#‘can aston villa handle the champions league

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Tottenham Hotspur will become the latest Premier League team to tap into blockchain technology to issue and manage its own Web3 fan token to drive supporter engagement and rewards.Spurs will issue the fan token through Socios.com, the fan engagement platform built on the Chiliz blockchain that has attracted over 80 major sporting teams from different codes around the world. The platform enables teams to issue and manage fan tokens, digital collectibles and real world rewards, while users can participate in DAO-like decisions involving their favourite teams.Spurs join the likes of Premier League champions Manchester City, Arsenal Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, Inter Milan, AC Milan,Atlético Madrid and A.S. Roma, which are some of the most prominent teams in professional football making use of blockchain to innovate engagement with supporters.The launch will allow $SPURS token holders to take part in onchain voting on a variety of team dynamics, including potential kit changes. Spurs will also partner with MatchWornShit, the platform that facilitates auctions of jerseys worn by players during games that are authenticated on the Chiliz blockchain. Tottenham Hotspur's official announcement of its fan token. Source: Socios.Commenting on the partnership, Tottenham commercial sales director Ryan Norys said that the fan token will build on its existing membership scheme with a “new range of club-related rewards and experiences.”Speaking directly to Cointelegraph, Chiliz and Socios CEO Alexandre Dreyfus said that talks have been ongoing with Spurs since 2022. He also said that the club would use Socios while simultaneously integrating their fan token into their own loyalty programme and mobile app in the future.$Spurs tokens are set to be launched on Oct. 4 and will be listed across cryptocurrency exchanges that support Chiliz tokens. Socios users in the United Kingdom can also expect to see disclaimers on fan token offerings from Oct. 8, as the marketing of cryptoasset promotions comes under the auspices of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).This will require stricter rules for advertising as well as a disclaimer warning investors of potential total losses investing in cryptocurrencies or fan tokens.Manchester City, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Everton, Leeds and Crystal Palace are the other Premier League outfits that manage fan tokens on the platform, with Dreyfus noting that the ongoing cryptocurrency bear market has hindered onboarding of teams over the past year.Fan tokens have become a significant source of revenue as teams look to leverage digital technologies to drive user engagement. Chiliz estimates that its blockchain platform has handled over $400 million in revenue for teams and leagues since 2018.Chiliz was originally built as an ERC-20 token ecosystem but shifted onto its own layer-1 blockchain that is a fork of the BNB Chain in May 2023. Operating on a proof-of-stake authority (PoSA) consensus mechanism is touted to deliver shorter block times, reduced fees, and lower energy consumption, while being EVM-compatible allows it to remain compatible with Ethereum development tools.The International Cricket Council is also looking to leverage blockchain technology to drive fan engagement during the upcoming 2023 Cricket World Cup in India. NEAR Foundation’s blockchain operating system will serve as the backbone for a Web3 fan engagement app during the six week global competition. Source

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Premier League: Top 12 moments season – Liverpool, Vardy, Son

Liverpool bear steamrollered their design to a first league title for 30 years this season

Eleven months after it began, the 2019-20 Premier League season is sort of at an end.

There is been sizable aims, substantial tussles and historical moments as Liverpool secured their first prime-flight title in 30 years in a campaign that used to be disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.

BBC Sport takes a ogle on the 12 most memorable events of a prolonged, dramatic and uncommon season.

Settle a ogle at our listing and roar the software program below to rotten one of the most memorable moments – the notify as chosen by BBC Sport readers will most certainly be published on Football Point of interest, which that you could gape at 12: 00 BST on Saturday, 25 July on BBC One.

Easiest ranked lists created before 10: 00 BST on Friday, 24 July will depend in direction of the final result.

Norwich beat Manchester Metropolis

Norwich’s preserve in opposition to Manchester Metropolis used to be their 2nd on their return to the Premier League

Norwich’s return to the Premier League could exclusively bear been short-lived nonetheless they’ll also unexcited the truth is be praised for sticking to their vogue throughout.

Their easy-on-the-brand soccer used to be a welcome enhance and early in the season it helped them manufacture about a shocks – most notably when they beat reigning champions Manchester Metropolis 3-2 in September.

That used to be Metropolis’s first defeat since January 2019 and gave the Canaries hope that they’ll also handle faraway from the tumble. Finally, they ran out of steam nonetheless this result will dwell prolonged in the reminiscence of Norwich fans.

Leicester set 9 previous Southampton

All three of Vardy’s aims came in the 2nd half of the 9-0 preserve at Southampton

Given how Southampton bear played since the restart in June, it is some distance arduous to assume they were on the end of a defeat earlier in the season that near to went into double figures.

Wait on in October, Leicester ran insurrection as Ayoze Perez and Jamie Vardy each and each scored hat-tricks in a 9-0 preserve.

It used to be an embarrassing scoreline on the time and set the Saints into the relegation zone, nonetheless in many ways it proved the making of them. They went on to outlive conveniently and could be an excellent shout to battle important increased up the table subsequent season.

Liverpool beat Manchester Metropolis to mosey eight constructive

Liverpool produced a assertion with their impressive preserve over Manchester Metropolis in November

Good 12 games into the season and Liverpool struck a blow that Manchester Metropolis arguably never recovered from.

The Reds beat their opponents 3-1 at Anfield to mosey eight facets constructive on the head of the table.

Pre-match, it used to be billed as the defining 2nd in Liverpool’s 30-yr quest to land the title, and so it proved as the Reds went on to extra toughen their grip on prime space.

Spurs sack Pochettino

Pochettino used to be sacked 171 days after taking Tottenham to the Champions League final

November signalled the end of an generation at Spurs as Mauricio Pochettino used to be sacked after five and a half years on the membership, with Jose Mourinho promptly brought in as his replacement.

The finest resolution? Time will notify, with Tottenham yet to be particular of both a major-six dwell or taking part in European soccer subsequent season.

Son’s surprise aim versus Burnley

Son Heung-min ran 70 metres up the pitch to score this improbable aim in opposition to Burnley

It is a shrimp bit arduous to bear in mind one of the most important aims from this season pondering it feels love it began before the morning time of time, nonetheless one strike in particular stands out: Son Heung-min’s magnificence in opposition to Burnley in December.

The Tottenham forward got the ball factual initiating air his box and, 12 seconds and 12 touches later, he had shredded the visiting defence and slotted previous Slit Pope to assist Spurs on their design to a 5-0 preserve.

The strike topped a BBC fan vote in Will also and there is been shrimp since the restart that bear arrangement shut to that incredible solo effort.

Ancelotti’s appointment as Everton manager

Ancelotti changed Marco Silva on the Toffees

Everton pulled off a main coup in December when they managed to design three-time Champions League-winner Carlo Ancelotti to vary into their manager.

At the time, the Toffees were in threat of becoming embroiled in a relegation battle, nonetheless the Italian pulled them faraway from threat and Everton fans are usually exasperated to brand what he can originate after a plump pre-season.

Watford end Liverpool’s unbeaten trek

Ismaila Sarr scored two aims as Watford beat Liverpool 3-0

No one seen this one coming.

Liverpool were on a relentless march in direction of the title when they arrived at Vicarage Dual carriageway in February to grab on a Watford aspect inside of the relegation zone and with out a preserve in their previous five games.

However the Hornets grew to vary into on the vogue to expire surprise 3-0 winners, ending the Reds’ hopes of ending the season unbeaten.

Coronavirus stops the season

Video games bear returned with social distancing guidelines in space after the season used to be suspended following Mikel Arteta’s constructive coronavirus take a look at

If we’re talking about moments of the season then right here’s obviously a biggie.

On 12 March, Arsenal confirmed that boss Arteta had tested constructive for Covid-19. The following day, elite soccer in Britain used to be suspended and would now not resume unless 17 June.

Blades suffer goalline technology blow

Orjan Nyland carried the ball over the goalline nonetheless it used to be now not picked up by technology

It did now not grab prolonged for technology to vary into a talking level after the season restarted – the very day it returned in level of fact – despite the fact that this wasn’t to originate with the important-maligned video assistant referee.

This time, it used to be goalline technology that caused frustration because it did now not purchase up Oliver Norwood’s free-kick crossing the line in Sheffield United’s goalless design at Aston Villa.

Luiz fear show in opposition to Manchester Metropolis

Luiz capped an error-strewn performance in opposition to Manchester Metropolis by getting despatched off

A day to omit for David Luiz as all the pieces that could well mosey wicked, did.

Against Manchester Metropolis at Etihad Stadium in June, the Arsenal defender came off the bench in the first half, used to be at fault for Raheem Sterling’s opener, gave away a penalty, after which got himself despatched off.

It wasn’t supreme timing, both, with his contract up on the end of that month. Luckily for him, Arteta kept the faith and Luiz signed a one-yr deal about a days later.

Liverpool preserve league and celebrate after searching at Chelsea beat Manchester Metropolis

Christian Pulisic opened the scoring in a thrilling sport between Chelsea and Manchester Metropolis on 25 June

For a prolonged, prolonged, prolonged, prolonged, very prolonged time, each person knew Liverpool were going to preserve the league this season.

Their dominance used to be such that they in fact would possibly want to bear been celebrating some distance sooner than most title-winners originate nonetheless, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic and the three-month spoil in the season, the 2nd used to be now not confirmed unless 25 June.

On that day, Liverpool avid gamers and fans watched as Manchester Metropolis took on Chelsea, shimmering if Pep Guardiola’s aspect did now not preserve then the Reds’ 30-yr await a major-flight title would sooner or later be over.

Metropolis did lose, nonetheless the game itself used to be arguably regarded as one of one of the most engaging since the restart and the stress after which support on the final whistle perchance exclusively enhanced the Liverpool celebrations.

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See: The 2nd Liverpool avid gamers stumbled on out they were champions

Vardy reaches 100 Premier League aims

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5 of Jamie Vardy’s handiest Premier League aims as the striker reaches 100 for Leicester

Jamie Vardy joined an challenging membership earlier this month when his two aims in opposition to Crystal Palace meant the Leicester forward grew to vary into the 29th participant to achieve 100 Premier League aims in the competition’s history.

It is a vastly impressive achievement, even more so if you happen to suspect about he used to be unexcited taking part in non-league soccer on the age of 25.

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[xtruss]

Liverpool Win Carabao Cup Final After Beating Chelsea in Penalty Shootout

The Reds won the League Cup for the ninth time in the club’s history by beating Chelsea 11-10 on penalties after a goalless draw at the national stadium on Sunday afternoon.

