Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho’s said he expected to be given time to turn around the defending English champions’ dreadful start to the season after a 3-1 home loss to Liverpool on Saturday. . With rumours of emergency news conferences spreading like wildfire, Mourinho remained tight-lipped about his future but asked by a reporter if he expected to be dismissed, the three-times Premier League winning coach said: “No, I don’t.” . When another reporter asked if he thought Mourinho would be given the chance to fix Chelsea’s alarming slump to just above the relegation zone, the Portuguese coach simply said: “Yes”.…
Author: David Folami
Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga record season- opening winning streak was ended at 10 games after they were held to a goalless draw by Eintracht Frankfurt. . Thirteen-goal joint top scorer Robert Lewandowski had a goal correctly ruled out for offside in the 89th minute. . That aside, Arturo Vidal came closest for Bayern, forcing an early save from Lukas Hradecky with a fine header. . The draw moves champions Bayern eight points clear of Borussia Dortmund at the top of the table. . But Thomas Tuchel’s side can close the gap with victory at Werder Bremen on Saturday. . Pep Guardiola’s…
There are claims that Cristiano Ronaldo idolises Manchester United, but a return for the winger to Old Trafford is unlikely to materialise, as per talkSPORT. . Ronaldo, the 2014 Ballon d’Or winner, has been heavily linked with a departure from Madrid in recent months, and has been tipped to return to Old Trafford, where he enjoyed much success during a six year spell. . Balague said: “He idolises Manchester United. The fans, the atmosphere and the club, but the club is in a different place now.” . However, Balague believes that Paris Saint-Germain is a more likely destination for Ronaldo should…
Louis van Gaal has become concerned by Manchester United’s barren run and admits he is still to discover Anthony Martial’s best position. United produced another predictable performance as they went a third fixture without scoring – their run includes a Capital One Cup defeat on penalties by Middlesbrough that went to extra-time – when they drew 0-0 in the Premier League at Crystal Palace. . The promising Martial, signed for a potential £58million towards the conclusion of the summer transfer window, was again restricted wide on the left, with Wayne Rooney again disappointing from a more central position and Van…
Premier League giants Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United could well fight it out for the services of star forward Lionel Messi after he disclosed his desire to make way from Barcelona. . The 28-year-old has spent his entire career at the Catalan giants having graduated from the famous La Masia academy. Messi has won everything within reach at the Camp Nou, and he is now thought to be keen on seeking fresh pastures elsewhere. According to The Sun, the legendary player is said to favour a switch to the Premier League, and it is suggested that the three English…
The French youngster made waves when he joined Manchester United on deadline day for £36million but has hit the ground running at Old Trafford . Zinedine Zidane has heaped praise on Manchester United star Anthony Martial – but has plead for fans to give him time to fulfil his enormous potential. . The French striker swapped Monaco for Manchester on deadline day becoming the world’s most expensive teenager in the process. . But despite the pressure Martial has hit the ground running at Old Trafford making himself an indispensable piece of Louis van Gaal’s team already. . Many have likened…
“Both stars were substituted during the club’s shock League Cup defeat to Middlesbrough in midweek and are doubtful, while Antonio Valencia and Paddy McNair are definitely out . Memphis Depay and James Wilson are both injury doubts for Manchester United’s clash with Crystal Palace this weekend, manager Louis van Gaal has confirmed. . Depay started United’s League Cup defeat to Middlesbrough on Wednesday, but was withdrawn in the 70th minute after picking up a knock. . Wilson, meanwhile, was forced to make way for Wayne Rooney at half-time due to an injury of his own, and both face a race…
France and Real Madrid great Zinedine Zidane has suggest Anthony Martial can emulate Cristiano Ronaldo and Gianluigi Buffon by silencing doubters over his huge transfer fee. . Manchester United paid £58.1 for the relatively unknown 19-year-old in a deal that shocked the world of football. . Yet in his short time at Old Trafford, which has included winning the Premier League player of the month award, the former Monaco player has signalled that Manchester United may have signed a player with the potential to become one of the best in the world. . Zidane has compared Martial’s fee with those of Ronaldo…
Wayne Rooney and his fellow players may be trying too hard to score goals, according to his Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal. . United have scored the fewest number of goals among the top six clubs in the Premier League this season, with England captain Rooney scoring just two. . Van Gaal suggested it might be a mental block affecting Rooney and the other United players rather than a lack of chances — and used the example of Mario Gomez during his time at Bayern Munich, who scored around a goal a game despite only having nine to 14…
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal admitted to concerns about his team’s goal-scoring problems after they were bundled out of the League Cup on penalties by second-tier Middlesbrough. . The Premier League giants contrived to fail with three of their four attempts in Wednesday’s 3-1 shoot-out loss, with England internationals Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick and Ashley Young all unsuccessful. . That followed a goalless tie, including extra time, which extended United’s run without a goal in domestic football to 238 minutes following a drab stalemate with Manchester City in last weekend’s Manchester derby. . “Yes, of course,” said Van Gaal…
