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Chelsea waiting on N’Golo Kante injury after Watford win

N’Golo Kante has picked up a hamstring problem and could miss Chelsea‘s Premier League trip to Crystal Palace.

The France midfielder trudged out of Chelsea’s 3-0 win over Watford, and could now sit out Tuesday’s trip to Selhurst Park.

Olivier Giroud, Willian and Ross Barkley all found the net as the Blues eased past the Hornets, to jump back into the league’s top four and shake off Wednesday’s frustrating 3-2 loss at West Ham.

Kante’s injury proved perhaps the sole blow in Chelsea’s comfortable Saturday night victory at Stamford Bridge, leaving Lampard sweating on the 29-year-old’s fitness.

“N’Golo Kante he has a small hamstring injury, we hope it is small, that’s what I’ve been told so far,” said Lampard.

“But I’m guessing it will be a problem for Palace on Tuesday.”

Italy midfielder Jorginho has yet to feature for Chelsea since the league’s restart, but Lampard insisted the former Napoli man remains in his thoughts.

Jorginho could step in should Kante miss the trip to Palace, though Billy Gilmour would be another option with the Scot having stepped off the bench against Watford.

When asked for the latest on Jorginho, Lampard said only “Jorginho is in my plans”, before offering his assessment of Kante’s injury.

Chelsea temporarily – for a little less than five hours – dropped out of the league’s top four for the first time since October on Saturday.

Manchester United’s 5-2 thrashing of Bournemouth saw the Blues slip to fifth.

Lampard’s men hit back in style to leapfrog back above United however, with the race for Champions League qualification continuing to offer regular drama.

The Chelsea boss admitted the run to the end of the season will only be increasingly littered with pressure, admitting his players must steel themselves for the fight.

“I think every game is going to be pressure now,” said Lampard.

“West Ham was pressure because we knew we could go third. It’s a different kind of pressure but it’s still the same in how you focus on the game and job at hand.

“You cannot get too caught up in what everyone does at the moment. We did that tonight, there was no nonsense, the mentality was right.

“We started brightly and we carried on and got the small details of the game right at both ends of the pitch, which I was happy with.”

Watford remain just above the relegation zone, leaving manager Nigel Pearson well aware of the Vicarage Road men’s precarious position.

“Of course, we are concerned with the situation we are in, we’re not naive,” said Pearson.

“But the most important thing is to recognise what we are and make sure our performances reflect that type of collective spirit. If we do that, we will find ways of winning games.

“It’s a situation we’ve got now to stay in control of our destiny, and to do that we’ve got to work as hard as tonight, if not harder.”

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Bukayo Saka celebrates new deal with first league goal as Arsenal see off Wolves

Bukayo Saka celebrated his new Arsenal deal by inspiring a crucial 2-0 win at Wolves.

The 18-year-old, who penned a new long-term contract at the Emirates this week, struck his first Premier League goal to give the Gunners’ European hopes a huge boost.

Alexandre Lacazette scored a late second as impressive Arsenal closed the gap on sixth-placed Wolves to three points.

Boss Mikel Arteta continued to justify his hard-line stance on any player yet to buy into his beliefs, with Mesut Ozil and Matteo Guendouzi again missing.

Adama Traore chipped Wolves’ best chance over as Nuno Espirito Santo’s side’s Champions League hopes took a hit.

They are three points behind Manchester United after losing their 100 per cent record since returning from lockdown.

They remain in the hunt for a shock top four spot and, while a return to Europe’s top table remains fanciful for Arsenal, they bagged a deserved fourth straight win in all competitions despite a slow start.

Emiliano Martinez, who had a 15-game loan spell at Molineux five years ago, was immediately called into action to block Traore’s poked effort in the first few seconds.

The forward, partnering Raul Jimenez instead of Diogo Jota, also fired wildly over but there was no real sign of an early breakthrough.

Saka initially struggled on the right as the Gunners took time to find a rhythm but Rui Patricio grabbed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s prodded half-volley in the 26th minute as they flickered into life.

Wolves lacked the tempo needed to stretch the visitors, with Leander Dendoncker glancing well wide and Jonny dragging across goal.

Arsenal, without Nicolas Pepe after his wife went into labour, grew in confidence and Eddie Nketiah went close when he pounced on a kind ricochet and Patricio turned his low drive onto the base of the post.

It was a warning Wolves failed to heed and the Gunners struck the opener two minutes before the break.

A sweeping move saw Aubameyang find Kieran Tierney on the left and his cross deflected off Matt Doherty for Saka to swivel and beat Patricio from 12 yards.

