Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka has set his sights on a new contract with the Blues, having reached the 50-goal mark for the reigning Premier League champions.

The 31-year-old Frenchman reached his half-century against Spartak Moscow in midweek and is already thinking of a new deal at Stamford Bridge.

Anelka commented:"It is the first time I have scored that many for any club, but it is the first time I have spent more than two-and-a-half years at a club as well.

"It shows how happy I am at Chelsea. When I first signed here I knew had arrived at a big club and I wanted to stay as long as possible.

"I don't know what will happen in the future. After this season I have one more year on my current deal and I will see what will happen because you never know.

"But I am very happy here and I would be glad to sign for more years.

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"I am just very satisfied to achieve two landmarks with Chelsea in goals scored and how long I have spent here, it has just been special to score goals for Chelsea."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

To say that Tottenham’s record at Old Trafford is poor is tantamount to saying that the Arctic is a little nippy and the North Londoners have to go back some 20yrs since they last came away with three points, courtesy of Gary Lineker.

A lot has changed between the two clubs since then with Ferguson leading United to two decades of unrivalled glory, while Tottenham have had a series of managers who have failed to recapture their successes of yesteryear. Harry Redknapp is the latest manager looking to succeed where others have failed at Old Trafford this afternoon and his hopes will have been boosted by the news that not only will Wayne Rooney will be missing, but Howard Webb will not be officiating the game today.

While United have dominated Tottenham on the pitch, off the pitch Spurs have been more than able to hold their own in the Wag department and have a team that could hold its own against most opposition. But how do they fair against United?

In the first of a new series of Wags War, we look ahead to the likely battle in the player’s lounge at Old Trafford this afternoon and ask you the viewer to decide which team wins this epic battle. Flick through the gallery and cast your vote:

Let the battle commence: click on the badges below to see each team’s sexy line-up and cast your vote at the end:

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Having built on last season’s success with a tremendous run in the Champions League, securing their progress into the last sixteen with a game to spare, the Spurs squad appears in good shape. But can it last the whole season battling domestically as well as in Europe as it is? If Tottenham do want to really progress and be talked of as title contenders in the next couple of seasons then strengthening is a must. Certainly with the current depth of the squad there is no point in the club bringing in players that will not go straight into the first team. This is the biggest obstacle for Spurs in entering the transfer market in January. It is rarely a time when star players are available, due to it being in the middle of the season. Any players that could be available, if of the quality desired, would most likely be illegible for European competition having played for their existing club.

Further problems with recruiting in the coming January, is more new arrivals could disrupt the balance of the team. There is no guarantee that any new arrival could have the same immediate impact as Van der Vaart. Forcing a new addition into a successful team could backfire if failing to reap instant rewards, even causing resentment amongst the squad. Certainly Spurs are in no position where they have to enter the market and shouldn’t feel the need to strengthen merely for the sake of it. A bit of trust in the group of players that have taken the club this far to go on to the next level could be the right decision.

Yet at the same time Tottenham are far from guaranteed Champions League football next season and it would be foolish to not look to strengthen, whilst they still have this carrot to offer to potential signings. And indeed assist them in their bid to retain a top four position in the league. With the other night’s victory over Werder Bremen being only the second clean sheet the club have managed to keep this season question marks hang over the defence and the team as a whole defensive capabilities. But with King and Dawson both set to return in coming weeks are there are centre backs available that would come in January and improve the first team? I don’t believe that there is.

The other end of the pitch appears to be another problem position for Tottenham. With Pavlyuchenko low on confidence, to the extent that he wouldn’t take the penalty against Bremen. Crouch with a single goal to his name in the Premier League, Robbie Keane distinctly out of favour and not trusted leaving only Jermaine Defoe who has yet to start a game on his return from injury. A striker of the highest quality would be a welcomed addition, yet these are not that easy to come by. Suarez, Forlan, Llorente, Benzema have all been linked with the club but with Forlan’s disappointing time with Manchester United being the only Premier League experience between them, they would all entail a sizeable gamble. A lot will be made of how successful Defoe’s return to the team is. If he is able to form a formidable and goal scoring partnership with Van der Vaart the need for a new striker may need be as vital as it first appears.

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Chelsea star Michael Essien is one of the best central midfielders in the Premiership. He is right up there with Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard, Manchester United’s Paul Scholes and Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas or even Samir Nasri amongst others. He gives drive to the Chelsea midfield, typifying what it means to be a box-to-box midfielder. He’s Chelsea’s creative force in the middle of the park, chips in with some spectacular goals and is not afraid to get stuck in. However, it is this last point that leaves some question marks surrounding Essien.

Is Michael Essien a dirty player? Against Tottenham at White Hart Lane he made a dubious challenge on Gareth Bale, planting his studs right on to the winger’s shin. The commentator was quick to point out that Essien has history as far as nasty challenges are concerned, but surely this is part and parcel of being a tenacious midfielder? You’re unlikely to go a season without making a bad challenge, just ask Paul Scholes, he seems to be dishing them out every week!

