Manchester United made giant strides in their quest to land a record 19th title as their two closest rivals dropped valuable points at the Emirates and Britannia Stadium. Fergie’s men don’t make life easy for themselves and have a habit of late of giving the opposition 2-0 head starts; a trait they will not be able to get away with when the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea roll into town.

In the papers this morning there have been a mixed bag of stories that include Rooney apologising for swearing outburst; Warner in new world cup ticket scandal, while Liverpool plan to hijack move for Enrique.

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Capello keen to establish England legacy – Guardian

Rooney apologises for swearing outburst – Daily Telegraph

Warner in new World Cup ‘ticket scandal’ – Independent

Harry denies bids – Sky Sports

Fergie wins Government backing – Daily Telegraph

Sir Alex Ferguson plotting to beat Liverpool in the chase to Young – Daily Mail

Liverpool plan to hijack Enrique’s move to Milan – Mirror

Mancini: I have no plans to leave City – Daily Telegraph

Moyes facing Everton exit in summer as financial hardship bites at Goodison – Daily Mail

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Wenger left deflated by Gunners’ dismal run – Mirror

Bruce willing to splash £10m to sign Welbeck – People

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Shaktar Donetsk’s 20 year old midfielder Douglas Costa, a long time target for Manchester United has again been linked with the Premier League leaders. (The Metro)

Before signing for Shaktar in January 2010 the former Gremio star was on Manchester United’s radar, however, any potential deal collapsed at the time, paving the way for his move to the Ukraine.

Costa has been given comparisons to Ronaldinho in the past and his skill and flair is something Sir Alex Ferguson wants to see at Old Trafford. Rumours intensified when Costa watched Man United’s 1-0 victory over Bolton in the director’s box in March this year.

The young Brazilian’s agent, Cesar Bottega, has confirmed United’s interest in his player, claiming, “Manchester United have liked him for a long time and although Shakhtar are a good team and are doing very well, it is normal that if we get important offers for the player, these will be taken into account”.

United won’t be the only club after the services of Costa, he has also generated interest from Italy. Bottega went onto say “There is much interest around Douglas – he was one of the best young players in this season’s Champions League. Several clubs are following him and there was some contact, but no concrete proposal has yet arrived.”

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The Metro claimed Man City may want to hijack any United bid for the player, and with a £20 million valuation on Costa, he is likely to be hot property this summer.

Former Football Association chairman Lord Triesman has accused FIFA members of seeking bribes in the World Cup bidding process.Triesman was originally chosen to chair England’s bid for the 2018 tournament, but resigned last May after commenting about alleged bribery attempts by Spain and Russia of World Cup referees in South Africa.

Now Triesman has accused FIFA vice-president Jack Warner (Trinidad and Tobago), along with members Nicolas Leoz (Paraguay), Ricardo Terra Teixeira (Brazil) and Worawi Makudi (Thailand), of asking for favours or gifts in exchange for dedicating their vote for England to host the 2018 World Cup.

Triesman alleged that Warner had asked for money, Leoz asked for knighthood, Makudi asked for television rights to an England-Thailand friendly and Teixeira told him ‘come and tell me what you have got for me’ in return for a vote for England.

“These were some of the things that were put to me personally, sometimes in the presence of others, which in my view did not represent proper and ethical behaviour on the part of members of the executive committee,” Triesman said.

Warner, however, forthrightly denied any wrongdoing, stating that Triesman’s claims were merely for political gain.

“I have no intention of dignifying that piece of nonsense of Triesman who no doubt feels that he can revive his dying political career by mentioning that piece of foolishness,” Warner told Sky Sports News.

“I have never asked Triesman nor any other person, Englishman or otherwise, for any money for my vote at any time.”

“In the English World Cup campaign, before he was unceremoniously kicked out, I have spoken to Triesman, on his initiative, only on three occasions, while I have spoken to his other colleagues on other occasions and not one of his colleagues will ever corroborate his bit of trivia.”

FIFA president Sepp Blatter said he was ‘shocked’ by the claims, but was waiting to weigh up the facts before condemning any member of world football’s governing body as corrupt.

“They are coming from other confederations, so I cannot say that they are all angels or all devils,” Blatter said.

“There is a new round of information. Give us time to digest that and start the investigation by asking for evidence on what has been said.”

“We will react immediately against all those in breach of the ethics code rules.”

“Zero tolerance is going through FIFA, it is one of the items on the Congress. It is my battle horse.”

Dave Jones has been sacked from his role as manager of English Championship side Cardiff City.The club announced their decision on Monday, having narrowly missed out on promotion to the top flight after a loss in the playoff semi-finals against Reading.

Jones, 54, had been in charge of the team since 2005 but the performance during the 2010/11 season was deemed unacceptable by the club’s board.

