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Adebayor could face Arsenal

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Emmanuel Adebayor is in line to start for Manchester City (13/10 – 90 minutes) against Arsenal at the weekend after his Europa League heroics, according to manager Roberto Mancini.

The Togo striker bagged a hat-trick at Eastlands to secure a 3-1 win over Lech Poznan in the Europa League. It was the first-ever European hat-trick by a City player and the first time he had found the back of the net so far this season.

Adebayor, who joined City from Arsenal (2/1 to win, draw 11/5 – 90 minutes) in the summer of 2009, is now set to start against his former club on Sunday, according to Mancini.

It was around 12 months ago that Adebayor angered Arsenal fans at Eastlands as City ran out 4-2 winners, back in Mark Hughes’ time as manager. He raked his boot down Robin van Persie’s face and also ran the full length of the pitch to celebrate in front of the Gunners fans after scoring.

The striker got a three match-suspension for the stamp on van Persie and was given a £25,000 fine and suspended two-match ban for after the Football Association cited “extremely provocative abuse” as a key factor in his controversial celebration.

After breaking his goal duck against the Polish side, Adebayor (5/1 – first goal scorer) now looks likely to be handed a starting spot when the teams meet again on Sunday.

Mancini said: “It is possible he could play against Arsenal.

“For a striker it is important to play well and his performance was excellent. But it is very important for them to score.

“Now he has a good chance to play against Arsenal.”

It looks a certainty that Carlos Tevez (Evens – to score anytime), City’s top scorer this season with seven goals, will come back into the team for the highly-anticipated Premier League clash with the Gunners, but Mancini is confident the duo can play together on Sunday.

“It is not a problem,” he added.

“They played together against Blackpool. It is normal for my teams to play with two strikers. That is what I usually like to do.”

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas recently stoked the fires ahead of the game by claiming it is not possible for a team to just “buy the spirit” of champions with cold, hard cash (City 11/2 – Premier League outright, Arsenal 15/2).

The Spaniard knows City sit only two points behind Chelsea at the top of the Premier League but yet he has said it is impossible for a team to be put together “in one season or two” and it will take a long time to make the club serious title contenders.

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Wenger focused for Shakhtar test

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Arsenal (4/6 favourites in the match betting) boss Arsene Wenger believes Tuesday night’s Champions League clash against Shakhtar Donetsk (4/1 to win, 14/5 the draw) will decide which side will top the group.

Both sides have won their opening two fixtures in Group H (Arsenal 1/4 to win the group, Shakhtar Donetsk 5/2) but the Gunners currently sit at the top of the standings as they have a superior goal difference.

However, Shakhtar have taken their six points without conceding a goal and have also won 15 of their 17 games domestically to give the players confidence going into the match.

Wenger is fully aware of the threat posed by the Ukrainians and insists that only a ‘great’ performance will earn his side the key win.

“In this group until now you had 12 points at stake – six went to Shakhtar, six went to Arsenal. That means what is at stake is the qualifying and also the top of the group, which is why it is a very important game,” he said.

“It is a key game because it gives us an opportunity to basically think we have qualified.

“Shakhtar are on a good winning run, they are dominating their league, they have just won 3-0 at Braga.

“We are on our toes. We know that only a great performance will win us the game.”

Laurent Koscielny, Robin van Persie, Bacary Sagna, Thomas Vermaelen and Aaron Ramsey are all absent for the Gunners but captain Cesc Fabregas has recovered from his hamstring problem and may make his return to the line-up.

Nicklas Bendtner and Theo Walcott have also recovered from their respective groin and ankle problems, while Manuel Almunia and Kieran Gibbs are close to full fitness.

Meanwhile, Shakhtar boss Mircea Lucescu insists that his side will be able to cause plenty of problems at the Emirates and will not just be making up the numbers.

“We have two games, one here and another in two weeks. We know they’re very powerful at home but can have difficulties away,” Lucescu said.

“Shakhtar are also a very good team and we are here to get a result.

“They will control the game for sure, it’s normal because they’re at home and they have many creative players. We have to be organised and cause them difficulties on the counter-attack.

“It’s difficult to say we’re here to play an attacking game because it depends on Arsenal, what with them being at home, but we can create big problems for them.”

Shakhtar will definitely be without Brazilian playmaker Fernandinho, who is out long-term after suffering a broken leg.

However, Ukraine defenders Dmytro Chygrynskiy (hamstring) and Yaroslav Rakytskiy (knee) returned for Friday’s 2-0 win at Metalurh Donetsk, while attacking midfielder Douglas Costa has also been included in the squad.

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Chelsea call for Rooney

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Chelsea captain John Terry and striker Nicolas Anelka have both called for Manchester United’s want-away star Wayne Rooney to join the ranks at Stamford Bridge (Chelsea 4/1 to be Wayne Rooney’s next club).

