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Alan 10:54 Sun Aug 24
Sunday newspapers (includes West Ham)

BBC

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester City have dropped their interest in Everton midfielder Ross Barkley, 20, after being told he will cost a minimum of £50m. (Mirror)

Manchester United are close to signing Real Madrid winger Angel Di Maria, 26, for a British-record transfer fee that could be worth up to £56m. (Sky Sports)

United have made a second bid for Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal, 27, which also includes an unnamed player going the other way. (Star)

Mario Balotelli, 24, could become a Liverpool player in a £16m deal on Monday - but the Reds have ended their interest in former Chelsea striker Samuel Eto'o, 33. (Liverpool Echo)

Eto'o is thought to have demanded £100,000 a week to join Liverpool but is now understood to be in talks with Everton, although the Toffees could face competition for his services from the Middle East. (Mirror)

Balotelli will not sign a special code of conduct clause at Anfield. The striker's representative Mino Raiola claims the contract will be no different to any other future Liverpool deals and says Balotelli's move should be finalised before Tuesday. (Express)

Arsenal are considering Atletico Madrid's Toby Alderweireld, 25, as replacement for Thomas Vermaelen, who was recently sold to Barcelona. (Star)

The Gunners are also tracking Olympiakos defender Kostas Manolas, 23, who featured for Greece at this summer's World Cup and is also interesting Manchester United. (Express)

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech, 33, is set to leave the club after losing his place to Thibaut Courtois. (Mail on Sunday)

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini wants England international James Milner to sign a new deal but the 28-year-old winger will make City wait. (Sun on Sunday - subscription required)

Blackburn have rejected a club record bid from Hull in excess of £10m for Jordan Rhodes, 24, insisting they have no intention of selling their star striker. (Lancashire Telegraph)

OTHER GOSSIP

Louis van Gaal already claims it would take a miracle for his Manchester United side to win the title this season. (Sun on Sunday - subscription required)

Caretaker boss Keith Millen believes he can still land the vacant Crystal Palace job despite a "lacklustre" 3-1 Premier League defeat by West Ham. (London Evening Standard)

Rangers boss Ally McCoist stresses he had had no contact with Palace over their managerial vacancy. (HeraldScotland.com)

Liverpool skipper Steven Gerard says there is "no more worthy candidate" than Wayne Rooney to replace him as England captain. (Mail on Sunday)

Manuel Pellegrini has refused to confirm that striker Alvaro Negredo, 29, will be the man to miss out on a place in Manchester City's Champions League squad. (Manchester Evening News)

Meanwhile Pellegrini insists City beat Liverpool to the Premier League title last season because of character, not money. (The Independent)

Manager Ronny Deila says Celtic's shock SPL defeat by Inverness will be worth it if his side book a place in the Champions League group stages. (Herald Scotsman)

BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA

BBC Radio 5 live presenter Danny Baker tweets about the popular return of a Match of the Day commentator. "Barry Davies was the first true commentator. Would call a game/player like it was. His famous 'Oh dear...' was devastating. A master."

Romelu Lukaku, 21, tweets a message of gratitude to Everton's fans: "Great support again. You give us a boost every time we come on to the pitch. We will do our best to pay you back with a win."

Leicester's Anthony Knockaert, 22, tells fans not to be too down after the Foxes' defeat at Chelsea, posting: "So unlucky. I'm proud how the team played. We deserved a better result, but it's going to be a long season so be patient."

Out for several months with a knee injury, it is clear how Hull midfielder Robert Snodgrass, 26, is spending his spare time. "This little Leslie fella on Big Brother is one crazy funny guy," he tweeted.

