Adobe Flash Player Required.
Download the latest version here.

London derby headlines EPL action

29 September 2012-AFP

Chelsea will try to cement its position at the top of the English Premier League by winning at London rival Arsenal on Saturday (9.45pm AEST) in its first match since Blues skipper John Terry was banned for racist abuse.

Terry was given a four-game ban by the Football Association (FA) after being found guilty of racially abusing Queens Park Rangers' Anton Ferdinand and fined £220,000 ($345,000) pending appeal.

Terry has 14 days from receiving the written reasons for the decision to lodge an appeal against a decision relating to an incident that took place during Chelsea's match away to QPR at Loftus Road on 23 October last year.

The ban - which comes after the 31-year-old former England captain was acquitted of criminal charges relating to the same incident in July - will not come into force until the appeals procedure is complete.

That means central defender Terry, who played in the 6-0 English League Cup rout of Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday, is available for Chelsea's trip to Arsenal.

Before the hearing started, former England captain Terry dramatically retired from international football.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was taken back by the defender's decision to call time on his 78-cap England career but the Frenchman had no doubt Terry would be ready for Saturday's match if selected.

"Terry in the big games has experience and leadership qualities that can always be important," Wenger said.

Second-placed Manchester United faces Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford with England striker Wayne Rooney set to make his Premier League return after a gashed thigh.

Darren Fletcher, who also featured in the midweek League Cup win over Newcastle, is in line for a first league start in 10 months after being sidelined with a chronic bowel condition.

Reigning champion Manchester City, who has won just two of its five league games this season and conceded seven goals in the process, travels to in-form Fulham looking for victory and a shut-out for goalkeeper Joe Hart.

"If you want to win the Premier League, you have to be able to keep clean sheets," said City defender Kolo Toure.

Liverpool goes in search of its first league win this term when it travels to Norwich, with manager Brendan Rodgers hoping refereeing decisions at last go in the Merseysiders' favour.

Anfield great John Barnes believes Liverpool is being punished because striker Luis Suarez has an undeserved reputation for diving.

The Uruguay forward was denied a penalty during last weekend's 2-1 home defeat by arch-rival United after going down in the box.

But Barnes told ESPN: "The diving tag is unfair on him. He is no different to anyone else in world football who plays up front.

"In other countries players are not judged from a moral point of view, but that is the case in England because we are English and we are morally correct, we are the moral policemen of the world."

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew takes his side to bottom of the table Reading, buoyed by being given a new eight-year contract by the Magpies in a huge show of faith by the north-east club's owner, Mike Ashley.

Elsewhere high-flyer Everton is at home to Southampton, Stoke plays Swansea and Sunderland faces Wigan.

Aston Villa takes on Midlands rival West Bromwich Albion while London rivals QPR and West Ham meet at Loftus Road.

English Premier League

Future unclear for Martinez

The future of Wigan manager Roberto Martinez will not be decided until next week but chairman Dave Whelan is positive about holding on to the Spaniard.

0 Comments

ADVERTISEMENT
2013 AFC Champions League

2013 AFC Champions League

The run of Central Coast Mariners in Asian football's top club competition came to a thudding halt in a damp and miserable Chinese evening.

0 Comments

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
The Da Vinci Cup (DVD)

The Da Vinci Cup (DVD)

Join Pauly Falzoni of Fat Pizza fame as he takes us behind the secret conspiracy of the world’s biggest sport.

The Fabric of the Cosmos (DVD)

The Fabric of the Cosmos (DVD)

A mind-blowing new exploration of space, time, and the very nature of reality.

  • '09 #1 Sports Soccer Website, Hitwise
  • '09 #1 Television Program, Hitwise
  • '08 #1 Sports Soccer Website, Hitwise