Categories
football Sports News

POGBA’S SUPER STRIKE DOWNS FULHAM AS UNITED RETAIN TOP SPOT.

An equaliser by Edinson Cavani and Paul Pogba’s brilliant winner sent Manchester United back to the top of the table as they came from behind to beat Fulham 2-1.

Fulham went ahead on five minutes at Craven Cottage, when Ademola Lookman met Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa’s ball over the top and dispatched a crisp finish into the far corner.

United levelled after 21 minutes when Bruno Fernandes, who had struck a post moments earlier, whipped over a cross that Alphonse Areola fumbled into the path of Cavani, who stabbed home.

Fulham started the second half as positively as they had the first but Lookman shot tamely at David De Gea.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side edged ahead on 65 minutes when Pogba picked up the ball on the edge of the area and turned to hit an unstoppable curling drive beyond Areola’s reach.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek fired over Fulham’s best chance to claim a point nine minutes from time.

United return to the top on 40 points, two clear of Manchester City, who have a match in hand.

Fulham remain 18th with 12 points.

Categories
football Sports News

PREMIER LEAGUE TO TRIAL CONCUSSION SUBSTITUTION.

The Premier League could begin trialling the use of concussion substitutes as soon as next week.

Clubs have voted in favour of conducting the trial in England’s top flight.

Each team will be allowed up to two extra substitutions per game if concussion is suspected in a player.

The issue of concussion and head injuries has been brought into focus by the number of ex-players living out their later years battling dementia.

Clubs’ attitudes towards head injuries have also been called into question, none more so than when David Luiz stayed on for Arsenal after a clash of heads that fractured the skull of Wolves striker Raul Jimenez in November.

Arsenal say they followed all the proper protocols at the time.

The trial could begin as early as the middle of next week if it is okayed by the game’s lawmakers, IFAB.

A Premier League statement read, “The trial will be confirmed when the implementation of the reporting processes, including private medical information, has been resolved with IFAB and FIFA.

“With player welfare the Premier League’s priority, the protocols will allow a maximum of two concussion substitutes to be used per team, with the opposition side able to use the equivalent number.

“The additional concussion substitutions may be made regardless of the number of substitutions a team have made already.

“The trial is a result of the IFAB’s consultation with stakeholders and recommendations from their concussion expert group to allow additional substitutions for players with actual or suspected concussion.”

Meanwhile, all Premier League games through to the end of February will be televised.

Fans are no nearer a return to English stadia, with COVID-19 numbers out of control.

The split between rights holders will be revealed in due course.

The Premier League said, “The Premier League and its clubs are committed to an accessible solution for fans.

“These plans have been made with the cooperation of our broadcast partners, working with us to deliver these additional matches while stadiums are missing the supporters who are such an integral part of the game.”

Categories
football Sports News

WE MUST BE CLOSE TO PERFECTION TO RETAIN THE TITLE – KLOPP.

Liverpool head coach Jurgen Klopp has said his side will need to be “close to perfection” in order to win a second straight Premier League title.

Klopp’s side ran away with the title last term, clinching the club’s first Premier League crown by an 18-point margin over Manchester City.

The race for the title is set to be much closer this season with Liverpool currently in fourth place, four points back of table-topping Leicester City having played one game fewer.

With several teams looking to be genuine title contenders Klopp knows that his side, currently on a four-match winless run in the Premier League, can’t afford many more slip-ups.

Asked what it would take to win the title, Klopp replied: “Close to perfection, but perfection depends on the situation.

“There is no perfect season with 114 points, there is just dealing with circumstances and the situation and the amount of games. We have to be as perfect as possible and that is what we try.”

Leicester took the lead in the Premier League after defeating Chelsea on Tuesday, but Manchester United could regain the lead by beating Fulham on Wednesday. Klopp said that the back-and-forth nature of the race this term means every team must always be on their toes.