AND FINALLY

Manchester United winger Nani, 27, had a return to forget for Sporting Lisbon as he missed a penalty, got yellow carded and was substituted in the first game of his loan spell back at the Portuguese club. (101 Great Goals)

Former Chelsea and Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas took a swipe at his former employers, by nominating Roman Abramovich and Daniel Levy for the popular fundraising craze, the ice bucket challenge. (Mail on Sunday)

And while we're on the subject of ice buckets, Port Vale chairman Norman Smurthwaite has done it - and nominated Staffordshire Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis to be next to get a soaking. (Stoke Sentinel)







Mail

Crystal Palace 1-3 West Ham: Eagles' bad week gets worse as caretaker manager Keith Millen tastes defeat at Selhurst Park

West Ham beat Crystal Palace 3-1 on Saturday in Premier League to make matters worse for co-owner Steve Parish
Mauro Zarate scored opening goal before Stewart Downing added second to leave Palace 2-0 down at half time
Marouane Chamakh got Palace back into tie with more than 40 minutes to play but could not inspire a full comeback
Carlton Cole scored killer goal 62 minutes in to make it 3-1 to visitors at Selhurst Park

By Jack Gaughan

It was almost as if nobody told Crystal Palace there was a game on Saturday. All the talk in the week and all the speculation surrounding factors they aren’t able to change could have been a distant memory had they turned up here.

Sadly for everyone connected with this football club, Keith Millen’s back four were picked apart at will by an exuberant West Ham and looked players in need of serious direction. Sam Allardyce’s side quite rightly sensed the afternoon was one in which they’d get up and running, points on the board. They weren’t wrong.

And in truth, the visitors weren’t made to work very hard for their pair of goals in the space of three first half minutes. Brilliant debutant Mauro Zarate first volleyed in before Stewart Downing added another to silence Selhurst Park.


Off to a bad start: Mauro Zarate made matters worse for manager-less Crystal Palace by giving West Ham the lead after 34 minutes


Celebration: Zarate got West Ham going at Crystal Palace on Saturday with the opening goal before Stewart Downing added a second three minutes later


Daylight between: Downing celebrates making it 2-0 just three minutes after West Ham took the lead at Selhurst Park against Crystal Palace

Palace briefly rallied and got a goal back via Marouane Chamakh, but when Carlton Cole thrashed in a third, attention quickly turned to the tricky week ahead.

To just encapsulate the defensive problems Millen endured, this is the first time West Ham scored three goals away from Upton Park since beating Tottenham in October. The star of the show then, Ravel Morrison, was an unused substitute here after being released on bail for assault.

It has been the strangest of few days around these parts, all told. They were primed to appoint Malky Mackay as their new manager before Sportsmail’s revelations about private texts sent between the former Cardiff boss and then Palace sporting director Iain Moody.

What followed was a quick re-think, co-chairman Steve Parish couldn’t possibly continue blindly with the original plan, and we now find ourselves no closer to knowing who will take over.

Hardly ideal for a side many had tipped for a top half finish before Tony Pulis left the club on the season’s eve. Parish smiled and politely declined the suggestion that the man who transformed them last season could make an immediate return beforehand.

But then there is a heap of pragmatism involved in running and sporting the Eagles. One supporter walking down Homlesdale Road at half-past one told it best. ‘This is just a normal week - it’s not that desperate,’ she said. ‘Remember when we were going out of business?’

The wider footballing world would do well to consider that. This is a place that found itself on the brink of falling off a cliff four years ago and refused to boo its players even when two down at half-time.

Mackay and Moody’s faults have absolutely nothing to do with Palace. They’ve been an unfortunate, innocent bystander. It’s been made their business and caretaker Millen has been handed a thankless task to keep this football-related.


Battle: Barry Bannan and Ricardo Vaz Te go for the ball during the 3-1 loss for Crystal Palace on Saturday at Selhurst Park

Unfortunately for Millen - who does want the job full-time - the hosts looked jaded, out of ideas and yearning for direction. The manager said that himself after a gutsy opening day defeat at Arsenal but nothing has changed. If Palace allow this situation to fester any longer they’ll find themselves without the new signings they need by the transfer deadline and without points.

Safe for a blocked Mile Jedinak effort and speculative Damien Delaney drive, Palace offered little in their opening half at home this season that had started with Joe Ledley pulling out minutes before kick-off with a groin strain.

Home optimism drained, West Ham were two up at the break. Zarate was afforded too much space on the edge of the box from a corner to have broken, zipping a low volley into Julian Speroni’s left-hand corner to notch his first goal in English football since a loan spell at Birmingham City in 2008.