It was a move from Thomas Tuchel that had worked before. In the European Super Cup final at the start of the season against Villarreal, the Chelsea manager had brought on Kepa Arrizabalaga for the penalty shootout. Arrizabalaga saved two and Chelsea won.

The goalkeeper had been the hero of two shootout victories earlier in this edition of the Carabao Cup, saving once apiece against Aston Villa and Southampton, having started both ties, and he even made a crucial penalty save in extra time to secure the 2-1 FA Cup win over Plymouth earlier this month.

This time, it all went wrong for him and Tuchel.

The final had been pulsating, featuring big chances at both ends, dramatic saves and disallowed goals – with VAR making its presence felt on two occasions. With penalties looming, Tuchel hooked Édouard Mendy, who had excelled, and introduced Arrizabalaga.

The psychology was interesting and it was always going to be laced with risk. Arrizabalaga had started in every round of the competition and so to be dropped for the final had to have stung. Moreover, it is known that Chelsea will entertain offers for him in the summer. This was the acid test of his professionalism.

But Arrizabalaga could not repel any of Liverpool’s five regulation penalties or the six in sudden death that followed. And there was a grim inevitability about what happened when he was forced to take his team’s 11th kick. Arrizabalaga lifted high over the crossbar and, as he buried his head in his hands, it was his opposite number, Caoimhín Kelleher, who found himself jumping high in triumph, almost floating.

There had never been any doubt as to whether Jürgen Klopp would start the 23-year-old Republic of Ireland international, who has established himself ahead of Adrian as Alisson’s deputy. Kelleher had made two shootout saves in the quarter-final victory over Leicester while he was unflappable in the semi-final, second-leg win at Arsenal.

The boyhood Liverpool fan gives the impression that nothing fazes him and he made two fine saves during the 90 minutes; one early on to deny Christian Pulisic, the other to keep out a near-post flick from the Chelsea substitute Romelu Lukaku deep into stoppage time. When Kelleher had to step up in the shootout – for his team’s 11th kick – he sent the ball past Arrizabalaga and almost into the top corner and he would be the toast of the club’s travelling supporters.

After Klopp’s Champions League and Premier League triumphs at Liverpool, he has finally got his hands on a domestic cup – the one with the three handles. Three really was a charm for the manager. On his previous two visits to Wembley for finals, Klopp had lost in the 2013 Champions League with Borussia Dortmund to Bayern Munich and the 2016 Carabao Cup with his present employer to Manchester City – that one on penalties. For Liverpool, this was a first domestic cup success since 2012 and a record ninth in the competition.

Liverpool had the opportunities to have won inside the 90 minutes and they were horrified when Joël Matip had a goal disallowed midway through the second half. With celebratory red flares having been lit by their fans, VAR ruled that Virgil van Dijk had been in an offside position and interfering with the Chelsea substitute Reece James when Trent Alexander-Arnold dropped in a free-kick and before Sadio Mané had headed square at the back post. It was harsh. Van Dijk had simply stood his ground.

The hope for Liverpool is that this victory can galvanise them for the even bigger battles ahead – namely the hunt to chase down City in the league and the Champions League. They also remain alive in the FA Cup. Since being pegged back to 2-2 at Chelsea in the league on 2 January, they have swept all before them and this was the latest occasion when they found a way to get the job done.

For Chelsea, the regrets were plentiful. Pulisic should not have given Kelleher the chance to save in the fifth minute after a cross from César Azpilicueta while Mason Mount wasted glorious openings either side of half-time. Kai Havertz, who impressed in the No 9 role, had the ball in the net twice only to be denied by offside flags – the second in the second period of extra-time – while the borderline call had come in the 109th minute. Running on to a Trevoh Chalobah pass, Lukaku cut inside and rammed past Kelleher only for the VAR lines to decree that he had gone fractionally too early.

The emotion crackled throughout, particularly when everyone inside Wembley stood before kick-off to show solidarity with Ukraine after the invasion of their country by Russia. Thiago Alcântara was in tears for a different reason, injury in the warm-up having ruled the Liverpool midfielder out. Naby Keïta was promoted to the starting XI.

Chelsea played off Havertz and punched hard on the counter; they opened up Liverpool around the sides and even through the middle. But Klopp’s team had their opportunities, too – particularly in the second half of normal time.

Mohamed Salah blew a one-on-one with Mendy while the dangerous Luis Díaz – all silky movement and explosive bursts – twice worked the goalkeeper, drawing an especially fine save out of him on the second occasion. Mendy, who had produced a stunning double stop to deny Keïta and Mané in the first half, also repelled a Van Dijk header in the 90th minute.

— By David Hytnerat Wembley | Sunday February 27, 2022 | The Guardian USA

[yessadirichards]

Chelsea face Man City test as Liverpool, Man Utd bid to keep pace

LONDON

Chelsea host Premier League champions Manchester City in a stiff test of the leaders' title credentials on Saturday as Liverpool and Manchester United bid to keep pace with Thomas Tuchel's side.

The Blues look well-equipped to end the season as English champions for the first time since 2017 after signing Romelu Lukaku to add a cutting edge to their attack.

But Liverpool, the 2020 title winners, and Manchester United are matching them, with all three teams locked on 13 points after five games.

AFP Sport takes a look at some of the talking points ahead of the weekend action.

No fears for Tuchel's Blues

Even though the season is still young, former England captain turned TV pundit Alan Shearer predicts Chelsea are going to be difficult to stop.

Tuchel's team beat Manchester City three times last season -- including in the Champions League final.

Since then they have signed Lukaku from Inter Milan and have also been miserly at the back -- conceding just one goal in the league.

"Lukaku is not the only reason they are so formidable," Shearer wrote in his BBC Sport column. "They won the Champions League in May without him. But his arrival means they don't have a weak link in their team, and they have such strength in depth too."

It is too soon to call the match at Stamford Bridge a title decider, but City boss Pep Guardiola will not want to leave London six points behind one of his main rivals.

Norwich's unwanted record

Norwich have lost their past 15 Premier League games under Daniel Farke -- the longest losing run by any side in English top-flight history under a single manager.

That horror streak encompasses the end of the 2019/20 season, when the Canaries were relegated to the Championship. They immediately bounced back.

Norwich were given a hideous task on their return to the English top-flight, with their four first matches against Liverpool, Manchester City, Leicester and Arsenal before last week's loss to Watford.

The Canaries are only three points behind 16th-placed Wolves but must turn their form around soon, with Farke saying their leaky defence is the main problem.

"We need to be harder to play against," he said ahead of this weekend's trip to Everton. "We need more steel, and we need to be nastier. We also need a result for the confidence."

Can Kane reignite Spurs?

Harry Kane has endured a slow start to his season for Tottenham after a move to Manchester City failed to materialise and is yet to score in the Premier League.

But Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo believes the England striker is still getting up to speed after Euro 2020.

"He has much more to give and it's about the game, improving and growing together," said Nuno as he prepared for Sunday's north London derby against Arsenal. "In terms of the squad and preparation we have players who have 65/70 sessions and we have players who have 15 sessions."

After three games, Tottenham were top of the Premier League and Arsenal rock bottom.

Since then Spurs have suffered consecutive 3-0 defeats against Crystal Palace and Chelsea, while Mikel Arteta's Arsenal have stopped the rot with 1-0 wins over Norwich and Burnley.

Arteta said confidence levels were rising after his side won their League Cup third round tie against AFC Wimbledon in midweek.

"Now the boys have won three matches in a row so credit for how they have handled that situation and now they are really looking forward to playing on Sunday, which is the biggest day of the season for us so far at home," he said.

Fixtures

Saturday

Chelsea v Manchester City, Manchester United v Aston Villa, Everton v Norwich, Leeds v West Ham, Leicester v Burnley, Watford v Newcastle, Brentford v Liverpool

Sunday

Southampton v Wolves, Arsenal v Tottenham

Monday

Crystal Palace v Brighton

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Premier League - Christian Pulisic could give Thomas Tuchel a new dilemma after Hakim Ziyech's injury at Chelsea Football Club

Following his objective against Crystal Palace, Christian Pulisic will like to put past injury stresses behind him for an effective season. One of the disappointing topics of Christian Pulisic's Chelsea profession so far has been the absence of energy or consistency. The American has consistently had great spells slowed down by a physical issue which has implied a long time out as others require up the minutes.

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However likely the most reliable thing about Pulisic at Stamford Bridge has been scoring against Crystal Palace. Pulisic's objective on Saturday denoted his fifth Premier League football strike against the Eagles since participating in the late spring of 2019. He scored home and away in the 2019/20 season, before mesh twice in the 4-1 win at Selhurst Park back in April of this current year.

Chelsea's second on Saturday was rough in execution as a free ball was packaged in by Pulisic. It was not the most stylishly satisfying of Chelsea football club's three objectives on the day, however, it gave more proof of how obliterating a player Pulisic can be when to fit and beginning from his supported left-sided position.

The opportunity to begin on Saturday could be viewed as favorable luck following a startling injury to Hakim Ziyech in the Super Cup last Wednesday. Indeed, even with Pulisic's acceptable structure against Chelsea's initial Premier League football rivals, Ziyech had placed in a solid run of pre-season exhibitions to legitimize a beginning spot.

Quiet, Pulisic was in an assaulting three close by Timo Werner and Mason Mount from the left. Pretty consistently Tuchel has handled the winger on the right of the Blues assault as he did at Borussia Dortmund. Albeit this could be to oblige Werner's favored developments on a similar flank, Pulisic has consistently looked more powerful making transformed runs from a wide left situation for Chelsea football club than elsewhere. Something Pulisic has reliably displayed since his appearance from Dortmund is his extraordinary expectation inside the six-yard box.

Five of the 11 objectives in his first season were one-contact completes inside the case. There were some more champion performance runs where he spilled past safeguards from fresh as seen against Burnley, Manchester City, Liverpool, and Arsenal. In any case, similarly short proximity completes were as indispensable to win the Blues focuses in his initial year against Watford, Crystal Palace, and Aston Villa.

Pulisic for club and nation has likewise demonstrated the fact that he is fit for delivering pivotal turning points on compressed stages. The triumphant punishment for his country against Mexico in the CONCACAF Nations League Final seven days following Chelsea's Champions League win was a significant trial of nerves which he finished with no problem at all.

His structure following Project Restart in June 2020 was invigorating to observe. Alongside his objectives, Pulisic's general danger frightened guards paving the way to the FA Cup Final against Arsenal where he scored the opener. A hamstring injury that constrained him off from the get-go in the subsequent half heaped more hopelessness onto a day where Chelsea failed to keep a grip on the last as Arsenal returned to win 2-1.

