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Aston Villa eased their relegation worries and jumped to 14th place in the English Premier League table with a 1-0 home win over Newcastle.A James Collins header in the first half won the game at Villa Park, but in truth there could have easily been more goals as the home side dominated proceedings.

The goal came in the 24th minute, with Ashley Young?s free kick finding Collins, who glanced past helpless United goalkeeper Steve Harper into the top corner.

Striker Darren Bent went close to extending Villa’s lead when he headed over winger Stewart Downing?s cross from close range, while Downing himself almost got on the score sheet with a decent strike from 20 yards out.

Bent thought he had doubled Villa?s lead on the stroke of half-time after he converted Jean Makoun?s pass, but the striker was ruled offside when the decision could have easily gone the other way.

Villa started the second half in similar fashion, with forward Gabby Agbonlahor creating a chance for himself that had Harper at full stretch.

Ashley Young then finished off a patient build up with a shot that flashed inches wide of the goal frame.

Newcastle were a shadow of the side that beat Wolves so convincingly last week, with Brad Friedel in the Villa goal only called upon in the final few minutes.

Striker Nile Ranger had a chance early in the game, but he chose to place rather than use power and Friedel easily saved.

Friedel needed to be aware to deny Peter Lovenkrands twice in the closing stages, firstly stopping a header with two minutes left and then being on hand to save with his feet in injury time.

The result will bring a welcome three points for Gerard Houllier?s side, which is now five points clear of the bottom three with six games remaining.

Stephen Ireland’s wretched 2010/11 campaign is over due to an ankle injury, Newcastle United announced on Wednesday.The on-loan midfielder sustained the injury during the Magpies’ 1-1 draw at Blackpool on Saturday, and scans have revealed the problem is serious enough to keep him sidelined for the remaining four matches of the season.

The news will come as a bitter blow to the former Republic of Ireland international, who was hoping to convince Toon manager Alan Pardew he was worthy of a long-term deal in the season run-in.

Ireland, on loan from Aston Villa, has managed just two substitute appearances since moving to St James’ Park in January due to ongoing injury problems.

The 24-year-old carried a knee complaint to the North East in the January transfer window, and was struck down by a thigh injury on his return to training at St James’ Park in March.

Ireland had hoped to resurrect his career at Newcastle after an unhappy sojourn in the Midlands, which ended in January after he failed to impress Villa manager Gerard Houllier.

The former Manchester City man was shipped to Villa Park in the off-season as part of the deal which saw James Milner join the Sky Blues, but he managed just 12 appearances – five as a substitute – in the Villa shirt.

The age old debate, ‘club or country- who deserves the final say?’ has been reignited again this week with Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere being included in Stuart Pearce’s provisional 40 man squad for the U21s European Tournament this summer, despite Arsene Wenger warning against his inclusion fearing burnout (silly me thinking that 50 plus grand a week might now and then mean nearly a full calender year of football). Wilshere, however rightly or wrongly, has spoken out against his club manager, “I’ll never say no to England.” I’m sure you all proudly puff out your chests, let out a Three Lions’ roar and say ‘good on ya, Jack’, but surely Wilshere should consider that the team that pays his wages, Arsenal, along with Wenger, have helped mould Wilshere into the Young Player of the Year that he is, and that must warrant some appreciation of the Frenchman’s opinion.

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The last Arsenal player to be caught in the club v country saga was Theo Walcott, and this occasion Wenger was supportive of his player’s inclusion, “He is 19 and if he can contribute to the Under-21 team, why not?” But on returning from the Under 21 championships, Walcott then spent much of the next season accommodating himself with the treatment room at the Emirates; perhaps there is a case of once bitten twice shy for Wenger. With all due respect to Walcott, who has really come into his own (finally) this season, he isn’t as key to Arsenal as the feisty centre midfielder and Wenger’s reluctance to allow Wilshere to play in Denmark this summer is a manager protecting his own aspirations for Arsenal, to which Wilshere is key, and let’s be honest, why shouldn’t Wenger?

Obviously Wenger has previously thrown his toys out of the pram, so naturally there is another side to the story (even if Wenger doesn’t see it), and that is this: what 19 year old lad doesn’t want to represent his country at any level? I’m not just talking about Wilshere, I’m talking about me, I still dream of the day when Capello in his broken English says to me, “put down your pen and put on your boots”, so for Wenger to deny the young lad such a glorious opportunity is, well, narcissistic.

Wilshere has just about kept the door with the sign “England Matters” ajar, but with each ‘needed’ friendly that passes it closes just a little bit more.

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Listen to the latest episode of our award nominee podcast – The Football FanCast. – Featuring Razor Ruddock, Gary O’Reilly and King Jacks! Don’t forget to help Razor and O’Reilly become award winners in the 2011 EPL Awards

Nottingham Forest striker Rob Earnshaw will captain Wales for the first time in their Carling Nations Cup clash against Scotland.Earnshaw, 30, will win his 53rd cap in Dublin on Wednesday as manager Gary Speed has opted to rest his English Premier League stars, including regular captain Aaron Ramsey, after a long campaign.

Speed said it was important to look after the health of his players, despite losing his first two matches as national manager.

