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Chiefs fan killed after clash with cops

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A Kaizer Chiefs supporter was shot dead during a confrontation with police as thousands of fans invaded the pitch at the end of Chiefs' victory over Chippa United.

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Port Elizabeth - A supporter was shot dead during a confrontation with South African police as thousands of fans invaded the pitch at the end of champions Kaizer Chiefs' 2-0 victory over Chippa United that closed their league campaign on Saturday.

The incident at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, one of the venues used during the World Cup in 2010, is being investigated but police spokesman Johan Rheeder was quoted as saying the unidentified man had tried to disarm an officer and died at the scene.

“The man tried to take the policeman's gun and during the scuffle the gun went off and the person was shot,” Rheeder told South Africa's Herald newspaper.

The incident was also confirmed by the CEO of the Premier Soccer League, Braam de Villiers.

Thousands of supporters took to the pitch at the final whistle as the notoriously ill-equipped security at South African domestic football matches could do little to stem the charge.

Kaizer Chiefs were crowned league champions for a record 12th time on April 22, but were forced by the league authorities to wait until the final day of the season to lift the trophy.

That created much anticipation for Saturday's fixture against minnows Chippa United, and the 46,000-seater venue was a sell-out. – Reuters

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Amazulu relegated from PSL

AmaZulu were relegated from the Premiership following their 2-1 loss to Maritzburg United in their match at Moses Mabhida Stadium.

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Durban – AmaZulu were relegated from the Premiership following their 2-1 loss to Maritzburg United in their match at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.

Needing to match the score of fellow relegation-threatened side Moroka Swallows, who won on the final day of the season, AmaZulu’s loss meant they fell to bottom of the table upon the completion of the season and were automatically relegated to the National First Division.

In the seventh minute Maritzburg began to threaten as Mohammed Anas reeled off a strike from long range but his effort was just wide.

Some woeful defending allowed Maritzburg to take the lead in the eighth minute of the match. Maritzburg were gifted possession near the halfway line, before Deolin Mekoa received the final ball ahead of the defence and drove home his left-footed strike from inside the box to take a 1-0 lead with the game still in its infancy.

A minute after the break, AmaZulu wasted a huge opportunity to level the scores. Bongi Ntuli found himself ahead of the Maritzburg defence, but could not find the target with just Shuaib Walters in goal to beat.

AmaZulu were denied an equaliser in the 67th by a fine reaction save from Walters. Bornwell Mwape headed the ball goalwards from close range but Walters was able to stick out a hand to deflect the ball out for a corner after what seemed like a certain goal for the men in green.

Maritzburg United were reduced to 10 men in the 72nd minute as Kwanda Mngonyama received his second yellow card for a challenge and was given his marching orders.

AmaZulu equalised in the 73rd minute as Tapelo Nyongo produced a clinical header from close range after Marc van Heerden whipped the ball into the box from a free kick to make it 1-1.

In the 80th minute, Bongani Ndulula had the chance to give his side the lead, but with just the keeper to beat running into the box lofted his poor attempt way over the goal.

Maritzburg ended any hopes AmaZulu had of staying in the Premiership in the 88th minute. Mohau Mokate was on hand to grab the winner for his side. – ANA

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Burnley relegated, despite win

Burnley won plenty of praise for the way they played, but not enough matches to stay in the Premier League and their relegation after one season in the top flight came as no real surprise.

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Burnley won plenty of praise for the way they played, but not enough matches to stay in the Premier League and their relegation after one season in the top flight came as no real surprise.

Even though they won 1-0 at Hull City for a first victory and a first goal in six matches since they beat outgoing champions Manchester City 1-0 on March 14, Burnley occupied one of the bottom four positions for the entire season.

Their return to the Championship was confirmed by Newcastle United's 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion which left Burnley seven points from the safety zone with two games left.

Manager Sean Dyche and his men though have won plaudits for the battling spirit they have shown since winning promotion last year and although they were always favourites to make an immediate return to the Championship, they go down with their reputation intact and their heads held high.