A lethargic return for the beginning of last season implied Pulisic limped along with the new summer appearances of Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, and Hakim Ziyech. Another injury mishap in the warm-up away to Burnley further gouged any desire for recovering his shocking summer structure. For more details about Chelsea Vs Aston Villa Tickets.

An objective off the seat to get a triumph over Leeds United toward the beginning of December and a promising excursion against West Ham before Christmas gave trust things might be turning. However, his structure over the most recent couple of long stretches of Frank Lampard's presidency did little to dazzle.

It is out of line to call the 2020/21 season a discount for Pulisic, given his significant impact in the Champions League Semi-Final triumph over Real Madrid. In the main leg, Pulisic made a cutting askew disagreement behind the Los Blancos back-line. Dialing the ball back and setting himself under the watchful eye of deck Thibaut Courtois and penetrating a savage shot into the net.

In the second leg his crude speed on the right aided Chelsea football club polish off the tie as his help for Mason Mount got the Blues place in a last, they would go on a win. As Tuchel has shown an ability to turn, there is a decent possibility the 22-year-old will get a decent number of minutes this season even with the contest for places so savage. However, Pulisic ought to focus on something beyond a rotational job for Chelsea football club.

Pulisic's off-the-ball runs, great completion, and expectations all make him a player who could turn into a whiz at Stamford Bridge. The annoying uncertainty at whatever point allies have discussions about Pulisic rapidly raise his disturbing physical issue record.

It is reasonable to call attention to that Pulisic isn't the lone aggressor who has question marks over his wellness. Ziyech's latest physical issue adds to a cracked beginning to live in London for the Moroccan, and Callum Hudson-Odoi also has experienced striking misfortunes which have been all around reported.

Given Pulisic's more modest body and style, he is a casualty to more actual tests inside a game. Against Porto in the Champions League Quarter-Final second leg, the American was fouled multiple times, which was the most recorded in a solitary Champions League match since Lionel Messi in 2011.

Pulisic has gone through the majority of his time on earth being the littlest player on the pitch as from his most punctual football years he would play with kids two years more established in his old neighborhood of Hershey, Pennsylvania. Eden Hazard came in for comparable therapy yet figured out how to add some muscle to his physical make-up is ready to adapt to the power of Premier League football rivalry.

"Remaining solid is unquestionably a major objective of mine. Furthermore, attempting to be accessible however much I can to keep on aiding my group and have a major effect. We have such countless games that you will get your time, so it's just about capitalizing on your odds."

It isn't just about forestalling injury for Pulisic this season. His structure has been unpredictable and for each splendid presentation against Palace or Real Madrid, he disappoints against Aston Villa or Villarreal. There is a disappointment among certain allies Pulisic can show up too individualistic on the pitch as he endeavors to take on an excessive number of rivals, just to lose ownership inefficiently.

Great groups need players that inspire tumult in the last third and Pulisic at his best falls into this classification. There is all the more calibrating to accomplish for Tuchel to make him into a more predictable danger like Mason Mount has become.

Tuchel was heard upbraiding his No.10 from the sidelines on Saturday in the principal half as Pulisic neglected to take on an adversary whenever the chance was there to do as such. Pulisic can engrave his imprint in this Chelsea group and Saturday's objective will ideally give the right springboard to a season that returns him to the statures he accomplished during his first year.

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England. League Cup - Results, fixtures, tables and news on

Efl cup league table - EFL Cup - Wikipedia

As far as qualification goes, though, all you need to do is be one of the 92 teams that makes up the Football League and Premier League. The League Cup is organised in such efl cup league table way that the third round involves just 32 teams from the 92 that entered it at the start. This can be slightly tricky to sort out, with byes to the third round of the competition being given to any team that is involved in European competition at the start of the season.

That is normally the top four teams that have qualified for the Champions League and the fifth placed team that goes into the Europa League, as well as the winners of the FA Efl cup league table and the League Cup that also qualify for the Europa League.

EFL Cup (Carabao Cup) Stadiums & Stats

The see this arise when the teams that win the FA Cup and League Cup have also already qualified for European competition through their league position. In this case the extra European place goes not to the losing team from leaguw cup finals but instead to the next position down in the league. It means that there can be anywhere from seven to nine teams involved in European competition that get byes to the third round of the League Cup.

The first round involves 72 teams leauge the bottom three tiers of the Visit League. They all play each other at random thanks to a draw that decides which team will play the tie at home.

They are all one-legged affairs and it is a standard knockout competition, meaning that 36 teams progress to the second round. At that stage any Premier League teams not involved in Europe enter the cup, though obviously it needs to be an even amount of teams heading tqble to the efp efl cup league table. Are fans disillusioned with FIFA scores cul days and forget efl cup league table the Premier League is the best league in the world?

Questions lsague social media include Pedro versus Willian, is Cesc playing like Lampard, why is John Terry learning Efl cup league table, and what efl cup league table our starting eleven players be if we could only choose 3 senior team players? The big efl cup league table question will of course be whether or not Cesc Fabregas starts again….

What EFL Cup? The following year, Nottingham Forest won the first of two consecutive titles, the first time that any club won back-to-back League Cup titles. The first took a replay at Old Trafford to beat Liverpooland they beat Southampton 3—2 to win the second. Liverpool won four consecutive titles between andthe most consecutive League Cup titles won by any club. Nottingham Forest won efl cup league table more consecutive titles in and The last League Cup final replay was held in ; Leicester City beat Middlesbrough 1—0 after extra time at Hillsborough, after the two clubs had played out a 1—1 draw efl cup league table Wembley.

The rules were changed afterwards with a penalty shootout incorporated instead of replays. The final returned to London inwhere Tottenham Hotspur became the first side to win the competition at the new Fable, beating Chelsea 2—1 after extra time. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Further information: EFL Cup. Rable League Cup. Tue Dec 22, Wed Dec 23, Stoke City. Fourth Round. Tavle Sep 29, Wed Sep 30, Newport County. West Ham. Thu Oct 1, Aston Villa.

Third Round. Tue Sep 22, West Brom.

England. League Cup

Hull City. Wed Sep 23, Sheff Wed. Gillingham FC. Barnsley FC. Giant killings are less well remembered in the League Cup than the FA Cup due to the absence of non-league sides and the fact that many big clubs have fielded very under-strength sides when knocked out.

In —96Manchester United were beaten 3—0 at home by York City in the second efl cup league table, first leg; United could only win 3—1 in the second leg and went out 4—3 on aggregate York went on to repeat the achievement against Everton the following year. Two years later in —69Third Division side Swindon Town beat Arsenal 3—1 after extra time in the final to win the trophy.

Manchester United have also been knocked out by Southend United and Coventry City in —07 efl cup league table —08 respectively: in the match against Southend they fielded a strong side with 10 internationals, bucking a trend they had themselves started during the s. In —02, holders Liverpool were defeated 2—1 at home by struggling Division One side Grimsby Townthen humbled again by Northampton Townone of the lowest placed teams in League Two, in Efl cup league table Grimsby recorded another giant killing four years later by knocking out Tottenham Hotspurby which time the club had dropped into the fourth tier.

In the —13 competition, League Two fourth tier side Bradford City eliminated three Premier League sides from the competition, becoming the lowest-ranked team to do so since Rochdale in — However, their luck finally ran out in the final, where they were beaten by Swansea City. In their centenary year, Swansea became the first team from outside England to win the League Cup on 24 Februarywhen they beat Bradford City 5—0 to win their first major English trophy.

Former League club and now defunct Scarborough defeated Chelsea 4—3 on aggregate in Octoberwhile a Fourth Division club. In —93Scarborough then defeated Coventry City then a top-tier side 3—2 on aggregate, before efl cup league table going out of the competition, narrowly, 1—0, against Arsenal.

The League Cup is open to all efl cup league table members of the Premier League and English Football League and is divided into seven rounds, organised so that 32 teams remain by the third round with the exception of the —62 competition.

Matches in all rounds are single-legged, except for the semi-finals, which have been two-legged since the competition began. Until —75two-legged efl cup league table that remained level after extra time in the second leg would be replayed; in that source, three ties reached a third replay.

For the first six seasons of the Football League Cup, the final was played over two legs, with each leg being played at the home ground of each finalist. Sincethe final has been played as a single match at Wembley Stadiumalthough the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff was used between andfollowing the demolition of the old Wembley.

Between andfinals that finished level after extra time were replayed at an alternative venue until a winner was decided. Sincefinals that have finished level after extra time have been decided by penalty shoot-out. Thereafter it has been played in late February or early March. From to the present except in —17the League Cup has efl cup league table title sponsorship, which meant, unlike its older sibling the FA Cupthe League Cup was named after its sponsorgiving efl cup league table the following names:.

The winners receive the EFL Cup, [1] of which there have been three designs — the current one also being the original, a three-handled Georgian-style urn with a efl cup league table plinth added later.

In the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, 15 matches will be broadcast live by Sky Sports through [31] with highlights from the several matches on Quest through As of [update] :. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Knockout competition in English association football. Archived from the original on 14 March Retrieved 28 February SB Nation.

Vox Media. Retrieved 17 July Efl cup league table League, How are television revenues distributed to Premier League clubs?

[diaspora9ja]

Premier League managers could ask for reintroduction of five substitutes

Manchester Metropolis boss Pep Guardiola (proper) and Liverpool supervisor Jurgen Klopp (left) are each in favour of 5 substitutes

Disgruntled Premier League managers may ask for the return of the 5 substitutes rule this season, regardless of the idea twice being rejected.

A rising variety of managers usually are not completely happy they will solely make three substitutions in 2020-21, after being allowed 5 when final season resumed.

The Premier League is the one main competitors to return to 3.

Some main managers consider the present substitution restrict is contributing to harm issues.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and Manchester Metropolis counterpart Pep Guardiola have each mentioned the choice is partly answerable for a spate of muscular accidents throughout the highest flight.

BBC Sport understands the matter has been put to the 20 golf equipment twice – and on neither event did the proposal get the minimal requirement of 14 golf equipment to assist it. On the final event, 11 golf equipment had been in favour.

West Ham boss David Moyes mentioned on Friday he had modified his thoughts after initially backing the return to 3 substitutes.

Nevertheless, Aston Villa supervisor Dean Smith believes the Premier League ought to follow permitting using three substitutes.

Talking to BBC Radio 5 Reside after his aspect’s 3-0 win at Arsenal on Sunday, Smith mentioned: “I solely made one change within the 88th minute. The depth was there from our gamers.

“We have not obtained the largest squad on the planet and now we have to handle our gamers.

