Man City without Kompany to tackle travelling blues

Manchester City's Vincent Kompany Manchester City will be without captain Vincent Kompany for Saturday's Premier League trip to West Ham United when they seek to improve a poor travelling record as they embark on a run of four matches away from home.

While Manuel Pellegrini's side have won all four of their home league games this season, scoring 13 goals in the process, they have taken just one point from three matches away from the comforts of their Etihad stadium.

"Of course we are worried about that. I think that we deserved more points playing away the way we are playing but the reality says we have one point from nine, so we need to win," the Chilean told a news conference on Friday.

"Now we play four away games in a row, so I think this is the best moment first to win in the Premier League against West Ham and then to repeat the triumph we had against Plzen in the Champions League (when they play CSKA Moscow on Wednesday)."

Centre back Kompany and fellow injured defender Martin Demichelis could well be back in time for the European game, which is followed by a trip to Premier League title rivals Chelsea on Oct. 27 and a visit to Newcastle on Oct. 30 in the Captial One Cup.

"Vincent is working hard, he is not ready to play, but I hope that next week he will do," Pellegrini said.

"Demichelis played 45 minutes with the Under-21s on Wednesday and I think he is in the same shape as Kompany - I hope that next week he will be ready."

City have conceded eight goals in seven league matches, and were also crushed 3-1 by holders Bayern Munich in the Champions League. Pellegrini called on his players to pull together to tackle the issue.

"I think we must improve the performance of all of our defending as a team," said Pellegrini, whose side are fifth in the league standings with 13 points from seven matches.

He is wary of Saturday's opponents who romped to a 3-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur in their last league match before this month's international break.

"They are a very strong team and we are aware of that," Pellegrini said.

"I don't know what he [West Ham manager Sam Allardyce] will do, but maybe he will try the same as Villa did against us with nine or 10 men behind the ball and try to get us on the counter attack," he said, referring to a 3-2 defeat at Villa Park.

"But we must prevent a lot of the unnecessary mistakes or fouls, keep our concentration and continue the way we are playing."

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Birsa stunner gives Milan scrappy win over Udinese

AC Milan's Valter Birsa celebrates after scoring against Udinese A stunning long-range strike by Valter Birsa helped AC Milan end their poor run of Serie A form with a scrappy 1-0 home win over Udinese on Saturday.

In the day's other match Cagliari came from a goal down to beat 10-man Catania 2-1 on their return to the Sant'Elia stadium after an 18-month absence.

Birsa gave injury-ravaged Milan, who were without a host of players including striker Mario Balotelli, their third league win of the season following a 22nd-minute counter attack.

Despite a far from convincing display during which Brazilian Kaka made an uneventful 20-minute cameo appearance, Massimiliano Allegri's side leapfrogged Udinese into eighth place with 11 points from eight games.

Cagliari joined Udinese on 10 points after a superb Victor Ibarbo goal and substitute Mauricio Pinilla's close-range finish six minutes from time secured a dramatic victory in front of 4,800 delirious fans in Sardinia.

Gonzalo Bergessio had given Catania the lead with a powerful header from a fifth-minute corner and they then had Nicola Legrottaglie sent off five minutes before halftime.

Ibarbo also missed a penalty in the 41st minute but Cagliari's win was the perfect post--- to a stadium saga which meant the club were barred from playing at two grounds before being forced to play their home games 1,000-km away in Trieste

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Arsenal owner Kroenke says time for some silverware

 Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke will not be satisfied until the Premier League club has ended a barren run dating back to 2005, reassuring fans on Thursday about his ambitions for the team.

Some Arsenal supporters have accused American sports entrepreneur Kroenke of putting profit before success on the field, angry at the departure of top players Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie in recent seasons.

"Nobody is happy until we win championships and trophies," Kroenke told shareholders at the club's annual meeting.

"Nothing works unless we have success on the pitch," he added, saying that he had invested in the club because of its tradition, image and long history of winning things.

Kroenke first bought into Arsenal in 2007 and became the controlling shareholder in 2011 in a deal valuing the club at 731 million pounds ($1.16 billion).

The arrival of Mesut Ozil for a record 42.5 million pounds ($68 million) has helped Arsenal to move to the top of the Premier League and lifted the mood among supporters.

Manager Arsene Wenger said he was pleased with the team's progress in the Premier League but noted that he would have a clearer idea of where they stood at the end of November.

He said the signing of Ozil from Real Madrid showed that he was prepared to spend heavily when the right player became available.

"You don't need any scout to buy Ozil. Just give money," he joked to shareholders during the meeting at the club's Emirates Stadium.

Wenger said the level of investment in European soccer from around the globe was making it tougher to win the Champions League, saying as many as 10 teams had the potential to lift the trophy.

Arsenal have qualified for the lucrative Champions League for 16 successive seasons under Wenger but have never won Europe's top prize.

The north London club last won the Premier League in 2004 and have not lifted a major trophy since the FA Cup in 2005.

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White says guilt-free after Brumbies walk-out

 South Africa's World Cup-winning coach Jake White has defended his decision to walk out on Super Rugby's ACT Brumbies after being upset at missing out on the Wallabies' top job.