Rooney has told United he wants to leave Old Trafford, citing the club’s lack of ambition to secure the world’s top players as the reason behind his decision to call time on his stay with Sir Alex Ferguson’s side.

Chelsea are one of a small group of clubs who could afford to capture the England international and Terry is keen to link up with Rooney at club level having been an international team-mate for a number of years.

“Wayne is one of the best young players in the world,” said Terry. “I am no different to any other player in saying that.

“You obviously have to respect Manchester United and Wayne, but who knows what’s going to happen.

“We’ve got a great squad of players and he would add to that and strengthen the squad. He is the best player in the world for me.”

If Chelsea decide to move for the former Everton striker he will compete with the likes of Didier Drogba and Anelka for a place in the starting eleven. Anelka insists he would love to partner Rooney in attack and the Frenchman remains hopeful Chelsea will try and convince Rooney to move to London.

“Rooney is a good player, everybody knows his quality,” Anelka explained.

“If he wants to come to Chelsea then he is welcome, but I am not the owner.”

If Chelsea do move for Rooney they are likely to face competition from at home and abroad, with Manchester City the current favourites to prise the 24-year-old away from United (City 7/4f to sign Wayne Rooney).  Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has admitted he would welcome Rooney at the Bernabeu, although he expects him to stick with United, while Spanish champions Barcelona are also believed to be keen.

Chelsea face Wolves on Saturday after seeing off Spartak Moscow in the Champions League on Tuesday, with both Terry and Anelka expected to feature in the tie with the Premier League strugglers (Match Betting – Chelsea 1/7, draw 6/1, Wolves 14/1).

Manchester United travel to Stoke on Sunday but Rooney will play no part as he is suffering from an ankle problem and it remains to be seen whether he will feature again for United after expressing his desire to quit the Premier League heavyweights (Match Betting – Stoke 4/1, draw 5/2, United 4/6).

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Kompany plays down Rooney talk

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Vincent Kompany insists that Manchester City’s Europa League clash against Lech Poznan (City 2/9, Lech 12/1, Draw 5/1 90 Minutes) at Eastlands on Thursday is the side’s priority and not whether Wayne Rooney could be set to join them in the future.

The Belgium international defender chose to play down the prospect of Rooney making the short move across Manchester from United to City, although he did admit that he would relish the prospect of playing alongside such a quality player.

Instead Kompany chose to look at more imminent tasks as opposed to the possibility of City swooping to take Rooney, who cited a lack of ambition and assurances about United’s plans for the future as his reasons for snubbing a new deal offer and wanting to quit Old Trafford.

The City ace was more interested in looking ahead to the side’s mission to secure some silverware this season.

He said: “It is not for me to say. Obviously the focus is on what we are doing right now.

“I am sure in January there will a lot of discussion about players but now it does not seem to be a priority.

“He (Rooney) is a great player but am I saying anything surprising? I love playing against him as I love playing against great players.

“He gives you a difficult game but he makes you play better as well when you defend against him.”

Kompany feels Lech Poznan could pose a real threat to City and he urged his team-mates not to be complacent given that not won anything yet for the club.

He added: “This one is very important. The FA Cup (City 13/2 Outright) will be very important to us just as much as the league.

“Any trophy would be very welcome. The level in the Europa League (City 5/1 Outright) is very high. Any games in Europe gives you experience.”

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Defender eyes Gunners Euro prize

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Johan Djourou thinks Arsenal are strong enough to win the Champions League this season and feels the Gunners (10/1 in Outright Winners market) are in ‘good shape’.

Arsene Wenger’s men highlighted their European credentials with a 5-1 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk at the Emirates on Tuesday.

The Gunners made light work of the 2009 UEFA Cup winners, with Marouane Chamakh (12/1 Champions League Top Scorer 2010/11), Jack Wilshere, Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri and Alex Song on the scoresheet.

The result leaves Arsenal top of Group H, with three wins out of three and a three-point advantage over second-placed Shakhtar (1/5 to qualify from Group H).

Europe’s top club prize has eluded Wenger to date, with the nearest he has come to lifting the trophy coming back in 2006, when Arsenal lost to Barcelona in the final.

But Djourou, who was handed a start on Tuesday in the absence of Laurent Koscielny and Thomas Vermaelen, feels their time may have come.

The Swiss international said: “I think the result shows that Arsenal is ready to go as far as possible in the Champions League.

“It’s early but it shows people that we can do well in the competition. We are more or less qualified even though there are still three games left.”

Arsenal (1/8 to win Group H) can move a step closer to qualification for the knockout stages with victory in the Ukraine on November 3.

But the Gunners turn their attentions to important domestic matters this weekend, when they face Manchester City at Eastlands (Man City 13/10, Draw 11/5, Arsenal 2/1 – Match Betting) on Sunday.

