| Liverpool off to high court as RBS obtains Hicks injunction • RBS obtains injunction against attempt to sack chairman• Singapore billionaire Peter Lim prepares rival offer for clubThe immediate future of Liverpool Football Club will be decided tomorrow morning in the high court, as RBS today claimed Tom Hicks has breached contractual undertakings.The chairman Martin Broughton's attempt to push through the sale of the club to New England Sports Ventures for £300m, thus removing the possibility of the club going into administration on Friday, depends on Mr Justice Floyd approving the transaction.NESV is facing a further potential complication in its attempt to buy Liverpool after it emerged that the Singapore billionaire Peter Lim has not given up hope of succeeding with a rival offer. The BBC is reporting that Lim will approach Liverpool board with a view to making a bid of more than £300m. It identifies Lim as the previously unnamed Asian investor whose offer was rejected when a deal was agreed with NESV.Hicks, Liverpool's co-owner, is attempting to block the sale to the American consortium, claiming that the board installed by RBS to sell the club did not have the authority to do so against the wishes of the shareholders. RBS, however, said today it has obtained an interim injunction preventing Hicks from firing Broughton and two other board members, and that the actions of Hicks were "in breach of contractual undertakings".Last week, Hicks attempted to have the commercial director, Ian Ayres, and the managing director, Christian Purslow, removed from the board to block the sale. RBS, which claims to have binding agreements from Hicks and his former co-owner George Gillett giving Broughton authority over board appointments and an agreement not to interfere with any reasonable sale process, remains confident of success.It is believed that if the judge rules in favour of RBS, then the bank is unlikely to press ahead with the administration option – likely to lead to a nine-points penalty from the Premier League – even if any appeal is not heard before Friday's deadline for refinancing their £237m loans.The case, in court 18 of the high court, is seventh on the daily cause list, meaning that six other cases including Superyachts.com v Bodington will have far more press attention than might otherwise be the case.RBS statement"RBS in its capacity as lender to the Kop group of companies received the benefit of various contractual undertakings from Mr Hicks and Mr Gillett in relation to the corporate governance arrangements that Mr Hicks and Mr Gillett agreed would apply to the Kop group of companies with effect from April 2010."Those undertakings provided for the appointment of Mr Broughton as chairman of the board and the appointment of the chief executive and commercial director of LFC to the Kop boards."As is well known, Mr Hicks and Mr Gillett purported to make changes to those corporate governance arrangements on 4 October. This was in breach of those contractual undertakings."In light of that purported breach of contract RBS sought and obtained on Friday 8 October 2010 an interim injunction against Mr Hicks and Mr Gillett until a further hearing scheduled for tomorrow."Among other things, that interim injunction prevents Mr Hicks or Mr Gillett taking any steps to remove or replace Mr Broughton from his position as chairman of the board of the Kop companies or from taking any other steps to appoint or remove any directors from the board of the Kop companies."The proceedings tomorrow represent the continuation of Friday's proceedings and relates to breach of contract only. These proceedings do not represent steps by RBS to enforce its security or to appoint an administrator."We are unable to provide any visibility on timing for resolution of these proceedings at this stage.LiverpoolBusinessOwen Gibsonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
England v Montenegro: England beware - Roma striker Mirko Vucinic looks class apart Montenegro will arrive at Wembley with a player they believe can match the world's best. telegraph.co.uk |
Chelsea's brick wall lays title foundation • Champions have not conceded at home in league since March• City, United and Arsenal next up for struggling WolvesThere is a hopelessness induced by visits to Chelsea these days. Opponents who arrive in south-west London intent on containment are swept aside, their game plans invariably wrecked early. Others, like Wolverhampton Wanderers, are more ambitious yet they, too, end up attempting to pluck positives from scoreless defeat. It is a familiar pattern from which the champions have not deviated since March.Already there is a relentlessness to the club's pursuit of a second successive league title, their progress serene while those at their backs are preoccupied with their own troubles. Carlo Ancelotti left the arena conceding his side had been "lucky" but there was something utterly routine about this latest victory. Wolves may have impressed throughout, offensively and defensively, but they were repelled even with Chelsea becalmed for long periods and with frustration voiced in the stands from time to time.The bar has been set high by Ancelotti but even occasional flashes of quality are enough to prevail. The focus is inevitably drawn to the more scintillating spectacle served up, the sight of Nicolas Anelka slipping Yuri Zhirkov into space down the left and Florent Malouda converting the Russian's pull-back with precision. Or the link-up play