Footy fans: Look no further for the ultimate football app!

All football fans have a craving for the latest news and action. Whether you’re a supporter of a Premier League or Championship outfit or a team from the rest of the Football League, you want to make sure that you’re always kept right up to date with everything that’s happening at your beloved club. You can do just that from your Sony Ericsson android phone. By downloading the ESPN Goals app onto your Sony Ericsson X10 smartphone football fans can get their fix of football news and access the latest goal highlights before anyone else.

This is where the ESPN Goals app stands out from the rest of the crowd. Football fans can now watch footage of the latest Premier League goals within minutes of them being scored. While for years football supporters across the country have been forced to wait until after ten to see Premiership highlights on Match of the Day, now from 5:15 on Saturday afternoons, footage of the goals from the 3 o’clock kick-offs can be streamed on your mobile.

Therefore there will be plenty of goals for you to watch as this season the ball has hit the back of the net with increased regularity in the Premier League, except of course last Saturday! If you want to see Premiership goals before anyone else then this is the app for you. Whether you’re eager to see a fantastic strike from your talismanic striker or want to find out just how bad your defender’s mistake was, this app will meet your needs.

Outside of the access to footage of Premiership goals, which will undoubtedly get the headlines and deservedly so, the ESPN Goals app is a nicely put together piece of software. All football fans love statistics and the comprehensive stats centre will suit most supporters down to the ground. The wide range of data available will prove to be a godsend to addicted fantasy football players, while keen footy fans will enjoy browsing through all the information and galleries that are available to them.

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The ESPN Goals app is also fully customisable. So when you first load up the app you can select your favourite teams as well as your rivals, so that the info you want is given to you straight away and you don’t have to go searching for it. You can take a look at your team’s upcoming fixtures, keep a check on live scores if you can’t get to the game and see how they’re fairing in the Premiership League table. This isn’t just an app for supporters of Premier League teams, though, as the top five tiers of English football, in addition to the Champions League, Europa League and international football are all covered, making the ESPN Goals the ultimate mobile footy app!

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FA Cup preview: Stoke face Cardiff challenge

Tony Pulis returns to his home country when Stoke travel to Wales to face Cardiff for an FA Cup third-round replay on Tuesday.Promotion-chasing Cardiff City drew 1-1 at Stoke 10 days ago and manager Dave Jones is keen to claim a Premier League scalp and enjoy a FA Cup run to rival 2008, when the Bluebirds were runners-up, losing 1-0 at Wembley to Portsmouth.

Stoke’s Tuncay Sanli equalised after Michael Chopra gave Cardiff an early lead and former Wales international John Hartson is quick to talk up City’s chances, though he is expecting a difficult match.

“Stoke will be tough opponents and Cardiff will have to defend stoutly,” Hartson said.

“In the original tie I felt Stoke were the better side, but Dave Jones’ men deserve a second chance and, especially with home advantage, who would bet against a Bluebirds win?”

Several current or former Welsh internationals will play in the game, with Craig Bellamy, Jason Koumas and Darcy Blake likely to line up for the hosts while Danny Collins and Ryan Shawcross – a Welsh youth international – should feature for Stoke.

Manchester City will host Leicester at the City of Manchester Stadium after the two sides drew 2-2 at the Walkers Stadium.

The match also presents an opportunity for respective managers Roberto Mancini and Sven-Goran Eriksson to link up again, with the pair having spent time together at Sampdoria and Lazio, during their playing and coaching careers.

The first leg was an entertaining affair, although it was only Joe Hart’s blunder that allowed Leicester skipper Andy King to score the equaliser and Mancini’s side should have enough about them to see off the Championship side.

Arsenal will make the trek up north to Elland Road as they face Championship high-flyers Leeds United in the sole replay on Wednesday.

The first leg was a thrilling 1-1 draw with Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas keeping his side alive in the tournament thanks to an injury-time penalty.

Leeds impressed at the Emirates Stadium with their willingness to attack Arsenal and will be hopeful that a sell-out Elland Road crowd of nearly 40,000 can spur them on to victory.

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Simon Grayson’s side have form in the competition, having shocked arch-rivals Manchester United in the third round last year, before forcing Tottenham to a replay in the fourth round and if they can repeat their recent form, losing just one of their past 15, they are in with a fighting chance.