“We have been competitive in virtually every game this season, but when we've needed to take our chances we haven't quite done that,” manager Dyche told Sky Sports after their fate was sealed.

“Our players have quality, but it's delivering it at the key moments and that's where we've fallen a little short over the season.”

Saturday's match-winner Danny Ings told the BBC: “I thought we showed unbelievable fight and spirit today.

“The lads have fought until the end - and I'm extremely proud of them. Now we are going to play the last two games with pride and hope to finish strongly.”

Ultimately Burnley's season had more “moral victories” than actual ones, and a lack of financial muscle and experienced top flight players made their task a tough one.

But, as Dyche explained: “We are a change from the norm. People normally throw money at it and hope for the best, but we have had to develop a team to play in this league.

“We have all learnt from this experience and the club is in a far better place than it was. It hasn't kept us in the division but there are great signs that we can move on beyond this point.”

Burnley's fans also appear to be behind Dyche and his men and are no doubt dreaming of a swift return.

After cheering on their team for virtually the whole match, they gave them a standing ovation at the end.

They may be down and out now, but there's every sign they could bounce back before too long. – Reuters

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Sunderland boost survival hopes

Sunderland climbed out of the Premier League's bottom three and applied heavy pressure to the teams fighting for survival around them with a gritty victory at Everton.

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London - Sunderland climbed out of the Premier League's bottom three and applied heavy pressure to the teams fighting for survival around them with a gritty 2-0 victory at Everton on Saturday.

Danny Graham put Sunderland ahead after 54 minutes when the striker was in the right place to deflect Jordi Gomez's shot past Tim Howard and record his first goal for the club he joined over two years ago.

Everton pushed for an equaliser but Sunderland made sure of the three points when Jermain Defoe turned in Adam Johnson's deflected shot with five minutes remaining.

Sunderland climbed to 14th on 36 points from 35 matches and have a game in hand on all the teams around them. Everton remained 11th with 44 points from 36 games.

Bottom side Burnley travel to Hull City later on Saturday needing three points and results to go their way to avoid relegation. Newcastle United host West Bromwich Albion trying to end an eight-game losing streak. –Reuters

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City will get Toure a cake this year

Manuel Pellegrini will ensure Yaya Toure receives a birthday cake when he turns 32, after last year’s fiasco.

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Manuel Pellegrini will ensure Yaya Toure receives a birthday cake when he turns 32 next Wednesday, after the midfielder was reportedly offended that his club failed to light the candles for him last year.

The City boss is keen to avoid the mistakes of 12 months ago, but refused to be dragged into a war of words with Toure’s agent Dimitri Seluk, who has claimed his client is ‘90 per cent’ certain to leave the Etihad this summer.

‘Are you sure his birthday is next week?’ joked Pellegrini. ‘We will have to see what the best thing to do is because I think it it important to learn from your mistakes in the past.

‘We will talk about next season in the right moment. I have never answered to Yaya’s agent so I will not do it now.

‘Yaya has a contract here for two years more so in we are only thinking about the best way to finish the season then we will see what happens.

Pellegrini, meanwhile, insists the Premier League’s leading scorer Sergio Aguero can become City’s version of Lionel Messi and help his club catch up with Barcelona.

Aguero, who has scored 22 league goals despite City’s woes, has been one of his club’s few success stories this season and his boss expects Aguero to be even more impressive next term, matching the sort of form shown by his countryman at Barca.

Pellegrini said: ‘It’s important for Kun to improve every year, to play all the games. I hope he will be as important here as those players are at Barca.’ – Daily Mail

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D-Day for PSL relegation battle

One of Moroka Swallows, AmaZulu and Chippa United will be relegated from PSL when the final round of games are done.

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The Premier Soccer League (PSL) is calling it Super Saturday, but for either Moroka Swallows or AmaZulu, and to some extent Chippa United, there’ll be nothing super about this afternoon should they fail to survive relegation from the elite league.

The smart money is on Swallows going down for the first time in their history, given that they need not only to beat Bloemfontein Celtic, but also hope for favourable results in other matches to stay afloat.

