Frank Lampard has accused referee Mark Halsey of committing a serious mistake by sending off Chelsea captain John Terry at Man. City.
Terry could miss next Sunday's plum fixture against Manchester United after being dismissed 13 minutes from the end of Chelsea's 3-1 away win for pushing Jo to the ground. Halsey reached for the red card, ruling Terry had been the last man but Ricardo Carvalho was already behind Terry when the incident took place, with Jose Bosingwa racing back to cover as well.
Lampard has called on Halsey to reverse the decision. "If there are two men behind the ball it cannot be a professional foul," Lampard said.
"Hopefully they will address it. I saw Robbie Keane brought down by Nemanja Vidic at Anfield. It was exactly the same thing and it was a yellow card."
Arsenal, United linked with Veloso
Arsenal and Manchester United are being tipped to make an approach for Sporting Lisbon star Miguel Veloso in the January transfer window.
The Portugal international's agent, Paulo Barbosa, claimed the Premier League giants are preparing bids for the £16 million-rated midfielder.
"Arsenal want Veloso for the future and a deal could be done in the January window," Barbosa was quoted as saying.
"But United are also watching the situation very closely."
Rovers trial for Christanval
Philippe Christanval is having a trial with Blackburn Rovers. The French defender is available on a free transfer after being released by Fulham over the summer.
Christanval is expected to spend a few days with Rovers and club chairman John Williams said the onus is on the player to impress.
"Philippe has been offered a trial," Williams said. "Like I have said before there is nothing concrete, but being free agents if they do impress then we can sign them outside the transfer window."
Former Barcelona centre-half Christanval played just 36 Premier League appearances during three years at Fulham.
Nakamura eyes Japan return
Shunsuke Nakamura is set to leave Celtic in January and return to his native Japan.
The midfielder's contract runs out next summer although there is an option for the Scottish champions to extend the deal for another year.
"A move in January might be possible, I leave everything like that to my agent," Nakamura said.
"If I was Scottish I would love to play at Celtic forever, but I'm Japanese and I also have a family and kids. I've also had to think about the national team as well and I'm finding it quite hard travelling back and forward all the time.
"When I take everything into consideration, it makes me think I might need to go back to Japan."
Gerrard and Torres still doubtful
Liverpool are sweating on the fitness of key players Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres ahead of tomorrow's Champions League encounter away to Marseille.
Gerrard managed 22 minutes of Saturday's 2-1 win over Manchester United on his return from a groin operation. But Spanish international Torres remained on the bench after suffering a hamstring injury against Aston Villa on August 31.
Javier Mascherano is also a doubt after pulling up with a calf problem in Saturday's game.
Former European champions Marseille met Liverpool in the group stage last season, winning 1-0 at Anfield before being thrashed 4-0 at home.
Carrick set to miss United's Euro opener
Michael Carrick looks certain to miss Manchester United's opening Champions League game against Villarreal on Wednesday, manager Alex Ferguson said on Saturday.
Carrick hurt his right ankle midway through the first-half of Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Liverpool.
"I don''t think anything is broken, but he certainly won't be fit for Wednesday," said Ferguson.
The 28-year-old was replaced at half-time and later reappeared on crutches with his right foot in a cast.
Carrick has only just returned from a three-week lay-off with an ankle injury.
Tedesco's theatrics anger Muntari
Inter coach Jose Mourinho and Sulley Muntari have pointed accusing fingers at Giacomo Tedesco's 'play-acting' after the Ghana midfielder was shown a red card against Catania.
"The referee saw that I raised my arm and he's right in that I should not do that, but I was just protecting the ball," insisted Muntari who was sent off on the stroke of half-time.
"Having said that, not even a child would've fallen in such a dramatic fashion."
Mourinho was also upset by Tedesco's theatrics. "He (Muntari) has two eyes and neither of them could see Tedesco behind him," claimed Mourinho after the 2-1 win.
"I saw many DVDs from last season and understood in England Tedesco would be called someone who lacks fair play, whereas in Italy he might be considered 'intelligent.'"