“I can sympathise with the groups which are in Europe however there are some huge squads on the market.

“I made my emotions identified from the off that I assumed they had been proper to stick with the three subs rule and now now we have we began with it, we should always definitely proceed with it.”

Golf equipment have the facility to deliver motions ahead for a vote. Nevertheless, it’s unlikely any membership would pursue that except they had been sure of adjusting the present scenario.

It’s understood Klopp specifically feels Premier League chief govt Richard Masters ought to have taken the lead in driving a return to 5 substitutes, moderately than leaving it to the golf equipment, who’ve subsequently been accused of making an attempt to usher in a regulation that advantages them.

One other reason behind angst over the weekend was scheduling of fixtures.

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was livid at his staff being chosen to play within the Saturday lunchtime slot at Everton, having solely returned from a Champions League recreation in Turkey on Thursday morning.

Equally, Tottenham had a 12:00 GMT kick-off at West Brom on Sunday after a late Thursday Europa League tie in Bulgaria towards Ludogorets.

Such points are nothing new for Premier League bosses and stem from a league ruling that golf equipment ought to have two free days between matches – however as soon as they’ve been afforded, broadcasters can select no matter time they need for particular person matches to be performed.

Within the case of Manchester United, BT Sport have the Saturday lunchtime slot and chosen their fixture at Everton.

For Tottenham – who performed 4 video games in eight days throughout one week in September as they juggled the calls for of three competitions – it seems they got a lunchtime slot on Sunday as a result of their recreation at West Brom didn’t have the identical potential viewers because the match between Arsenal and Aston Villa, which began at 19:00 GMT.

Each of these matches had been proven on Sky Field Workplace.

The Skilled Footballers’ Affiliation, the gamers’ union, says it will be in assist of a re-vote on the five-substitutes rule, having written to the Premier League in August voicing considerations for participant welfare across the shortened break between seasons and the compressed 2020-21 marketing campaign.

‘They’re appearing like spoilt children’

Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton was adamant {that a} return to 5 subs wouldn’t be good for the sport and would solely favour the wealthier golf equipment.

“They’re all distinctive managers however they’re appearing like spoilt children,” he instructed BBC Radio 5 Reside’s Monday Evening Membership.

“They’re crucial of the TV firms but it surely’s okay once they’re handed out the cash to spend on big wages and large switch charges.

“They must get on with it. They’ve the squad energy and depth to cope with it.

“That is elitism from the massive golf equipment. The essential factor about sport is competitors and if we return to 5 subs it would profit the strongest golf equipment.

“The nation is in lockdown, persons are shedding their jobs. It is a dangerous search for soccer, moaning about gamers being a bit bit fatigued.”

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[holteendheroes]

Anwar El Ghazi: Aston Villa winger says he cannot help but watch relegation rivals’ games

Anwar El Ghazi says he has been following the ‘crazy’ Premier League relegation battle as Aston Villa scrap for survival against West Ham, Bournemouth and Watford.

Just four points separate Aston Villa in 19th and West Ham in 16th following Bournemouth’s loss 2-1 to Manchester City on Wednesday.

Smith: Palace win has given us the belief

Live on Sky: Everton vs Aston Villa

El Ghazi revealed how his heart sunk when his father messaged him to reveal Bournemouth had beaten Champions League-chasing Leicester 4-1 last week, while he was at a team debriefing meeting.

“Yeah definitely, absolutely [my heart sunk] when I saw the end result. I got a text message, I wasn’t watching the game, we were in the hotel. My father messaged me and he was swearing, saying how unbelievable football is.

“He said Leicester lost the game against Bournemouth 4-1 and I was like ‘is he serious?’. It’s crazy, football is crazy. It will be really tough until the last game.

Everton vs A Villa

July 16, 2020, 5:30pm

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Villa had been without a win since the restart, but ended that streak with a 2-0 triumph over Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Focus shifts to Thursday’s trip to Everton, but El Ghazi says he will still also be keeping an eye on Villa’s relegation rivals.

“We won the game against Crystal Palace and we are looking forward to Everton now, three more finals to go,” El Gazhi added.

“To be honest I am doing that, maybe because I am a football freak, but I definitely look at who other teams are playing. I understand the coach as well because at the end of the day we control only our own performances.

“But of course we are going to check who is playing West Ham, Watford and Bournemouth.”

0:33

Aston Villa manager Dean Smith says his players can handle the pressure and beat relegation from the Premier League.

Aston Villa manager Dean Smith says his players can handle the pressure and beat relegation from the Premier League.

Smith: Lack of home advantage hurt us

Watch all 11 Sky Sports channels for just £18 a month

Premier League table | Fixtures | Live on Sky

Villa travel to Goodison Park to face Everton on Thursday, live on Sky Sports, but manager Dean Smith says the Toffees will not get the benefit of home advantage without their fans – a reality which has on balance hurt Aston Villa who had six home games left after the restart.

Smith said: “[Playing behind closed doors] has been a leveller for any team, the home advantage has disappeared with not having the supporters there. We felt it certainly and I am sure Everton [and other clubs] would say they have felt they have lost that advantage.

“It’s disappointing because we had six of our 10 games at Villa Park which could have been a big advantage for us.”

Another Five for City?

Do not miss your chance to land the £250,000 jackpot for a sixth time this season on Wednesday. Play for free, entries by 5pm.

————————

Title: Anwar El Ghazi: Aston Villa winger says he cannot help but watch relegation rivals’ games Sourced From: www.skysports.com/football/news/11677/12029291/anwar-el-ghazi-aston-villa-winger-says-he-cannot-help-but-watch-relegation-rivals-games Published Date: Thu, 16 Jul 2020 07:00:00 BST

The post Anwar El Ghazi: Aston Villa winger says he cannot help but watch relegation rivals’ games appeared first on Holte End Heroes.

[thisdaynews]

Build-up to Leicester v Chelsea & Saturday's Premier League action

New Post has been published on https://thebiafrastar.com/build-up-to-leicester-v-chelsea-saturdays-premier-league-action/

Build-up to Leicester v Chelsea & Saturday's Premier League action

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Live Reporting

By Neil Johnston

All times stated are UK

Posted at 12:0812:08

Leicester hangover?

Leicester v Chelsea (12:30 GMT)

Martin Fisher

MOTD commentator at the King Power Stadium

It is third versus fourth and, although both sides have been inconsistent recently in the Premier League, they remain firmly on course for a top-four finish and Champions League football next season.

Leicester suffered a major blow on Tuesday with the late defeat at Aston Villa denying them their first cup final in 20 years. Brendan Rodgers will be hoping there’s no hangover against a Chelsea side that boasts a terrific record at the King Power Stadium.

Frank Lampard’s men may have dropped soft away points since the turn of the year but overall they are still more productive on the road than at Stamford Bridge.

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Paul Malecki:I see Kepa is on the bench. Can we get the odds on him refusing not to start and seeing him stood between the sticks come kick off?

Posted at 12:0312:03

‘I trust in Willy’

Leicester v Chelsea (12:30 GMT)

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard:“We know Leicester are a good side it hasn’t gone amiss on us. They are a very good team, we played them earlier in the season and we saw that, so we’ll need to be really competitive.”

On leaving Kepa Arrizabalaga out:“It’s a decision I make. With keeper you don’t take those ones lightly. They train together, they are are close and it’s one I thought I’d make for this game. I trust in Willy, he’s very professional.”

On Tammy Abraham:“Sometimes you have to play with a bit of pain. He’s not got a muscle injury you hope he can deal with it. We wanted to get him on the pitch and he’s trained the last two days.”

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

Posted at 11:5911:59

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#bbcfootball or text 81111 (UK only)

Chris Roades:re Chris in Aylesbury (11:18), and the suggestion that Ighalo will “work his socks off” ask any Watford supporter about that, and they’ll tell you Ighalo was one of the laziest players they’ve had and couldn’t wait to offload him.

SMS Message: Fans berating Frank’s treatment of Giroud have no clue what goes on behind the scenes in training. Yes he may be the consummate professional, but if he’s not offering what Frank wants in training, how can you expect Oli to start? Frank is the manager for a reason, fans need to trust in the process instead of treating it like a game of FIFA. from Shivam Shah

Fans berating Frank’s treatment of Giroud have no clue what goes on behind the scenes in training. Yes he may be the consummate professional, but if he’s not offering what Frank wants in training, how can you expect Oli to start? Frank is the manager for a reason, fans need to trust in the process instead of treating it like a game of FIFA.

Posted at 11:5711:57

Rodgers on Ndidi’s late withdrawal

Leicester v Chelsea (12:30 GMT)

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers:“It’s part of the journey [losing to Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup], you hope to get to finals and when you don’t it is a sore one. But you have to take it and use it to move forward.

“I’ve got a great group, who are very honest and within a couple of days they were back on it. With 14 games to go it’s about getting as many points as we can.”

On Wilfred Ndidi’s late withdrawal:“He’s felt a pain in his knee, he recently had an operation but was alright against Villa.

“We had him in to play but it’s become very sore. Rather than him go out in the warm-up we thought we’d leave it. We don’t want any long term problems.”

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

Posted at 11:5211:52

Post update

Leicester v Chelsea (12:30 GMT)

Jonny Evans and Kasper Schmiechel have started all 25 of Leicester’s league games this season. If/when the Foxes qualify for the Champions League, these two deserve big praise.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

Posted at 11:4811:48

Team news

Leicester v Chelsea (12:30 GMT)

BBC SportCopyright: BBC Sport

Leicester Cityboss Brendan Rodgers makes one change to the side that thrashed West Ham 4-1 in their last Premier League match.

Nampalys Mendy remains out so Hamza Choudhury starts in midfield after Wilfred Ndidi was removed from the starting XI late on, due to a sore knee. Ndidi had been set to make his first league start since 1 January.

Leicester City XI:Schmeichel, Pereira, Evans, Soyuncu, Chilwell, Choudhury, Tielemans, Maddison, Barnes, Perez, Vardy

Subs:Ward, Justin, Albrighton, Iheanacho, Gray, Praet, Fuchs

BBC SportCopyright: BBC Sport

Chelseamanager Frank Lampard makes four changes to the side that started the 2-2 draw at home to Arsenal in their last Premier League outing.

Tammy Abraham, who suffered an ankle injury against the Gunners, is fit to start but Willy Caballero replaces Kepa Arrizabalaga in goal. Pedro, Mason Mount and Reece James also start in place of Emerson, Mateo Kovacic and Willian.

