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..::Football II::..
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Ferguson: 'Everything is in place for a big signing'The manager has praised the club's owners the Glazers, insisting that he will continue to be backed in the transfer market if he identifies a player who could improve the squad.Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is anticipating a significant arrival this summer after admitting "everything is in place for a big signing."
Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski reportedly tops Ferguson's wish-list, while a move for Tottenham star Gareth Bale and a shock return to Old Trafford for Cristiano Ronaldo have also been mooted.
"Everything is in place for a big signing. I think that the Glazers have been great. Whenever I have asked, they have delivered. If I ask to go for a certain player, I think they will do that," Ferguson told The Daily Mirror. "When I spoke about value in the market a while back, I was talking about young, developing players. Maybe there has been a wind of change and I could go for a really top player now. We have a nucleus of young players here, but we may spend something.
"When it’s a top player, it doesn’t matter what position they play in. I will bring them in if they add to the team. Last season we had [Javier] Hernandez, [Danny] Welbeck and [Wayne] Rooney and we still went out and bought Robin van Persie.”
The purchase of van Persie went against the policy of a "nucleus of young players" at Old Trafford, and Ferguson admitted the deal to bring the striker from Arsenal was heavily discussed following similar, but less successful moves in the past.
"Van Persie’s age was certainly an issue because it has not always worked when we have bought older players," Ferguson said. "David Gill said to me after we bought Dimitar Berbatov [from Tottenham for 30 million pounds] that we had to be careful when signing older players, but van Persie was different. He was phenomenal for Arsenal last season and so I was confident it would work.”
Barclays Premier League 2013.05.06 Fixtures
Barclays Premier League 2013.05.06 Fixtures
Sunderland Vs Stroke City
Barcelona 4-2 Real Real Betis: Magical Messi puts Blaugrana on brink of title
Chelsea asap asap pls :'( This fella ruining legends of MadridChelsea should target Mourinho over Pellegrini, says Kenyon
The former Blues chief believes Mourinho would give any team the "maximum chance of winning" but indicated his differences with Roman Abramovich could make a return difficult.Former Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon believes that Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho is the best man for the job to replace interim manager Rafa Benitez ahead of next season.
Mourinho won six trophies in three years with the Blues, including two successive Premier League titles, and is rumored to be on his way back to West London after an uneven spell with the Spanish giant. Kenyon revealed the club is looking at a number of candidates, including Malaga's Manuel Pellegrini, but indicated the self-proclaimed 'Special One' would definitely be his top choice.
"If I was at another club and looking for someone who would give me the maximum chance of winning, it's Jose Mourinho," Kenyon told BBC Radio 5 Live. "You've got one of the best clubs, one of the best owners and one of the best coaches - it's a hard combination to resist.
"I'd need some other very strong candidates to look elsewhere, and you'd have to say he's very much on the shortlist.
"Pep Guardiola would have been up there [as a candidate] but he's not available. Manuel Pellegrini you would definitely look at. But if I was looking at Pellegrini or Jose, Jose would win hands down."
Mourinho left Stamford Bridge in 2007 by mutual consent, but his disagreements with club owner Roman Abramovich were well documented, and Kenyon, who left Stamford Bridge himself in 2009, acknowledged the need to clear the air.
"They're both very strong individuals and before this appointment happens, if it happens, there will be an awful lot of discussion between those two," Kenyon said. "It's a very different team now, that is at a very different part of its evolution as a major European team, and clarification is needed over players.
"Given the past history that they both know each other, they have both worked with each other, all that does is heighten the need for some of those things to be ironed out before the appointment is made."
Napoli 3-1 Inter: Cavani hat trick guarantees top-three finish for Partenopei
Fernandinho drops Man City hint
Shakhtar Donetsk star Fernandinho has intimated he desires a move to Manchester City, viewing the potential transfer as a way to enhance his 2014 World Cup chances.
Fernandinho has been heavily linked with City in recent weeks, however Shakhtar boss Mircea Lucescu has warned the Premier League club that the Brazilian will not be released for less than €50 million.