“With the close proximity of the games, it’s a bit too much to ask the players to play both at this stage of the season,” he said on Tuesday.

“The team will probably be 90 per cent lads who didn’t play on Sunday.”

“My top priority is not only to win the game but look after the health of the players.”

Earnshaw said it was an honour to be given the responsibility of captaining his country.

“I’ve always played in a way I will take whatever happens on the pitch in my stride,” he told BBC.

“It’s no different for me. It’s an extra boost more than anything. When a manager decides you’re captain it gives you an extra boost.”

“For me, it’s going to be a special night. Everything else will be the same because I’m going out there to enjoy it, but I’m going to enjoy it even more now.”

Aston Villa defender James Collins and Celtic midfielder Joe Ledley did not travel with the squad, while others who also completed their Premier League campaigns on Sunday – Wolverhampton’s Wayne Hennessey, West Ham’s Jack Collison, Stoke City’s Danny Collins, Blackpool’s Neal Eardley and David Vaughan – are unlikely to feature.

Defender Adam Matthews is the most recent addition to a squad that has also saw midfielder Owain Tudur Jones, defender Craig Morgan, Andy Dorman and striker Jermaine Easter included.

Arsenal midfielder Ramsey is likely to return to the squad for Friday’s clash against Northern Ireland.

AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri was in awe of the celebrations that came with winning the Serie A title.The Rossoneri clinched their 18th Scudetto – and first since 2004 – with a goalless draw at AS Roma earlier this month and it was party time at home against Cagliari on Saturday as they eased to a 4-1 victory in front of a parochial Milan crowd.

But the match was almost a sideshow, given the players had already been driven to the ground in an open-top bus and had performed a lap of honour inside the ground prior to kick-off.

Up to 50,000 fans also greeted the players in Piazza Duomo before the match and Allegri said the day was a tremendous experience.

“It was wonderful for me and the first time I’ve experienced anything like that, so I was amazed and fascinated,” he said.

“I wanted the lads to end the campaign in the best way with the fans and President here for us.”

Allegri said the title was achieved because of the hard work done by the squad during the pre-season.

“I immediately asked the side to train with intensity, as that is what prepares you for the pitch, but that is also a work ethic at Milan decades ago with Arrigo Sacchi,” Allegri said.

“I merely asked them to work for the team and that is what they did for me and each other.”

Philadelphia Union remain top of the Eastern Conference in Major League Soccer a 1-1 draw against the Colorado Rapids.They were forced to come from behind on Saturday as teenage Congolese forward Danny Mwanga equalised, three minutes after Conor Casey had given the Rapids the lead.

Casey converted from the penalty spot in the 63rd minute before Mwanga’s leveller as Colorado drew their sixth game in a row.

The Rapids are fifth in the Western Conference on the back of the result, while Philadelphia stayed top after the New York Red Bulls conceded a late goal in a 1-1 draw with Columbus Crew.

Moroccan midfielder Mehdi Ballouchy had given New York a ninth-minute lead but Richard Balchan hit back in the 90th minute.

New York are now winless in their last six games but remain second in the Western Conference, while Columbus are fifth.

A 69th-minute strike from on-loan midfielder Marvin Chavez helped Dallas extend their unbeaten run to nine games with a 1-0 win over New England.

The result keeps them five points from first-placed Los Angeles Galaxy in the Western Conference, while New England slipped to sixth in the East.

Chivas moved into sixth in the Western Conference after a 1-0 win over the Portland Timbers, thanks to a goal from Argentine forward Marcos Mondaini.

The San Jose Earthquakes struck twice in the second half in their 2-0 win over the Houston Dynamo.

Goals from strikers Steven Lenhart and Simon Dawkins condemned the Dynamo to a seventh-straight game without a win.

Midfielder Jean Alexandre and Argentine forward Fabian Espindola were both on the scoresheet as Real Salt Lake won 2-0 over the struggling Vancouver Whitecaps.

In other games, Toronto and Sporting Kansas City played out a 0-0 draw, as did the Chicago Fire and the Seattle Sounders.

Chile have picked up just a second win of the Copa America tournament, while Uruguay became the latest favourite to be held to a draw.In a Group C double-header at Mendoza’s Estadio del Bicentenario, Peru frustrated Uruguay into a 1-1 stalemate – the fourth draw in six completed games at the tournament in Argentina – while Chile’s class helped them overcome Mexico 2-1.

Despite Uruguay’s much-vaunted front three of Napoli’s Edinson Cavani, Liverpool’s Luis Suarez and Atletico Madrid’s Diego Forlan, Peru’s well-organised defence enjoyed the better of the early going.

After a lively opening, it was Peru who drew first blood when Paolo Guerrero was picked out by a great ball from Michael Guevara on 25 minutes.

The Hamburg striker coolly rounded Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera before slotting into an empty net.

Uruguay – the third-favourite nation behind Argentina and Brazil – began to wrest control late in the half and could have been back on level terms when Forlan launched a vicious swerving free-kick towards goal five minutes before half-time, but Peru goalkeeper Raul Fernandez performed an acrobatic save.