And with their coach literally having left it all up to his players following Wednesday night’s last-minute defeat at Ajax Cape Town, there’s every indication that Swallows will walk onto the pitch at the Dobsonville Stadium a deflated lot.

Speaking after the 2-1 loss that sent them to the bottom spot after AmaZulu’s victory at the University of Pretoria, Swallows’ coach Craig Rosslee lamented his team’s failure to defend high balls against what he felt was much shorter opposition.

And then he uttered the words that may well spell Swallows’ death-knell: “What I am going to do is irrelevant. (Of course) I will do what any coach will do, but the players now have to find the strength within themselves to get the result.”

Granted a coach can only do so much to motivate his team. But since taking over at Swallows, Rosslee’s language hasn’t inspired confidence. He made similar pronouncements after the draw with SuperSport United and the one at the University of Pretoria – essentially kicking the ball into the players’ court.

Yet when a club is in the kind of doldrums that Swallows were in when he took over, what the players need to hear is that their coach believes he is the man to save them.

Talk like the one Steve Barker has been churning out since he joined an Usuthu side that was, for all intents and purposes, relegated as they trailed by no less than 15 points at the halfway stage.

Barker was at it after the come-from-behind win over AmaTuks as he spoke of how he believes his team have it in them to beat a Maritzburg United side chasing a top-eight spot.

“I’ve been telling them we have matches from which we can save our status and I told them ‘let’s go down fighting’. Now it’s so nice to hear them singing,” he said in an interview at the Tuks Stadium as his players celebrated a victory that took them off the bottom in song.

Could it perhaps be that difference of attitude from the coaches that makes a difference in the two clubs’ fortunes this afternoon. Barker’s ‘can do’ outlook has already done wonders to ensure that AmaZulu are still in with a chance of avoiding the drop going into the last matchday of the season.

In turn, Rosslee looks to have already washed his hands of a Swallows’ demise. In some of his post-match interviews, he spoke of how poor the team spirit has been all season, even before he took over. All that will count for nothing this afternoon, though, with both sides needing to win and hoping Chippa get nothing from their clash with Kaizer Chiefs.

And that will be super – for whoever manages to avoid the chop.

FIXTURES: Today (all 3pm): Mamelodi Sundowns v University of Pretoria, Lucas Moripe Stadium; Moroka Swallows v Bloemfontein Celtic, Dobsonville Stadium; Ajax Cape Town v Orlando Pirates, Cape Town Stadium; Free State Stars v Mpumalanga Black Aces, Goble Park; AmaZulu v Maritzburg United, Moses Mabhida Stadium; Bidvest Wits v Platinum Stars, Bidvest Stadium; Polokwane City v SuperSport United, Old Peter Mokaba Stadium; Chippa United v Kaizer Chiefs, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium - Saturday Star

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United ‘forced’ to sign Depay - LVG

Louis Van Gaal says the signing of Memphis Depay is only the start of Manchester United’s summer transfer business.

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Louis van Gaal says he was forced into signing Memphis Depay to stop the player from joining Paris Saint-Germain, but warned it is only the start of Manchester United’s summer transfer business.

The United manager landed the PSV Eindhoven forward, 21, for £25million, but will have a further £75m at his disposal to pursue Borussia Dortmund central defender Mats Hummels and Southampton full back Nathaniel Clyne, as well as extra cash for Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale.

When asked if he expected to conclude more business at the end of the season Van Gaal said confidently: ‘Manchester United shall always react when it is necessary.’

On Depay, he added: ‘I have been forced to sign him. I didn’t want to before the end of the season because you disturb the focus of your present group but otherwise he would have joined Paris Saint-Germain.’

Van Gaal said he intervened to prevent Depay, the Dutch league’s top scorer, from heading to France, using his close relationship with the management of PSV to set up the deal.

The Dutchman also congratulated champions Chelsea and said he was not disappointed that old friend Jose Mourinho had given his side four days off before tomorrow’s game at home to Liverpool, United’s rivals for a top-four spot.

