Manchester City in no panic over selling Carlos Tevez

Manchester City are in no rush to meet striker Carlos Tevez's demand to leave Eastlands and are likely to ask in excess of £40m to consider selling.

BBC Sport understands Tevez's latest request to leave City has left chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak "sanguine" about developments.

The club believe they are in a position of strength over any potential Tevez transfer and are in no mood to plead with the striker to stay.

Tevez is contracted at City until 2014.

A spokesman said: "Carlos is a contracted player to Manchester City for another three years and we have had no offers for him."

Tevez, 27, asked City for a transfer in December and while it now seems inevitable he will eventually move on, City are relaxed about the latest twist and are determined he will only leave when the time and price is right for them.

City boss Roberto Mancini insisted recently that Tevez would stay after a proposed swap deal with Inter Milan for striker Samuel Eto'o fell through - but there is still no great shock inside Eastlands after Tevez made his desire to leave public once again.

The Argentina international wants to be reunited with his family - with Milan believed to be a favoured destination - but there is unlikely to be a swift resolution with City determined not to be railroaded into a deal by the player and his advisors.

City's stance on Tevez is hardened by the fact that he is on a contract reportedly worth in excess of £200,000-a-week, while there is no pressing need for cash to flow into Eastlands given the vast wealth of the club's Abu Dhabi owners.

The cost of any Tevez transfer will limit the market, with Inter Milan sporting director Marco Branca recently insisting the Serie A club would not make a move because they were unable to afford the wage packet he was receiving at City.

Rangers close in on signing of Juan Manuel Ortiz

Rangers are hoping to complete the signing of Juan Manuel Ortiz from Spanish club Almeria on Tuesday.

The Spanish midfielder is in Glasgow for talks and should sign on the dotted line in the next 24 hours after a deal was agreed between the two clubs.

Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp has offered Rangers two players on loan.

Bongani Khumalo is a 24-year-old South Africa central defender and Jake Livermore is a 21-year-old midfielder.

The offer followed talks between Redknapp and Rangers owner Craig Whyte.

But it is 29-year-old Ortiz who looks poised to become Ally McCoist's first signing since he took over as Rangers manager from Walter Smith at the end of last season.

Ortiz, who arrived at Rangers' Murray Park training base on Monday, has spent four years at Almeria.

However, the Andalusian club's four-year spell in Spain's top flight came to an end last season when they finished 20th and were relegated from La Liga.

Ortiz was a graduate of Atletico Madrid's youth system but spent loan spells with Osasuna and Poli Ejido before heading to Almeria.

While at Juegos Mediterraneos stadium, the player also known as Juanma not only played in midfield but on both flanks of defence.

McCoist has so far been thwarted in efforts to sign Dundee United striker David Goodwillie, winger Craig Conroy, who joined Cardiff City from United, Aston Villa defender Carlos Cuellar and midfielder Neil Danns, who left Crystal Palace for Leicester City.

However, he has been able to secure several key first-team players on extended contracts.

Northern Ireland midfielder Steven Davis, who is entering the final year of his current deal, is the latest to be offered a five-year contract extension.

That was the length of deal signed on Monday by defender Steven Whittaker, while Scotland colleague Allan McGregor agreed a six-year extension to remain the number one goalkeeper at Ibrox.

Forward David Healy, utility man Andrew Little, left-back Sasa Papac and winger Salim Kerkar had already signed new one-year deals at Ibrox this summer.

Meanwhile, negotiations continue with veteran defender and captain David Weir.

Lionel Messi mauls VfB Stuttgart to send Barcelona through Champions League quarters

Lionel Messi's brilliance sent holders Barcelona through to the Champions League quarter-finals with a 4-0 dismantling of VfB Stuttgart on Wednesday.

Messi scored twice, including a 13th minute stunner that set the Catalans on their way, and was instrumental in the second goal from Pedro, before Bojan Krkic sealed a 5-1 aggregate win.

Barca's victory sent them through to the last eight for a third successive season and salvaged some honour for Spain after the elimination of La Liga sides Real Madrid and Sevilla.

"Only Manchester United have managed to get to the quarters the following season as reigning champions before and I want to congratulate my team for that," proud coach Pep Guardiola said at a news conference.

"Being among the eight best again and being able to compete with them fills us with excitement," he added.

The excitement during the match was supplied by the beguiling skill of Messi.

After collecting the ball just inside the visitors' half, he raced towards the retreating Stuttgart defence before unleashing a left-foot shot that fizzed past goalkeeper Jens Lehmann high into the net.

