Arsene Wenger has warned first-choice centre backs William Gallas and Mikael Silvestre that Swiss youngster Johan Djourou is right on their coat-tails. The pair have been used at the heart of the Gunners defence this season, but Wenger admits he is happy to throw the 21-year-old into the fray this term. "Djourou is not comparable to the player he was six months ago," Wenger said. "He has gained in personality, in determination and in quality. I spoke with the Swiss national team coach (Ottmar Hitzfeld) last week and I was telling him how good he is."
 

 Wayne Routledge has joined Championship side Cardiff City on an initial two-month loan deal. The 23-year-old will boost a Bluebirds squad currently missing several first-team regulars through injury. Routledge, a former England under-21 international, arrived at Villa Park from Tottenham Hotspur back in January for a fee of £1.25m. However, he has found opportunities hard to come by under Martin O`Neill, making just seven appearances this season including six from the bench.

 Egypt midfielder Ahmed Al-Muhammadi is set to undergo a trial with Blackburn Rovers. He has confirmed he will travel to Ewood Park this week for a meeting with manager Paul Ince, before a possible move in the January transfer window. "I will fly to England on Thursday for a trial with Blackburn, upon the request of their manager," Muhammadi said. "Coach Ince wanted to see me before opening talks with my club regarding a transfer in the winter break." 

 Gary Megson believes Gary Cahill's recent form should have earned the young central defender a call-up to the England squad for Wednesday night's friendly international against Germany. Megson feels there was space in the squad for 22-year-old Cahill, who has been at the heart of a number of solid defensive showings by the Trotters this season. "We have our own opinions and we all see Gary week in, week out and think that he is a top-class player, but all he can do is keep plugging away," Megson said. "Wheater has had the call in front of him, Mancienne has had the call in front of him and Upson has had the call in front of him. We have the fourth best defensive record in the Premier League of which Gary Cahill is a huge part of that."  

 Luiz Felipe Scolari faces an anxious wait to learn whether three of his players will be ready to face Newcastle United after completing a gruelling 18-hour return to London from Brazil. Scolari though understands the requirements of national teams having been in charge of both Portugal and his home nation during his managerial career. He believes players must enjoy their time with the national side even if it means he is left with little to work with in training. He said: "It is not a problem for us because we follow the schedule and know the time the players go to the national team. It is difficult sometimes because we stay here with five, six or seven players only and it is difficult to do our job, but we worked before the players went to the national team for the next game. When they arrive back it is only to check they are not injured and do a little training before putting them on the pitch. I understand my friends (international coaches) and when it is possible, I say to my players every time, they need to go to the national team because it is fantastic for them and the coach needs to receive these players in good condition."

 David Moyes is puzzled by his FA fine for improper conduct. A disciplinary panel handed the Everton manager a £5,000 fine on Tuesday for being sent to the stands during September's 3-2 win at Stoke City. Moyes reacted when referee Alan Wiley opted to not award his side a penalty and later pleaded guilty to the charge. He said: "Do I think the fine was right? I don't think it was right because I wouldn't have been sent off if it wasn't for the decision the referee made. The (disciplinary) board there agreed that the referee made a poor decision - and I got sent off and fined for it. The referee, as I've said many times, had the courtesy to make a call. I think there's a lot of respect at this moment in time between the players, the managers and the referees, and that's good. But I think it would be nice to see a wee bit from the FA as well."

 Fulham manager Roy Hodgson has handed the credit to Mike Kelly, his former England goalkeeping-coach at Craven Cottage, for the fact that he was able to beat a pack of top clubs to sign Mark Schwarzer. The Australian international, who arrived on a free transfer from Middlesbrough in the summer, has conceded just 11 goals in 12 Barclays Premier League matches. And ahead of Saturday's testing visit to Liverpool, Hodgson insisted: "Mark is fantastic, he's strong, reliable and he gives us something that we've not had before. We are lucky to have him and it's thanks to Mike Kelly. We got Mark because we had got Mike. Most of the goalkeepers who have worked with Mike believe he is the best goalkeeping coach in the country. Mark was among several top goalkeepers who used to keep in touch with us, quite anxious to come and work with Mike because they thought he would bring the best out of them. So when Schwarzer became available, it was a crucial factor in persuading him to come to us that we would work with Mike."

 Caleb Folan has set his sights firmly on the World Cup finals in South Africa after being handed his big chance by Giovanni Trapattoni. The 26-year-old completed a remarkable rise to prominence when, barely a month after making his senior international debut for the Republic of Ireland as a late substitute in the qualifying victory over Cyprus, he was handed a first start against Poland. Asked what it would mean to him if he could help his country to make it to South Africa, he said: "That would obviously be another dream and another step to aim to get to. As long as I keep plugging away and hanging in there, it would be great to be part of that, and that will be the aim."

 Fabio Aurelio is confident the club will be successful in their pursuit of a first Premier League title. The Brazilian said: "We are in a really strong position at the moment and we have to keep it going. This is the best squad I've been part of at Liverpool. The relationship between the players is good and everyone knows they really have to fight for their place. We are all working as hard as we can in every training session to do the best possible job and that shows the mentality within the squad is right."