‘I have sent him a message,’ he said. ‘It was well deserved. You cannot doubt they are the real champions.’

A number of United players are doubtful for today’s game at Crystal Palace after a virus swept through the squad. ‘We have a virus in our dressing room,’ Van Gaal said. ‘A lot of players are suffering from it and I have a little bit of pain in the throat.’

Van Gaal also confirmed Michael Carrick will not play again this season because of a calf injury. – Daily Mail

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Jose would like Cech to stay

Jose Mourinho insisted he would force Petr Cech to stay at Chelsea for one more year or sell him abroad rather than to Arsenal.

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Jose Mourinho insisted he would force Petr Cech to stay at Chelsea for one more year or sell him abroad rather than to Arsenal if the choice were down to him.

Cech’s contract at Stamford Bridge expires next year and he wants to leave to play more regularly because Thibaut Courtois has ousted him from the team.

Arsenal, Inter Milan and Roma are all interested and the final call will be made by Roman Abramovich, who has a strong personal bond with Cech and is more likely to sympathise if he prefers to stay in London, where his family are settled.

Mourinho, who reacted with bewilderment at being overlooked once more for the Manager of the Month award yesterday, has a more clinical view but is prepared to accept his board’s decision.

‘One thing is Jose Mourinho and another is Mr Abramovich and another thing is the board because the board is a little bit of me and other people,’ said the Chelsea manager. ‘If it was my decision, the decision is Petr to stay. That’s it.’

When asked if he would even hold the 32-year-old keeper to the contract against his will, he added: ‘Yes, I think the club is more important than the player and the club needs two very good goalkeepers.

‘Without Petr this season I don’t think the club would be champions because he played in six important matches. Without these points we probably wouldn’t be champions.

‘For me, decision one would be for Petr to stay. After that, second point, to go but not in England. The option I don’t want is for him to go to an English club. But, I repeat, I am just the manager. If the club decision is different to mine I will accept it.’

Cech’s relationship with Abramovich may work in his favour, but the Czech also understands his legendary status will come under scrutiny if he joins Arsenal — especially now the manager has made his preference clear. Mourinho was irked when Frank Lampard left Stamford Bridge and turned up on loan, scoring against Chelsea for title rivals Manchester City — but then the Portuguese is quite easily irked.

Yesterday, it was the Manager of the Month award eating away at him as he became the first manager to clinch the Barclays Premier League without collecting at least one of the monthly prizes since the same thing happened to him in 2005-06.

‘I don’t live for the individual trophies,’ said Mourinho. ‘My motivation is the title but it does affect me. I would like to know why. If somebody tells me you don’t get this once in eight months because of this and this, no problem.

‘For many months there are no defeats, only victories. But I can do nothing. I can just enjoy my title, which is the most important thing. And my wife is happy because she says we have too much and every time I come in with a gift, she goes “arrrggh”.’

Liverpool will line up in a guard of honour for champions Chelsea at Stamford Bridge tomorrow, although Mourinho paid his own tribute to Steven Gerrard, who leaves for Los Angeles Galaxy at the end of the season.

‘Steven is one of my favourite enemies,’ said Mourinho. ‘He is one of the opponents who made me a better manager. To stop him is very difficult.

‘I tried to bring him to Chelsea, to Inter and to Real Madrid but he was always with the enemy. It’s too late to sign him now. I want to honour him and hope Stamford Bridge has the same feeling.

‘I am very sad this is the last time I play against him. Who knows, maybe I will play against Steven as Liverpool manager some day.’ – Daily Mail

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Mashaba names Cosafa Cup squad

Bafana Bafana head coach Ephraim Shakes Mashaba has named a 22-man squad for the Cosafa Cup tournament.

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Johannesburg – Bafana Bafana head coach Ephraim Shakes Mashaba has named a 22-man squad for the Cosafa Cup tournament.

The event runs from 17 – 30 May.

South Africa will face Botswana in the quarter-final of the competition on Sunday, 24 May at Moruleng Stadium in the North West Province.

Kick-off is at 17h30.