In the strongest indication that the deal will go ahead this summer, though, the playmaker has stated he must leave the Ukraine in order to make a mark for his national team. “I believe my chances of making the World Cup squad will improve if I join City,” he is quoted as saying in The Sun.
“My exposure would be better, because Brazil is biased towards the Ukrainian league. What we do here is not recognised in my country. Playing in a division, at a club that is considered among the best in the world would help me get back in the Brazilian national team.
“There are a lot of people in England with good football knowledge. Those complement my skills, and motivate me to want to play in the Premier League.”
Fernandinho and his Shakhtar team-mates last week clinched their fourth consecutive domestic league title, their eighth since the 2001-02 season.
Shakhtar Donetsk star Fernandinho has intimated he desires a move to Manchester City, viewing the potential transfer as a way to enhance his 2014 World Cup chances.
Fernandinho has been heavily linked with City in recent weeks, however Shakhtar boss Mircea Lucescu has warned the Premier League club that the Brazilian will not be released for less than €50 million.
In the strongest indication that the deal will go ahead this summer, though, the playmaker has stated he must leave the Ukraine in order to make a mark for his national team. “I believe my chances of making the World Cup squad will improve if I join City,” he is quoted as saying in The Sun.
“My exposure would be better, because Brazil is biased towards the Ukrainian league. What we do here is not recognised in my country. Playing in a division, at a club that is considered among the best in the world would help me get back in the Brazilian national team.
“There are a lot of people in England with good football knowledge. Those complement my skills, and motivate me to want to play in the Premier League.”
Fernandinho and his Shakhtar team-mates last week clinched their fourth consecutive domestic league title, their eighth since the 2001-02 season.
Brendan Rodgers planning to bolster his Liverpool ranks this summer
Brendan Rodgers will dip into the transfer market this summer with the intention of bringing match-winners to Liverpool.
Rodgers has helped to make the Reds difficult to beat during his debut season in the Anfield hot-seat, but they remain some way off the pace in the race for a top-four finish.Too many draws have held Liverpool back, with Sunday's goalless stalemate with Merseyside rivals Everton their 13th of the campaign.
Finding players with the ability to make a telling contribution in tight encounters will be the priority for Rodgers when the transfer window re-opens, with creative talent top of his wish list.
Speaking after a derby date with the Toffees, Rodgers said: "We weren't at our best but what you need to make sure is you are competitive."We kept another clean sheet, which is 15 (in the league) this season and we need to be strong defensively as well as attacking.
"We've scored a lot of goals this season but we obviously need to improve in that aspect as well to break down teams who come and play that bit deeper."We need to fine one or two players who can help make the difference in games like this.
"We've had a lot of draws this season and we need to find the solution for next year."
Brendan Rodgers will dip into the transfer market this summer with the intention of bringing match-winners to Liverpool.
Rodgers has helped to make the Reds difficult to beat during his debut season in the Anfield hot-seat, but they remain some way off the pace in the race for a top-four finish.Too many draws have held Liverpool back, with Sunday's goalless stalemate with Merseyside rivals Everton their 13th of the campaign.
Finding players with the ability to make a telling contribution in tight encounters will be the priority for Rodgers when the transfer window re-opens, with creative talent top of his wish list.
Speaking after a derby date with the Toffees, Rodgers said: "We weren't at our best but what you need to make sure is you are competitive."We kept another clean sheet, which is 15 (in the league) this season and we need to be strong defensively as well as attacking.
"We've scored a lot of goals this season but we obviously need to improve in that aspect as well to break down teams who come and play that bit deeper."We need to fine one or two players who can help make the difference in games like this.
"We've had a lot of draws this season and we need to find the solution for next year."
Burak Yilmaz happy to stay with Galatasaray
The 27-year-old insists he is willing to honor his contract and remain in Istanbul despite being the subject of transfer speculation Burak Yilmaz’s sensational season has provoked attention from some of Europe’s top clubs, but the striker says he would be happy to see out his contract with Galatasaray.
The Turkey international has 22 league goals so far this season, to go with his eight strikes in the Champions League, and insists he is more than content to remain in Istanbul.
“I’m really happy at Galatasaray. I have a five-year contract here. If an offer comes on the table then it’s the club’s decision which will matter,” he told Lig TV.
