fattaHannover 96 Vs Manchester United 3-4 - All Goals & Match Highlights
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FC Koln 0-4 Arsenal: Podolski hits double against former club
Arsenal concluded its preseason preparations with a dominant 4-0 win over German side FC Koln. A Lucas Podolski double and a Thomas Vermaelen header gave the Gunners a 3-0 lead at half time, with Gervinho making it four after the break.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger opted to start with new signing Santi Cazorla alongside fellow summer recruits Podolski and Olivier Giroud in the first half, with unsettled striker Robin van Persie introduced for a 20 minute cameo in the second period.
The Premier League side took little time seizing the initiative as Vermaelen consolidated a positive start by powering home Cazorla's corner after seven minutes.
Podolski - featuring against his former club in a friendly arranged as part of the deal that brought him to the Emirates - doubled the visitors' lead from the penalty spot soon after when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was brought down in the box.
Koln goalkeeper Timo Horn made a couple of saves to prevent Arsenal further extending their lead, first denying Giroud at point blank range after Cazorla piked him out, then tipping over a Per Mertesacker header. However, Podolski grabbed his second moments before half time after Kieran Gibbs powered down the left flank and cut back for the German to slot home convincingly.
Wenger made a host of changes for the second half, introducing Gervinho, Alex Song and Wojciech Szczesny among others. Ivorian Gervinho took little time to settle into Arsenal's fluid attack and nudged the ball along to Podolski who was denied his hat trick by a last-ditch sliding challenge.
Matthias Lehmann was unfortunate to see his driven effort from 30 yards out cannon off the bar as the hosts searched for a way to get back into the game but Gervinho settled matters on the hour mark, surging down the left and cutting in from the byline to fire in at the near post.
Podolski was withdrawn after 70 minutes to rapturous applause from both sets of fans, with the German replaced by Van Persie. The change of personnel led to Arsenal suffering difficulties building momentum as the visitors played keep ball for the last 20 minutes.
A little more care from Andrey Arshavin could have led to a Van Persie tap-in at the death but the Russian miscued his pass with the goal gaping.
The Gunners begin their Premier League campaign next Saturday when they host Sunderland at home.
Chelsea 2-3 Manchester City: Tevez, Yaya Toure and Nasri down 10-man Blues
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Moses agent denies reports of Chelsea agreement
Wigan Athletic forward Victor Moses has not agreed a deal to move to Champions League winners Chelsea, the player's agent has revealed.
Neil Fewings has insisted that no agreement has been struck between the two clubs for the Nigerian international, despite reports of a 9 million pound switch.
Moses has made more than 70 appearances for the Latics and earned praise for his performances in his side's fight for Premier League survival at the end of last season.
"Reports that a 9 million pound deal has been agreed between Chelsea and Wigan are not true," Fewings told Sky Sports.
Chelsea is believed to be looking to add British-based talent to its squad, and think Moses would fit the bill, but will have to meet Wigan’s 10 million pound valuation for a player it signed for 2.5 million pound from Crystal Palace in January 2010.
Wigan chairman Dave Whelan exclusively revealed to Goal.com in mid-June that an offer from the Blues had been rejected, with reports since then claiming that further bids had been made.
Wigan Athletic forward Victor Moses has not agreed a deal to move to Champions League winners Chelsea, the player's agent has revealed.
Neil Fewings has insisted that no agreement has been struck between the two clubs for the Nigerian international, despite reports of a 9 million pound switch.
Moses has made more than 70 appearances for the Latics and earned praise for his performances in his side's fight for Premier League survival at the end of last season.
"Reports that a 9 million pound deal has been agreed between Chelsea and Wigan are not true," Fewings told Sky Sports.
Chelsea is believed to be looking to add British-based talent to its squad, and think Moses would fit the bill, but will have to meet Wigan’s 10 million pound valuation for a player it signed for 2.5 million pound from Crystal Palace in January 2010.
Wigan chairman Dave Whelan exclusively revealed to Goal.com in mid-June that an offer from the Blues had been rejected, with reports since then claiming that further bids had been made.
Kompany denies Manchester City favorite tag
Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany is predicting another roller-coaster Premier League season but has denied that his club is the favorite to win the title.
Roberto Mancini's team claimed the 2011-12 championship in dramatic style and begin its title defense next Sunday when they kick-off at home to newly-promoted Southampton.
City made a statement to its league rivals on Sunday by coming from behind to record a 3-2 victory over Chelsea in the Community Shield.
