Pro Eleven Headline News

Everton Boss David Moyes Warns Liverpool About Mikel Arteta

One might be forgiven for thinking that every Spanish footballer in Liverpool played for the red half of the Mersey divide, but one player from Spain is making a real impression this season in the blue of Everton.

Not that Mikel Arteta would necessarily like being called 'Spanish' of course. The midfielder, who has previously played for Rangers and Real Sociedad, as well as beginning his career with Barcelona's 'B' team, is a native of the Basque country, and his form for the Toffees recently saw him linked with a somewhat bizarre international call-up for England.

Everton fans must wonder why the player is yet to be called up to Spain's colours though, as his performances this season, after a switch from a wide role to central midfield, have been outstanding.

His manager, David Moyes, is now warning Arteta's fellow countrymen at Anfield that they should beware the 26-year-old in Monday night's Mersey derby, especially as the player has been hitting the goals trail recently.

"Mikel is always looking to score goals and it was a terrific one last week," Moyes told the Liverpool Daily Post.

"Hopefully he will get a few more - he is always practising. He has found another dimension to his game. We needed someone to put his foot on the ball and control the play for us in the middle of the park. That has given Mikel confidence and the team confidence.

"It has taken him a while to get over the injury but his form has been very good and he has been playing very well. We are pleased as he has been an influence on the side for several years."

And the Scotsman thinks that the switch to a central role has been pivotal in Arteta's form, as he has now properly adjusted to the physical nature of the Premier League.

"We brought him in as a central midfield player and he looked a little bit lightweight for the Premier League," Moyes explained of the player's early days at the club in 2005.

"He has played on the right and the left as well as the middle. He is versatile and we will continue to use him that way. Mikel is now competing and handling the pace of the game much better in the middle."

As for an international call-up, Moyes expressed some surprise that Arteta had not yet been capped La Roja, although he admitted that there was a fair amount of competition to get into the Euopean Champions' first-choice line-up.

Moyes added: "We have always been trying to get Mikel nearer the squad but the competition is incredible. It will be tough for him but all you can do is play your best. At the moment he is playing his best."

Going into the derby, Moyes was also feeling "relaxed" and indicated his team's "spirit" as a reason for fans to be optimistic.

"They work hard together, that is always the way here, and there is a great spirit," the Scot added, by way of conclusion. Goal


Cole out for rest of the season

Chelsea winger Joe Cole will miss the rest of the season after surgery on a ruptured cruciate knee ligament on Saturday.

Cole suffered the injury in Wednesday's FA Cup third round replay win at Southend and was initially expected to be out for at least eight weeks.

But the England star underwent reconstructive surgery on Saturday and has no chance of recovering before the end of the season.

Cole's absence is another blow for Blues boss Luiz Felipe Scolari, whose squad has been ravaged by injury problems this season.

"I am very sad for Joe to have suffered this injury and I am disappointed to have lost a very important player for me and the club at such a vital moment in the competition," Scolari told Chelsea's website.

"However, I believe that with his spirit, Joe will come back to Chelsea even better than before."

Cole's injury also rules him out of England's friendlies against Spain and Slovakia, as well as their World Cup qualifier against Ukraine at Wembley in April and the June qualifiers with Kazakhstan and Andorra.

Chelsea and England captain John Terry added: "We're all behind Coley to get fit as soon as possible. He's going to be a big miss for us and I keep on saying he's the one who really opens things up in tight moments.

"He did it again on Wednesday against Southend. What a pass he produced for Salomon Kalou's goal.

"We're all gutted for him and we know how much it means to him to be playing.

"No-one will be more hurt at missing games through injury. But one thing we all know is that he'll work just as hard off the pitch to get fit as he does on it." AFP


Juventus fail to capitalise after Doni downs Inter

Juventus failed to fully capitalise after veteran forward Cristiano Doni produced a masterful display to inspire Atalanta to a stunning 3-1 victory over Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan on Sunday.

Former Arsenal goalkeeper Alex Manninger dropped a clanger as second-placed Juve were held to a 1-1 draw at Lazio in the day's late game to cut Inter's lead at the top to three points.

But it was in Bergamo that the real drama happened as Doni scored a brace and set up the third in a magical first 45 minutes in which Atalanta totally dominated the reigning champions.

It was only Inter's second league defeat of the season.

"That was our worst performance of the season, you could compare it with our match in Cyprus in the Champions League (a 3-3 draw at Anorthosis Famagusta)," said Mourinho.

"I can't explain my team's first half hour. When we lose I prefer to speak about how well the other team played but we played so badly in the first half that I prefer to say that we brought this result on ourselves."

The victory, as unexpected as it was one-sided at times, was orchestrated almost entirely by 35-year-old Doni who said: "We played a perfect match, particularly in the first half."

He had the first clear chance of the game, juggling the ball in the box before volleying just wide of the near post.

Then on 18 minutes he turned provider, heading the ball back across goal to club top scorer Sergio Floccari who turned Ivan Cordoba and scored with a crisp, low, left-foot finish from inside the area for his 10th Serie A strike of the season.

Floccari could have scored a second when he turned Nicolas Burdisso in the box but he could only dig his shot straight into Julio Cesar's arms.