Yilmaz then noted the contributions of teammates Didier Droga and Umut Bulut, but reserved special praise for the latter of that pair.
He added: “Didier Drogba could easily play with me or Umut Bulut. We complete each other. He’s an excellent player but one should also notice the contributions that Umut Bulut had made. He kept us at the top of the table in the first half of the season. Drogba is great but Umut was also influential.”
The 27-year-old also denied suggestions he attempted to copy Cristiano Ronaldo with his goal celebrations.
“The celebration against Cluj was about annoying the rival fans and I have been criticized for it. My celebrations are improvised. I don’t imitate Cristiano Ronaldo, I just try to enjoy the moment.”
The 27-year-old insists he is willing to honor his contract and remain in Istanbul despite being the subject of transfer speculation Burak Yilmaz’s sensational season has provoked attention from some of Europe’s top clubs, but the striker says he would be happy to see out his contract with Galatasaray.
The Turkey international has 22 league goals so far this season, to go with his eight strikes in the Champions League, and insists he is more than content to remain in Istanbul.
“I’m really happy at Galatasaray. I have a five-year contract here. If an offer comes on the table then it’s the club’s decision which will matter,” he told Lig TV.
Yilmaz then noted the contributions of teammates Didier Droga and Umut Bulut, but reserved special praise for the latter of that pair.
He added: “Didier Drogba could easily play with me or Umut Bulut. We complete each other. He’s an excellent player but one should also notice the contributions that Umut Bulut had made. He kept us at the top of the table in the first half of the season. Drogba is great but Umut was also influential.”
The 27-year-old also denied suggestions he attempted to copy Cristiano Ronaldo with his goal celebrations.
“The celebration against Cluj was about annoying the rival fans and I have been criticized for it. My celebrations are improvised. I don’t imitate Cristiano Ronaldo, I just try to enjoy the moment.”
Schurrle has probably signed a pre-contract agreement with Chelsea, admits Bayer Leverkusen general manager
Wolfgang Holzhauser believes a deal is already in place between the player and the west London club, while Borussia Dortmund have made a substantial bid for Kevin de Bruyne Bayer Leverkusen general manager Wolfgang Holzhauser has admitted it is likely Andre Schurrle has already signed a pre-contract agreement with Chelsea.
Schurrle has been heavily linked with a summer move to Stamford Bridge and Holzhauser revealed that the German club was mulling over an offer from the Blues for the 22-year-old.
Holzhauser insists Leverkusen will assess its options before making a decision on the bid but expects a deal is already in place between the player and the west London club should it be accepted.
"Andre Schurrle has probably signed a pre-contract deal with Chelsea," Holzhauser said according to Kicker magazine.
"It all depends on whether we let him go. We have received a concrete offer for a fee which we are considering. But the price alone is not decisive. We must also have alternatives, which we don't have yet."
Kevin de Bruyne has been linked with a move in the other direction as a possible makeweight in a deal for Schurrle but Holzhauser believes Borussia Dortmund is pursuing the midfielder.
"He still has a few talks to hold with Chelsea," Holzhauser said of the on-loan Werder Bremen player. "It looks like there is an offer from Dortmund to sign the player for a relatively high fee.
"According to our information, Chelsea don't want to sell him but just loan him out."
Wolfgang Holzhauser believes a deal is already in place between the player and the west London club, while Borussia Dortmund have made a substantial bid for Kevin de Bruyne Bayer Leverkusen general manager Wolfgang Holzhauser has admitted it is likely Andre Schurrle has already signed a pre-contract agreement with Chelsea.
Schurrle has been heavily linked with a summer move to Stamford Bridge and Holzhauser revealed that the German club was mulling over an offer from the Blues for the 22-year-old.
Holzhauser insists Leverkusen will assess its options before making a decision on the bid but expects a deal is already in place between the player and the west London club should it be accepted.
"Andre Schurrle has probably signed a pre-contract deal with Chelsea," Holzhauser said according to Kicker magazine.
"It all depends on whether we let him go. We have received a concrete offer for a fee which we are considering. But the price alone is not decisive. We must also have alternatives, which we don't have yet."