Fourteen of the players ply their trade in the Premier Soccer League, while the rest are from the National First Division, the ABC Motsepe League and academies.

There are no overseas-based players in the squad.

“This was perhaps one of the most difficult squads to announce due to a number of reasons. The end of the domestic league programme always poses a challenge for the national team as it is not easily clear which players will be available. And when you look down the NFD and ABC Motsepe Leagues, you find some of the players you have earmarked for a tournament of this nature are involved in play-offs,” said Mashaba adding the squad selected will compete.

“We will have three warm-up matches before the start of the tournament as there are many new players in the set-up and that exercise will help a great deal. The good thing about this squad is that we are increasing our base of national team players because the bigger the base, the more the fight for places in the squad, which makes for a strong Bafana Bafana. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the clubs who have released their players for national team duty.”

Bafana Bafana go into camp on Sunday, 10 May in Johannesburg, and will have training sessions on Monday and Tuesday.

The next day (Wednesday, 13 May) the teams travels to Lesotho to play two training matches against the host nation on Thursday, 14 May and Saturday, 16 May.

They have also scheduled another training match against neighbours Malawi which will be played on Friday, 22 May in Rustenburg at a venue to be confirmed.

Bafana squad for Cosafa Cup:

NO. PLAYER’S NAME CLUB

GOALKEEPERS:

1. Jackson MABOKGWANE Mpumalanga Aces FC (SA)

2. Mondli MPOTO Supersport FC (SA)

3. Ricardo GOSS Golden Arrows FC (SA)

DEFENDERS:

4. Madisha MODJEKA Mamelodi Tigers FC (SA)

5. Sibusiso MXOYANA Vasco Da Gama FC (SA)

6. Marc VAN HEERDEN Amazulu FC (SA)

7. Siyabonga NHLAPHO Bidvest Wits FC (SA)

8. Kwanda MNGONYAMA Maritzburg United FC (SA)

9. Clayton DANIELS Supersport United (SA)

10. Daniel CARDOSO Free State Stars FC (SA)

11. Sibusiso Blessing Khumalo Mamelodi Sundowns FC (SA)

MIDFIELDERS:

12. Cole ALEXANDER Polokwane City FC (SA)

13. Thapelo MORENA Bloemfontein Celtic (SA)

14. Thamsanqa SANGWENI Chippa United FC (SA)

15. Carl LARK Santos FC (SA)

16. Athenkosi DLALA Supersport FC (SA)

17. Hendrick EKSTEIN Kaizer Chiefs FC (SA)

18. Mzikayise MASHABA Mamelodi Sundowns FC (SA)

STRIKERS

19. Puleng TLOLANE Polokwane City FC (SA)

20. Phumelele BHENGU Thanda Zulu Royals FC (SA)

21. Gift MATUPA Baroka FC (SA)

22. Moeketsi SEKOLA Free State Stars FC (SA)

Meanwhile Botswana coach Peter Butler has named his squad that will be play in the COSAFA CUP tournament.

Some of those included ply their trade in South Afica like Joel Mogorosi and Mogogi Gabonamong (both

Bloemfontein Celtic), goalkeeper Kabelo Dambe and playmaker Mogakolodi Ngele (Platinum Stars).

Botswana finished third in the tournament in 2006 and 2007.

Full Botswana squad:

Goalkeepers:

Modiri Marumo, Kabelo Dambe

Defenders:

Obuile Oscar Ncenga, Oteng Richard Legwaila, Katlego Koobake, Mosha Gaolaolwe, Obonye Moswate Tapiwa Gadibolae, Kaone Van Der Westhuizen

Midfielders:

Lemponye Tshireletso, Kabelo Seakanyeng, Segolame Boy, Joel Mogorosi, Mogogi Gabonamong, Ofentse Nato, Mogakolodi Ngele, Mpho Kgaswane, Lebogang Ditsele

Strikers:

Omaatla Kebatho, Onkabetse Makgantai – ANA

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Jose lauds ‘favourite enemy’ Gerrard

Jose Mourinho gets a final chance to outwit his “favourite enemy” when Steven Gerrard leads Liverpool out at Stamford Bridge for the last time.

