Redknapp plays down title hopes

Harry Redknapp insists he is not targeting Tottenham's first Premier League title

Harry Redknapp played down Tottenham's Premier League title ambitions after seeing his side drop points at home to Wolves.
Tottenham missed the chance to go level on points with Manchester United and Manchester City at the top of the table after being held to a 1-1 draw by Wolves at White Hart Lane.
But Redknapp, who saw his side miss out on Champions League football this season after finishing fifth last year, insists a top four spot remains his sole priority.
"I've never said to anybody that we are going to win the league. If we can get a Champions League position again, it will be great for us," Redknapp said. "Today it wouldn't quite drop for us but we're still on a great run.
"I only answered the question of if it is possible [to win the league]," he said. "And, of course it is possible. Man City and Man United will be red hot favourites but, if we have a fantastic run in the second half like we have had in the first half of the season, it could happen."
Luka Modric's second-half strike cancelled out Steven Fletcher's early opener as Wolves boosted their survival hopes with a hard-earned point. And Redknapp believes the result shows the strength of the Premier League.
"You can't win every week," he said. "Wolves worked their socks off and defended for their lives. They are not just going to roll over. A point's a point."

Jol renews hostilities with QPR's Hughes

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Martin Jol signed a two-year deal with Fulham last June

Fulham manager Martin Jol has hit out at his predecessor Mark Hughes, claiming the new QPR boss never stays in a job for more than two years.
Jol and Hughes have traded barbs in the public arena since the Dutchman took over at Craven Cottage last summer. At the time, Hughes stated the club were not ambitious enough for him to remain as manager. It is a claim Jol evidently rejects.
"It is not always about money if you are talking about ambition," Jol is quoted as saying in the Daily Mail. "We are ambitious, but last time he was here he said maybe Fulham are not.
"Fulham played in a European final and that is not easy to achieve. Of course we have been playing in the Premier League now for years, so it is a different club.
"When I came here I knew Fulham were ambitious, so I never said to the chairman, 'I want this or that'. Our ambition is to be a very good club in the Premier League and hopefully in the next couple of years we can win something."
Hughes recently declared he would be willing to stay on at Rangers should the club be relegated, but Jol remains skeptical.
"He is very brave to say that. If you look at all the clubs he has managed, it has been for two years - at the most," he said.

Return of the King

On the night Eric Cantona announced he wants to run for the French presidency, a fellow countryman reclaimed his crown as the King of Arsenal.
Thierry Henry took four touches to get a feel of the old place again and a fifth - stroked effortlessly with his right foot beyond Leeds United goalkeeper Andy Lonergan - to add to his legend as Arsenal's greatest goalscorer.
Arsene Wenger joined those gathered inside Emirates Stadium in sporting a smile that looked like it might need to be surgically removed after Henry took ten minutes from his introduction as a second-half substitute to become an Arsenal match-winner once more.
The idea of Henry revisiting old glories at the club where he is so revered that a statue was recently unveiled in his honour once seemed almost as fanciful as Cantona's notions of high office.

Thierry Henry scored the only goal of the game against Leeds United in the FA Cup Third Round in a dramatic return to North London. 

