Source: Daily_Mail
ROB DRAPER: Bank on Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand and Michael Owen for South Africa, says Fergie
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes Rio Ferdinand is a certainty to go to the World Cup and team-mate Michael Owen could be on the plane alongside him.[LNB]Ferguson has given Ferdinand time out to recover from calf and back injuries and expects him to return in the new year after a horrible spell of form earlier in the season.[LNB]Owen pushed his way back into contention to make Fabio Capello's 23-man squad with a Champions League hat-trick at Wolfsburg on Wednesday.[LNB]Faith from Fergie: The United boss says Ferdinand is a definite for the England squad[LNB] Ferguson said: 'If Rio is fit, he will go and I imagine Wes Brown will go as well. Michael must have a chance. You can't dismiss his record. [LNB]'His record for England is outstanding and Fabio has made the same point, but his performance level will judge it.[LNB]'Some critics say he won't have played enough games but I think he has and you're getting a fresh player also.[LNB]'He's never going to be playing every week for me but in a competition like England are going to go into, he'll have to be judged [LNB]and I have every confidence that Fabio will judge him in the right way.[LNB]'He was brilliant in midweek and he's given himself a chance. He'll play plenty of games.'[LNB]Ferguson could have several of his players in the England squad, with Wayne Rooney a certainty and Michael Carrick pushing hard for a place.[LNB]But the United manager still predicts a Brazil win in South Africa. 'I can't see past them, to be honest,' he said.[LNB]Bitter Wenger won't find room for RuudBad memories: van Nistelrooy and Wenger did not see eye to eye during the striker's United days[LNB] There is no chance Arsenal will sign Ruud van Nistelrooy . . . even if he would be an expedient stand-in for the six months Robin van Persie is injured.[LNB]Arsene Wenger is desperate for a new striker and a back-up centre-half, but while hit man Marouane Chamakh remains top of the Emirates wish-list, Bordeaux's continuing involvement in the Champions League has convinced the Arsenal manager there can be no deal in January.[LNB]Although Chamakh's contract is up at the end of the season, Bordeaux calculate that the £2million they can make from qualifying for the Champions League quarter-final outweighs any negligible fee they would receive next month.[LNB]Chamakh is likely to open negotiations with the Gunners ahead of a June move but, in the meantime, Van Nistelrooy's acrimonious relationship with Wenger while at Manchester United the Arsenal boss once accused him of being a cheat - rules out any chance of a deal for the Real Madrid striker.[LNB]Jimmy in the running for vacant QPR postIn the running: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink could be in with a shout at QPR[LNB] Former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has emerged as a shock contender to become the ninth manager in three years at Championship club QPR.[LNB]Rangers owner Flavio Briatore is considering taking a gamble on 38-year-old Dutchman Hasselbaink , who has become a well-connected mover and shaker on the London social and media scene since retiring from football after the FA Cup final in 2008.[LNB]Current manager Jim Magilton is suspended after a bust-up with Akos Buzsaky and is unlikely to return to his job, despite denying any wrongdoing.[LNB]Darren Ferguson, Paul Hart and Gareth Southgate have all been mentioned as possible replacements at Loftus Road, but Hasselbaink is in pole position, despite not having had a managerial position before. [LNB]His Stamford Bridge connections are not going down well with Rangers fans, either.[LNB]Roman road leads out of TottenhamTottenham's executive chairman Daniel Levy insists Harry Redknapp must sell before he can buy in January and Roman Pavlyuchenko remains the most likely sacrificial lamb after last week.[LNB]Despite Redknapp insisting that Pavlyuchenko still has a future at the club, his agent, Oleg Artemov, said: 'I do not want to comment on what Redknapp says but we had a very constructive meeting with Daniel Levy at which we discussed Roman's future.[LNB]'Now we are expecting the next stage of the talks. There is clear interest in him from several clubs. Personally, I want Pavlyuchenko to move.'[LNB]The Russia striker, 27, has been unable to command a first-team place and his sale would provide Redknapp with the funds to bid for Matthew Upson or David James.[LNB]Sunderland are favourites to land Adam Johnson from Middlesbrough for £5million in January. Contrary to reports, the former England Under-21 winger will not sign a new contract at The Riverside, leaving the club with the choice of selling him in January or losing him for nothing in the summer.The biggest victim of Wigan's 9-1 defeat at Tottenham is South Korea international Won-Hee Cho. After that shambles, Wigan manager Roberto Martinez has decided to let World Cup hopeful Cho go on a free in January after making just one Premier League start in 18 months. Cho came on as an 85th-minute substitute to try to shore things up with Wigan losing 6-1. But they conceded three goals in the last five minutes. PIERS MORGAN: Ashton's a good guy, he doesn't deserve such a cruel fateIAN RIDLEY: Why a Premier League salary cap would stop this ship from sinkingLiverpool's Steven Gerrard on personal mission to deliver a place in top fourSven to stay at Notts County after Peter Trembling completes takeover[LNB] Explore more:People:Rio Ferdinand, Harry Redknapp, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Michael Owen, Matthew Upson, Roman Pavlyuchenko, MICHAEL CARRICK, Adam Johnson, Darren Ferguson, Alex Ferguson, Wayne Rooney, Fabio Capello, Marouane Chamakh, Gareth Southgate, Daniel Levy, WES BROWN, Robin van Persie, David James, Roberto Martinez, Flavio BriatorePlaces:London, South Africa, South Korea, United Kingdom, Brazil, Russia, Loftus Road