The other replay sees Wolves host Championship outfit Doncaster Rovers at Molineux on Tuesday after a 2-2 draw at the Keepmoat Stadium.

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy will surely be tempted to rest players with his side in the middle of a relegation fight, but after an excellent performance almost produced a draw in a thrilling 4-3 loss to Manchester City on Saturday, McCarthy is most likely to make few changes to his side.

Martinez lauds Wigan mettle

Wigan boss Roberto Martinez praised his side’s character after they fought back from an early deficit to draw 2-2 at West Bromwich Albion.

After conceding at the five-minute mark to Nigerian striker Peter Odemwingie, Wigan struck back with goals to Charles N’Zogbia and Ben Watson before Marc-Antoine Fortune equalised with 10 minutes remaining to set up a thrilling finale.

Martinez said that while he was disappointed not to be heading home with all three points, which would have lifted his side out of the relegation zone, he was happy with his players’ response to the early setback.

“West Brom started very well the first five minutes, they got a great goal and then after that the hardest thing is to get on level terms and get in front on the score line,” Martinez told Sky Sports.

“We had two great opportunities to score the third goal and the game would have been over. We couldn’t keep the ball as well as we did in the first half.”

“I felt that we controlled the game once we conceded the goal and if we’d scored the third it would have been three points well deserved in my opinion.”

“You come away from home you go 1-0 down, you need to show a lot of character and good football to score two goals.”

“Unfortunately that little lack of concentration it cost us and it’s been a sign of the season, but we will carry on with the same attitude.”

West Brom manager Roberto Di Matteo also felt his side were unlucky not to come away with the win, and bemoaned what he felt was some poor officiating from the referee.

“We hit the post twice and had some good chances, the keeper made some great saves as well. We tried until the end and it’s a bit unlucky for us,” Di Matteo said.

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“We made a few changes and the new players really sparked a late rally for us, we got back into the game and we pressed them and put some pressure on.”

“It’s just a shame they scored two quality goals from free-kicks.”

“There was a handball and then there was a foul on (Steven) Reid in the box. I’m just disappointed that with the key decisions we are not getting them.”

Tottenham chief’s words leave me feeling a little uneasy

We all know about Daniel Levy’s Olympic Stadium ambitions for Tottenham Hotspur. We also know that there are fans who are both for, and against the move. I am a fan who isn’t strictly opposed the Olympic Stadium proposal, however the latest news coming from Levy leaves me feeling a little uneasy.

In a recent interview with Sky Sports, Levy’s tone appeared to have become more sinister and he seems even further detached from the common feeling among Spurs fans. When asked if the club could move from the Tottenham area even if the Olympic bid was unsuccessful he replied: “Correct. The problem with the situation we’re in now at White Hart Lane is that the project currently is not viable. So we would have to go back to the drawing board and that would obviously mean looking at other locations again. It’s one of those emotive items that, if one had a choice, we would rather be building here, we would rather have fantastic transportation links. But what is clear for this club is that in order to compete at the highest level within the Premier League and European football, we need to solve the stadium [issue]. We need a larger stadium, and if that means we have to move out of the area, I think the fans will back us.”

I accept that my personal opinion is likely to be in the minority – the move from North London would be regrettable, but the chance to take control of the Olympic Stadium, and the money we would save from doing it, would justify the switch. But the notion that a move from White Hart Lane is inevitable regardless of what the Olympic Park Legacy Company decides, doesn’t sit well with me.

The fact that Levy believes that the fans would back any move away seems a little misguided to me. Levy thinks that only a “very, very small group of individuals” oppose Spurs switching postcodes. But the fact that around 8,000 people who resist the move have already signed an online petition and that a mass protest was staged at White Hart Lane before and during the Manchester United game suggest otherwise, Mr Levy. The level of animosity felt by the fans when was clear for all to see when it was announced that they were considering creating a breakaway club in a similar vein to that of FC United of Manchester.