that saw passes pinged between Salomon Kalou, Didier Drogba and Michael Essien before the first of the Ivorians collected the Ghanaian's return to slide his shot beneath Marcus Hahnemann. This team can be untouchable.Yet the division's most impressive goal difference – plus 23 nine games into the season – owes as much to stingy defence as mouthwatering attack. Chelsea have conceded only twice and have not been breached in the league at Stamford Bridge since John Carew netted for Aston Villa on 27 March. Both Ancelotti and John Terry had to be reminded of the last time this team had conceded at home. The visitors were beaten 7-1 that day, with Chelsea having since gone 781 minutes without a goal against them here.Wolves came closer than any team to breaking that record, only for a lack of bite and Chelsea's stubborn refusal to yield to send them home goalless and pointless. The game's better chances were created by those in old gold, with Matt Jarvis outstanding as a supply line from the flank, but Petr Cech's handling was faultless and, when required, those across the home side's back line, aided by the midfield shield, choked the visitors into submission.Mick McCarthy would appreciate those skills more than most, his admiration obvious afterwards. Cech was "terrific", Ivanovic "outstanding". "And we all know about Terry, but centre-backs get better and better," he said. "They know when to block or hold people under the ball. They get cleverer and cuter. Chelsea's full-backs are more like wingers and it helps when you've got Mikel Jon Obi and Essien sat in front of your back four. They're so resilient. Jelle van Damme had a really good chance at the back post but [José] Bosingwa somehow got his head on it. A lot of full-backs wouldn't have done that."The Portuguese's first start in over a year was impressive in its own way with his presence offering the champions thrust and pace down the wing, if perhaps denying them the solidity provided by Branislav Ivanovic or even Paulo Ferreira when they have filled in at full-back. Ancelotti's complaints centred on Wolves being allowed space and time to conjure crosses from the flanks and central sights of goal from distance because Essien and Mikel were perhaps not as sharp as usual after the midweek trip to Moscow. Even so Chelsea did not concede."I'm playing alongside the best left-back in the world, two of the best centre-halves [Ivanovic or Alex] and the best goalkeeper but we've always had that doggedness about us," Terry said. "We rolled teams over at the start of the season but we're also capable of going to Villa and fighting for a good point or grinding out a result when we're not at our best like today. We don't concede and we don't drop points."There is a recognition that an advantage must be established now before the chasing pack, and Manchester United in particular, generate momentum. "What happened with Wayne Rooney will boost United and make it harder for us," Terry added. "They'll probably go and spend again in January. The fact that some clubs haven't been doing that, given what's happened financially in the world, has maybe helped us in the last few years. Keeping Wayne is massive for United and unfortunate for everybody else."Wolves must also think long term. They did well enough to suggest they can recover from their sluggish opening to the season, though they will do wellto spark the revival over the next few weeks as Manchester City, United and Arsenal await. "It's quite a run but it's better than being up against Scunthorpe, Doncaster, Barnsley and Derby," said McCarthy. "We've got to maintain performances and belief that we can play like that. If we don't get anything out of the next game, because it's against City, we just have to keep playing. Just keep playing." At some stage, their luck will surely turn.Man of the match Petr Cech (Chelsea). Those in front of the goalkeeper were not at their sharpest but, even so, Cech exuded such authority that Wolves must have despaired of their chances of registering reward.Best moment The disdain with which he accepted Dave Edwards' free header in front of goal when the contest was goalless. Within three minutes, Chelsea were ahead and clear.Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole; Essien, Mikel, Zhirkov; Anelka, Drogba, Malouda.Subs: Kalou for Malouda, 72; Ferreira for Bosingwa, 79; McEachran for Zhirkov, 82.Subs not used: Turnbull, Sturridge, Bruma, Kakuta.Booked: Mikel.Wolverhampton Wanderers (4-5-1): Hahnemann; Foley, Stearman, Berra, Ward; Jarvis, Edwards, Jones, Milijas, Van Damme; Doyle.Subs: Hunt for Van Damme, h-t; Ebanks-Blake for Doyle, 87; Fletcher for Jarvis, 87.Subs not used: Hennessey, Elokobi, Fletcher, Mouyokolo, Davis.Booked: Stearman, Berra.Attendance: 41,752.Referee: L Probert.CHELSEA'S 781 MINUTES UNBREACHED (if required)27 March v Aston VillaW 7-1 (Carew 29)13 April v BoltonW 1-025 April v StokeW 7-09 May v WiganW 8-014 August v WBAW 6-028 August v StokeW 2-019 Sept v BlackpoolW 4-03 Oct v ArsenalW 2-023 Oct v WolvesW 2-0Copy endsPremier LeagueChelseaWolverhampton WanderersDominic Fifieldguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Loan advisor scores winner as FC United beat Barrow to claim an FA Cup first round place Club formed in protest at Glazers' takeover now FA Cup heroes. telegraph.co.uk |
Global Soccer: When Agents and Soccer Collide Player agents are having a creeping, and creepy, influence on soccer, abetted by lax governance over the sport. feeds.nytimes.com |