Moments later it was two. Downing was quite incredibly allowed to coast in from the right - Joel Ward wrong-footed - and guide a whipped effort to the goalkeeper’s right. It was no less than they deserved, and thanks in no small part to the brilliance of Zarate.

Allardyce knows he has a player on his hands here. In a not-so-covert bid to make the Hammers a more attractive team to watch, the Argentine can do what he likes in behind the striker. In this case that man was Cole who - despite his many, many critics - gave the visitors an easy outlet.


Given hope: Striker Marouane Chamakh got Palace back in the running with a second-half strike that made it 2-1 to the visitors

Zarate, often found in midfield, was the focal point, at the heart of everything positive going forward; his ability to jink and weave beyond defenders is the sort of attribute missing last year. Now they’ve a man who saunters in pesky areas - spaces a sitting midfielder can’t drop in to but impossible for a centre-half to venture to. If we see more of that and less of the shockingly late studs-up challenge on Stuart O’Keefe , he’ll become a big hit.

The Zarate-inspired Hammers should have made the game safe seconds after the restart. Speroni rushed out to collect a Downing corner in the flight, James Tomkins rose highest to seemingly plant a header into an unguarded net, but could only find the crossbar.

A reprieve for Palace, who were back in it in a flash. Jedinak broke out to the left, dinked a ball inside to Chamakh and the striker, 20 yards out, fiercely drove home. That was just reward for a player who is being asked to put in incredibly tough shifts by Millen.

The mood had changed. Barry Bannan’s stinging effort was just held by Adrian and Yannick Bolasie’s shot blocked - tails were up. But that didn’t last though, and again it was all their own doing. Delaney was incapable of mopping up an innocuous deep free-kick, finding himself in a tangle and providing Cole with the opportunity to smash home from 12 yards. He duly obliged.

While that woman was quite right to maintain perspective on her walk into the ground, there’s no escaping that Palace need a manager, and quickly.


Settling it: Carlton Cole makes it 3-1 to West Ham against a Palace side whose manager left less than 48 hours before the Premier League season started


That'll do it: Cole slots past Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni to make it 3-1 on Saturday afternoon at Selhurst Park


Are you not entertained? Cole runs away in celebration with Downing behind after putting West Ham 3-1 up at Selhurst Park


Winner: West Ham goalkeeper Adrian celebrates as the Hammers won 3-1 at Selhurst Park against a crestfallen Crystal Palace outfit


Busy: West Ham's Cheikhou Kouyate was all over the pitch during the win.


CRYSTAL PALACE VS WEST HAM

Crystal Palace XI: Speroni, Kelly, Hangeland, Delaney, Ward, Bannan (Williams 71), Jedinak, O'Keefe (Murray 83), Bolasie, Chamakh, Campbell (Gayle 70)

Unused subs: Mariappa, McCarthy, Guedioura, Hennessey

Goals: Chamakh (48)

West Ham XI: Adrian, O'Brien, Tomkins, Reid, Cresswell, Noble, Downing (Diame 90), Zarate (Poyet 83), Vaz Te, Cole (Sakho 68)

Unused subs: Morrison, Demel, Jaaskelainen, Valencia

Goals: Zarate (34), Downing (37), Cole (62)

Referee: Mark Clattenberg





Mail

Mauro Zarate stars as Teddy Sheringham's striker coaching pays off

By Neil Ashton

From his seat just behind the dug-out, Teddy Sheringham saluted West Ham’s goalscorers one by one. All three had the seal of approval from the club’s new striker coach.

Their finishes were straight out of the Sheringham locker, taking English football back to a time when he had the calmest finish in the game. He could make it look so easy.



So did West Ham, strolling to victory at Selhurst Park with goals from Mauro Zarate, Stewart Downing and Carlton Cole. They were ruthless.

‘Knowing Teddy he will probably take all the credit,’ chuckled Sam Allardyce after his side registered their first Barclays Premier League win of the season.

At times West Ham’s football was a sight to behold, with Mark Noble and the outstanding Cheikhou Kouyate zipping the ball into the feet of West Ham’s front line. It was irresistible to watch.

