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Sir Alex Ferguson was named the League Manager Association’s Manager of the Year on Monday.It is the third time the Scot has collected the award and is a double as he also won the Premier League’s Manager of the Year prize, after leading Manchester United to the English title and a Champions League final.

Ferguson, speaking via video link at the awards ceremony in London, said he was honoured to bag the award.

“It’s a wonderful honour. It has been a fantastic season for us in the most difficult league in the world,” the Scot said.

It was United’s 19th Premiership title – a record in the English top flight – while they also went through the season unbeaten at their Old Trafford home.

Ferguson will be hoping to collect the Champions League trophy for the third time as United take on Barcelona in the final at Wembley on Saturday.

Norwich boss Paul Lambert was named Championship manager of the year after his side earned promotion to the Premier League by finishing second to Queens Park Rangers.

Brighton manager Gus Poyet and Chesterfield’s John Sheridan claimed the League One and League Two honours respectively.

Paris Saint-Germain owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi has admitted that the big-spending Ligue 1 club want to sign Luis Suarez in the summer.

The Uruguay international has been a revelation for the Reds since moving to Anfield from Ajax in January 2011, but has been hounded by the media due to racist remarks made to Patrice Evra.

The French capital-city side are ready to end Suarez’s spell in England, and the billionaire owner has admitted that they club will spend big over the next five to six years.

“We are already looking at the market for next season,” the Qatari businessman is believed to have said according to Mirror Football.

“We have clear targets in mind. It is true that we want Luis Suarez and [Real Madrid striker] Gonzalo Higuain.

“Our real short-term targets are to win the Champions League and find a new Lionel Messi.

“We will spend what is normal for a top-class club. We prefer to invest a lot and immediately.

“In the next five or six years, we still spend this amount. Then the investments will slow,” he concluded.

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By Gareth McKnight

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A London derby at Craven Cottage see’s Fulham host neighbours QPR in their first top flight meeting with the hosts continuing their search a first Premier League win of the season.

The Cottagers have been brilliant in the Europa League and recorded a fantastic 2-0 win on Thursday night away at Danish side Odense BK. Despite their successes in Europe manager Martin Jol has failed to transport that form into their league campaign seeing his side pick up only four points from their first six games. Hovering just above the relegation zone in 17th place wasn’t the start most Fulham fans envisaged when the season kicked off in August but the truth his the Cottagers have struggled. Despite signing Bryan Ruiz for £10 million from Twente on deadline day goalscoring remains a serious issue with Bobby Zamora, Moussa Dembele and Andy Johnson also struggling to find the net. New Costa Rican signing Ruiz has begun his career in England at a startlingly slow pace but had the chance to make himself a hero in last Saturday’s 0-0 draw away at West Brom but contrived to stab the ball off the post and wide with a few minutes left on the clock. Jol, who was revered for the attacking philosophy he adopted at Tottenham, needs to get his players motivated and focused on making what do in the final third count. Aaron Hughes is an injury doubt with a knee problem and will require a fitness test with fellow defender Matthew Briggs also a worry.

Goalscoring is also a problem for Neil Warnock with his QPR strikers also coming across as shot shy after last week’s draw against Aston Villa at Loftus Road. Jay Bothroyd and DJ Campbell both failed to find the net with Richard Dunne’s late own goal giving the R’s a point they didn’t deserve. A week earlier they had brushed aside a tame Wolves side with Joey Barton and Alejandro Faurlin suppling the goals from midfield. Campbell also got on the scoresheet at Molineux and will be hoping to start at Craven Cottage on Sunday after recovering from injury. Warnocks side are unbeaten since his deadline day splurge and look a lot healthier after the addition of a few experienced Premier League heads. Their know how on the road has certainly come to good use with the Rangers claiming six of their eight points away from home. They’ve won both games in which they’ve taken the lead so victory should be assured against Fulham who have yet to open the scoring in any of their league fixtures this season. Armand Traore misses the game after his sending off last week with fellow defender Daniel Gabbidon also out through injury.

Key Players

Danny Murphy – The Fulham skipper has been in inspired form in the last few weeks rolling back the years with some commanding displays in the middle of midfield. They’ll need his experience and guile if they are to win their first Premier League game of the season.

Adel Taarabt – A glittering performance from the Moroccan in last week’s draw with Villa highlighted that he can mix it with the Premier Leagues best. Admittedly he did fade in the second period but is always a threat with the ball at his feet.

