Everton manager David Moyes has reacted angrily to reports he played an unfit Marouane Fellaini in last weekend’s 2-0 win over Sunderland.

The midfielder and joint leading scorer Tim Cahill are both missing for Saturday’s trip to Newcastle United.

“Who would do that? No-one would do it,” Moyes said on Friday.

“We certainly wouldn’t risk Marouane Fellaini, who has been arguably our best player this season. We would never do that, it’s a load of rubbish. We had to hold the boy back from training on the Tuesday and the Thursday but he trained on the Friday.”

Fellaini’s father Abdellatif this week lashed out at the club after the player was ruled out for the rest of the season with an ankle injury he picked up against Chelsea two weeks ago.

“Marouane is really in a desperate state,” Abdellatif Fellaini told Gazet van Antwerpen.

“He should never have played that last game against Sunderland. He should never have been allowed to play because he was already injured.”

Everton have been unable to find steady form this season and Moyes has not been able to identify their problem.

“I’ve been asked if I can put my finger on why we have lacked consistency and I have said no. We want to be more consistent,” he said.

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“The game is a chance to get three points. We have 10 or 11 games left of the season and we need to win as many of those as we can. It will be a big test and Newcastle have done well- as have all the teams who were promoted from the Championship at the end of last season.”

“I don’t think anybody has been surprised by Newcastle because they are a big football club and they have done well this season. Alan Pardew has kept things going for them. I have got a lot of respect for Chris Hughton [former Newcastle manager] and the work he did for them.”

“I’m sure Alan also respects him but Alan has taken over now and will be trying to put his own mark on the team.”

Shakhtar Donetsk have ended Roma’s Champions League campaign with a 3-0 win in their last-16 second leg in Ukraine on Tuesday.Shakhtar, who have not lost at home in any competition since October 2008, advance to the quarter-finals 6-2 on aggregate at the expense of the Italian club, who conceded a fluky goal, missed a penalty and went down to 10 men in a torrid 23 minutes in the first half.The visitors had the better of the early exchanges, and could have scored had Mirko Vucinic done better with his attempt to reach a terrific floated cross to the six-yard box.But the Ukrainian champions scored against the run of play in the 18th minute through Tomas Hubschman, the Czech defender deflecting Willian’s cross inside the far post with a clever heel touch.Armenian striker Henrikh Mkhitaryan burst down the right and ignored better options in the area to whip his attempt wide of the near post, then further infuriated his Shakhtar team-mates by dragging down Marco Borriello in the area and conceding a penalty to Roma.But Borriello did poorly with the 28th-minute spot kick, sliding a tame shot that was easily collected by Andriy Pyatov low to his right.Roma had evidently singled out Luiz Adriano as a danger man given the Brazilian had scored in his past three games, but their over-exuberance to the contest inevitably led to Philippe Mexes’ expulsion.Mexes, who first earned a yellow card for tripping Adriano behind play, was shown a second caution for pushing the striker to the ground as the pair scrambled for a loose ball in the 41st minute.At the break, the Italian club needed three goals with 10 men in below-freezing conditions, and Shakhtar came out of the dressing room hungry for more goals.Mkhitaryan smashed at the net from range, forcing Roma goalkeeper Doni into a terrific diving save to his right, but Willian did better from the left, collecting on the edge of the area and looping a nice finish into the far corner for a 2-0 lead.Former Arsenal striker Eduardo Da Silva was introduced for Douglas Costa in the 80th minute and made it 3-0 on a terrible error by Roma defender John Riise seven minutes later.The Norwegian failed to account for Da Silva’s poor first touch on the left flank, then botched his attempt to push the ball back to Doni, allowing Da Silva to run in and squirt his shot between the custodian’s legs.

Qualifying for the international footvolley championship began on Thursday, with victories for Brazil, Portugal and Argentina.The tournament is being held at Ipanema beach in Rio de Janeiro, with squads from Spain, Italy, France and two from Brazil among those battling for the title.

The sport was created in Rio and combines football and beach volleyball.

Teams are comprised of four players, with competitors not allowed to use their hands and arms.

Brazil’s former international footballer-turned-congressman Romario is coaching one of his country’s teams.