And yet here he was, 12 minutes from the end of a dour, attritional FA Cup third-round tie with Leeds, ruler of all he surveyed once more with a glorious reminder of what made him arguably the Premier League's finest player.
Henry took a pass from Alex Song in the manner he used to receive service from Patrick Vieira or the watching Emmanuel Petit before showing a composure that had previously been beyond his Arsenal colleagues to finish perfectly.
Emirates Stadium has occasionally been derided, unfairly it should be said, as a cold, soulless arena. This magical moment brought it alive with emotion.
Henry pointed at the turf in a gesture that suggested he was back where he belonged, raced to embrace Wenger, thumped his chest with his right hand and was joined by goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who showed a fine turn of speed, in rapturous celebration.
The pain belonged to Leeds but the unbridled pleasure belonged to Arsenal. Even the neutrals appreciated the scale of the moment.
Here was a returning champion proving some of the former lustre remained. Young Arsenal fans who may have missed his greatness first time around saw in the flesh what all the fuss was about as goal number 227 hit the back of the net.
And plenty of the old guard were there to see it. In various guises Lee Dixon, Martin Keown and Petit were all mingling with the media before kick-off, as intrigued as everyone else as to how their great former team-mate, who left Arsenal for Barcelona in 2007, would manage his return.
Of course it is all a little starry-eyed, maybe even overstated, as Henry is simply one game into a six-and-a-half-week stint away from his real day job at New York Red Bulls.
But some of these romantic moments have been sucked out of the game in recent years and Wenger summed it up perfectly.
He described it as the sort of story you would tell children if they wanted a tale about football. And he was right. Bigger, more taxing, tests await Henry - but this was something special.
The lightning speed is no longer there and the heavily bearded, thick-set figure is not quite the one Arsenal's fans remember. But Henry carries speed of thought and an unquestionable presence. His arrival altered the context and mood of this cup tie.
Henry was the focus of attention from the moment fans filed into the stadium. He was greeted ecstatically when he came out to warm up and thunderously when his name was announced, wearing an unfamiliar number 12 shirt, before kick-off.
It was the night to mark the return of another of the Premier League's old elite after Paul Scholes came out of retirement for Manchester United at Manchester City on Sunday.
As Arsenal dominated but toiled to crack open Leeds's tight defence, the calls for Henry grew louder. One exaggerated sprint down the touchline was the signal for greater demands for his introduction.
He came on after 68 minutes and delivered the decisive contribution - a goal that fittingly stayed as the winner as this was Henry's night.
Leeds manager Simon Grayson carried an air of resignation as he admitted the goal was "written in the stars" - and it was towards the stars Henry gazed at the conclusion of a remarkable cameo.
He lifted his arms to the heavens in relief and elation at the final whistle, then spoke humbly about how he now knew what it felt like, and what it meant, to score such a goal as an Arsenal fan rather than as a player.
This was not Manchester United or Tottenham being put to the sword as in days gone by. This was a game against a limited Championship side, a fact that did little to dilute the way in which the goal was greeted.
Wenger would not be drawn on whether Henry, now 34, would partner the returning Robin van Persie at Swansea at the weekend - but it is a temptation he will have to try very hard to resist.
For Henry and Wenger, this was instant justification for their reunion. Wenger was at pains to point out he would never have considered playing Henry unless he was confident he could make a contribution.
In return for this trust, Wenger believes he is getting a player who can benefit his emerging youngsters because "they see that he is a guy who has done it all but still prepares 100%, is motivated and comes with an immense desire to do well".
Henry's gold-plated reputation was never likely to be damaged by any events during this brief Arsenal comeback but there was always the risk of anti-climax.
Even if he does not make another major contribution he will return to America having provided a memory to treasure.
Wenger said Henry knows he will be compared to how he was before. It is an unfair but understandable measure and was a factor in the elation of his celebrations.
"Thierry is a proud guy. He doesn't want to disappoint people," Wenger said. Henry did not disappoint anyone other than the noisy followers of Leeds.
As Arsenal's fans filed away from Emirates Stadium, many headed towards Henry's statue for a keepsake of the night. The real thing had given them an even bigger souvenir. The King was back.

QPR manager's job: Mark Hughes favourite to succeed Neil Warnock

Hughes left Fulham in June after less than a year in charge

Mark Hughes is the front-runner to take over at QPR - with chief executive Philip Beard hoping the club will make an appointment in the next 48 hours.

Ex-Wales boss Hughes, 48, was in charge at Fulham before leaving in June and has been out of the game since then.

With the club 17th in the Premier League, chairman Tony Fernandes said they made the decision to sack Neil Warnock in the hope a change might preserve their top-flight status.
Beard added: "Neil has done an incredible job for QPR, bringing the club back into the Premier League. We want to remember what he achieved here but we want to move on. We think the time is right to make the change.
"We will be judged because it's a results-orientated business. The results have not been good over the last few months. We are now in the infamous January transfer window and we want to do some business.
"We haven't made this change lightly. What we really want is a period of stability."

