Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp insists he will welcome back Benjani Mwaruwari, if the striker’s move to Manchester City does not go through.

WHEN Avram Grant first walked into Portsmouth Football Club it almost resulted in Harry Redknapp flouncing out of the opposite door in a fit of pique.

Aston Villa striker John Carew has resumed light training after four weeks out injured and could be back in contention for Sunday’s Barclays Premier League clash at Bolton.

Aston Villa captain Gareth Barry has backed £8m signing Ashley Young to emerge from the shadow of John Carew and be a major success for the midlands club.

ASTON VILLA manager Martin O’Neill has swapped one striker for another with Lyon forward John Carew signing a three-and-half-year deal and Milan Baros moving to the French club.

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Martin O’Neill believes striker Milan Baros can still be a major asset for Aston Villa if he can overcome a crisis of confidence.

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Aston Villa manager David O’Leary has conceded he will have to sell before bringing in new players for next season.

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Birmingham central defender Matthew Upson is facing several months out of action to add to his side’s misery after they slid closer towards the Premiership relegation trapdoor.

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Kevin Phillips has added to Aston Villa’s striking worries by being laid low with a virus ahead of the Barclays Premiership clash at Everton on Saturday.

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Newcastle full-back Celestine Babayaro has had his claim for wrongful dismissal rejected by a Football Association disciplinary commission.

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Arsenal were punished for some slack defending in the 2-0 defeat at Bolton as champions Chelsea kept up the pace at the top of the Barclays Premiership with a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough.

MICHAEL OWEN is hoping to persuade Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez to change his transfer market priorities and pave the way for a high-profile return to Anfield.

Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse wants to stay at the club until the end of his contract even though Michael Owen has expressed a wish to return to Anfield.

Aston Villa manager David O’Leary will not stand in the way of Nolberto Solano if the Peruvian international winger tells him he wants to leave Villa Park.

Nolberto Solano was axed from Aston Villa’s starting line-up by manager David O’Leary this lunchtime in the wake of the winger’s admission he would be interested in a move to Liverpool.

West Ham today signed Manchester United forward David Bellion on a season-long loan as talk of a takeover at the east London club grew.

NEWCASTLE could be tempted by the bait of Robbie Keane if Tottenham propose a part-exchange deal for Jermaine Jenas.

West Ham manager Alan Pardew has pledged not to let his players become distracted by takeover talk as they start their countdown to a new season back in the Premiership.

LIVERPOOL may launch a shock move to bring former striker Michael Owen back to Anfield after he admitted interest from Premiership clubs.

West Ham boss Alan Pardew has just nine days before his club’s first match back in the Premiership against Blackburn to sign a top striker after he was left frustrated by Monaco’s U-turn over their proposed sale of Emmanuel Adebayor to the Hammers.

RAFAEL BENITEZ believes Jose Mourinho’s comments regarding Steven Gerrard’s loyalty to Liverpool show the Chelsea boss to be “worried.”

Midfielder Vladimir Smicer admitted that his Liverpool career is now over - even after helping to inspire the club to their remarkable Champions League final comeback.

PAST EXPERIENCE tells at least one AC Milan player that nothing can be taken for granted when it comes to Champions League finals.

LIVERPOOL boss Rafael Benitez believes the crowd at Anfield inspired his players to their fantastic Champions League victory over Chelsea.

Liverpool’s man of the match Jamie Carragher stressed that the team could not afford to bask in the glory of beating Chelsea 1-0 to reach the final of the Champions League as they had to go on and win the trophy.

Fernando Morientes is expected to return up front for Liverpool’s Barclays Premiership clash at Manchester City tomorrow with Milan Baros suspended.

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Fernando Morientes admits that the arrival of former Liverpool striker Michael Owen was the signing that finally signalled the end of his Real Madrid career.

Real Madrid striker Fernando Morientes' agent Gines Carvajal has said the player's freshly-done contract with Liverpool is for four and a half years.

Paul Walker

Rafael Benitez has issued an ultimatum to Real Madrid over Fernando Morientes’ future as he prepares to send out his top stars in the Carling Cup semi-final.

Liverpool, without Milan Baros and Harry Kewell, opted to leave the youngsters on the bench and play the senior men against the Barclays Premiership leaders.

Liverpool have been rocked by the loss of Milan Baros from their side to face Chelsea at Anfield.

Steven Gerrard insists he will not accept “second best” by crashing out of the Champions League and into the UEFA Cup.

OLYMPIACOS coach Dusan Bajevic has vowed his side will not sit back and defend in their crucial Champions League clash with Liverpool tomorrow night.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez was forced to hand Florent Sinama-Pongolle a first Barclays Premiership start of the season in the absence of Milan Baros.

A WORRIED Rafael Benitez admits he must change the mentality of Liverpool so that they embrace and accept his new-style tactics.