Gutted Rooney tweets of his shock and admiration

Wayne Rooney admitted he was devastated to see Fabio Capello quit as England manager as the Italian's shock departure triggered an outpouring of disbelief from English football stars on Wednesday.

Capello resigned following a meeting with Football Association chiefs at Wembley as a row between the Italian and his employers over their decision to strip John Terry of the national team captaincy finally boiled over.

The former AC Milan and Real Madrid coach was furious that the FA took the armband from Terry following allegations he racially abused QPR defender Anton Ferdinand in a Premier League match last October.

Manchester United and England striker Rooney was the most high-profile of Capello's players to express his disappointment that the Italian wouldn't be in charge at Euro 2012.

Rooney also made it clear he believes the next England manager should be Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp, who has already been installed as the bookmakers' favourite for the post.

Rooney said on Twitter: "Gutted capello has quit. Good guy and top coach. Got to be english to replace him. Harry redknapp for me."

Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere, who was emerging as a key member of Capello's team before a pre-season injury ruined his campaign, admitted he was upset by the news.

The 20-year-old said on Twitter: "Shocked about news on Fabio Capello...gutted to be honest, gave me my 1st cap and believed in me! Thank you Mr Capello! GreatManager.

"People have their own judgement on Capello but for a young player who was given the chance to play for my country at such a young age...

"He has shown great belief and trust in me so I can only thank him....massive influence on my career so far! Sad to see him go!"

Like Wilshere, Liverpool full-back Glen Johnson took to Twitter to pay tribute to Capello.

"Sad news to see Capello step down. Good man and a Good manager. ThanksForEverything," he wrote.

Tottenham defender Kyle Walker also expressed his disappointment at Capello's departure.

"Gutted to see Fabio Capello go he put a lot of trust in me and gave me my first cap just want to say a big thanks really," Walker said.

Rio Ferdinand, who was angered last year when Capello took the England captaincy from him to reappoint Terry, added on Twitter: "So Capello resigns....what now...."

Redknapp is the main contender to replace Capello and his cause was helped when he was cleared of tax fraud charges just hours before the Italian's departure.

Former England captain Gary Lineker believes Redknapp should get the job and could even manage both England and Tottenham in the short term.

He tweeted: "As you ask I think new man should be English. Players have to be, so should boss. HR the man if he wants it. He can do both jobs til May."

England legend Paul Gascoigne also gave his backing to Redknapp, but claimed former England boss Terry Venables should be offered the job if the Football Association could not get the Spurs manager.

"I think the obvious choice for everyone is Harry, but I don't think Tottenham are going to release Harry," Gascoigne told Sky Sports.

"He is a players' man. Everyone would want to play for him and he's proven that at the clubs he's been to.

"He's like Terry Venables and I would give him a shot again, truthfully.

"If Harry didn't want it and Spurs weren't willing to let him go I would give that man Terry Venables a shot again, without a shadow of a doubt."

Reaction also came from his compatriots in Italy.

"This is a serious loss for England," said Juventus coach Antonio Conte. "I'm disappointed and surprised.

"I have a huge amount of esteem and respect for a coach who has written important pages of history and has won a lot," added the former Italian international, who has guided Juve to the top of Serie A in his first season.

Meanwhile, QPR midfielder Joey Barton claimed England are in turmoil following the loss of Terry as captain and Capello as coach within a few days.

"Well, well, well, this debacle claims yet another victim. Where does this stop. Madness," he said on Twitter.

"No captain and no manager. 4 months from a major championship. What's going on......."

Suarez row is over - Dalglish

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish insists now is the time to draw a line under the Luis Suarez affair and move on ahead of this weekend's visit to Old Trafford.

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Saturday is likely to see the Uruguay international come up against United for the first time since his eight-match ban for racially abusing defender Patrice Evra, and the Scot, who confirmed Suarez would shake the hands of Evra and all the United players, has called for a "responsible" approach.

He told liverpoolfc.tv: "Everyone involved, including the media, the supporters and both teams have a responsibility to ensure this weekend is remembered as a cracking game of football between two very good sides, rather than for anything else."

The teams have already met, in the Reds' FA Cup fourth-round win at Anfield last month, but the encounter at Old Trafford has the potential to be particularly hostile atmosphere towards the striker who finally made his comeback in Monday's draw at home to Tottenham.

That game threatened to re-open the simmering tensions between the two clubs and sets of fans after United striker Wayne Rooney wrote on Twitter he felt Suarez should have been sent off and not just booked for kicking Scott Parker in the stomach.

Equally, Dalglish's assertion in his post-match interviews that he felt the player should never have been banned in the first place could have been viewed by some as antagonistic.