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London - Jose Mourinho gets a final chance to outwit a player he calls his “favourite enemy” on Sunday when Steven Gerrard leads Liverpool out at Stamford Bridge for the last time before he heads off to join LA Galaxy.

With Liverpool's players expected to form a pre-match guard of honour for the newly-crowned Premier League champions, Mourinho paid his own tribute on Friday to the inspirational Liverpool skipper he says helped forge him into one of best managers in the business.

“It's opponents like Steven Gerrard that have made me the manager I am,” a relaxed Mourinho told reporters on Friday.

“I learn with my own players and I learn with my best opponents by the problems they give me, the way they make me think and analyse them and to study the best way to play against them. Steven Gerrard is one of my favourite enemies.

“For sure he is my dear enemy and for sure the one that made me a better manager. To try to stop him has been very, very difficult. I lost against him, I won against him, I drew, was happy, was sad, I played against him as a holding midfielder, as a number 10, coming in from the wing.

“I'm very sad that's it's the last time I play against him because I need people like him to make me better.”

Mourinho said he respects Gerrard for devoting virtually his entire career to Liverpool, even if it meant his attempts to sign the former England captain proved futile.

“I tried to bring him to Chelsea, to Inter, to Real Madrid but he was always a dear enemy,” he said.

“I want to honour him and I hope that Stamford Bridge has the same feeling that I have.

“He's had an amazing career and has amazing feeling with his people. He refused to play for other big clubs and big leagues.

“Maybe I'll play against him as Liverpool manager one day.”

Although Chelsea won the title with three games to spare thanks to last Sunday's 1-0 home win against Crystal Palace, Mourinho said there will be no slackening and he denied his players had been given four days off.

“We have three difficult matches and Liverpool need points, Sunderland need points, only West Brom will be in a situation of playing their last game without needing points,” said the Portuguese. “But it doesn't matter, we want to win.

“We don't have to win points, but if we can reach 90 it would be a beautiful number.” – Reuters

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Wenger in no rush for new signings

Arsene Wenger says Arsenal will not be rushing into the transfer market once the season is finished.

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London - Arsenal will not be rushing into the transfer market once the season is finished with manager Arsene Wenger saying that he is content to bide his time.

Manchester United have already got the ball rolling by announcing they will sign striker Memphis Depay from Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven.

However, Wenger pointed to last summer's signing of Chile striker Alexis Sanchez from Barcelona as evidence that waiting a while can pay dividends.

“What you want to do more than do it early is to do it right, put it right and make the right decisions,” Wenger, whose side are well-placed to finish runners-up behind Premier League champions Chelsea, told reporters ahead of Monday's match against Swansea City.

“Sometimes the opportunity comes up early. Last year we signed Alexis in the middle of the transfer window.”

“You have to take the opportunities when they come up but that's not only decided by your desire, sometimes it's created by the club that sells the player as well,” he added.

“Alexis was available because they (Barcelona) bought Luis Suarez. They could only buy Suarez at the beginning of July, so you have to always be on alert and do the business, fix your target and do it as well as possible.

“You're not the only one who can decide that.”

Wenger said his squad was already “top quality” and said there would not be wholesale signings.

The Frenchman said talks were ongoing with Theo Walcott about a new contract with speculation that the England forward might be allowed to leave this summer.

“When you go into negotiations with a player it is with a desire for him to stay,” Wenger said. “He looks keen to do it and I am keen to do it, so let's see what comes out.”

He is also keen to keep right back Carl Jenkinson, who has been on loan at West Ham United this season.

“I met Carl this week to speak about his future,” Wenger said. “We will sit down together at the end of the season, but my target is to keep him here at the club.

“He has had a great season for me and he has moved forward and overall he has gained a lot of confidence.”

Arsenal are level on 70 points with Manchester City but have a game in hand of the deposed champions. – Reuters

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Carrick blow for United

Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick will miss the final three games of the Premier League season with a calf problem.