“It changes all the time and that’s because it is so close, we know that for a few weeks,” Klopp said. “That makes it a slightly different title race or race in general this year and we have to be ready, 100 per cent.

“I know in this business only results count but before you have a result you need performances and the last performance was really good.”

Klopp said he wasn’t getting too carried away with his side’s form, insisting he saw some positive signs in Liverpool’s 0-0 draw against Man Utd on Sunday.

“It is not a catastrophe, it is not perfect, but that is not important,” he said. “Be as good as you can be. I saw a lot of good signs in the Man Utd game and if we had won that game everyone would have seen them, but because we didn’t win no one was interested. That doesn’t change my view.”

Categories
football Sports News

LEICESTER GO TOP OF THE PREMIER LEAGUE AFTER BEATING CHELSEA 2-0.

First-half goals by Wilfred Ndidi and James Maddison powered Leicester City to the top of the Premier League in Brendan Rodgers’ first career win against Chelsea.

Ndidi fired the Foxes ahead from the edge of the penalty area on six minutes following a well-worked corner.

Jamie Vardy’s scooped effort was then kept out on 34 minutes thanks to a touch from Blues goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.

On 38 minutes, Chelsea were awarded a penalty after Jonny Evans fouled Christian Pulisic, but a VAR review showed the offence had taken place just outside the area.

Mason Mount fired the resulting free-kick over the crossbar and seconds later, a defensive mix-up at the other end allowed Maddison to make it 2-0.

James Justin sent a free header wide and Youri Tielemans had a shot well saved by Mendy on 57 minutes as the dominant hosts threatened a third.

They closed out an assured 2-0 win after Timo Werner’s late effort that was disallowed for offside.

With 19 matches played, Leicester are top with 38 points, one ahead of Manchester United, who have played a match fewer and face Fulham on Wednesday.

Chelsea lie eighth on 29 points.

Categories
football Sports News

OLE GUNNAR SOLKSJAER DENIES BRUNO FERNANDEZ IS TIRED AND NEEDS REST.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer dismissed suggestions that Bruno Fernandes is tired and needs a break following the Manchester United star’s ineffective display against Liverpool.

The 26-year-old hit the ground running after arriving from Sporting Lisbon last January, scoring 19 goals and providing 14 assists in just 32 Premier League appearances.

Fernandes’ Player of the Month award for December was a record-breaking fourth of the year, yet the midfielder has failed to scale the same heights in the opening weeks of 2021.

The playmaker was below par in Sunday’s 0-0 draw at Liverpool – something pointed out by former United skipper Roy Keane – but Solskjaer does not believe the frantic festive schedule has taken its toll on the Portuguese.

His form is very good,” the United boss said. “He was just voted Player of the month. He’s not tired. No chance.

He is one of the players who runs and covers the ground in every single game. Very good at recovering, very good at recharging his batteries.

“If he’d scored his free-kick or just had a little air on the ball when Luke (Shaw) put the cross in, he would have been lauded as the best player in the Premier League again.

“Since he’s come in, he’s been absolutely immense. No, he’s not tired. If I ask him there’s absolutely no chance he’ll say he’s tired.

“He’s expected to create goals, score goals and sometimes the margins are against him.

“That free-kick, I saw that one in! There was a couple of passes that he plays through and it’s just marginal as to whether the player was on or off.

“So he’s always on the verge of creating something, even when he loses the ball, and that’s the position I want him in and that’s what he’s been told to do. He has to be the creative one. I want him to play the passes he sees.”

Fernandes could well play a key role for United on Wednesday as Solskjaer leads his table-topping side to improving Fulham, with the Norwegian waiting to see if there are any unwanted surprises regarding his options.

“Well, we’ve not got test results from Covid yet and that’s almost 30 hours ago since we did the testing, so hopefully we get them soon,” Solskjaer said.

“Everyone trained this morning more or less. Brandon (Williams) and Phil Jones didn’t train and the rest were on the pitch.”

United’s ability to rotate and maintain fitness during such a frantic period has been key to their recent rise.