“I am a fan and lover of footvolley – it’s my second sport,” Romario said.

“My dream is to see footvolley in the Olympic Games one day. I’m sure that events like this, even with four-player squads – because footvolley is normally played as doubles – could happen at the Olympics.”

“If it’s God’s will, we might see it in the upcoming Olympics here in Brazil.”

The other Brazilian squad is under the guidance of former Roma and Brazil forward and current Gremio coach Renato Portaluppi.

Both home teams were successful on the opening day of competition.

Romario’s team beat Paraguay while Portaluppi’s squad overcame both Italy and France.

Portugal beat France but lost to Italy, while Argentina saw off Spain.

Paraguay coach Julio Cesar Romero hopes the tournament would help to promote the sport on the world stage.

“A foot volley (tournament) with Romario, Renato, me and other players, like Aldair and Donato … puts the championship in the spotlight and helps to advertise footvolley across the world,” Romero said.

“This is very important and the sport will become even greater.”

Toploader are back! The band that brought us ‘Dancing in the Moonlight’ and ‘Achilles Heel’ have returned with a brand new single, ‘A Balance To All Things’ and album, ‘Only Human’.

We spoke to the band’s guitarist Dan Hipgrave about music and footy. Dan’s from Brighton, so is of course a Manchester United fan! What did you expect?

Here’s Dan on going to see the Albion and getting feedback on the new album from none other than ex-Liverpool star Jason McAteer…

Ideal song for teams to walk out to?

Stone Roses – ‘This is the One’, every game at OT is important so this is perfect.

Who’s your football hero?

Zinedine Zidane – he made his football look so effortless with the touch of a magician.

First match you went to see?

Some Brighton And Hove Albion game when I was very little in the days of the terrace. Frightening when you’re a kid.

Do you have any celebrity football friends?

We met David Beckham once in a club in 2001, he said he loved our music. Recently I met up with Jason McAteer on a holiday, I played him a few tunes from the new album and he loved them. Top bloke!

Why it’s better being a rockstar than a footballer

I’m not sure it is, is it? They play in front of bigger crowds each week and get paid better than we do. In fact I think they get all the ladies these days too, don’t they? Saying that we can get away with more bad behaviour.

Which current player would you most like to have a pint with?

Probably Rooney, it’s got to get interesting at some point hasn’t it.

Which current player would you least like to have a pint with?

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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Jamie Carragher – I don’t think I’d understand a word he said all night.

[divider]

The forthcoming new album ‘Only Human’ is released 30th May 2011.

Preorder it here: www.toploaderofficial.com

[divider]

Dan Hipgrave from Toploader joins Razor Ruddock and Gary O’Reilly as a special guest! Listen to the first episode of our brand new podcast – The Football FanCast.

Relegation-threatened Sunderland will have to make do without Craig Gordon after the goalkeeper underwent knee surgery on Monday.Gordon, 28, flew to Sweden to have his injured knee operated on by world-renowned tendon specialist Professor Hakan Alfredson on Monday, his club have confirmed.

The injury is set to keep Gordon – who broke the British transfer record signing for a goalkeeper with his nine million-pound move from Hearts in 2007 – out for up to six months.

The Scotland international has been sidelined for Sunderland’s last six English Premier League games, from which the Black Cats have managed to scrape just one point.

The ill-timed slide has seen Sunderland plummet to 15th on the table, five points clear of the drop zone with five games left in the season.

Gordon had hoped to make his way back into the side without going under the knife, with Saturday’s clash with fellow strugglers Wigan Athletic touted as a possible return date.

But further scans on his knee indicated surgery would be needed – a piece of bad news that Sunderland boss Steve Bruce said is indicative of the club’s luck at the present time.

“Craig had the operation yesterday and it went well,” Bruce said.

“He’ll be out for about four to six months now.”

“Craig’s been following a programme but when the specialist had a look at the knee again, we were left with no choice but to go ahead with the surgery.”

“That just sums our luck up at the moment.”

Marseille manager Didier Deschamps is still hopeful of overturning the four point deficit at the top of the Ligue 1 table and earning a second consecutive title.An out-of-form Marseille side slumped to a 3-2 loss at third-placed Lyon on Sunday as league leaders Lille increased their buffer at the top with a 1-0 victory at Nancy.

