| City punish United fans over tickets • United fans punished for persistent standing last season• City will withhold 10% of tickets for November derbyManchester City have decided to punish Manchester United's supporters for failing to comply with safety regulations during last season's derby matches at Eastlands by reducing their ticket allocation for when the two rivals renew hostilities next month.City are withholding 10% of the usual 2,846 allocation after complaints of persistent standing in the away enclosure when United beat them 1-0 in the league in April. There were also problems in the Carling Cup semi-final in January and, looking ahead to the game on 10 November, City have decided to close off the front two rows of seats to demonstrate they will not tolerate these repeated breaches.Similar complaints against United's supporters have already led to reduced ticket allocations for their away games against Sunderland and Bolton Wanderers this season and City and a number of other clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur, have taken similar action against them in previous years.United have been trying to spread the message to their away fans that they need to adhere to the rules and they will not take issue with City's stance.Manchester CityManchester UnitedDaniel Taylorguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Danny Murphy pulls out of ITV appearance after LMA's criticism Fulham captain Danny Murphy pulls out of an appearance as a TV after slamming Premier League managers telegraph.co.uk |
World Cup Bidders Work on Despite Corruption Probe Three countries competing in the scandal-hit 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosting contests tried to keep campaigning as usual on Tuesday, as FIFA president Sepp Blatter called for advice and tougher scrutiny to help deal with corruption. feeds.nytimes.com |
Javier Hernández acclaimed as Manchester United's new hero • Mexican striker scores winner against Wolves in Carling Cup• 'Boy is justifying all the praise,' says Sir Alex FergusonSir Alex Ferguson acclaimed Javier Hernández as the new hero of Manchester United after the Mexican's goal took the club into the fifth round of the Carling Cup, with a 3-2 defeat of Wolverhampton Wanderers. Hernández, an 81st-minute substitute, struck the winning goal in the final minute of normal time after the visitors had twice equalised. "We tend to build up heroes very quickly at this club," Ferguson said, "but the boy is justifying all the praise he's getting at the moment. He's very professional, first out on the training ground and the last one back in every day."The United manager, who saw the £7.4m summer signing Bebé score his first goal for the club, added of Hernández, who is nicknamed the Little Pea: "When he gets a chance you know he's going to take it. His touch, control of the ball and vision are improving and that's because the training is intense – we care about it and make sure the players do improve." The downside for United was the crowd of 46,083, their lowest for five years.Hernández had scored twice in United's 2-1 defeat of Stoke in the Premier League on Sunday.The United defender Wes Brown said: "He's got a great attitude to the game. He's a player who wants to learn and score goals and is good at it. He tries his hardest and deserved his goal at the end. He's a new cult hero and I'm sure he can keep it going."Ferguson said the fact that Hernández speaks excellent English has been "essential" for him settling in so quickly and suggested that is why Bebé may not have been so quick to do so.Bebé, the relatively unknown striker signed from Portuguese side Vitória de Guimarães, crowned a promising first start with the opening goal that owed much to fortune – and to assistant referee Darren Cann spotting that it had crossed the line – before George Elokobi equalised.Park Ji-sung made it 2-1 to the home side but Kevin Foley hauled Wolves level again until Hernández's excellent finish.The Wolves manager, Mick McCarthy, was delighted about his side's performance but distraught about the result. He picked out the 24-year-old winger Matt Jarvis for particular praise and tipped him as a future England prospect."He was terrific, he's a very important player for us," McCarthy said. "I sat next to Fabio Capello's assistant, Franco Baldini, at Stoke on Sunday and he spoke highly of him. We responded very well to their goals and came back twice and if we keep playing like that then I believe it will turn for us."Manchester UnitedCarling CupSir Alex FergusonMick McCarthyDaniel Taylorguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Canadian women's soccer team in fighting form The metamorphosis of the Canadian women's national soccer team has been startling and nothing short of amazing. cbc.ca |