferdinand reckons the fact Carlos Tevez chose to join City over Liverpool proves that the scousers are our bigger rivals.

"The fact Carlos Tevez went to City speaks volumes about the rivalries between Manchester United and both Manchester City and Liverpool," said Rio. "Carlos said he wanted to respect the fans by not joining Liverpool.

Here's video of the incident between Craig Bellamy and the pitch invader (as well as Man City's Javier Garrido getting hit by a coin intended for Carlos Tevez) from Sunday. As you can see, Bellamy was originally nowhere near the invader, nor was the guy running toward him or screaming anything at him.

The second practice session was held today and Maradona had the following lineup on the field:

Mariano Andújar

Javier Zanetti
Nicolás Otamendi
Sebastián Domínguez
Gabriel Heinze

Maxi Rodríguez
Javier Mascherano
Juan Sebastián Verón
Jesus Dátolo

Lionel Messi
Carlos Tevez

Maradona did not confirm the starting lineup for the game but there's very little time left.

One of the most eagerly awaited fixtures on the international football calendar will be staged in Rosario on Saturday night, with Argentina in need of a win and Brazil no doubt eager to put one over the on their great rivals and inflict what would be only Argentina's second ever home defeat in World Cup [.

The international break is over and it's time to separate the men from the boys.

Can Spurs keep up their blistering start? Check back after their date at White Hart Lane with Manchester United.

Can City keep up in its race to crack the top four? A home game with Arsenal might provide some early answers.

Why not give them a taste of their own medicine!

Brazilian striker Robinho is unhappy with life at Manchester City according to a report in Spanish publication Sport.

It is reported that Robinho told journalists in Brazil that he is deeply dissatisfied with his current time in the Premier League.

Sir Alex on the run up to the derby which should be lots of fun.

Ferguson said: 'The rivalry has gone up a notch in the last few months, with them signing all those players and then coming up with that advert and all their posters about Carlos Tevez. They've been a bit, how can I put it, cocky.

Tarantino got it ALL wrong As good as his Inglorious Bastards film was (and it was a belter!), casting Brad Pitt as the leading man was a huge error.. So step in...Carlos "The Judas Jackal" Tevez, Gareth "Liverpool Reject" Barry, and Emmanuel "The Knee Slide Kick Yer Old Team Mate in the Face" Adebayor Available to hire at [.

Tarantino got it ALL wrong As good as his Inglorious Bastards film was (and it was a belter!), casting Brad Pitt as the leading man was a huge error.. So step in...Carlos "The Judas Jackal" Tevez, Gareth "Liverpool Reject" Barry, and Emmanuel "The Knee Slide Kick Yer Old Team Mate in the Face" Adebayor Available to hire at [.

Diego Maradona has announced a list of just eighteen Europe-based players for Argentina's final two World Cup qualifying matches at home to Peru and away to Uruguay. There are numerous big-name casualties of Diego's refusal to consider that any part of the defeats to Brazil and Paraguay might have been his fault.

By TRAVIS CLARK

It wasn't supposed to be like this. When Diego Maradona took the reins of Argentina, the former star was supposed to re-energize a World Cup qualifying campaign that had taken some hits. With four games in CONMEBOL qualifying left, and hardly the easiest schedule, could Argentina fail to qualify for the World Cup?

So thinks former Arsenal player (and City fan) Lee Dixon in his BBC column (with a nod to Jack for the link):

I'll say it again, balance will be the key to City's success this season.

But they are still a tour de force going forward as well.

At Fratton Park, they employed Emmanuel Adebayor as the key frontman, with Carlos Tevez, Bellamy, Wright-Phillips and Ireland supporting and inter-changing behind.

Much has been written about the way in which Mark Hughes has overhauled the side over the past twelve months, with the deadline day sale of Richard Dunne a symbolic move given his links to the past.
Not only was Dunne the longest serving player, but he was clearly the most experienced City player with his 290 league starts.

Jermaine Defoe

All hail Jermaine Defoe. The burner is among the joint-lead in goals scored with four goals in four matches and the key Spurs player also has his club at the top of the league table and tied for the most Premier League goals with eleven.

Wayne Rooney

Many doubted that Rooney could fill the void left behind by Carlos Tevez and Christiano Ronaldo, but the striker has proved early on in the year that with more touches and attention directed his way the forward will thrive under his new role (4 goals).