With four games remaining and teams high up on the table still jostling for positions in European football next season, Deschamps believes there is still plenty of time to catch Lille.

“We’ve just taken one point from two matches, and that doesn’t make things any easier for us,” he said.

“There are still 12 points to play for, so it is still possible. I still believe in our chances and, as long as it is possible, we will give it a real go.”

Lille will be in action on Tuesday as they travel to eighth-placed Saint Etienne and still have hopes of sneaking into a European position.

Marseille then host lowly-placed Brest on Wednesday and Deschamps is hopeful his team can bounce back by taking three points against Alex Dupont’s side.

“We’ve just taken one point from two matches, and that doesn’t make things any easier for us,” he said.

“We play Brest on Wednesday and they will have enjoyed an additional day’s rest compared to us.”

Lierse remain two points clear in Group A of the Belgian First Division Play-off II following a 3-0 win over Cercle Brugge on Saturday.Hosts Lierse led through a goal from right midfielder Kris De Wree 18 minutes into the match at the Herman Vanderpoorten Stadium.

They had to wait until the 78th minute to double their lead when veteran Canada international Tomasz Radzinski struck to make it 2-0, before Egyptian forward Mohamed El-Gabbas completed the scoring five minutes later.

The win sees Lierse stay top of the group, two points ahead of Sint-Truiden, who kept pace with a 2-1 win at home to Mechelen.

Defender Denis Odoi and midfielder Gregory Dufer scored either side of half-time for Sint-Truiden.

Both sides finished a man down after Mechelen’s David de Storme and Sint Truiden’s Peter Delorge both received second yellow cards.

Christian Benteke pulled one back for the visitors with seven minutes remaining, but they were unable to find an equaliser.

Defeat leaves Mechelen bottom of the group with five points.

Elsewhere on Saturday, Zulte-Waregem moved top of Group B following a 1-0 win at home to Germinal Beerschot.

Midfielder Thomas Matton netted the winner for Zulte-Waregem in the 23rd minute.

Westerlo slipped to second place after they could only draw 1-1 away to Kortrijk.

The visitors went in front through Paulo Henrique’s goal in the 56th minute, but the lead lasted just four minutes before Brecht Capon levelled from the penalty spot for Kortrijk.

Westerlo were forced to play out the final 30 minutes a man down after Geoffrey Cabeke received a second yellow card for conceding the penalty.

Kortrijk remain bottom of Group B with just two points, while Westerlo are now second, one point behind the leaders.

Jubilant head coach Rudi Garcia has dedicated his side’s Coupe de France victory to the people of Lille.Lille claimed the trophy on Saturday with substitute Ludovic Obraniak clinching the 1-0 victory over Paris Saint Germain with a goal in the dying stages.

It is the first time Lille has won the Coupe de France trophy since 1955.

“The club and the people of Lille have been waiting for this for 50 years, so we are proud to lift the Coupe de France for them,” Garcia said.

“For me, it’s the most beautiful trophy. I have competed in this cup with amateurs and with pros, with Le Mans or here. It’s the same magic, the same desire, the same team spirit and we are proud to bring the cup back to Lille.”

Garcia paid tribute to PSG and said the match could have easily gone either way.

“Of course, it was a tight game and PSG could have won too,” he said.

“Especially after the first hour. I think they were on top. In the first period, the match was kind of deadlocked. Both the teams were holding their own. On the other hand, the game was really open in the second half.”

“With Antoine Kombouare’s coaching, when Mevlut Erding came into play, when Tulio De Melo and Ludovic Obraniak on our side came off the bench, it changed the match. We saw a more attacking Lille team. There was much more space on both sides.”

“That meant it could have been PSG’s night but, as I told my players at half-time, it was clear that the winner would be the team who focussed on the small details, such as a free kick … And Ludo had the good sense to deliver the sort of magic that only he knows how to do.”

PSG coach Antoine Komboure labeled the loss ‘cruel’, but could not find any fault with the way his players performed.

“We played a great football match. It’s true, it could have been Lille or us that won. As we often say, the final comes down to the detail. Tonight, Lille got the little bit of luck you need to win,” he said.