What interests me is just why, and how, the previously proposed Northumberland Redevelopment Project (NDP) is suddenly ‘not viable’. It’s been clear for sometime that Stratford is the cheaper and more preferable option for Levy, but the fact that redeveloping White Hart Lane is now off the table completely has come as something of a surprise to me. There have always been problems with transport links and the planning permission, but a piece which can currently be found on the club’s official website entitled ‘Masterplan’ outlines the NDP in a much more favourable light. The article speaks of how excited the club are at the prospect of redeveloping the area and building a stunning new stadium, appartment complex, restaurant, hotel and supermarket. I think that fans deserve to know why these plans have been shelved and why the circumstances have changed so drastically.

Worryingly, Levy’s back-up plans seem like they may be required in the near future. West Ham’s promise to keep the running track intact has made them favourites to win the rights and the voices against Tottenham taking the Olympic Stadium are not only those of the fans, they are also coming from politicians, members of the IOC and the general public.

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If the Olympic plan fails I think that Levy should do all he can to push on with the Northumberland Project. It has the backing of the council and the mayor and is the currently the favoured option of many of the fans who fill White Hart Lane every week. The club has been buying up land around the stadium for around 20 years (it currently owns 20 acres) and they have been in negotiation with Haringey Council for the last two years just to get this far, so why waste all of the work done up to this point? Tottenham do need a larger stadium, but in doing so Levy is unlikely to make any friends, which ever of his plans come into fruition.

Barca braced for Arsenal battle

Barcelona forward Pedro is expecting Arsenal to provide a stern test for the La Liga title holders in Wednesday’s Champions League encounter.

The two sides met in the quarter-finals last season, with Barca winning 6-3 on aggregate after a 4-1 win at the Nou Camp in the second leg.

But the Spain international is expecting the Gunners to be a much tougher prospect at their Emirates Stadium home when they meet in the last 16 midweek.

“They have a great team, and we know that it will be a very difficult game. They have great players, especially in attack, fast and physical players. It will be a hard tie as both teams are in good form,” Pedro said.

“They are in good form and have very good players like Cesc (Fabregas) and (Robin) van Persie. Arsenal are always hard opponents, and this game will be no different.”

“Getting a good result away is always important for us. We know that it will be hard, but as always we will go out to win the game.”

“We are hoping for a good result, and a win would be very positive for the second leg at home.”

Pedro also played down renewed speculation about a bid for national team-mate Fabregas, pleading his ignorance about any potential move for the Gunners captain.

“I don’t know. I hope so. He is a great player and was here before,” Pedro said.

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“We know that he can adapt to here. He has also expressed an interest in coming here, but there is no reason to talk about this.”

“We are going to be playing against him and his team, but I hope that one day he can play here. He is a great player and we would all like him here.”

Dean Richards dies, aged 36

Former Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton and Wolves defender Dean Richards has died at the age of 36 after a long illness.The centre-back made nearly 350 professional appearances before his premature retirement in 2005 because of dizzy spells and headaches.He was initially diagnosed with an inner-ear infection, but scans cleared him of having a brain tumour.Richards began his career with home-town club Bradford City before moving to Wolves in 1995.He made 145 appearances in four years at Molineux before transferring to Southampton in 1999, moving again two years later in an 8.1 million pounds switch to Tottenham.After his retirement as a player, Richards became the youth team coach at Bradford City.Wolves paid tribute to Richards on Saturday, and said the former defender would be fondly remembered by all at Molineux.”Everyone at Wolves was saddened to hear of the death of Dean Richards, who passed away this morning at the age of 36 after a long-term battle with serious illness,” said a statement on the club’s website.”Wolves would like to take this opportunity to send their condolences to the former Molineux defender’s family and friends.””Remembered for his trademark skilful breaks out of defence as well as his ability in the air, Richards, who won four England-under-21 caps, will always be fondly remembered by Wolves fans who continued to follow his career closely when he moved on to Southampton and Tottenham.”

Liga Sagres wrap: Setubal snatch late draw

Vitoria Setubal moved further away from the relegation zone after a late goal saw them snatch a 1-1 draw with Vitoria Guimaraes.Setubal have won just four times this campaign and are without a victory since early January.Their trip to the Estadio Dom Afonso Henriques got off to a horrible start when Rui Miguel opened the scoring for Guimaraes after 27 minutes.Things were looking dire for Setubal until the final minute of regular time, when substitute William scored his first goal for the club to earn them a share of the spoils.The point moves Setubal five points clear of 15th placed Naval de Maio at the edge of the relegation zone, although Naval can cut the gap to two points with a win on Sunday.In Saturday’s other fixture, Sporting Lisbon were unable to break through a stubborn Rio Ave defence in their 0-0 draw at the Est?dio do Rio Ave Futebol Clube.Third-placed Sporting would have been expecting to take full points against lowly Rio, but failed to find the back of the net and slip further behind top two Porto and Benfica as a result.

