Manchester United - Injury central recently.Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester. Date: Thurs, 26th Sept. Kick off: 7:45pm Referee: Anthony Taylor (Manchester). UK TV: Sky Sports.
The Toon begin this season’s League Cup campaign with a remarkably tough opening fixture away to the Mancs at Old Trafford. Kick-off is at 7.45pm and the tie, which will be settled on the night via extra time and penalties if required will be televised live on Sky TV.
It is widely accepted that Captain Colocinni will return for this trip to Manchester after a three match spell on the sidelines, which will be a relief to our beleaguered back four who had played three games in six days without him. Along with Colo it appears that wor Cheick will make his first appearance since the opening day win against Spurs and Pardew has hinted his “strong spine” will be completed with a start for Shola.
Extended MOTD highlights of yesterday’s game between Newcastle united and Norwich at St James’ Park, Newcastle.
A sublime defence splitting pass from Hatem Ben Arfa, along with an excellent finish from Demba Ba in the 19th minute was the difference between the two sides. Norwich almost struck back on the counter after 27 minutes when Snodgrass’s head connected with Hoolahan’s left hand cross and the visitors would have scored had his effort not been headed off the line by Williamson. (more…)
Pardew: Damning Hughton with faint praise?With today’s game against Norwich City seeing Alan Pardew’s predecessor, Chris Hughton, returning to St James’ Park for the first time since his sacking in December 2010, there has been far more of the usual pre match words from the managers on both sides.
On the Pardew side, amongst other things, he has been anxious to remind we fans that we shouldn’t get too carried away with any kind of appreciation for the man who returned us to the Premiership, not to mention bringing former Tottenham colleague, Graham Carr, to the club as his Chief Scout in the February preceding his sacking.
As with much of what Pardew says, there was a whiff of some kind of underlying agenda in his comments. In some double-edged words of “praise,” he sought to diminish Hughton’s contribution to the club as he not so subtly reminded fans of previous smear stories which circulated about Hughton, saying that much of the credit for leading the club back to the Premiership should actually go to Joey Barton, Alan Smith, Steve Harper and Kevin Nolan as it was they who were really running the first team after Hughton’s appointment. (more…)
DON'T PANIC! DON'T PANIC!Speaking in a pre match press conference for this evening’s Europa League game against Maritimo in Funchal, Alan Pardew has revealed his displeasure at the recent words of Demba Ba’s spokesman, Alex Gontran, also revealing that there is STILL a release clause in the player’s contract.
Telling the media of a recent conversation with Ba about his spokesman’s comments, with Ba himself also revealing that “lately I am not so happy with some things going on.” at the club in his Everton post match interview, Pardew commented:
“I have spoken to Demba [about his agent] and told him I was disappointed with some of the comments around him. Sometimes it’s out of his control and out of my control. We know each other well enough. I just think people were saying things they shouldn’t say, really.”
Pardew then reiterated however that despite all the current fuss and bother, they still have a good working relationship, saying: (more…)
