Moses to return in New Year

Nigeria international, Victor Moses, could make a return to action for Stoke City in about three weeks.

According to the Stoke Sentinel, the Potters manager, Mark Hughes, expressed optimism that the winger looks set to make a return before or after the New Year since he turned up at the club's 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Hughes is encouraged by the 24-year-old's recovery from the thigh injury that has sidelined him since late last month.

Moses had been projected to be out for at least six to eight weeks, but Hughes now appears optimistic that the former Wigan Athletic could even return before the New Year.

"It was good to see him. The (medical) lads had a quick look at him and were happy with how he is.

"Hopefully, we will get him back before the New Year. Or if not, soon after. It's probably another three weeks before he comes back," said Hughes.

Moses is currently on a season-long loan to Stoke City from Chelsea and has played in 10 Barclays Premier League for the Potters, scoring once.

Pellegrini aims to keep Lampard

Manuel Pellegrini has set his sights on keeping Frank Lampard at Manchester City beyond his current loan spell with the Premier League champions.

Pellegrini's side overcame bottom club Leicester thanks to Lampard's 175th Premier League goal five minutes before half-time in Saturday's 1-0 win at Leicester.

The former Chelsea midfielder has now scored six goals since joining City on loan from New York City in pre-season and Pellegrini would dearly love to keep the influential 36-year-old at Eastlands for a larger portion of the season.

But, with his loan due to expire in January, there has been no decision on Lampard's future yet.

"Frank is very important, one of the reasons he played today was it was important to refresh the team," Pellegrini said. "Frank was very useful for us in that moment. Frank is a top player, he must continue scoring goals, he is great inside the box.

"We know exactly what we must do. Frank wants to stay, we want to keep him. We must resolve the problem with New York City and with the MLS."

Whether he stays or not, Lampard's presence will be especially important for City over the next two weeks as Pellegrini battles with a growing injury list heading into the hectic Christmas programme, with his team three points behind leaders Chelsea.

Bosnia striker Edin Dzeko sustained a calf problem in the warm-up and was unable to start against Leicester, while Belgium defender Kompany was hit by a recurrence of his nagging hamstring strain in the second half at the King Power Stadium.

The double setback adds to City's injury problems and leaves Pellegrini short in the attacking department, with strikers Sergio Aguero and Stevan Jovetic already sidelined.

"It's difficult to know what happened with both Vincent and Edin," said Pellegrini.

"Vincent has the same problem as his hamstring a few weeks ago.

"That was one of the reasons he did not play on Wednesday against Roma. Edin has a muscle injury in his calf so maybe both will be more than a couple of weeks.

"It is impossible that Vincent and Edin will be ready before the New Year.

"It's difficult because we have to play a lot of games. But I can never complain about the players who cannot play."

Leicester are now 11 games without a win but manager Nigel Pearson was pleased with his side's performance, if not the result.

"It was a disappointing result today we did not deserve it," he said.

"We're looking for results, I'm pleased with the way the players went about the game. Sometimes you can't break teams down.

"It was a soft goal in some ways but Lampard has built a career out of scoring goals from midfield.

"Ultimately we've not converted key chances for ourselves and have had an inability to keep a clean sheet."

Ben Hamer was in goal for Leicester after Kasper Schmeichel had surgery on Friday on a broken metatarsal.

"The operation went well," said Pearson. "It is always dangerous to set timescales where I have no idea what the actual timescales are.

"Four to six weeks is an optimistic one, but if it is a bit longer it will be what it is.

Mignolet loses Liverpool place at United

Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet was left out of the starting line-up for his side's Premier League game at Manchester United on Sunday, with Australian Brad Jones starting instead.

Belgium international Mignolet, who joined Liverpool from Sunderland in 2013, has been criticised for some of his performances this season.

"I just felt that we needed to change the goalkeeper," said Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, whose side were eliminated from the Champions League by Swiss champions Basel in mid-week.

"Brad Jones has been a very loyal number two, Simon Mignolet has played a lot of games, and there is the need for change.

"The rest and coming out of the spotlight will do Simon the world of good. It is no gamble. Brad is experienced, he's been at the club a long time. I have no qualms about playing Brad Jones."

Italy striker Mario Balotelli, who has not played since November 8 due to a groin injury, was named on the Liverpool bench.