Solskjaer has underlined the importance of maintaining that advantageous strength in depth this month, meaning the Norwegian will have to be careful when deciding who can follow Timothy Fosu-Mensah out of the club.

Categories
football Sports News

ANTONIO HELPS WESTHAM EDGE WESTBROM AS LONDONERS EXTEND WIN RUN.

Michail Antonio’s second-half strike claimed three points for West Ham United as they stretched their unbeaten run to five.

Manuel Lanzini twice went close for the hosts in the first half, while Aaron Cresswell and Said Benrahma linked up well on the Hammers’ left.

When Benrahma swung over a deep cross in first-half stoppage time, Vladimir Coufal squared it back for Jarrod Bowen to chest into the net.

Six minutes after the break, the Baggies were level when Matheus Pereira slammed a low, angled shot beyond Lukasz Fabianski.

Eight minutes later Dara O’Shea did brilliantly to head a close-range Lanzini effort off the line, before Declan Rice twice went close.

On 66 minutes, Cresswell’s delivery was nodded back across goal by substitute Andriy Yarmolenko, and Antonio hooked in the winner.

There was still time for West Brom substitute Darnell Furlong to shoot just wide in the final minute.

After their third successive league victory West Ham climb to seventh, with 32 points, their highest tally at the halfway point of a Premier League season.

West Brom remain 19th on 11 points.

Categories
football Slides Sports News Transfer News

PSG TO DECIDE ON DELE ALLI’S SIGNING THIS WEEK.

Paris St Germain expect a decision this week on their efforts to sign Tottenham’s Dele Alli, according to the Daily Mirror. The paper report the midfielder is ready to make the loan switch with the European Championship coming up and ex-manager Mauricio Pochettino in the hotseat at the Ligue 1 club.

Derby have angered Manchester City by blocking their efforts to sign Scott Carson on a permanent deal, the Daily Mail reports. The back-up goalkeeper has spent the last two seasons on loan at the Etihad, but the Sky Bet Championship club are set to receive around £500,000 this month to cover his loan for the rest of the campaign and are unwilling to end the agreement.

Dele Alli has not been an integral part of José Mourinho’s team since the arrival of the Portuguese, and the Special One makes no secret about it.

Incessant injuries further dropped the English star down the pecking order at the London club and a move away may now be a step towards revival if the player must continue to be considered in the three lions team.

Categories
football Sports News

GUARDIOLA SAYS THERE WON’T BE JANUARY SIGNINGS AT CITY THIS SEASON.

Pep Guardiola has said Manchester City will not be making any new signings in the January transfer window.

After a slow start to the season, City have hit form in recent weeks and have climbed to second in the Premier League after a run of five successive wins.

Their growing momentum has also seen them reach the final of the Carabao Cup, the fourth round of the FA Cup and the last 16 of the Champions League.

The only notable area of weakness this term has been at centre forward, with both Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus missing a large number of games due to injuries and coronavirus-related self-isolation.

With no specialist senior back-up, Guardiola’s alternatives have been deploying winger Ferran Torres as a makeshift striker, Kevin De Bruyne or Raheem Sterling as ‘false nines’ or giving a chance to 17-year-old Liam Delap.

But Guardiola told beIN Sports: “We will not sign any deal during the winter transfer market. We did not discuss this, but we will end the season with the players that we have now.”

Guardiola accepts there have been times when the lack of a centre forward has been noticeable, but he is convinced there is enough quality in the squad to ensure it is not a major issue.

This is one of our ways,” he said. “There were matches where we needed an attacker but at that time two of them were injured.

“One had been injured for a long time – Sergio Aguero. The other two had the coronavirus.

“That’s why we sometimes play in this way, other times we are forced to do that because of a pressing need.

“It’s an alternative plan, which we can rely on given the talents we have in the various positions.”

