Stunned 3-1 at home by Chelsea in the Champions League, Liverpool badly needs to bounce back by beating Blackburn on Saturday.
South Africa international striker Benni McCarthy has agreed a new three-year contract with Blackburn, Rovers manager Mark Hughes confirmed on Friday. The 30-year-old former Porto star, who has scored 11 goals this term, has now committed until the end of the 2010/11 season.
Benni McCarthy has moved to end speculation over his future by insisting that he is ready to remain with Premiership outfit Blackburn Rovers for the rest of his career. The South African striker has two years left to run on his current contract at Ewood Park, but has continually been linked with a move away from the club since his arrival in July 2006.
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/ 6 December 2007
Blackburn manager Mark Hughes has hit back at suggestions that the Premiership club played a part in Benni McCarthy’s surprise omission from South Africa’s squad for next month’s African Cup of Nations. McCarthy (30) had looked set to be a certainty in Carlos Alberto Parreira’s plans for the tournament, which starts in Ghana on January 20.
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/ 30 November 2007
South Africa have ditched star striker Benni McCarthy for the 2008 African Nations Cup in Ghana. Brazilian coach Carlos Alberto Parreira also dumped first-choice defender Bradley Carnell and midfielders Delron Buckley and Macbeth Sibaya from a 23-man squad named on Friday.
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/ 29 November 2007
In-form Aston Villa ran riot in Blackburn on Wednesday night with a resounding 4-0 victory at Ewood Park that moved them up to sixth in the Premier League. Rovers had dominated the first half hour only to be denied by a mixture of poor finishing and fine saves from Scott Carson before John Carew put the visitors ahead after 29 minutes.
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/ 26 November 2007
Tottenham had an injury-time penalty kick saved in a 1-1 draw Sunday at West Ham in the Premier League. West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green dived to his left to save the shot from Jermain Defoe, who had earned the penalty after being brought down by Lucas Neill.
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/ 3 September 2007
Benni McCarthy opened his Premier League scoring account for the new season as Blackburn took the wind out of Manchester City’s sails with a 1-0 win at Ewood Park on Sunday. The South African striker pounced after 13 minutes to claim what was to be the only goal of a match both sides ended with 10 men.
There is a good reason for the speculation that has engulfed the future of Blackburn Rovers striker Benni McCarthy this summer. After years of being linked with a move to the Premiership, Rovers finally took a punt on the South African star and reaped the rewards, with the powerful forward hitting 18 league goals.
Mark Hughes has vowed to resist any attempt to lure Benni McCarthy away from Blackburn this summer after the South African rounded off his outstanding first season in the Premiership with another goal. McCarthy’s opener in the 3-3 draw with Reading on Sunday ensured he finished the campaign with 18 league goals.
Benni McCarthy claimed his 20th goal of the season with a diving header as Blackburn pushed Watford to the brink of relegation with a 3-1 win at Ewood Park on Wednesday. Centre back Christopher Samba and McCarthy’s strike partner Jason Roberts were also on the mark as Rovers cruised to a comfortable win.
Stuart Pearce vowed to battle on as the pressure on his position increased following Manchester City’s 2-0 FA Cup quarterfinal defeat at 10-man Blackburn. Pearce’s fate at Eastlands, where he has been in charge since replacing former England coach Kevin Keegan in March 2005, could be decided in the next few days after another poor performance by his side.
Blackburn boss Mark Hughes is hoping a refreshed Benni McCarthy can fire Rovers all the way to the first FA Cup final at the rebuilt Wembley stadium after the South African striker dumped Arsenal out of the competition. McCarthy came off the bench to score a stunning solo goal to earn Rovers a last-ditch 1-0 win over the Gunners in their FA Cup fifth round replay on Wednesday.
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/ 20 November 2006
Blackburn midfielder Tugay went from hero to villain as Tottenham’s Jermain Defoe salvaged a 1-1 draw at Ewood Park. Tugay scored a stunning goal to put Blackburn ahead but the Turkish star was then sent off after giving away the penalty that led to Defoe’s second half equaliser.
Blackburn manager Mark Hughes has agreed to a new contract that will keep him at the northern English Premiership club until at least 2009. Hughes has worked wonders at Ewood Park, steering the club away from relegation last season after accepting the job in September 2004 and taking them into the Uefa Cup this time around.
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/ 3 February 2005
Jose Mourinho has set Chelsea a target of nine more wins to clinch their first title in 50 years after a bruising 1-0 Premiership victory at Blackburn Rovers. An ill-tempered encounter saw the Chelsea manager refute claims from opposite number Mark Hughes that he is an ungracious victor.