David Moyes appointed as new Man Utd manager

Manchester United have appointed Sir Alex Ferguson's recommendation David Moyes to replace the 71-year-old as manager at Old Trafford.

Moyes, out of contract at the end of the season, leaves Everton after 11 years in charge at Goodison Park.
The 50-year-old Scot has agreed a six-year deal and will replace Ferguson, who announced his retirement on Wednesday after 26 years, on 1 July.
"We unanimously agreed on David Moyes," said Ferguson.

David Moyes: From playing alongside David Beckham at Preston to the Old Trafford hot seat

• Started his playing career at Celtic and finished it at Preston, where he played alongside young loan signing David Beckham between February and March 1995
• Ten months after guiding Preston North End to the Division One play-off final, Moyes took over at Everton from Walter Smith in March 2002
• Handed Wayne Rooney his Premier League debut in August 2002 before selling him to Manchester United two years later for an initial £20m.
• Steered Everton to a fourth-place finish in 2005 and a place in the qualifying stages of the Champions League.
• Took Everton to the FA Cup final in 2009, where they lost 2-1 to Chelsea.

"David is a man of great integrity with a strong work ethic. I've admired his work for a long time and approached him as far back as 1998 to discuss the position of assistant manager here.

"There is no question he has all the qualities we expect of a manager at this club."
Moyes, who will be introduced as United boss in "due course", said it was "a great honour" to be appointed as the new manager of the Premier League champions.
"I am delighted that Sir Alex saw fit to recommend me for the job. I have great respect for everything he has done and for the football club.
"I know how hard it will be to follow the best manager ever, but the opportunity to manage Manchester United isn't something that comes around very often and I'm really looking forward to taking up the post next season."
Moyes also paid tribute to current club Everton and vowed to remain fully committed until the end of the season.
"I have had a terrific job at Everton, with a tremendous chairman and board of directors, and a great set of players. Between now and the end of the season, I will do everything in my power to make sure we finish as high as possible in the table.
"Everton's fantastic fans have played a big part in making my years at Goodison so enjoyable and I thank them wholeheartedly for the support they have given me and the players. Everton will be close to me for the rest of my life."
Everton said in a statement:  "The chairman, on behalf of the club, would like to place on record his thanks to David for the massive contribution he has made to Everton since his arrival in March 2002. He has been an outstanding manager."

Barclays Premier League result

Last night the top 4 decider was played between Chelsea and Tottenham and here is the outcome:
Chelsea 2-2 Tottenham.

Gylfi Sigurdsson's late equaliser earned Tottenham a point at Chelsea, but Spurs missed the chance to climb into the Premier League's top four.

Goals from Oscar and Ramires, either side of Emmanuel Adebayor's finish, looked like they would seal a Champions League spot for Rafael Benitez's side.
But Sigurdsson's strike 10 minutes from the end lifted fifth-placed Spurs to within a point of Arsenal in fourth.
Chelsea remain third and are two points clear of the Gunners.

The battle for the top four

Team	P	W	D	L	GD	PTS
3. Chelsea	36	20	9	7	+34	69
4. Arsenal	36	19	10	7	+31	67
5. Tottenham	36	19	9	8	+18	66

• 11 May - Aston Villa v Chelsea
• 12 May - Stoke v Tottenham
• 14 May - Arsenal v Wigan
• 19 May - Chelsea v Everton, Newcastle v Arsenal and Tottenham v Sunderland

This was the game in hand that Chelsea and Tottenham had over rivals Arsenal, yet it was a good result for Arsene Wenger's team and it means Spurs' chances are now out of their own hands.

All three contenders now have two games left in their fight for the two remaining Champions League places.
For long periods of a free-flowing game, Chelsea were the superior team and looked capable of picking up the three points that would have all but guaranteed a top-four berth.
Not only did they conjure up two clever goals before the break, but they had several opportunities to put the game out of sight after the interval.
As the game wore on, though, Chelsea tired, perhaps understandably so when playing their 66th game of the season.
And in scoring one superb goal and creating another, Adebayor had an inspired game, during an evening when PFA and Football Writers' Player of the Year Gareth Bale was subdued.

Sir Alex Ferguson to retire

Britain's most successful manager Sir Alex Ferguson "Fergie" thinks its the right time to retire.

Sir Alex Ferguson will step down as Manchester United manager at the end of the season after 26 years in charge.

The Scot, 71, has won 38 trophies during his reign at Old Trafford and will now become a director and ambassador for the club.
His haul includes 13 league titles, two Champions League crowns, five FA Cups and four League Cups.
"The decision to retire is one that I have thought a great deal about. It is the right time," Ferguson said.
Everton's David Moyes is the bookmakers' favourite to take over, with Jose Mourinho, currently at Real Madrid, also tipped.
BBC sports editor David Bond says United are confident of announcing a successor to Ferguson before the weekend.
He believes they are looking for someone who understands the club's history and is committed to youth development while employing an attractive, attacking style of football.
While United look for his successor, tributes to Ferguson have been led by Prime Minister David Cameron, who tweeted:  "Sir Alex Ferguson's achievement at #MUFC has been exceptional."
Former Manchester United and England striker Michael Owen says the Scot's managerial record will "surely never be eclipsed".

• Ferguson believes the squad he leaves behind "bodes well for continued success".
• His final game will be against West Brom and will be his 1500th in charge at United.
• United co-chairman Joel Glazer says: "His determination to succeed and dedication to the club have been truly remarkable."
• Chief executive David Gill says: "What he has done for this club and for the game in general will never be forgotten."

