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/ 25 May 2008

Ferguson to retire within three years

Alex Ferguson will quit as Manchester United manager within three years, he told The Mail on Sunday newspaper. Ferguson, who has been in charge at Old Trafford since 1986, said he would be gone by the time he reaches 70 in December 2011. The Scot reneged on his original plan to retire six years ago.

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/ 6 May 2008

Chelsea: ‘We will fight to the finish’

Avram Grant has promised Manchester United a fight to the very finish after his Chelsea side beat Newcastle to ensure the English Premier League title race will go right down to the wire. A hard-fought 2-0 win at St James’s Park on Monday stretched Chelsea’s impressive unbeaten league run to 20 games to set up a tense last day of the season on Sunday.

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/ 5 May 2008

West Brom, Stoke back in the big time

West Bromwich Albion were promoted to the English Premier League after two seasons away as champions of the second-tier Championship following a 2-0 win away to Queens Park Rangers on Sunday. Stoke City, who haven’t played in English football’s top flight since 1985, also gained automatic promotion after finishing runners-up after a goalless draw with Leicester City.

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/ 29 April 2008

Barca aim to make United pay the penalty

Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard shrugged off mounting speculation about his future on Monday as he said his side had prepared for a penalty shoot-out ahead of their Champions League semifinal second-leg clash against Manchester United on Tuesday. The Catalan side held United to a goalless draw in last week’s first leg at the Nou Camp.

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/ 13 April 2008

United see off Arsenal at Old Trafford

Owen Hargreaves was Manchester United’s unlikely goal-scoring hero as the English Premier League leaders came from behind to see-off title challengers Arsenal 2-1 at Old Trafford in London on Sunday. Earlier on Sunday, Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard scored in a 3-1 win over Blackburn Rovers at Anfield.

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/ 8 April 2008

Roy Keane to spend some time with the All Blacks

Sunderland manager and former Manchester United star Roy Keane plans to complete his coaching badges with the All Blacks. Keane is studying for his European Football Association pro-licence, which is an obligatory qualification for managers in the English Premier League. As part of the course, students are required to spend time in another sport.

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/ 10 March 2008

Becks appeal cools in Asia

David Beckham’s move to Major League Soccer may have been good for his wallet but it has apparently not helped his popularity in Asia. Empty seats and surprising indifference greeted soccer’s greatest star, who was mobbed like a rockstar on his first trip to the region, as he completed an Asian tour with LA Galaxy.

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/ 24 February 2008

Tempers flare after horror tackle

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger could not contain his anger at Birmingham’s Martin Taylor after the defender’s horror tackle left Eduardo fighting to save his career. Eduardo underwent surgery in Birmingham’s Selly Oak hospital on Saturday night for a double compound fracture of his left leg.

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/ 6 February 2008

Man United honour the Busby Babes

A memorial service was to be held on Wednesday for the eight Manchester United players killed when the team’s plane crashed in Munich 50 years ago as they returned from a European Cup match. The remembrance service, at the English Premier League champions’ Old Trafford ground, was to start at 3.04pm GMT — the exact time of the tragedy.

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/ 20 January 2008

Rooney magic lifts Man United to victory

A Wayne Rooney-inspired late show enabled Manchester United finally to overcome Reading and hold on to pole position in the English Premier League title battle on Saturday. At St James’ Park, Kevin Keegan’s second stint as Newcastle manager got under way with a subdued performance that ended in a goalless draw with Bolton.

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/ 11 January 2008

Chelsea sign Anelka

French striker Nicolas Anelka has joined Chelsea from English Premier League rivals Bolton, the clubs announced on Friday. A statement on Chelsea’s website said: ”Chelsea Football Club and Bolton Wanderers can confirm that terms have been agreed between the clubs for the transfer of Nicolas Anelka.”