It was the first goal Wolves had conceded in 448 minutes and they started the second half with added urgency, Nuno introducing Jota 10 minutes in.

Jota had a shot blocked and Raul Jimenez saw a dubious penalty claim rejected before the pair combined for Traore to waste a glorious chance.

The forward’s end product had drastically improved this season but in the 64th minute he fluffed his lines when, having been put clear by Jota, he chipped over with just Martinez to beat.

Arsenal maintained their concentration, although posed a limited threat for much of the second half and Nketiah headed a rare chance over with 13 minutes left.

But, as Wolves began to chase the game, space opened up and Lacazette pounced with five minutes left, collecting Joe Willock’s cross to ghost past Conor Coady and find the corner.

Willock almost added a third a minute later but Ruben Neves hacked his scuffed effort off the line.

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Jamie Vardy reaches 100 PL goals,Mason Greenwood matches Wayne Rooney’s 2004 record

Mason Greenwood became the first teenager to score 15 goals in a single season for Manchester United since Wayne Rooney (17) in 2004/05.

Mason Greenwood, 18, put away two emphatic finishes in Manchester United’s demolition of Bournemouth on Saturday, becoming the first teenager to score 15 goals in a single season for United since Wayne Rooney (17) in 2004/05.

Greenwood’s goals, one scored with the right foot and the other with the left, were scored in the 29th and 54th minutes. Marcus Rashford scored from a penalty in the first half, while Anthony Martial added to the lead at the half-time mark. Bruno Fernandes scored from a free kick in the second half to put United 5-2 up.

Greenwood is the only teenager in Europe’s top five leagues to have contributed to 15 goals this season.

This was the first time United scored five goals in a home match since December 2011.

United now have three players with 15+ goals in all competitions (Greenwood, Martial, Rashford) for the first time since the 2012/13 season.

With their win, they extended their unbeaten run to 16 matches. They provisionally enter the top four in the Premier League points table, though Chelsea have a game in hand.

In the earlier match on Saturday, Brighton moved to the brink of safety in the Premier League and left last-place Norwich closer to relegation after winning 1-0 at Carrow Road.

In the third match, Jamie Vardy passed 100 career goals in the Premier League by scoring twice as Leicester beat Crystal Palace 3-0 on Saturday to ignite its ambitions to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

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Manchester City, Manchester United and Wolves facing no summer break

Manchester City, Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly all facing the possibility of missing the start of next season and having no summer break due to their delayed European campaigns.

Premier League clubs will meet next week via a video conference to discuss when the 2020-21 season will begin and confirm dates for the new campaign.

The Sun reports that there are three realistic options that the Premier League are considering, with the weekends of August 22 and 29 as well as September 12 being discussed.

Several Premier League clubs are understood to prefer the September date, which would give them more time to prepare for the new campaign after a congested post-lockdown fixture list, and it would also make it more likely that fans will be allowed back into stadiums, giving clubs a greater income boost.

However, Premier League referees have been alerted to the likelihood that the new season would begin on the first provisional date in August, which could lead to City, United and Wolves not being able to restart their domestic campaigns along with every other club, if their respective Champions League and Europa League runs go all the way.

UEFA plan to host the Europa League final in Cologne on August 21 and the Champions League final in Lisbon two days later.

This would mean the Premier League trio having to play catch-up from the very beginning of next season, with no possibility of their players having any rest period between seasons, which could lead to significant injury repercussions as the new campaign progresses.

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Chelsea move back into top four with comfortable win over Watford

Olivier Giroud, Willian and Ross Barkley struck to sink Watford 3-0 at Stamford Bridge and limit Chelsea’s fall from the Premier League’s top four to less than five hours.

France’s World Cup-winning striker Giroud angled a fine effort for his third goal in five Premier League games, with the 33-year-old showing renewed sharpness.

Brazil forward Willian tucked away another nerveless penalty: his third in as many league matches, after his spot-kicks in the 2-1 win over Manchester City and Wednesday’s 3-2 loss at West Ham.

Former Everton midfielder Barkley then capped another industrious performance with a smart strike in stoppage time.

Chelsea’s demoralising midweek defeat by the Hammers, coupled with Manchester United thrashing Bournemouth 5-2 on Saturday afternoon had seen the Blues drop out of the league’s top four for the first time since October.

But Frank Lampard’s men jumped straight back above United to reclaim fourth spot, with a commanding Saturday night victory in west London.

Lampard had demanded atonement for Wednesday’s shock loss at West Ham, and his focused Chelsea charges delivered against an admittedly-limited Watford outfit.

Stamford Bridge has been awash for weeks with talk of a summer signings revolution, but here it was the old guard who came good for Lampard.