Chelsea XI:Caballero, James, Rudiger, Christensen, Azpilicueta, Jorginho, Kante, Mount, Abraham, Pedro, Hudson-Odoi

Subs:Arrizabalaga, Alonso, Barkley, Willian, Kovacic, Batshuayi, Tomori

Posted at 11:4611:46

Get Involved

#bbcfootball or text 81111 (UK only)

John Southworth:For a player who wanted to play no matter what, I am dissapointed in how Olivier Giroud has been handled by Frank. Refuse a move and then not even on the bench. He has been so professional as well.

Tor Noppharat:I get how Caballero got the nod. But I don’t get why Giroud didn’t even get a look in. He might not be that fast but I’m sure he offers another quality for our attack.

Posted at 11:4411:44

What now for Giroud?

Leicester v Chelsea (12:30 GMT)

Video content

Video caption: Frank Lampard plays deadline day ‘Deal or no deal’ with reporterFrank Lampard plays deadline day ‘Deal or no deal’ with reporter

What now for Olivier Giroud?

Chelsea’s France World Cup winner was heavily linked with a move to Tottenham during the January window.

But Blues boss Frank Lampard did not want to let Giroud, 33, go unless he could bring in a like-for-like replacement for the forward.

Transfer deadline day came and went – with Giroud staying where he is.

He has made just two Premier League starts this season – his last on 30 November – and does not even make the substitutes bench today.

Posted at 11:4211:42

‘You have to fight to get your form back’

Leicester v Chelsea (12:30 GMT)

Prior to Chelsea’s FA Cup win at Hull last week, Frank Lampard was specifically asked about Kepa Arrizabalaga’s form and criticism that the keeper has taken recently.

Here’s what he had to say: “He’ll have to deal with that because that’s what football is.

“Every player, no matter how good or great you are in your career, even the best get criticism and that’s what players have to deal with.

“Goalkeepers may have slightly more of a spotlight on them but it’s a similar thing really. The important thing is not get too embroiled in what the outside world is saying and just look at your own game, look at yourself, how hard can you work – those are always the basics. This is not just Kepa, it’s any player. If you’re lacking form, you have to fight to get it back.”

PA MediaCopyright: PA Media

Posted at 11:3811:38

Post update

Leicester v Chelsea (12:30 GMT)

It’s all about trying to seal a place in next season’s Champions League in the early kick-off. Leicester, who reached the quarter-finals last time they were in it, have a great chance of joining Europe’s elite. Brendan Rodgers’ side are 14 points clear of fifth-placed Manchester United with 14 games left.

PA MediaCopyright: PA Media

Posted at 11:3411:34

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SMS Message: Why did Chelsea fight so hard to get the transfer ban reviewed and then not sign anyone. We obviously need another striker, left back, and a defensive (and attacking!!) coach for dead balls from Tony, Buckingham

Why did Chelsea fight so hard to get the transfer ban reviewed and then not sign anyone. We obviously need another striker, left back, and a defensive (and attacking!!) coach for dead balls

SMS Message: For all those disappointed Prem team supporters you should be glad you are not supporting Preston. We are a striker away from a possible playoff place. Get a windfall from Bristol City and do nothing with it. from Anonymous (please put your names on your texts!)

For all those disappointed Prem team supporters you should be glad you are not supporting Preston. We are a striker away from a possible playoff place. Get a windfall from Bristol City and do nothing with it.

Posted at 11:3411:34

Kepa not injured

Leicester v Chelsea (12:30 GMT)

Chelsea

Frank Lampard has just told BT Sport that Kepa Arrizabalaga is not injured.

“It’s a decision I have not taken lightly,” the Chelsea boss adds. “I trust in Willy Caballero, I trust in both keepers.”

Posted at 11:3011:30

BreakingCaballero starts – Kepa on the bench

Leicester v Chelsea (12:30 GMT)

Massive call from Frank Lampard! Willy Caballero starts in goal for Chelsea with Kepa Arrizabalaga on the bench. It’s Caballero’s first Premier League start since keeping a clean sheet away to Leicester on 12 May last season. Full team news from the King Power coming up.

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

Posted at 11:2811:28

Winter break explained

Video content

Video caption: The Premier League winter break explainedThe Premier League winter break explained

As mentioned earlier, the Premier League’s inaugural winter break starts after this weekend.

Here, BBC Sport explains how it will work.

The schedule, agreed in June 2018 between the Football Association, the Premier League and EFL, sees each teams get a weekend off in February 2020.

Posted at 11:2511:25

5 Live commentary from Anfield

BBC Radio 5 Live

BBC Radio 5 Live will have full commentary of Liverpool’s game with Southampton at Anfield from 15:00 – in addition to updates from all of the day’s other seven top-flight matches.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

Posted at 11:2111:21

Hand the trophy to Liverpool now?

Liverpool v Southampton (15:00 GMT)

For Liverpool to mess up the title from here, they have to lose seven games this season. They have not lost seven games in their last 100 in the Premier League.

Posted at 11:1811:18

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Chris Wilkinson:Jarrod Bowen – what a signing. West Ham have just guaranteed their Premier League status. It’s a player of his quality and talent which will be the difference between staying up and getting relegated. He will provide spark, goals and assists.

SMS Message: I’m genuinely more excited about Ighalo than Fernandes. Ighalo is going to play his socks off for Utd and could be the cleverest piece of business in the whole window. from Chris, Aylesbury

I’m genuinely more excited about Ighalo than Fernandes. Ighalo is going to play his socks off for Utd and could be the cleverest piece of business in the whole window.

Posted at 11:1411:14

Big day at the bottom

.Copyright: .

They might as well get it out of the way and hand the trophy toLiverpoolbefore their game withSouthampton, right?

Manchester Cityare not in action until Sunday when they are in London to faceTottenham(16:30).

.Copyright: .

It’s a massive day at the bottom where two points separate 15th from 19th.

Four of the bottom six face one another – 18th-placedBournemouthhostAston Villa,who start the day in 16th, while 17th-placedWest Hamare at home toBrighton,who are 15th.

Will reaching the Carabao Cup final galvanise Villa?

Posted at 11:1211:12

‘Quite a good signing’

Rory Smith

Chief Soccer Correspondent for The New York Times

Manchester United’s transfer strategy is nuts and the club’s badly organised and it needs major restructuring to be even vaguely modern but I think Odion Ighalo’s quite a good signing as cover, on loan.

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[mastcomm]

Harry Maguire “honoured” to be named Manchester United club captain – and explains what he will bring to the role

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer chose Maguire as Young’s replacement after the former Aston Villa man joined Inter earlier this week.

The centre-back has worn the armband on several occasions this season but says it is an “honour” to be handed the role on a full-time basis.

“It’s a really proud moment for myself and I’m really honoured to be captain of this great club. I’ve worn the armband previous but to be named captain is really special,” he told Sky Sports ahead of United‘s crunch clash with Liverpool on Sunday.

“He [Solskjaer] pulled me to one side and told me that if Ashley leaves, I’d be appointed as the next captain.

“He wished me well and told me to keep doing what I’m doing. I was really proud, it’s such an honour to play for this club, let alone captain it.

“It’s fairly new because I’ve never actually been appointed club captain, but I’ve had some great captains in my time. Michael Dawson at Hull, Wes Morgan at Leicester and then Youngy here. I’ve learnt from some great people who do stuff well off the pitch.”

“Leading by example and being responsible for your team’s actions on and off the pitch,” Maguire added when asked what it takes to be a successful skipper.

“I’ve had some great captains to look to and learn from and hopefully I can take that and bring it to the club here.

“I’ve been here for five or six months now but it shows great trust from the manager and great confidence in my ability to lead the boys on and off the pitch and I have confidence in the ability to be a success.

“First and foremost, you’ve got to go onto the pitch and lead by example. Then you have responsibilities off the pitch and in the dressing room. As I’ve got older with more experience, I’ve developed more speaking in my game whereas when I was a young boy, I was quite quiet.

“I always looked up to the experienced boys there and seeing how they handled themselves and it’s something I’ve improved as I’ve got older.”

READ MORE

Jesse Lingard: From big game player to Manchester United outcast

Adding another round of Champions League games is yet another pressure players can’t manage

Shkodran Mustafi’s criticism comments show that we must start treating footballers differently

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[liverpooltickets]

Premier League: Liverpool are masters of double jeopardy because Jurgen Klopp has built a unique scoring system

Liverpool has become one of the greatest teams of all-time because every player in the system is capable of creating a goal-scoring opportunity. You can buy Premier League Tickets from our website, around the world to enjoy its terrific performances.

In December 2017, Liverpool faced Everton in the Premier League. Sam Allardyce was in charge of the Blues and he arrived at Anfield with a very basic but calculated tactical plan that was constructed to frustrate the home side. Everton formed a low block on the edge of their own penalty box and clogged the space in and around the likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané.

The emphasis was consequently placed on Liverpool's deeper players, such as Dejan Lovren, Ragnar Kalvin, Jordan Henderson, and James Milner, to create and forge openings. Allardyce managed to depart with a point having secured a 1-1 draw and just three days later, an identical scenario was presented to Jürgen Klopp and his players.

Alan Pardew made the trip to Merseyside with his West Brom side and again, he opted to highlight the limitations of Liverpool's deeper figures by occupying Roberto Firmino, Phillipe Coutinho and their attacking colleagues, while affording plenty of space to those in midfield and defense. The match ended 0-0 with the Reds having endured another finely balanced contest that the team really should have dominated.

Liverpool is top of the Premier League

Three years later, Liverpool is top of the Premier League having won 21 from a possible 22 matches. The world champions are yet to taste defeat and haven't lost to a team outside the traditional top six since facing Swansea 724 days ago.

There are various intricacies involved with how Klopp's side have improved in possession, but perhaps the most obvious has been by simply targeting players in every area of the pitch who are offensively dangerous in comparison to their peers. The concept is often overlooked but once analyzing the favored eleven that the Liverpool boss tends to select, every single player has valuable offensive traits that can be applied to solve problems on the pitch.

Alisson Becker is a goalkeeper, but he was bought too far more than keeping the ball out of the net for the Reds. His competence in possession renders him a very thing indeed; a goalkeeper who is capable of creating regular goal scoring opportunities. The Brazilian's distribution is mostly unrivaled, and the aggressive sweeping that he executes outside his penalty box permits Liverpool to press high up the field with the assurance that any lofted pass over the top will be controlled and dealt with by the number one behind them.

Virgil van Dijk

Virgil van Dijk is a central defender but again, he is remarkably useful in an attacking sense compared to other top-level center-backs contracted to rival clubs.