Rickie Lambert dropped out of the team, leaving Liverpool without a recognised striker. Philippe Coutinho, Adam Lallana and Raheem Sterling were expected to form a fluid front three.

Phil Jones returned in central defence for United after two months out due to a shin injury, while 19-year-old striker James Wilson partnered Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie in attack.

Explaining his decision to select Wilson over loan signing Radamel Falcao, United manager Louis van Gaal said: "Radamel Falcao is fit to start. We need James Wilson in this match because of his speed."

United, who have won their last five league games, are bidding to return to within five points of second-place Manchester City, while Liverpool went into the game seven points below the top four in ninth place.

Teams

United: De Gea, Valencia, Jones, Evans, Young, Carrick, Fellaini, Mata, Rooney, van Persie, Wilson

Subs: Lindegaard, McNair, Blackett, Herrera, Fletcher, Januzaj, Falcao

Liverpool: Jones, Skrtel, Lovren, Johnson, Moreno, Henderson, Allen, Gerrard, Coutinho, Lallana, Sterling

Subs: Mignolet, Toure, Lambert, Lucas, Can, Balotelli, Markovic

Defeat "epitomises" Liverpool's season

Liverpool's toothless 3-0 defeat against arch-rivals Manchester United on Sunday epitomised their season, according to manager Brendan Rodgers who is still searching for the "solutions" to their problems.

For long periods at Old Trafford Liverpool dictated possession but failed to convert numerous chances against an inspired David De Gea.

United on the other hand were clinical and unerring when given the chance and ruefully exposed their wounded rivals who are languishing in mid-table.

Wayne Rooney fired home a 12th minute opener before Juan Mata doubled the lead, albeit from an offside position, with a header five minutes before halftime.

Robin van Persie capitalised on a miscued Dejan Lovren clearance to add a third in the 71st minute to seal United's sixth successive league win.

Last season's runners-up Liverpool have now lost seven Premier League games this campaign and trail leaders Chelsea by 18 points after 16 games.

Their 21 points represents their lowest return at this stage of a season since the 1964-65 campaign.

"I thought we had done enough to win the game, it epitomised our season really. I'll keep searching for the solutions," Rodgers told Sky Sports.

"It's been difficult this year but that's the way it works. It's clear we haven't scored or created enough goals."

Liverpool's regression this season has been almost as dramatic as their progression last season.

Their inadequacies are glaringly obvious.

They lack a commanding goalkeeper, a defensive leader and are bereft of a forward capable of providing the goals of the departed Luis Suarez or the injured Daniel Sturridge.

On Sunday Rodgers opted not to play a recognised striker and instead tasked 20-year-old Raheem Sterling with shouldering their attacking burden.

Sterling is undoubtedly an exciting talent but against arguably the Premier League's best goalkeeper in De Gea he was thwarted numerous times and failed to prove he is capable of filling the void.

"Today, we created opportunities which we haven't been doing," Rodgers added. "We also made defensive mistakes and that cost us today. We've just got to keep working. We came here last season and it was the reverse scoreline.

"Today we were the better side in the first half but you can't concede the goals we did."

Rodgers said he "does not feel any additional pressure" after the defeat but faces a testing League Cup tie away at Championship (second tier) leaders Bournemouth on Wednesday before the visit of Arsenal next weekend.

De Gea shines as United beat Liverpool

Manchester United recorded a sixth successive Premier League win when they beat old rivals Liverpool 3-0 at Old Trafford on Sunday.

The latest victory, sealed with goals from Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata and Robin van Persie, kept them in third place, five points behind neighbours Manchester City and eight behind the leaders Chelsea.

But they had Spanish goalkeeper David De Gea to thank for such a convincing margin. He made a series of fine saves from Raheem Sterling and then substitute Mario Balotelli.

Rooney scored against the run of play from Antonio Valencia's inviting pass to put United ahead in the 13th minute and although Mata was clearly offside as Van Persie flicked on Ashley Young's cross to him shortly before halftime the goal was allowed to stand.

De Gea made further important saves before Van Persie completed the scoring in the 72nd minute

City keep pressure on Chelsea

Manchester City made it seven straight victories and kept the pressure on Premier League leaders Chelsea as Frank Lampard's first-half goal secured a 1-0 win at lowly Leicester City on Saturday.