Just because Essien is a great player, it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t identify the negative parts of his game. Whether he has a nasty streak only Essien himself really knows, but I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for all he brings to the Premier League. He should watch his tackles, though, as it doesn’t take much to earn a reputation as a dirty player, something commentators are already starting to pick up on, and another bad challenge in the coming weeks would see more criticism come the midfielder’s way.

Buy Chelsea Last 16 Champions League tickets here!

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However, I’d much rather focus on the other side of Michael Essien, the side that makes him a great player. He was by far Chelsea’s stand out performer on Sunday, as he is for the Blues week-in week-out, and was at the centre of much of the Premier League Champions’ play. Right from the off he was spraying the ball around the park and struck a couple of early shots as clean as a whistle. His stats from the match were something to behold, too!

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Essien was the highest Picklive points scorer by far in the Tottenham v Chelsea Premiership encounter. His 86 points included 81 completed passes, almost twice as many as any other Chelsea player, five shots on target and ten interceptions (you can see the Picklive stats in full here). His all-round game makes him one of the first name on Carlo Ancelotti’s team sheet, as he should be on yours when playing the LIVE fantasy football phenomenon that is Picklive.

There are undoubtedly two sides to Michael Essien. The Chelsea midfielder is one of the shining lights of his generation, yet the Ghanaian international lets himself down from time to time with bad challenges. Removing the nasty strike from Essien, though, may well make him a lesser player, and personally as long as he keeps his bad tackles to a minimum, I think his outstanding play more than makes up for it.

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The managerial circus at West Ham has been resolved today as the board have decided to keep faith with Avram Grant following their failure to secure a move for Martin O’Neill. It has been an absolute mess quite frankly and hasn’t shown the football club in a good light.

In the papers this morning there has been a mixed bag of stories including more on Darren Bent’s transfer request at Sunderland; Alan Pardew will battle for Joey Barton, while Tottenham and Liverpool chase Luis Suarez.

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O’Neill says no to Hammers – Sky Sports

Bent heads to Villa in shock £24m deal – Guardian

Referee fans flames after Rafael red card – Daily Telegraph

Pards to battle for Barton – Sun

Tottenham and Liverpool chase Suárez – Guardian

Mancini to rest shaky Hart – Daily Telegraph

You’ve not Had it just yet, Diouf – Sun

Szczesny: I want the Arsenal No.1 shirt for keeps – Mirror

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Balotelli sets City exit date – Sky Sports

Twist in Olympic Stadium battle – Daily Telegraph

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Every club has them. The players who promise so much when plying their trade in the youth team, but then, just when both the club and supporters alike are planning the selling and buying of merchandise adorned with the player’s name and image, it turns out he’s just not up to scratch.

For every superstar that club’s produce, there tenfold who fail to make it to the top. So here are my top ten whizzkids who failed to live up to their early promise.

Click on Freddie Adu below to unveil the list and feel free to add any glaring omissions in the comments below:

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Any glaring omissions? Please add in the comments below

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David Villa insists Barcelona’s 8-0 demolition of Almeria will count for little when the teams meet in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey.

The Spanish champions blew Almeria away in their La Liga meeting at the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterraneos in November, exacting a humiliating home defeat that cost coach Juan Manuel Lillo his job.

Now under Jose Luis Oltra, the team are still struggling in the relegation zone despite their vital 3-2 league win over Osasuna on Sunday.

Despite having an easy time of it when the two sides last met, Villa said he believed Almeria would be a different proposition in the last four of the cup competition.

“We aren’t thinking about the previous match with Almeria, which was very much in our favour,” Villa said.

“They are a team with a different manager, and every game is different. We don’t think that because we beat them 8-0 that this time it will be the same. On the contrary, they have a lot of desire, just like me, and they have never got so far in this competition. We are both 180 minutes away from the final, so it will be a tough tie.”

Almeria beat Deportivo La Coruna home and away to reach the semi-finals, while Barca needed to rely on their 5-0 first-leg win over Real Betis to progress after losing 3-1 in the return fixture.

A meeting with La Liga title rivals Real Madrid or trophy holders Sevilla awaits in the final, but Villa is reluctant to look beyond the task at hand.

“First of all, we have to respect Almeria,” Villa said.

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“We are going to have to fight in order to go through. I hope that we can get to the final, and getting there is enough for us. Choosing our opponents is a bit too much to ask.”

“Madrid have their history and haven’t reached a cup final in a while, and they are a great team. Sevilla have been the team who have had most success in the cup over the past few years. That makes them a hard opponent too in this competition.”

Massimiliano Allegri insists AC Milan are not about to panic despite their lead in Serie A being cut to three points with a draw at Genoa.