The Fifa World Player of the Year turned creator nine minutes later. A superbly weighted pass sent Yaya Toure clear on the left and forward Pedro timed his run to perfection to sweep home the Ivory Coast midfielder's low cross.

More smart work from Messi set up Toure in the 55th but his low drive flew just wide of Lehmann's right-hand post.

Messi beat Lehmann again with a low strike from the edge of the area on the hour, his eighth goal in four matches in all competitions, to end Stuttgart's hopes.

As Barca asserted their dominance, a rampant Messi almost completed his hat-trick with a header in the 68th, well saved by Lehmann, before Krkic wrapped things up a minute after replacing Andres Iniesta.

Stuttgart coach Christian Gross said Real's elimination by Olympique Lyon last week had probably been an extra motivation for the Barca players.

"They pinned us back and we couldn't make any headway down the flanks," the Swiss said. "They are the best team in the world and when they go ahead in front of their own fans it's very difficult," he added.

The draw for the quarter-finals is on Friday and on this evidence, Barcelona will again be the team to avoid.

Benitez believes Liverpool still in Premier League title race

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez reckons his side can blow the Premier League title race wide open again when they visit Old Trafford next month.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been so impressed by Manchester United's nine straight league wins that he admits that he cannot see anyone getting near them.

The bookies also clearly agree, with one already paying out on Alex Ferguson's outfit winning a domestic treble, The Sun reported.

Even Fergie himself believes it is a two-horse race, with only Liverpool placed to make a scrap of it.

But Benitez, whose side host Manchester City tomorrow, insisted: "When I speak of facts, one is that United are a very good team and I knew they could have a run of winning games in a row.

"They will win more than a lot of the other teams, but to say we can't beat them? I don't think so. I can only talk of my team, but I don't think they are untouchable. In football now, every game is tough, so anything can happen," Benitez said.

"We have reduced the gap very well and want to reduce it more. It will be difficult but, if we're in the same position going to Old Trafford, maybe that could be important."

Few men are better placed to talk of shattering the status quo than Benitez, whose Valencia side broke Real Madrid and Barcelona's stranglehold on the title in Spain.

Liverpool trail United by five points, but seven years ago Valencia was even further behind Real and still won the title.

Benitez added: "In Spain we were eight or nine points behind in January and finished seven ahead. It's a big gap, but we can reduce that by winning a few in a row."

Diarra agrees to join Real Madrid

Portsmouth midfielder Lassana Diarra has agreed a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid, subject to passing a medical on Monday.

The 23-year-old is set to sign a four-and-a-half-year deal at the Bernabeu.

Pompey had already accepted Real's bid - reported to be £20m - for Diarra but there was still interest from other clubs, including Manchester City.

Diarra will officially become a Real player when the transfer window reopens on 1 January.

The France international started his career with Le Havre before signing for Chelsea in 2005. He moved to the Gunners on the final day of the August 2007 transfer window but left for Pompey five months later.

"We have always said that we would only allow our players to leave if we received an exceptional bid," a Pompey spokesman told the club's website earlier in the week.

"We could not stand in the way of a move such as this for Lassana.

"It shows how far the club has come under the ownership of Alexandre Gayadamak when Real Madrid come in for one of our players.

"Should the deal be completed, we have already identified possible replacements."

Pompey boss Tony Adams said he will have all of the money from Diarra's sale to sign new players.

"It's a substantial offer. Every penny is mine, and I had money before that, so I am delighted," said Adams on Wednesday.

"Every decision at this club will be through me and when Real Madrid offers a lot of money for one of your players I have a decision to make.

"The lad wants to play for Real Madrid and it's a magnificent offer that will get me some recruitments for Portsmouth."

Diarra came on as a substitute in Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Bolton to make his first appearance since 15 November following an ankle injury.

Real are now coached by former Tottenham boss Juande Ramos and want a defensive midfielder because Mali international Mahamadou Diarra is sidelined for the season after undergoing knee surgery.

Rooney’s 100th seals derby

Manchester United overcome a late surge from City to prevail 1-0; Cristiano Ronaldo is sent off for a hand ball

Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off for the third time in his Manchester United career as Wayne Rooney’s 100th goal in club football sealed a 1-0 victory for Sir Alex Ferguson’s men against Manchester City at Eastlands on Sunday. Rooney’s goal — his first in seven games — settled the 150th meeting between the Manchester neighbours and cemented United in third spot in the Premier League.