Giroud recently signed a one-year contract extension, but he will face extra competition next term in the shape of £53million RB Leipzig recruit and prolific Germany hitman Timo Werner.

The 31-year-old Willian continues to hold out for three years on a new deal, whereas Chelsea only want to offer him two.

But the 70-cap Brazil star now boasts 11 goals in all competitions this term, and three in two matches after his brace amid that galling loss at West Ham.

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Paul Pogba to sign new contract at Manchester United

Midfielder Paul Pogba is reportedly happy to extend his contract at Manchester United.

Since revealing in June 2019 that he wanted to take on a new challenge, the World Cup winner has been continually linked with an exit from Old Trafford.

Although United are in a position where they can extend the 27-year-old’s contract until 2022, it has been suggested that club officials are yet to decide whether there is value in keeping the France international at the club.

However, according to ESPN, Pogba is increasingly content with life in the North-West after recently returning from a long-term absence.

In his most recent outings in the Premier League, the playmaker has linked up well with January arrival Bruno Fernandes, adding a different dimension to United’s play.

That appears to have swayed Pogba into looking to commit his future to United, rather than pursuing a switch to either Real Madrid or Juventus.

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Manchester City honour Liverpool, then hammer them

Manchester City generously applauded new champions Liverpool onto the field before their Premier League match on Thursday — and promptly showed no mercy by thrashing them 4-0 at the Etihad stadium.

Manchester City generously applauded new champions Liverpool onto the field before their Premier League match on Thursday — and promptly showed no mercy by thrashing them 4-0 at the Etihad stadium.

With the title secured a week ago, there was little at stake for Juergen Klopp’s Liverpool side who showed far from their usual levels of intensity but the loss, just their second of the league campaign, was an emphatic reminder that City will be desperate to regain their crown next season.

Klopp was quick to defend his team’s attitude, rejecting any suggestion they had taken the game lightly.

“I saw a brilliant attitude. I saw fight. We didn’t behave like somebody who became champions a week ago. We lacked fluidity. And in some 50-50 situations they were quicker than us,” he said.

“Man City are incredible. I saw their season, they didn’t play a bad game even when they lost,” he said.

After the guard of honour, which included City manager Pep Guardiola, the visitors started brightly and Ederson had to be alert to keep out a fourth-minute effort from Mohamed Salah.

Salah then struck the post after a clever pass from Roberto Firmino, whose hair was coloured red, but if Liverpool thought they were in for another night of festivities, they were in for a rude awakening.

Joe Gomez could not cope with Raheem Sterling’s twisting and turning in the box, pulling him to the ground before Kevin De Bruyne converted the penalty in the 25th minute.

Sterling doubled the lead 10 minutes later when after a swift break, Phil Foden found him inside the box and the ex-Liverpool forward cut inside Gomez and slid the ball home.

The 20-year-old Foden made it 3-0, firing past Alisson after a swift exchange with Kevin De Bruyne.

City were showing an unusual willingness to play long balls and after Rodri launched a pass deep to De Bruyne, the Belgian found Sterling inside the box and he slipped the ball goalwards, with substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s outstretched touch only turning it into his own net.

It could have been even worse for Liverpool with Riyad Mahrez’s fine solo effort in the final moments but VAR spotted a handball by Foden in the build-up.

“We beat the champions, an extraordinary team,” Guardiola said.

“We tried to play football, take risks against the best team I have ever faced in my life at high pressing,” he added.

“They drank a lot of beers this week but they arrived here with no beers in their blood which is why I give us a lot of credit.”

The loss was the joint-heaviest defeat by a side already crowned Premier League champions. Arsenal were beaten 4-0 at Liverpool in 1997-98 in the game after they clinched the title.

Klopp and Guardiola defend Liverpool’s attitude after 4-0 loss

Juergen Klopp and Pep Guardiola insisted that Liverpool had been fully focused and hadn’t taken their foot off the gas, despite Manchester City’s comfortable 4-0 win over the newly crowned champions at the Etihad on Thursday.

City looked sharper and hungrier for most of the game, taking a 3-0 lead by half-time, while Klopp’s Liverpool were well below their usual levels of intensity.

Liverpool had previously lost only one league game this season, leading some observers to suggest last week’s title win – their first in 30 years – and subsequent celebrations had affected play on Thursday.

But manager Klopp was having none of it.

“If you want to lead this story in the direction that we we’re not focused, then do it,” Klopp said. “I liked my teams’ attitude – I saw a brilliant attitude – I saw boys who were fighting with all they have.

