Wenger surrenders as Arsenal are put to the sword

Sunday's encounter between Everton and Arsenal at Goodison Park was expected to be an evenly matched contest between two sides battling to claim Champions League football – instead it turned out to be a procession.

Arsene Wenger and his men were vanquished with relative ease, outmatched in almost every department and virtually unfurling the white flag before the referee had even called time on the first half.

Goals from Steven Naismith and Romelu Lukaku handed Everton a first-half advantage, before Mikel Arteta netted a killer own goal on the hour mark, as the Toffees' devastating attacking put Arsenal, and their meek resistance, to the sword.

Everton, now a point behind Arsenal but with a game in hand on the north Londoners, are firmly in the driving seat to clinch fourth place.

For Wenger, it might not be the only time he is forced to surrender to Martinez; the Frenchman is under increased pressure at the Emirates Stadium and there is a growing campaign – recently voiced by club legend Ian Wright – to see the Spaniard replace him.

Monday, April 7, 2014 09:00

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Hazard's wife hotfoots it to Paris

Eden Hazard's Chelsea is a subject for much debate after his revelations to Interieur Sport on Saturday.

The Belgian sensation, who had previously appeared to pour cold water on a move away from Stamford Bridge, insisted that it could be his wife that decides if he leaves for Paris Saint-Germain.

He said: "If my wife tells me to go to Paris then I'll have to take this into consideration. The Parc des Princes is a real stadium and a special place where I've known my first sensations as a player."

Sunday, 6 April 2014 10:45

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Sir Alex ready to teach Moyes a lesson

It's not gone quite to plan for the 'Chosen One' at Manchester United.

The Premier League champions have stuttered domestically during the 2013-14 campaign under Sir Alex Ferguson's personal recommendation, David Moyes, with United languishing down in seventh in the table.

But there may well be light at the end of the tunnel...

It was announced on Friday that Sir Alex will take up a "long-term teaching position" at the iconic Harvard University and Moyes could do worse than take a lesson from the managerial great.

Saturday, 5 April 2014 10:30

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Barcelona closed for business

The news that Barcelona had been hit with a transfer ban for the next two windows has shocked the football world and thrown the Catalan club's plans for next season into doubt.

Though the club are adamant they will contest the sanction, it could see deals for goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen and midfielder Alen Halilovic fall through.

It would spell particularly bad news for Barca if they are unable to sign the German shot-stopper, with Victor Valdes ruled out of action for the next seven months and heading towards the end of his contract.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has called the ban an "injustice", but a leading sports lawyer exclusively told Goal they have no hope of escaping punishment.

So, for now, it looks like the only shopping sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta will be doing is window shopping, as Barcelona are closed for business.

Friday, 4 April 2014 11:13

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Lavezzi profits from Ibrahimovic distraction

All the talk in the build-up to Chelsea's Champions League quarter-final clash with Paris Saint-Germain revolved around one man: Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Could the striker upset one-time mentor Jose Mourinho? Could the Blues find a way to stop the talismanic frontman? Would he ever play in England?

Such was the Stamford Bridge outfit's preoccupation with the Sweden international, they appeared to forget that there were 10 other players on the field at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night.

It took just three minutes for Ezequiel Lavezzi, completely unmarked inside the penalty box, to unleash a ferocious shot that flew into the back of the net to remind Chelsea that PSG are far from the one-man team they had been mistaken for.

Ibrahimovic's night was cut short by a hamstring injury that will rule him out of the return leg, though Lavezzi's screamer, coupled with a late goal from Javier Pastore that added gloss to the victory, prove that les Parisiens will be no pushovers even in the Swede's absence.

Thursday, 3 April 2014 10:39

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Moyes & Rooney see off Manchester United plane protests

Manchester United’s clash with Aston Villa at Old Trafford threatened to be overshadowed by protests after fans chartered a plan carrying a ‘Moyes Out’ banner.

While the plane flew over Old Trafford just after kick-off, the focus quickly turned to the action with the Red Devils coming back from a goal down to secure a 4-1 win.