The Dutchman is a major threat from set-pieces due to his aerial prowess and 6-foot-4 frame, scoring ten goals since moving from Southampton in all club competitions, including decisive ones against Bayern Munich, Wolves and Brighton. The number four has also created plenty for others despite commonly being deployed as the team's deepest outfielder. His long passes, whether they are hit diagonally or straight over opposing defenses, often result in scoring chances materializing.

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson are both unique in how they are able to influence proceedings in the final third. The former broke the Premier League record last season for most assists registered by a defender, and the latter was just one behind. The two full-backs are renowned for how they attack, with cross-field passes being made between the pair despite the duo operating on opposite flanks.

Alexander-Arnold wasn't technically transferred from another club, as he rose through the academy ranks before establishing himself in Klopp's first-team. Having played predominantly as a midfielder in his youth career, though, he has been able to interpret the role of full-back differently to any other in Europe, with an example of his passing network against Aston Villa capturing his impact below. Klopp took the technical traits Alexander-Arnold demonstrated in the center of the pitch and shifted them wide to give his team another player who can create an opportunity at any given moment, a huge upgrade on the dependable but relatively blunt Nathaniel Clyne.

Fabinho and Naby Keita

Fabinho and Naby Keita both arrived in the same summer and although both personify the aggressive and industrious qualities of Klopp's brand of football, the two also pose a threat in possession. The Brazilian has been described as a 'lighthouse' by Pep Lijnders because of his ability to perform with a cool head amongst the 'organized chaos' at Anfield. He also found the net against Manchester City in November from around 30 yards out, which further evidences his capacity to be a danger on the ball despite his defensive tag.

Keita was deemed as unique when Liverpool secured his services. The Guinean had shown up as a stand-out candidate to the club's recruitment team behind the scenes because of his efficiency without the ball as well as his attacking attributes in possession. The 24-year-old is yet to showcase his true level for an extended period on Merseyside, but whenever he does take to the field, he's yet another threat that the opposition has to somehow control.

The Reds have become the masters of double jeopardy. If opponents manage to handle one problem thrown at them by Liverpool, then another is guaranteed to emerge elsewhere immediately afterward, and that is because the Klopp and his recruitment team have invested in players that are dangerous in every single position on the pitch.

Football fanatics can buy Liverpool Tickets through our online ticketing-market. Ticket4football.com is the most reliable source to book Liverpool Football Tickets.

[junker-town]

Tactically Naive: So long Niko Kovac, you were fine and that just won’t do

Tactically Naive is back after a two month hiatus! This week: Good bye Niko Kovac, what’s left of the EPL season, and how to appreciate a goal from the halfway line.

Hello, and welcome to SB Nation’s soccer column, Tactically Naive. We’re back after a two-month hiatus. *trumpets, ticker-tape, fireworks* Hope you’ve all been well.

Godspeed, Niko Kovac. And thank you.

Kovac’s time in the FC Bayern Munich dugout, which ended this weekend after a 5-1 loss to his former club Eintracht Frankfurt, has always been something of a comfort to Tactically Naive. It wasn’t inspirational, as most sport stories have to be. Nor was it a disaster. It was just: acceptably fine.

And we all need a bit of acceptably fine in our lives. Take the classic Disney sports movie formula, but then invert it halfway through: the (kind of) unexpected (sort of) underdog gets the shot at the big time, and then — Surprise! Ah hah! Oooh! — nothing spectacular happens.

Kovac got the job basically by accident, after Bayern spent so long trying to persuade Jupp Heynckes to stay that every other option found something better to do. Then he kept the job for a season and change not because his team were particularly good, but because they were never consistently bad enough not to win the title.

A very good squad continued to get pretty decent results, with the occasional slip-up. Nobody got too attached or invested. Time passed. Nobody learned anything particularly profound or grew in any significant way. There were fun bits and not-so-fun bits. Nobody did anything too silly. Then things wound down at about the right moment. We’re all a little older.

You can see why FC Hollywood might not be into that sort of thing. This isn’t FC Mumblecore. The point of Bayern Munich is to strut around the Bundesliga and the Champions League hitting peasants around the head with an ivory-handled walking cane, and it’s hard to strut when your manager looks just happy to be there. Bayern need re-energising and re-organising, but they also need re-arrogantising, and no, they don’t have to care that “re-arrogantising” isn’t a word.

So Kovac had to go. For a start, he’d never use the word “re-arrogantising”; for an end, he’d certainly never be part of it. But Tactically Naive salutes him for his radically naturalistic interpretation of the role of Big Club Manager. Hopefully the Oscars take heed.

The Premier League is over! Almost.

It was a strange weekend in the Premier League. A lot of the individual results were quite interesting, but the picture at the top of the table is congealing fast.

Liverpool’s late winner at Aston Villa kept the gap to Manchester City at six points, and more importantly kept the THIS IS IT, WE’VE GOT THIS, FINALLY, HERE WE GO, IT IS INEVITABLE, BIG JURGEN COMING THROUGH, THIS YEAR IS OUR YEAR feeling humming along at 1 million percent. Perhaps the long process of summoning a title challenge into being through sheer desperation is finally approaching a close.

Meanwhile wins for Leicester and Chelsea, and a draw for Arsenal, extended the gap between fourth and fifth out to another six points. That gap looks even bigger than the one at the top, because Arsenal are bad and every team below Arsenal is worse.

There is, of course, still room for chaos. Manchester City go to Anfield next Sunday in what experts are calling an “all-the-pointser.” If City win, Liverpool go into their chaotically busy winter with the hot breath of the champions on their neck. It’ll follow them to Qatar, to the Club World Championship. It’ll follow them back again. It’ll follow them everywhere. (A Liverpool win and the season world is over, obviously.)

Equally, Leicester’s and Chelsea’s smooth starts could stutter, or Arsenal could fire Unai Emery into the sun and appoint Brendan Rodgers or Frank Lampard, or Manchester United could [message lost]. All sorts of things could happen. You could fall off the chair that you’re sitting on right now …

… careful.

But that top four feels right, on the basis of what has happened and what seems likely to happen. Particularly if the other notional big teams start making changes or rebuilding towards next season. Ditching Emery might send Arsenal rocketing back up the table, but more likely it would mean half a season of working things out for next time around. Of trying to persuade Aubameyang and Lacazette to stay. And maybe a tilt at the Europa League if they haven’t accidentally fallen out of it by then.

Look, we’re not going to say definitively that the Premier League needs a City win next week. But on the off chance Liverpool do take all three points, then Tactically Naive will be getting right into the relegation battle. Time to start cooking up some Watford takes, just in case.

Two goals from the halfway line? Two?!

Let us consider the goal from the halfway line. Of all the various forms of Great Goal, it is perhaps the easiest to dismiss. Flowing team moves, thumping drives, flying volleys, mazy dribbles … all have something unstoppable about them. But the goal from halfway always has a strong air of goalkeeping negligence; a sense of a door left unlocked.

Oh no, whatever could we have done?

You could have stood 10 yards to your left, mate.

But perhaps this is unfair. Perhaps much of the unstoppability is hidden from view. The reason they don’t happen all the time is twofold: one, it’s quite hard to actually kick the ball into the goal from that distance, and two, there’s rarely a good moment. Keepers are usually standing where they’re supposed to stand, or close enough. Who even checks?

The genius, then, lies not just in the execution but in the realisation that there is, in this moment, something to be executed. It’s not a door that’s being left open but a tiny window, way up high, that nobody even really knew was there. Just a crack. But just enough.

At least, that’s what Tactically Naive thought before we saw the video below, in which Montedio Yamagata’s Shun Nakamura and Tatushiro Sakamoto score two such goals in 90 seconds. Now we’re back to blaming the keepers. What the hell.

[gadgetsrevv]

Man United’s Europa League travel is bad but Arsenal and Wolves will be happy

The Europa League group-stage draw is done, but what are the main storylines?

What are Man United’s prospects in Group L?

It will be a trip into the unknown for United, who will become the first English side to face Kazakh champions FC Astana. As well as a nine-hour combination of flights for fans, the trip will require mastery of an artificial pitch and an opponent that, while they should be beaten comfortably at Old Trafford, have a formidable European record at home. Astana have won nine of their last 11 Europa League games at Astana Arena and disposed easily of Rennes, who ran Arsenal close in the knockout stages, last season.

– Full Europa League draw

That will make a trip to Partizan Belgrade seem small fry but the atmosphere inside Partizan Stadium will be predictably hostile. United should have few problems in either tie against the Serbian runners-up if their youngsters — upon whom Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will probably rely significantly in this competition — can handle the occasion. They will meet their old boy, Zoran Tosic.

At least AZ Alkmaar makes for a much quicker trip. The 1981 UEFA Cup runners-up — who lost to Ipswich Town that year — and Europa League quarterfinalists as recently as 2014 should not pose too many problems, but boast familiar names in ex-Southampton midfielder Jordy Clasie and the former Aston Villa centre-back Ron Vlaar.

Prediction: Manchester United to win the group, with Astana scraping through behind them.

Man United won’t enjoy a long flight.

What are Arsenal’s prospects in Group F?

First and foremost, Unai Emery will be relieved at the lack of air miles required to face Eintracht Frankfurt, Standard Liege and Vitoria. None of Arsenal’s opponents are more than two hours away and, while they could certainly have drawn an easier group, the Gunners should be confident of going through.

Eintracht will probably progress with them and will stage a fierce battle for top spot, even if last season’s semifinalists lost their star forwards Luka Jovic and Sebastien Haller over the summer. They ran Chelsea within inches of a place in the final and their vocal support, both at home and away, should create atmospheres to savour.

– ESPN Premier League fantasy: Sign up now! – All Premier League summer transfers – When does the transfer window close?

Both clubs will need to be wary of Standard Liege, who finished third in Belgium’s top flight last season and are well managed by Michel Preud’homme. Arsenal defeated them twice in the 2009-10 Champions League and, back in 1993-94, overcame them 10-0 on aggregate in the Cup Winners’ Cup.

The Belgian side can call upon Alen Halilovic, the one-time Barcelona wonderkid who is now on loan from AC Milan, and will be particularly dangerous at home. Portuguese side Vitoria, who scraped past a weak FCSB in the playoffs, look the least strong of the quartet and are unlikely to challenge for qualification.

Prediction: Arsenal to qualify as group winners, but after a couple of tight contests with Eintracht.

How about Wolves?

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side might have hoped for a softer draw but, after beating Torino, will bounce into their first group stage appearance. Besiktas and Braga both have years of European experience and the latter, who beat Spartak Moscow in the playoffs, should not be discounted. Slovan Bratislava look likely to be Group K’s whipping boys.

