BBC football pundits on David
Moyes
David Moyes set to be new Manchester United manager
Everton boss
David Moyes is set to be appointed as the new manager of Manchester United,
following Sir Alex Ferguson's shock retirement.
“If it is David Moyes, then I congratulate him and feel sorry for him. How can you follow the impossible?"”Former United manager Tommy Docherty
An announcement could be made on Thursday.
Ferguson, 71, revealed his decision to step down on Wednesday after nearly 27 years in charge at Old
Trafford. Fellow Scot Moyes, in charge at Goodison Park since 2002, held talks with Toffees chairman Bill Kenwright on Wednesday evening.
Kenwright told Sky Sports News: "At the end of the day, David's contract is up in six weeks' time and he has a right to make his own decisions. He has served this club wonderfully well."
Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has also been linked with the task of replacing Ferguson but Moyes looks set to get the job.
Wigan's Roberto Martinez and Swansea's Michael Laudrup are thought to top Everton's list of potential replacements should Moyes, as expected, be confirmed as United's next manager.
The Scot, 50, is expected to tell Everton players and staff of his decision to join United at a training ground meeting on Thursday morning.
Kenwright added that he thought Moyes would still be in charge of the Toffees on Sunday, when they entertain West Ham for what would be the former Preston manager's final home game in charge.
David Moyes factfile
- Started playing career at Celtic and finished at Preston, where he played alongside young loan signing David Beckham between February and March 1995
- Ten months after guiding Preston to the Division One play-off final, Moyes took over at Everton from Walter Smith in March 2002
- Gave Wayne Rooney his Premier League debut in August 2002 before selling him to Manchester United two years later for £20m
- Steered Everton to fourth in 2005 and place in qualifying stages of Champions League
- Took Everton to FA Cup final in 2009, where they lost 2-1 to Chelsea after beating Man United in semi-final
Everton, who reached the FA Cup semi-finals this season,
are currently sixth in the Premier League table, six points adrift of Tottenham
in fifth but five above Merseyside rivals Liverpool.
A number of high-profile football names believe Moyes is the right man to
replace Ferguson, who won 38 trophies during his time at the United helm. "He's cut from the same cloth," said former United captain Steve Bruce. "It wouldn't surprise me if he got the job and I'm sure he would be very successful.
"He's not had huge finances but he has still managed to put an Everton team together that comfortably finishes in the top 10."
Former United assistant manager Steve McClaren added: "He's a winner and has a work ethic similar to Sir Alex.
"He's also built a dynasty and legacy at Everton. He's waited many years for this opportunity and I hope he gets it."
Former England and Everton striker Gary Lineker said Moyes would be a "sensible" appointment but said expectations would be enormous.
"He is hugely respected within the game and he will instantly get the respect of the players, but it's the biggest pair of shoes you can follow," said the Match of the Day presenter.
"He will always be judged against someone with phenomenal success, but he will know that anyway.
"It is going to be extraordinarily difficult for the next boss of Manchester United because, if it goes wrong, the fans will let him know they are missing Sir Alex.
"However, you can still see the allure of the job. It is one of the three biggest clubs in the world, so it will always get big names wanting it."
Former United defender Gary Neville also backed Moyes as a successor to Ferguson.
"I don't know if he's going to be appointed, but I would welcome it," Neville, who won eight league titles at United, told Sky Sports. "It makes sense."
But former England striker Alan Shearer believes the appointment of Moyes was a risk given he has not won a trophy during 11 years in charge at Everton.
"Anyone who has worked with David Moyes says great things about his man-management and his coaching," Shearer told BBC Sport.
"The only thing you would say is that he has not won a trophy at Everton.
"But I suppose anyone who goes into Manchester United is a big gamble because it is going to be one heck of a big pair of shoes to fill."
Former United manager Tommy Docherty said he would "feel sorry" for Moyes should he be appointed.
"If it is David Moyes, then I congratulate him and feel sorry for him," said Docherty. "How can you follow the impossible?"
Wayne Rooney asks to leave Manchester United again
Manchester
United insist Wayne Rooney is not for sale after the striker asked to leave Old
Trafford for the second time in three years.
The 27-year-old ex-Everton forward told United boss Sir Alex Ferguson two
weeks ago he felt the time was right to move after nine years at the club. A spokesman for United would only say: "Wayne Rooney is not for sale."
The news emerged on the day Ferguson announced he would be retiring as manager at the end of the season.
Rooney is set to be reunited with his former Everton manager David Moyes, who could be announced as Ferguson's successor on Thursday.
Then aged 18, Rooney left Moyes and his hometown club Everton in August 2004 in a deal worth an eventual £27m. He has since scored 197 goals in 402 appearances for United, winning five league titles, two League Cups and a Champions League.