Crystal Palace will be paying special attention to England and Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney in Saturday’s meeting at Selhurst Park, manager Alan Pardew said on Friday. . Rooney has scored only two league goals all season but Pardew believes that may be down to the service he is getting. . “He is at the top of the pitch now and maybe he is not getting the service he would probably want,” he told reporters. . “I can see a little bit of frustration in him but that makes him dangerous. Rooney has proved many times, particularly when he gets…
Jose Mourinho says he “cannot promise” Chelsea will be in the Champions League next season, but insists his struggling Premier League titleholders will turn around their season. . The Portuguese had previously stated he was certain they would finish in the top four, but he has changed his mind after Chelsea’s poor start, losing half their league games. . When directly asked about the Champions League, Mourinho responded: “I cannot promise” but did say “no” when asked whether he had any doubt they would get out of this run. . That poor spell means an awkward match against Jurgen Klopp’s…
Juventus and Argentina striker Carlos Tevez has had his driving licence suspended after being caught speeding through the Mont Blanc Tunnel, Italian media reported on Thursday. . Tevez was clocked exceeding the 70km/h limit in the tunnel, which separates Italy from France, although his actual speed was not revealed. . The incident took place on Wednesday, the day after Tevez had scored in the 2-1 Champions League semifinal win over Real Madrid in Turin. . The 31-year-old Tevez is no stranger to falling foul of the rules of the road. . In March 2013, when he was at Manchester City,…
AC Milan, at the centre of takeover uncertainty and with coach Filippo Inzaghi unlikely to survive until next season, can have a hand in the Champions League shake-up when they face Roma on Saturday. . The 18-time Serie A champions and winners of the European Cup on seven occasions are marooned in mid-table with just 43 points, a huge 36 behind Juventus who wrapped up the title last weekend. . They go into their home clash with second-placed Roma on the back of three straight defeats and a winless run of five matches. . To make matters worse, they will…
Roma failed to strengthen their grip on second place in Serie A after goals from Marco Van Ginkel and Mattia Destro saw struggling AC Milan win 2-1 to blow the race for the Champions League wide open. . Van Ginkel’s first Serie A goal five minutes before halftime and a close range header from former Roma striker Destro just before the hour mark were enough for Milan to win for the first time in six games, despite a Francesco Totti penalty letting Roma back into the game 17 minutes from time. . Rudi Garcia’s Roma stay second on 64 points…
It was not a vintage Chelsea performance but manager Jose Mourinho said his newly-crowned champions competed for the dignity of the Premier League in their 1-1 draw against Liverpool on Sunday. . The visitors welcomed Chelsea on to the pitch with a guard of honour at Stamford Bridge and the hosts responded by taking the lead after five minutes when John Terry headed in from a corner. . Visiting captain Steven Gerrard capitalised on some slack defending to nod home the equaliser just before halftime but neither side could make the decisive breakthrough in the second half. . “It was…
Arsenal all but sealed Champions League qualification for an 18th successive season after they breezed past relegation-threatened Hull City 3-1 in the Premier League on Monday. . Alexis Sanchez’s deflected free-kick wrong-footed stranded keeper Steve Harper to hand Arsenal a 28th-minute opener before Aaron Ramsey doubled the advantage four minutes later when his shot was diverted into the net via a Hull defender. . Sanchez rounded Harper to add his second in first half stoppage time and, though they improved after the break, Hull’s solitary response came from Stephen Quinn’s 56th minute header. . Arsenal, in third, have 70 points…
Sergio Aguero lifted Manchester City’s spirits as the Argentine’s brilliant finish clinched a 1-0 win at Tottenham on the day his side’s reign as Premier League champions came to an end. . Manuel Pellegrini’s team kicked off just half an hour after Chelsea were crowned champions with a victory over Crystal Palace and, given the lacklustre nature of their title defence, it would have been little surprise to see City turn in a disinterested display at White Hart Lane. . But Aguero’s predatory instincts came to the rescue as he netted the first half winner that kept City in second…
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said his side had won the toughest league in world football after a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday saw them crowned English champions. . Eden Hazard’s goal on the stroke of halftime gave the Blues a 1-0 win in front of their own fans at Stamford Bridge and an unassailable 16-point lead at the top of the Premier League table. . Chelsea have now won the title three times under Mourinho but this is the first since the Portuguese manager returned to the London club for a second spell in charge in 2013. .…
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has stepped up his war of words with Jose Mourinho by claiming he would never be satisfied to win the Premier League playing in the cautious and careful style of newly crowned champions Chelsea. . Pellegrini’s side saw their reign as champions officially ended on Sunday when Chelsea beat Crystal Palace to secure the points they needed to take the title away from Eastlands. . But, in the latest verbal jousting between two old rivals, Pellegrini refused to accept that Chelsea’s achievement was worthy of much praise because of the ultra-conservative tactics adopted by Blues…