News Headlines

Arsenal ready to fight Barça on Fábregas

• Chairman critical of Barcelona's tactics• Chamakh signs long-term contractThe Arsenal chairman, Peter Hill-Wood, has reinforced the club's resistance to Cesc Fábregas's proposed transfer to Barcelona, saying the board would not welcome a bid for the player and criticising the...

Michael Owen the England outsider entertains thoughts of management

England's outsider looking in reveals why he is so positive about his future and the 2018 bidMichael Owen sits in an office block on an industrial estate near Stockport talking fluently about England's 2018 World Cup bid, the thrill of playing for Sir Alex Ferguson and the increasing pull exerted...

Foster criticises anti-Glazer protests at United

• Former goalkeeper tells fans to focus on supporting team • Ben Foster denies United sold him for financial reasonsBen Foster has criticised Manchester United supporters for protesting against the Glazers' unpopular regime at Old Trafford. The former United goalkeeper, who joined...

I'm hopeful I'll get World Cup all-clear, says England's Gareth Barry

After 10 years in an England shirt, injured midfielder knows his hopes of going to South Africa rest on a single medical diagnosisGareth Barry has two days left. Two days to endure before his agonising wait ends, and just two days to convince Fabio Capello he has recovered sufficiently from damaged...

Why are Barcelona so annoying? | Barney Ronay

Mainly it is the manner in which they paint themselves as 'més que un club'. Yeovil Town are more than a club. Get over itThis week two of the most bizarrely bloodless major transfers you could hope to see were decisively entrained. Amid scenes of absolutely no acrimony whatsoever, David Villa...

Milner and Villa to talk before World Cup

• Meeting scheduled for turn of the month• Manchester City expected to increase £20m offerAston Villa will hold preliminary talks with James Milner and his agent before the World Cup to establish whether the England international wants to stay with the club. Villa intend to use the...

Cardiff hope for 'life-changing' promotion

• Victory could help safeguard Cardiff's future• Manager has close links with opponent Ian HollowayRegular visitors to the Vale of Glamorgan hotel should brace themselves for a bizarre sight if Cardiff City beat Blackpool at Wembley today to return to the top flight for the first time...

Lack of medals does not make Fábregas a failure

Would you tell Alan Shearer that his career was a failure for going to Newcastle rather than Man United? Of course not.So it's goodbye from me and it's goodbye from him. And with him being Cesc Fábregas, only one of those is really going to make the news. Besides, I was always taking my leave...