Big Story
UEFA yesterday revealed more information about investigations into over 200 individuals alleged to have fixed matches in nine different countries with a press conference. This revealed that the vast majority under suspicion are domestic matches, with the German authorities having requested information from UEFA's Betting Fraud Detection System in a number of cases, making 17 arrests yesterday.

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As clear as night follows day, summer follows spring, and Phil Brown is a self promoting moron, Arsenal will get themselves in an almighty pickle with injuries long before the Christmas break.

The tradition has been continuing for many a long year, and with the news now of another injury to a reserve left back, Arsene Wenger is going to have to shuffle the pack again to get a team out at Sunderland capable of getting a result.

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Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez would rather win the Premier League trophy than another Champions League title.
Following a disappointing start to the season which has seen them lose five league games already, many are ruling Liverpool out of the title race this term.
Nevertheless, Benítez, who brought the Champions League trophy to Anfield in 2005, is desperate to claim the domestic crown. Click to continue reading...

The following list of elite midfield players in the world will exclude the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka since they sometimes play as forwards or as support strikers depending on the strategy deployed by their team. Kaka has previously played as a second striker during his spell with Milan while both Messi and Ronaldo have played in various attacking positions for their club (mostly on the wing though).

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by FRANCO PANIZO

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has warned the club he would quit if striker Francisco Torres were ever sold without his consent.

Speculation has surrounded the Spanish international's future with the club due to its largely-publicized financial debt.

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by FRANCO PANIZO

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has warned the club he would quit if striker Fernando Torres were ever sold without his consent.

Speculation has surrounded the Spanish international's future with the club due to its largely-publicized financial debt.

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If the Boro players weren't already up for the FA Cup first round replay against Port Vale tomorrow night, they will be now after Vale captain Tommy Fraser's stinging attack on the Conference side. League 2 Port Vale were outplayed by the Hertfordshire club when they visited 9 days ago. Boro were unlucky not to win the game in the original tie, but missed several chances and had to settle for another chance to beat their League opponents.

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Well, I just finished gnashing my teeth, rending my clothes, and dropping down to my knees, head thrust upward, yelling "Why, God? Why?!" I think now I can almost think rationally about this.

The big news is that the injury is not quite as bad as it had been first thought. Originally, everyone was reporting 2-3 months, some of the more sensationalist English papers were saying out for the season.

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After trying his best to engineer a move away from Anfield in the summer, rumours are flying again that Javier Mascherano is on the verge of leaving Liverpool. So where's the problem? Why can't Liverpool just let him leave? There seems to be this idea that Mascherano is somehow irreplaceable and integral to Liverpool's success, but in my view, Liverpool could cope perfectly well without him. Click to continue reading...

When we last left Chelsea they had just beaten Manchester United to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to five points and everything looked great at the Bridge.

Then the injury big hit. First came the news that right-back Jose Bosingwa is out for three months after knee surgery.

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Morning all, welcome to the blog on this sleepy Saturday.
As we are coming nearer and nearer to the end of the Interlull (which, if anyone was wondering, is a crass combination of international and lull) the news is starting to ramp up.
Of course, as most of you would be aware, coach Dave Mitchell held a presser yesterday as part of Perth Glory's midseason review, which was nothing more than a normal presser. Click to continue reading...

Worrying news for all of us yesterday with the news that Frank Lampard has picked up a thigh injury while training on England duty, ahead of the England game this weekend in Doha against Brazil.
Now the Chelsea website posted a short and sweet statement to say:
"Frank Lampardwill not take part in England's friendly international against Brazil in Qatar this weekend. Click to continue reading...

AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano

Cristiano Ronaldo is recovering from an ankle injury he suffered back in October in a match with his national team side Portugal. The injury will keep him out of Portugal's World Cup play-off matches against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

It was earlier reported that Ronald would not be ready in time for the match against FC Barcelona on November 29 but when talking to reporters today in Madrid he was optimistic.

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More talk from Patrice Evra which makes you love him that little bit more.

"To play for Manchester United demands huge sacrifices," said Evra. "This is a club of hard workers. You are there to work hard, there are no glass jewels or paste trinkets here. At United you are carrying the weight of the club's history.

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Luis Fabiano

What can be said about Luis Fabiano? The guy is red hot and he and everyone else in La Liga is perfectly aware of this fact. Fabiano scored two goals this weekend against the Yellow Submarines and Sevilla edged out the blossoming squad 3-2 thanks to the offensive performance from the Brazilian.

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The Times columnist and Spiked magazine editor, Mick Hume, has taken some time out of his busy schedule to speak to RoM.

Scott the Red: How long have you been following United?
Mick Hume: My whole life since I was seven anyway, in 1967. I am the stereotypical Surrey Red, from the suburbs where there was no professional football.

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by FRANCO PANIZO

Liverpool midfielder David N'Gog may have salvaged his club from losing against Birmingham on Monday, but he did so with one of the most highly-criticized dives in recent memory.

With Birmingham shockingly leading the hosts 2-1 in the second half, N'Gog dribbled into the penalty area before being brought down by midfielder Lee Carsley's sliding challenge.

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by FRANCO PANIZO

Liverpool midfielder David N'Gog may have salvaged his club from losing against Birmingham on Monday, but he did so with one of the most highly-criticized dives in recent memory.

