Grant: Bad idea from Curbishley
I know my head is full of rumours, but I have decided to concentrate on what we need to do and to trust the integrity of others.
Avram Grant.
Quotes of the week
Avram Grant feels it was 'wrong' of Alan Curbishley to suggest he wanted Manchester United to win the title, but insists he does not doubt the West Ham United manager's integrity.
In a recent newspaper column, Curbishley said it would be a 'great injustice' if United did not retain the Premier League crown this season.
West Ham head to Old Trafford on Saturday, live on Sky Sports 1 and HD1, in a game which could see the Red Devils open up a three-point gap over Chelsea before their title rivals play Newcastle on Monday.
Chelsea boss Grant believes it was unwise of Curbishley to comment on who he would prefer to win the title, but does not expect the Hammers to roll over.
"I'm not doubting the integrity of West Ham and there is no reason to doubt the integrity of Alan Curbishley," Grant told Sky Sports News.
"But I think it's wrong to say things like this because he's involved in the games against United and West Ham won against them the last three games.
"I don't think it's a good idea to say things like this.
"I cannot be angry. I don't know what to say about this. I think it's wrong, but I don't have any reason to doubt the integrity of him or his club.
"I have heard so many rumours in the last two weeks. I heard the referees will be with United, I heard the managers will be like this, I heard this manager played for them and this manager is a friend of Ferguson.
"I know my head is full of rumours, but I have decided to concentrate on what we need to do and to trust the integrity of others."
When asked whether he thought other Premier League managers would prefer United to pip Chelsea to the title, Grant admitted he does not believe it is a major issue.
He added: "I don't feel like this. When I meet them after the game or before the game, I think they are more interested in the success of their club.
"I think West Ham is more interested in the success of their club to win games. If they have some other wishes, we will need to ask them."
| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Monday 9th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | Liverpool vs Birmingham |
| Saturday 21st November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 12:45 | Liverpool vs Man City |
| 15:00 | Birmingham vs Fulham |
| 15:00 | Burnley vs Aston Villa |
| 15:00 | Chelsea vs Wolverhampton |
| 15:00 | Hull vs West Ham |
| 15:00 | Sunderland vs Arsenal |
| 17:30 | Man Utd vs Everton |
| Sunday 22nd November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Bolton vs Blackburn |
| 15:00 | Tottenham vs Wigan |
| 16:00 | Stoke vs Portsmouth |
| Wednesday 25th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 19:45 | Hull vs Everton |
| 20:00 | Fulham vs Blackburn |
| Saturday 28th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Blackburn vs Stoke |
| 15:00 | Fulham vs Bolton |
| 15:00 | Man City vs Hull |
| 15:00 | Portsmouth vs Man Utd |
| 15:00 | West Ham vs Burnley |
| 15:00 | Wigan vs Sunderland |
| 17:30 | Aston Villa vs Tottenham |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Sunday 8th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Chelsea 1 - 0 Man Utd | |
| West Ham 1 - 2 Everton | |
| Wigan 1 - 1 Fulham | |
| Hull 2 - 1 Stoke | |
| Saturday 7th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Wolverhampton 1 - 4 Arsenal | |
| Man City 3 - 3 Burnley | |
| Tottenham 2 - 0 Sunderland | |
| Blackburn 3 - 1 Portsmouth | |
| Aston Villa 5 - 1 Bolton | |
| Wednesday 4th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| West Ham 2 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Sunday 1st November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Birmingham 0 - 0 Man City | |
| Saturday 31st October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Man Utd 2 - 0 Blackburn | |
| Sunderland 2 - 2 West Ham | |
| Portsmouth 4 - 0 Wigan | |
| Bolton 0 - 4 Chelsea | |
| Stoke 2 - 2 Wolverhampton | |
| Fulham 3 - 1 Liverpool | |
| Burnley 2 - 0 Hull | |
| Everton 1 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Arsenal 3 - 0 Tottenham | |
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chelsea | 12 | 30 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 11 | 25 |
| 3 | Manchester United | 12 | 25 |
| 4 | Tottenham Hotspur | 12 | 22 |
| 5 | Aston Villa | 12 | 21 |
| 6 | Manchester City | 11 | 20 |
| 7 | Liverpool | 11 | 18 |
| 8 | Sunderland | 12 | 17 |
| 9 | Stoke City | 12 | 16 |
| 10 | Burnley | 12 | 16 |
| 11 | Fulham | 11 | 15 |
| 12 | Everton | 11 | 15 |
| 13 | Wigan Athletic | 12 | 14 |
| 14 | Blackburn Rovers | 11 | 13 |
| 15 | Birmingham City | 11 | 11 |
| 16 | Bolton Wanderers | 11 | 11 |
| 17 | Hull City | 12 | 11 |
| 18 | West Ham United | 12 | 10 |
| 19 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 12 | 10 |
| 20 | Portsmouth | 12 | 7 |
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