Shevchenko seeks unity

Andriy Shevchenko has called on his Chelsea team-mates to unite under new manager Avram Grant.

The Israeli was swiftly appointed as Jose Mourinho's successor after previously filling the role as director of football at Stamford Bridge.The close relationship between Grant, Shevchenko and Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has been rumoured to be a factor behind Mourinho's exit.

Big changes

However, Shevchenko - who has yet to impress since his big money move from Milan last summer - insists his relationship with Grant is no different to any other player at Chelsea."I know him (Grant) as director of football with the team, like every player," said Shevchenko. "He tries now as a manager and every player has the same relationship."It's a difficult moment for the club, the players, the team, because of big changes in the house, so it's a moment for the players to stick together and do our best for the club."

Hiddink

Meanwhile, Guus Hiddink's agent has rubbished speculation the Dutchman is set to quit his role as manager of Russia in order to take charge at Chelsea.Hiddink has been linked with the Blues hot seat, but Hiddink's representative Cees van Nieuwenhuizen insists the 60-year-old is happy with Russia."Where he is right now and his age, it is of more interest to him to work with a national team," Van Nieuwenhuizen told the BBC."I think that's what he likes to do instead of being in the pressure cooker of the Premier League

Carling Cup Round Up(25/9/07 & 26/9/07)

A brilliant hat-trick from Liverpool striker Fernando Torres gave the Reds a 4-2 Carling Cup win at Reading.

Yossi Benayoun had put Liverpool in front, but Bobby Convey levelled the scores with a volley from Nicky Shorey's corner.Liverpool regained their lead through Torres but Reading equalised once more when John Halls stabbed home another Shorey flag kick.Torres put his side 3-2 up before netting another to complete his treble with four minutes left and add some gloss

Arsenal sealed their passage to the next round with a 2-0 win against Newcastle United at the Emirates Stadium.

Nicklas Bendtner opened the scoring for the Gunners, heading Armand Traore's cross past Shay Given, before Brazil star Denilson doubled the advantage with a 25-yard screamer.

Manchester City left it late to dispose of Championship outfit Norwich City at Eastlands.

Striker Georgios Samaras grabbed a last-minute winner in his first appearance of the campaign as City scraped through having yet to concede a goal at home this season

Portsmouth made it to the last 16 as striker David Nugent converted Pedro Mendes' cross for what proved to be the winning goal away to Burnley.

Premier league rounnd up

Manchester United heaped more misery on Chelsea, while Newcastle and Portsmouth both won and Bolton held Spurs.

It has been an indifferent week for Chelsea following Jose Mourinho's departure and it has ended with defeat at Old Trafford.

The Blues were hindered for much of the match with John Obi Mikel harshly seeing red in the first half for catching Patrice Evra.

Carlos Tevez opened his United account to give the home side a half-time lead with Louis Saha's disputed late penalty wrapping up a 2-0 success.

Elsewhere, Michael Owen limped off injured during Newcastle's 3-1 win over West Ham at St James' Park.

Mark Viduka helped himself to a brace to help Newcastle to victory, but Owen's injury marred the home side's success.

The home side got off to a flying start when Viduka headed home Charles N'Zogbia's cross after just three minutes.

West Ham refused to lie down and drew level on 32 minutes with Dean Ashton netting his second goal in as many games with a clinical volleyed finish.

Viduka restored Newcastle's lead four minutes before the break when he bundled home N'Zogbia's cross.

Owen gave Sam Allardyce an injury scare on 51 minutes when he was forced off with a recurrence of the groin injury he picked up at Derby last Monday.

Newcastle made the game safe on 76 minutes when the impressive N'Zogbia scored from close range after being picked out in the box by Obafemi Martins.

Martins really should have added a fourth late on when he rounded Robert Green, but the Nigerian hit his shot into the side-netting with the goal at his mercy.

Bolton moved off the bottom of the table with a 1-1 draw at home to Tottenham in the battle of two under-fire managers.

Sammy Lee and Martin Jol both went into the game under pressure after disappointing starts to the season and both men will be happy to have avoided defeat at The Reebok Stadium.

Robbie Keane gave Tottenham the lead on 34 minutes when he fired home from close range after Jussi Jaaskelainen saved Jermaine Jenas' initial effort.

The lead proved short-lived as Ivan Campo marked his first start of the season with the equaliser just five minutes later with a towering header.

Neither side could find a winner in the second half as both teams had to settle for a point.