"It's going to be a very interesting season again," Kompany told the FA's official website. "I wouldn't say we are favorites but it doesn't matter; if we can improve on last season then I'll be very happy."
Yaya Toure, Carlos Tevez and Samir Nasri scored to hand City victory at Villa Park, with Fernando Torres and Ryan Bertrand notching goals either side of the three-goal flurry for the European champions.
Kompany refused to get carried away with the result despite dealing an early blow to its rival, and recognized that the London club will be a threat to City's hopes of retaining its Premier League crown.
"We deserved to win, but it's going to be a tough league because you can see Chelsea have got qualities as well," he added.
Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany is predicting another roller-coaster Premier League season but has denied that his club is the favorite to win the title.
Roberto Mancini's team claimed the 2011-12 championship in dramatic style and begin its title defense next Sunday when they kick-off at home to newly-promoted Southampton.
City made a statement to its league rivals on Sunday by coming from behind to record a 3-2 victory over Chelsea in the Community Shield.
"It's going to be a very interesting season again," Kompany told the FA's official website. "I wouldn't say we are favorites but it doesn't matter; if we can improve on last season then I'll be very happy."
Yaya Toure, Carlos Tevez and Samir Nasri scored to hand City victory at Villa Park, with Fernando Torres and Ryan Bertrand notching goals either side of the three-goal flurry for the European champions.
Kompany refused to get carried away with the result despite dealing an early blow to its rival, and recognized that the London club will be a threat to City's hopes of retaining its Premier League crown.
"We deserved to win, but it's going to be a tough league because you can see Chelsea have got qualities as well," he added.
David Villa delighted to make Barcelona return
Barcelona forward David Villa is delighted to have made a successful return to the field, but insists he still needs time to regain his form.
The 30-year-old sustained a fractured tibia in the Club World Cup last December, which ruled him out for the rest of the domestic season and Spain's Euro 2012 campaign. However, he returned to full training a fortnight ago and made the first appearance since his setback in the 2-0 victory over Dinamo Bucharest on Saturday.
"It's a very happy day, I feel like a soccer player again," Villa told reporters after the match. "You have to be patient, I have taken a big step but it is very clear that I still have long way to go.
"The goal is getting back the highest level, but I do not know when I can reach it. I wish it were sooner, but I insist that I must have patience."
Villa did reveal that he originally found it difficult to come to terms with his injury, but is keen nonetheless to put the past behind him and concentrate on re-establishing himself.
"Mentally I have every confidence [in myself]. I only think about the present and the future, not the past," he added. "It was hard and long, more than I expected, perhaps because I have never had such a severe injury."
Hart and Sturridge out of England squad for Italy friendly
Joe Hart and Daniel Sturridge will play not part in England's friendly against Italy on Wednesday due to injuries.
The Manchester City goalkeeper, established as first choice for his country, missed his club's 3-2 Community Shield win with a back problem, though his manager, Roberto Mancini, noted that it was "not serious." The Chelsea forward suffered a toe problem during his substitute role at Villa Park.
Three Lions boss Roy Hodgson has not called up a replacement for either man, so Norwich City's John Ruddy will battle it out with Team GB's Olympic No.1, Jack Butland, to play in goal in Berne.
The Canaries keeper was due to feature in England’s Euro 2012 party before being forced to withdraw due to an injury of his own, the Birmingham City youngster taking his place.
Andy Carroll, Jermain Defoe and Theo Walcott are the remaining strikers available for the friendly.
The clash on neutral ground is a repeat of the quarterfinal in Poland and Ukraine, in which Cesare Prandelli's men knocked the Three Lions out on penalties on their way to the final.
Joe Hart and Daniel Sturridge will play not part in England's friendly against Italy on Wednesday due to injuries.
The Manchester City goalkeeper, established as first choice for his country, missed his club's 3-2 Community Shield win with a back problem, though his manager, Roberto Mancini, noted that it was "not serious." The Chelsea forward suffered a toe problem during his substitute role at Villa Park.
Three Lions boss Roy Hodgson has not called up a replacement for either man, so Norwich City's John Ruddy will battle it out with Team GB's Olympic No.1, Jack Butland, to play in goal in Berne.
The Canaries keeper was due to feature in England’s Euro 2012 party before being forced to withdraw due to an injury of his own, the Birmingham City youngster taking his place.
Andy Carroll, Jermain Defoe and Theo Walcott are the remaining strikers available for the friendly.