Verdict: 0-1

Fuham’s Danny Murphy is the highest ranked player from either club in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index in 21st place, while Alejandro Faurlin is QPR’s top ranked player in 62nd place Murphy has anchored the Fulham midfield this season, winning 85% of tackles entered into and making 10 interceptions. He has also put in ten crosses, while team mate Damien Duff stays top of the ranking for crosses with 30 this season. QPR are also due some goals. Taarabt is the player in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index with the most shots on target without scoring (14) Faurlin and Taarabt also both occupy places in the top passers in the league, in 9th and 13th places respectively and above internationals stars such as Frank Lampard and Ashley Young

Fancy winning a million pounds??

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Take up our exclusive offer with Goaldash below to be in with a chance – what have you got to lose?

Chief football administer Brian Marwood has admitted Manchester City are unlikely to repeat the massive spending spree they embarked upon during the summer.

City spent an estimated £120million on a host of big-name players before, during and after the World Cup finals.

Jerome Boateng, David Silva, Yaya Toure, Aleksandar Kolarov, James Milner and Mario Balotelli all arrived at Eastlands during a busy summer transfer window.

But on the same day that the club's Abu Dhabi-based owner Sheikh Mansour returned to the top of English football's rich list, Marwood has suggested that the days of big spending at Eastlands are over.

"Now the intensity of signing players is levelling off, allowing this group to build and develop – they haven't gelled yet," he told The Guardian.

"We have fast-tracked a lot. We need to put the structure in place. We talk about elite development, the academy, because that is the foundation. That is the future for Manchester City."

Meanwhile, Marwood has rejected criticism of City's transfer policy since Sheikh Mansour began his ambitious reign two years ago.

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"You have to chuckle to yourself," he continued.

"We were criticised for supposedly ruining English football by bringing foreign players in, then when the England team finished the last game against Switzerland, six City players were in it. That was a big jolt to a lot of people."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

After a slow start the 2010 World Cup in South Africa has been full of thrills and spills. Portugal netted seven against North Korea and both Brazil and Spain showed their class against the Ivory Coast and Honduras respectively, and the tournament is now moving through the gears. As the group stage of the tournament nears its conclusion and the straight knockout format is due to kick in, expect to see more thrills as there are no second chances. Only then will the battle to be crowned World Cup winners really hot up, with the experience of the final almost unrivalled.

The adrenaline and sense of anticipation that surrounds the World Cup final is something to behold. The thrills that is provides for the players involved, the supporters in the stadium and football fans around the world watching at home will be remembered for a very long time, especially if it’s a classic in the vein of England v West Germany at Wembley in 1966. That is one of those special occasions that go down in history, but something completely different that will give you an adrenaline rush can be enjoyed everyday.

The World Cup final is something that you have to wait a long time for, four years in fact, but you’ll only have to wait until work finishes to drive your Mazda MX-5, although that’s long enough! Getting behind the wheel is a thrilling experience in a car that offers unadulterated driving pleasure. From the feeling of putting your foot to the floor to that of having the roof down and the wind in your hair, driving the MX-5 will give you a buzz from start to finish. That’s something you can’t say about most football matches, apart from a select few.

Hopefully we’ll be graced with a classic or two in the 2010 World Cup that will come close to meeting the needs of thrill seekers around the world. Condor Hang Gliding in the Andes, somersaulting from the nose of a 40 ton whale and racing your friends in a buffalo stampede just aren’t exciting enough. Watching the 2010 World Cup final might just be the only thing that you delay the thrill of getting behind the wheel of a Mazda MX-5 for!

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Brought to you by Mazda Thrillseekers, for more information, visit www.mazda.co.uk/thrillseekers

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes must shoulder the blame for gifting the Red Devils their clinching goal in Saturday's 2-0 win at Old Trafford.

The Brazilian shot-stopper bowled the ball out of his hands anticipating a free-kick after Nani had handled in the penalty area.

But referee Mark Clattenburg waved play on after Nani's indiscretion and the Portuguese winger rolled the ball into the empty net.

The whistler allowed the goal to stand, much to Spurs' disgust but Ferguson insists the keeper should have known better.

"It was bizarre," he said."No-one knew at the time what was wrong. One minute the goalkeeper had the ball in his hands and the next it's in his net.

"Nani looked back and looked at the referee and the referee said play on, so what can he do but put the ball in the net.

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"You can look at the referee and look at the linesmen and blame them, but the goalkeeper should know better. He's an experienced goalkeeper. I thought he made a mess of it.

"The referee played on because the goalkeeper took possession of the ball. He then went to take a free-kick thinking it was a foul. He made an error."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has slammed the surface of the Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium after his side drew 0-0 with Aris Thessaloniki on Tuesday.

Mancini’s side were frustrated in their goalless outing in Greece and although City now just need a home victory to progress through to the Europa League’s Round of 16, the Italian was still annoyed with the state of the pitch.