Front-runners Milan went ahead courtesy of an Alexandre Pato strike 29 minutes into the match at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, but Antonio Floro Flores levelled on the stroke of half-time to secure a share of the spoils for hosts Genoa.

Second-placed Napoli won 2-0 at home to Catania to reduce the margin to just three points, but Allegri believes his team have time on their side as they attempt to win their first league title since 2004.

“We know there is a long way to go and we have a three-point advantage,” Allegri said.

“We do not feel under pressure from the chasing pack,” he added.

“Although at the start of the season Napoli might’ve been considered a surprise, they are now clearly a reality of Serie A. They are not obliged to win the Scudetto, so can play with a relaxed state of mind.”

Milan were expected to have little trouble dispensing with mid-table Genoa on Sunday, but according to Allegri, injuries and a packed schedule have taken their toll on his squad.

“We did fairly well in the first half, less so after the break,” Allegri said.

“During the week we should get some more players back from injury and we know that we must improve.”

“When things seem too easy, we tend to rest on our laurels. (Antonio) Cassano is out of shape, but we played every three days this month and so needed to field him.”

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Genoa boss Davide Baldini praised the efforts of his players after they secured a valuable point against their lofty opponents.

“We fought and played a good game, so I am happy,” Baldini said.

“I liked the way the team defended, but we need to be more efficient in attack.”

Europa League action heats up on Thursday, with sides who bowed out of the Champions League joining in the last 32 of the competition.

It means there are 16 round of 32 ties to be played with several of the best sides in Europe doing battle over two legs, including Serie A high-flyers Napoli taking on La Liga’s Villarreal, who have never won in Italy.

The goals of Uruguayan Edinson Cavani have fired Napoli into second on the Serie A table and, with five goals in the group stage to go with his 20 league strikes, the striker appears to be Napoli’s key man.

Villarreal have a similar attacking threat, in the form of Italian striker Giuseppe Rossi.

The former Manchester United forward has struck on 12 occasions in the league this season and netted five in the Europa League group stage.

While Napoli and Villarreal is sure to excite, several other ties also present exciting battles, including Sevilla’s clash with Porto at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

Porto cruised through the group stage undefeated largely thanks to Colombian international Falcao’s seven strikes and are flying in Liga Sagres, sitting 11 points clear of second-placed Benfica.

Falcao, Brazilian striker Hulk and Silvestre Varela have combined for 34 league goals this season and Sevilla, struggling in La Liga in eighth position, will have their work cut out trying to stop the talented trio.

Other clashes will see Stuttgart visit Portugal to face Benfica, while Benfica’s Lisbon rivals Sporting will encounter a fervent atmosphere when they travel to Ibrox to face Scottish champions Rangers.

Rubin Kazan host Twente while Spartak Moscow travel to Switzerland to face Basel in two ties that feature sides who dropped out of the Champions League.

Polish side Lech Poznan, who impressed in qualifying to eliminate Juventus, host Sporting Braga.

Bundesliga runners-up Bayer Leverkusen will be confident of securing a result when they travel to Ukraine to face Metalist Kharkiv, with the German club having lost just two of their last 22 matches on the road in all competitions.

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Ajax Amsterdam, minus departed striker Luis Suarez, travel to Belgium to face Anderlecht while Suarez’s new club Liverpool head to Sparta Prague.

Ligue 1 leaders meet their Eredivisie equivalents when Lille host PSV, while Zenit St Petersburg are away to Young Boys.

Other first-leg ties see Besiktas host Dynamo Kyiv, PAOK tackle CSKA Moscow and PSG make the trip to Belarus to face BATE Borisov.

Argentinos Juniors and America are through to the second phase of the Copa Libertadores after they both won 1-0 in Group three clashes on Wednesday.Franco Niell scored the only goal for Argentinos in the 21st minute as they relegated Nacional to bottom spot.But the win could prove costly for Argentinos as midfielders Sergio Escudero and Matias Laba, substitute Ciro Rais and Niell were all booked.Argentinos finished top with seven points, one ahead of America who beat Fluminese thanks to a goal from defender Daniel Palacios in the 70th minute.Deportes Tolima and Cruzeiro both qualified for the next phase after drawing 0-0. Cruzeiro finished top of Group seven on seven points three ahead of Deportes.An injury-time penalty by Roberto Nanni helped Cerro Porteno snatch a point and retain top spot in Group five with a 1-1 draw against Santos.The Brazilian side had taken the lead from the penalty spot in the 54th minute through Elanos.Cerro have four points from one win and a draw while Santos have drawn both their matches.San Luis and Once Caldas drew 1-1 in their Group one clash but the result was of little use to either side.Renteria gave Once Caldas the lead after just two minutes but Michael Mina equalised for San Luis from a free kick in the 17th minute.Once Caldas finished second bottom on two points while San Luis were bottom with one.