The clash on neutral ground is a repeat of the quarterfinal in Poland and Ukraine, in which Cesare Prandelli's men knocked the Three Lions out on penalties on their way to the final.
Bayern Munich 2-1 Borussia Dortmund: Muller earns Supercup spoils
Bayern Munich ended its run of five straight defeats against Borussia Dortmund by collecting the German Supercup in a 2-1 victory at the Allianz Arena.
The Bavarian giant capitalized on a woeful first half performance from the Bundesliga champion, with new arrival Mario Mandzukic opening the scoring before Thomas Muller doubled the advantage five minutes later. Dortmund rallied in the second half, eventually pulling one back through Robert Lewandowski, but was unable to find another, allowing Bayern to claim the spoils.
It was Jupp Heynckes’ men that emerged with attacking impetus, and quickly took control of the contest. Franck Ribery’s marauding run led to him producing a low ball across goal, and Dortmund’s defense could only look on as Mandzukic slotted home to net on his competitive debut for his new club.
On 11 minutes, it was two. Arjen Robben’s run deep into Dortmund territory led to him producing a delicate chip that rebounded from the upright, only for Muller to be on hand to lash the ball into the net, and leave Jurgen Klopp’s side reeling.
Bayern cruised through the remainder of the half, experiencing minimal resistance from their old adversaries; indeed, this Dortmund performance looked a far cry from their dominant German Cup final win of just three months previous.
As the second half commenced, however, they began to advance into Bayern territory. Manuel Neuer had to react quickly to beat away a Lewandowski effort from close range, and then Marco Reus got his angles ever so slightly askew, curling his shot marginally wide of the target.
But Lewandowski made no mistake 15 minutes from time, setting up a grandstand finish in the process. The frontman swiveled inside the area and placed his shot expertly inside the post, leaving Neuer helpless and Bayern nervous.
New Dortmund arrival Julian Schieber almost made himself an instant hero moments later, but after collecting Gotze’s through ball, he contrived to guide his effort narrowly wide of goal.
Bayern was hanging on, and Heynckes took action, replacing Ribery with Anatoliy Tymoshchuk in an effort to stem the flow of pressure.
There was still time for controversy, as Lahm appeared to handle the ball inside the area, leaving Klopp apoplectic on the touchline, but the referee waved play on and Bayern maintained its composure and clinched the first silverware of the German season.
Bayern Munich ended its run of five straight defeats against Borussia Dortmund by collecting the German Supercup in a 2-1 victory at the Allianz Arena.
The Bavarian giant capitalized on a woeful first half performance from the Bundesliga champion, with new arrival Mario Mandzukic opening the scoring before Thomas Muller doubled the advantage five minutes later. Dortmund rallied in the second half, eventually pulling one back through Robert Lewandowski, but was unable to find another, allowing Bayern to claim the spoils.
It was Jupp Heynckes’ men that emerged with attacking impetus, and quickly took control of the contest. Franck Ribery’s marauding run led to him producing a low ball across goal, and Dortmund’s defense could only look on as Mandzukic slotted home to net on his competitive debut for his new club.
On 11 minutes, it was two. Arjen Robben’s run deep into Dortmund territory led to him producing a delicate chip that rebounded from the upright, only for Muller to be on hand to lash the ball into the net, and leave Jurgen Klopp’s side reeling.
Bayern cruised through the remainder of the half, experiencing minimal resistance from their old adversaries; indeed, this Dortmund performance looked a far cry from their dominant German Cup final win of just three months previous.
As the second half commenced, however, they began to advance into Bayern territory. Manuel Neuer had to react quickly to beat away a Lewandowski effort from close range, and then Marco Reus got his angles ever so slightly askew, curling his shot marginally wide of the target.
But Lewandowski made no mistake 15 minutes from time, setting up a grandstand finish in the process. The frontman swiveled inside the area and placed his shot expertly inside the post, leaving Neuer helpless and Bayern nervous.
New Dortmund arrival Julian Schieber almost made himself an instant hero moments later, but after collecting Gotze’s through ball, he contrived to guide his effort narrowly wide of goal.
Bayern was hanging on, and Heynckes took action, replacing Ribery with Anatoliy Tymoshchuk in an effort to stem the flow of pressure.
There was still time for controversy, as Lahm appeared to handle the ball inside the area, leaving Klopp apoplectic on the touchline, but the referee waved play on and Bayern maintained its composure and clinched the first silverware of the German season.