Kevin de Bruyne has been linked with a move in the other direction as a possible makeweight in a deal for Schurrle but Holzhauser believes Borussia Dortmund is pursuing the midfielder.
"He still has a few talks to hold with Chelsea," Holzhauser said of the on-loan Werder Bremen player. "It looks like there is an offer from Dortmund to sign the player for a relatively high fee.
"According to our information, Chelsea don't want to sell him but just loan him out."
Juventus has won 31 titles, says Lippi
The former Bianconeri boss still counts the club's stripped 2005 and 2006 successes among its tally of honors.Marcello Lippi believes Juventus fans are right to believe their club has now won Serie A 31 titles after retaining the league crown this weekend.
The ongoing debate surrounds the 2005 and 2006 successes that were stripped away from the club as a result of a match-fixing scandal. Despite the controversy surrounding those two championships, the former Bianconeri boss insists they should count.
“Rightly Juventus and its fans think that the 31 championships have been won on the field,” Lippi said on GR Parlamento. “If someone has seen fit to remove the two championships is another matter, but the people of Juventus know they were won on the field.”
Lippi, who lifted the 2006 World Cup with Italy, also spoke about his successor with the Azzurri, Cesare Prandelli.
“I see Italy doing very well right now. Prandelli has made a gradual renewal, but a clear and important one," Lippi said. “After the South African World Cup, a renewal would be required regardless of the final result, and Cesare was able to act in a more than positive way.
"His Italian teams in these two years have often reminded me of the team that I was training. But I must say that even the youth selections are giving good answers.”
The former Bianconeri boss still counts the club's stripped 2005 and 2006 successes among its tally of honors.Marcello Lippi believes Juventus fans are right to believe their club has now won Serie A 31 titles after retaining the league crown this weekend.
The ongoing debate surrounds the 2005 and 2006 successes that were stripped away from the club as a result of a match-fixing scandal. Despite the controversy surrounding those two championships, the former Bianconeri boss insists they should count.
“Rightly Juventus and its fans think that the 31 championships have been won on the field,” Lippi said on GR Parlamento. “If someone has seen fit to remove the two championships is another matter, but the people of Juventus know they were won on the field.”
Lippi, who lifted the 2006 World Cup with Italy, also spoke about his successor with the Azzurri, Cesare Prandelli.
“I see Italy doing very well right now. Prandelli has made a gradual renewal, but a clear and important one," Lippi said. “After the South African World Cup, a renewal would be required regardless of the final result, and Cesare was able to act in a more than positive way.
"His Italian teams in these two years have often reminded me of the team that I was training. But I must say that even the youth selections are giving good answers.”
Muntari: AC Milan will launch Scudetto challenge next season
The midfielder is convinced his side will continue to build on a strong second half to this campaign, highlighting Mario Balotelli and M'Baye Niang as key players.
Sulley Muntari is confident AC Milan will launch a serious challenge for the Scudetto next season.
Massimiliano Allegri’s men have recovered from a poor start to the campaign and the loss of key players Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva to sit in pole position in the race for Serie A’s third and final Champions League spot.
Juventus has secured back-to-back league titles and will be eyeing a third next year, but Muntari says the San Siro outfit will be ensuring Juve does not have it so easy next time around.
“I'm sure that next season we will have everything in order to challenge for the Scudetto. We have no excuse not to," Muntari told the club’s official channel. “At the moment, it is important to concentrate on getting third place. But if we do get third place it will motivate us a lot for next season.
“Earlier this year we struggled with all the changes that were made over the summer, but slowly we have become a team. We are clicking now.
“Mario Balotelli is very important to us, as he demonstrated again against Torino, and we also have M’Baye Niang, who is a quality attacker who will improve further next year.”
Sunday’s 1-0 win over Torino put Milan four points clear of fourth-placed Fiorentina, with just three games left to play until the Serie A season comes to a close.
“We are happy with how the Torino game ended,” Muntari said. “We picked up three very important points. It wasn’t an easy match. Ultimately, we got the victory to put us in a good position.
“Now we are focusing on the Pescara game. They are already down but we are only concentrating on ourselves.
“We believe in our own ability and we want to win at all costs.”