Having already lost to West Brom and Chelsea, Lukasz Fabianski has targeted the clash with Roberto Mancini’s men as a must-win game.

The goalkeeper added: “It’s a massive game for us because we want to be in the title race. We want to go there for sure to win the game. We have to win it.”

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Mancini reveals Rooney thinking

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Manchester City (11/2 Premier League Outright) boss Robert Mancini says he thinks Wayne Rooney will end up staying at Manchester United (4/1) after denying any contact with the striker’s agent.

England ace Rooney has informed the Red Devils that he does not want to sign a new deal, with strong speculation claiming City are ready to step in and offer the 24-year-old an escape route to Eastlands.

The former Everton youngster has been frozen out of United boss Sir Alex Ferguson’s starting plans as a result – the Scot has been sitting on the news since August – and he is certain to have no shortage of admirers despite a slump in form.

Mancini, however, has played a straight bat to questions over a swoop for Rooney although he did make sure the player would be left in no doubt over the Italian’s admiration.

Mancini said: “Rooney is a great player but I think he’ll stay at United. He’s a good player, he’s an important player for United.

“He is a United player. It’s not correct to speak about that situation. I have respect for him, for Ferguson, for United. I want to speak only about my players.

“It’s not my problem. I’m City manager. I have a lot of problems with my players. It’s important for me to focus on Thursday’s game (against Lech Poznan in the Europa League). He is a strong player like (Fernando) Torres, like (Lionel) Messi, like Carlos Tevez, like (Mario) Balotelli. This is my opinion.”

If Rooney does end up at City he will form part of a squad that has still to reach its potential, according to summer signing James Milner.

The England midfielder left Aston Villa for City in the summer but he was just one of a number of big-name arrivals alongside the likes of David Silva, Mario Balotelli and Yaya Toure.

City have since gone on to secure second place in the Premier League behind Chelsea and Milner is confident things will get even better over the coming weeks and months once they hit their straps.

He said in the Daily Mirror: “The best is to come but it’s the sign of a good team when you can win and not play your best football. Obviously it takes time for a side with so many new faces to become a unit.

“We have a lot of very good players here, players who are determined to succeed. Hopefully we can keep improving as a team, keep moving forward and hopefully you’ll see the best of us soon.”

City are 2/9 to beat Lech Poznan (12/1) at Eastlands on Thursday night.

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Cole eyes Liverpool upturn

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Joe Cole is hoping Liverpool put the false start under the control of New England Sports Ventures (NESV) behind them and get on with the business of restoring the club to its former glories (Liverpool 9/1 – Top Four Finish).

Boston Red Sox supremo John W Henry took over at Anfield last week, after a turbulent few days in court, only for the turmoil to continue on the pitch at Everton with a 2-0 defeat in Sunday’s Merseyside derby.

But Cole, who joined the club on a free transfer from Chelsea in the summer, wants the players to reward the new owners for providing some much needed stability after the reign of George Gillett and Tom Hicks.

The  28-year-old told Liverpool’s website: “We’re happy that it’s all sorted out and the club’s got some direction again. I know the fans are happy.

“They (NESV) seem genuine and they seem like they are doing it through passion. Everything seems great.

“I definitely think they can help us get back up there.”

Liverpool’s first attempt to bounce back comes at Serie A outfit Napoli in the Europa League on Thursday night although they will have to do it without captain Steven Gerrard and striker Fernando Torres (Napoli 10/11, draw 5/2, Liverpool 3/1).

Boss Roy Hodgson has elected to leave his two best players behind as he juggles European commitments with the Premier League.

Liverpool (7/10 to win the game) entertain Blackburn Rovers (4/1) at Anfield on Sunday which is a crucial game given a domestic run of one win in eight league games.

Hodgson has also left out midfielders Lucas and Raul Meireles for the trip to Italy while Glen Johnson and Dirk Kuyt are injured and Daniel Agger is now suffering with illness.

“Some of the more important senior players won’t travel because their participation on Sunday is going to be so important to us,” said Hodgson.

“It’s not just a question of playing three matches in a week it’s also a question of injury.

“I don’t think our squad is so strong that I can afford to risk them.

“But it’ll still be a strong team we put out there and I think it’s a chance for some players who have been on the fringes, like David Ngog and others like Ryan Babel who has had very few chances.

“It’s yet another opportunity for these players to blast their way into the team and force me to look at them in a different light, to make sure they are players that are first on the list and not down the pecking order.”

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We can earn our Spurs – Redknapp

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Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp reckons his side can challenge for the Premier League title in a couple of seasons – providing he can add two world-class players to his White Hart Lane ranks (Spurs 80/1 – Premier League 2010/2011).