Ferguson, who will undergo hip surgery in the summer, is confident his successor will take over a club in good health after winning their 20th top-flight title 17 days ago.
"It was important to me to leave an organisation in the strongest possible shape and I believe I have done so," he said.
"The quality of this league winning squad, and the balance of ages within it, bodes well for continued success at the highest level whilst the structure of the youth set-up will ensure that the long-term future of the club remains a bright one."

Ferguson's Man Utd trophies

Premier League: 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013.
FA Cup: 1990, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2004
League Cup: 1992, 2006, 2009, 2010
Champions League: 1999, 2008
Cup Winners Cup: 1991
Fifa Club World Cup: 2008
Uefa Super Cup: 1992
Inter-Continental Cup: 1999
FA Charity/Community Shield: 1990 (shared), 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011

Ferguson praised the people he felt helped him build the club from a team that had not won a title for 26 years into one of the biggest in the world.

Barclays Premier League results

These are the two results of the mid-week games that were played on Tuesday the 7th of May:
Wigan Athletic 2-3 West Brom.

Wigan's hopes of staying in the Premier League were left hanging in the balance as Swansea twice came from behind to win a thriller at the DW Stadium.

Roger Espinoza's volley gave the hosts the lead on the stroke of half-time, but Angel Rangel hit back for Swansea.
James McCarthy restored Wigan's lead but goals from Itay Shechter and Dwight Tiendalli gave the visitors victory.
Defeat leaves Roberto Martinez's side three points from safety with just two matches of the season remaining.
They are one victory away from drawing level on points with Newcastle, Norwich and Sunderland, with the Black Cats having a far superior goal difference.

Man City 1-0 West Brom.

Edin Dzeko's first-half strike was enough to give Manchester City a hard-fought victory over West Brom.

The Baggies started well and Romelu Lukaku spurned three early chances.
City improved and, shortly after Carlos Tevez hit the bar, Dzeko volleyed home from 12 yards.
Markus Rosenberg hit the bar for West Brom in the second half, while Jack Rodwell went close for City who ensured Champions League qualification with the victory.
It was an accomplished performance from Roberto Mancini's men, who made eight changes with Saturday's FA Cup final in mind yet still created enough chances to have won more comfortably.

Ligue 1 news

Garcia: Out of our hands.

Following the 4-2 loss to Toulouse, Lille boss Rudi Garcia knows that his side's chances of qualifying for the Champions League now depend on Nice and Saint-Etienne slipping up in the final three matches of the season.Before Week 34, late-season specialists Lille were knocking on the door of third place - and the Champions League qualifying round ticket that goes with it - but after throwing a three-goal lead away to Sochaux and then losing out 4-2 to Toulouse on Saturday, Les Dogues' chances of returning to Europe's top club competition next season have dwindled.

Title postponed for PSG.

A 1-1 draw with Valenciennes left PSG to wait another week to clinch the title; OM and OL firmed for Champions League finishes with wins while Nice leapfrogged Saint-Etienne to go fourth with a 3-0 win in Rennes.

Paris Saint-Germain had been gearing up during the week to celebrate a first title win in 19 years, but the party had to be put on hold as OM's 2-1 win over Bastia and PSG's somewhat nervy performance at home to Valenciennes on Sunday combined to leave the title favourites to try again away to Lyon in Week 36.

Bundesliga news

Kuba: We should be proud.

Dortmund - Having struck a personal best of 11 goals and set up another nine in the Bundesliga this season, Polish national team captain Jakub Blaszczykowski has been playing an integral part in Borussia Dortmund's impressive campaign.The Yellow-Blacks all but secured second place with Saturday's 1-1 draw against FC Bayern Munich, a pulsating prequel to the UEFA Champions League final.
Speaking to bundesliga.com after the game, the 27-year-old expressed his frustration at being held to a draw but looked ahead to the London final with confidence...

Jones: We deserved to win.

Mönchengladbach - In the race to finish in the top four and secure UEFA Champions League football, FC Schalke have now played two direct rivals and beaten both.Matchday 32's 1-0 win away at Borussia Mönchengladbach came after the Royal Blues hammered Hamburger SV 4-1 last weekend, ensuring their three-point lead over fifth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt remains intact. Speaking after Saturday's game at Gladbach, USA international Jermaine Jones reflected on a Foals side that were a hard nut to crack, but maintained that the Gelsenkirchen side "deserved to win".

Monday Night Football result

Last night Stoke travelled to the Stadium of Light to take on Sunderland, here is the result:
Sunderland 1-1 Stoke City.

Ten-man Sunderland fought back from a goal behind to draw with Stoke and claim a vital point in their battle to stay in the Premier League.

Jonathan Walters gave Stoke an early lead when he pounced to score a rebound following Charlie Adam's corner.
And the hosts were reduced to 10 men later in the first half after Craig Gardner's dangerous lunge on Adam.
However, John O'Shea equalised, firing the ball home from five yards out after a Sebastian Larsson set-piece.
The hosts had a late chance to snatch all three points when Danny Rose shot from the edge of the penalty area, but it clipped the outside of the post.
Sunderland, woeful in the first half, showed their character to fight back and secure a draw after Walters's early goal and Gardner's red card had left them facing their 17th league defeat of the season.