Chelsea target Hulk keen on Premier League or La Liga switch
Porto forward Hulk admits that he is keen on a move to either the Premier League or La Liga, citing them as the biggest leagues in the world.
The 26-year-old, who has scored an impressive 52 goals in 96 league appearances for the Portuguese giants, has been linked with a number of club this summer including Chelsea, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain. After representing Brazil at the Olympic Games, the forward has turned his attention back to domestic soccer and has listed England and Spain as his preferred destinations.
"I have left a door open for being transferred to another league," Hulk told reporters. "I have preference for playing in the Premier League or the Spanish Liga, because they are the two leagues that are the most seen all over the world.
"I didn't talk too much with my agent about the chance of being transferred, because I have been on duty with the Brazilian national team at the Olympics.
"This could be the time for me to move. I would feel comfortable with moving clubs and the English league is one that appeals to me."
With a release clause of 78 million pounds [100m euros], it would appear that only the biggest clubs stand a chance of securing highly-rated Brazilian, and the striker admitted that discussions will take place with his agent at the beginning of next week.
"I am going to talk about my future from Monday," he stated. "My future is in the hands of God."
Porto forward Hulk admits that he is keen on a move to either the Premier League or La Liga, citing them as the biggest leagues in the world.
The 26-year-old, who has scored an impressive 52 goals in 96 league appearances for the Portuguese giants, has been linked with a number of club this summer including Chelsea, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain. After representing Brazil at the Olympic Games, the forward has turned his attention back to domestic soccer and has listed England and Spain as his preferred destinations.
"I have left a door open for being transferred to another league," Hulk told reporters. "I have preference for playing in the Premier League or the Spanish Liga, because they are the two leagues that are the most seen all over the world.
"I didn't talk too much with my agent about the chance of being transferred, because I have been on duty with the Brazilian national team at the Olympics.
"This could be the time for me to move. I would feel comfortable with moving clubs and the English league is one that appeals to me."
With a release clause of 78 million pounds [100m euros], it would appear that only the biggest clubs stand a chance of securing highly-rated Brazilian, and the striker admitted that discussions will take place with his agent at the beginning of next week.
"I am going to talk about my future from Monday," he stated. "My future is in the hands of God."
Aniwa Hazard gana nam bayawenna deyak naha Aiya Wada Patan gani EPL 1ka Patan gattha gamang!
But ara Aiya Kiwwath wage Marin wa nam Match 1kata danna Thibba
Wenger expects RvP to stay
Arsene Wenger confirmed Arsenal's desire to keep Robin van Persie this season, despite the striker receiving a chilly welcome from the club's fans during their 4-0 win over Cologne on Sunday.
Van Persie, whose contract at the Emirates expires next summer, has been targeted by Manchester United, City and Juventus in recent months. United boss Sir Alex Ferguson also reportedly missed his side's pre-season friendly with Hannover on Saturday in order to step up his pursuit of van Persie.
Arsenal's manager, though, says he has no intention of letting the £25 million-rated striker depart the club prior to the start of the upcoming campaign.
"There's no news on van Persie," Wenger told the Sun. "Our fans want him to stay so you can understand they are excited. Anything I could say about van Persie would be a lie because he's our player and that's it.
"Robin scored 30 goals last season and you want to keep your best player. He was player of the year in England. We want to keep him. I cannot tell you more at the moment because I don't know more.
"We have not bought the players to replace van Persie, but to strengthen our squad with the thinking van Persie will stay. That's still my mind at the moment."
One of those new signings, Lukas Podolski, starred in the pre-season clash on Sunday, netting a brace before being replaced by van Persie in the 69th minute. The former Cologne striker came in for criticism from the Bundesliga club's chief executive prior to the match, but responded by expressing his delight at having joined Arsenal."First match and first goals. I was very surprised by the reaction of the Arsenal fans. I heard them chanting my name and it was crazy.
"I have felt part of Arsenal from the first day, to score in my first match was great. I need another two weeks to be fully ready," Podolski said.
Arsene Wenger confirmed Arsenal's desire to keep Robin van Persie this season, despite the striker receiving a chilly welcome from the club's fans during their 4-0 win over Cologne on Sunday.
Van Persie, whose contract at the Emirates expires next summer, has been targeted by Manchester United, City and Juventus in recent months. United boss Sir Alex Ferguson also reportedly missed his side's pre-season friendly with Hannover on Saturday in order to step up his pursuit of van Persie.
Arsenal's manager, though, says he has no intention of letting the £25 million-rated striker depart the club prior to the start of the upcoming campaign.