They did not have to wait long to equalise, however, and Suarez fired home on the stroke of half-time after a neat turn and pass from Ajax midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro.

The second half was a pulsating affair, with both sides having chances to take away three points as things became willing.

Guerrero had a great chance to seal a win for Peru in the 90th minute, but the 27-year-old put his close-range header wide of the mark.

In the later game, Chile showed their quality but needed to come from behind against a stubborn Mexico side.

Just six of the faces that helped their nation lift the Gold Cup on June 25 were included in Mexico’s largely Under-22 squad, with five overage players and only two who boasted more than 10 caps.

It showed as Chile dominated large sections of the game, with Barcelona target Alexis Sanchez busy and Sporting Lisbon midfield Matias Fernandez the hub of his side’s attacking moves.

Fernandez went close from a free kick and then open play, while team-mate Humberto Suazo was only thwarted in his hunt for a goal by some agile goalkeeper from Mexico’s Luis Ernesto Michel on 30 minutes.

The half appeared destined to end scoreless despite Chile’s domination, until 19-year-old defender Nestor Araujo threaded a header beyond Chile goalkeeper Claudio Bravo after Giovani dos Santos’ ball was flicked on in the area.

The goal failed to shake Chile, however, and they pulled level 22 minutes into the second half when substitute Esteban Paredes prodded home from close range.

They then finally made their domination count when Fernandez’s corner was headed into the net by Arturo Vidal, though Bravo was needed to keep the score at 2-1 when he blocked Edgar Pacheco’s effort shortly before the final whistle.

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has confirmed that he will look elsewhere if he cannot tie down a move for Tottenham star Luka Modric.The Blues have been chasing the Croatian midfielder over the English Premier League offseason, with Modric attempting to push the move through by handing in a transfer request at White Hart Lane.

But Chelsea’s 27 million-pound bid two weeks ago was dismissed out of hand by the north London club and Villas-Boas admits it will take ‘incredible’ money to entice the midfielder from their Premier League rivals to Stamford Bridge.

“You know what the situation is, it is public,” Villas-Boas said after his side defeated Portsmouth 1-0 in a pre-season friendly on Saturday. “You can understand the position that the club has taken.”

“At the moment we are scanning the market for everything. (Modric plays in) one of the positions we are looking to strengthen.”

“But here you saw we adapted Yossi (Benayoun)’s position in the middle and also against Wycombe he was marvellous in the position.”

“It is just a question of finding the solution. If it happens it happens, if it doesn’t happen it doesn’t happen.”

The Portuguese boss hinted that if a deal is not done soon, he will move on to other options.

“It does not depend on us. Spurs have a right to defend their player and property. We just have to wait,” he added.

“We respect whatever position Tottenham takes and the prices we are talking about is an incredible amount of money.”

Popular former midfield player Thomas Hitzlsperger could make a shock return for a second spell at Aston Villa according to both The Guardian and The Mirror, with Villa manager Alex McLeish failing to rule out the possibility.

The German, who was affectionately known as ‘Der Hammer’, spent five years at the club between 2000 and 2005 and enjoyed a successful relationship with the Villa faithful, which still remains. He originally left Villa Park to return to his homeland, playing for VfB Stuttgart and after a brief unsuccessful period at Lazio in Italy, he returned to England with West Ham. However, after West Ham’s relegation from the Premier League last year, Hitzlsperger finds himself without a club as a free agent.

Before any potential return however, manager McLeish has been told to cut Villa’s wage bill before bringing in any new faces: ‘Thomas’ name has been mentioned,’ said McLeish of the 29-year-old German international. ‘The midfield, in terms of experience, maybe we are a little bit lacking. But we won’t be bringing players in until we trade. We still have a very heavy wage bill and we’ve got to try and work to adjust that. There’s players at the club we respect totally, but they haven’t played much first-team football and we have to try to let them seek football somewhere else’.

The Football League season kicked off last weekend and fans got their first glimpse at the potential stars of the 2011/12 campaign. Whilst the Premier League is home to a fantastic pool of talent, below the top tier there are plenty of future names that could make a big impact in the Premier League in the years to come.

The majority of these players are plying their trade in the very competitive Championship which this season includes a number of big clubs and promises to be an exciting league this season. The better quality in England’s second tier promises to create more top class players that could soon try their luck in the Premier League. Below the Championship there is still plenty of potential in the League One and Two, though these future stars may take slightly longer to make their big break.

There is obviously no guarantee that players who impress below the Premier League can make it at the top but the Football League system is creating talents for the future that are being snapped up (just look at how Bayern Munich somehow ended up in Tranmere to buy Dale Jennings). With transfer fees rising beyond many smaller Premier League club’s reach, the lower leagues are proving to be a fantastic place to buy an exciting talent for a reasonably small fee. But who will follow Danny Graham, Chris Eagles, Anthony Pilkington and Connor Wickham out of the Football League and into the Premier League?

Click on Tom Cairney to see the 10 players that have Premier scouts sniffing

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Do you agree with the top ten? Have I missed someone out or do you disagree with one of my picks? If you want to read more of my bite size, 140 character views and thoughts follow me on Twitter @jennyk5

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FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

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