Grant laments bad timing

West Ham manager Avram Grant is angry last week’s international break came when his team had finally hit a good run of form.Grant’s men spent long periods of the season slumped at the foot of the Premier League table but a recent upturn in fortunes has seen West Ham haul themselves out of the relegation zone.

Before the international break West Ham had suffered just one defeat in six league games but the side could have lost that momentum going into Saturday’s match against Manchester United.

Grant said: “We wanted to play last Saturday because we were on a good run.”

“We had good momentum but this is how the fixtures have worked out and we are looking forward to the game on Saturday.”

“International breaks are not good for the clubs because there are so many Premier League players in international teams. We need to respect the way the fixtures are.”

“From our point of view things are good because it looks like everybody is fit but with West Ham you never know.”

Influential midfielder Scott Parker impressed in England’s 2-0 victory over Wales on Saturday – a mature performance just days after the death of his father. Grant was full of praise for the 30-year-old’s attitude.

He said: “He is a good lad, a positive lad who is good for the team. Scott Parker is maybe the best midfielder in the league this season.”

“He is doing a job that some other players don’t like to do so much. I am pleased he has been recognised by England because he has deserved that for a while.”

West Ham will be without goalkeeper Peter Kurucz (knee) and midfielders Jack Collison (knee) and Junior Stanislas (groin).

Great Games: Tottenham 3-1 Arsenal

A historical game in itself for being the first FA Cup semi-final to be held at Wembley, the fixture certainly didn’t disappoint and showcased one of English footballs finest talents scoring one of the best goals ever seen at Wembley.

Arsenal were looking irrepressible in the league and were expected to see off the challenge from their North London rivals with some ease. But George Graham and co didn’t bank on Paul Gascoigne showing up.

His 35 yard free kick after just five minutes set the stage for Tottenham to go on and record a famous victory over the bitter enemy and will always be remembered by Spurs fans as one of the greatest games in their history.

They went on to win the cup that year but something tells me that this particular victory will be a lot more memorable. It was Arsenal, after all.

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Continued

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Ancelotti contemplates Chelsea strike force

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has hinted he would consider resting Didier Drogba against West Ham this weekend despite his outstanding recent form.Chelsea have won six of their past seven Premier League matches – taking the club back to second – and their revival has coincided with Drogba’s return to form and Ancelotti’s final acceptance that the Ivory Coast striker, rather than Fernando Torres, should be the first name on his team sheet.

Drogba, controversially left on the bench for the Champions League quarter-final at Old Trafford, scored when he came on as a substitute in Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat and then made huge contributions to a 3-1 victory at West Brom (one goal and two assists) and a 3-1 win over Birmingham (two assists).

But Ancelotti refuses to accept the striker is now undroppable and even hinted Torres, left on the bench for two games in a row, could be back.

“We started with Torres against City. We won the game when Didier came on. It might be a good solution to give him the last 30 minutes of the game because he’s fresh and fit,” he said.

“Our shape is good. The players are comfortable with that. We can change it in the next game – it depends on the shape of the opposition team.”

“Everyone has to know that Fernando is the present and the future of this club. We cannot judge now the moment. He will play a lot of games for Chelsea and everyone will forget the two games he didn’t play from the start in 2011.”

Ancelotti accepts, however, that a London derby against relegation-threatened West Ham will be a big test for his team as they bid to catch leaders Manchester United.

“At this stage of the season, every game is difficult. It’s difficult to prepare, to stay in concentration, but we have to know we’ll have a tough game,” he said.

“When one teams needs the points to stay up, they will do more than 100 percent. For this reason, we have to be ready. It’s a very tough competition, the Premier League, so anything can happen.”

Ashley Cole is a doubt for the game after limping off in the midweek win over Birmingham. Defender Alex and midfielder Ramires are both major doubts but hope to be fit to face Tottenham a week later.

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