White took the Canberra-based side to the final of the southern hemisphere competition this season and had two years left on his contract but quit abruptly last month to return to South Africa where he has been appointed director of rugby with Durban's Sharks.

White had been in the running to succeed Robbie Deans as head coach of Australia after the New Zealander was moved on in the wake of the British and Irish Lions series loss, but former Queensland Reds coach Ewen McKenzie was preferred despite having no experience at test level.

White, who guided the Springboks to the 2007 World Cup win, told Fairfax media he had become "disillusioned" with the Brumbies job after being overlooked for the Wallabies.

"I told (the Brumbies) I was feeling disillusioned with where my career was going in Australia," White said in comments published on Friday.

"And who says I can't coach Australia after the World Cup? I've not turned my back on Australia.

"I don't feel guilty at all about wanting to chase an international dream, players do it all the time."

White, who helped turn the Brumbies from cellar-dwellers into contenders in his two years in charge, said he had felt "heartsore" to leave.

"I know that in my heart I did my bit and I gave my 100 per cent and there was no malice or skulduggery," he said.

"The bottom line is I just wanted to move on. Families allow family members to move on. It happens. A lot of the guys I've spoken to, they all understand why it had to happen."

White's walk-out left the Brumbies with two caretakers in charge in assistants Laurie Fisher and former Wallaby Stephen Larkham. The club has little prospect of finding a replacement from outside the club with pre-season training already under way.

White will return to Canberra in May when the Brumbies host the Sharks.

"I will enjoy it," he said. "I'll catch up with a lot of my friends that I've got in Canberra. It's not like I'm sitting here in trepidation thinking I'm going to have to go back to Canberra," he said.

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Gyan double helps Ghana to 6-1 playoff lead over Egypt

 Asamoah Gyan scored twice as Ghana moved closer to a third successive World Cup appearance with an emphatic 6-1 win over Egypt in their African playoff first leg in Kumasi on Tuesday.

An own goal from Wael Gomaa, a powerful header from Abdul Majeed Waris, a Sulley Muntari penalty and a late effort from substitute Christian Atsu left Egypt facing more World Cup disappointment.

A contentious penalty allowed Mohamed Aboutrika to register a consolation goal just before half-time, but Egypt will need a major turnaround in the second leg on Nov. 19 if they are to qualify for the World Cup finals for the first time since 1990.

Gyan, who had his first effort on goal inside 11 seconds, opened the scoring after five minutes, shooting home from a narrow angle.

The lead was doubled in the 22nd minute when Michael Essien went on a mazy run, dribbling into the area before being challenged by Egypt captain Gomaa, who managed only to deflect the ball into his own net.

Essien, having played just once for Chelsea this season, produced a dominant midfield showing over the 90 minutes.

Egypt were awarded their penalty four minutes before half-time when Mohamed Salah was bundled down, though the decision from Moroccan referee Bouchaib Al Ahrach was generous.

Aboutrika converted but Ghana restored their two-goal advantage a minute before the break with Waris's powerful header from Muntari's free kick.

Muntari's cross set up Gyan for the fourth in the 53rd minute before the AC Milan midfielder converted from the spot after Waris was brought down by Egypt's substitute goalkeeper, Ahmed Al Shennawi.

Atsu's shot from outside the penalty area capped a one-sided occasion.

Ghana reached the quarter-finals of the previous World Cup, in South Africa. Egypt have missed out on the past five finals despite winning an unmatched four African Nations Cup titles in the same period.

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Falcao grateful for Real interest but happy at Monaco

 Colombia forward Radamel Falcao has responded to overtures from Real Madrid president Florentino Perez by saying he is happy at his current club Monaco.

Known for his policy of signing so-called 'galactico' players for world record fees, Perez said on Monday Real could make a bid for Falcao at the end of this season and that he had been told the prolific striker wanted to play for the nine-times European champions.

Falcao, 27, left Real's city rivals Atletico to join Monaco at the end of last season for a fee media reported was around 60 million euros ($81 million).

"All I can do is thank Florentino for his words but I have to respect my current club Monaco, who have made me feel very good and I am very happy," Falcao said at a promotional event in Bogota on Wednesday.

"It doesn't seem right to talk about Real Madrid's possible interest at the moment out of respect for the institution to which I am contracted to as of today," he added.

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Liverpool take 'strongest squad' to Newcastle

 Liverpool will take their strongest squad of the season to Newcastle United on Saturday, manager Brendan Rodgers said on Thursday.

Defenders Glen Johnson and Aly Cissokho and midfielder Joe Allen have recovered from injuries and are available for Liverpool who are second in the Premier League table, level on points with leaders Arsenal.

"We'll arrive with our strongest squad of the season against Newcastle," Rodgers told a news conference.

"They haven't played games, but they've been training now for the last few weeks.

"Glen Johnson will be back. Joe Allen will be back. Cissokho will be back."

Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva is also in contention after serving a one-match suspension.

"Lucas will come back into the squad. He's another player who has shown his worth and he's got himself back into the Brazil squad," Rodgers said.

"We've got a number of players here who are developing and improving in their careers, and he's one of them."

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