“It has nothing to do with last week, to be honest. It hurts like defeats hurt. What I wanted to see tonight was a team who is ready to fight against Man City, who obviously had a point to prove,” the German said.

If there is a team in the world that can smash us like this, it is probably City but we will come again. Make a few things better and it could look differently, but for tonight that is it,” he added.

City manager Guardiola said there was no question of Liverpool having suffered any kind of ‘hangover’ from their title win.

“I think they drunk a lot of beer the last week, but they were here with no beer in their blood and to win this game,” the Spaniard said.

“I saw a team with incredible focus, with energy and a desire to win the game, and I saw from the first minute they were focused to play hard,” he added.

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WESTHAM’S DISALLOWED GOAL CLARIFIED AFTER VAR CONTROVERSY

Tomas Soucek’s opening goal was controversially disallowed against Chelsea on Wednesday night after a lengthy VAR decision canceled out the goal for reasons explained by the officials.

West Ham United ‘s 3-2 win over Chelsea was a massive result for the Hammers, who move above Watford and three points clear of the relegation zone.

Goals from Tomas Soucek, Michail Antonio and Andriy Yarmolenko handed David Moyes’ side all three points but it could have been different after a controversial VAR ruling early on in the game.

Soucek thought he had scored the opener after bundling the ball over the line from a corner but it was controversially disallowed by VAR.

On commentary, Gary Neville expressed his bafflement at the decision, commenting “I’m not even sure what they’re looking at,” while the check was ongoing.

“I would be absolutely furious if this goal is disallowed and I’m David Moyes. I think if it takes this long and you can’t sort it out you’ve just got to be giving the goal.”

However, the goal was not given, with Neville complaining: “I don’t like that one. Not for me, that one. I’m not against the introduction of technology of the game and I think I have a level of patience that it will get better.

“The interference maybe? I don’t know, they’re so close, Antonio and Kepa, I’m not sure that’s interference. I’m not sure he was even offside. But without that touch, I’m not sure.”

PGMOL have since released a statement explaining the decision, revealing: “Soucek’s goal was disallowed following a VAR Review for an offside offence against Antonio.

“The on-field decision was to award the goal, but the VAR advised the referee that Antonio was in an offside position & directly in the line of vision of Kepa Arrizabalaga.”

Speaking after the game about the decision, Moyes said: “I was spewing. I was thinking ‘Are we ever going to get a decision here?’ I felt like everything was going against us.

“I think some of the things that have gone against West Ham recently have been really poor. I can’t explain it but we did say to the players that we’ve got to change our luck and it maybe went our way tonight.”

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EVERTON CAST DOUBT ON LEICESTER TOP FOUR HOPES WITH WIN OVER FOXES.

Leicester City’s top-four hopes suffered a setback following a 2-1 loss to Everton in the Premier League today.

The Foxes saw their winless run since English football’s restart from the coronavirus pandemic stretched to four games.

Richarlison and Gylfi Sigurdsson’s penalty gave Everton the perfect start at Goodison Park.

The Toffees are yet to lose at home under Carlo Ancelotti and they held on in the second half for a vital three points for their own ambitions of European football next season.

Kelechi Iheanacho’s fortunate goal as the ball ricocheted in off his face reduced Leicester’s arrears and they pressed hard for an equaliser in the closing stages.

Michael Keane’s clearance off the line spared Jordan Pickford’s blushes after another huge error from the England number one.

However, defeat means Leicester could drop to fourth should Chelsea win at West Ham later on Wednesday and the Foxes are now just three points clear of Manchester United and Wolves in the battle for a place in the Champions League next season.

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AUBAMEYANG MAKES PREMIER LEAGUE HISTORY AS GUNNERS NETS FOUR PAST HELPLESS NORWICH.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netted his 50th Premier League goal for Arsenal after opening the scoring against Norwich City and set a club record in the process.

The Gunners’ captain became the quickest player in Arsenal history to reach half a century in the Premier League, setting a new record above the club’s all-time record scorer Thierry Henry.

As well as setting a new club record, Aubameyang also put himself amongst some very good company in the league record after becoming the sixth-fastest player to hit that figure.

Aubameyang has scored 50 goals in just 79 Premier League matches since his arrival from Borussia Dortmund – but others have done it remarkably quicker.

Former Manchester United striker Andy Cole took just 65 matches to hit the margin, while former Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United ace Alan Shearer took 66 games.

Another ex-United man, Ruud van Nistelrooy, took 68 matches to hit half a century, while ex-Liverpool striker Fernando Torres took 72 matches.

In more recent history, Liverpool star Mohamed Salah took the same amount of matches as Torres, then being followed by Aubameyang