The Reds dropped points at Craven Cottage when they missed a penalty while leading 2-1 late on.

Nani stepped up instead of veteran Giggs and had his effort saved by David Stockdale.

“We had an opportunity to seal it with a penalty with a few minutes to go,” said Ferguson.

“Score then you are home and dry. But the height is crucial to a penalty and it was a bad height.

“I thought Ryan Giggs should have taken it – in the last game Ryan scored two penalties and Nani was on the pitch.

“You don’t want to be dropping silly points – and we dropped silly points here. We didn’t take the opportunity.”

Fabio Capello missed Carroll’s blistering hat-trick in a 6-0 demolition job on Aston Villa on Sunday.

“For Andy Carroll, I’ve been saying that this was going to be his make-or-break season,” he told Sky Sports News Radio.

“Doing it in the Championship is one thing and I felt he could have got more goals.

“This weekend he’s gone through a major barrier for himself. It wasn’t just scoring a hat-trick. They were three high-quality goals.

“Now he really has got the opportunity to show himself to be what a lot of people on Tyneside really think he is, and that’s England material.

“He was watching Zamora I’d imagine. I think Andy Carroll is way ahead that’s for sure, particularly on this weekend’s performances.”

Andy Carroll has been consistant for Newcastle for the last couple of season and after a thrilling performance he might find him self with an England call up in the near future.

The new Liverpool manager has told reporters that he refuses to let the Liverpool player leave unless a big bid comes in for him.

“We haven’t had an offer for him. We want an offer that meets what we think is his value, and Javier is perfectly happy with this,” said Hodgson.

“He doesn’t expect the club to just let him walk out of here. He hopes that a club comes in where he could be reunited with his family, which is the major problem for him, that offers us what he is worth and we accept that.

“But he has also made it clear that he doesn’t regard it as a hardship to play for Liverpool Football Club. In fact, it’s the reverse. It’s because of family matters that he wants to go.

“He is resigned to one of two possibilities – either a club doesn’t come along and offer us his valuation, in which case he stays, or we have an offer that meets his valuation, in which case he may go.”

The France international left out of the Spanish side’s UEFA Champions League play-off clash with Braga due to a deal being close between the Spanish side and Arsenal.

The 30-year-old join from Lyon back in 2008 is now in pole position to replace Gallas who left Arsenal after his contract ended.

“The player asked not to play because of the offer from such a big team but, for the moment, we believe the offer is insufficient and Squillaci is still a Sevilla player,” said Rodriguez after the La Liga outfit’s 1-0 defeat at Braga on Wednesday.

Sevilla added a statement on their official website: “Sebastien Squillaci’s future is in the air.
“As was confirmed by sporting director Ramon Rodriguez at the airport in Porto, the club have received an offer from Arsenal.

The current Man City striker is set for a shock move to his home town club Cardiff on loan.

A Cardiff spokesman said: “With the number and the names of the clubs being mentioned in connection to Craig it is flattering that we are an option, but at this stage it is pure speculation.

“Being connected to a player of this calibre shows how far we have come, to be even considered in a deal like this.

“We would love it to happen of course, but we are by no means alone in this.”

Sven-Goran Eriksson has revealed that he has received no contact from Aston Villa over possibly taking the vacant manager’s job.

The former England boss is one of the favourites to become the new Villa boss after leaving the Ivory Coast team after the World Cup.

“I have had no contact with them,” said Eriksson.
“I want to get back into football. It’s a big club, everybody knows that, but I’ve had no contact. We’ll see what happens.

“There are so many available managers around Europe and around the world, I’m not the only one (not contacted). And they did very well yesterday so they might not do anything.”

Tottenham and England defender Michael Dawson has told of his delight of playing in the Champions League qualifiers and want to lead the club to their first season in the Champions League groupe stage.

“It means everything,” the defender told Spurs TV Online.

“We’re two games away from the group stages and that’s what it’s all about now.

“Two massive games against Young Boys and it’s exciting times. But we’ve got to make sure we win and get into the group stages.”

The Arsenal captain Fabregas has finally commited himself to Arsenal and claims he will not move to Barcelona.

“He is our captain, he is our leader,” Wenger told the club’s official website.

“You could see in the training session how much a lift it is for everybody who loves Arsenal.

“When I was at the World Cup I met so many people in South Africa and the first thing I heard was ‘Don’t let Fabregas go’.

“That means it is a huge lift for everybody who loves the club.”

Torres has ended all rumours that claimed he was on his way out of Liverpool.

“This is the best club in the country so the targets and expectations are always high,” Torres told the club’s official website.

“Hopefully we can stay at our level. At Liverpool the aim is to fight for every title. It was difficult last season, but we are sure we can improve this season.

“I am really happy to be back, really happy to stay with all my team-mates. My commitment and loyalty to the club and to the fans is the same as it was on my first day when I signed.

“I am looking forward to the challenge ahead.”

When asked why Liverpool means so much to him, he replied: “From my first day I got the same welcome as Stevie or Carra or players who have been here for a long time.

Garrido only made 49 Premier League outings in three seasons with City, is now keen to revive his career and is ready for a tough test in Serie A.

“Replacing (Kolarov) is an important responsibility,” said Garrido.

“Now I’m here and he is at Manchester, it’s a new stage in my career, with new team-mates.

“I really hope to give everything I have inside to be able to reach an important aim, whether on a personal or group level.

“I am really happy to be here, this club is one that is respected in Italy and it is very well known and appreciated on a European level too.

“For me it is a new experience which gives me so many positive emotions. I hope to do really well.”