“Following an overall review and reflection on the performance of the team over the 2010/11 playing season, it has been decided to give Dave Jones notice to terminate his contract as manager of Cardiff City Football Club,” a statement from the club read.

CEO Gethin Jenkins said Jones had helped the club progress in the right direction since taking over from Englishman Lennie Lawrence.

“We would like to thank Dave Jones for his considerable efforts with the club over the past six seasons,” Jenkins said.

“He leaves his post in the knowledge that he has left the club in a far better position than when he arrived.”

“Dave’s tenure has seen Cardiff City Football Club develop from a standpoint of Championship stability through to becoming regular promotion contenders, while also having taken the team to an FA Cup Final.”

Jenkins, who will lead the search for a new manager with director Alan Whiteley, also thanked Jones for his help in developing the club’s facilities and players.

Jones has been linked to the vacant post at the relegated West Ham United, but it is believed former Bolton boss Sam Allardyce is favourite for the role.

You sensed a sigh of relief came out of Anfield at the club’s failure to secure a Europa League spot last weekend. Jamie Carragher in particular believes that missing out will enable the club to focus solely on getting back in the top four without the added interference of Thursday night games to trips all over Europe.

At FFC this week we have seen a mixed bag of Liverpool blogs that includes why Young should move to Anfield; Kenny in £10m battle and Rafa Benitez’s telling contribution to Liverpool FC

We also look at the best Liverpool articles around the web this week.

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The TEN ‘Key Moments’ that changed this Premier League season

Why a move to Liverpool is in his best interests

Rafa Benitez’s telling contribution at Anfield

FIVE transfer disasters of this Premier League season

The one missing ingredient preventing Liverpool becoming great again?

Wenger and Dalglish in £10m battle for Ivorian

Young talented and local – the ideal signing for Liverpool?

Liverpool’s transfer ambition sways opinion?

The Andy Carroll Conundrum

Is Kenny Dalglish right to question the silence?

Kenny set to offer Cole as bait to secure deal

* Best of Web *

Are these the priorities for Liverpool’s Summer Spending? – Live4Liverpool

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Dalglish and Clarke: The Formula is Complete – Tomkins Times

A bright Red future – This Is Anfield

[Video] Top 4 Liverpool goals of the season – Our Kop

Lucas Leiva: The Winds of Change – Live4Liverpool

Struggling Major League Soccer clubs Chicago Fire and Vancouver Whitecaps both sacked their coaches on Monday.Carlos de los Cobos has been shown the door in Chicago after leading the Fire to an overall 1-4-6 record this season.

The Fire, who have gone winless in their past nine matches, sit second-bottom in the Eastern Conference with nine points from 11 games.

Meanwhile, Teitur Thordarson has paid the price for Vancouver’s poor start to life in the MLS, sacked at the rookie club following a winless streak dating back to their first-ever match in the top-flight.

The Whitecaps have not won since announcing their arrival in the MLS with a 4-2 defeat of Toronto FC in March.

They prop up the Western Conference table with nine points from 12 matches.

Director of Soccer Operations Tom Soehn will take over in Vancouver on an interim basis, while technical director and former Fire player Frank Klopas has been handed the reins in Chicago.

Liverpool midfielders Raul Meireles and Alberto Aquilani could both be playing in Italy next season as they await offers from Serie A clubs Inter Milan and Fiorentina respectively, according to reports in The Daily Mail.

Meireles, 28, who was voted PFA Fans’ Player of the Year in his debut season at Anfield, could be parted with and it is believed Liverpool would be willing to accept a bid of £12.5million for the Portuguese star, following the Anfield club’s summer captures of Charlie Adam and Jordan Henderson.

Meanwhile Italy international Aquilani’s agent has claimed that he wanted to stay in Italy after impressing last season on a loan spell at Juventus, ESPN reported.

“Alberto’s thoughts were to stay in Italy, but this was not possible,” Aquilani’s agent Franco Zavaglia said to Radio Sportiva. “He had a positive season (at Juventus).”

Liverpool will be prepared for these departures as the new signings, combined with captain Steven Gerrard’s presence and the emergence of Lucas Leiva, have established a healthy competition for the position of central midfield at Liverpool.

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish will use the funds from the Meireles deal to launch an improved bid for Aston Villa winger Stewart Downing, according to The People.

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The Kop club could become locked in battle with Arsenal for £20m-rated Downing with the North London outfit also said to be interested.

Harry Redknapp has no time for the Europa League. After tasting the money and glamour of the Uefa Champions League last season he is right to see it as a step down, a distraction. Tottenham Hotspur need to concentrate all their efforts on getting back into the top four.

