London: Arsenal qualified for the Champions League for the 16th straight season after edging Tottenham to fourth place in the Premier League, as Alex Ferguson bowed out as Manchester United manager with a 5-5 draw against West Bromwich Albion.
Laurent Koscielny's 52nd-minute volley sealed an unconvincing 1-0 for Arsenal at Newcastle, rendering Spurs' 1-0 victory over Sunderland - courtesy of a late screamer from Gareth Bale - meaningless. Chelsea finished third by beating Everton 2-1.
With the title fight decided and three relegation spots settled, the remaining business was bidding farewell to several icons of English football.
Ferguson's 1,500th and last result at United was a disappointment after his team surrendered a 5-2 lead to draw at The Hawthorns, while former England internationals Paul Scholes, Jamie Carragher and Michael Owen all played their final games before retiring....
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10:40 PM, May 19, 2013
Manchester: Roberto Mancini bade farewell to Manchester City fans by taking out a full-page advert in the local newspaper on Saturday, thanking them for their support during his 3 1/2 years in charge. The Italian was fired by City on Monday after failing to win a major trophy in a season of regression, even though he guided the club to a first Premier League title 12 months earlier. In an...
08:45 PM, May 18, 2013
London: Manchester United's outgoing manager Alex Ferguson has criticised neighbours Manchester City for sacking Roberto Mancini. The Italian boss was sacked on Monday having failed to retain the Premier League title he won last season and after losing the FA Cup final to Wigan Athletic. Mancini took out a full-page advertisement in the Manchester Evening News on Saturday, thanking fans for their support during his time in charge. The former...
07:47 PM, May 18, 2013
David Beckham's longevity and his ability to reinvent himself were "absolutely incredible", retiring Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has said. Beckham and Ferguson, who were synonymously linked with Manchester United until the former England captain moved to Real Madrid, both announced in the past 10 days they would retire from soccer at the end of the current season. The 71-year-old Ferguson's final game in charge after 26 years at Old...
09:31 AM, May 18, 2013
London: Stoke City opened an investigation on Friday after players reportedly left a pig's head in the locker of striker Kenwyne Jones at the Premier League club's training ground. Media reports said the angry Trinidad and Tobago international had retaliated by using a golf club to smash the windscreen of a car belonging to Ireland midfielder Glenn Whelan. "The club takes seriously reports of an incident at our training ground...
08:52 AM, May 18, 2013
Tottenham Hotspur will still be able to attract top players even if they do not qualify for next year's Champions League, manager Andre Villas-Boas said on Friday. The north London club's hopes of qualifying are hanging in the balance with them needing to win their final Premier League match of the season at home to Sunderland on Sunday while hoping bitter rivals Arsenal fail to beat Newcastle United. Tottenham, who...
10:41 PM, May 17, 2013
London : On the final day of last season, Arsenal narrowly held off fierce rivals Tottenham to claim third place in the Premier League - which proved more important than either team knew at the time. A year later, with the title fight decided and the three relegation spots already settled, the two North London neighbours are fighting it out again for a place in the top four and lucrative...
06:58 PM, May 17, 2013
London: Arsenal have made no approach for Manchester United's Wayne Rooney but are in "advanced talks" with French side Auxerre to sign 20-year-old striker Yaya Sanogo, manager Arsene Wenger said on Friday. "I don't know if Man United will sell Rooney, and that is the best sign to show you that we have not made any approach for him; the first thing is to phone Manchester United, which we did...
05:59 PM, May 17, 2013
Manchester: When Alex Ferguson wakes up on Monday morning without a Manchester United team to manage he will not be putting his feet up and settling into a quiet retirement. The 71-year-old Scot takes charge of his 1,500th and final United game at West Bromwich Albion on Sunday before stepping down after more than 26 years at Old Trafford. He might have had 10 hours' sleep for the first time...