The midfielder is convinced his side will continue to build on a strong second half to this campaign, highlighting Mario Balotelli and M'Baye Niang as key players.
Sulley Muntari is confident AC Milan will launch a serious challenge for the Scudetto next season.
Massimiliano Allegri’s men have recovered from a poor start to the campaign and the loss of key players Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva to sit in pole position in the race for Serie A’s third and final Champions League spot.
Juventus has secured back-to-back league titles and will be eyeing a third next year, but Muntari says the San Siro outfit will be ensuring Juve does not have it so easy next time around.
“I'm sure that next season we will have everything in order to challenge for the Scudetto. We have no excuse not to," Muntari told the club’s official channel. “At the moment, it is important to concentrate on getting third place. But if we do get third place it will motivate us a lot for next season.
“Earlier this year we struggled with all the changes that were made over the summer, but slowly we have become a team. We are clicking now.
“Mario Balotelli is very important to us, as he demonstrated again against Torino, and we also have M’Baye Niang, who is a quality attacker who will improve further next year.”
Sunday’s 1-0 win over Torino put Milan four points clear of fourth-placed Fiorentina, with just three games left to play until the Serie A season comes to a close.
“We are happy with how the Torino game ended,” Muntari said. “We picked up three very important points. It wasn’t an easy match. Ultimately, we got the victory to put us in a good position.
“Now we are focusing on the Pescara game. They are already down but we are only concentrating on ourselves.
“We believe in our own ability and we want to win at all costs.”
Liverpool to jet off to South Africa for end of season friendly
The Reds, who look set to miss out on European football this season, will face Ajax Cape town in its home city just 48 hours after the last Premier League game of the season.Liverpool has announced it will play a post-season friendly against Ajax Cape Town in South Africa, just two days after the final Premier League match of the season.
The Reds host relegated QPR at Anfield on May 19 in the season finale before jetting off to play in Cape Town just 48 hours later. The trip will be the club’s first to the country since 1994 when it played in a four-team tournament with Aston Villa, Cape Town Spurs and the Kaiser Chiefs.
“This visit is part of our off-season activity and shows our commitment to bringing the club closer to our fans all over the globe, no matter how far away from Anfield they may live,” said Liverpool chief commercial officer Billy Hogan. “It will be fantastic for the club to return to South Africa after almost 20 years.”
Liverpool is currently five points behind Everton in the Premier League table following their goalless draw against the Toffees on Sunday and looks set to miss out on qualifying for Europe next season.
The Reds, who look set to miss out on European football this season, will face Ajax Cape town in its home city just 48 hours after the last Premier League game of the season.Liverpool has announced it will play a post-season friendly against Ajax Cape Town in South Africa, just two days after the final Premier League match of the season.
The Reds host relegated QPR at Anfield on May 19 in the season finale before jetting off to play in Cape Town just 48 hours later. The trip will be the club’s first to the country since 1994 when it played in a four-team tournament with Aston Villa, Cape Town Spurs and the Kaiser Chiefs.
“This visit is part of our off-season activity and shows our commitment to bringing the club closer to our fans all over the globe, no matter how far away from Anfield they may live,” said Liverpool chief commercial officer Billy Hogan. “It will be fantastic for the club to return to South Africa after almost 20 years.”
Liverpool is currently five points behind Everton in the Premier League table following their goalless draw against the Toffees on Sunday and looks set to miss out on qualifying for Europe next season.
Sunderland 1-1 Stoke: Point keeps 10-man Black Cats in thick of relegation scrap
Despite a numerical disadvantage following Craig Gardner's dismissal the home side fought back to draw thanks to John O'Shea's equalizer canceling out Jon Walters' first-half goal John O’Shea earned Sunderland a crucial point in the club's bid for Premier League survival and denied Stoke the chance to pull away from danger after a 1-1 draw between the sides on Monday.Jon Walters powered home from close range to give the Potters a ninth-minute lead at the Stadium of Light, before the home side had Craig Gardner see a straight red card for a dangerous tackle on Charlie Adam later in the first half.
Black Cats captain John O’Shea's equalizer clinched a draw after the break to move his side three points clear of the relegation zone, leaving Tony Pulis’ side still in danger of getting sucked in.