"There's no news on van Persie," Wenger told the Sun. "Our fans want him to stay so you can understand they are excited. Anything I could say about van Persie would be a lie because he's our player and that's it.
"Robin scored 30 goals last season and you want to keep your best player. He was player of the year in England. We want to keep him. I cannot tell you more at the moment because I don't know more.
"We have not bought the players to replace van Persie, but to strengthen our squad with the thinking van Persie will stay. That's still my mind at the moment."
One of those new signings, Lukas Podolski, starred in the pre-season clash on Sunday, netting a brace before being replaced by van Persie in the 69th minute. The former Cologne striker came in for criticism from the Bundesliga club's chief executive prior to the match, but responded by expressing his delight at having joined Arsenal."First match and first goals. I was very surprised by the reaction of the Arsenal fans. I heard them chanting my name and it was crazy.
"I have felt part of Arsenal from the first day, to score in my first match was great. I need another two weeks to be fully ready," Podolski said.
Transfer Window Last Week 1katath awa
Wena deyak wenna ithin thawa 5 Days wage thama Thiyenne
Sir Alex Furguson RvP ganama bala bala inna 1ka Therumak weida manda........mama nam Kiyanne Hodama de wena Option 1kakuth try karana 1ka
nathnam RvP th naha wena Playerslath naha
Anthimata kanna Thamai wenne
Wena deyak wenna ithin thawa 5 Days wage thama ThiyenneSir Alex Furguson RvP ganama bala bala inna 1ka Therumak weida manda........mama nam Kiyanne Hodama de wena Option 1kakuth try karana 1ka
nathnam RvP th naha wena Playerslath nahaAnthimata kanna Thamai wenne
Chelsea vs Manchester City 2-3 Community Shield 2012 Highlights
Chelsea vs Manchester City 2-3 Community Shield 2012 Highlights
Chelsea 2-3 Manchester City: Tevez, Yaya Toure and Nasri down 10-man Blues
Manchester City produced a swashbuckling second-half display to beat 10-man Chelsea 3-2 in the Community Shield and warn the rest of the Premier League that the club is ready to retain its title.
Roberto Mancini may believe Manchester United is the favorite to win the league this season, but his City side was in fine form at Villa Park and dominated this feisty match despite falling behind to Fernando Torres’ 40th minute strike.
Yaya Toure, Carlos Tevez and Samir Nasri struck three superb goals after the break as City took advantage of space in the Chelsea defense created by the red card shown to Branislav Ivanovic in the 42nd minute for a horrible studs-up challenge on Aleksandar Kolarov.
Ryan Bertrand grabbed a late goal back for Chelsea but City held on comfortably to complete a successful day following the news that the club had agreed a fee with Everton to sign Jack Rodwell.
There was certainly nothing charitable about the traditional season curtain raiser as fierce challenges flew in with almost the same ferocity as the rain pounding down in the west Midlands.
Nigel De Jong set the tone with a lunging foul on Frank Lampard, while City defender Stefan Savic was booked as he took out his frustration on Eden Hazard’s ankle.
Thousands of supporters arrived late due to traffic on the M6, but they missed little action of note in the early stages as the champions of England and Europe cancelled each other out in a congested midfield.
In the third minute, Tevez forced the first save of note from Petr Cech with a free kick from the corner of the penalty area that curled over the wall but lacked the power to beat the Chelsea goalkeeper at his near post.
City looked rather uncomfortable defensively with the 3-5-2 formation deployed by Mancini, but they began to take control of proceedings, Nasri coming close but seeing his effort from a tight angle smothered by Cech.
Hazard, the only summer signing to start the match for either side, showed glimpses of his quality, taking the ball under pressure and using his skill to move the City defenders.
The 32 million pound Belgian is certainly confident in his own ability - but his first game on English soil is likely to be remembered for the moment in the first half when he fell flat on his face when attempting a back heel.
On 28 minutes, it was Hazard who drifted inside and fizzed a low shot towards the bottom corner of Costel Pantilmon’s goal, the first shot in anger from a Chelsea player.
Against the run of play, however, the Blues took the lead in the 40th minute, with Torres making a clear statement of his intent for the new season after winning the Golden Boot at Euro 2012.
Ramires did all of the hard work for the Spaniard, taking the ball on the edge of the penalty area and executing a neat reverse pass. Torres’ finish was masterly, a perfect first touch with his right foot and a deadly clipped finish with his left from eight yards.
