Friday, 23 September 2016

Xhaka in the middle and Sanchez to continue upfront? How Arsenal will line up against Chelsea

Xhaka in the middle and Sanchez to continue upfront? How Arsenal will line up against Chelsea


Arsene Wenger has a decision to make over Granit Xhaka while Olivier Giroud faces a late fitness test ahead of Saturday's huge Premier League match
Arsene Wenger has a selection dilemma on his hands ahead of Saturday’s mammoth Premier League clash against London rivals Chelsea.
Wenger regrets missing out on Diego Costa
The Frenchman faces a decision to make over who will start in central midfield, with summer signing Granit Xhaka pushing for a place in the XI after scoring in his last two games.

Friday, 16 September 2016

Mourinho defends Pogba start - 'World record fee not a big deal'

Mourinho defends Pogba start - 'World record fee not a big deal'
The Red Devils paying £89million for the ex-Juventus man is not as shocking as other clubs spending £40m on one player, according to his manager
Jose Mourinho has defended Paul Pogba's sluggish start to his second spell at Old Trafford, stating the world-record fee paid for him by Manchester United is not a "big deal" in relative terms.
Pogba left United for Juventus in 2012 but returned in August in a transfer costing an initial £89million, making him the most expensive player in the world.
After impressing on his debut against Southampton last month, the France international came under

'We played like hell' - Klopp revels in Liverpool show

'We played like hell' - Klopp revels in Liverpool show
Dejan Lovren and Jordan Henderson led the Anfield club to victory with a brilliant first-half display, and their manager affirmed that he was delighted with the showing.
Jurgen Klopp said Liverpool "played football like hell" in their 2-1 Premier League victory over Chelsea on Friday.
The Reds put in an impressive performance at Stamford Bridge, taking a two-goal lead through Dejan Lovren and Jordan Henderson, who scored a sensational effort from 25 yards.
Diego Costa pulled one back for Chelsea in the 61st minute, but they failed to register a shot on target after the Spain international fired straight at Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet four minutes later.
Liverpool comfortably saw out their second successive win at Stamford Bridge, inflicting Antonio Conte's first competitive defeat since taking over at the Blues in the process.
Klopp enjoyed the way his team played football in the first half, but wants to see them control matches throughout the 90 minutes.
"We deserved the lead. We stopped playing how we needed at some points and Chelsea got back into it. We need to learn how we can manage the game with power and 100 per cent concentration," he told Sky Sports.

"We did it really well after they scored. So often Chelsea score in the last few seconds but I don't think they created much and we did well.

"Chelsea are too strong not to have space throughout the game, but in the beginning we were brilliant. We played football like hell and it was brilliant to watch, it was wonderful.
"In the second half it was getting more difficult, with less power, but after they scored their goal we managed it well and they didn't have many chances again.
"I told the lads before the game anything can happen, but if we lose we must lose in our way. There's no guarantee in football."
James Milner once again featured out of position at left-back but Klopp believes his team have proved critics of their activity in the previous transfer window wrong.
"Two weeks ago everybody was asking what's wrong with Liverpool in the transfer market – why have they not got five midfielders and eight new left-backs – but now these boys are starting in one of the most difficult fixtures in football, and we deserve the result tonight," he added.

The Liverpool boss also offered praise for captain Henderson, saying: "He's such a hard worker, he's a young lad with a lot of pressure on his shoulders.
"I don't think that he thought before the season that he'd be playing [at number] six but he's a good player and he can play anywhere."

Thursday, 15 September 2016

Mane, Firmino, Sturridge, Coutinho - are Liverpool's new fab four the Premier League's best?



The Reds are the highest-scoring Premier League side for 2016, with Jurgen Klopp spoilt for choice in attack. Is he constructing the most fearsome front line in England?
For 20 minutes at the start of the second half, Arsene Wenger's frown had shown more resolve at the Emirates Stadium than his Arsenal side, the Frenchman shaking his head every so often, before despairingly resting it on the palm of his hand. In those moments on the opening weekend of the season, when Liverpool's attacking blur was so dizzying and so destructive, the hosts and their manager were utterly helpless.
The Reds celebrated prematurely after Sadio Mane's solo stunner, their fourth of the afternoon - "opening the door" for Arsenal's fightback, as per Jurgen Klopp's assertion - but the Merseysiders held on for a 4-3 victory.
Fast forward two weeks and, at White Hart Lane, Mauricio Pochettino cut a relieved figure as an

Diego Costa: I am a bad loser!

Diego Costa: I am a bad loser!
The striker admitted that he cannot stand the idea of defeat and attributes his emotions boiling over to always leaving everything on the pitch to avoid that fate
Chelsea striker Diego Costa says he hates to lose and admits he finds it hard to contain his emotions on the pitch if things do not go his way.
The forward – booked three times in the Blues' first four Premier League games - has often been criticised for his attitude on the pitch.
Nevertheless, he feels his occasionally petulant behaviour is all down to his desire to win after

Scholes urges Mourinho not to drop Rashford following Feyenoord loss

Scholes urges Mourinho not to drop Rashford following Feyenoord loss
Despite not being able to prevent a defeat for Manchester United in their Europa League outing, the club legend thinks the young striker deserves to keep his starting berth
Paul Scholes believes Marcus Rashford has done enough to keep his starting place at Manchester United and urged Jose Mourinho not to drop him.
Teen sensation Rashford, 18, made his first start of the new campaign in Thursday's Europa League opener against Feyenoord after he made decisive contributions off the bench against Hull City and Manchester City in the Premier League.

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