Paolo Di Canio made two changes to the side that was thrashed by Aston Villa last Monday, with Jack Colback and James McLean coming in to replace Phil Bardsley and the suspended Stephane Sessegnon.Pulis also made two alterations to his team as it searched for a third straight league win, bringing former Black Cats midfielder Dean Whitehead and Marc Wilson in for Glenn Whelan and Andy Wilkinson.
The hosts found themselves perched two points above the bottom three following results at the weekend, and knew nothing less than a victory would suffice if they were to begin pulling away from danger.That appeared to resonate with the players as they stormed out of the blocks, enjoying a fair share of possession, only for their approach play to be foiled by a lack of finesse in their final ball.
Their imprudence was swiftly punished by Stoke, which broke the deadlock in familiar fashion.Sixteen of Stoke's 31 league goals have come from set-pieces this season, so it was no surprise its first corner of the game bred the 17th, with Charlie Adams picking out Walters, who reacted quickly to power the ball in off the underside of the crossbar after his initial header hit Danny Graham.
Frustrations soon boiled over and the Black Cats were reduced to 10 men just past the half-hour mark after Gardner’s flew in late on Adam prompting referee Lee Mason to send the midfielder for an early bath.
Clear-cut chances were sparse, with Adam Johnson firing a free kick narrowly wide in first-half injury time and it was he that carried the biggest Sunderland threat after the interval, weaving his way in-field from the right flank and powering a fierce 20-yard drive into the chest of Asmir Begovic.Stoke continued to threatening on the break as the home side committed bodies forward, with Cameron Jerome denied by a superb block from captain John O’Shea after Ryan Shotton teed him up.
And it proved significant as the Black Cats finally leveled just after the hour mark. Whitehead inadvertently glanced Sebastian Larsson’s corner towards the back post and the unmarked O’Shea, who gratefully stabbed the ball over the line, eliciting the customary wild celebration from Di Canio.
With parity restored both teams went in search of a winner, with Whitehead drilling straight at Mignolet and Danny Rose shaving the post with a spectacular hit at the other end.
Despite a numerical disadvantage following Craig Gardner's dismissal the home side fought back to draw thanks to John O'Shea's equalizer canceling out Jon Walters' first-half goal John O’Shea earned Sunderland a crucial point in the club's bid for Premier League survival and denied Stoke the chance to pull away from danger after a 1-1 draw between the sides on Monday.Jon Walters powered home from close range to give the Potters a ninth-minute lead at the Stadium of Light, before the home side had Craig Gardner see a straight red card for a dangerous tackle on Charlie Adam later in the first half.
Black Cats captain John O’Shea's equalizer clinched a draw after the break to move his side three points clear of the relegation zone, leaving Tony Pulis’ side still in danger of getting sucked in.
Paolo Di Canio made two changes to the side that was thrashed by Aston Villa last Monday, with Jack Colback and James McLean coming in to replace Phil Bardsley and the suspended Stephane Sessegnon.Pulis also made two alterations to his team as it searched for a third straight league win, bringing former Black Cats midfielder Dean Whitehead and Marc Wilson in for Glenn Whelan and Andy Wilkinson.
The hosts found themselves perched two points above the bottom three following results at the weekend, and knew nothing less than a victory would suffice if they were to begin pulling away from danger.That appeared to resonate with the players as they stormed out of the blocks, enjoying a fair share of possession, only for their approach play to be foiled by a lack of finesse in their final ball.
Their imprudence was swiftly punished by Stoke, which broke the deadlock in familiar fashion.Sixteen of Stoke's 31 league goals have come from set-pieces this season, so it was no surprise its first corner of the game bred the 17th, with Charlie Adams picking out Walters, who reacted quickly to power the ball in off the underside of the crossbar after his initial header hit Danny Graham.
Frustrations soon boiled over and the Black Cats were reduced to 10 men just past the half-hour mark after Gardner’s flew in late on Adam prompting referee Lee Mason to send the midfielder for an early bath.
