Emmanuel Eboue believes the booing he endured from the club's supporters during the league match with Wigan Athletic has made him stronger. Eboue came off the bench against the Latics and after a number of misplaced passes was booed by parts of the Gunners faithful at the Emirates Stadium. "Yes (I feel stronger) and I'd just like to say thank you to my friends in the team, and to the staff and the boss," he said. "They helped me a lot after that game, because I was very disappointed and angry, not with the fans but with the game itself."

 Martin O'Neill hasn't ruled Martin Laursen and Carlos Cuellar out of a shock return on Saturday, as Villa take on neighbours West Bromwich Albion in the Barclays Premier League. The Villa manager is far more confident of Gareth Barry taking his place in the starting XI, after scans of the influential midfielder's groin showed no serious damage. He said: "Martin and Carlos have done a bit of training and they are feeling optimistic now. I don't know if Saturday will come too quickly but they will certainly be available in the not too distant future." On the subject of Barry, O'Neill added: "Gareth irritated a groin strain, which he has been carrying for a few weeks. We have had some tests done and it hasn't come out as really bad but if it continues to be a problem, it might be something we will look at. But he will still be putting himself forward for the game on Saturday, which is good news. We will just keep monitoring it." 

 Chairman John Williams has revealed the club have yet to receive a bid for striker Roque Santa Cruz and they are concerning themselves more with bringing players in. "The Santa Cruz situation continues to hang over our heads, but as I keep saying we have had no bids at the moment so there is nothing to discuss," he said. "Our focus has to be our next game at Fulham (on Saturday) and the 17 games after that. We know we are in a fight but our immediate focus is on getting people fit."  

 Gary Megson has praised Matt Taylor for his contribution from the right wing over recent weeks. The manager believes that the 27-year-old, a natural left-footer, has produced some of his finest football at the club since he moved from Portsmouth a year ago by operating on the opposite flank. "It isn't a tactical thing, we just haven't got enough players so Matty has played on the right," said Megson. "We have got Ricardo Gardner and Matty Taylor who can both play on the left and they obviously both can't play there. But most of Matty's goals have come from that side. When he plays on the left, he very rarely goes past the full-back and whips crosses in, so we don't miss that when he plays on the opposite side. What we gain is that when he cuts in from the right, he gets on his left foot which is a good as anything in the Premier League." 

 Birmingham City have signed winger Scott Sinclair on loan from Chelsea on an initial one-month deal. The 19-year-old has already established himself as one of the most exciting attacking players of his age having enjoyed previous loan spells at Plymouth, Queens Park Rangers, Charlton Athletic and Crystal Palace over the last two years. England Under-19 international Sinclair is expected to make his debut in Saturday's Championship match against Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.

 David Moyes has praised his Everton side for their response to a shattering defeat that could have wrecked their season. Since Everton's stoppage-time 3-2 home reverse to Aston Villa on 7th December, Moyes' side have gone five matches unbeaten without conceding a goal. "The biggest thing is the reaction since the Villa game," he said. "We could have gone one way or the other after that, it could have affected us. But the players deserve a lot of credit for the way they have gone about it since then. The clean sheets have helped us because there have been some games when we have been really tight - like at Manchester City, for example - and we have scored late on to win it. Sometimes you have to do that and it is pleasing we can do that." 

 Fans hoping to go to the club's fourth round FA Cup tie away to Kettering Town on Saturday 24th January should apply for tickets via a limited allocation a ballot, which will be open to supporters from Thursday 8th January until Wednesday 14th January. The club anticipates receiving 900 standing and 350 seated tickets for this fixture against the Conference side. The ballot is open to season ticket holders only and a maximum of 4 season ticket holders may apply together in any one application. Applications must be made in writing and a stamped addressed envelope must be enclosed (supporters may download application forms from the club's official website if required), please indicate in your application any preference for seating or standing. Away season ticket holders will automatically be sent a ticket for this match. Ticket prices are currently unconfirmed, but in the meantime supporters may apply by sending a credit/debit card number or by sending a blank cheque. Prices will be confirmed on www.fulhamfc.com as soon as possible. 

 Veteran Dean Windass claims he can leave the club with his "head held high" after being told they are listening to offers for him. The 39-year-old striker has reluctantly accepted his days at the KC Stadium are numbered after making just six first-team appearances since firing the Tigers into the Barclays Premier League last season. Windass has made known his frustration at his lack of action on numerous occasions but has not even made the bench for the last two matches. He said: "Finally I know where I stand. I am reluctant to go, gutted it has come to an end, but now I know I can leave Hull City. And I'll do so with my head held high."

 Dirk Kuyt has warned Liverpool's title rivals that the Anfield team will get "better and better" as the race for Barclays Premier League top spot hots up in the second half of the season. Kuyt said: "The important thing for us this season is that we have had a better start than in previous seasons. We've had some new players in the squad who have made us better but the other players have all been together for a few years now and because of that we are only going to get better and better." 

 Mark Hughes insists his door is always open to any Manchester City player unhappy at his treatment at Eastlands. City's exit from the FA Cup last weekend came amid more rumours of strife behind the scenes. "All the players know if they have any complaints they can knock on my door. That is how it has always been," Hughes said. "You are going to get these kind of stories when things are not going as well as you would like."