Recent QPR managers

• 2010-12: Neil Warnock
• 2010: Mick Harford (caretaker)
• 2009-10: Paul Hart
• 2009: Steve Gallen & Marc Bircham (caretakers)
• 2009: Jim Magilton
• 2009: Gareth Ainsworth (caretaker)
• 2008-09: Paulo Sousa
• 2008: Gareth Ainsworth (caretaker)
• 2008: Iain Dowie
• 2007-08: Luigi De Canio
• 2007: Mick Harford (caretaker)
• 2006-07: John Gregory
• 2006: Gary Waddock (caretaker)
• 2001-06: Ian Holloway
• 1998-01: Gerry Francis

Former West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola is among others who have been linked with the vacancy, but BBC Radio 5 live senior football reporter Ian Dennis says that Hughes is favourite to take charge.
"The departures of assistant manager Mick Jones and first-team coach Keith Curle with Neil Warnock indicate that QPR are planning to announce a successor quickly," said Dennis.
"They have cleared the decks - no need for a caretaker.
"Mark Hughes has been lined up to replace Warnock and will be offered the chance to return to management after he resigned from Fulham last June.
"He will be given the funds in the transfer window to bolster a side that has gone eight league games without a victory."
QPR made an encouraging start to the Premier League season, having been guided back to the top flight last year by Warnock, and were ninth on 19 November.
But, without a win since then, QPR have slid down to 17th - just one point clear of the relegation zone - and needed a last-minute equaliser from Heidar Helguson to avoid an FA Cup third-round defeat by League One side MK Dons on Saturday.
Former QPR manager and player Iain Dowie told Radio 5 Live Breakfast: "Mark Hughes would be a very safe pair of hands. But you never know what Tony [Fernandes] has in mind."

Discussing the decision to sack Warnock, Dowie added: "Neil seems to be given very little credit for the job he did last year, which is rather surprising. Also I don't think the league position they're in is beyond the kilter.
"They have 17 points from 20 games. You don't know what goes on behind the scenes but it certainly raised an eyebrow for me."

Sir Alex Ferguson says Man Utd will not panic

Manchester United boss Ferguson credits 'fantastic goals'

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson insists his side will not panic after a 3-0 defeat at Newcastle.

The loss was United's second in five days, coming after their shock 3-2 home defeat against Blackburn.
"We have the experience to cope, we need to get the show on the road," said Ferguson, whose side are three points behind leaders Manchester City.

Newcastle were sensational. They had every attribute for a team performance, but everything will worry Sir Alex Ferguson after this result. I expected a wounded animal after his team lost to Blackburn

"It's not a time for panic. Losing a game at this time of the year can sometimes happen."
The Scot conceded that City were now in the driving seat at the top of the Premier League. Roberto Mancini's side moved to 48 points after their 3-0 win over Liverpool on Tuesday.
"Advantage to them, of course," admitted 70-year-old Ferguson.
The Old Trafford side will also be wary of third-placed Tottenham, who closed the gap to three points after their 1-0 victory over West Brom.
The London side will draw level on points with United if they win their game in hand against Everton next week.
The Magpies took the lead at the Sports Direct Arena through striker Demba Ba, before Yohan Cabaye added a magnificent second from a free-kick after the break.
Phil Jones' own goal late in the match sealed a memorable win for Alan Pardew's men.
"We started reasonably well," added Ferguson, whose side face local rivals City in the FA Cup on Sunday.

Poor performance from us all. No excuses. Will be looking to make amends Sunday

"But they scored a fantastic goal and it really picked everyone up in the stadium. The second was a killer for us.
"The story of the game was they had two fantastic strikes which put them in the driving seat."
Pardew, meanwhile, believes the scoreline was a fair reflection of his side's dominance.
"We won because we controlled the game in terms of what we wanted to do, we wouldn't let them play," said the Magpies boss, after the club recorded their first win over United since 2001.
"Physically and aerially we had an advantage. It was a great victory for us - we beat the champions 3-0 and we probably deserved that scoreline.

Pardew hails 'good night' for Newcastle

"You've got to have brave players who are going to push on - we had some outstanding performances individually."
Leading scorer Ba scored his 15th goal of the campaign to set the Magpies on their way, but will now head off to the Africa Cup of Nations to play for Senegal.
However, Pardew believes his side will cope with the loss.
"You see the guys who came off the bench contributed," he added.
"Leon Best in particular stepped up to the plate when we lost Andy Carroll [to Liverpool in January 2011].
"We knew it was going to happen and we accept that."

John Terry denies Chelsea dressing room unrest

 

Chelsea have won just once in their last five Premier League matches 

 

Chelsea captain John Terry has denied reports of dressing room unrest at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues are eight points off the top of the table having played at least one more game than each of their rivals.
Reports suggest that senior players have become unhappy with boss Andre Villas-Boas, but Terry dismisses that.
"I want to make it clear I'm 100% behind the manager and there are no problems behind the scenes," Terry told the London Evening Standard.

