Roy Hodgson has admitted Fulham are in negotiations to improve Brede Hangeland's contract in order to ward off interest from top-flight rivals.The Norway captain has been a big success in his 14 months at Craven Cottage, helping Fulham avoid relegation last season and achieve a top-10 place this term.
Hodgson said: "We have had plans for a while to talk to him a) about an extension and b) about improving his contract. That's in hand."
Hangeland has made it clear he is currently happy to stay at Fulham but Hodgson know the 27-year-old could soon be the subject of a resolve-testing bid with both Manchester City and Arsenal known admirers.
He said: "If it happens, it happens and we will deal with it the best we can but in the meantime Brede and other players who might interest other clubs are still here and we will do our best to keep them."
Hull's first top-flight fixture saw them beat Fulham 2-1 at the KC Stadium in August as Phil Brown's side became the great success story of the first half of the season
The Tigers have found points harder to come by recently however and they will arrive in London without having tasted victory in their last 11 league outings.
Hodgson said: "At the moment they are not going through such a successful spell but their fine form at the start of the season has given them a very good platform and we know we will have to be at our best if we are to get a result.
"Winning matches in the Premier League is hard for anybody. And once you start losing one or two it is easy to get into a spiral.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
watch Blackburn Rovers v Everton live online streaming
Jason Brown is relishing the prospect of Blackburn's relegation fight - and insists he prefers the pressure to being in mid-table obscurity.The 26-year-old Londoner is set to take Paul Robinson's place in nets for Blackburn when Everton travel to Ewood Park on Wednesday night, having stepped in at half-time when the England keeper was injured against Hull on Sunday.
Robinson is a major doubt, and Brown said: "I haven't had many chances so I will do my best to grab this one.
"This might sound silly but being stuck in mid-table you don't have anything to play for. Being at the top or in a relegation fight is what's exciting.
"The pressure that's on us is fantastic. I was saying to the boys yesterday there's nothing better than going away and beating teams like Hull and their fans are going mad at you.
"Feeling the buzz and the nervousness is great, playing in the pressure of the Premier League is what it's all about."
Rovers manager Sam Allardyce has been impressed by Brown but does not agree with all his sentiments.
Allardyce said: "It's going to be touch and go with Paul, we'll give it until the morning but it's doubtful.
"Jason did well on Sunday so he may get another chance. A strong mentality should stand him in good stead but I for one would settle for mid-table obscurity right now - but we are a long way from that at the moment."
David Dunn is back in training after a hamstring problem and could step in to left midfield to replace the suspended Morten Gamst Pedersen.
Everton, in sixth place in the table and pushing Arsenal for fifth, are daunting opponents, especially as their away form is better than their home record.
Robinson is a major doubt, and Brown said: "I haven't had many chances so I will do my best to grab this one.
"This might sound silly but being stuck in mid-table you don't have anything to play for. Being at the top or in a relegation fight is what's exciting.
"The pressure that's on us is fantastic. I was saying to the boys yesterday there's nothing better than going away and beating teams like Hull and their fans are going mad at you.
"Feeling the buzz and the nervousness is great, playing in the pressure of the Premier League is what it's all about."
Rovers manager Sam Allardyce has been impressed by Brown but does not agree with all his sentiments.
Allardyce said: "It's going to be touch and go with Paul, we'll give it until the morning but it's doubtful.
"Jason did well on Sunday so he may get another chance. A strong mentality should stand him in good stead but I for one would settle for mid-table obscurity right now - but we are a long way from that at the moment."
David Dunn is back in training after a hamstring problem and could step in to left midfield to replace the suspended Morten Gamst Pedersen.
Everton, in sixth place in the table and pushing Arsenal for fifth, are daunting opponents, especially as their away form is better than their home record.
watch Tottenham Hotspur v Middlesbrough live online streaming
Gareth Southgate insists he will not be "sucked in" by Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp's claims his squad is depleted by injury and fatigue.Spurs and Middlesbrough meet at White Hart Lane on Wednesday and Redknapp has said Southgate's Boro players should be delighted to face a side still recovering from Sunday's Carling Cup final defeat to Manchester United following extra time and penalties.
Boro head into the game having beaten title hopefuls Liverpool at the weekend but Southgate will take Redknapp's comments with a pinch of salt and is refusing to write off Spurs' chances.
"I read what Harry said but we won't be getting sucked into what he was going on about," said Southgate.
"In any case, we've looked at the players Spurs have got available and there's a lot of them. They've got a large squad with strength in depth.
"And they've got players like (Robbie) Keane,
(Jonathan) Woodgate, (Pascal) Chimbonda, (Wilson) Palacios and (Carlo) Cudicini who did not take any part in the cup final.
"So Harry will be able to put a good team out and one which will have a lot of fresh legs.
"We will be ready for a hard game. If we are to get anything there we will have to be at our very best.
"It's a big game for Spurs just as it is for us."
The shock defeat of Liverpool at the Riverside Stadium was Boro's first league win in 15 games - an indication of how badly they have struggled since the end of last year.
Boro head into the game having beaten title hopefuls Liverpool at the weekend but Southgate will take Redknapp's comments with a pinch of salt and is refusing to write off Spurs' chances.
"I read what Harry said but we won't be getting sucked into what he was going on about," said Southgate.
"In any case, we've looked at the players Spurs have got available and there's a lot of them. They've got a large squad with strength in depth.
