Aston Villa 1/1 to earn promotion from the Championship this season

Steven Gerrard has hailed Roy Hodgson s positive influence on the England dressing room as they prepare for co-hosts Ukraine on Tuesday.

Under Fabio Capello, the Three Lions were widely criticised for their performances in the 2010 World Cup, but the Italian has since resigned from his post after clashing with the FA over the issue of John Terry s captaincy.

And Gerrard, who was recently installed the Chelsea defender s successor, feels that England have a far better team spirit at Euro 2012 under Hodgson, the former Real Madrid coach s replacement.

I think together as a team at times it feels like we are unbreakable, he told reporters.

There is a lot of belief and confidence in the dressing room very different from South Africa.

England took…

Fabio Capello heads into England s first World Cup qualifier against Andorra on Saturday with his reputation on the line.

After five friendlies gave Capello a crash course in the trials and tribulations of life as an England manager, now the serious business begins on the road to the 2010 World Cup.

When Capello took charge last year, his impressive CV was presented by the FA as proof that the Italian was worth every bit of his six million pounds a year contract.

But, as Capello is already discovering, even domestic and European titles at Real Madrid, AC Milan and Juventus don t provide a guarantee of success with international football s great underachievers.

The jeers that cascaded down from the Wembley stands after last month s friendly draw again…

Pep Guardiola had high praise for Phil Foden and Benjamin Mendy after both players impressed in Manchester City s Champions League victory over Dinamo Zagreb.

Gabriel Jesus scored a hat-trick as City, who were already sure to progress from Group C, came from a goal down to win 4-1 in Croatia and complete an unbeaten group-stage campaign, but Foden was the standout performer on his 50th appearance for the club.

When it was put to Guardiola in a news conference that Foden s display was something else for a 19-year-old, the City manager smiled and replied: As always.

Guardiola added: I think when he s close to the box he s more dangerous than when he s away from the box. I think he still has to learn a little bit when he plays a little bit away [from the bo…

Sergio Aguero has confirmed he still plans to return to boyhood club Independiente before retiring as he prepares to make his Argentina comeback at the Copa America.

Aguero has not been selected by his country since their underwhelming performance at last year s World Cup, despite scoring twice as Jorge Sampaoli s side exited in the last 16.

Sampaoli was subsequently replaced by Lionel Scaloni, who recalled Manchester City striker Aguero in his Copa America squad instead of Inter s Mauro Icardi.

Aguero has regularly spoken of a desire to return to his homeland before hanging up his boots and he reiterated his plan at a news conference on Thursday.

I always try [to get back to Argentina], he told reporters, having left Independiente as a teenager in 2006…

Portuguese giants Benfica have completed the purchase of midfielder Luis Miguel Afonso Fernandes “Pizzi”, .

The Eagles had bought 50 percent stake in the player from Atletico Madrid for €6 million in July 2013, and have now decided to acquire the remaining half.

According to A Bola, Benfica paid just under €6 million in the latest transaction to ensure they are the sole owners of Pizzi.

The 25-year-old has yet to prove he has what it takes to succeed at Estadio da Luz, although he did impress during loan spells with Deportivo La Coruna and Espanyol.

Pizzi scored a total of 11 goals during the two years in Spanish La Liga, before returning to Benfica last summer.

He has since struggled for playing time under Jorge Jesus, starting mere 4 l…

Reading will provide Bradford City with a sterner FA Cup test than Sunderland, according to striker James Hanson. 

League One Bradford have defied the odds to dump out Millwall, Chelsea and Sunderland and stand one game away from a return to Wembley, having also reached the League Cup final in 2013. 

While Reading may not have generated the same media attention after beating fellow Championship trio Huddersfield Town, Cardiff City and Derby County to reach the quarter-finals, Hanson expects them to be fired up when they arrive at Valley Parade on Saturday. 

It d be a brilliant achievement [reaching an FA Cup semi-final] from me and the lads, but we know it s going to be a tough game, probably tougher than Sunderland in some respects because they are only one…

Leeds United closed their Elland Road stadium until further notice on Friday following a security threat.

A threat was made on Thursday, reportedly on social media, leading to action being taken by the Premier League club.

A statement from Leeds read: Leeds United s offices, ticket office, Foundation offices and club shop at Elland Road will be closed until further notice on the advice of the police.

We apologise for any inconvenience and we will inform the public when normal service resumes.

A West Yorkshire Police statement added: Police were called to attend at Elland Road football stadium following reports of a security threat to the premises.

Investigations are currently ongoing to establish the credibility of that threat. The report was r…

Rangers captain James Tavernier has reaffirmed his commitment to the Scottish Premiership giants by signing a new long-term deal.

The 30-year-old is into his eighth season at Ibrox and has been a regular in each of those, during which time he has helped Rangers win four trophies.

Tavernier, the last remaining player from Rangers time in the lower divisions of Scottish football, was only under contract until the end of next season.

However, Rangers announced on Wednesday that the right-back has agreed fresh terms on a deal that will take him to a decade in Glasgow.

I just want to spend more years here and have that security, Tavernier, who has made 353 appearances for Rangers, told the club s official website.

It is such a great place to play …

Germany and Spain played out an entertaining 1-1 draw in Dusseldorf as the two European giants build up to the World Cup.

With the tournament in Russia less than three months away, a match between the two previous world champions at the Esprit Arena always looked a blue-chip affair and the game mostly lived up to the billing.

Andres Iniesta gave a first-half masterclass before departing at the interval, th
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e Barcelona captain setting up Rodrigo Moreno for an early opening goal with a superb throughball.

But Germany levelled before the break with a fine goal of their own, Thomas Muller picking out David de Gea s top-right corner from 25 yards.

De Gea made a pair of superb stops to keep Spain level, a flying save from Julian Draxler drawing appla…

Manchester City s medical staff have spoken to the first-team squad about the dangers of smokeless tobacco as a stimulant, manager Pep Guardiola confirmed on Friday. 

A report by The Daily Mail claimed the use of snus tobacco pouches placed between the gum and upper lip is increasingly widespread across English football owing to the nicotine hit it provides

Snus is not illegal to possess or consume but has been banned from sale in the United Kingdom since 1992 amid cancer fears.

Guardiola conceded he had been largely in the dark over the matter, but revealed his squad had been briefed.

The doctor spoke about that with the players this morning. I don’t know the benefits, the pleasure of that, he said ahead of Saturday s Premier League trip to Evert…