PSG now turn their attention to their Ligue 1 campaign, with a Champions League berth for next season still in their sights.

“The objective for us is to remobilise right away, to forge ahead, because in four days we have a very important match against Bordeaux and, as I told my players, the consolation for us will be to play the Champions League next year,” Komboure said.

Since Adam Johnson was left out of England’s 23-man squad for the World Cup finals last summer, the Manchester City man has responded by proving himself last season as one of the most dangerous wingers in the Premier League. Despite 18 of his 42 League and Cup appearances for his club coming from the bench due to the intense competition for a places at City, Johnson has played a key role in helping his side to automatic qualification for the Champions League and an FA Cup triumph at Wembley.

Yet since starting England’s first game following the World Cup against Hungary last August and following this up by scoring from the bench in England’s next 2 games against Switzerland and Bulgaria, Johnson has been unable to cement a regular place in the England side. Indeed, Johnson’s failure to even make the bench for England’s qualifier against Switzerland and add to his modest tally of 6 caps has demonstrated that he is anything but an England regular.

Based on Capello’s selection against the Swiss, Johnson currently lags behind Theo Walcott , Stewart Downing and James Milner in the battle for a starting spot in the wide positions, There are few players at Fabio Capello ’s disposal however who possess the same qualities as Johnson and after England’s poor showing against the Swiss resulting in a disappointing draw, there is a case for Johnson to be given his chance to shine again.

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It is Johnson’s incisiveness and directness, which separates him from the England talents currently ahead of him in the pecking order. Whilst Walcott possesses incredible pace, too often he is hesitant to attack the full-back and when he does, his control is too often lacking. Downing has improved throughout the season with Aston Villa and has grown into one of their most important attacking assets but has never looked capable of making the step up to International level. Milner’s form in contrast dipped during the second-half of City’s campaign resulting in Johnson himself being preferred to his teammate on numerous occasions.

Playing predominantly from the right wing this season, Johnson’s pace, trickery and close control have caught the eye, often more so than the talents of big-money signings of David Silva and wonder kid Mario Balotelli . His ability to cut inside or go down the line from his position on the right wing has caused uncertainty and anxiety for defenders all season and with 9 goals for club and country, Johnson has weighed in with his share. With his left-foot, the former Middlesbrough winger also provides England with greater balance and options with his ability to switch wings effectively.

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Johnson’s task of becoming an England regular however has the potential to get even tougher next season with Manchester City looking to spend big as part of their assault on the Champions League and Premier League title. Time will tell but approaching the age of 24, Johnson is at the stage of his career where he needs to be playing regularly in the starting XI and warming the bench is certain not to help him to reignite his England career.

Read more of ARC’s articles at This Is Futbol

Promoted club Coritiba made it back-to-back wins with a 3-0 drubbing of visiting Figueirense in Brazil’s Serie A on Friday.The reigning Serie B champions started poorly at the Couto Pereira but improved as the second half wore on, running out convincing winners as Emerson, Leo Gago and Anderson Aquino all netted late goals.

Emerson was the first to strike, rising highest to nod Eltinho’s cross beyond Figueirense goalkeeper Wilson in the 75th minute.

Former Vasco da Gama midfielder Leo Gaga then found the net in the first minute of added time for his second goal in as many games.

One minute later, Aquino improved his tally to four for the season with another goal past Wilson.

The win lifts Coritiba from 15th to 11th on the Serie A table with 10 points from eight matches. Figueirense are three points ahead in seventh.

Elsewhere, Palmeiras came from a goal down to share the points in a 1-1 draw at America Mineiro.

Mineiro attacker Alessandro netted his fifth goal of the campaign in the 65th minute, raising hopes of a win to take the club out of the relegation zone.

But Palmeiras defender Mauricio Ramos struck back 10 minutes later to snatch a point for the visitors, who remain fifth on the table with 15 points.

Mineiro improve to eight points but are still stranded in 18th as their winless run stretches to seven games.

Sixth-placed Botafogo could do no more than draw 1-1 with visiting Atletico Goianiense, who rise to 15th.

Argentine forward German Herrera put the hosts up in the fifth minute with his third goal of the campaign, but Goianiense counterpart Anselmo equalised 10 minutes later.