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London - Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick will miss the final three games of the Premier League season with a calf problem, manager Louis van Gaal said.

The 33-year-old Carrick was injured during United's 4-2 win over Manchester City at Old Trafford last month.

“We tried everything but now we have to think about next season,” Van Gaal told MUTV. “He shall not play any more this season, it's better now to focus for him on next season and being fit to start.”

United are fourth in the Premier League table with 65 points from 35 matches and travel to Crystal Palace on Saturday.

They have lost their last three matches in Carrick's absence. – Reuters

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Wages a stumbling block for Toure exit

Any proposed move for Yaya Toure away from Manchester City this summer could yet be scuppered by the midfielder’s enormous wages.

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Any proposed move for Yaya Toure away from Manchester City this summer could yet be scuppered by the midfielder’s enormous wages.

Toure’s increasingly talkative agent Dimitri Seluk claimed yesterday that it was 90 per cent certain the Ivory Coast international will leave the Etihad Stadium over the summer months.

However, the fact that Toure earns more than a £1million a month at City still represents a huge obstacle for suitors such as Inter Milan who cannot afford to operate at those levels.

Seluk claims three clubs wish to sign Toure and said yesterday: ‘It’s 90 per cent certain he’ll leave Manchester City this summer. Nothing has been decided. We are waiting until the end of the season.’

Toure, 32 next week, is out of action with a hamstring injury and is not expected to face QPR this Sunday.

Other advisors working for Toure are not as convinced that the former Barcelona player will leave City, even though it is understood the club are willing to listen to offers.

Meanwhile, City striker Sergio Aguero, whose 22 goals this season put him in pole position to win the Premier League Golden Boot, wishes he was in the running for the title instead.

‘I’d rather be competing for the top position of the Premier League. I always say goals are worth more when they let us make great achievements as a team,’ said the Argentine, who is two goals clear of nearest rival Harry Kane.

‘I hope I keep doing things right in these last three games so I can be the top goalscorer this season... because that would be something my team-mates and City’s supporters could also celebrate.’ – Daily Mail

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Sturridge could be out until October

Daniel Sturridge suffered a devastating blow as it emerged he could be out until October.

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Daniel Sturridge suffered a devastating blow as it emerged he could be out until October.

The Liverpool striker had surgery on his left hip on Tuesday in New York but the severity of the problem means the 25-year-old will not be able to resume full training for four months.

This latest prognosis is a huge setback for Sturridge and boss Brendan Rodgers, piling pressure on Liverpool to sign a top-class striker this summer.

Sturridge’s recovery will rule him out of the big kick-off on August 8 and four England games.

It is possible he will not play in the Premier League until the beginning of October. The surgery, which was performed by Dr Bryan T Kelly, has been deemed a complete success by Liverpool’s medical staff as it addressed a problem believed to be linked to Sturridge suffering so many issues with a thigh muscle.

Having been beaten to the signing of £25million Memphis Depay by Manchester United, Liverpool will have to redouble their efforts to bring in a striker to provide the firepower they have lacked this season.

Liverpool have a move lined up for Burnley’s Danny Ings and promising Belgium international Divock Origi will move to Anfield this summer after completing a year on loan at Lille, but Rodgers

will need to recruit a high-class, experienced forward as well.

It has been a year to forget for Sturridge. When the campaign ends, he will have missed 41 of Liverpool’s 58 games and only started seven matches because of a recurring thigh problem before the hip issue occurred in a game against Manchester United on March 22.

Sturridge was resigned to missing England’s summer internationals against the Republic of Ireland and Slovenia but there is now no chance of him playing in the Euro 2016 qualifiers against San Marino (September 5) and Switzerland (September 8). Liverpool will not rush Sturridge back so there must also be doubt over his availability for England’s games against Estonia (October 9) and Lithuania (October 12). If Liverpool finish in the top four this season, he would also miss the Champions League play-offs at the start of next season.