On 28 minutes, Atalanta did double their lead, thanks to a huge slice of fortune, as Doni's free-kick took a wicked deflection off Zlatan Ibrahimovic's arm in the Inter wall to wrong-foot Julio Cesar.

Atalanta hit a third five minutes later as Doni rose between Cordoba and Burdisso seven yards out to head home Valdes's cross.

Mourinho threw on forwards Victor Obinna, Adriano and Luis Figo but it had little effect.

Although the visitors improved after the break, Atalanta remained the more dangerous team and came within a whisker of a fourth on 55 minutes as Julio Cesar beat out Ferreira Pinto's shot only for Diego De Ascentis to clip the post with the follow up.

Adriano did have a couple of efforts but failed to hit the target while Obinna had a great chance late on only to sky his shot before Ibrahimovic finally poked home a consolation from a yard out after a scramble in the box.

In Rome, Juventus keeper Manninger made a hash of a deep Cristian Ledesma free-kick from out wide on the left, coming for it and then watching it sail over his head into the top corner on 24 minutes.

Lazio's lead lasted only six minutes as former Aston Villa defender Olof Mellberg headed home from a corner.

Brazilian striker Amauri had several good chances for Juve after the break but Lazio's backline held firm as they edged to within four points of the Champions League qualification positions.

"We want to claw back the points and tonight was a good opportunity but it's not easy to earn points against Lazio. We played well," said Juventus coach Caudio Ranieri.

Genoa moved above Napoli into fourth, and the final Champions League position, as Bosko Jankovic and Guiseppe Sculli scored in a 2-0 success at lowly Lecce.

Julio Baptista was the hero again as AS Roma inched closer to the top four with a last gasp 1-0 win at Torino.

The Brazilian forward scoring a stunning bicycle kick two minutes into injury time that leaves Roma eighth, but just five points behind Genoa.

Napoli lost for the fifth time in a row away from home as two Michele Marcolini penalties earned Chievo a 2-1 victory which took them off the bottom.

Australia midfielder Mark Bresciano scored a brace as Palermo boosted their UEFA Cup qualification hopes with a 2-0 win at Sampdoria. AFP


Real Madrid seal comeback win over Osasuna

Real Madrid battled back from a goal down to beat bottom-of-the-table Osasuna 3-1 on Sunday and reclaim second spot in the Primera Liga from Sevilla, 12 points behind leaders Barcelona.

Jose Antonio Camacho's side took a shock lead at the Bernabeu on 20 minutes when Iranian midfielder Javad Nekounam outleapt Fabio Cannavaro to nod Jaroslav Plasil's cross past Iker Casillas.

An error by goalkeeper Roberto Fernandez gifted Real an equaliser just after the break, a long-range Sergio Ramos shot spooning into the net off his hands, and Gonzalo Higuain netted shortly after, tapping home Arjen Robben's low cross.

In-form Robben made sure of the points in added time, cutting in from the right and driving the ball past Fernandez.

It was the fourth consecutive league victory for the champions and ends a turbulent week away from the pitch with the resignation on Friday of President Ramon Calderon.

The match ended in controversy after Osasuna midfielder Juanfran was shown a second yellow card for diving when he appeared to have been fouled in the area by Pepe.

His earlier caution had also come after a penalty claim when Fernando Gago looked to have felled the former Real player on the edge of the box.

"I come back here after four years to try to play well for my team and I get sent off because of mistakes by the referee," Juanfran said in a radio interview. "It hurts a lot." Reuters


Bordeaux keep pace with leaders

Bordeaux remain hot on the heels of Ligue 1 leaders Lyon after a 2-1 victory at Nantes who remain perilously close to the relegation zone.

Yoan Gourcuff headed Bordeaux in front in the 10th minute and Marouane Chamakh doubled their lead with an equally simple header an hour later.

Nantes grabbed one back two minutes from time through substitute Filip Djordjevic to set up a nervy finish for Bordeaux, who should have been well out of sight by then.

The visitors clung on for their fifth league success on the trot which sees them remain a point behind Lyon, while Nantes remain 15th.

Bordeaux almost took the lead in the fifth minute as a rasping shot from Gourcuff flew inches wide of the left post.

They did not have to wait much longer, however, as good build-up play allowed Benoit Tremoulinas to swing a cross into the area where Gourcuff placed a free header into the bottom right corner from six yards out.

Gourcuff could have doubled his tally nine minutes later with a 25-yard free kick, but Nantes goalkeeper Jerome Alonzo managed to dive across goal and parry it away.

It was all Bordeaux and only a goalline clearance from Guillaume Moullec prevented Wendell from heading his side further ahead.

Nantes enjoyed a rare opportunity in the 37th minute but David De Freitas blazed over from just inside the area.

The hosts enjoyed two decent chances shortly after the hour mark but Christian Bekamenga and Guirane N'daw both saw their efforts sail past the right upright.

Bordeaux doubled their tally in the 70th minute as terrible judgement from Alonzo saw the Nantes goalkeeper get nowhere near Wendell's corner, allowing Chamakh to head home at the near post.

A similar error from Bordeaux goalkeeper Ulrich Rame two minutes from time allowed Djordjevic to prod Aurelien Capoue's free kick into an empty net.

However, the hosts could not find the equaliser. Sporting Life