22 METROSPORT Wednesday, December 16, 2009 D CARLO ANCELOTTI has refused to blame Chelsea fans for booing their team after Saturdays 3-3 draw at home to Everton. The Premier League leaders bid to win for the first time in five matches tonight when they entertain Portsmouth and Blues coach Ancelotti said: The reaction of some of the fans was normal. We are top of the league and this means our fans always want to see the best. To boo isnt a problem. It can be a motivation. Ancelotti backed under-fire goalkeeper Petr Cech and added: Everyone at the club thinks we have one of the best goalkeepers in the world. I certainly do. Chelsea, who have worked on defending set-pieces, may be without Didier Drogba who hurt his back in training. Carlo keeps Blues boos issue in Cech Picture: Getty Avram laments Chelsea sacking PORTSMOUTH boss Avram Grant reckons he deserved more time at Chelsea after guiding them to the Champions League final. Grant takes charge of a club at Stamford Bridge for the first time since leaving in May 2008 when Pompey visit west London tonight. The former Israel boss believes the team were going forward under his leadership and felt Blues owner Roman Abramovich should have kept faith with him. Grant (pictured) said: Ive been in football too long to say that something would surprise me. In the last three or four months especially, I was concentrating on winning all the titles. When it happened, I was surprised. I thought I needed to continue because the team was on the way up. Every month, it was better. For news on your club metro.co.uk/sport soccer PREmIER LEAguE City look to profit from Anfield lapseBy DAvID kENNEDy Manchester city boss Mark hughes has targeted crisis-club Liverpool. after half a season, hughes has declared chelsea and arsenal both of whom his side have beaten this season plus Man- chester United as uncatchable. But Liverpool, currently seventh, are wobbling and city, tonights opponents tottenham and aston Villa are ready to take advantage. One team is usually deemed as the most vulnerable and currently that is Liver- pool, said hughes. it is highly unlikely to change now. teams wont be challenging for the top two or three. that is not going to happen this year. it probably means only one new club is going to get into the top four. Maybe it will change in the future. But this season fourth place is one that is up for grabs. With just three wins from 15 games, Liv- erpool look vulnerable and hughes said: i am sure rafael Benitez would argue about it. But if we benefit from other teams not being able to get positive results hope- fully well take the opportunity that presents itself. tonight, city will be without shaun Wright-Phillips at White hart Lane after the england winger aggravated an ankle injury during saturdays draw at Bolton. Meanwhile, the Fa will investigate com- ments made by hughes that a member of citys coaching staff was told by referee Mark clattenburg that he did not like craig Bellamy. the city winger was subsequently sent off after receiving an incorrect second yellow card for diving and the Fa have given hughes until next tuesday to explain his comments. u tOttenhaM boss harry redknapp will take no further action against Benoit assou-ekotto following his altercation with a fan after saturdays match with Wolves. Police have also dropped their investigation into the matter. Out of action: Shaun Wright- Phillips will not face Tottenham ARSENE WENGER hopes he will not have to read his Arsenal players the riot act again at half-time against Burnley tonight. The French manager launched into a dressing-room tirade during the interval at Liverpool on Sunday as his Gunners trailed 1-0 following a lacklustre first-half display. The hairdryer seemed to work, as Arsenal bounced back to triumph 2-1 and close the gap on Premier League leaders Chelsea to six points with a match in hand. And Wenger feels this campaign is the most open of recent times. Why? Because nobody looks to run away early in the season, he said. Instead of having four teams, I believe there are [up to] eight teams who can all cause a surprise at any weekend. That is why, certainly since I have been here, this is the most open championship. Meanwhile, Burnley boss Owen Coyle will not try to muscle Arsenal out of their stride, insisting the hosts will stick to their principles. We look to play football. We dont have overly-physical players in our team, he said. There has always been good football in games between ourselves and Arsenal. I dont see any reason why that should be any different [tonight]. Its open season for Wenger Surprises: Wenger Third way: villa duo milner and Agbonlahor Magical Milner stuns Black Cats JaMes MiLner lifted aston Villa into third place in the Premier League last night. the former newcastle midfielder was the architect of Villas victory against a sunderland side who have now gone four games without a win. First he silenced the stadium of Light in the 24th minute when his precise pass allowed emile heskey to sweep his third goal of the season beyond Martin Fulop. then Milner stunned the Black cats with a wonderful shot from 25 yards to rocket Martin Oneills men above arsenal in the table. Villa, who beat steve Bruces side on penalties in the carling cup last month, were dangerous on the break and stewart Downing rattled the bar from an early free-kick while ashley young also struck a post as the Midlanders built on saturdays fine success at Manchester United. sunderland, held 1-1 at the weekend by bottom club Portsmouth, had their chances on a wet night. But andy reid was denied by Villa goalkeeper Brad Friedel while striker Kenwyne Jones saw his effort blocked on the line by richard Dunne. and there was further misery for sunderland as skipper Lorik cana was sent off for a second yellow card as the Wearsiders slumped to their first home league defeat since losing to chelsea in august. Sunderland: Fulop, Turner (Mensah 82), Nosworthy, Da Silva, Cana, McCartney, Henderson (Cattermole 71), Reid, Richardson, Bent, Jones (Bardsley 82). Sent off: Cana. Aston villa: Friedel, L Young, Cuellar, Dunne, Warnock, A Young, Petrov, Milner, Heskey, Downing, Agbonlahor (Sidwell 90). Referee: Kevin Friend sunderland 0 aston villa 2 index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html