Sheringham has been brought into provide some invention, that little bit of craft and guile to open up teams such as Crystal Palace.

He was that type of player himself, always one step ahead of the game during a stellar career with some of the top teams in English football.

Zarate’s opener was a beaut, picking a clearance out of the sky to volley West Ham ahead in the 34th minute. It was a special goal.

So was Downing’s as he drifted in from the right, gliding past Palace’s defence and waited for the moment to bend an effort beyond Julian Speroni. They are goals worth watching again and again.

‘Teddy can do little things in groups and he has definitely added something,’ admitted Allardyce.

‘The only problem we have is the sports scientists saying he is out there too long with them: “Don’t get an injury or the muscles will tighten up...”

‘But I don’t mind him taking all the credit for it if we continue to show the quality of finishes we did against Palace.’

West Ham were ruthless. In a short space of time Sheringham has added another dimension to Allardyce’s attack, drawing on the creative juices of Downing, Zarate and Ricardo Vaz Te.

They needed it after last season, when the fans were on Allardyce’s back for 38 games and wanted him out of Upton Park.

But West Ham had something about them yesterday, purring when they were in possession and always threatening around the edges of the penalty area.

This was poor from Palace, a world away from the team that Tony Pulis built and took to 11th place in the Premier League last season.

The worry for interim manager Keith Millen is that West Ham didn’t have to work too hard for this. ‘We were lacklustre,’ he admitted. Yet he deserved better than this from his players. Sure they are lacking direction and leadership while the club continue their search for a new manager, but losing Pulis is no longer an excuse. It is time to move on.

‘It has been a tough week for the club because we lost Tony in the circumstances we did and then everything happened with Malky [Mackay],’ Millen added.

Millen still wants the job full-time and he is due to speak with co-chairman Steve Parish today. Whatever happens, he will take the team to Walsall for Tuesday’s Capital One Cup tie.

He was encouraged, in part, by Palace’s start to the second half, but all the effort and commitment was shortlived.

With those Palace fanatics in the Holmesdale Road demanding more, Marouane Chamakh unexpectedly dragged them back into it with a smart goal.

Barry Bannan, who had a decent game in Palace’s midfield, sent the ball down the line for Mile Jedinak to steer in the direction of Chamakh. When it arrived the Moroccan took a touch before drilling an effort that evaded the outstretched hand of West Ham keeper Adrian.

It is a shame then that Palace sat back, inviting pressure and giving West Ham the chance to finish it off. They accepted, gratefully.

Cole had done well against Palace’s defence and his 62nd-minute goal from close range was a reward for his endeavours.

This time it was route one, a free-kick launched from West Ham’s half that Palace defender Damien Delaney failed to adequately clear. Cole reacted first to beat Speroni with an emphatic strike.


Settling it: Carlton Cole makes it 3-1 to West Ham against a Palace side whose manager left less than 48 hours before the Premier League season started

‘Everything is going against us at the moment, but this just wasn’t good enough,’ admitted Millen.

‘Until you come to matchday, you never quite know what kind of reaction you will get from your players.’

On Saturday, in his second game in charge since Pulis left, it was nowhere near good enough.






Independent

Mauro Zarate grabs fine debut goal for the Hammers as manager-less Eagles flounder

Crystal Palace 1 West Ham United 3

Glenn Moore at Selhurst Park

There will be a sense of urgency when Crystal Palace co-chairman Steve Parish renews his search for a manager.

The season is still very young, but Palace are pointless as well as managerless, and one place off the bottom of the Premier League. The situation is not as dire as when Tony Pulis took over from Ian Holloway last season, which underlines there is plenty of time to recover, but with the transfer window closing in a week’s time, and the team in clear need of inspiration, Parish cannot afford to delay.

Of course, this should have been Malky Mackay’s first match in the Selhurst Park dug-out, but that was scuppered by “textgate” during what Parish admitted in his programme notes was a “very difficult week”.

Instead Keith Millen, the caretaker who Parish effectively ruled out for the job a week ago, was given a second audition. It did not go well. The Premier League is a ruthless environment and West Ham United capitalised on Palace’s weaknesses to kick-start their own season.