Steven Gerrard, meanwhile, hopes he will be able to return to Liverpool one day. Gerrard could come back to Anfield on loan from LA Galaxy next winter and in an interview with Liverpool’s official magazine he said: ‘I will be playing in another league and getting to see a great country like America.

‘At the same time, I know these final few weeks will be tough. I don’t know what is going to happen after my last game at Anfield. It will be a hugely emotional day. My relationship with Liverpool doesn’t end. I’m hoping I’ll return to the club in some capacity one day.’ – Daily Mail

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United learning from transfer mistakes?

For Manchester United, the two years since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement have brought some hard lessons in the transfer market.

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For Manchester United, the two years since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement have brought some hard lessons, nowhere more so than in the transfer market.

Last-minute deals, over-priced deals, collapsed deals and scrapped deals; the Barclays Premier League’s foremost club have made hard work of something that used to be quite simple in the 24 months since Ferguson stepped aside this very week in 2012.

What use lessons, though, if nothing is learned from them?

For some time now, United have been talking quietly about doing this summer’s business early.

With the announcement of an agreement to sign the young Holland forward Memphis Depay from PSV Eindhoven, it seems they have finally found a way of fulfilling some promises.

This is the way it was going to be last year, of course.

Then, however, they made the decision to sack David Moyes. The hiring of a manager committed to the World Cup campaign with Holland meant that players such as Angel di Maria and Radamel Falcao didn’t arrive until after the current league season had started.

No danger of that this time, it seems. United moved decisively over Depay this week to gazump Paris Saint-Germain and bring in the first player of maybe five or six who could arrive at Old Trafford this summer.

‘If you had asked me two days ago where Memphis was going to go I would have said PSG,’ said PSV sporting director Marcel Brands last night. ‘The British were very late with a concrete offer. Actually, only in the last 48 hours there is a transfer to Manchester United.

‘It has become a whirlwind transition. But ultimately the player decides where he wants to go and that’s become Manchester.’

This is the way that United used to behave.

As long ago as 1973, the club hijacked Lou Macari’s move from Celtic to Liverpool when Tommy Docherty’s assistant manager Pat Crerand found himself sitting next to the young Scot in Anfield’s Main Stand the night before he was due to sign.

Thirty years later, meanwhile, Ferguson rushed though the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo from Sporting Lisbon by a whole year after learning of growing interest from Arsenal.

This, of course, is how big clubs work and, just a week after suggesting privately that the Depay situation was merely being ‘monitored’, United have agreed a £25million fee with PSV.

Manager Louis van Gaal believes Depay can bring some much-needed pace and direction to his team’s attack.

Only 21, Depay was part of Van Gaal’s team at last summer’s World Cup in Brazil, scoring two goals as Holland reached the last four.

Close to United’s other Dutch players Daley Blind and Robin van Persie — with whom he shares an agent — Depay will bring some instinctive flair to Van Gaal’s squad, even if the statement he posted on social media yesterday read like it had been clumsily cut and pasted from an awful public relations textbook.

‘I always say; Dream, Believe, Achieve,’ tweeted Depay, who has the phrase tattooed on his torso.

‘I was dreaming and believing of becoming the champions of the Eredivisie with PSV and we achieved it.

‘I’m extremely grateful towards @PSV, all the fans, (sponsors) @UnderArmour and (agents) @SEG-Football for believing in me. Now it’s time to set my goals again on winning trophies with @ManUtd.

‘It was an exciting and pretty hectic period and to have a choice between so many top clubs doesn’t make it any easier.

‘For me, Manchester United is an absolute dream club, so I didn’t need any convincing from the guys who already play at Manchester United.

‘They told me only positive things though, and I’m looking forward to playing with my Dutch team-mates next to all the other great players of Manchester United. And working with Louis van Gaal again is also a bonus.’

Depay can expect to play on the left side of United’s attack next season but his versatility — he can play right across the front three — will be invaluable.

Van Gaal, meanwhile, has already stated that he wants to bring other targets in before the start of the club’s summer tour in mid-July.

It is beginning to sound like a promise he may actually be able to keep. – Daily Mail

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