Wayne Rooney was the driving force behind the victory, scoring twice, as United picked up all three points and ended a frustrating week on a high.

Sunday, 30 March 2014 12:56

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No way Jose! Ibrahimovic rules out PL move

Chelsea travel to the French capital to face Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night, a match that sees Blues boss Jose Mourinho take on former charge Zlatan Ibrahimovic, though he appears unlikely to ever coach the enigmatic Swede again.

Despite the Portuguese's praise for Ibrahimovic and attempts to lure him to the Premier League, the PSG frontman has categorically ruled out a move to England.

"It's impossible to get me to England [now]," said the 32-year-old. "If you ask the people behind this [PSG] project I do not think they would let me go."

So however much Mourinho may like Ibrahimovic at Stamford Bridge, and however much of a "pity" it is if he doesn't move to the Premier League, the Sweden international looks dead set to shun a transfer to England and will remain the main man in Paris.

Wednesday, 2 April 2014 11:46

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Man Utd look to class of '99 for inspiration

Manchester United's Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich is being billed as one of the biggest mismatches in the competition's recent history; the Bavarians are on a 53-match unbeaten run domestically, while United have slumped to seventh under David Moyes.

But, despite the hosts' struggles, die Roten have no intention of taking their threat lightly. "This is a difficult duel!" said Arjen Robben on Monday. "We need to perform from the first minute and put in a top performance. You need to be careful or you can lose against United."

The Dutchman knows just how dangerous the Red Devils can be, with his late volley at Old Trafford just enough to secure an away goals win over United in the 2009-10 campaign, despite the home side bossing proceedings.

Further back still, United claimed Champions League glory in 1999 despite appearing dead and buried. Sir Alex Ferguson's side were a goal down for much of the match, until Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer flipped the final on its head in stoppage time. Moyes will be looking for similar inspiration on Tuesday night if his side are to upset the form book.

Tuesday, 1 April 2014 11:00

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Liverpool continue Anfield dominance

Tottenham were the latest team to feel the wrath of Liverpool's dominance at Anfield as Tim Sherwood's side slumped to a 4-0 defeat on Sunday.

The victory fired Brendan Rodgers' charges to the top of the Premier League, two points clear of Chelsea with six matches to go.

And Anfield looks likely to be the place where the title will be decided this season, with Manchester City and Chelsea still to visit.

Liverpool have won all but two of their home games in the Premier League this term and Rodgers believes Chelsea and Manchester City will be dreading the trip to Anfield.

"There is no doubt they [our rivals] understand this is going to be a real tough place to come," said the Liverpool manager. "We love playing here. The support today was incredible and that is only going to intensify as the season goes on. It works for us rather than against us."

Monday, 31 March 2014 12:00

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Ibrahimovic settles in for goal highlight reel

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has scored so many extraordinary goals that he is unable to recall all of them.

As a result, the Paris Saint-Germain striker has already made plans for how to spend his retirement years - watching clips of his acrobatic efforts.

"I'm spoiled to have scored so many exceptional goals," he said. "There are a few I will see on the internet when I retire and I'll tell myself they're amazing. I'll ask myself how even I could have achieved such feats.

"In a match, it happens like that. I don't train for these, they are instinctive actions, like my goal against Bastia when I scored with the backheel. I have to try things to have a chance against opponents.

"This is what makes the difference between a small and a large team. Crazy things can come out of nowhere. This is what is good about football, it's completely unpredictable."

Saturday, 29 March 2014 12:00

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Moyes on plane protest lookout

As if David Moyes didn't already have plenty to worry about.

After a couple of positive results - against Olympiakos in the Champions League and West Ham at Upton Park - the pressure is back on the Manchester United boss after the 3-0 thrashing at the hands of rivals City.

The result, along with a season which has fallen way below expectations following the arrival of the Scot in place of the retired Sir Alex Ferguson, has prompted a response.

One group of fans has raised the money to fund a 'fly-past' protest, with a plane set to carry a banner reading 'Wrong One - Moyes Out' over Old Trafford during the clash with Aston Villa on Saturday afternoon.

