Benitez booed at Chelsea
/ 25 November 2012

Benitez booed at Chelsea

Rafael Benitez’s tenure as Chelsea’s interim coach has begun beneath a hail of boos as the club’s fans voiced their displeasure at his arrival.

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/ 1 May 2008

Chelsea’s Drogba sets up United showdown

Didier Drogba sent Chelsea to their first Champions League final and got revenge on Rafa Benitez as his double strike clinched a 3-2 win against Liverpool in Wednesday’s semifinal second leg. Drogba had given Chelsea the lead in the first half at Stamford Bridge before Fernando Torres sent the tie into extra-time.

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/ 9 April 2008

Liverpool seal victory over Arsenal

Rafael Benitez has identified his players’ self-belief and the passion of the Anfield faithful as the keys that opened the door for Liverpool to progress to their third Champions League semifinal with Chelsea in four seasons. The Liverpool boss watched his side come from behind to seal a memorable 4-2 victory over Arsenal.

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/ 8 April 2008

Defiant Wenger still has eye on the double

Arsene Wenger bullishly insisted that Arsenal would take the next step towards a league and European Cup double by beating Liverpool in their Champions League quarterfinal second leg at Anfield on Tuesday. Wenger’s side arrive on Merseyside having failed to overcome Rafael Benitez’s side in the first leg.

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/ 1 April 2008

Gunners count on fear factor to sink Liverpool

Arsenal will be hoping the fear factor outweighs Liverpool’s vast European experience when the two sides cross swords in an all-English Champions League quarterfinal on Wednesday. Rafael Benitez has guided his side to two out of the last three finals of Europe’s elite competition, but he will also be aware that, on the domestic front, Arsenal have had the edge.

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/ 20 February 2008

Grobbelaar weighs into Liverpool rotation row

The row over Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez’s squad rotation system continued to rumble on Wednesday as former Anfield goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar said lack of continuity was at the root of the Premier League club’s ills. One day after current striker Fernando Torres had supported his boss’s policy of switching the first team around, Grobbelaar hit out at the controversial method.

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/ 18 February 2008

Benitez looks for league salvation

Liverpool tackle Italian giants Inter Milan in their Champions League second round clash on Tuesday desperately needing a victory to prevent their season falling apart. Liverpool will be one of two English clubs who entertain Milan’s finest this week as Arsenal attempt to recover from their 4-0 FA Cup mauling by Manchester United.

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/ 15 February 2008

Fifa opposes Premier League expansion abroad

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has opposed plans by the Premier League to play matches abroad and warned that the proposal could harm England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup. ”This is abuse. The rich Premier League is trying to get richer and wants to expand the importance of that league,” Blatter told the BBC.

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/ 11 February 2008

Arsenal stay top as United and Chelsea falter

Arsenal were left two points clear at the top of the Premier League table as rivals Manchester United and Chelsea both dropped vital points on Sunday. Manchester City completed a first league victory at Old Trafford since 1974 and a season double over Manchester United with a 2-1 victory thanks to goals from strikers Darius Vassell and new signing Benjani Mwaruwari.

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/ 3 January 2008

Man City leapfrog Liverpool into fourth

Manchester City added to the pressure on the shoulders of Newcastle United manager Sam Allardyce with a 2-0 Premier League away win at St James’s Park on Wednesday that saw them leapfrog Liverpool into fourth place on the table. Defeat meant Newcastle had taken just one point from a possible 12.

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/ 9 December 2007

Giggs leads United pursuit of Arsenal

Ryan Giggs’s 100th league goal saw Manchester United on the way to a 4-1 win against bottom-of-the-table Derby County to keep up the pressure on Premier League leaders Arsenal on Saturday. Victory at Old Trafford, where Carlos Tevez scored either side of halftime, left second-placed United a point behind the Gunners

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/ 11 November 2007

Torres rides to Reds’ rescue

Fernando Torres came off the bench to keep Liverpool’s English Premier League title bid on track by inspiring the Reds to a last-gasp win over Fulham on Saturday. Earlier on Saturday, Sunderland’s derby clash with local rivals Newcastle ended in a frustrating 1-1 draw, and West Ham beat Derby 5-0.

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/ 29 October 2007

Arsenal back on top after draw with Reds

Arsenal regained first place in the Premier League on Sunday thanks to a Cesc Fabregas equaliser in an entertaining 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield. The Gunners trailed to Steven Gerrard’s seventh-minute free kick but the inspirational Fabregas stole in with 10 minutes remaining to give the visitors a deserved share of the points.

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/ 25 October 2007

Tale of woe for former champions

Former British European Cup winners Liverpool and Celtic suffered another blow after both lost in the latest round of Champions League matches on Wednesday. Liverpool have just a point after three matches — having gone down 2-1 to Besiktas in Istanbul — while Celtic have three points following a 1-0 reverse away to Benfica.

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/ 16 September 2007

Gunners pull clear as Liverpool, Chelsea stumble

Arsenal pulled clear at the top of the English Premier League after coming from behind to beat north London rivals Tottenham 3-1 on Saturday. The victory at White Hart Lane left Arsene Wenger’s unbeaten side two points clear of Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United as the upper end of the table took on a predictable look after a month of the new season.

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/ 2 September 2007

Reds on top after Derby demolition

Liverpool brandished their credentials as potential English Premiership champions with a 6-0 demolition of Derby on Saturday as champions Manchester United continued to recover from their slow start to the season. The pressure on Tottenham boss Martin Jol increased after his side drew in a six-goal thriller at Fulham.