Newcastle

Angry Newcastle supporters have attacked Kieron Dyer’s car and house after the midfielder made it clear he wants to leave the club. The England international was booed when he appeared as a substitute in Sunday’s friendly win over Juventus, and fans then verbally abused Dyer and banged on the windows of his car as he left the ground after the match.

The Magpies announced on Tuesday that former Bolton manager Sam Allardyce had joined on a three-year contract. He replaces Glenn Roeder, who quit on May 7 after only a year in full-time charge. The job is one of the toughest in English soccer, with Roeder the latest to fail at a club which has not won the league title since 1927.

Time is running out for both Newcastle United and Aston Villa as they attempt to mount challenges for a finishing position that would earn them a place in the Uefa Cup next season. Newcastle are seven points behind sixth-placed Portsmouth and Villa are a further point adrift, so the next month is turning into a make-or-break period for both Premiership clubs.

Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted he almost quit the club during the summer. The Portugal international became a hate figure for England fans after winking to his bench following his club-mate Wayne Rooney’s sending off for stamping on Ricardo Carvalho during the World Cup quarterfinal.

Michael Owen will return to the United States in six weeks’ time to undergo a second knee operation, the player said on Monday. The Newcastle striker, who ruptured a cruciate ligament in England’s World Cup group clash against Sweden in Germany, must wait for the swelling in his knee to go down before he undergoes a second bout of surgery.

Jonny Wilkinson has admitted he has struggled to cope with a series of injuries since kicking England to World Cup glory. The 27-year-old made his sixth comeback from injury since landing the drop-goal that won England the Webb Ellis trophy, coming on as a second-half replacement in Newcastle’s 32-21 Premiership win over Sale at Kingston Park.

Newcastle midfielder Lee Bowyer was fined six weeks’ wages — about £210 000 (R2,4-million) — on Monday for fighting with teammate Kieron Dyer on the pitch during a Premier League game. The two players received red cards for fighting during Saturday’s 3-0 loss to Aston Villa at St James’ Park.

Steven Gerrard and David Beckham struck as England remained on course to qualify for next summer’s World Cup finals with a 2-0 victory over Azerbaijan at St James’ Park on Wednesday. But the win could not disguise a disappointing night for Sven-Goran Eriksson’s side, who insisted on making heavy work of defeating the group-six minnows.

Wayne Rooney was once a 12-year-old football fan who wanted to be Michael Owen. But, just seven years on, he will be with Michael Owen as the pair look to continue their flourishing England strike partnership in Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier in Newcastle at St James’ Park against minnows Azerbaijan.

England striker Michael Owen said on Monday that he has nothing left to prove to his Real Madrid teammates. The former Liverpool striker scored one of England’s goals during their 4-0 World Cup qualifying win over Northern Ireland at Old Trafford at the weekend and said he is happy with his contribution this season for the Spanish giants.

Jose Mourinho insisted Chelsea’s quest for success will not be spoiled by mounting injury worries after their hopes of an historic quadruple were ended in a 1-0 FA Cup defeat at Newcastle United on Sunday. Chelsea were dumped out of the FA Cup after Dutch international Patrick Kluivert’s fourth-minute winner propelled Graeme Souness’s side into the sixth round.