Manuel Pellegrini's side were far from their clinical best at the King Power Stadium, but the winner from former Chelsea midfielder Lampard ensured the champions remain just three points behind his old club.

There was a significant blow for City however as captain Vincent Kompany, who had returned after a hamstring problem, was forced off with a recurrence of the same injury.

To make matters worse, City – who were already without Sergio Aguero due to a knee injury – lost another striker in the warm-up with Edin Dzeko pulling out to be replaced by youngster Jose Angel Pozo.

It was the bottom-of-the-table Leicester who had started the better with Esteban Cambiasso slicing off target after a driving run and Jamie Vardy having a shot deflected wide off Eliaquim Mangala.

An audacious 35-yard free kick from Cambiasso came close to catching out Joe Hart as Leicester dominated.

It took until the half-hour mark for City's first chance when Pozo shot straight at Ben Hamer from the edge of the area after David Silva's free-kick had only been half-cleared.

Moments later Hamer, in the side for the injured Kasper Schmeichel, made a decent stop to keep out a Yaya Toure drive from Silva's pullback.

Pellegrini's side were improving and went on to take the lead in the 40th minutes.

A patient build-up resulted in Samir Nasri crossing for Lampard to coolly flick home from six yards out.

It was the former England international's sixth goal in 13 games since moving to Eastlands on loan from New York City.

City nearly made it two early in the second half when Silva's flicked shot just missed the target from Nasri's cross.

Vardy then had a penalty appeal waved away as he went down under a challenge from Mangala.

Lampard was withdrawn on the hour to be replaced by James Milner, while Leicester manager Nigel Pearson took off Jeffrey Schlupp and sent on top scorer Leonardo Ulloa in a bid to spark his team into life.

Pearson was given a good reception by Leicester's supporters in the club's first home game since he had an angry confrontation with one of his own fans at the end of the 3-1 defeat by Liverpool earlier this month.

The Leicester boss faces a possible touchline ban after being charged by the Football Association over that incident, but the home fans were more concerned with trying to will their side to only their third league win of the season.

Kompany appeared to pull his hamstring again and was immediately replaced by Martin Demichelis late in the game.

Ulloa then saw a shot deflected wide as Leicester pushed for an equaliser before Mangala and Hart got in each other's way to concede a corner.

City were left to hold on somewhat with Anthony Knockaert's free-kick from 25 yards hitting the top of the wall.

For all their unstinting efforts, Leicester could not find the late equaliser with Ulloa blazing wide after Wes Morgan's header down.

Balotelli gree hin warrant

Liverpool strika, Mario Balotelli, don gree ansa de warrant wey FA for England give am, say hin bin cuss pipu one kin, ontop internet, na im amebo pipu yarn on Friday.

Balotelli bin vex pipu las week, wen hin put one piksure of one computer game, Super Mario, ontop internet.

Unda de piksure, Balotelli come rite say: "No dey cuss pipu anyhow. Resembu Mario. Hin be plumber from Italo, wey guymen for Japan make. Hin dey tok English, resembu Mexico pipu, sabi jump like black man, come like pepper like Jew."

De tin vex FA oga dem and dem say 'De cuss too heavy', de way dem bin rite am for Futbal rule E3(2), sake of say he cuss pipu wit dia colour, dia language, dia area, de way dem dey carri pray and dia God sef.

Balotelli don reach 24 years now, but hin tok say hin no go wan follow FA oga dem yarn, face to face, but hin don carri biro rite ontop paper, to beg dem, so dat dem no gi give am red card.

If anybodi carri mout cuss persin colour ontop fild, na red card for five match, strait, but dis Balotelli own no hapun for fild, so nobodi sabi de kin konk wey hin go colet.

Italo playa, Balotelli bin don tok sorry ontop internet las week, say: "Make una no vex for me. I bin wan tok say all man be de same, but e be like say I no tok am well."

Balotelli bin cancel de tin wey hin bin fes rite, but FA pipu tok say "even tho hin cancel de tin, e no mean say we no go konk am."

Since Liverpool carri 16 million pound buy Balotelli from AC Milan, wen dis season start, de bros neva fit show hin skill for there.

He neva fit score one goal for league, and dis new gbege go jus taya Liverpool pipu.