The Malaysian Insider :: Sports
The Malaysian Insider :: Sports |
| Birthday boy Redknapp expecting hostile Saints reception Posted: 01 Mar 2013 07:26 AM PST
Redknapp, who will be 66 tomorrow, was in charge of Southampton when they were relegated from the Premier League in 2005 and then, to add insult to injury, left a few months later to take over at bitter rivals Portsmouth. "It is my first trip back to Southampton. I will get a bit of grief I am sure. Southampton supporters are good supporters," Redknapp told a news conference today. "I won't lose sleep over it. I will only do that if we get beat. "No one was more upset than I was that Southampton got relegated. I gave everything I had." QPR, who have won only twice this season, are bottom of the table with 17 points, seven from the safety zone. Southampton, whose manager Mauricio Pochettino also has a birthday tomorrow, are two places above the relegation zone on 27 points. "It is getting more difficult (to turn it round). We need back-to-back wins. That is something we need to do," said Redknapp whose side's last victory was 1-0 over Chelsea on Jan. 2. "I have got to be upbeat. If I start saying we will get relegated we might as well go on our summer holidays." QPR will be without striker Bobby Zamora for Saturday's trip. "Bobby is struggling. He won't be available as he has done his ankle; there's no way he can play," Redknapp said. Zamora, QPR's top scorer this season with five goals in total, injured his ankle last weekend. — Reuters |
| Van Persie fit for action after hip injury Posted: 01 Mar 2013 06:08 AM PST
The Dutchman, who has 19 league goals to his name for the leaders this season, was substituted in the first half of last weekend's 2-0 win at Queens Park Rangers after tumbling into a TV camera dugout. "Robin van Persie has trained this week — he's available for tomorrow. His hip was very tender but he's OK now," manager Alex Ferguson told a news conference. Defender Phil Jones will not be available for tomorrow's league game because of an ankle injury but could return for Tuesday's mouth-watering Champions League last 16 second leg at home to Real Madrid. The European tie is evenly balanced at 1-1 after last month's first leg. Ferguson was mindful of not getting distracted by the Real game as his side seek to extend their Premier League lead. They could stretch to 15 points ahead of Manchester City tomorrow as the champions do not play Aston Villa until Monday. "Tomorrow is an important one because Tuesday will look after itself," he said. "It's an occasion on Tuesday whereas tomorrow is the mundane practical situation in that we need to win." United have 68 points from 27 matches, with City on 56 and third-placed Tottenham Hotspur on 51. — Reuters |
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