"I thought everyone involved in the FA Cup tie at Anfield played their part in making sure that the match was played in the right way, so let's make sure that happens again this weekend," Dalglish added.

"I'm sure people will want to talk about Luis Suarez but he accepted his ban, served his suspension and returned against Spurs on Monday.

"It's time for all of us to draw a line under what happened and move forward.

"People are already speculating on the pre-match ceremony, but from Luis's point of view we have spoken to him and I know he will shake the hand of Patrice Evra and the other Manchester United players before the game."

Bennett relishing Norwich chance

England Under-21 defender Ryan Bennett is relishing the chance to take his game to another level under Paul Lambert at Norwich.

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The Canaries made an 11th-hour swoop for the centre-back on transfer deadline day, with Bennett halfway to Swansea before turning back to Norfolk where he completed what is understood to be a £3million deal late into the night.

As part of the move, Bennett has been loaned to Posh until the end of the month, when he will finally join up with his new team-mates and manager, and Bennett told Canaries Player: "As soon as I knew the interest from Norwich was full-on, I turned the car around and drove there."

He added: "I did not get back to Peterborough until four in the morning, but it was all worth it."

He added: "The manager has taken every club he has been at forwards, and has continued to do that at Norwich.

"For me to go there and play under a manager like him, I am sure it will make me a better player to achieve the level I want.

"The Premier League is the top league in the world, everyone wants to play in it and hopefully I will get my chance.

"Norwich are a close bunch of lads, so hopefully I can fit in well.

"There are a lot of good players there and it is up to me to work hard, take a chance when I get it and make a name for myself there."

League keep Old Trafford handshakes

The Premier League have no plans to cancel the pre-match handshakes ahead of Manchester United's clash with Liverpool on Saturday, when Patrice Evra and Luis Suarez are likely to come face to face again.

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Press Association Sport understands the handshakes will take place as planned at Old Trafford as the Premier League believes cancelling them would negate the point of having the tradition in the first place.

Saturday's match will be the second encounter between Liverpool and United since Reds forward Suarez was banned for eight matches for racially abusing United's Evra last year.

The Uruguayan was suspended for last month's FA Cup tie between the two sides at Anfield, which Liverpool won 2-1.

Suarez's ban has now expired and he returned to action in Monday's league match against Tottenham.

Last month, the Football Association elected to cancel the handshakes between QPR and Chelsea ahead of their FA Cup clash in an effort to ease tensions due to John Terry's charge of racially abusing Rs defender Anton Ferdinand, an allegation the Chelsea captain denies.

Luiz happy to graft

David Luiz maintains he will take both criticism and praise in his stride as he concentrates on just doing an honest day's work at the heart of the Chelsea defence.

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The 24-year-old has produced both solid displays as well as the odd eccentric performance following his £21million move to Stamford Bridge from Benfica just over a year ago.

But as Chelsea look to replace the disappointment of letting a 3-0 lead slip against Manchester United last weekend with a positive result at Everton, Luiz insists meeting his own work ethic is all that matters, and told the club's official website: "I have been working in the same way as always, training at my best level."

He added: "Sometimes you get criticism, like I did, and recently I have been applauded for my work. As long as I can go home and lay down on my bed and have my conscience clear that I am doing an honest job, I am happy.

"The main thing is to continue working and maintaining the philosophy that the coach instructs.

"We have to do this, sometimes we are doing things that are great and not getting the results and sometimes we do things not so good and get the result.

"The main thing is to continue working hard and obviously we are not where we want to be at the moment, not fighting for first place, but we have to keep looking for victories and believe in ourselves until the end.

"There are games we have lost where we could have done better, but we can't change the past, we can only look to the future and know that we can do better and move up positions."

Owner Roman Abramovich was understood to have again attended training on Wednesday - this third recent visit to Cobham.

The club though have already denied any suggestion that manager Andre Villas-Boas was coming under increased scrutiny from the billionaire owner.

Park joins 200 club at Man United

Park Ji-sung is the latest proud member of Manchester United's 200-club having silenced those who claimed he was only bought to sell shirts in the Far East.

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The energetic midfielder completed the milestone when he was introduced as a substitute in United's staggering comeback draw at Chelsea on Sunday, an impressive effort considering how many times the 30-year-old has been forced out for extended periods through injury since his arrival from PSV Eindhoven in 2005.

At the time, Park's signing was dismissed as an elaborate money-making venture by the Old Trafford money men. Yet Sir Alex Ferguson always knew the South Korean had the capacity to be a key figure in his plans, and Park said: "I am proud to reach this mark."