Clear-cut chances were sparse, with Adam Johnson firing a free kick narrowly wide in first-half injury time and it was he that carried the biggest Sunderland threat after the interval, weaving his way in-field from the right flank and powering a fierce 20-yard drive into the chest of Asmir Begovic.Stoke continued to threatening on the break as the home side committed bodies forward, with Cameron Jerome denied by a superb block from captain John O’Shea after Ryan Shotton teed him up.
And it proved significant as the Black Cats finally leveled just after the hour mark. Whitehead inadvertently glanced Sebastian Larsson’s corner towards the back post and the unmarked O’Shea, who gratefully stabbed the ball over the line, eliciting the customary wild celebration from Di Canio.
With parity restored both teams went in search of a winner, with Whitehead drilling straight at Mignolet and Danny Rose shaving the post with a spectacular hit at the other end.
Villas-Boas: Tottenham is a great example to the Premier League
The Portuguese coach believes the club's continued desire to improve on the pitch and behind the scenes must be commended, with Spurs aiming for another Champions League berth Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas says his side's continuing desire to improve on and off the pitch is a great example to the rest of the Premier League.
Spurs opened a new multi-million pound training center in September to further improve the squad's development, with a long-awaited move a new stadium still in the pipeline.
Tottenham has either broken or matched its best-ever Premier League finish five times in the last seven seasons - finishing fourth twice in the last three seasons - and Villas-Boas believes the club's continuing determination to better itself must be commended.
"The growth is continuing and I know that the owner and chairman are very driven in achieving the club’s aim of building a new stadium," Villas-Boas said.
"I think that this wonderful training ground allows the players to further flourish and develop their game. It also allows us to attract better players; it’s a great environment and a great example to the Premier League."
The north London side is currently unbeaten in their last five league matches but faces a battle with London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea to qualify for next season's Champions League.
Villas-Boas is coming to the end of his first season in charge at White Hart Lane and believes a quarterfinal berth in the Europa League and continuing challenge for a top-four spot spells a successful debut campaign.
"All the players have received me well and when you receive that sort of openness you can create a good environment," Villas-Boas said.
"On a personal note the season has been good for me, that’s not what matters most, though, the club is what matters most and their ambitions and desire to move forward. Hopefully we have been able to meet some of the fans’ expectations too."
The Portuguese coach believes the club's continued desire to improve on the pitch and behind the scenes must be commended, with Spurs aiming for another Champions League berth Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas says his side's continuing desire to improve on and off the pitch is a great example to the rest of the Premier League.
Spurs opened a new multi-million pound training center in September to further improve the squad's development, with a long-awaited move a new stadium still in the pipeline.
Tottenham has either broken or matched its best-ever Premier League finish five times in the last seven seasons - finishing fourth twice in the last three seasons - and Villas-Boas believes the club's continuing determination to better itself must be commended.
"The growth is continuing and I know that the owner and chairman are very driven in achieving the club’s aim of building a new stadium," Villas-Boas said.
"I think that this wonderful training ground allows the players to further flourish and develop their game. It also allows us to attract better players; it’s a great environment and a great example to the Premier League."
The north London side is currently unbeaten in their last five league matches but faces a battle with London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea to qualify for next season's Champions League.
Villas-Boas is coming to the end of his first season in charge at White Hart Lane and believes a quarterfinal berth in the Europa League and continuing challenge for a top-four spot spells a successful debut campaign.
"All the players have received me well and when you receive that sort of openness you can create a good environment," Villas-Boas said.
"On a personal note the season has been good for me, that’s not what matters most, though, the club is what matters most and their ambitions and desire to move forward. Hopefully we have been able to meet some of the fans’ expectations too."
Szczesny: Tottenham does not have enough quality for top-four finish
The Poland international is confident his side will win its last two games of the season and feels rival Spurs will drop points as the clubs battle to finish in the UCL places.Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has questioned Tottenham’s quality as the race to finish in the top four and secure Champions League football for next season intensifies.
The Gunners currently occupy fourth spot in the Premier League, two points ahead of rival Tottenham, albeit having played a game more than Andre Villas-Boas’ side. Szczesny is confident his side will end this season in the top four as it prepares to take on Wigan and Newcastle in their final two games of the campaign.