Categories
football Slides Sports News

IBRAHIMOVIC’S DOUBLE HELP AC MILAN EDGE CAGLIARI, SENDS MILAN BACK TO TOP OF TABLE.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice on his first start in two months as AC Milan beat Cagliari 2-0 on Monday to pull ahead of city rivals Inter on top of the Serie A table.

Ibrahimovic, 39, got the first from the penalty spot after seven minutes, adding a second just after the break in Sardinia.

Milan, targeting their first league title since 2011 when Ibrahimovic last played in the team, pull three points ahead of Inter who beat champions Juventus 2-0 in the San Siro on Sunday.

“This victory is a sign above all to ourselves more than Inter,” said coach Stefano Pioli.

We all want to bring Milan back to the top. The team will do everything from here to the end.

“Now we have an important game against Atalanta (Saturday), we focus on that, then in March and April we will see where we are.”

Ibrahimovic proved he has returned to his best after injury, with the club set to sign former Juventus and Bayern Munich forward Mario Mandzukic to help their title push.

“Ibra will take care of keeping him (Mandzukic) at bay,” joked Pioli.

The Swede brought his tally to 12 goals in eight games with five doubles, including a brace on 22 November against Napoli, when he picked up the thigh injury which sidelined him.

Milan shook of the absences of defender Theo Hernandez and midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu who tested positive for coronavirus .

The visitors quickly took control of the game after Cagliari defender Charalampos Lykogiannis fouled Ibrahimovic.

Ibrahimovic decided to take the penalty ahead of regular spot kicker Franck Kessie after the Swede had missed twice from the spot twice before his injury.

Cagliari goalkeeper Alessio Cragno cleared a long-range Davide Calabria effort after 24 minutes with the Italy defender hitting the post 10 minutes later.

Back after the break Ibrahimovic connected with Calabria’s long-range effort finishing off with the goal confirmed after a VAR review.

Milan held their advantage despite playing the final quarter of an hour a man down after Alexis Saelemaekers was sent off for two bookings, ten minutes after coming off the bench.

Cagliari, just above the relegation zone in 17th position, fall to their fifth consecutive defeat on an 11-match winless run stretching back to November 7.

Milan next play sixth-placed Atalanta to keep their push for a 19th ‘Scudetto’ and return to Champions League football for the first time since the 2013-2014 season on track.

Pioli welcomed the arrival of 34-year-old Mandzukic as “one more weapon”.

“I’m happy, the more strong players we have the better,” said Pioli.

“I talked to him, he’s motivated. Maybe it will take some time for him to get in shape because he hasn’t played for a while, but he’s a winner.”

Ibrahimovic added: “I’m happy, we’ll now be two to scare the opponents.

“We’re doing well, almost halfway through the championship.

“Now the most difficult matches are starting, It’ll be a tough programme, but with Mandzukic and (Soualiho) Meite and I don’t know if others arrive we’ll have more players available for the coach to rotate.”

Categories
football Sports News

COVID-19: 16 NEW CASES ANNOUNCED IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE AFTER RECENT TEST.

Sixteen new positive cases were reported among Premier League players and staff in the latest round of Covid-19 testing, the league has announced.

The positives represent a drop of 20 compared to the last set of figures, and came from 3,115 players and staff who were tested between Monday and Sunday last week.

The Premier League has gone back to twice-weekly testing following an increase in coronavirus infections in the UK.

The league has been affected by a number of postponements since December, with Aston Villa’s last two matches having been called off due to an outbreak at the midlands club.

Players hugging and kissing during goal celebrations have been in the spotlight over the last week, with the league’s chief executive Richard Masters suggesting clubs could practise safer celebrations in training to “get the hang of it”.

It is understood the league felt there was some progress in how the protocols were observed by players at the weekend, but that the situation will continue to be monitored closely.

It is understood the first 10 of the 16 positives were recorded in testing which took place between Monday, January 11th and Thursday, January 14th, with the remaining six picked up in the testing period between Friday, January 15th and Sunday, January 17th.