He added: "I never thought I could play 200 matches for Manchester United. Some people did say those things (shirt-seller) when I came here. Now no-one says it. I am very happy that I proved Asian players can deal with the high levels of European football."

Since he has been at United, the club have claimed four league titles - becoming the first South Korean to collect a winners' medal - three League Cups, the World Club Cup and the Champions League.

Park was not in the match-day squad for the latter triumph over Chelsea in Moscow four seasons ago. However, he did play a pivotal role in the semi-final victory against Barcelona, running a mammoth 19km to help shut down Lionel Messi in the second leg at Old Trafford.

He has also made a remarkable habit of scoring in matches against the biggest opposition, most recently in the FA Cup defeat to Saturday's visitors Liverpool.

Typically though, Park has no desire to rest on his laurels, and said: "To make 200 games is brilliant. I have a lot of good memories, especially the days when I have lifted trophies. They are great feelings.

"But the atmosphere at Manchester United is such that when you reach one point in your career, there is a determination straight away to reach other goals and aims.

"That is why Manchester United players want to lift trophies again and again. I know why their hunger is so much to win titles. That is the mentality."

Wenger expects top-four finish

Arsene Wenger remains confident Arsenal have the strength of character needed to force themselves back into the top four of the Barclays Premier League.

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The Gunners head to Sunderland this weekend on the back of a 7-1 thrashing of Blackburn at Emirates Stadium, which was a welcome first league win of 2012 and reduced the gap on fourth-placed Chelsea, who drew with Manchester United, to three points.

Wenger's men are set to host four of the five sides currently above them over the coming weeks, and the Arsenal manager feels the team can produce the needed consistency, telling the club's official website: "We still have real hope that we can finish the season the strongest."

He added: "We have a good spirit and desire within the group - and we have quality. We know that with the position we are in we need an exceptional consistency, so that is the challenge we have in front of us at Sunderland."

Arsenal' defensive worries have eased somewhat in recent games with the return to match fitness of Bacary Sagna, while fellow full-back Kieran Gibbs is also close to being in contention again after his groin problems.

Switzerland international Johan Djourou did not feature in the squad for Blackburn.

The 25-year-old, though, appears to remain very much part of Wenger's plans, with the Switzerland Football Association posting an article announcing Djourou - who came up through the Arsenal youth ranks - had agreed a contract extension until 2015.

Press Association Sport understands confirmation will come from Arsenal later on Wednesday.

Djourou, who posted a link to the story via his Twitter account, said on http://www.football.ch: "I like this club and I want to stay here as long as possible.

"I currently work in the background, waiting for another chance to show my potential. I have confidence in the future."

Ex-England star Merson banned for drink-driving

Former England and Arsenal star Paul Merson was banned from driving for 14 months on Wednesday after crashing his car into a truck last year while over the alcohol limit.

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Merson pleaded guilty to drink-driving in a hearing at Leamington Spa Magistrates which heard how the 43-year-old fell asleep at the wheel after having a "few drinks" at a charity event last October.

The Arsenal legend crashed his Mercedes car into a heavy goods vehicle as he was driving home from the event, the court was told.

Merson made nearly 300 appearances for Arsenal during a 12-year career with the Gunners before later stints with Middlesbrough, Aston Villa, Portsmouth and Walsall. He also earned 21 caps for England between 1991 and 1998.

Kightly targets Magpies game

Wolves winger Michael Kightly will miss Sunday's derby against West Brom due to a back injury but is in line to return to action against Newcastle on February 25.

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Kightly suffered the setback during the home defeat against Liverpool last Tuesday and was ruled out of the weekend win at QPR. Wolves hope a two-week break from action after the derby will enable him to recover for the visit to face Newcastle.

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy said: "Kights is resting at the moment but the aim is to have him training again and available for the Newcastle game."

Defender Ronald Zubar has returned to training after suffering a knee ligament injury against Arsenal six weeks ago.

Best sidelined by knee blow

Newcastle have confirmed striker Leon Best is facing several weeks on the sidelines as he recovers from a knee ligament injury.

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The 25-year-old Republic of Ireland international damaged his knee in a first-half block tackle with Stephen Warnock during Sunday's 2-1 Barclays Premier League victory over Aston Villa.

A club statement said: "Newcastle United can today confirm that Leon Best has sustained medial ligament damage to his left knee."

The statement added: "The striker was forced off in the early stages of Sunday's home victory over Aston Villa having picked up an injury while trying to get a shot away.

"After being assessed by the club's medical staff, Best underwent a scan on Tuesday and will be out for a number of weeks."