Some bad news from international week:

City have been dealt a big blow ahead of Saturday's game against Arsenal with the news that Carlos Tevez will miss out to a knee injury picked up on internatioanl duty.Mark Hughes has also admitted that there are fitness worries over Robinho, who lined up against Tevez in Brazil's 3-1 win over Argentina last weekend.

If by chance your vision was impaired to the point that you would somehow guess that the above mural depicts Emmanuel Adebayor (and not an even more severely burned Carlos Tevez), then you would be correct. Amazingly.

Says Man City's official website:

People visiting the Arndale Centre in Manchester today will have been greeted by a huge visual graphic of our Togolese striker Emmanuel Adebayor adorning the floors of Halle Square, just outside the CityStore.

All the stuff being covered outside the unfriendly confines of the award winning Dirty Tackle...

Is Maradona untouchable as Argentina's manager? [Reuters Blog]

How West Ham persuaded Jermain Defoe to leave Charlton. [The Spoiler]

Sir Alex says everyone is jealous of United.

Reaching a third consecutive Champion's League Final won't be enough for Nemanja Vidic. Winning is everything to the Serbian.

United were aiming to be the first team to win back to back European titles last year but a lacklustre performance saw the title pass hands to a deserving Barcelona.

The season so far has had its ups and downs for the Reds. A shock defeat to Burnley certainly wasn't in the script, as the world looks on intently to see how the reigning Premiership Champions set about life after Ronaldo and ‘that' final in Rome, to defending their domestic crown to make it four League titles in a row and surpass the record of their long time Merseyside rivals Liverpool.

"It showed an arrogance," Ferguson said. "It was naughty. It showed a cockiness that wasn't required at the time because they hadn't done anything. The season hadn't even started."

These comments by the manager about the Carlos Tevez poster have upset City fans. How dare Sir Alex Ferguson brand another team cocky and arrogant, when United have shown themselves to be both those things on numerous occasions under Fergie's reign.

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Crunch time.

Manchester United reported no new injuries following their midweek Champions League trip to Besiktas.
Rio Ferdinand remains doubtful with a groin problem, while Paul Scholes is suspended.
City defender Micah Richards has recovered from a bout of tonsillitis and Stephen Ireland is optimistic about overcoming an ankle injury.

The Manchester derby was an enthralling affair providing us with one of the games of the season. The momentum ebbed and flowed between the two teams throughout as both searched for the upper hand on the other. Before kick off we were greeted with the news Carlos Tevez would start, which added even more spice to the game.

It was easily one of the most memorable editions of the Manchester Derby ever. Seven goals, including two goals in the final minutes of play, as Manchester United scored a game-winner in the sixth minute of stoppage time to knock off Manchester City, 4-3, on Sunday.

There was plenty of controversy, both about the time-keeping, the pitch invasion and Carlos Tevez's return to Old Trafford, but nothing could take away from the fact that the game was an exciting and highly-skilled display from two of the best teams in England.

Carlton Cole's emphatic finishing is winning fans, but not the game. Cole's solitary goal is unable to prevent the Hammers from losing 3-1 away to Manchester City.The Eastland side was unplayable. Argentinian Tevez scored twice with Martin Petrov bagging the other.

Hoy en día, el mundo está marcado por una crisis económica que afecta a todos en todo sentido. En materia futbolística, dejando de lado el culebrón Villa, aparece claramente el Madrid de Florentino Pérez y el fichaje de Cristiano Ronaldo, con el pack completo incluido -presentación, primeros entrenamientos, prensa rosa, compra al por mayor de camisetas e innumerables etcéteras-.

Not only do your Wizards look to snap a couple of streaks at Gillette Stadium, but the United States Men's National will take on El Salvador with an eye toward improving their standing in the CONCACAF hexagonal. Our match starts at 6:30 p.m. CT on Metro Sports, with the USA game at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN Classic.

via Yahoo!UK/Eurosport:Manchester City forward Carlos Tevez will miss Saturday's Premier League game against Arsenal, manager Mark Hughes has confirmed.The 25-year-old picked up a knee injury while on international duty with Argentina, but City hope he will ready to face Manchester United the following weekend.