Paolo Di Canio ... Italian may have lost his first game in charge but he remains defiant.Source: Alastair Grant / AAP
Chelsea came from behind to beat Sunderland 2-1 at Stamford Bridge, denying Paolo Di Canio a sensational start in his first game as a Barclays Premier League manager.
Chelsea's victory, in a game that witnessed two own goals, lifted them above both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur into third place, while Sunderland remain just a point above the relegation zone.
Appointed as the successor to Martin O'Neill amid a whirlwind of controversy over his alleged fascist sympathies, Di Canio saw his side take the lead on the stroke of half-time via a Cesar Azpilicueta own goal.
Matthew Kilgallon accidentally gifted Chelsea an equaliser in the 47th minute when he diverted Oscar's pass past visiting goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.
P
W
D
L
GD
Pts
1
Man United
30
25
2
3
39
77
2
Man City
30
18
8
4
29
62
3
Chelsea
31
17
7
7
28
58
4
Tottenham
32
17
7
8
15
58
5
Arsenal
31
16
8
7
27
56
6
Everton
31
13
13
5
12
52
7
Liverpool
32
13
10
9
19
49
8
West Brom
32
13
5
14
-1
44
9
Swansea
32
10
11
11
1
41
10
Fulham
31
10
9
12
-4
39
11
Southampton
32
9
10
13
-7
37
12
West Ham
31
10
7
14
-9
37
13
Newcastle
32
10
6
16
-14
36
14
Norwich
32
7
14
11
-19
35
15
Stoke
32
7
13
12
-11
34
16
Aston Villa
32
8
9
15
-24
33
17
Sunderland
32
7
10
15
-11
31
18
Wigan
31
8
7
16
-20
31
19
QPR
32
4
12
16
-23
24
20
Reading
32
5
8
19
-27
23
Branislav Ivanovic completed the Chelsea comeback 10 minutes into the second half but his strike was similarly fortuitous, David Luiz's strike cannoning off him and trundling into the bottom-right corner.
"I am not worried (about relegation),'' said Di Canio.
"When I decided to move to Sunderland, I knew what players were here but we have to fight until the end of the season.
"I won't say this was a bonus game but it was a test for us to see what we can do. I am not happy we lost 2-1, but there were positive things I can take from this.''
Chelsea interim manager Rafa Benitez aimed a dig at his critics in the media after the victory.
Benitez has had to cope with constant scrutiny over his selection, tactics and future after taking charge of the Stamford Bridge club, but the club remain on course to secure UEFA Champions League football next season and remain in contention for FA Cup and Europa League glory.
"Two or three days before it was a crisis, two hours before the game it was the end of the world. Now we are in the top three again," he said.
"The media, you are too quick, too fast, everything is going too fast. We have to settle down and analyse things and have more relaxation when you do your analysis."
Paper Talk ... the best yarns and videos doing the rounds.Source:AP
It's that time of the week, where we bring you the best football yarns and videos doing the rounds.
Normally, we try to dig out a peach of a goal from somewhere across the globe to get into the swing of things.
This week, we've gone the other way. This is the Beckham of worst free-kicks. And the Pirlo of worst set-plays.
Whatever you do after you watch our first video, don't pull out that routine at your local training this week!
Okay, onwards and upwards from here ... we hope.
THE LATEST MANCINI-OUT REPORT
An interesting name has been thrown into the Manchester City mix - former Dutch international Frank De Boer.
The Ajax coach is aiming to win his third-straight Eredivise crown with the club and caught the attention of City's owners when they finished above the English champions in their UEFA Champions League group.
He told Dutch paper De Telegraaf: "Personally, I have not heard anything from Manchester. If you read something, of course it flatters your ego."
Club technical director Marc Overmars blames De Boer's manager for the hype.
"We are more busy with giving new deals to (assistant coach) Dennis Bergkamp and (academy coach) Wim Jonk before we are going to sit down with Frank de Boer about a new contract.
"We have informed his agent about this. He knows where our priorities are.
"But it is obvious that his agent is promoting another avenue."