Friday, 28 March 2014 12:00

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Bayern prepare for Man Utd clash after title party

Bayern Munich were crowned Bundesliga champions on Tuesday with an incredible seven matches still to play.

Pep Guardiola's side beat Hertha Berlin 3-1 to ensure the title party could get started, as goals from Toni Kroos, Mario Gotze and Franck Ribery were enough to make it 25 league wins for the season for the ruthless Bavarians.

Asked how they would celebrate the title win, Arjen Robben said: "I don't know what follows now. We will see. If Schweini (Schweinsteiger) plans a party, he usually does that good. There will be a beer shower."

But the celebrations won't last too long - with Bayern preparing to take on Manchester United in the Champions League on April 1 as their quest for more trophies in 2013-14 continues...!

Wednesday, March 26, 2014 12:00

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Smoking Bacca leaves Ronaldo & Co. in his wake

It was the Carlos Bacca show at the Ramon Sanchez on Wednesday.

The Colombian striker put a huge dent in Real Madrid's title challenge as he scored both goals in a famous 2-1 win for Unai Emery's side, with Pepe and Raphael Varane struggling to deal with the 27-year-old.

Real Madrid had taken the lead early on in the contest, courtesy of Cristiano Ronaldo although there was nothing stopping Bacca thereafter, with the former Club Brugge man scoring twice to leave Madrid three points behind Atletico at the top.

Thursday, 27 March 2014 12:02

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Manchester City ready to tackle in-form Rooney

A mini-revival has seen Manchester United qualify for the Champions League quarter-finals and throw their hat back in the mix for European football and it has been largely down to Wayne Rooney's form.

The England international scored one of the goals of the season against West Ham on Saturday, lobbing Adrian from all of 59 yards.

However, Tuesday night brings about a more fearsome prospect as United host Manuel Pellegrini's City at Old Trafford. David Moyes will be desperately hoping his side can avenge the 4-1 rout at the Etihad earlier this season and recognise that the form of his star striker is pivotal to that prospect.

Tuesday, 25 March 2014 09:55

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Messi the only sheriff in Clasico town

Lionel Messi came to Barcelona's rescue in an enthralling Clasico encounter on Sunday night, with the Argentine bagging a hat-trick as the Catalans twice came from behind to claim a 4-3 victory at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Barca boss Gerardo Martino had been under increasing scrutiny in the build-up to the match, with the Camp Nou outfit needing to win to retain any realistic hopes of winning La Liga.

And with his countryman in the last-chance saloon, Messi virtually single-handedly dragged Barca towards all three points to ease the pressure on Tata.

Despite losing out on the Ballon d'Or to Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi showed he remains the dominant force in Clasico contests, becoming the all-time leading scorer in the fixture.

His first-half goal was followed by two perfect penalties, and he even set-up Andres Iniesta's opener as well as threading the pass that saw Sergio Ramos sent off, proving he's the only sheriff in town.

Monday, 24 March 2014 13:00

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Mourinho spoils Wenger's party

Arsene Wenger travelled to Stamford Bridge on Saturday looking to celebrate his 1000th match in charge of Arsenal and eager to silence Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho.

But it was the Portuguese, who had dubbed his counterpart a “specialist in failure”, who came out on top in the London derby, as a humbling 6-0 rout and perplexing sending off overshadowed Wenger's special day.

After the defeat, the Frenchman made a swift exit and missed his post match press conference as the club bus “had to leave” – if only Arsenal had parked it in front of their goal!

Sunday, 23 March 2014 09:00

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Wenger celebrates 1000th Arsenal game

Arsene Wenger celebrates a huge milestone on Saturday as he takes charge of Arsenal for the 1000th time.

The Gunners travel to league leaders Chelsea in a crucial clash in the title race at Stamford Bridge.

Victory for Arsenal will leave them just a point behind the Blues although Wenger will be well aware he has never beaten Jose Mourinho.

Saturday, 22 March 2014 11:08

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Van Persie rescues sinking Moyes

Robin van Persie came to Manchester United’s rescue on Wednesday night, scoring a hat-trick against Olympiakos to ensure safe passage into the Champions League quarter-finals.