With Birmingham shockingly leading the hosts 2-1 in the second half, N'Gog dribbled into the penalty area before being brought down by midfielder Lee Carsley's sliding challenge.

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What a miserable Tuesday morning, it's dark, raining and just.... miserable!

On top of that we have no club football to look forward to until the 21st November – that's eleven days by my calculations..

Had a little peep around for some news, but there is very little. Suppose there won't be for the next week or so, well not until after the first batch of international friendly's, then it will be fingers crossed that none of our players pick up any injuries.

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Reina
Johnson Skrtel Agger Insua
Lucas Mascherano
Benayoun Kuyt Riera
Ngog
Goals:
Ngog 13'
Chucho 26'
Jerome 45+3'
Gerrard 71' (pen)
The beach ball season rolls on. That's seven league games without a win against Birmingham.
And both sides will feel cheated. Click to continue reading...

Remarkable Recovery

Euro 2008 was a hugely enjoyable tournament on a number of levels. Viewers across the globe were spoilt with a month of delightful, positive football. Spain were indisputably the best team on show, and deserved winner of their first major championship in 34 years. However, a personal highlight was the re-emergence of Croatian striker Ivan Klasnic, after he had spent most of 2007 recovering from 2 kidney transplants.

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It's a sad and sorry looking Liverpool side that play host to Birmingham City on Monday night as round 12 of the Premier League draws to a close.
The Reds' 3-1 reverse at Fulham last weekend took their tally to five losses in 11 league games this season - an alarming figure, considering that they suffered just two defeats in the entirety of the previous campaign. Click to continue reading...

When Stuart Atwell pointed to the spot after he was adjudged to have handled in the box, Joleon Lescott's face said plenty. Lescott wore the expression of a player both low on confidence and struggling for form.
After small steps forward in the goalless draw at Birmingham, it was very much a case of a step backward in yesterdays 3-3 draw against Burnley, a frustrating fifth draw in succession. Click to continue reading...

Angel Martinez/Getty Images

Goals:
Pedro 11″, 40″
Henry 43″
Messi 87″ PK

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Vintage Arsenal Goal

4-1 is may have been the final result but judging from the opening 20 minutes of the game, it would be rather hard to envisaged that scoreline. Credit to Wolves and McCarthy for their game plan as they came out firing on all cylinders and chose to take the game to us rather than just contend to defend.

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It's early November and we're still another seventh months until the tournament starts but I must admit that the injuries to Rio Ferdinand and Steven Gerrard are beginning to worry me. According to Radio 5, Gerrard hasn't trained for two weeks and Ferdinand's overall fitness this season may have contributed to some of his indifferent performances when he has appeared for Manchester United.

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Despite the doom and gloom of the last few weeks - and amid the continued misplaced vitriol towards the owners - there are plenty of reasons for Liverpool fans to be positive at the moment.
As many people who visit this regularly will know, I take a critical, realist approach to LFC. Within that approach, I always try and be fair, and there is plenty of evidence for that on the site. Click to continue reading...

Figure 1:Â minutes between red cards for Fulham in league games since 08/09 and in Europa League games against AS Roma

Since the start of 08/09:

Fulham red cards in league games:Â 2
Fulham league games: 48
Minutes per red card in league games:Â 2,160

Fulham red cards in games against AS Roma: 3
Fulham games against AS Roma: 2
Minutes per red card in games against AS Roma:Â 60

Proof of underhandness.

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by CARL ELDRIDGEÂ Manuel Almunia has been told by Arsene Wenger that he will remain Arsenal's No 1 goalkeeper.

But the Daily Mail reports that while the Spaniard prepares to face Wolves today he may be interested in the rave review Wenger has given fellow Frenchman Hugo Lloris, the 22-year-old Lyon keeper who starred in the Champions League midweek frustration of Liverpool.

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After eleven league games it looks as if Chelsea and Manchester United will be the two sides battling for the title through the course of the season. Liverpool look to be all but out of it already, questions still remain as to whether Arsenal can maintain their form throughout the campaign and Man City have lost ground following a run of draws.

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Insert your own caption here
Let's get right to our favorite column of the week - the Premier League preview.
I. Manchester United @ Chelsea: The biggest match of the Premier League thus far this season sees Didier Drogba and Wayne Rooney go head-to-head in Sunday's meeting at the top of the table. Click to continue reading...

Despite the plethora of Champions League games available to me this week I flicked my sports channel over to the game in Milan to see whether the Milanistas could re-create their spectacular victory in the Bernabeu two weeks ago. And, despite their failure to upset the football betting odds and re-enact their Madrid heroics following 90 scrappy but passionate minutes, there were still signs that they have turned the corner.

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Champions League View: Bayern Munich and Liverpool FC could get 10 points and still not qualify.

An entertaining set of Champions League games threw up some unexpected results, great games and the odd ninja (but not a very effective one). Almost all of the big names have a chance to reach the knockout stages, even though the likes of Bayern and Liverpool have made it very, very difficult for themselves.

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Liverpool's chances of advancing to the UEFA Champions League knockout stage are on life support after the team's 1-1 draw at Olympique Lyon earlier today. With the point from the draw, Lyon become the first team in the group to advance. Likely to join them are Fiorentina, who sit second on nine points. Click to continue reading...