But United were forced to play the final twenty-one minutes with ten men after Ronaldo was dismissed for handling the ball from Rooney’s corner — his second booking in the space of nine minutes.

With five other players booked, United now face an FA fine for failing to control their players, but Ferguson will not be concerned by that having sealed a crucial victory. City hadn’t landed back in Manchester until early on Friday morning following their UEFA Cup tie against Schalke in Germany, and United went into this game with the advantage of having had an extra two days to prepare.

The extra freshness within the United ranks showed in the first half as the European champions dominated possession and created the best chances. Not for the first time this season, though, Ferguson’s team failed to capitalise on their early dominance and, just as happened at Liverpool, Everton and Arsenal earlier this campaign, United struggled to kill off their bitter rivals.

The visitors could have gone ahead as early as the eighth minute when City keeper Joe Hart fumbled a Rooney shot, but Darren Fletcher failed to convert the loose ball from six yards.

In times of terror, seek joy in sports

Sport has often provided me the escape route. Squeaking shoes on the wooden floor of a badminton court, the sound of a shuttlecock whizzing past the ear, reassured me that in the hours spent in its confines, everything else was secondary.

The mundaneness of a summer afternoon was made tolerable by a repeat telecast of an India-Pakistan cricket match on TV.

Racing downhill, bare-feet, on dew-kissed grass, gave me the biggest high.

But the last four days have been different. Filippo Inzaghi’s record-breaking goal in European competitions mattered little. I didn’t care that Chelsea still hadn’t made the last sixteen of the Champions League. In fact, blasphemous as it may sound, I even thought Bill Shankly a passionate fool for believing that football is more important than life and death.

My city was burning, people grieving for the loved ones they lost. How could I, then, seek solace in sport?

It’s in moments like these that you realise, sport may not be that big a deal after all. It may be important for the soul of a man but not as important as life itself.

By late Friday night, as some normalcy returned, and my mother stopped questioning every loud noise she heard while talking on the phone with me, I turned to sport again. Not to escape, but maybe to revive the faith.

I watched the DVD of that NatWest final at Lord’s, where Yuvraj Singh and Mohammed Kaif helped India rise from the dead. Then, I played the DVD of the World Cup final between France and Italy, rewinding the Zinedine Zidane head-butt some 10 times and each time gasping, “How could he?”

I saw Ronaldinho at his magical best, then immediately felt a sense of guilt at the happiness his genius brought me.

On Saturday, Mumbaikars woke up to feel safer than they felt in the last four days. I am glad that the ordeal is over. But, I guess, now we will all need reassurance.

I think I will find mine in sport. This weekend there is some football — matches that can turn out to be classics. Arsenal play Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, hoping to stay in the race for the title. But I think more enthralling could be the game at the City of Manchester Stadium. It’s Manchester City against their old foes Manchester United.
Brazilian Robinho is at the centre of it all. In his first in-depth interview since moving to England, Robinho has revealed that over the last week he has been stopped by hundreds of people in the streets, who tell him, ‘You must beat United. This is our game. This is our day. You have to score the winning goal’.

For the City fans, this is the time for revenge against their more famed rivals. For the first time in years, they feel they can match the Devils kick-for-kick. A win on Sunday, could wipe out the hurt that taunts of ‘wrong Manchester’ have caused.

When Robinho joined City after a £32.5m signing from Real Madrid in September on a salary of £160,000 a week, we called him a mercenary.

Rob’s taken the criticism, played his best football, scored eight goals in 11 league games and brought immense happiness to thousands of City supporters. If he wins them the game on Sunday, they’ll have no greater hero.

In our tough times, let’s all seek our Robinhos.

Late goals send Milan through in UEFA Cup

Late goals from Ronaldinho and Filippo Inzaghi salvaged a 2-2 draw for AC Milan against English FA Cup winners Portsmouth and took the seven times European champions into the last 32 of the UEFA Cup on Thursday.

Milan were trailing 2-0 until Brazilian Ronaldinho curled in a superb freekick after 84 minutes and then Inzaghi, who had hit the woodwork three times, showed fine control to slot home the equaliser in the second minute of stoppage time.

Carlo Ancelotti's side top Group E with seven points from three matches and are guaranteed a place in the knockout phase with a game to spare.

Former winners CSKA Moscow, Manchester City and Ligue 1 strugglers St Etienne joined Milan as the first four teams to qualify for the last 32.

Portsmouth, roared on by the majority of a fervent 20,000 crowd shoehorned into the south coast club's Fratton Park home, had stunned Milan with second-half goals from Younes Kaboul and Nwankwo Kanu.