Yet Chelsea’s celebrations were short-lived as Roberto Di Matteo’s side was reduced to 10 men less than two minutes later as Ivanovic was sent off. The Serbian’s studs-up lunge on Aleksandar Kolarov was dangerous, reckless and completely unnecessary and the fullback will now be suspended for three matches.
The extra man told as City dominated from the whistle after the re-start and drew level eight minutes into the second half. Yaya Toure, always the man for the occasion, collected a poor clearance from John Terry and swept the ball low into the corner from 20 yards, making the difficult look simple.
In the 58th minute, City took the lead with a goal that was as inevitable as it was brilliant. There seemed little danger when Tevez collected the ball on the left of the Chelsea box, but he cut across, past the dangling leg of David Luiz, before smashing a missile into the top corner.
Cech could only stand motionless as the striker wheeled away in celebration, the man who spent most of last season in Argentina dedicating his goal to the Fuerte Apache area where he grew up in Buenos Aires.
By now, there was no doubt of the outcome of the match, but Nasri added the finishing touch with a first-time volley on his left foot to turn in Kolarov’s cross following a sweeping move.
Chelsea substitute Ryan Bertrand grabbed a goal back for the Londoners in the 78th minute as he turned in a rebound from close range when Pantilimon made a mess of his attempt to save Daniel Sturridge’s shot.
But it was not enough and City deservedly saw the game out to land a psychological blow more telling than any of the physical combat on the pitch.
මේ මැච් එකේ Cityලා අමුතුම formation එකක් ගැහුවෙ. 3-4-1-2. Diffendersලා 3 දෙනයි. මම නම් හිතුවෙම මැච් එක City කයි කියලා. Diffendersලා 3ක් ගහලා ඒ මදිවට savicත් හිටියම diffendersලා දෙන්නෙක් ගැහුව වගේනෙ. අනික Hart ගැහුවෙත් නෑ.....
දැන් දිගටම ගහන්නෙ ඔය formation එකෙන් ලු. බලමු කට්ටිය මොනව කරගනීද කියලා......
Bolt: Ronaldo is better than Messi without question
The Jamaican sprinter, who defended his 100m gold medal this summer at the Olympic Games in London, as well as adding the 200m and 4x100m relay titles to his name, believes there is only one clear winner for this year's Ballon d'Or.
"No doubt Cristiano is better than Messi. He is a more complete player," he told Portuguese channel RTP.
"I would give [the Ballon d'Or] to Cristiano. He has managed to stay on top and that's the most difficult thing."
The Jamaican sprinter, who defended his 100m gold medal this summer at the Olympic Games in London, as well as adding the 200m and 4x100m relay titles to his name, believes there is only one clear winner for this year's Ballon d'Or.
"No doubt Cristiano is better than Messi. He is a more complete player," he told Portuguese channel RTP.
"I would give [the Ballon d'Or] to Cristiano. He has managed to stay on top and that's the most difficult thing."
Redknapp tips Manchester City to retain Premier League title
Harry Redknapp has tipped Manchester City to retain its Premier League title but predicts Manchester United will ensure it is a tight race.
The 65-year-old was sacked by Tottenham this summer after seeing Spurs fail to secure Champions League football despite finishing fourth due to Chelsea's victory in the competition.
But the Englishman retains a strong opinion on the English game and, amongst other tips, has predicted that Arsenal may struggle should it lose Robin van Persie.
Redknapp, who was recently appointed a Sky Sports Fantasy Football ambassador, said: “I suppose City will be favorites and then Man Utd, Chelsea and Tottenham again.
"Arsenal will be in for a tough season this year if they lose Van Persie, I think they’ve got it all to do and Tottenham could finish above them this year.
“[Sir Alex Ferguson] will want to win a trophy this year and they’ll push Man City all the way.
“I think Liverpool will do better. People say there’s a long rebuilding process going on at the club, but they’ll be there. They’ve got fantastic players in my opinion – [Luis] Suarez, [Andy] Carroll, [Steven] Gerrard, [Jamie] Carragher, Glen Johnson, a great goalkeeper in Pepe Reina and some good central defenders. They should be pushing for the top four.
"If Alan [Pardew] gets [Newcastle] into the top five again, top six even, it will be a miracle. He’ll do well if they finish seventh or eighth this year."
The veteran manager also picked out some star performers for the new campaign, with strikers Suarez and Fernando Torres predicted to impress for Liverpool and Chelsea respectively.