Two quick goals shortly before the break, from Mauro Zarate, on his West Ham debut, and Stuart Downing, put West Ham in charge. Marouane Chamakh pulled one back soon after the interval but Carlton Cole’s 62nd-minute strike confirmed West Ham’s supremacy.

“The frst half was not good enough,” said Millen. “I don’t like to make excuses but it has been a tough week for the players, whether that had any bearing I don’t know.” The caretaker said he expects to be in charge for Tuesday’s Capital One Cup tie at Walsall, still wanted the job permanently, and did not think this one match should have any bearing on his candidacy. Millen is also involved in transfer plans. “Everyone knows we need to strengthen the squad. I have put names forward and the chairman is working on them.”

He had to dip into the current squad to make three enforced changes yesterday. Barry Bannan replaced the suspended Jason Puncheon and Damien Delaney deputised for the injured Scott Dann. Then, in the warm-up, Joe Ledley injured his groin. Stuart O’Keefe stepped up from the bench.

Bouyed by their noisy home support, Palace began brightly with Chamakh twice coming close to scoring, but West Ham then took control in midfield. Aaron Cresswell, who looks a neat and tidy signing, should have opened the scoring after 24 minutes after Cole laid back Downing’s cross but wrongly opted to shoot with his left. The advantages of being two-footed were being demonstrated by Downing who was tormenting Joel Ward.

Palace beat West Ham 1-0 home and away last season but any prospect of a third such win disappeared after 37 minutes. Palace, dozing, allowed Mark Noble and Ricardo Vaz Te to run a short-corner routine, and though Fraizer Campbell blocked Noble’s shot, the ball fell to Zarate. The Argentine volleyed past unsighted compatriot Julian Speroni from more than 20 yards. Three minutes later Downing cut in from right with Ward in his wake and threaded a left-footed shot inside the far post.

Luck seemed to have returned to Palace when, within 120 seconds soon after the re-start, Tomkins eluded Brede Hangeland but headed Downing’s corner against the bar, then Chamakh, found in space by Mike Jedinak, halved the deficit from the ede of the area.

West Ham briefly looked vulnerable but, on the hour, Palace failed to deal with a deep lofted free-kick by Tomkins and were punished when Cole smashed in the loose ball. It was his first goal since February, evidence, perhaps, of the impact of Teddy Sheringham, the club’s new finishing coach.

Though Palace never gave in, it was, thereafter, a stoll for the Hammers, with Allardyce able to give new signings Diafra Sakho and Diego Poyet their first action. It is early days but West Ham, unlike their opponents, suddenly look like a club that knows where it is going.

“It is a really good comeback from losing last week,” said Sam Allardyce. “We got that performance last week, this time we got the result as well.”




Telegraph

Mauro Zarate, Stewart Downing and Carlton Cole secure victory

Whenever the chaotic managerial situation at Crystal Palace is resolved – and caretaker manager Keith Millen suggested no appointment was imminent – the first priority for the new man must be to make the team as spirited and miserly as they were under Tony Pulis last season.

West Ham United coasted to a stylish and comfortable victory far too easily for Millen’s liking, and Selhurst Park was nothing like the stronghold it became once Pulis took over from Ian Holloway last season.But Palace are now in a pickle that Steve Parish, the co-chairman, needs to address urgently.

hE will meet today with Millen, who would love to become permanent manager but has little chance after his side rolled over without much of a fight against a lively and inventive West Ham, for whom Mauro Zarate impressed with a goal on his debut.

“We were flat, not good enough, and it is all going against us,” admitted Millen afterwards. “I don’t like to make excuses but it’s been a tough week for the players. The circumstances of Tony leaving have been a shock for everyone, but hopefully once the new manager is in place we will have a chance to make a fresh start.”

Palace certainly need to get going, and quickly. They were subdued from the start and even their famously boisterous supporters had little to get them going. Once West Ham took the lead and took control with two goals in as many minutes before half-time, they were unlikely to let it slip.

Having lost in the last minute to Tottenham last week, the Hammers got what they deserved this time for an enterprising display that put to bed the idea that they are a “long-ball” team.