De Boer's club has continued to succeed despite having to sell the likes of Luis Suarez, Jan Vertonghen, Thomas Vermaelen and Gregory van der Wiel to bigger clubs in recent seasons.
Eyes will be on Holland over the next two months – and De Boer will be front and centre – because the Eredevise is one of the few top European leagues where the title race is not wrapped up.
PSV Eindhoven (57), Vitesse (57) and Feyenoord (56) chase the lead leaders, who are on 60 points.
Compare that to England (Manchester United), Spain (Barcelona), Germany (Bayern Munich) and to a lesser extent France (Paris Saint Germain), and Italy (Juventus) where the titles are all but won.
Hmmm, so the videos aren't improving, just yet.
DROGBA OPEN TO CHELSEA RETURN
Momentum is building to suggest Jose Mourinho will be back at Stamford Bridge next season, and the man who was a cornerstone of the Special One's best days at Chelsea has backed him to return.
In an interview before Galatasaray's UEFA Champions League tie at Real Madrid, Didier Drogba, now in Turkey after a stint in China, also left the door open for a return to the club.
"I think for the club it is the best solution to bring Jose back," he said. "The fans want him back. He loves Chelsea. Because you want to rebuild a team and to give them the strength we had a few years ago, he could be the right person. He is a winner and is close to the players. He went to Inter and is at Real Madrid but (he) is still talking about Chelsea, so he loves this club.
"I don't think he has got over Chelsea and they haven't got over him. When he came he brought success; we won league titles back-to-back with some great football and the only thing he didn't win was the Champions League. Maybe that is one of the reasons why he might want to come back. It is unfinished business."
Drogba, who was pivotal in Roberto Di Matteo's UCL-winning run last year, led the line for Gala at the Bernabeu on Thursday morning (EDT). The Ivory Coast striker didn't look at the same freakish level we grew accustomed to over the years, but he didn't rule out a return to London for one last hurrah.
"Let me finish at Galatasaray first and then we will talk about that," Drogba said. "It would be nice, not just coaching but to help the club. For this club I gave everything and of course they gave it back to me. I feel at home when I go to London. When I go to Chelsea's training ground I feel like I can walk around with my eyes closed and know where I am going."
ALL HAIL BALE
It's becoming contagious to praise the Welsh star, who became Europe's most prolific scorer of goals outside the box with his amazing strike for Tottenham over the Easter weekend.
Zinedine Zidane, now director of football at former club Real Madrid, said earlier this week:
"There are always players who are a cut above, take Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid for example.
"The problem is this year the player who has impressed me most is not actually playing in the Champions League.
"He is playing in "the other cup" (Europa League), and that is (Gareth) Bale."
Is Zizou warming Bale up ahead of a summer move?
"You can't compare him, he is unique, he makes things look easy, his pace is frightening.
"His acceleration is unbelievable because of his ability to go through the gears in very little space.
"Plus, he is very good technically which is also important, we must not forget that he plays football well.
"He’s really impressed me. I’ve seen him two or three times live, including recently at Lyon, which wasn’t necessarily his best game, but where every time he got the ball he can surprise you."
LET THE UGLINESS END
Paper Talk has dug up some pretty nasty tackles in recent weeks. But this is right up there.
Esteben Cambiasso is known for more graceful acts than attempting to impersonate Roy Keane. Makes Callum McManaman's tackle look gentle.
Enough of the worst of the web. Here's one for the goalkeeping brigade - the stoppage time winner by the No.1 up for the corner, courtesy of St Pauli's Philipp Tschauner, in the German second division.
Arsenal: The Sunday Mirror has good news for Arsenal fans. Arsene Wenger is finally ready to splash the cash and end the trophy drought - and the Bundesliga is in his sights. Borussia Dortmund pair Mario Gotze and Robert Lewandowski are his top picks, along with Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Lars Bender in a £70m effort. But the highly-rated Lewandowski is also in Sir Alex Ferguson's sights, as well as German giants Bayern Munich.
Yaya Toure: Chelsea are about to enter the race for the 29-year-old midfielder who demanded action from Manchester City in recent weeks, The Daily Express report.