Kaboul powerfully headed home Glenn Johnson's inviting cross after 62 minutes and 11 minutes later Nigeria striker Kanu, whose FA Cup final winner in May secured Portsmouth's place in Europe, hooked in another Johnson cross from close range.

Ancelotti sent on Ronaldinho and Pato for Kaka and Andriy Shevchenko and it was the former who got Milan back into the game with an unstoppable swirling freekick past David James.

With time running out, a hopeful ball into the danger area was taken down with aplomb by Inzaghi who then found the bottom corner of the net.

Kaka targets English switch amid Man City link

AC Milan playmaker Kaka wants to play in the English Premier League and has been speaking to fellow Brazilians Robinho and Elano about Manchester City.

City's wealthy Abu Dhabi owners have been linked with a move for 26-year-old Kaka.

"I like very much the Premier League," the world player of the year said ahead of Thursday's UEFA Cup match at Portsmouth. "It's a very tough championship, but there are a lot of big players and a lot of big teams, so now I think it's the best championship in the world."

"So, one day maybe, I don't know when, but it would be great to play in England."

Sheik Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan broke the British transfer record to sign Robinho in September when the member of the United Arab Emirates' royal family led the Abu Dhabi United Group's purchase of City.

When asked about a move to City, Kaka said: "I have a lot of friends that are playing there, so I watch some games. I speak with Robinho and Elano sometimes about Manchester City."

Top four Premiership teams fire blanks

The top four failed to muster a goal Saturday as Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United drew 0-0 while Arsenal went down 3-0 at Manchester City.

Premier League leaders Chelsea could find no way through Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge. Liverpool had the same problem at home to Fulham and third-placed Manchester United were held 0-0 in a lively game at Aston Villa.

Troubled Arsenal's season went from bad to worse as they slid to fifth.

With captain William Gallas dropped for questioning the fighting spirit of his team mates, injury-hit Arsenal capitulated with Stephen Ireland, Robinho and Daniel Sturridge on target for City.

Arsenal are 10 points behind Chelsea and Liverpool who are locked together on 33 points from 14 matches although Chelsea have a superior goal difference. United are eight points behind with a game in hand while Villa rose to fourth.

Hull City twice came from behind to draw 2-2 at Portsmouth, Bolton Wanderers won 3-1 at Middlesbrough while bottom club West Bromwich Albion lost 1-0 at Stoke City.

Chelsea were frustrated by a gritty Newcastle performance. The leaders have now drawn three times at Stamford Bridge this season and also lost at home to Liverpool.

"Who won today? Newcastle because they came here to draw. The players tried but it is not the day for us," Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari told the BBC.

Liverpool to miss Gerrard

Liverpool will go into Saturday’s Premier League match against Fulham without captain Steven Gerrard who has failed to recover from a torn groin muscle that kept him out of England’s 2-1 victory at Germany on Wednesday.

Chelsea will also be without striker Didier Drogba who starts a three-match ban. Frank Lampard, who also did not play against Germany because of a rib injury, is set to play Saturday’s match against Newcastle.

Arsene Wenger has problems as Arsenal try to revive their title challenge at Manchester City.

Defender Kolo Toure is ruled out with a calf injury while Theo Walcott is sidelined for three months because of surgery on his dislocated shoulder.

Gianluigi Buffon would 'make deal happen' if Manchester City offer £60 million

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has fuelled speculation that he will be leaving Serie A side Juventus in January to join Manchester City in a world transfer record £60 million move by saying if the figures were true he would “make the deal happen.”

Injury to first-choice goalkeeper Joe Hart, coupled with the England squad member’s youth and relative inexperience, has prompted Mark Hughes to explore the possibility of drafting an established international name in to the squad.

Backed by almost limitless resources from the club’s Abu Dhabi-based owners, Hughes is ready to make wholesale changes to a squad that currently lie closer to the relegation places than the top four.

Reports in this morning’s papers suggest City are lining up a deal that would see the Italian World Cup winner handed a £240,000-a-week contract, making him easily the best paid player in the Premier League.

And the veteran goalkeeper gave City encouragement when he said that Juventus would be foolish to turn down an offer of that magnitude.

“If a club is willing to pay that much for you, it would be fair to say I will tell my agents to make the deal happen,” said Buffon.

“Juve can go and buy a team full of champions of their own."

City have conceded at least two goals in seven of their last eight matches and defensive reinforcements are a priority to Hughes.