He is going to be the man in charge and we all have to respect his decisions

John Terry

Rumours of problems between Terry and Villas-Boas were fuelled after the Blues skipper appeared reluctant to celebrate with the manager and the rest of the team following Ramires' opener at Molineux, where Chelsea beat Wolves 2-1 to move into fourth position.
Terry denies he snubbed the chance to join in the show of unity and insists he has no problem with Villas-Boas.
"I have seen on the news that people are saying I didn't celebrate with the manager for the first goal against Wolves but I did.

• Wolves 1-2 Chelsea
• Chelsea 1-3 Aston Villa
• Chelsea 1-1 Fulham
• Tottenham 1-1 Chelsea
• Wigan 1-1 Chelsea

"I ran over there and I was worried that Wolves were about to restart and take the kick-off and catch us on the break while we were celebrating. I had a quick celebration with him then after the game as well," Terry said.
The England defender thinks rumours of dressing room unrest have come as a result of the poor run of form that has seen Chelsea win just once in their last five Premier League games.
"From a results point of view we have been giving people an opportunity to write stuff. People tend to look at it a lot deeper than it is.
"Roman Abramovich is fully behind him, the club as well, and he is making these changes not for the short term but for the long term as well," Terry added.
"He is going to be the man in charge and we all have to respect his decisions. He has been very up front with all of us so we can't argue with what he's done.
"The manager has made it clear the players who want to stay here will be here and the ones who don't can move on."

Man Utd defeat by Blackburn a disaster - Ferguson

Third goal was the killer - Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson described Manchester United's 3-2 home defeat by bottom club Blackburn as "a disaster".

After battling back from 2-0 down, United were dealt the final blow 10 minutes from time courtesy of a goal from Grant Hanley.
"It is a disaster," said the United manager, whose side failed to replace Manchester City at the top of the Premier League on his 70th birthday.
"I never expected it. We lost two terrible goals and you can't do that."
United fell behind to two strikes from Yakubu, either side of the break, before Dimitar Berbatov hauled his side back level with two of his own in quick succession.
However, Blackburn stunned United late on, when 20-year-old Hanley beat keeper David de Gea to Morten Gamst Pedersen's corner, and again rose highest to head in the follow-up.
"We all could have done better," he said, when asked about De Gea. "It was a bad goal to lose.
"At 2-2, I thought we were going to win it. It looked like the momentum was with us, but that third goal was a killer."
Ferguson pointed to the injuries in defence that forced him to field senior players out of their usual positions.
"We've had problems with four central defenders out," added the Scot. "We missed Michael Carrick's craft in the middle. We played Park Ji-sung and Rafael in centre midfield, but they aren't centre midfielders.

Kean sees United win as platform for survival

Phil Jones, who moved back into central defence from midfield as a result of injuries, was more critical of the defeat by his former club.
"I am gutted," he said. "[And it was on] the manager's birthday as well. We weren't at the races. Too slow, too laboured. Not quick enough.
"The injuries don't help. But they are no excuse. We were nowhere near good enough.
"They punished us and they thoroughly deserved their win. It will be a bad New Year's Eve.
"I feel worse today than when we got smashed 7-1 last season playing for Blackburn. That puts into perspective how disappointed I am."
Rovers boss Steve Kean was delighted with the victory which follows the draw at Liverpool last week.
"To come to a place like this and get a result is up there with our best," he said, with his club going into 2012 off the bottom of the table.
"As soon as it went to 2-1, we were thinking it was going to be tough. And at 2-2, it would have been a good point."
Kean, who some fans of the club want to see leave, paid particular praise to the young players, such as scorer Hanley, Adam Henley and Josh Morris.
"We built on what we did at Anfield [1-1 draw against Liverpool], although maybe the side was a little bit younger today," he continued.

Hanley delighted with scoring winner

"The lads that came through the academy, along with the senior guys, can all take credit.
"We're going through a transition period. We have new owners and although I'm not new to the club, I'm new to the position.
"We're trying to integrate the young players and develop the backbone of the club."
Hanley, scorer of the winner, said the young Rovers team have had to "grow up quickly".
"It was a great result today," he commented. "We got the organisation and shape right.
"Playing in games like this is good for the young boys. It puts them under pressure early and forces them to grow up quickly."