Andy Carroll: the striker is starting to find form at West Ham United, and Liverpool want him to return from his loan stint - so long as he is prepared to cop not being a regular starter, the Daily Mail says.
Michael Vorm: The Sunday Telegraph reports that Liverpool are keeping an eye on Swansea City's keeper - who Rodgers signed when at the club - as they prepare to listen to offers for Pepe Reina.
Pepe Reina: Oh who to believe ... Sky Sports contradicts that claim, quoting Brendan Rodgers, who insists their relationship is strong. "I am counting on him for next season, yes."
Swansea to splash the cash: onwards and upwards for the Capital One Cup winners, revelling in the top half of the EPL under Michael Laudrup. His assistant, Alan Curtis, told The Daily Mirror: "It's important to buy players, irrespective of where you finish.
"We will have to satisfy the players terms-wise but I would say we'll sign quite a few. We could sign up to six players in the summer if we can."
David James: Remember him! The former England No.1 is still going around and is set to join Icelandic club IBV. He left League One side Bournemouth by mutual consent last month.
THE UNIQUE ONE
Don't mix sport and politics. Isn't that what they say?
But Sunderland will do anything to stay in the EPL and they've turned to Paolo Di Canio as their saviour. The Italian has tried to distance himself from previous claims he is a "fascist" - but it's turned heads in England and Italy, where he was a star at Lazio.
The Corriere della Sera paper in Italy wrote: "Sunderland needs to save itself but a good book about Mussolini and the race laws of the fascist regime would be a good thing to give to its new manager.
"Maybe they could ask him to study it. It would be the best way … to start."
But after the protestations of David Miliband, the vice-chairman and non-executive director who resigned because of the appointment, Di Canio can't escape the headlines. And the analogies and analysis have certainly left sport behind.
"If Di Canio were a policeman, magistrate, teacher or politician, I would be worried about his ideas. But he's a manager. So shush," wrote one journalist, Domenico Naso, on Twitter.
Tommaso Labate, a journalist and blogger, wrote: "Not wanting someone to be able to do their normal job because of their crazy political views seems to be in itself fascist."
Please, let's get back to the theatrics of football.
Over to Paolo, he of the shove the ref variety, and also the king of sportsmanship by catching a ball in goal-scoring range when opponent is down.
"Many, many people said (Mourinho) was arrogant. José has a very high belief in himself but that is all and perhaps I am similar. I believe in my knowledge and myself. I am confident I can deliver the best job for this club."
Strong rebuttal ... Paolo Di Canio during his playing days with Lazio.Source: Paolo Cocco / AAP
Sunderland manager Paolo Di Canio strongly rebutted suggestions he is racist after a club executive quit in protest at his appointment.
Former British Foreign Secretary David Miliband quit as Sunderland vice chairman just as Di Canio was hired on Sunday citing "the new manager's past political statements."
Di Canio was fined and condemned by FIFA in 2005 for performing a straight-arm salute, adopted by the Italian Fascist regime in the early 20th century, and saying: "I am a fascist, not a racist."
But amid mounting pressure from anti-racism groups, American-owned Sunderland gave its full backing to Di Canio, dismissing the criticism as "insulting."
"Talk about racism? That is absolutely stupid, stupid and ridiculous," Di Canio said in a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press. "The people who know me can change that idea quickly."
The Italian said the comments that led to Mr Miliband's resignation were from an interview "many years ago" and said his "expression (was taken) in a very, very negative way."
"What I can say is that if someone is hurt, I am sorry," Di Canio said. "But this didn't come from me, it came from a big story that people put out in a different way to what it was.
"I never have a problem in my past. ...I don't have a problem with anyone. I haven't had a problem in the past."
Sunderland chief executive Margaret Byrne said the club was satisfied with Di Canio's explanation, saying it is "disappointing that some people are trying to turn the appointment of a head coach into a political circus."
"To accuse him now, as some have done, of being a racist or having fascist sympathies, is insulting not only to him but to the integrity of this football club," Ms Byrne said.
"Paolo has spoken emotively and at length in order to clarify some of the misconceptions that surround him and historical comments and actions attributed to him in the past."
