Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard accused team-mate Mario Balotelli of showing disrespect after the Italian found himself at the centre of controversy despite scoring a winning penalty against Besiktas on Thursday.
Balotelli stroked the ball home in the 85th minute to secure a 1-0 win at Anfield but only after wrestling the ball off stand-in skipper and designated penalty-taker Jordan Henderson.
“Jordan is the captain and Mario showed Jordan a bit of disrespect there, but he’s scored a very important goal,” Gerrard told ITV Sport.
Captain Terry on verge of new deal
Chelsea captain John Terry has won the right to stay another year at the Premier League leaders and is on the verge of signing a contract, manager Jose Mourinho said yesterday.
“I think everybody wants to stay and especially him who has been here all his life.
“He accepted our policy of going year after year with a smile and he accepted it as a challenge,” Mourinho said.
“Last year he won the challenge and this year he is winning the right of getting a one-year extension. Sooner or later he will get the season contract he deserves.”
Tottenham win High Court battle
Tottenham Hotspur cleared another hurdle in their quest to build a new 56,000-capacity stadium after Britain’s High Court rejected a compulsory land purchase order appeal by a local business yesterday.
Archway Sheet Metal Works were challenging the order made in March 2012 that ruled they would have to make way for the £400-million stadium.
The family firm is based a few metres away from the North Stand at Tottenham’s current White Hart Lane home.
Mr Justice Dove ruled there was “no legal flaw” in the decision-making process after the company claimed the CPO was “unlawful and invalid”.
Van Persie set for United return
Louis van Gaal has been left with another selection conundrum after he revealed Robin van Persie will be back for Manchester United’s match at Swansea today.
Van Persie missed the 3-1 win over Preston on Monday because of an unspecified injury, but the striker is in the squad for today’s game at the Liberty Stadium.
Van Persie’s return means Van Gaal will have to decide whether to hand his Dutch compatriot a start at the expense of Wayne Rooney or Radamel Falcao – or drop his captain into midfield.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference at the AON Training Complex, the United boss said: “Michael Carrick is the only injury.”
‘Kane more clinical than Rooney’
West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce believes in-form Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane is a more clinical finisher than England captain Wayne Rooney as his side prepare to face the Spurs man in the Premier League tomorrow.
“His (Kane’s) rise to prominence has been spectacular and it shows you that, in this game, you never can tell,” Allardyce wrote in the London Evening Standard.
“The attention he is attracting can be a distraction but can be managed carefully and sensibly, by his family, the club and, particularly, his agent.
“Full marks to him, though, and it’s great for England. He looks as though he might be an even more clinical and natural finisher than Wayne Rooney.”
Wilshere set for Arsenal comeback
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has welcomed the return of England midfielder Jack Wilshere from three months out with an ankle injury, but warned the “balance of the team” must always come first.
The 23-year-old has not played since needing an operation after hobbling off in the defeat to Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on November 22.
Wilshere, though, has come through his rehabilitation quicker than expected, and is expected to be involved again at Crystal Palace today afternoon.
“Jack is a bit ahead of schedule and has worked hard with no big problems, so it’s good to have him back,” said Wenger.
Roma lacking confidence – Garcia
Roma travel to Verona tomorrow with coach Rudi Garcia hoping his side can start scoring more goals and winning games.
The Giallorossi have won just one of their last six matches in all competitions after Thursday’s 1-1 home draw with Feyenoord in the Europa League last 32 first-leg.
Roma have not notched more than two goals in a game since November 30.
“The team is lacking confidence,” Garcia told Italian TV channel Mediaset.
“But we are not giving up.
“We should have won against Feyenoord considering the chances we had but instead we gave away an equaliser. We are missing positive results but we are doing all that we can to return to winning ways.”