The Red Devils went into the game 2-0 down after a dismal display in the first leg in Greece and with David Moyes coming under intense pressure following Sunday's 3-0 humbling by Liverpool in the Premier League.

Yet Van Persie was not to be denied, scoring all three goals at Old Trafford to seal a dramatic comeback victory and throw Moyes a lifeline.

Thursday, 20 March 2014 11:49

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Eto'o sees off Drogba to emerge as top dog

Chelsea’s Champions League clash with Galatasaray at Stamford Bridge saw Samuel Eto’o overshadow Didier Drogba as the Blues secured a 2-0 second leg victory.

The two sides came into the game still on level terms, after a 1-1 draw in Turkey, but Eto’o's fourth minute goal gave Chelsea the lead in the tie.

Gary Cahill added a second as the Blues ran out 3-1 winners on an emotional night for Drogba who could not find the target on his return to Stamford Bridge.

Wednesday, 19 March 2014 09:30

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Return of the king: Chelsea welcome back Drogba

Tuesday’s Champions League clash between Chelsea and Galatasaray sees Didier Drogba return to Stamford Bridge for the first time since he left the club in 2012.

The Ivorian enjoyed great success during his time with the Blues winning the three Premier League titles, four FA Cups and, famously, the Champions League in his last ever game for the club.

Jose Mourinho has already insisted Drogba will return to Chelsea in some capacity one day as he prepares to welcome the striker on what is sure to be an emotional evening in west London.

Tuesday, 18 March 2014 12:15

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Rooney rocked by Liverpool nightmare

Wayne Rooney described Sunday’s 3-0 loss to Liverpool as one of the worst in his career as Manchester United are left to pick up the pieces from another uninspiring display.

The Premier League champions find themselves miles off the title pace, while pressure continues to mount on manager David Moyes, who was at a loss to explain the manner of his side’s defeat at Old Trafford.

"It's a nightmare,” Rooney told MUTV.

"It's one of the worst days I've ever had in football.

"It's hard to take. You have to give Liverpool credit - they played well - but it's difficult to take.

"Nobody wants to lose, especially in this way, in your own stadium. It's not nice."

Monday, 17 March 2014 12:00

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Liverpool look to knock Manchester United off their perch

"My greatest challenge was knocking Liverpool right off their ******* perch," former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson famously once said of the rivalry between the two clubs.

But now, after almost 20 years of dominance in English football, Sir Alex has stepped down and Liverpool have the chance to do the same to their most bitter rivals at Old Trafford on Sunday.

The Anfield outfit is resurgent under Brendan Rodgers, sitting seven points off the top of the Premier League with two games in hand over leaders Chelsea.

United, meanwhile, have struggled during a transitional period under new boss David Moyes, who has described the clash as the biggest in the Premier League.

Is now the time for Liverpool to knock the Old Trafford giants off their perch?

Sunday, 16 March 2014 07:30

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Taxi! Bendtner looks set for Arsenal exit

Nicklas Bendtner has edged closer to the exit door at Arsenal following his altercation with a taxi driver in Copenhagen on Tuesday evening.

When asked if the incident was the final straw for the forward, the Arsene Wenger told reporters: "He is at the end of his contract at the end of the season.

"Nobody gave him any permission to go to Copenhagen and he will be fined for that.

"Honestly I don't know really what happened because I haven't spoken to him.

"The only thing that is for sure is he had nothing to do in Copenhagen."

Saturday, 15 March 2014 12:00

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Moyes, RVP & the Man Utd happy family

It appears that David Moyes and Robin van Persie may have kissed and made up.

The Manchester United striker denied that he was unhappy at the club and provided his full backing to Moyes in an interview on Thursday and stated: "The truth is I’m very happy here at this club. I signed for four years and I’d be delighted to stay even longer, beyond the next two years I have left on my contract.

"This is how I feel, although it’s not what has been suggested in the media.

"I’m very happy with my team-mates and I’m very happy with my manager and his staff."

