Darren Fletcher is a player for the big occasion. While other men might shirk from the responsibility presented to them in the heat of battle, the Scot thrives in such
encounters.
This attitude was never more visibly displayed than in the FA Cup 4-
Like veteran stand-ups on the club circuit, Manchester City and Newcastle United have long had the capacity to make us smile. Always prepared to accept the occasional heckling if they got above themselves and suggested they might become serious players
Joe Cole - the player Fabio Capello is reluctant to include in his starting
line-up - again spared his blushes as England finally overcame the minnows of
Andorra in their opening World Cup qualifier in Barcelona's Olympic Stadium.
The Chelsea
As preparation for Wednesday's World Cup qualifier in Croatia, which Fabio Capello rightly regards as the toughest game in the group, last night's fixture with Andorra could hardly have been less relevant.
A match against feeble opposition on neutral
They have it all: wealth, looks, youth and hordes of A-list friends. All they need is something to do. In the past, the children of the super-wealthy would squander their inheritances on an idle life of jet-set partying. Now, increasingly, today's crop
Culture: Andrew Anthony meets the writer Joseph O'Neill, the favourite for this year's Booker
It is not only the football world that has been stunned by a consortium of oil-rich Abu Dhabi businessmen paying £200m to buy Manchester City. Every British business with a share quotation has been sharply reminded that our system uniquely allows
Michael Essien is a major injury doubt for Chelsea's upcoming games after picking up an injury on international
Kaká's representative has not ruled out the possibility of the Brazilian midfielder joining Manchester
From the Manchester City takeover to Gareth barry's non-move, David Hills takes a sideways look at the footballing