Impact: Ravel Morrison will hope to play his part in West Ham's run-in
Morrison in contention for Hammers debut after grabbing two goals in reserves win
Ravel Morrison put himself in the frame for his West Ham debut at Leeds on Saturday with two goals for the Development Squad in a 2-0 win at Brentford.
The former Manchester United midfielder, who has a chequered off-the-field history, joined the Hammers in January for a fee that could rise to £1million.
But Morrison has yet to make a competitive appearance for his new club but was an unused substitute in last Saturday's 1-1 draw with Doncaster.
fourfourtwo.com
Grant already under pressure as Partizan stutter
Angry Partizan Belgrade fans pelted coach Avram Grant with lighters on Saturday and chanted his predecessor's name after the former Chelsea manager failed to get a first win after his second game in charge.
There was more serious crowd trouble across the Serbian capital when Rad Belgrade and visiting Novi Pazar fans threw rocks and flares at each other, forcing riot police to move in and delay the second half for 10 minutes.
Serbian champions Partizan, chasing a record fifth successive league title, saw their lead at the top of the 16-team first division cut to six points after a 0-0 draw against visiting Sloboda Sevojno.
But it was the behaviour of the fans, who called for Grant to be sacked and Aleksandar Stanojevic to return, that left the Israeli fuming rather than his team's tepid performance.
"Football is a game of goals and we failed to score but the players put in a great deal of effort and the fans should learn to respect that," Grant told reporters with a grim expression on his face after the final whistle.
"I don't think it was a mistake to start with just one player up front because we created plenty of chances, all big teams play with a solitary striker these days," he added.
Partizan had been held to a 1-1 draw at struggling newcomers Novi Pazar in Grant's first game in charge.
Closest rivals Red Star Belgrade took full advantage after coming from behind to earn a 3-1 win at Javor Ivanjica on Saturday and give their fans a boost ahead of the first leg of the domestic cup semi-final against Partizan on March 21.
Nigerian striker Obiora Odita gave Javor an early lead before Brazilian midfielder Evandro, Luka Milunovic and left back Filip Mladenovic turned the match on its head.
Fireworks and fighting were restricted to the terraces at Rad Belgrade's ramshackle ground, where rival fans scuffled before the kick-off and started a riot at half-time.
The trouble began after fans from Novi Pazar, a southern Serbian region populated mainly by Muslim Slavs, brandished a Turkish flag.
Riot police moved in to create a buffer zone between rival fans and there were no more problems.
He hit the headlines for the wrong reasons again last month when he was fined £7,000 by the FA in response to a homophobic remark made on Twitter.
Meanwhile, West Ham have agreed a loan for Portsmouth’s goalkeeper Stephen Henderson.
bet serbian hammer had something to do with that
Germany international striker Lukas Podolski, 26, has had a medical paving the way for his £10m move from Cologne to Arsenal.
Daily Star
Blackburn Rovers manager Steve Kean says he has not given up hope of keeping 21-year-old winger Junior Hoilett, who is out of contract in the summer.
Lancashire Telegraph
Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala are ready to offer striker Nicklas Bendtner a route out of Arsenal in the summer, with Sunderland unlikely to make his loan permanent.
Metro
Liverpool and Arsenal have both joined the race to sign Spanish winger Jose Manuel Jurado, who currently plays for Schalke.
Footy Latest
Steve Bruce set to open talks with Wolves
Bruce was sacked as Sunderland manager in November
Former Sunderland boss Steve Bruce is ready to resume talks with Wolves about becoming their next manager.
Daily Mail
Carlos Tevez could remain at Manchester City beyond the end of the season after the impressing with his attitude and desire to regain match fitness since returning to the club in February.
the Guardian
Former Arsenal star Ian Wright believes son Shaun Wright-Phillips and his Queens Park Rangers team-mates will be relegated and will be lucky to get a point from their remaining 10 league matches.
London Evening Standard
According to reports, relegation would hit QPR hard financially because most of this season's big-name arrivals signed lucrative deals which do not include relegation clauses.
the Mirror
Chelsea interim coach Roberto di Matteo believes Fernando Torres has failed to score goals because he has a "psychological problem".
Metro
Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo has ruled out a return to England instead insisting he will stay with the Spanish club.
talkSPORT
England fans travelling to the Ukraine for Euro 2012 are being urged to make sure they are vaccinated against measles after an outbreak of the disease.
Daily Mail
Tottenham playmaker Rafael van der Vaart has posted footage on Twitter of his five-year-old son Damian showing some impressive football skills.
Andrey plays weighting game
ANDREY ARSHAVIN wants to return to Arsenal this summer after his loan at Zenit St Petersburg.
He said: "I want to come back. My family are comfortable in London. But every footballer wants to play."
Yet top Russian TV pundit Gennadi Orlov said: "He slows the Zenit team down and has a weight problem."
Jan's the man for Spurs
TOTTENHAM are chasing Ajax centre-back Jan Vertonghen.
The north Londoners will move for the Belgian ace, 24, this summer but rivals Arsenal are in the hunt.
Vertonghen has a year to run on his contract and so far refused to sign a new extended deal with Ajax, who value him at £12million.
Kean's Bolo no-go
BLACKBURN owners Venky's are set to block Steve Kean's bid to sign Dutch winger Bolo Zenden.
The former Sunderland midfielder, 35, is currently a free agent and impressed Rovers boss Kean during a trial last week.
But the Indians are reluctant to release funds for Kean to complete a short-term signing.
He's not all Brad
BOURNEMOUTH manager Lee Bradbury has been given the dreaded vote of confidence after six defeats in eight games wrecked his side's League One play-off hopes.
Cherries fans have called for his sacking but chairman Eddie Mitchell said: "I'm not one for knee-jerk reactions and I'm happy with Lee."
Saints taking the Pearce
SOUTHAMPTON plan to cash in on rivals Portsmouth's cash crisis by signing their skipper Jason Pearce.
Saints boss Nigel Adkins wants to take centre-back Pearce on loan to bolster his Premier League push.
And Pompey are willing to offload him to cut their wage bill and help stave off the threat of liquidation.
He's a bright Gai
MANCHESTER CITY hot-shot Gai Assulin, 20, has extended his loan at Brighton by a further month.
The Israeli, an ex-Barcelona prospect, said: "Boss Guy Poyet's philosophy is similar to Barcelona."
babe of the day
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