So all seems well in the Manchester United family, for now...!

Friday, 14 March 2014 10:30

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Groundhog Day for Manchester City in Europe

You can forgive Manuel Pellegrini for feeling a sense of deja vu as he wakes up on Thursday morning.

Manchester City were dumped out of the Champions League by a clinical Barcelona at Camp Nou on Wednesday night, and it was an all too familiar story for the Premier League side.

Just as in the first leg, Lionel Messi and Dani Alves were on hand to score the goals that would seal City's exit while Pellegrini's men suffered another red card, after Martin Demichelis' dismissal at the Etihad Stadium, as Pablo Zabaleta was given his marching orders.

Thursday, 13 March 2014 10:00

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Champions League circus comes to town

So the first two teams are in the hat for the Champions League quarters following Tuesday night's action, with Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid going through at the expense of Arsenal and AC Milan.

On an eventful night in Germany, Arjen Robben caused controversy for the manner in which he earned a penalty against the Gunners, which Thomas Muller would miss during the 1-1 draw, with Arsene Wenger insisting after the match that the Dutchman was a master at diving.

In the other game of the evening, Clarence Seedorf's Milan side were forced to jump through hoops as Diego Costa and Co. proved too strong for the Italians in what turned out to be a thumping 4-1 win.

Wednesday, 12 March 2014 12:00

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Bayern attempt to stop Arsenal by any means necessary

Arsenal face a monumental task of repeating their Allianz Arena heroics from last season and claiming the victory that would take them through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

The Gunners need to win by two-clear goals in Germany following their first-leg loss to Pep Guardiola's side and, speaking ahead of the game, the Bayern boss admitted his side will lose out if they allow Arsenal to have the ball.

He said: "If we let Arsenal keep the ball, we will have a lot of problems.

"They have a lot of quality, every single player has unbelievable technical skills with the ball. They have players like [Santi] Cazorla, [Mesut] Ozil, [Tomas] Rosicky and [Mikel] Arteta - it is no problem for them to keep the ball in their lines.

"So the only way to avoid that is to keep the ball for ourselves - and obviously we have to be aggressive."

Tuesday, 11 March 2014 12:00

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Ronaldo tops star-studded Goal Rich List

Cristiano Ronaldo has pipped Lionel Messi to the top spot of the 2014 Goal Rich List.

The Real Madrid star is the hottest property in football and boasts an estimated wealth of €148 million [£122m] - just €2m [£1.5m] more than his Barcelona rival.

The list, topped by the now-retired David Beckham in 2013, features the likes of Wayne Rooney, Samuel Eto'o and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Click here to see the full Goal Rich List top 10.

Monday, 10 March 2014 12:30

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Golden oldie Eto'o rolls back the years

Samuel Eto'o proved age is just a number as he put in a talismanic display in Chelsea's 4-0 victory over Tottenham on Saturday.

The Cameroon striker, who turns 33 on Monday, opened the scoring after pouncing on a mistake from Jan Vertonghen before winning a penalty following a challenge from Younes Kaboul.

Eto'o's also made light of recent accusations that he was older than 32 with his goal celebration as he hobbled up to the corner flag and pretended to nurse a bad back.

“I knew about it. It was fine, it was the best way to diffuse a situation which was funny - make fun of a funny situation - it was good," said Jose Mourinho.

Sunday, 9 March 2014 12:00

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Sherwood hopes Spurs switch on against Chelsea

Tim Sherwood has warned his Tottenham side that a repeat of their last away outing in the Premier League could see them on the receiving end of a drubbing against Chelsea.

Spurs face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge having failed to win their in the league since 1990, when Gary Lineker scored the only goal of the game.

And Sherwood has called for improvement after seeing his side stumble to a shock 1-0 defeat against Norwich City at Carrow Road before picking up a narrow victory at home against Cardiff City.

"If we play like we did against Norwich they're gonna need more lightbulbs for the scoreboard," Sherwood warned ahead of the trip to face Jose Mourinho's side.

Saturday, 8 March 2014 11:50

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