Aston Villa moved into the top half of the table with a 2-0 win over Everton at Villa Park.

John Carew got Villa off and running on 14 minutes when he fired home his first goal of the season.

Gabriel Agbonlahor grabbed the second goal on the hour when he brilliantly took down Scott Carson's long punt upfield and slotted the ball under Stefan Wessels.

Portsmouth ended Blackburn's unbeaten start to the Premier League season with an impressive 1-0 win at Ewood Park.

Kanu netted the only goal of the game on 25 minutes to help Portsmouth to their first away win in the League since Boxing Day.

Blackburn rarely threatened David James in the visitors' goal as they fell to their second defeat in four days.

Euro Qualifiers Updates

In the same group, Arsenal's Eduardo Da Silva helped Croatia reinforce their position as leaders as he netted in their 6-0 thrashing of Andorra.Two goals in two minutes from Tottenham Hotspur hit-man Dimitar Berbatov saw Bulgaria beat Luxembourg 3-0. Aston Villa midfielder Stilian Petrov nabbed the third from the penalty spot.

Everton striker James McFadden fired Scotland to top spot in Group B. His 64th minute strike secured a shock 1-0 victory over France at the Parc des Princes.A Craig Bellamy brace helped Wales to a 5-2 victory in Slovakia. Two goals in quick succession from the West Ham United man put his side firmly in front and an injury-time goal from Fulham's Simon Davies added to the fine away victory.There was late heartbreak for Northern Ireland as a Keith Gillespie own-goal sent them to a 2-1 defeat in Iceland. Fulham's David Healey had equalised for Nigel Worthington's men in the 72nd minute from the penalty-spot, before Gillespie's injury-time error.

Scotland beat France 1-0 for the second time in Euro 2008 qualifying to take top spot in Group B.

Having already claimed victory against Les Bleus at Hampden Park earlier in the campaign, the Scots would have been happy with a point in Paris.

But James McFadden's superb strike in the 64th minute secured a famous win for Alex McLeish's side.

Scotland's defence stood firm to keep out Nicolas Anelka, Franck Ribery et al in the second-half to ensure all three points.

Comfortable win for England

Two goals from Michael Owen took his England tally to 40 as he helped England to a 3-0 win over Russia at Wembley.Click here to see the video>

Owen netted in the seventh and 31st minutes to become only the fourth player, after Jimmy Greaves, Sir Bobby Charlton and Gary Lineker to score 40 times for England.Rio Ferdinand completed the rout six minutes from time leaving England in second spot in Group E two points clear of Russia ahead of next month's return meeting in Moscow.The result completed a marvellous few days for England boss Steve McClaren men, who followed up Saturday's win over Israel with an even more emphatic display against Guus Hiddink's men.Again Owen grabbed the limelight with his first half brace but Gareth Barry and Emile Heskey again rewarded McClaren for the faith he placed in them with outstanding contributions on a great night at Wembley.McClaren surprised no-one by sticking with same side which brushed aside Israel on Saturday.England took a deserved lead after seven minutes when Owen neatly controlled Barry's right wing cross and coolly slotted home via the upright.
Heskey and Shaun Wright-Phillips had chances to extend the lead before Owen rifled home his second past Vaitcheslav Malafeev after Heskey's flick on.In between Russia thought they had an equaliser when Konstantin Zyryanov turned and fired beyond Paul Robinson, but Swedish referee Martin Hansson disallowed the goal for handball when replays clearly showed the ball had come off the striker's chest.Russia looked menacing after the break and Dmitry Sychev twice went close.Robinson was also forced to turn away a 15 yard drive from Diniyar Bilyaletdinov.But England weathered the storm and Rio Ferdinand rubbed salt into the visitors' wounds late on when he added a third.

Hero Cycles 29th Federation Cup

Kingfisher East Bengal defeated Mohun Bagan 3-2 in the first Semi Finals of Hero Cycles 29th Federation Cup played under flood lights at Guru Nanak Stadium ,Ludhiana today.They will play the winners of Wednesday’s second semi final between Mahindra United and Dempo SC ,Goa.The Finals will be played on 15th Sep 07.
The scorers for East Bengal were Surukumar Singh(25th min) ,Ashim Bishwas(35th min),Dipendu Bishwas(46th min) and those on target for Mohun Bagan were Bhaichung Bhutia (11th min) ,Jose Barretto(71st min)