"If we win our next two games it will be enough, because either Chelsea or Spurs will drop points because they play each other,” Szczesny told Arsenal Player. "If you look at Chelsea's fixtures, they have Tottenham and Everton left and they won't be easy games. And Tottenham do not have enough quality, so there you go..."
Arsenal narrowly beat already-relegated QPR on Saturday courtesy of a goal from Theo Walcott, and Szczesny says winning is all that matters at this stage of the season.
"I would settle for another two 1-0 wins in the rest of the season and a place in the top three," Szczesny said.
"Even if we have games like the QPR one, it might have been boring at times, but we couldn't care less at this time. We just got the three points.
"Hopefully it will be back to the old days and hopefully we will get back to winning trophies as well."
The Poland international is confident his side will win its last two games of the season and feels rival Spurs will drop points as the clubs battle to finish in the UCL places.Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has questioned Tottenham’s quality as the race to finish in the top four and secure Champions League football for next season intensifies.
The Gunners currently occupy fourth spot in the Premier League, two points ahead of rival Tottenham, albeit having played a game more than Andre Villas-Boas’ side. Szczesny is confident his side will end this season in the top four as it prepares to take on Wigan and Newcastle in their final two games of the campaign.
"If we win our next two games it will be enough, because either Chelsea or Spurs will drop points because they play each other,” Szczesny told Arsenal Player. "If you look at Chelsea's fixtures, they have Tottenham and Everton left and they won't be easy games. And Tottenham do not have enough quality, so there you go..."
Arsenal narrowly beat already-relegated QPR on Saturday courtesy of a goal from Theo Walcott, and Szczesny says winning is all that matters at this stage of the season.
"I would settle for another two 1-0 wins in the rest of the season and a place in the top three," Szczesny said.
"Even if we have games like the QPR one, it might have been boring at times, but we couldn't care less at this time. We just got the three points.
"Hopefully it will be back to the old days and hopefully we will get back to winning trophies as well."
Weidenfeller seals new Dortmund deal
The veteran shot-stopper has put pen to paper on a new deal that keeps him at Signal Iduna Park until the summer of 2016.Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller has extended his contract with the club until June 2016.
The 32-year-old, who joined the club from Kaiserslautern in 2002, previously was tied down until the summer of 2014, and the club's sporting director, Michael Zorc, is delighted with securing the in-form shot-stopper's services for another two years.
"We're very happy that Roman has extended," Zorc said on the club's official website. "He's an exceptionally strong goalkeeper, who constantly brings top performances and was an important factor in securing the 2011 and 2012 championships as well as reaching the Champions League final this season."
Weidenfeller, meanwhile, insisted a move to another team never crossed his mind and that he is proud to be a part of the club's plans for the coming years.
"I never really thought of changing clubs. What developed here at BVB in recent years is an extraordinary, positive football story and I want to be part of that in the future," Weidenfeller said. "I'm proud to be part of this team, who have a strong character and are a mixture of young and experienced players," he concluded.
Weidenfeller has appeared in almost 300 Bundesliga matches since arriving at Signa Iduna Park.
The veteran shot-stopper has put pen to paper on a new deal that keeps him at Signal Iduna Park until the summer of 2016.Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller has extended his contract with the club until June 2016.
The 32-year-old, who joined the club from Kaiserslautern in 2002, previously was tied down until the summer of 2014, and the club's sporting director, Michael Zorc, is delighted with securing the in-form shot-stopper's services for another two years.
"We're very happy that Roman has extended," Zorc said on the club's official website. "He's an exceptionally strong goalkeeper, who constantly brings top performances and was an important factor in securing the 2011 and 2012 championships as well as reaching the Champions League final this season."
Weidenfeller, meanwhile, insisted a move to another team never crossed his mind and that he is proud to be a part of the club's plans for the coming years.
"I never really thought of changing clubs. What developed here at BVB in recent years is an extraordinary, positive football story and I want to be part of that in the future," Weidenfeller said. "I'm proud to be part of this team, who have a strong character and are a mixture of young and experienced players," he concluded.
Weidenfeller has appeared in almost 300 Bundesliga matches since arriving at Signa Iduna Park.
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