The manager is also likely to offer Kolo Toure a route out of the Emirates Stadium with a similarly generous offer.

However, Juventus manager Claudio Ranieri, whose side face champions Inter Milan this weekend, looking to draw level with Jose Mourinho’s side on points after a recent run of good form, made light of the reports.

He said: “Manchester City’s offer for Buffon? Well, if we wait a bit maybe the number of millions will reach 100. At the end of the season we might even reach 150!

“No, joking apart, Gigi remains with us. He will not go anywhere.”

Juventus president Jean-Claude Blanc also poured cold water on the story, saying: “Gigi is not for sale, he does not have a price and also there are no negotiations.

“There has never been any contact between us and Manchester City, nor any offer from them for Buffon.

“There’s nothing true about this.”

Gallas launches Arsenal outburst

Arsenal captain William Gallas has attacked his team-mates and called into question their courage to challenge for the Premier League title.

"We are not brave enough in battle. I think we need to be soldiers. To be champions, you have to play big matches every weekend and fight," said Gallas.

Gallas, 31, also accused an unnamed player of disrupting team morale.

Arsenal have yet to comment on Gallas's extraordinary outburst but his position as skipper will again be scrutinised.

"We would think that by now Arsene Wenger would know the kind of person he wants as captain," former England boss Graham Taylor told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"And if it isn't working for him, make those changes. He knows his players better than any of us. He knows what he is looking for as a leader as a captain.

"If he feels that Gallas isn't doing that then I think he is wrong if he continues with him."

Saturday's 2-0 defeat by Aston Villa made it four losses in total this term for Arsenal, leaving them nine points adrift of Chelsea and Liverpool.

Speaking to the Associated Press, Gallas added: "We are coming up against teams who are not scared to play football against us, who are not scared to take us on at our place, and this is becoming dangerous for Arsenal.

"We have to be warriors. That is how the team will forge their character and experience."

Frenchman Gallas has come under severe personal scrutiny as Arsenal skipper, most recently receiving criticism after being photographed leaving a nightclub with a cigarette in his mouth.

And he was also barracked following a show of petulance at the end of his side's 2-2 draw with Birmingham City last season - and he has admitted friction is creeping into the Arsenal camp.

"There was a problem at half-time of the 4-4 draw with Tottenham," he said. "The only thing that I could say at half-time was 'guys, we resolve these problems after the match, not at halftime'."

Gallas revealed that on another occasion some Arsenal players had been insulted by their own team-mate.

"When as captain some players come up to you and talk to you about a player... complaining about him... and then during the match you speak to this player and the player in question insults us, there comes a time where we can no longer comprehend how this can happen," he said.

Gallas would not reveal the player's name, although he said the incident occurred during an attacking phase of play, saying: "I am trying to defend myself a bit without giving names. Otherwise I'm taking it all (the blame). I'm 31, the player is six years younger than me."

Still, the centre-half believes his side can still challenge for honours this season, though he added another season without silverware "would be a kind of failure".

"I have to win something this year. I have to win something, Arsenal has to win something. It's four or five years since Arsenal won anything - 2004 (the league title). That's nearly five years, and that's not good.

"(Big contracts) make the difference, perhaps. You can rest on your laurels, that's for sure."

Arsenal travel to Manchester City in the league on Saturday hoping to avoid their first back-to-back defeats in 58 Premier League encounters.

Hull 2-2 Manchester City

Geovanni equalised for the Tigers as Hull and Manchester City ended three-game losing runs in the league.

Daniel Cousin put Hull in front, capitalising on Tal Ben-Haim's awful back-pass to flick the ball past Joe Hart, who later went off injured.

Stephen Ireland levelled after a heavy touch from Kamil Zayatte gifted him an open goal and he then put his side ahead with a brilliant 18-yard shot.

But Geovanni equalised against his former club with a deflected free-kick.

The result might not fully satisfy either manager but it was a fair result after an entertaining contest in which some awful defensive errors added to the drama.

Hull lost at home to Bolton last weekend and needed a morale-boosting result ahead of successive away matches at Portsmouth and Stoke.

But Manchester City boss Mark Hughes - with a more gifted squad at his disposal - was arguably under greater pressure to win.

He had travelled to Abu Dhabi during the week for a meeting with owner Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan that prompted rumours about the future of the manager.

Hughes surprisingly gave Robinho the skipper's armband in the absence of suspended Richard Dunne - and he might have scored in the opening minutes with a free-kick but his effort was both weak and wide.

