Bay Ledger News Zonebill@blnz.comtag:www.blnz.com,2009:orgs/liverpool_fctag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/Pressure_England_Marino_game_says_1724

England captain Steven Gerrard admits that his side will be "on a hiding to nothing" when they tackle Group H whipping boys San Marino in their latest World Cup qualifier on Friday.

2013-03-22T01:48:45ZAFP Global Editionby Tom Williamstag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/Suarez_will_stay_Liverpool_cc5b

Liverpool are "100 percent certain" that their Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez will stay at the club after he indicated he was open to offers from rival sides, managing director Ian Ayre said on Thursday.

2013-03-21T12:03:52ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/20/Bosque_admits_France_fears_c4c7

Spain coach Vincente Del Bosque has admitted he fears France ahead of the two European giants' 2014 World Cup qualifier at the Stade de France next Tuesday.

2013-03-20T18:59:05ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/19/Suarez_admits_faults_defends_slyness_5163

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez admitted Tuesday he has made mistakes on the pitch that have earned him a bad reputation, but the controversial Uruguayan star defended his "slyness" and "character" in an interview with AFP.

2013-03-19T23:14:17ZAFP Global Editionby Giovanna Fleitastag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/19/Real_must_take_lead_Istanbul_2dbc

Real Madrid must beat Galatasaray in their Champions League quarter-final home leg or else they face a tough time in the return leg in Turkey, coach Jose Mourinho said on Tuesday.

2013-03-19T18:19:41ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/19/Michael_Owen_retire_season_5f46

Former England striker Michael Owen announced on Tuesday that he will bring down the curtain on his professional career at the end of the current season.

2013-03-19T15:46:51ZAFP Global Editionby Tom Williamstag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/19/Cahill_ruled_Marino_game_8682

Chelsea defender Gary Cahill has been ruled out of England's World Cup qualifier in San Marino on Friday due to injury.

2013-03-19T13:34:39ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/18/Ferdinand_withdraws_from_England_squad_b55a

Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has pulled out of the England squad for the World Cup qualifiers with San Marino and Montenegro, national team coach Roy Hodgson announced on Monday.

2013-03-18T15:01:13ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/17/Ugly_scenes_cant_ruin_Lampard_d067

Rafael Benitez insisted the ugly scenes sparked by Frank Lampard's 200th goal for Chelsea in the 2-0 win over West Ham shouldn't overshadow the England midfielder's landmark achievement.

2013-03-18T02:08:43ZAFP Global Editionby Steve Griffithstag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/17/Lampard_sends_Chelsea_third_Spurs_62ff

Frank Lampard scored his 200th Chelsea goal as his side beat West Ham United 2-0 to snatch third place in the Premier League from faltering London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

2013-03-18T01:52:10ZAFP Global Editionby Tom Williamstag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/17/Villas-Boas_unconcerned_Spurs_slump_93ca

Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas is confident his side can hold on to a top-four position in the Premier League for the rest of the season despite suffering a third successive defeat.

2013-03-18T01:20:53ZAFP Global Editionby Jon Westtag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/16/Fulham_boss_urges_Bale_stay_cf18

Fulham manager Martin Jol has urged Gareth Bale to remain at Tottenham and become a White Hart Lane legend.

2013-03-17T03:25:09ZAFP European Editionby Ian Winrowtag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/16/City_loss_Everton_sounds_death_552c

Manchester City never really stood a chance of catching Manchester United in the title race even before they were beaten at Everton, according to first-team coach David Platt.

2013-03-17T01:01:01ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/16/United_points_clear_Villa_adrift_e5bd

Manchester United capitalised on a slip-up by Manchester City to open up a massive 15-point lead at the Premier League summit despite a laboured display in a 1-0 win at home to Reading on Saturday.

2013-03-16T19:58:37ZAFP Global Editionby Tom Williamstag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/16/Everton_shatter_City_hopes_Villa_8e15

Ten-man Everton all but ended Manchester City's title defence with a gritty and controversial 2-0 win over the Premier League champions at Goodison Park on Saturday.

2013-03-16T17:25:19ZAFP Global Editionby Tom Williamstag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/16/Saints_boost_survival_with_Liverpool_540b

Southampton did their hopes of avoiding the drop from the English Premier League the power of good and dented Liverpool's top six hopes Saturday with a 3-1 win at St Mary's.

2013-03-16T17:21:24ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/16/Dortmund_floor_Freiburg_trim_Bayerns_d2dd

German champions Borussia Dortmund routed Freiburg 5-1 on Saturday to provisionally trim runaway league leaders Bayern Munich's lead at the top of the Bundesliga to 17 points.

2013-03-16T17:10:07ZAFP Global Editionby Ryland Jamestag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/16/Everton_tear_Citys_title_hopes_6978

Ten-man Everton sounded a probable death knell on Manchester City's title defence with a hard-fought 2-0 win over the Premier League champions at Goodison Park on Saturday.

2013-03-16T16:04:52ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/15/English_trio_kept_apart_Europa_0dce

English trio Chelsea, Tottenham and Newcastle all managed to avoid one another as the Europa League quarter-final draw was held at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, on Friday.

2013-03-15T14:13:05ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/15/Bosque_leaves_Puyol_Torres_e0ce

Spain manager Vicente del Bosque on Friday left Carles Puyol and Fernando Torres out of his 24-man squad for the World Cup qualifying matches against Finland and France later this month.

2013-03-15T11:14:49ZAFP Global Editionby Kieran Canning