Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola doubts whether he can conjure a plan to stifle Lionel Messi and the rest of Barcelona’s striking talent October 18, 2016 Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola admits he is unsure whether he can plot a game-plan to contain Barcelona’s striking trident – Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar – as he prepares for an emotional return to Camp Nou. Guardiola spent a trophy-laden four-year spell at Barcelona before leaving in 2012 and taking charge of Bavarian giants [...]
Jose Mourinho is entitled to play it safe while Manchester United rebuild after rocky patch, and why Pep Guardiola should send Manchester City out to attack Barcelona October 18, 2016 Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has had several more months working with his team than Jose Mourinho has had at Manchester United, and I think the way that Monday’s 0-0 draw played out illustrated that. Eight Premier League games into his reign at United, Mourinho does not feel he has an attacking style that he can [...]
Matt Smith interview: Meet the Fulham goalscorer who could’ve been a City high-flyer October 18, 2016 With a 2:1 degree in international management — not to mention experience studying abroad and captaining the university football team — Matt Smith would have been a strong contender for a top City graduate scheme after leaving Manchester University in 2011. Five years on, he could have even enjoyed multiple promotions through a Square Mile [...]
I never considered selling Theo Walcott in the summer, insists Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger October 18, 2016 Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger insists he never contemplated selling forward Theo Walcott in the summer despite an underwhelming year which appeared to suggest the clock was ticking on his Gunners career. Walcott has undergone something of a renaissance this term and notched his fifth Premier League goal of the season with two strikes against Swansea on [...]
Tour de France champion Chris Froome says questions remain over rival Sir Bradley Wiggins’ use of controversial TUEs October 18, 2016 Triple Tour de France champion Chris Froome has fuelled the debate over Sir Bradley Wiggins’ use of therapeutic use exemptions (TUE), saying his rival may have been operating in a grey area of anti-doping rules. Wiggins has faced questions after it emerged that he was prescribed a powerful drug, which would have been forbidden without a [...]
Manchester City have reached “new level of commercial maturity”, claims chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak October 18, 2016 Manchester City have reached a new level of "commercial maturity" after announcing club record revenues of £391.8m for last season, according to chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak. Despite their worst Premier League campaign since 2010, City scored a second consecutive year of profitability as the bottom line almost doubled from £10.5m to £20.5m. The club's 11.4 per cent rise [...]
Liverpool 0, Manchester United 0: Jose Mourinho revels in proving doubters wrong as David de Gea saves Red Devils from Anfield rap October 17, 2016 Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho revelled in proving his doubters wrong after frustrating Liverpool’s attacking potency during an attritional stalemate at Anfield. Liverpool were unable to break free from the shackles of a carefully crafted Mourinho game-plan, although United were indebted to goalkeeper David de Gea, who pulled off two impressive saves to keep the [...]
Mauricio Pochettino backing Tottenham’s squad depth to prove trump card in bid for Champions League victory October 17, 2016 Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino is adamant that squad depth will prove his trump card as Spurs bid to take a significant step towards the Champions League knockout phase with victory over Bayer Leverkusen at the BayArena on Tuesday. Pochettino will be without striker Harry Kane, who remains sidelined with an ankle injury, and Toby Alderweireld after [...]
Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri makes no apologies for prioritising Champions League October 17, 2016 Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri has defended his decision to prioritise the Champions League and rest key players for Saturday’s demolition at Chelsea with Tuesday's tussle with FC Copenhagen in mind. Ranieri chose to start reigning PFA Player of the Year Riyad Mahrez and £30m record signing Islam Slimani on the bench as the Premier League [...]
Greg Clarke accuses Sam Allardyce of “letting us down badly” but defends reported £1m pay-off and the Football Association’s due diligence October 17, 2016 Football Association chairman Greg Clarke says Sam Allardyce “let us down badly” during his 67-day England reign but defended the decision to pay the manager a settlement reported to run to seven figures. In an appearance before the House of Commons’ Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Monday, Clarke also insisted that the FA had done [...]