Hull showed the greater endeavour and desire in the opening stages, but their their opening goal was very much a result of individual error rather than attacking brilliance.

There was little immediate danger when Micah Richards squared the ball across the penalty area to Ben-Haim despite Hull's forwards closing down the space quickly.

But the Israel international scuffed his back-pass and Cousin had the presence of mind to nip in and deftly stab the ball past the advancing Hart.

To make matters worse, Hart was injured in the incident and was replaced by Kasper Schmeichel for his first Premier League appearance since September 2007.

Plenty of committed tackles followed and neither side could be accused of lacking effort, but Manchester City's equaliser was as shambolic as Cousin's opener.

Zayatte should have belted the ball clear after breaking up an attack. Instead, he chose to run it across his own penalty area and lost control with a heavy touch, allowing Ireland to slip the ball into an empty net.

By contrast, Ireland's second goal on the stroke of half-time was all about a sublime piece of individual skill.

Picked out by a superb low cutback from defender Javier Garrido, the midfielder controlled the ball with his first touch and then bent it inside the post from 18 yards.

Geovanni showed true Brazilian flair with an aerial volley that flew narrowly over the crossbar but he pulled Hull level on the hour mark when his free-kick found the net after a deflection off Vincent Kompany.

Manchester City were aggrieved at referee Phil Dowd's decision to penalise Richards for a foul and their sense of injustice was almost compounded by a flying Cousin header, but an alert Schmeichel made the save.

The visitors then City had a good opportunity to regain the lead after a cross-cum-shot fell invitingly to Darius Vassell, but the former England somehow striker missed the ball.

Hull might have had their third when Geovanni had three attempts at a free-kick, with two Manchester City players booked for encroaching from the wall.

In the end his third effort struck the wall before Vassell wasted the final chance of the match with a shot which was too close to Myhill.

David Beckham awaits England squad call

Beckham awaits England squad call

David Beckham will find out on Saturday whether he will get the chance to equal Bobby Moore's tally of 108 caps in Wednesday's friendly with Germany.

England coach Fabio Capello will name his squad at around 1900 GMT - and there is speculation Beckham will be left out as he lacks match fitness.

The LA Galaxy midfielder, 33, has not played since the Major League Soccer season finished on 26 October.

But if Beckham is left out it would not signal the end of his England career.

Beckham was a member of the England team that defeated Germany 5-1 in their famous win in Munich under coach Sven-Goran Eriksson in 2001.

But his participation this time is in doubt because Capello has made it clear he will only pick players who are playing regularly and Beckham will be inactive until he joins Italian side AC Milan on loan in January.

"The door will still be open for him. It will be interesting to see how he gets on at AC Milan and he could be back in the England squad for their next friendly against Spain in February.

"But he will be picked on merit, as a squad player, not as a star who is adding to his collection of caps."

Beckham needs one more cap to equal Moore's record as England's most-capped outfield player, although he is still some way short of goalkeeper Peter Shilton, who won 125 caps.

If the former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder is not included, it will be the first time that Capello has not selected him since he recalled him to the squad to face France in March.

The England coach must also decide whether to recall Michael Owen, who has played a part in Newcastle's last two games after missing three matches with a groin injury.

Capello is definitely without Chelsea pair Ashley and Joe Cole, who are both sidelined with hamstring problems.

And Wigan striker Emile Heskey is also out of action with a calf strain.

But Joe Hart and Gabriel Agbonlahor are set to be included as Capello is keen to give them more senior experience.

Manchester City goalkeeper Hart, 21, and Aston Villa striker Agbonlaor, 22, were both left out of Stuart Pearce's Under-21 squad to face the Czech Republic on Tuesday.

Premier League talent line from Arsenal to Wigan Athletic

Guide to the Premier League academies

Arsenal

Opened in 1998, the Arsenal Academy is now in its 11th season, having been one of the first tier of English clubs to gain academy status.
Star pupil: David Bentley.

Aston Villa

Established in 1997, it replaced the former Centre of Excellence system in an attempt to introduce a more organised approach to youth development.
Star pupil: Gareth Barry.

Blackburn Rovers

Rovers are reviewing their academy in an attempt to develop a greater number of successful senior squad members at Ewood.
Star pupil: Matt Derbyshire.

Bolton Wanderers

The club replaced the older, more informal youth system in 1998.
Star pupil: Kevin Nolan.

Chelsea

The mission statement is "to produce home-grown professional footballers capable of competing with Europe's elite players with long-term loyalty to the club."
Star pupil: John Terry.