The 63-year-old is preparing to lead Spurs into battle against European champions Inter Milan on Wednesday in the Champions League at the San Siro – a fixture the north Londoners’ fans could only dream about given their failure to crack the top four domestically until last term (Inter 8/13, draw 14/5, Spurs 9/2).

Redknapp has selection problems for the Italian job with Rafael van der Vaart banned and Sandro ineligible, while the likes of Jermain Defoe, Michael Dawson (both knee) and Jamie O’Hara (back) are still sidelined.

In addition, Younes Kaboul (hamstring) remains a doubt for the Group A encounter with the Serie A giants as Tottenham look to build on their unbeaten start in Europe.

And while the Champions League looks to be a long shot for Spurs at their first attempt (33/1 Outright), Redknapp is in no mood to take the foot off the pedal at home as he looks for the funds to compete with Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal.

He said: “I think Tottenham may be one or two big signings away from being a team that could win the championship.

“One or two players in the right positions – and I’m talking about two top, top players in the right positions. If we could go and do that I think Tottenham are a team that could win the championship in a couple of years.”

Redknapp added: “This squad is just so full of talent anyway, players who have made their mark and (chairman) Daniel Levy has done a great job backing my judgment and improving the squad and the club, that I really believe we’re not far away from that level.”

“We’ve got a lot of players here who could play for any club.?

Group A’s other fixture tonight sees Dutch champions FC Twente (13/10 to win the game) entertain Werder Bremen (19/10) of Germany.

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Mancini – We can cope without Carlos

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Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has revealed he will rest Carlos Tevez for either the Europa League tie against Lech Poznan on Thursday or Sunday’s showdown with title rivals Arsenal (City 11/2 – Premier League outright).

The Argentine striker has been the focal point of Mancini’s attack this season, with seven league goals so far, and has played in all but two of City’s fixtures to date but the Italian boss believes his squad can cope without the talismanic presence of Tevez.

The 26-year-old came to City’s rescue last weekend with a brace as the Eastlands side recorded a 3-2 victory over Blackpool despite a below-par performance but Mancini is confident the likes of David Silva, who also netted in the victory over the Seasiders, and former Arsenal frontman Emmanuel Adebayor can step up and fill the void left by Tevez.

“I will probably rest Carlos on Thursday or Sunday,” Mancini told the Daily Mirror.

“I will speak with Carlos and we will decide. Out of the games, there will probably be one for which Carlos will stay on the bench, because he needs to recover.

“Carlos is a key player for us, but then for us all the players did well at Blackpool. There were other good performances as well as Carlos.

“Manu Adebayor worked so hard, probably the defenders were tired by the time Silva came on. Silva is also very important for us. He’s a fantastic player.”

Mancini claims he could rest the striker in Sunday’s crucial Premier League encounter with Arsenal at Eastlands but it would appear more likely Tevez will sit out on Thursday against Lech Poznan (Match Betting – City 2/9, draw 5/1, Lech Poznan 12/1).

The Italian tactician has named strong starting line-ups for both the Europa League group fixtures his side have played so far, against Juventus and SV Salzburg, but the Polish outfit are perhaps the weakest team in Group A and Mancini may decide to hand some of his fringe players the chance to shine on Thursday.

City currently lie second in the Europa League Group A table, level on four points with current leaders Lech Poznan who have drawn with Italian giants Juventus and beaten SV Salzburg in their two European encounters so far (City 5/1f – Europa League outright).

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Totti ready to end goal drought

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Roma (8/13 – 90 minutes) coach Claudio Ranieri says Francesco Totti’s five-month goal drought is not a concern going into tonight’s Champions League Group E clash with FC Basel (9/2) at the Olympic Stadium.

Roma hailed the performance of  the Roma captain who was instrumental in the Giallorossi’s crucial 2-1 victory over Genoa at the weekend.

Totti has not scored since May, a run of 10 matches spanning the close season, and some critics had even suggested he may have been unhappy with his role in the line-up.

But, following his display against Genoa, Ranieri again refuted rumours concerning the pair’s apparently deteriorating relationship.

“He always trains to the limit. He’s missing a goal… but I’m very happy with him,” said the ex-Chelsea coach.

“I read that Totti was against me. You can’t write anything more absurd.

“I have a loyal relationship with all the players, particularly with my captain, who has spent his life here and who has suffered a thousand wrongs for his team.

“As a Roman and a Romanista (Roma fan), I don’t understand it.”

Ranieri is aware of the difficulty his side may face against Basel, who stuned the Serie A side 2-0 in last season’s Europa League clash at St Jakob Park (1/6 Roma – Group E To Qualify).

“They are a side that defend well, and are good on the counter-attack – they came close to getting a result against Bayern Munich,” he said.

“We know their strong and weak points, but I’d prefer to go into those with my players, not here.”

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