#rip nemanja you were a real one

[liverpool-enjoyer]

Off topic but Paulo would 100% be in detention all the time-

paulo: *breathes*

mourinho: disrespectful. detention. n take nemanja with you.

[mayramoss-blog1]

Manchester United's season could be defined by one fixture - Ciaran Kelly

Within seconds of Jose Mourinho being asked about his injury crisis in Lisbon, reporters nearly 1,600km away in the spacious Stamford Bridge press room were handed manna from heaven.

Mourinho had not directly called out Antonio Conte with his answer, when he claimed there were managers who 'cry, cry and cry' about injuries, but the inference had been made.

One of the mantras of Conte's summer, in various forms, was how he could not retain the Premier League title with 11 players.

As much as that was a message to Chelsea's board about new signings to boost his starting line-up, it has evolved into something even greater following a spate of injuries.

The champions may have spent big - £182m on six first-team players no less - but when you factor in the personalities they have lost, you can see why the added pressure of Champions League football is proving a real challenge.

Not only have Chelsea voluntarily waved goodbye to Nemanja Matic, but also John Terry, Asmir Begovic and Diego Costa, who was a popular figure with his team-mates - if not his manager.

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So was it any wonder that the usually amiable 48-year-old appeared a little shaken as the glare of the press room lights caught a gap in his scalp?

“A lot of time, also last season, I think he has to think about his team and stop, to look at himself, not the others,” Conte barked following Mourinho’s dig.

Conte, perhaps more than Pep Guardiola and even Jurgen Klopp, has quickly emerged as Mourinho's biggest managerial rival despite the pair having no previous.

Both managers suffered their most significant defeat to each other last season. Chelsea hammered United 4-0 in October - Mourinho's worst ever loss in English football - before United blew them away at Old Trafford six months later.

It may partly explain why Conte boldly turned to a three-man defence and has ripped up some of the foundations he has been left in a bid to avoid a ‘Mourinho season’ as he puts it in trying to retain the title.

Having rebuked him by whispering in his ear after he wildly celebrated following Chelsea’s trouncing a year ago, Mourinho has never forgotten that sobering return to Stamford Bridge, when United’s defence capitulated.

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 13: Fourth official Mike Jones intervenes as Jose Mourinho manager of Manchester United and Antonio Conte manager of Chelsea clash during The Emirates FA Cup Quarter-Final match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on March 13, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

But this is the same Mourinho who announced himself to the world by deliriously darting across the Old Trafford touchline with Porto in 2004. So he fought fire with fire.

Whether it is thumping the strategically-placed crest on his club gillet, or unsubtly declaring that he would not lose any hair about Conte’s barbs, Mourinho has moved on from Chelsea.

It has escalated to such an extent that a section of the club’s fans chanted ‘Judas’ as he held up three fingers, signifying the three titles he won, during an ill-tempered FA Cup clash last season.

The Portuguese never needed to resort to such gestures when he returned to Stamford Bridge with Inter Milan for a huge Champions League clash in 2010.

But things have changed ahead of Mourinho's latest visit to SW6 on November 5 - which could yet prove the most tense.

Morata and Bakayoko could have easily ended up as United players

Much will be written about the various sub-plots - Romelu Lukaku/Alvaro Morata and Nemanja Matic/Tiemoue Bakayoko - but the clash on the touchline could prove the most telling as Mourinho looks to inflict a mortal blow.

Following a drab draw in his first big test of the season, away to Liverpool, it offers Mourinho the belated opportunity to send out a statement and taste the sweetest of victories.

One thing is for certain - there will be fireworks on Bonfire Night.

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[vioncentral-blog]

Former Man Utd Defender Reveals How Young Liverpool Fans Rinsed Neville and Beckham at Anfield

http://www.vionafrica.cf/former-man-utd-defender-reveals-how-young-liverpool-fans-rinsed-neville-and-beckham-at-anfield/

Former Man Utd Defender Reveals How Young Liverpool Fans Rinsed Neville and Beckham at Anfield

Former Manchester United defender Gary Pallister has shared his assessment of current Red Devils' centre-back Eric Bailly ahead of the side's upcoming clash with Liverpool.

Pallister, who played at Old Trafford for nine years, racking up close to 400 appearances for the Manchester side, says that the Ivorian reminds him of Nemanja Vidic and Steve Bruce, two of the most successful defenders to ever play for United.

Speaking to betsafe.com, the 52-year-old hailed Bally's aggressive nature, also praising Phil Jones for his return to form.

Michael Regan/GettyImages

“There were big question marks over Phil Jones over the last couple of years with injuries and his form and I think he has come back to his critics with his form this year," he said.

"He has been one of our best players at the start of this season, it is terrific to he him recapture his form from when he came to Old Trafford.

"Bailly loves to defend and maybe even a mould of Vidic or a Steve Bruce, he is aggressive. He loves to defend and if I was a centre-half then I would love to play with a guy like him so I think defensively we have been pretty sound, we are scoring goals quite freely but we have not had a massive test, we expected more from Everton.

"We always have to improve" Eric Bailly says competition for places is strong at Manchester United: https://t.co/De0kDwHSME pic.twitter.com/uPXuLKddCf

— Sky Sports PL 👑 (@SkySportsPL) October 7, 2017

"Liverpool is a massive test for this team, we no doubt look a better team than we did but this is a different level. As for Liverpool, yes, they have defensive problems but I think their football is terrific, they should’ve had more points than what they do.

"Going forward they look like they could create plenty of chances they just haven’t been able to finish them off and that is something you would expect to change with the amount of quality they have got, so I am expecting a real test against Liverpool and the first real big one for United.”

Stu Forster/GettyImages

With United set to visit Anfield on Saturday for what could be a real spectacle of a match, Pallister shared what stands out as the most amusing thing he ever saw whilst at Liverpool's home ground.

“The funniest thing that I remember was being there when it was Becks [David Beckham] and Gary Neville’s first game at Anfield and two little Scouser lads went over, they must’ve been 6 or 7 years old, and they asked for their autograph," he recalled.

"Neville and Becks were quite chuffed to have been asked and then the lads ripped it up in front of them and I walked past and said, ‘Welcome to Anfield son’. That stands out in my memory.”

Read the betsafe.com interview with Gary Pallister & Dominic Matteo, including why pressure is building on Klopp

Which Midfielder would you choose to battle the storm?

Kevin De Bruyne

Luka Modrić

Paul Pogba

Marco Verratti

Arturo Vidal