Everton

Academy has more than 20 full-time staff.Players from age six to 16 are coached three times a week.
Star pupil: Wayne Rooney.

Fulham

The Fulham Academy takes on players as young as nine years old.
Star pupil: Sean Davis.

Liverpool

Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard, Robbie Fowler, Steve McManaman and Jamie Carragher all trained at the state-of-the-art Youth Academy, opened in Kirkby in 1998. It has enabled the club to employ new techniques and FA standards.
Star pupil: Steven Gerrard.

Manchester City

The Academy was set up in 1998. By the end of last season no fewer than 26 players had passed through the Platt Lane gates and into the first team.
Star pupil: Micah Richards.

Manchester United

Academy players won the Champions Youth Cup last year. Recent alumni include Frazier Campbell and Johnny Evans.
Star pupil: Ryan Giggs.

Middlesbrough

One of the most productive academies in the country. Since 2003, Boro have produced the most graduates of all the academies to play in at least five first-team games a season. Star pupil: Stewart Downing

Newcastle United

Newly appointed director Richard Money presides over the Newcastle academy.
Star pupil: Stephen Taylor.

Portsmouth

The club were granted academy status at
the beginning of last season. Finished fourth in the Premier League Academy Group A last year.
Star pupil: Darren Anderton.

Stoke City

This academy, which costs £500,000 per year to run, trains more than 150 young players.
Star pupil: Martin Paterson.

Sunderland

The 'Academy of Light' cost over £10 million to build, and was the subject of protests from local residents angered at such a development on a green belt.
Star pupil: Martyn Waghorn.

Tottenham Hotspur

The Spurs academy coaches footballers from age eight to 18. The operation involves approximately 30 full-time and part-time staff.
Star pupil: Ledley King.

West Bromwich Albion

Run by former Manchester United midfielder Michael Appleton, the academy's home games are normally played at Albion's Great Barr Training Ground.

West Ham United
West Ham's academy has been highly successful in producing a number of players who have gone on to play at international level, including Frank Lampard.
Star pupil: Joe Cole.

Premier League clubs without academies:

Hull City (Centre of Excellence status) and Wigan Athletic (Centre of Excellence status).

Man Utd 1-0 QPR

Carlos Tevez struck from the penalty spot in the 76th minute as Manchester United edged into the quarter finals of the Carling Cup following a dour match.

The Argentine made no mistake from the spot after substitute Danny Welbeck had been felled by Peter Ramage, but it was far from a vintage United performance.

Ji-Sung Park earlier hit a post but a much-changed United side failed to turn their utter dominance into chances.

QPR defended throughout, though Samuel di Carmine had a late effort ruled out.

The Italian forced home from close range but the official's flag was the right call - and an equaliser would have been unjust given the visitors' reticence to attack.

For their part, United totally dominated possession but - with Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and Cristiano Ronaldo rested - attacks constantly misfired.

Still, eight changes to the starting line-up that went down 2-1 to Arsenal at the weekend perhaps explains the disjointed display United produced.

On the day news broke that Owen Hargreaves will be out for the rest of the season with knee trouble, United boss Sir Alex Ferguson will have been pleased to see Rodrigo Possebon pulling the strings in midfield.

But United struggled to create many clear-cut chances, Tevez forcing a fine, low save with a stinging shot before Rangers keeper Radek Cerny almost let in Ji-Sung Park when he spilled Anderson's effort.

Those were the highlights of a largely drab opening half and things barely got better at the start of the second, with Nani, Anderson and Park all guilty of wayward passes.

Park nearly provided the breakthrough on the hour mark, blazing a 30-yard effort against the post after good work by Rafael da Silva and minutes later Tevez forced Cerny to tip over from 12 yards.

QPR finally managed their very first effort on goal on 73 minutes when Dexter Blackstock brought an easy save out of Tomasz Kuszczak.

Three minutes later Nani burst into the box well and laid the ball to Welbeck, who was clearly felled by Ramage.

Tevez, who has regularly been left out of the United starting line-up in recent weeks, made no mistake from the spot, sending Cerny the wrong way.

Rangers finally rallied following the goal and after Di Carmine's effort had been rightly ruled out, Emmanuel Ledesma fired wide of the goal after Blackstock's shot had been saved.

It was commendable effort at the end of the match from the visitors, but few could argue United deserved the win and to go through to the last eight of the competition.

Man Utd boss Sir Alex Ferguson:
"Danny Welbeck changed the game for us, really, and I'm really pleased with him. He gave us something different and earned the all important penalty.