“I think that we had control of the game but on this pitch it was very difficult to play football,” Mancini told ITV.

“I think that if we scored a goal in the first half when we had a chance with (Edin) Dzeko, everything would change but after they defended with nine or 10 players behind the ball it was very difficult.”

City’s big-money January signing Dzeko made his first European start for the club and, although he had chances, inevitably failed to get on the scoresheet.

The 27 million-pound arrival from Wolfsburg played up front with Argentine Carlos Tevez, and Mancini believes the duo need time to get the best out of their relationship.

“I think that it’s the second or third time they’ve played together, I think they need to gel. They need to play more games,” he said.

“It would be better if we won this game, we tried but it was difficult because they defended very well but we’ve got another game and I think that was a good result.”

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Mancini also believes the City of Manchester Stadium pitch will help his players in the second leg, on February 24.

“We’ll have a good pitch (in the second leg) and we can play better football because we can play with the ball on the floor, it was impossible. I think it will be another game,” he said.

Veteran defender Sol Campbell looks set to sign for Newcastle United ahead of the new Premier League season.

The 35-year-old former England international had been in talks with both Sunderland and Celtic alongside Arsenal where he ended last season.

However, he appears to have settled on the Magpies where he is now expected to sign a one-year contract at St James' Park.

Campbell arrived in the north-east on Tuesday morning prior to a medical before being confirmed as manager Chris Hughton's third signing of the summer.

Hughton has added utility man James Perch and former Everton full-back Dan Gosling to his ranks in recent weeks.

However, with first-choice centre-back Steven Taylor struggling with a shoulder injury ahead of the new campaign, the current squad is short on numbers at the back.

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"If I look at what we've got at this moment, defence is probably the area where we're a little bit light," admitted Hughton on Monday.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Spain international Cesc Fabregas looks set to stay at Arsenal for at least one more season after new Barcelona president Sandro Rosell admitted his club may not have the funds to afford him this summer.

Rosell has confirmed that there are currently no talks between the two sides over a deal for the Gunners captain, who left the Camp Nou for north London when he was only 16.

Barca had a reported Euros 29million bid for Fabregas turned down by the Gunners earlier this summer while it was suggested that the player's failure to oust Xavi and Andres Iniesta from the Spain side at this summer's World Cup finals, prompted him to have a change of heart about leaving Arsenal.

"Arsenal feels very hurt by Barca," Rosell told Catalan TV3."They don't want to listen to offers or sell and they are not putting the player (Fabregas) on the market.

"There was a strong dispute a few months ago and they have not forgotten it. He (Fabregas) will arrive, even if it is not now, it will be next year. We will see.

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"One thing that is certain is that we will not go mad trying to sign him. No shareholder would pay Euros 60 or 70million for him. We will not go all out for him. We would only pay his value in the transfer market."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is confident midfielder Darren Fletcher can help clinch the title at Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.The Scotland captain has been missing with a virus but made his comeback in the 4-1 Champions League semi-final second-leg win over Schalke and should play a part at Ewood Park.

Ferguson needs him fully fit for the Champions League final against Barcelona at the end of the month.

“We have to give Darren a chance and he is back training every day. It is just a matter of getting back that strength and speed into his game,” Ferguson said.

“As I said we have some games to do that. He will go very close and has the application and desire to do it. Hopefully we can get him there.”

Edwin van der Sar could be given a watching brief as Ferguson wants him rested for the Wembley showdown against arguably the best team in world football.

The 40-year-old has made some crucial saves to keep the club on course for a league and Champions League double but Ferguson does not want him to burn out.

“I may rest Edwin van der Sar on Saturday given the program he has been through in the last couple of weeks,” he said.

“We have an opportunity to give him a bit of a break. He has played every game and of course these are all very important ones.”

“What has helped us in the last few games has been the freshness of the players coming back.”

“We have needed that added impetus at such an important time.”

“Antonio Valencia’s form has been terrific and Ji-Sung Park has been doing a magnificent job.”

Ferguson knows Blackburn also have something to play for as the season draws to a close – they are just three points clear of the relegation zone and will be looking to make sure they are safe.

“The most important thing is to approach this game in the right way and we are going to play our strongest team,” he said.

“It is a big game and it is always difficult to play away at Blackburn.”

“They are fighting relegation and I think they probably need a point so it is going to be a difficult game.”

“They will try to do their best to get that point or even beat us and it is a hard game for both teams.”

“We are going there with the confidence from a great performance when we beat Chelsea 2-1 on Sunday. We need another one like that.”

Midfielder Owen Hargreaves misses out with a shoulder injury.