Zarate, the former Birmingham player who has also played for Lazio and Inter, showed what an important signing he can be, especially with captain Kevin Nolan absent with a shoulder injury.

Although Zarate showed the unsavoury side of his character with a nasty lunge at Stuart O’Keefe’s ankle that went unpunished, he also showed why he was a key player for Argentina’s Under-20 world champions in 2007.

He struck a lovely volley to put West Ham ahead in the 35th minute, after Palace switched off while defending a corner. Mark Noble’s long shot hit the back of Fraizer Campbell and Zarate volleyed the rebound past his startled compatriot Julian Speroni from 20 yards.

Within two minutes, there was another equally good strike, this time from Stewart Downing, who cut in from the right wing and curled a shot with his left foot inside Speroni’s far post. It was all too easy for West Ham.

Palace rallied briefly after half-time when Marouane Chamakh scored, the Moroccan drilling a low shot inside Adrian’s near post from 20 yards. But West Ham regained their two-goal lead on the hour mark when Carlton Cole smashed a low shot through a crowd of players after Damien Delaney failed to clear a long free-kick.

“We were excellent today, and some of our football was superb,” said Sam Allardyce. “Palace are a very hard team to open up but we did that today and made them look ordinary. This was a really important result for us after last week’s defeat”.

But for Palace, the search for a new manager goes on.





C&H

Hammers still in talks for defender

West Ham tonight remain in talks with top Atletico Madrid’s Belgian defender Toby Alderweireld.

The Hammers have made it clear they are very keen to bring in a new central defensive player as their final signing of the season.

A source told us soon after the 3-1 win over Palace: “The club is still talking to him and there are one or two other players they are keen on. However, Alderweireld remains an active situation.

“It’s important to say that at this stage he remains a long shot but if the club can get him a season-long long loan that would solve a problem as there’s no cash left for a fee.

“There’s competition for him but we are hoping we can entice him on a loan. He’s a top player and at this stage of our development that’s what we are looking at”

Tripe dresser. 9:26 Sun Aug 24
Re: Sunday newspapers (includes West Ham)

Thanks Alan. Don't ever give up your efforts.

Coffee 4:05 Sun Aug 24
Re: Sunday newspapers (includes West Ham)

The Mutts Nutz 1:44 Sun Aug 24

Alan always gets thanked more after a win.

Thanks, Alan.

Claret Hoop 3:28 Sun Aug 24
Re: Sunday newspapers (includes West Ham)

Thank you.

Hammerhermit 2:48 Sun Aug 24
Re: Sunday newspapers (includes West Ham)

Thanks Alan 11:22 Sun Aug 24

The Mutts Nutz 1:44 Sun Aug 24
Re: Sunday newspapers (includes West Ham)

Thanks Alan - all these positive vibes!

tommythebubble 12:33 Sun Aug 24
Re: Sunday newspapers (includes West Ham)

Thanks Alan, great to read the papers after a win

jimbo2. 12:28 Sun Aug 24
Re: Sunday newspapers (includes West Ham)

What a splendid weekend this has been! Thanks Alan.

balders 12:05 Sun Aug 24
Re: Sunday newspapers (includes West Ham)

Thanks it is appreciated when your out of the country

Thanks Alan 11:22 Sun Aug 24
Re: Sunday newspapers (includes West Ham)

ted fenton 11:05 Sun Aug 24

Takashi Miike 11:20 Sun Aug 24
Re: Sunday newspapers (includes West Ham)

thanks alan


love the blue kit, interesting to see that graphic showing kouyate's movement

Hermit Road 11:18 Sun Aug 24
Re: Sunday newspapers (includes West Ham)

I love the papers after we win.

Thanks Alan.

ted fenton 11:05 Sun Aug 24
Re: Sunday newspapers (includes West Ham)

Monk~koknee 11:01 Sun Aug 24

Monk~koknee 11:01 Sun Aug 24
Re: Sunday newspapers (includes West Ham)

Mad Dog 10:57 Sun Aug 24

Mad Dog 10:57 Sun Aug 24
Re: Sunday newspapers (includes West Ham)

Thanks Alan