Prediction: Wolves to complete an English hat trick of group winners, with Braga pipping Besiktas to second.

– UCL draw: Madrid get PSG; Barca, BVB, Inter together – Ogden: Draw good for English clubs; tricky for Spain – Champions League group stage: Day-by-day fixtures

Who are the smallest team in the competition?

In country terms it would be F91 Dudelange, who come from tiny Luxembourg and play in a stadium that would barely meet English non-league standards. But they reached last season’s group stage and performed creditably, so in terms of sheer obscurity and novelty it has to be the Ukrainian club Oleksandriya. They have bobbed around in the country’s lower leagues for most of their existence but last season finished third in the top flight and make their debut in the competition proper. Their home city, which has around 80,000 inhabitants, is difficult to reach although their CSC Nika stadium holds just 7,000 fans so they may play in nearby Zaporozhiya or Dnipropetrovsk. Wolfsburg, Gent and Saint-Etienne will face a trip into the relative unknown.

What are the worst away trips?

Astana will have neither distance nor, as winter approaches, climate in its favour for travelling supporters. It is also a strange, hyper-modern city of extraordinary architecture that rises out of the steppe and is short on tourist infrastructure. However, it will be a memorable journey for those who choose to make it.

Anyone who visits Krasnodar will find a sleek, modern stadium that should really have been a World Cup venue last year. But the journey itself will be tough one if you support Getafe, whose fans will spend at least eight hours in the air.

The trip to face Qarabag, from Azerbaijan, is a notoriously arduous one — with the host country of last season’s final making global headlines in May when Arsenal kept Armenia international Henrikh Mkhitaryan at home as a result of the countries’ geopolitical differences. There should be no such dilemmas for Sevilla, Apoel and Dudelange but Baku is hardly a destination high on most lists.

Former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge will be in action for his new team if he stays injury free.

Any dark horses who might make a deep run?

Two excellent candidates can be found in Group C. They may not win the tournament but look out for Trabzonspor, from Turkey. They are brimful of ambition and newly spearheaded by Daniel Sturridge, as well as the Crystal Palace loanee Alexander Sorloth. Could both they and Krasnodar pip Getafe and Basel to go through? Krasnodar have been excellently managed over the last few years and a Champions League place is surely not far off. Coming through a tough group here would suggest they can go much further than last season’s round of 16 finish.

How about the weirdest groups?

United’s group is almost certainly the most diverse although there is something for everyone in Group A, which features a match between Luxembourgish and Azeri teams that would have been inconceivable at this level not so long ago.

And the must-see games?

Malmo and Copenhagen are separated by just 30km and a bridge. Now they will play out a pair of rare Sweden-Denmark derbies in what might be the hottest atmosphere of the entire group stage.

Celtic must have been hoping to consign CFR Cluj, who dumped them out of the Champions League qualifiers little over a fortnight ago, to distant memory but Neil Lennon’s side have an early chance of revenge in group E.

Where potential heavyweight clashes are concerned, Roma against Borussia Monchengladbach — both teams boasting exciting new managers in Paulo Fonseca and Marco Rose — looks a tasty group-stage encounter, while Sporting CP against PSV pits two of Bobby Robson’s former clubs against one another.

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[passnmove]

King Power? More like ‘king ridiculous

Sat in work last May, football was on the discussion table. One of my colleagues had been adamant from January onwards that the Foxes would lift the Premier League trophy in May, which was a remarkable show of belief in a team that had no previous experience of any remote success. He wasn’t a Leicester fan, and he hadn’t put any money on it (more fool him), but he was of course right.

In an attempt at outdoing said colleague, another piped up and said “Okay then, my shout is that Ranieri will be sacked within a year.” To be honest that seemed even more ridiculous than the notion that Leicester would win the title had done in the January. He’s feeling rather smug today.

So here we are. Another chapter in the nonsensical world of Leicester City Football Club. The rise and fall of the unlikeliest of protagonists.

Just nine months after pulling off one of the most incredible achievements in the history of the English game, Claudio Ranieri has been sacked, and personally, my love for football has diminished just a little bit more.

Reports are that some of the senior players had lost faith with the Italian, and that the owners didn’t have confidence in him to keep them in the Premier League. However, quite frankly, there is no reason whatsoever that justifies sacking the man when it’s not even March yet.

That any of his players could lose faith in the man that got them a Premier League winner’s medal is frankly laughable. Players, near enough to a man, who had no right finishing in the top half last season, let alone at the top.

I’ve seen it argued by very well respected football figures, pundits, and fans that the decision was correct as it had to be based on this season and this season only, and that Leicester could not risk being relegated. My issues with that are twofold.

First of all, sacking your manager does not necessarily prevent relegation. In fact as Newcastle will attest to, even hiring a world class manager to try and keep you up might not always work.

Secondly, Leicester deserve to be relegated. Okay, maybe not deserve to be, but after what they experienced last season it would be more than fair. They experienced something that Liverpool, Tottenham, Everton, Southampton, Newcastle and Aston Villa have not, all clubs that are bigger and should be doing better than Leicester.

I said after last season that Leicester should not consider sacking Ranieri until they hit the bottom of League One, and even then it would seem harsh. If Leicester were relegated this season, would you not back them to ‘do a Newcastle’ under Ranieri and comfortably bounce straight back up next season, full of new momentum and, who knows, the possibility of finding that groove they had last year?

Remember, just eight years ago, the Foxes were indeed playing in League One. In fact, less than eight years ago they lost 2-0 away to Tranmere Rovers, who are now a non-league team. Just two days ago, they were playing Sevilla in the UEFA Champions League. Yesterday, they sacked the man that got them there.

Don’t get me wrong, I agree that Ranieri has not performed well enough this season. He made poor signings, has made tactical errors and generally has not been able to get his team playing at an acceptable level, let alone the incredible one he had them at for most of last season.

But what buys you credit in football these days? Are past accomplishments just not a factor at all anymore? We’re seeing this sort of be the case with Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, though that has been a much longer divorce over the past decade. It happened with Jose Mourinho at Chelsea last season, but then winning the league with that Chelsea squad was nowhere near the accomplishment winning it with Leicester was.

If achieving what Ranieri did last season doesn’t even allow you to get to March if you’re underperforming, then what does? Have we reached an age where you can’t have any manager of any standing start the season and end it with being relegated? They have to be sacked if there’s even a hint of it? As things stand realistically, only David Moyes and Aitor Karanka have a chance of doing that, and if Sunderland or Middlesbrough lose another couple of games you can’t see that lasting (especially with Ranieri now a free agent).

This is the price of the Premier League. The amount of money on the table just for being at the table is such that clubs fear relegation more than anything. Itchy trigger fingers made itchier by every new inflated television rights cheque that comes in.

Where has it gone wrong for Leicester though? The players are of course generally playing poorly, especially key players. Wes Morgan has gone from dominant captain to utter donkey, Danny Drinkwater has decided that playing the ball forward is too obvious a tactic so refuses to do so, Riyad Mahrez looks like he’d rather be dragging his scrotum over hot coals than turning out for the Champions, and Jamie Vardy is playing like he had far too many parties last year. I wonder how that film of his is going.

The loss of N’golo Kante has clearly had a big effect, on both the demise of Leicester and resurgence of Chelsea, but there’s no way any player is so good that their presence makes THAT much of a difference. He missed some games for Leicester last season and it barely slowed them down at all.

The main reason for me though is the one that most predicted. Last season teams underestimated them. This season no-one is. Teams have started raising their games and keeping their shape against a Leicester team not good enough to handle it. The Foxes needed to evolve, and they haven’t done so, and yes, that is partially Ranieri’s fault. But what did you really expect? It’s Leicester.

Just because they won the league and qualified for the Champions League, doesn’t mean they could go out and say to a Gonzalo Higuain or Zlatan Ibrahimovic “Look at us. We’re big time now. Come and be a part of the next big thing in European football”. They signed the likes of Ahmed Musa, Islam Slimani and Nampalys Mendy, which was probably about as well as they could do. No big player was going to look at Leicester and say “Yeah, that success looks sustainable. I’ll go there.”

What particularly irks me about it is the timing. Ranieri was apparently informed about his sacking just after he landed on the team’s return from Seville. They had just played the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie, and come away with an away goal and still very much in it. Why then make the change now, with a new manager having to come in and only get to manage the second leg? Could they not have sacked him after the Swansea defeat and allowed a new manager both legs to try and do something against the Europa League holders? Or waited until after the second leg, by which time only two further league games will have been played?

If the players and owners had lost faith in Ranieri, then what can you do? But you have to ask why they lost faith in the best manager the club has ever had, or are ever likely to have? They have 13 games to go in the league. Is a new manager more likely to keep them up then a man who had them winning week-in week-out less than a year ago? Had Ranieri really not done enough to prove to them that he knows what he’s doing, and that perhaps a little more time and patience could see him turn it around?

Not even letting the man who got you into the Champions League be knocked out of it before sacking him is disgraceful. Not even waiting to actually be in the relegation zone before sacking him for fear of being relegated is disgraceful. In fact sacking Ranieri for any reason other than gross misconduct before the end of this campaign was always going to be disgraceful.

So who comes in? Who is better than Ranieri and will save them from the far from certain prospect of relegation?

Apparently Roberto Mancini. A decent manager. A history of success in English football (with a ‘slightly’ more talented team) and previous knowledge of the club having played for them before, even if it was only five appearances on loan, and he didn’t complete 90 minutes in any of them.

Mancini has also never had to fight relegation as a manager, an argument as to why Ranieri wasn’t suited. In fact that was the exact reason I expected Ranieri to fall flat on his face when he first got the Leicester job. I thought he’d be having a season like this, and would get sacked in the February. He won the league instead. That’s a pretty good way of avoiding relegation.

I’m not going to say Mancini will definitely fail (if indeed he does get the job). But Leicester City having an Italian who has a Premier League winner’s medal in charge?

That’ll never work.

@whichdave

[eastbridge-sb]

Premier League Match Previews – 26th December Thursday

Aston Villa v Norwich

I’ve mentioned this bet on here before (and been successful) and I like it again this weekend. Aston Villa’s home form is the reason they’re not in the relegation zone, losing just two of their last seven league games in the West Midlands. Their two defeats were against the Premier League’s current top two – Liverpool and Leicester – and, even then, they put in good performances against the high-flying pair.

Their only away win this season actually came against this weekend’s opposition, Norwich, and they’ll be hoping to do the double over the Canaries with a win on Boxing Day.