He added: “I think players like Suarez will be up there, he’s a good goalscorer and makes goals, he’s a fantastic talent. I also think Torres will get his chance to play this year now that [Didier] Drogba has gone, he could be a big goalscorer.
“You’ve got to look at the teams that are going to be up at the top, that’s where the goals are going to come from. Looking at Man City, players like Aguero should score more goals this year, as will Tevez if he stays. Suarez is also capable of getting more goals.”
Looking at the bottom end of the table, Redknapp expressed his belief that all three promoted sides will avoid the drop, and backed QPR to significantly improve after narrowly escaping relegation last season.
He continued: "They’re all equally balanced and I think they could all stay up this year. I’ve got a feeling that with Sam [Allardyce] West Ham will be strong - there’s great support at Upton Park, it’s a difficult place to go.
“Southampton have done fantastic too. Nigel Adkins has performed a miracle there to bring them up two divisions and again it’s a great stadium, full house every week.
"And Reading, they’ve got a new owner, a Russian who looks like he has plenty of money as well, which is good for them. I think all three will stay up, though I wouldn’t want to say which one will finish higher, I think it’s dead even.”
“I think QPR will do OK, they’ll do a lot better than last season. Mark [Hughes] has gone out there and bought some strong characters. He knows his players and he’ll get the best out of them.”
Harry Redknapp has tipped Manchester City to retain its Premier League title but predicts Manchester United will ensure it is a tight race.
The 65-year-old was sacked by Tottenham this summer after seeing Spurs fail to secure Champions League football despite finishing fourth due to Chelsea's victory in the competition.
But the Englishman retains a strong opinion on the English game and, amongst other tips, has predicted that Arsenal may struggle should it lose Robin van Persie.
Redknapp, who was recently appointed a Sky Sports Fantasy Football ambassador, said: “I suppose City will be favorites and then Man Utd, Chelsea and Tottenham again.
"Arsenal will be in for a tough season this year if they lose Van Persie, I think they’ve got it all to do and Tottenham could finish above them this year.
“[Sir Alex Ferguson] will want to win a trophy this year and they’ll push Man City all the way.
“I think Liverpool will do better. People say there’s a long rebuilding process going on at the club, but they’ll be there. They’ve got fantastic players in my opinion – [Luis] Suarez, [Andy] Carroll, [Steven] Gerrard, [Jamie] Carragher, Glen Johnson, a great goalkeeper in Pepe Reina and some good central defenders. They should be pushing for the top four.
"If Alan [Pardew] gets [Newcastle] into the top five again, top six even, it will be a miracle. He’ll do well if they finish seventh or eighth this year."
The veteran manager also picked out some star performers for the new campaign, with strikers Suarez and Fernando Torres predicted to impress for Liverpool and Chelsea respectively.
He added: “I think players like Suarez will be up there, he’s a good goalscorer and makes goals, he’s a fantastic talent. I also think Torres will get his chance to play this year now that [Didier] Drogba has gone, he could be a big goalscorer.
“You’ve got to look at the teams that are going to be up at the top, that’s where the goals are going to come from. Looking at Man City, players like Aguero should score more goals this year, as will Tevez if he stays. Suarez is also capable of getting more goals.”
Looking at the bottom end of the table, Redknapp expressed his belief that all three promoted sides will avoid the drop, and backed QPR to significantly improve after narrowly escaping relegation last season.
He continued: "They’re all equally balanced and I think they could all stay up this year. I’ve got a feeling that with Sam [Allardyce] West Ham will be strong - there’s great support at Upton Park, it’s a difficult place to go.
“Southampton have done fantastic too. Nigel Adkins has performed a miracle there to bring them up two divisions and again it’s a great stadium, full house every week.
"And Reading, they’ve got a new owner, a Russian who looks like he has plenty of money as well, which is good for them. I think all three will stay up, though I wouldn’t want to say which one will finish higher, I think it’s dead even.”
“I think QPR will do OK, they’ll do a lot better than last season. Mark [Hughes] has gone out there and bought some strong characters. He knows his players and he’ll get the best out of them.”
Yaya Toure: Manchester City has forgiven Tevez
Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure believes the return of Carlos Tevez will prove vital as the club attempt to defend its Premier League title, and revealed that the striker has apologized to the squad for his behavior last season.
The Argentina international scored during his team’s Community Shield victory over Chelsea to further enhance his reputation after an impressive end-of-season cameo last term following a six-month exile.