 Sir Alex Ferguson admitted his side were lucky to escape with a 1-0 Carling Cup defeat at Derby on Wednesday night. United slid to a shock reverse against the Championship outfit in the first leg of their semi-final. It gives United a job to complete at Old Trafford in a fortnight if they are to book a final appearance - almost certainly against Tottenham Hotspur - at Wembley on 1st March. But, as far as Ferguson is concerned, at least United can still get there, Derby's wastefulness offering a reprieve the Scot is certain his side will take full advantage of. "We could have lost by more," admitted Ferguson."We were lucky. We were so bad that Derby will rue the fact they didn't score more. In any semi final you hope to give yourself that breathing space.But we expect to recover a 1-0 deficit against anyone at Old Trafford and I am sure we will."

 Middlesbrough have sought to bring to an end attempts by Tottenham Hotspur to prise Stewart Downing from the club. Chief executive Keith Lamb has insisted the 24-year-old England winger will not be sold this month following speculation, earlier denied by the Teessiders, they had rejected a third offer amounting to £14.5m for Downing. Lamb said: "We again reiterate that no senior players will be leaving this football club during January. That is the end of the matter."  

 The club have confirmed that striker Obafemi Martins will undergo hernia surgery in Germany on Monday. The 24-year-old Nigerian will be operated on by renowned specialist Dr Ulrike Muschaweck, and hopes to be back in action within a matter of weeks. Martins has not played since suffering a groin injury shortly before scoring his side's second goal in their 3-0 Barclays Premier League win at Portsmouth on 14th December.

 Martin Cranie says he is loving being back in Portsmouth's first-team. The defender returned from a loan spell with Charlton Athletic last Friday and went straight in to the Pompey team that drew 0-0 with Bristol City in the FA Cup the following day. And after an assured performance, he is hoping to establish himself under the leadership of new manager Tony Adams. He said: "The gaffer's shown me that he's going to give the young guys a chance by playing me and Marc Wilson. That's shown me that I can get in the first team at Pompey. I've gone out and got some experience. But now I'm back and hopefully I can get more of an opportunity."

 Stoke City have announced that 20-year-old defender Ritchie De Laet has moved to Manchester United and signed a three-year deal. The clubs have agreed a performance-related payment package for the player, who spent the early part of the season on loan at Wrexham. De Laet joined Stoke from Royal Antwerp in August 2007 but never made a first-team appearance.  

  Republic of Ireland midfielder Andy Reid is desperate to win his place back in Giovanni Trapattoni's squad for the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers. The Sunderland winger first found himself out of the team under the Italian then dropped altogether, prompting a national debate in Ireland. But Reid, 26, has not given up hope of a recall when Trapattoni names his squad later this month for the qualifier against Georgia in Dublin on 11th February. Reid said: "I love playing for my country - I'd pay my own flight over there and everything to go over and play for Ireland. I love playing for Ireland and I would never turn down the opportunity to play. I am always so, so proud to be asked to play for Ireland."

 Jermain Defoe has trained with his new Tottenham team-mates - but the finishing touches are still being put on his return to White Hart Lane from Portsmouth. The 26-year-old striker has agreed to rejoin the club he left just under a year ago and was paraded to fans ahead of the Carling Cup victory over Burnley, although the final paperwork is still to be processed by the Premier League. Despite the expectation of swift confirmation of the deal there has been no formal announcement of the transfer being completed - but it is understood there will be no major problems in getting him registered by Friday. 

 Scott Carson admits he is grateful to Villa for the season he spent on loan there as he gears up for his first return to Villa Park since joining the Baggies in the summer. The England goalkeeper made 35 top-flight starts for Martin O'Neill's men last term to help them finish sixth in the Barclays Premier League. A permanent move to the Birmingham outfit never materialised but Carson was delighted to end his nomadic existence by completing a £3.25m switch from Liverpool to The Hawthorns in July. And he is now relishing the prospect of trying to shut-out his former team-mates in Saturday's derby match. "I'm looking forward to it," said the 23-year-old stopper. "It's the first time I have been back and I'm hoping we can put a good performance in and hopefully get something out of the game. I really enjoyed it and had a good time there. They were a good set of lads and it was a good learning curve for me. I was grateful that I got the chance to have a season there. I speak to a couple of the lads now and then but it's a busy schedule so you don't really get too much time to speak to people."

 Herita Ilunga's agent claims West Ham United are keen to turn his client's loan switch into a permanent deal. The Congo international joined the Hammers from Toulouse in September, penning an agreement which is set to run until the end of the season. "West Ham really want to sign him, but I cannot tell you when that may happen," Ilunga's representative Daniel Striani said.

 Colombia striker Hugo Rodallega has described his imminent move to Wigan Athletic as "a dream come true". The 23-year-old is on the verge of sealing a reported £4.5m transfer from Mexican club Necaxa and just needs a work permit for the deal to be completed. An application to secure the necessary paperwork is to be heard next week and Rodallega, who scored 15 goals in 36 matches for Necaxa last season, expects to be a Wigan player by 15th January. "I am very motivated to be playing alongside such a talented group of players," he said. "I am very happy because a very good piece of news has been finally confirmed. This is one of my dreams coming true."