England in bright mood under their new manager as coach puts his boots back on

Ferguson must 'gamble' by resting players for league game to overcome home reverse, while injured Kompany and Lescott set to miss vital matches as limp City crash in Lisbon

The caretaker England manager, Stuart Pearce, is expected to give a group of young players an opportunity to impress for the senior team when he names his squad this morning for the friendly against the Netherlands next Wednesday.

Joe Hart

Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish admits it will be a massive blow to be without Richard Dunne for eight weeks after the defender fractured his collarbone during yesterday's clash with Manchester City.

Mario Balotelli's gravest misdemeanour in a tempestuous 18-month Premier League career saw him charged with violent conduct and given a four-game ban by the Football Association last night, for an alleged stamp on Tottenham's Scott Parker.

Roberto Mancini wants Edin Dzeko to become Manchester City's head boy.

Wigan boss Roberto Martinez and Manchester United's Wayne Rooney have criticised Roberto Mancini for waving an imaginary card at referee Martin Atkinson during his side's win at Wigan.

Roberto Mancini, the Manchester City manager, was involved in another war of words last night after his indignation about a two-footed challenge by Liverpool's Glen Johnson caused a heated tunnel exchange with Steven Gerrard.

Manchester City 3 Newcastle United 1

England 1 Spain 0: Captain for the day scores the simplest of goals from less than a foot out as a Parker-inspired England perform miracles with a rearguard effort to upset the world champions

Manchester City defender Kolo Touré hopes to return like "a new player" after completing his ban for failing a drugs test. The Ivory Coast international is now eligible to play for City again after enduring an enforced six months on the sidelines.

Bolton have confirmed the signing of defender Dedryck Boyata from Manchester City on a season-long loan deal.

The life of a perpetual understudy, as the premature retirement of several goalkeepers has underlined, is a frustrating one, but there is always hope. Joleon Lescott knows that as well as anyone in the England squad. Seven starts in three and a half years, and 32 squad appearances indicate the 28-year-old has had a peripheral international role, but he has learnt at club level the benefits of patience. He spent the first half of the season sat on the bench, with Vincent Kompany and Kolo Touré preferred by manager Roberto Mancini as Manchester City's first-choice central defensive pairing. Then Touré tested positive for a banned substance and was suspended. Lescott was back in the team and he stayed there ending the season with an FA Cup winners' medal.