This season the England striker has scored 16 in 37 appearances, 12 of those coming in the league as United won their 20th title.
However there has been speculation in the second half of the season that Rooney may leave, especially after he was dropped to the bench in favour of Danny Welbeck for the Champions League second-round tie against Real Madrid.
Days later Ferguson promised Rooney would stay at the club, saying: "He'll be here next year. You can have my word on that." Ferguson later said Rooney would be given a new deal.
But speculation has persisted and now the forward has asked to leave the club for a second time.
The first occasion came in October 2010 when Rooney pulled out of contract talks, saying he had not received "any of the assurances I was seeking about the future squad".
Ferguson said at the time he was "dumbfounded" by Rooney's desire to leave, but 48 hours later, Rooney signed a new five-year deal. Manchester United went on to win the title that season, and Rooney later said staying at the club was the best decision of his career.
Moyes and Rooney have had their own differences. In 2008, Moyes accepted substantial libel damages over claims made in Rooney's book about their relationship at Everton.
Since then, however, the pair have been reconciled. In September 2012, Rooney wrote on Twitter: "Everton are playing brilliantly. David Moyes has done some job over the last 10 years."
On this occasion Rooney has not submitted a formal transfer request, but it is understood he asked verbally to leave.
Chelsea v Tottenham
Gylfi
Sigurdsson's late equaliser earned Tottenham a point at Chelsea, but Spurs
missed the chance to climb into the Premier League's top four.
Goals from Oscar and Ramires, either side of Emmanuel Adebayor's finish,
looked like they would seal a Champions League spot for Rafael Benitez's side.
But Sigurdsson's strike 10 minutes from the end lifted fifth-placed Spurs to within a point of Arsenal in fourth.
Chelsea remain third and are two points clear of the Gunners.
The battle for the top four
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3. Chelsea | 36 | 20 | 9 | 7 | +34 | 69 |
| 4. Arsenal | 36 | 19 | 10 | 7 | +31 | 67 |
| 5. Tottenham | 36 | 19 | 9 | 8 | +18 | 66 |
- 11 May - Aston Villa v Chelsea
- 12 May - Stoke v Tottenham
- 14 May - Arsenal v Wigan
- 19 May - Chelsea v Everton, Newcastle v Arsenal and Tottenham v Sunderland
This was the game in hand that Chelsea and Tottenham had
over rivals Arsenal, yet it was a good result for Arsene Wenger's team and it
means Spurs' chances are now out of their own hands.
All three contenders now have two games left in their fight for the two
remaining Champions League places. For long periods of a free-flowing game, Chelsea were the superior team and looked capable of picking up the three points that would have all but guaranteed a top-four berth.
Not only did they conjure up two clever goals before the break, but they had several opportunities to put the game out of sight after the interval.
As the game wore on, though, Chelsea tired, perhaps understandably so when playing their 66th game of the season.
And in scoring one superb goal and creating another, Adebayor had an inspired game, during an evening when PFA and Football Writers' Player of the Year Gareth Bale was subdued.
Chelsea, who maintained an unbeaten run against Tottenham at Stamford Bridge that stretches back to 1990, began the match at a frantic pace with Juan Mata shooting over twice either side of Chelsea's opener.
When it came after 10 minutes, it was the Spaniard who supplied the corner, with Gary Cahill flicking on for Oscar to head in at the back post.
Spurs probed in the first half too, with Lewis Holtby and Kyle Walker just off target.
With 11 league goals in his last 11 appearances, Bale has been the chief contributor to Tottenham's Champions League ambitions, but he was well marshalled by the Chelsea defence early on.
And Adebayor stepped out the Welshman's shadow after 26 minutes to score a goal which matched some of Bale's superb strikes this season.
The Chelsea defence backed off, in part down to a clever run by Aaron Lennon, but the Togolese player took full advantage by curling his strike deftly into the top corner from 25 yards.
The hosts' lead was restored seven minutes before the break with another good goal, this time from Ramires, who beat Hugo Lloris with a toe-poke after being played through by Fernando Torres.
Although Torres could not end his Premier League goal drought, the Spanish forward was proving a menace as Chelsea threatened the Spurs goal several times after the break.
The 'Three Amigos' of Mata, Oscar and Eden Hazard were sweeping through the Tottenham midfield but a Ramires slip denied Chelsea a further goal, the Brazilian losing his footing when he was set to shoot.
Given that Chelsea played nine games in April, their energy was admirable and their lead looked comfortable.
But their concentration appeared to dip towards the end and Tottenham stole a hugely valuable point when Benoit Assou-Ekotto fed Adebayor and a smart backheel set up substitute Sigurdsson for a smartly-taken goal.
Bale fired over as Spurs searched for a winner but a draw was still a decent return after Chelsea wasted so many chances.
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