05:16 PM, May 17, 2013
London: Racist and homophobic abuse by players in England will carry a minimum five-match ban from next season. The Football Association says the sanction will be the entry-level punishment for the least serious discriminatory offenses, with longer bans possible. The FA Council agreed on Thursday to the sanctions first reported by The Associated Press on Monday. For second offenses, there will be a minimum 10-game ban, which UEFA has urged...
08:54 AM, May 17, 2013
London: Only hours after helping Chelsea with another European title, Frank Lampard was given a one-year contract extension by the Premier League club. The 34-year-old Lampard, the club's all-time leading scorer, had initially been told he was not wanted beyond the end of the season. But Chelsea, who added the Europa League title to their Champions League win from last season, said Thursday that Lampard has signed a new deal....
05:48 PM, May 16, 2013
London: Queens Park Rangers striker Loic Remy has reportedly been arrested on suspicion of rape along with two other men. In a statement in response to British media reports about the arrest of the 26-year-old Remy, London police confirmed that three men, aged 26, 23 and 22, were arrested at an address in Fulham on Wednesday morning on suspicion of rape. British police don't publicly identify suspects. The Metropolitan Police...
05:35 PM, May 15, 2013
London: The Premier League could go into extra time. After the final round of matches on Sunday, Arsenal and Chelsea could have to contest a play-off to determine who finish third and claim an automatic Champions League qualification place. Chelsea currently have a two-point lead over Arsenal. But if Arsenal beat Newcastle 2-1 and Chelsea draw 0-0 with Everton on Sunday, the teams would be level on points and have...
04:36 PM, May 15, 2013
London: Wigan Athletic became the first team to be relegated from England's top flight in the same season as winning the FA Cup after they lost 4-1 at Arsenal, with Lukas Podolski scoring twice, in the Premier League on Tuesday. The victory keeps Arsenal in pole position to claim fourth spot and a place in next year's Champions League. They lead north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, in fifth spot, by...
08:03 AM, May 15, 2013
Berlin: Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben dismissed speculation that he would leave the German champions at the end of the season for Manchester City, saying he had no reason to move. "I am not dealing with this speculation," the Dutchman said. "There is so much speculation but I only want to deal with football. I still have two years on my deal so why should I leave? It is all...
05:43 PM, May 14, 2013
Manchester: After ending Manchester City's long wait for silverware and tipping English football's balance of power to the blue half of the city, Roberto Mancini established the perfect platform to dominate the Premier League - and perhaps Europe - for years to come. The Italian had wealth beyond his rivals to draw on and a collection of the best players in the world at his disposal. How did it all...
02:02 PM, May 14, 2013
Manchester: Manchester City sacked manager Roberto Mancini on Monday following his team's feeble defence of the Premier League title they won exactly one year ago. Manchester United regained the title last month with four games to spare and City were then beaten 1-0 by Wigan Athletic in last Saturday's FA Cup final. City had also failed to progress from the group stage of the Champions League for a second successive...
08:04 AM, May 14, 2013
London: For Arsenal, failure to defeat Wigan Athletic on Tuesday would leave their hopes of a 16th season in the Champions League in severe jeopardy; for Wigan Athletic, anything other than a win would quickly sour the taste of a memorable FA Cup final shock. As end-of-season fixtures go, the clash at the Emirates could hardly have more importance to the two sides involved. "Both teams will go for it,...
05:34 PM, May 13, 2013
London: Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini has denied he has spoken with Premier League club Manchester City over the possibility of replacing Roberto Mancini whose future as the club's manager is under threat after Saturday's FA Cup final defeat. Widespread media reports in Britain suggest City will part company with Mancini, who has been in charge since 2009 and who won the Premier League title last season. City have fuelled the...
02:45 PM, May 13, 2013
Reaction after Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson's final match at Old Trafford, a 2-1 victory over Swansea City. He will retire at the end of the season. Ryan Giggs, veteran Manchester United midfielder: "Sir Alex just said play the game and not the occasion. He wanted to win the game, wanted it to be an entertaining game and for us to do the things which he has wanted us to...
12:54 PM, May 13, 2013