Norwich, who were promoted with Villa last season, are currently three points and two places below Thursday’s opposition. Unlike Dean Smith’s side, however, they are in the relegation zone and desperately need three points to get them out of danger. Their away for hasn’t been great and, despite just one defeat in their last three league games away from Norfolk, they’ve lost six of their nine matches on the road this season.

It’s getting to the stage where the term ‘relegation six pointer’ can be used with some meaning to it, and this is certainly one of those occasions. Villa cannot afford to lose this game because they will seriously be involved in a relegation battle and, after working so hard to get back to the top tier, the former European champions will not want another season in the Championship.

I think Villa will have too much quality going forward for this Norwich defence to handle and, with the home crowd behind them, I like the look of them to win here. 1.940 looks a decent price and I’m happy to take that on a side looking up rather than down.

1×2 Betting Recommendation: Aston Villa to win at 1.940

Tottenham v Brighton

Whilst many thought that when Jose Mourinho took the Tottenham job he’d tighten up the defence, the former Chelsea and Manchester United boss has instead got the attacking quality out of his side. Before they faced Chelsea on Sunday, Spurs have scored 19 goals in their seven matches under the ‘Special One’ – an average of nearly three a game. Dele Alli, Heung-min Son, Lucas Moura and Harry Kane have started to form a really good partnership and they’ll be looking for more goals on Boxing Day.

However, they’d conceded an average of 1.7 goals per game before Sunday’s match and, without Hugo Lloris and a consistent defence, they’re struggling to stay solid. Centre-back Toby Alderweireld has signed a new contract this week which could provide a boost, but I’m not a fan of their full-backs or Paulo Gazzaniga in goal, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them concede again on Thursday.

Brighton have started to find some form and they’ve now gone three matches without defeat. A win over Arsenal and two draws against Wolves and Crystal Palace have pushed them up to 13th in the table.

Summer signing Neal Maupay has also began to find his feet in the Premier League, scoring in his last three consecutive matches. The lively striker, who cost the Seagulls around £20m in the summer, has begun to look a real threat for Graham Potter’s side and he will be confident in scoring again against a shaky and ageing Spurs defence.

Collectively, over 2.5 goals has landed in 64% of these two sides’ games and 61% of their respective home and away games. So, I like the look of over 3 Asian goals at 2.000. Three goals would give us our money back and four or more would see a full payout.

Asian Total Goals Betting Recommendation: Over 3.00 Goals at 2.000

Manchester United v Newcastle

Steve Bruce returns to the ground where he made over 300 appearances as a player, hoping to get one over on another former Manchester United player and now manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, on Boxing Day.

Bruce has won both games he has faced Solskjaer as a manager – beating United with Newcastle 1-0 at the start of the season and thrashing the Norweigan’s Cardiff side 4-0 in 2014 when he was Hull boss. The two managers’ experience couldn’t be more different and it will be interesting to see if that has an affect at Old Trafford on Thursday.

Before their game against Watford on Sunday, United hadn’t lost a game since the end of November, a run of six games, and have appeared to find some form. However, they’ve drawn three of those games and won two by just a single goal, with some unspectacular performances along the way. Solskjaer is struggling to find solidity at the back and have failed to keep a clean sheet since their 1-0 win over Leicester at the end of September.

Going forward they do look impressive, with Marcus Rashford scoring 14 goals in his last 16 games for club and country. They also have Anthony Martial, Dan James and Mason Greenwood finding some form and they will all look forward to testing themselves against a stubborn Newcastle defence.

Newcastle will set up to contain the Red Devils and would probably take a 0-0 draw if you offered it to them. Their defence has looked really impressive of late and, if they do lose this game, I can’t see it being an absolute thrashing.

I like the look of Newcastle with a +1.25 start on the Asian handicap, and we’d be guaranteed profit even if Bruce’s side lose by a single goal. That’s available at 2.090 and looks a really nice price.

Asian Handicap Betting Recommendation: Newcastle +1.25 at 2.090

Preview by: @AdamGoodwin

Don’t miss out on the thrill waiting for you on these Premiere League matches, so use these Manchester United v Newcastle, Tottenham v Brighton, and Aston Villa v Norwich recommendations and place your bets with Eastbridge’s Skype betting.

Want to try out something new? Register on VOdds and compare odds from various bookies at bet on the best pick!

The post Premier League Match Previews – 26th December Thursday appeared first on Eastbridge.

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[thisdaynews]

Man Utd v Tottenham: What awaits Jose Mourinho on Old Trafford return?

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Man Utd v Tottenham: What awaits Jose Mourinho on Old Trafford return?

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‘It’s in my history book’ – Mourinho on Manchester United

Jose Mourinho returns to the Old Trafford dugout on Wednesday almost a year after his last appearance, for a 4-1 win over Fulham on 8 December 2018 that proved to be his last victory as Manchester United manager.

Mourinho travels north with a Tottenham side re-energised since the departure of Mauricio Pochettino on 19 November, with three wins from three games, which has helped take them sixth in the Premier League.

England midfielder Dele Alli in particular appears to have been transformed by Mourinho’s arrival.

In contrast, his old club are at a low ebb. When he walks into the visiting dressing room he was responsible for reducing in size during his time at the club, Mourinho will be preparing to meet a United side that are 10th in the table having won just four league matches this season and heading for their worst league finish since 1990.

So, who has benefited most from Mourinho’s United exit? And what should Spurs fans be wary of if they look back at the Portuguese’s time at Old Trafford?

Mourinho has stressed repeatedly nothing happening at Spurs at the moment is to do with him.

Few think he really means that. In any case, the noise that accompanies Mourinho assures he is centre of attention, even when it is not intended.

Praising a ball boy for helping Tottenham win their Champions League match against Olympiakos on 26 November, then inviting the lad into the home dressing room for Saturday’s victory against Bournemouth, became about Mourinho. Alli’s startling upturn in form is about Mourinho.

Sources at Tottenham say Mourinho has changed very little thus far. He occasionally stays in the overnight accommodation at Spurs’ training ground but that will not become a parody of itself as the Portuguese’s two-and-a-half-year residence at the Lowry Hotel in Manchester did.

However, tweaks have taken place.

Mourinho does not favour the high press Pochettino liked, so the training intensity will not be the same. Instead, work will be done on shape, both in and out of possession.

It is wrong to describe Mourinho as a defensive coach – but he is an organised one. As United experienced following Mourinho’s dismissal, the chances are what Tottenham are benefiting from is the introduction of a new voice, new methods and a fresh start.

Man Utd v Tottenham – match preview

‘My time at Man Utd is a closed chapter’

Solskjaer not ‘more concerned’ after recent sackings

This feels familiar – but has Mourinho changed?

Mourinho could not have done more than win his first three competitive games. Comfortable triumphs over West Ham and Bournemouth, plus a thriller against Olympiakos.

Spin back to the start of his United reign. Comfortable Premier League wins against Bournemouth and Southampton, followed by a last-minute Marcus Rashford winner at Hull.

It was game four that did not go to plan.

A home defeat by Manchester City was accompanied by a notable selection move from Mourinho. He substituted Henrikh Mkhitaryan at half-time. Mourinho, indirectly, called it “a bad performance”.

Mkhitaryan did not start another league game for nearly three months. After he left United, the Armenian said trust with his manager had been broken.

Jose Mourinho took Eric Dier off during the first half of his first home game as Spurs boss

The contrast with how Mourinho has handled Eric Dier over the past seven days could not be more marked. In the aftermath of the Olympiakos game, when he replaced the England midfielder after 29 minutes, Mourinho publicly apologised to the player.

He put him straight back into the side for the Bournemouth game, when Dier completed the full 90 minutes.

Is this evidence of a more compassionate Mourinho or is he merely being expedient in his handling of a midfielder in the mould of those he has tended to rely on throughout his career?

A feeling it may be the former is reinforced by the positive impression the 56-year-old has left on the Tottenham staff so far.

At United, there was a sense of excitement when his arrival as Louis van Gaal’s successor was announced only for Mourinho’s football to be not much better than the dismal fare served up by the Dutchman – and with less charisma.

It took Mourinho’s United seven games to hit double figures in terms of goals scored. At Tottenham he has done it in three.

‘The Special One To 11’ – pick your Mourinho all-time XI

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Harsh words – different agenda

Mourinho has never been scared of dropping a few verbal bombs. At United, they started the week after Mkhitaryan’s early derby exit.

After another loss – at Watford – Mourinho identified Luke Shaw as a culprit, accusing the England defender of being 25 metres away from his opponent, rather than five, and therefore in no position to stop a cross that led to a crucial Watford goal.

Shaw started one Premier League game in the following five months. Mourinho has already admitted to using verbal motivation on Alli, asking him whether he had been playing for Tottenham over the past few months, or his brother.

The reaction has been phenomenal – although, possibly, getting more out of Christian Eriksen might be a bit trickier given the Dane’s contract runs out at the end of the season.

Yet, while he spent nearly £400m on new players during his time at Old Trafford, Mourinho seems to have inherited a more rounded squad than he ever managed to put together in Manchester.

In Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen and Davinson Sanchez, he has three effective options in central defence, the position he was blocked from strengthening in his final year at United.

Alli is excelling in the number 10 role in much the same way Frank Lampard did – albeit from slightly deeper – when Mourinho first arrived in England from Porto in 2004.

And, while Harry Kane is not a Didier Drogba in physical terms, he scores more regularly than anyone at United since Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s debut season was wrecked by injury in 2017 after the Swede had scored 28 goals in 45 games.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic signed for Jose Mourinho at Manchester United in the summer of 2016

The spectre of Mourinho hangs over Solskjaer

If the reaction he received on his most recent visit to Old Trafford as a pundit for Sky Sports is any guide, Mourinho will get a positive reception from United fans this week.

After all, he did win two trophies and took the club to their highest league finish – second – since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

United were sixth when he left, with the club privately saying there had been no improvement in results or style during his time in charge.

But the problem for his successor, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, is that – after an initial surge – United have regressed under his management.

Sunday’s home draw with Aston Villa leaves them 10th, with four wins and 18 points from their opening 14 games. In order to reach the 26 from 17 that wasn’t enough to save Mourinho from the sack 12 months ago, Solskjaer needs to win his next three games, which includes Saturday’s derby trip to Manchester City.

It is true that the popular Norwegian retains support inside and outside the club and that he is committed to picking young players – something Mourinho never convinced about, even if he spoke often about doing it.

But United’s squad is evidently deficient. Without significant purchases in January, Solskjaer will struggle to reach the top six, let alone seal a Champions League place.

And no-one, no matter how popular they are, can survive in the cut-throat world of Premier League management if results continue to disappoint.

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