Fformer Barcelona midfielder Toure has lauded his teammate, and believes the club has moved on from the events of last campaign and can now look forward to fresh “commitment”.
“Carlos has always been committed to the club,” Toure told reporters. “He has always helped what we have done. He made a mistake, but the most important thing when you make a mistake you have to apologize. He apologized to everyone. He has come back and wants to show he will give everything for the team. For me, the most important thing is his commitment, because the boy is unbelievable.
"He’s one of the most important players in the team and we’re very happy to have him because he’s such a fantastic player. He’s a fantastic professional and he always trains very hard. Carlos is one of the best. You saw [against Chelsea] that he was very dangerous. Both him and [Sergio] Aguero are the perfect partnership. They have played together for Argentina before and now they play for Manchester City. I’m sure they will score a lot of goals for the club.”
City manager Roberto Mancini echoed the Ivorian’s remarks, adding that he believes Tevez has rediscovered his love for the game after infamously refusing to enter the field of play against Bayern Munich last September.
“I’m very happy because this year Carlos has worked very well in preseason and his form is better,” said Mancini. Also, this year he wants to play football. For a player, it’s difficult when he doesn’t play. Last season Carlos didn’t play for six months and that’s difficult."
“So I expect him to be a very important player this season. Last season we had Carlos for the last 10 games and it was important because he scored five or six goals. But he was not 100 percent. This year is the first time in four, maybe five years, that he has done a full preseason and for every player this is important.”
And Toure concluded that the Blues can retain the Premier League title with a fit and focused squad – but also underlined the important of improving on last season’s disappointing Champions League group stage exit.
Yaya added: “The most important thing for us is to continue to keep improving. When the team spends money, it’s not spending for the sake of it. You have to keep getting good players to get a good squad and be competitive."
“So many people said things about us. We know it will be difficult to repeat last season. We played well all season and it’s going to be very exciting this season. If I didn’t think I was going to win anything with Manchester City, I would leave the club."
“We want to take this team as far as it can go. It is so important for this club that we get to the second round of the Champions League. We have a fantastic squad, with a fantastic manager and I’m sure we can go far.”
Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure believes the return of Carlos Tevez will prove vital as the club attempt to defend its Premier League title, and revealed that the striker has apologized to the squad for his behavior last season.
The Argentina international scored during his team’s Community Shield victory over Chelsea to further enhance his reputation after an impressive end-of-season cameo last term following a six-month exile.
Fformer Barcelona midfielder Toure has lauded his teammate, and believes the club has moved on from the events of last campaign and can now look forward to fresh “commitment”.
“Carlos has always been committed to the club,” Toure told reporters. “He has always helped what we have done. He made a mistake, but the most important thing when you make a mistake you have to apologize. He apologized to everyone. He has come back and wants to show he will give everything for the team. For me, the most important thing is his commitment, because the boy is unbelievable.
"He’s one of the most important players in the team and we’re very happy to have him because he’s such a fantastic player. He’s a fantastic professional and he always trains very hard. Carlos is one of the best. You saw [against Chelsea] that he was very dangerous. Both him and [Sergio] Aguero are the perfect partnership. They have played together for Argentina before and now they play for Manchester City. I’m sure they will score a lot of goals for the club.”
City manager Roberto Mancini echoed the Ivorian’s remarks, adding that he believes Tevez has rediscovered his love for the game after infamously refusing to enter the field of play against Bayern Munich last September.
“I’m very happy because this year Carlos has worked very well in preseason and his form is better,” said Mancini. Also, this year he wants to play football. For a player, it’s difficult when he doesn’t play. Last season Carlos didn’t play for six months and that’s difficult."
“So I expect him to be a very important player this season. Last season we had Carlos for the last 10 games and it was important because he scored five or six goals. But he was not 100 percent. This year is the first time in four, maybe five years, that he has done a full preseason and for every player this is important.”
And Toure concluded that the Blues can retain the Premier League title with a fit and focused squad – but also underlined the important of improving on last season’s disappointing Champions League group stage exit.
Yaya added: “The most important thing for us is to continue to keep improving. When the team spends money, it’s not spending for the sake of it. You have to keep getting good players to get a good squad and be competitive."
“So many people said things about us. We know it will be difficult to repeat last season. We played well all season and it’s going to be very exciting this season. If I didn’t think I was going to win anything with Manchester City, I would leave the club."
“We want to take this team as far as it can go. It is so important for this club that we get to the second round of the Champions League. We have a fantastic squad, with a fantastic manager and I’m sure we can go far.”
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