"He's only recently back from a groin injury but now that he's fit he's very much in the first-team picture.

"The only area that has been letting us down of late - and it showed again tonight - is taking our chances. But the goals will come, I'm sure."

QPR caretaker manager Gareth Ainsworth on injuries to Gavin Mahon, Lee Cook and Daniel Parejo:

"They are problems we could do without. I will be making changes on Saturday against Burnley that's for sure.

"We have given a good account of ourselves and this is a fairytale for me.

"But we are back down to earth at Burnley on Saturday. The Championship is important for us. We have massive ambition and we want to get out of it."

Fabio Capello may leave out David Beckham of England squad to face Germany

The England coach has a policy of omitting those who are not playing, and the Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder falls into that category.

Although Beckham has worked hard to retain Capello's faith, making a series of substitute appearances for England to close in on Bobby Moore's outfield record of 108 caps, he is already two weeks into the Galaxy's long winter break.

Beckham has agreed to join AC Milan on loan in January to maintain his fitness, before rejoining the Galaxy in March for the Major League Soccer season.

For the Germany game, Capello is more interested in studying the form of other England contenders, such as David Bentley and his Tottenham team-mate Bent.

Capello will be at White Hart Lane tomorrow to watch Bent, among others, play for Tottenham against Liverpool in the Carling Cup. Bent could replace Emile Heskey in next week's England squad after the Wigan striker was injured at the weekend.

Whether Bent starts against Liverpool remains to be seen, but having already staked a claim for this season's 'golden boot' with 11 goals, he is being backed by Tottenham captain Ledley King for an England call-up.

Bent has scored seven in the Premier League, adding two more in Sunday's 2-1 win over Manchester City to steer Tottenham out of the bottom three. The £16.5 million striker has not featured for his country since playing in the dying moments of the defeat to Croatia a year ago. But King urged Capello to consider giving Bent, who has three senior England caps, another opportunity.

"We're delighted with him at the moment," the centre-back said. "His finishing is superb and he deserves his chance to play for England. He is the top English scorer and that speaks for itself."

Cristiano Ronaldo's representatives in talks with Old Trafford hierarchy over new deal

Having fought off sustained interest from Real Madrid to hold onto the Portugal international during the summer, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and chief executive David Gill have admitted that next summer will be crucial to deciding Ronaldo's long-term future at the club.

And although United are prepared to wait until the end of the current campaign before drawing up new terms for Ronaldo, who is only 18 months into £125,000-a-week five-year contract, Mendes is understood to have discussed the broad outline of plans to extend Ronaldo's deal should the player reject anticipated overtures from Madrid next summer.

Despite pledging his immediate future to United in August by admitting defeat in his attempt to secure a move to the Bernabeu, Ronaldo has still to win over those supporters angry at his perceived betrayal of the club by openly pursuing a transfer.

Ronaldo's 42 goals in all competitions last season proved the crucial factor in United's success in winning both the Premier League and Champions League and his efforts were recognised with both the PFA and Football Writers' Footballer of the Year awards last May.

Ronaldo, recently voted the FifPro World Player of the Year, is also expected to be crowned European and World Footballer of the Year in the coming weeks. His status as football's leading global figure ensures that Madrid will retain an interest in the player, despite claims by president Ramon Calderon that their pursuit of Ronaldo is over.

United are determined to end the speculation involving Ronaldo and Real by ultimately securing him to a long-term contract that would take him close to the £160,000-a-week package paid to Robinho at Manchester City.

If United fail to tie Ronaldo to a new contract next summer, they risk losing him for the remaining value of his contract – approximately £12 million – in June 2010 if he opts to exploit the obscure Webster ruling – FIFA's Article 17 – that enables players who signed a contract before the age of 28 to buy themselves out of the deal.

The Webster ruling, so-called following Hearts defender Andy Webster's decision to exploit Article 17 in order to move to Wigan Athletic in 2006, has yet to be used by a player at a leading club, but Ferguson admitted earlier this month that he and United are confident that Ronaldo's situation will not result in his exploitation of Webster. Ferguson said: "Next summer will be a key element of his [Ronaldo's] contract situation because he will have three years left then.

"That's comfortable enough because I think the big clubs will shy away from that [Webster ruling] because it could happen to them. I don't think it will be an issue."

Real are close to completing a deal for a player labelled the 'new Ronaldo', however, after holding talks with the 16-year-old Brazilian Alipio Brandao.

Brandao, is currently with Portuguese club Rio Ave and he has also been linked with Chelsea in recent weeks.