When it became clear in May that Spurs would be playing in the Europa League this season, Redknapp could not make his disappointment clearer, describing it as: “one of those competitions that teams get in and they try to get out of.” His stance hasn’t softened and he remains adamant that he will concentrate on the domestic campaign and play Tottenham’s youth and squad players in Europe. “The young lads will get plenty of games in the Europa League because otherwise I think it’s a killer…. You’ve got no chance in the Premier League with that.” While Spurs are still capable of competing for the top four it makes sense to throw everything at this domestic goal.

Manchester City and Liverpool have invested heavily while Spurs continue to struggle to lure top players because of the wage structure. There is a danger that they could fall behind these big spenders. Spurs may not be as close to their rivals again for some time and it would be foolish to chase Europa League glory when they can still aim higher. (Considering they have only had 1 season of Champions League football it is a triumph that they have kept up for so long).

Redknapp’s dismissal of Europa this season is not a slap in the face for the fans, it is a statement of intent and ambition at the football club. Europa is a bloated, second tier European competition with a dwindling prestige. With the prize money for winning the whole tournament estimated at around £5 million and a Champions League run dwarfing that amount, it is no surprise that the competition is now grudgingly accepted.

I will turn on my T.V. on Thusday night’s Channel 5, remembering that Europa did bring us some exciting European nights not so long ago and I will support Niko Kranjcar and Andros Townsend playing in a 2,000 capacity stadium in Georgia, but I will follow the Premier League with far greater concern and interest, because like Redknapp, I know that the only way Tottenham can move up a level is by finishing the season in the top four, and that’s going to take everything we have this season.

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Versatile Arsenal midfielder Henri Lansbury spent much of last season on loan at Norwich City and now several national newspapers are suggesting that Lansbury will make the move to Carrow Road full time in a deal worth £1.5m. Something about the story doesn’t seem right considering Arsenal only recently turned down a £1.5m bid for the England U21 player. However, there is rarely smoke without fire, so there might just be something in it.

Paul Lambert had seemed to have completed his summer transfer business after acquiring seven new players. Lambert confirmed after the capture of Tottenham defender Kyle Naughton that was the end of his summer business. Certainly a strange stance to make if he thought Lansbury was going to be available. But of course it was always possible that there was a U-turn at some point from Arsenal that made Lansbury available. Lansbury certainly won’t be able to return to Carrow Road on loan, because Norwich already has two loan players from Premier League clubs.

The question that should be asked though is there any real credibility to the rumours? Paul Lambert is a known admirer and Lansbury will be wondering if he will find first-team football at Arsenal, so you can certainly see why the media might think that he is Norwich City bound. The 25 man squad may also restrict Norwich, but with certain players not receiving a squad number, a number of players under 21 and other players with an uncertain future at Norwich City, there does appear to be space for Lansbury, if a deal can be reached with the player.

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From a personal point of view, I have felt that the signing of Henri Lansbury would be the icing on the cake for a productive summer in the transfer market. Some supporters would be concerned about what would happen if Wes Hoolahan was to get injured. Henri Lansbury has the creative spark that perhaps Norwich City’s other central midfielders don’t have. As many good managers state he offers something different and from that point of view, it would be no real surprise to see Lambert make a move. Furthermore, Lansbury is a player who can play in the hole behind the strikers as cover for or as an alternative to Hoolahan.

There is no doubt in my mind that Henri Lansbury would be an excellent addition to the Norwich City squad, even if he was back-up for Hoolahan initially. Some Arsenal supporters may think that Lansbury wouldn’t benefit from the move, if he isn’t going to be first-choice. However, Lansbury would be very much part of the squad and see his share of Premier League football. This is arguably a lot better for the player compared with playing reserve team football with Arsenal or being sent out on loan to the Championship again.

The player showed on loan last season what a good player he is and also that he has an eye for goal. Finding goals from multiple different sources could prove to be vitally important, if Norwich City is going to be successful in their return to Carrow Road. That all being said I fear that this link is a case of putting two and two together and coming up with five. I would love to see Lansbury back at Carrow Road, but I doubt it will happen, at least not in this transfer window. However, I would truly love to be proved wrong and Norwich City fans would welcome Lansbury back with open arms, if it was to happen.

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We often see arguments and fights on the pitch involving opposition players but what seems all too common in the beautiful game are managerial disagreements with the fierce action on the pitch regularly spilling onto the sidelines.

The recent Manchester United v Arsenal tie brought out the usual animosity between the two managers before the game although Ferguson was more reserved after his team handed out the brutal stuffing.

This long term rivalry is just one of many and these repeatedly provide an interesting sideshow ahead of high-profile clashes and the media just love to fan the flames by asking managers difficult questions in a mission to get headline quotes while causing controversy.

Inevitably some managers feature heavily as we take a look at some of the more acrimonious clashes between these passionate managers in recent years. Whether it is a war of words in the national media or even a good, old fashioned dug-out scrap, they all make the list.

Click on Mancini and Moyes to reveal the top 10 managerial bust-ups

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