steven pienaar

Manchester United are still struggling defensively before their home game against Everton on Saturday (1730 GMT) with Rio Ferdinand and Fabio definitely out injured, Jonny Evans and John O'Shea doubtful and Gary Neville suspended. Manager Alex Ferguson said on Friday that Ferdinand's long-running back problem had finally been identified but that he would still be out for a couple of weeks. Nemanja Vidic, Wes Brown and Patrice Evra are expected to be available.

The lads that have been in the team have been fantastic but we need that bit of extra help   -Tim Cahill

 

Everton will visit Manchester United in Saturday's English Premier League match with half a dozen players suffering knee injuries of various types. The injured list includes Phil Jagielka, Mikel Arteta, Victor Anichebe, Phil Neville, Jo, James Vaughan and Steven Pienaar. "The lads that have been in the team have been fantastic but we need that bit of extra help," Australia midfielder Tim Cahill said.

The lads that have been in the team have been fantastic but we need that bit of extra help   -Tim Cahill

 

Everton have an injury worry over Tim Cahill ahead of the trip to Manchester United. And manager David Moyes also suggested that the game may have come too soon for the injured trio of Steven Pienaar, Phil Neville and Leon Osman. Moyes said he expected to be drawing from the same squad that faced West Ham two weeks ago, with the possible exception of Cahill, who picked up a groin strain while on international duty.

Tim Cahill has a wee bit of a groin strain and we will need to check it out   -David Moyes

 

Bafana Bafana midfielder Steven Pienaar has been voted the 2009 Senior National Team Player of the Year by local football supporters. This follows the player's outstanding performance in his England based club Everton FC and with the national team Pienaar has been a backbone in the midfield creating critical goals. The announcement was made at the South African Football Association (SAFA) Awards ceremony on Thursday, which aimed to honour players and administrators who have contributed to national foo  

Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar has reason to celebrate after being named South African Player of the Year. Pienaar has turned in a number of eye-catching displays for both club and country during the last 12 months and is now a firm favourite at Goodison Park. His form has certainly got him noticed elsewhere as well with clubs from Russia and Spain, and also Premier League rivals Manchester City, all believed to have shown an interest in him in recent weeks. He won the accolade at Thursday night's  

Leon Osman and Steven Pienaar could return for Everton's trip to Man Utd but Diniyar Bilyaletdinov is ruled out through suspension. Osman has been undergoing treatment on an ankle injury while Pienaar has been nursing a knee problem. Biyaletdinov will play not a part as he starts a three-match ban after his sending off against Aston Villa.  

Everton will be disappointed with their start to the season. On the opening day they were on the wrong end of a 6-1 scoreline against Arsenal, followed by a defeat at newly promoted Burnley. Since then they have won four out of nine games, most recently against West Ham. The Toffees lie in 12th place in the table but have played a game fewer than most teams.  

A lack of goals continues to haunt hosts South Africa as the 2010 World Cup countdown reaches the 200-day mark on Sunday. The first African country to stage the quadrennial international football showpiece managed just 10 in 18 games this year with four-goal Katlego Mphela the leading scorer. Mphela and recalled Blackburn striker Benni McCarthy were paired for friendlies against Japan and Jamaica this month with expectations high that they could end the goal drought.

I realise clubs are not obliged to release players as the period does not fall within official Fifa dates, but I am going to do my best   -Carlos Alberto Parreira

 

Following the weekend's World Cup action, the full list of qualifiers for January's African Cup of Nations is now known. The 2010 event takes place in Angola from January 10-31 (the group stage ends on January 21), meaning many of the Premier League's top stars will be missing for some crucial domestic fixtures - not only during those dates, but also in the week or so leading up to the event. As always, the tournament is bad news for many top-flight managers and fans alike.