"And they've got players like (Robbie) Keane,
(Jonathan) Woodgate, (Pascal) Chimbonda, (Wilson) Palacios and (Carlo) Cudicini who did not take any part in the cup final.
"So Harry will be able to put a good team out and one which will have a lot of fresh legs.
"We will be ready for a hard game. If we are to get anything there we will have to be at our very best.
"It's a big game for Spurs just as it is for us."
The shock defeat of Liverpool at the Riverside Stadium was Boro's first league win in 15 games - an indication of how badly they have struggled since the end of last year.
watch Newcastle United v Manchester United live streaming
United visit Newcastle on Wednesday night knowing they would need to lose four of their remaining 12 matches to open the door to one of their major rivals.
It seems unlikely but as Ferguson knows only too well - and as Barcelona are currently experiencing in Spain - seemingly impregnable advantages can soon be reduced.
The Red Devils chief is taking nothing for granted. However, he has enough experience in his dressing room to count on his players keeping their nerve if the unexpected does occur.
"The experience we have garnered over the years helps us," said Ferguson.
"We don't panic. We very seldom have. Even in games we always keep playing our football and remain patient.
"Matches at Stoke and Bolton have been won like that this season. It is not an easy (thing) to do when you are chasing titles."
watch Manchester City v Aston Villa live online streaming
The pair picked up injuries in the 1-0 defeat at West Ham last weekend and will miss Wednesday's match at Eastlands.
The biggest worry is for Wales international Bellamy, who has a knee injury and is expected to miss at least three weeks, although boss Mark Hughes said it is not related to a cruciate ligament problem from earlier in his career.
"It's not an old injury," Hughes confirmed. "It needed to be allowed to settle down for 48 hours before we can look at the extent of it.
"It's the patella, he's torn fibres in his knee. The best-case scenario is three weeks."
Robinho has an ankle problem but is expected to return for next week's UEFA Cup clash with Aalborg.
City are not in action in this weekend due to the FA Cup.
watch Wigan Athletic v West Ham live online streaming
Mark Hughes says Craig Bellamy's absence leaves a major hole in his Manchester City side to tackle Aston Villa at Eastlands on Wednesday.Bellamy will be out for at least two weeks with a knee injury, with Hughes desperately hoping scans on the problem he suffered at West Ham on Sunday do not indicate the damage is more long term.
After his £10million January arrival from the Hammers, Bellamy has certainly stirred things up at City, scoring four goals as the Blues marched to the last 16 of the UEFA Cup and also having cross words with record signing Robinho over a perceived lack of effort against Portsmouth.
With Robinho missing too, Hughes must decide whether to select Felipe Caicedo, Darius Vassell or long-term injury victim Valeri Bojinov to spearhead the City attack.
But whoever gets the call, Hughes knows Bellamy will be missed.
"Craig has been outstanding since he came to the club," said Hughes.
"He has been carrying the fight for us and his goals have been really important.
"He is going to be a big miss because against a team like Villa you need as many avenues to cause them problems as possible."
At least there is an outside chance Micah Richards may recover from a hamstring injury in time to face Villa, who have suddenly started to wobble.
watch Stoke City vs Bolton Wanderers live online streaming
Bolton manager Gary Megson has hit back at critics who anticipate their match against Stoke on Wednesday will hardly be one for the purists.Megson is relishing the date at the Britannia Stadium, insisting the game has a lot of merit and is worthy of respect.
He said: "It will be a classic in terms of support, atmosphere - and 22 honest players giving it a right, good go.
"We will all be trying to get the points. If you are prepared for a good, old-fashioned British game it will be something like that."
Bolton are aiming for their fourth win in five games, after defeating Newcastle at the weekend.
A place in the UEFA Cup could be open to the club that finishes seventh in the table, following Manchester United's Carling Cup victory.
Bolton are within touching distance after a good run of form, but Megson is refusing to contemplate the prospect of European football for the second time in three seasons.
"That is not something we are looking at, " he said.
"Purely and simply we want to get three points against Stoke, then move on to the next game.
"I have not set the players any targets. We just want to do the best we can."
Megson had a spell as Stoke manager and coach - alongside current boss Tony Pulis - and expects a stiff test.
The home side go into the match of the back of taking a point against Aston Villa, and Megson said: "That will feel like a win. It will be a huge boost for them.
watch Newcastle United v Manchester United live online streaming
Chris Hughton has urged Newcastle to repeat their gutsy August display at Old Trafford when they face Manchester United again on Wednesday.Few gave Newcastle any hope of returning with something to show for their efforts when they opened their campaign at United seven months ago.
However, against all the odds, Obafemi Martins gave them an early lead and it took a Darren Fletcher equaliser to snatch a point for Sir Alex Ferguson's men.
The respective fortunes of the two clubs have diverged alarmingly during the ensuing months, and United will arrive at St James' Park with the Carling Cup already banked and comfortably clear at the top of the Premier League table.
By contrast, the Magpies will go into the game struggling to stay out of the relegation zone and with Arsenal and Chelsea also looming large on the horizon.
However, Hughton believes a much-changed team is still capable of turning in the kind of performance which paid dividends back in August.
He said: "We know a lot of people will look at Manchester United at the moment and think they are capable of going on an unbeaten run right through to the end of the season.
"But we have got a group of lads who have got to look forward to playing against the best team, and come out of it with first, pride of performance, and hopefully some points.
"You are looking at the team that is the best team in the country, and an away fixture at Manchester United isn't one we would have preferred when the fixtures came out.
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