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Queens Park Rangers defender Christopher Samba insists he will stop Robin van Persie and prove his worth to his new club.

The 28-year-old joined the relegation-threatened QPR on the final day of the January transfer window in a 14.5-million euro move from Russian outfit Anzhi Makhachkala.

Samba has played two games for the club since his arrival and the centre-back is unfazed by the prospect of meeting the English Premier League's top goalscorer van Persie when they face Manchester United on Saturday.

"Van Persie is an excellent player but I've been working on my fitness and I'm really much fitter than I was for the last game at Swansea, so it will be more difficult to beat me," Samba told The Sun.

Harry Redknapp has defended Rio Ferdinand, claiming the Manchester United defender is still one of the best defenders in the Premier League.

Ferdinand has been on the receiving end of criticism this season following some lacklustre displays that prompted questions about his ability to continue performing at the level required of a team challenging for the title.

However, with United plagued by injuries, Ferdinand kept his position in the starting 11 and has since helped Sir Alex Ferguson's move 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League.

Redknapp, who worked with the former England international when he was manager at West Ham, still believes the defender is of the highest quality.

The capital club face a huge game on Sunday when they host Marseille, with a win putting the Ligue 1 leaders eight points clear of Elie Baup's men, who are third.

The game is also likely to be Beckham's first match for PSG, and Pastore said he is looking forward to lining up alongside the Englishman.

"He (Beckham) is very good," Pastore said. "He's a very experienced player who has played all over the world and always has done well. 

Midfielder Michael McGlinchey scored a treble and striker Mitchell Duke a double as the Gosford side swept aside their title rivals on a rain-sodden night at Bluetongue Stadium.

McGlinchey's hat-trick came in 34 second-half minutes but it was Duke, who was elevated to the starting line-up in place of veteran forward Mile Sterjovski, who repaid the faith shown in him by coach Graham Arnold, scoring a double and having a hand in another which set up the result.

Question marks have been raised over whether the 20-year-old can forge a successful partnership in attack with Milan new boy Mario Balotelli following the ex-Manchester City striker's prolific start to life at San Siro.

However, the midfielder dispelled the notion the duo cannot operate together by basing his score prediction for the inter-city clash on a winning goal from El Shaarawy.

"I think we will win 1-0 thanks to a goal from El Shaarawy, so do not write any more about how he is supposedly depressed because he always scores if Balotelli doesn't," Montolivo told La Gazzetta dello Sport. 

Gladbach come into the game on Sunday off the back of a 3-0 Europa League loss to Lazio but Klopp believes this is not indicative of their ability.

Dortmund will travel to the game without strikers Robert Lewandowski and Julian Schieber who are both suspended.

They currently lie second in the Bundesliga, 15 points below leaders Bayern Munich.

"To play against Gladbach is always uncomfortable, like every team coached by Lucien Favre. You need to adjust to that. They defend quite deep and want you to run into their offside trap," Klopp said.

A solitary Carlos Quintero goal guided Santos to a 1-0 victory over second-placed America at the Estadio Nuevo Corona.

It was Quintero's second goal in as many matches, and both against top-two opposition, as he helped his side into sixth on the league table with 12 points - five behind leaders Tigres UANL.

Morelia were forced to see off fightbacks from Pachuca before posting a home 3-2 win.

Jefferson Montero fired Morelia ahead, before Abraham Carreno equalised on the half-hour mark for Pachuca.