 Mark Hughes is scouring the transfer market for a goalkeeper after being given permission by the Premier League to recruit a temporary replacement for the injured Joe Hart. An upbeat medical report means Hart is only likely to be out of action for around a fortnight with the ankle injury he sustained at Hull City which kept him out of England's friendly win over Germany. But with third-choice keeper Richard Martin also injured, the only back-up Hughes has for Kasper Schmeichel going into matches against Arsenal, Schalke 04 in the UEFA Cup and Manchester United would be 18-year-old Norwegian Tobias Johansen. Hughes said: "We have been given permission to bring in a goalkeeper on loan so we'll see what's out there. It would be just a short-term situation to cover us for a couple of games. We'll see who's available and see if it's worthwhile bringing anybody in." 

 Ryan Giggs admits that United's start to the title race has left little margin for error between now and the season's end. Having won two, drawn two and lost two of the six away matches in the Barclays Premier League so far, Giggs says it's imperative the Reds find some consistency on the road, starting at Villa Park. He said: "It is important for us to win on Saturday. We can't really afford any more mistakes as we're already behind Chelsea and Liverpool at the top." 

 David Wheater is hoping Chris Riggott's hamstring injury will see him restored to Middlesbrough's back four against Bolton Wanderers on Saturday. The 21-year-old sat out the win over Aston Villa and draw with Everton as Riggott and Emanuel Pogatetz were preferred in central defence by manager Gareth Southgate. He said: "Obviously, it's been disappointing as I want to play, but I've been playing right-back because Hoytey's (Justin Hoyte) been injured. When I was playing there, the centre-halves have been playing well. Riggs (Riggott) is injured now. It's unfortunate for him, but hopefully I'll be back in the team."

 Michael Owen could be given the chance to put his England disappointment behind him as Joe Kinnear looks to upset leaders Chelsea on Saturday. "I would say he's close to 100 per cent now," said Kinnear. "Michael is frustrated because he feels he is almost there, but he's getting better and better, and sharper and sharper. He has his own private coach and he has been doing an hour's special work with him before training starts. That is the type of professional he is." 

 Skipper Sol Campbell is one of three key Portsmouth players already ruled out of Saturday's Fratton Park match with Hull City through injury - and one of 15 whose futures at the club are in doubt with contracts expiring at the end of the season. Pompey executive chairman Peter Storrie insists it is up to manager Tony Adams to decide who he wants to stay and who he wants to leave but the new manager, Campbell's former Arsenal and England team-mate, said: "In Sol's case, he'll make his own decision - and whatever it is, that's all right with me."

 Tony Pulis insists he bears no grudges after England goalkeeper Scott Carson turned him down to join Saturday's opponents West Bromwich Albion. Pulis agreed a £3.25m fee to take Carson from Liverpool in the summer, but the news was leaked to the media and the former Aston Villa loanee eventually chose the Hawthorns instead. Pulis said: "Scott never played for us and that's history now. He had the opportunity to join us and he's gone to West Brom. That was his choice."

 Sunderland have recalled winger Carlos Edwards from his loan spell at Championship leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Trinidad and Tobago international joined Wolves, who are managed by former Black Cats manager Mick McCarthy, in October on a three-month deal but Sunderland have taken up an option to end the agreement early.

 Alan Hutton is confident he will soon be back to his best for both club and country after coming through 90 minutes of football for Scotland. Wednesday night's 1-0 defeat to Argentina represented the Tottenham Hotspur full-back's first international appearance since the 1-1 draw with Croatia back in March in George Burley's first match in charge. "It's really good to back," he said. "It wasn't a great result but we can take a lot of positives from the game. I'm getting there. I've been out for a long time and it's taken time to get back into it but I'm definitely getting there. It's hard being out. I want to be there doing my bit for the team and it's tough just sitting watching for both club and country. But I'm just glad to be back and hopefully I can do my best from now on."  

 Defender Jonas Olsson has insisted goalkeeper Scott Carson has the full backing of his team-mates on the eve of Saturday's trip to Stoke City. Carson is back in the spotlight again after the mix-up with England skipper John Terry that led to Germany's goal in Berlin on Wednesday. But Olsson has nothing but praise for the way that Carson has been playing for Albion this season. He said: "I have full confidence in Scott and he is one of the players who has impressed me most here at Albion. Scott had a tough game for England against Croatia last season but the way he has been playing shows he has put that experience behind him. That is football. You make mistakes and you learn from them. I think he has moved on well since then. The way he has been playing this season he has won some points for us." 

 Matthew Upson has set his sights on being more than a back-up defender for England and ensuring he is a key part of Fabio Capello's plans for the 2010 World Cup finals. Upson admits he was apprehensive when joining up with his country in the past but now has a more positive outlook as he looks to force his way into the side ahead of either captain John Terry or vice-captain Rio Ferdinand. The 29-year-old knows it is a big challenge but has started the last three internationals, and did his prospects no harm by scoring his first England goal in Wednesday night's 2-1 win in Germany - an area of his game he has been desperate to improve upon. Upson said: "I was hoping to cement a place in the squad and to confirm I'm up to the challenge of playing for England. I feel I'm on the way to achieving that." 

 Ryan Taylor is hoping his mother will be setting her allegiances to one side for Monday night's match against Everton at the JJB. He said:"My mother's an Evertonian but I'm sure she'll be rooting her son on to win. I've got lots of friends and family coming from the area so it's big game for everyone and for the club. It'll be a good atmosphere and it'll be really nice to play in if I get the nod again. We've got to win our home games because they're the most important ones. They're (Everton) coming to us with a good bit of form behind them so it's going to be tough. They always give us a good game at the JJB."