..::Football IV::..

[Wolverine GTR]

Mourinho: Referee Taylor has impossible job

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is concerned it will be "difficult" for referee Anthony Taylor at Anfield amid the criticism of his appointment for Monday's blockbuster Premier League fixture against Liverpool.

There has been backlash since Taylor was selected to officiate Liverpool's showdown with United due to the fact he is from the Manchester area, a decision which has angered local fans.

And as Mourinho and Co. prepare for a hostile reception in Liverpool, the United boss is worried about Taylor."I have my view but I understand and I learned a lesson, if you want to call it that, by being so many times punished by some words," Mourinho said.

"So I don't want to say anything about it."I think Mr Taylor is a very good referee but I think somebody with intention is putting such a pressure on him that I feel it will be difficult for him to have a very good performance."

United head to Anfield in seventh position, three points adrift of Liverpool after seven matches.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Barclays Premier League Fixtures 2016.10.16

Barclays Premier League Fixtures 2016.10.16

Middlesbrough Vs Watford

Southampton Vs Burnley

​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

LA Liga Fixtures 2016.10.16

LA Liga Fixtures 2016.10.16

Alaves Vs Malaga

Athletic Bilbao Vs Real Sociedad

Sporting Gijon Vs Valencia

Villareal Vs Celta Vigo​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Serie A Fixtures 2016.10.16

Serie A Fixtures 2016.10.16

Fiorentina Vs Atalanta

Genoa Vs Empoli

Inter Vs Cagliari

Lazio Vs Bologna

Sassuolo Vs Crotone

Chievo Vs AC Milan​

 

[Alucard_SxE]

wolverine, puluwannam bundesliga fixtures uth update karanna

 

[Wolverine GTR]

wolverine, puluwannam bundesliga fixtures uth update karanna

Sure bro​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Inter 1-2 Cagliari: Handanovic own goal gives visitors the win

Much-criticised Mauro Icardi missed a penalty as Samir Handanovic's calamitous own-goal ensured that Inter's poor form under Frank de Boer continued with a 2-1 home defeat to Cagliari in Serie A.

Icardi had been blasted in the run-up to Sunday's encounter following comments made in his autobiography regarding Inter's support, with the club's largest ultras faction - Curva Nord - demanding the striker be stripped of the captaincy.

Inter vice-president Javier Zanetti confirmed before kick-off at San Siro that the armband may well be taken from the Argentine, who did not help his cause with a terrible attempt from 12 yards out midway through the first-half.Joao Mario's first Inter goal had appeared to cancel out that miss 10 minutes after the interval, with Handanovic also on fine form at the other end.

However, it was not to be for De Boer's out-of-sorts side, who were pegged back in the 71st minute - Federico Melchiorri tucking in from close-range - before Handanovic bundled the ball into his own net in the closing stages.The victory lifts Cagliari above Inter in the Serie A standings, having condemned the Nerazzurri to a third league defeat of the season.

In a first-half dominated by Inter, it was Cagliari - beaten in all three of their away league fixtures prior to the clash - who went close early on, Luca Ceppitelli heading just wide.

Icardi could have silenced his doubters moments later, but an expertly-timed interception from the experienced Bruno Alves prevented the Argentine connecting with Ivan Perisic's pinpoint cross.

After Antonio Candreva had shanked a volley wide, De Boer's side were gifted an opportunity to take the lead 25 minutes in, Icardi winning a penalty, albeit a soft one, after a reckless foul from Alves.

However, though the 23-year-old stepped up to take the spot-kick, he could only drill a low strike well wide of the right-hand upright.

Handanovic came to Inter's rescue with a stunning double-save soon after the restart, denying Melchiorri before parrying away Marco Sau's follow-up effort.Fabio Pisacane was on hand to thump in the rebound, but the Cagliari defender was correctly flagged offside.

Those saves proved decisive as, from the resulting counter, Perisic teed up Joao Mario, who despite seeing his initial strike saved, managed to smuggle the rebound home from point-blank range.

Cagliari looked for an immediate response, and would have had it if not for another superb Handanovic stop, who somehow kept out Davide Di Gennaro's venomous volley.

Icardi was the villain again for the hosts shortly after, somehow heading wide despite being unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box.And Cagliari duly made Inter pay, Di Gennaro's pass deflecting through to Melchiorri, who made no mistake with his finish.

It got worse for the hosts with five minutes remaining, Melchiorri - having failed to hit the target with a close-range header moments earlier - drilling in a cross that Handanovic could only spill over his line as Inter's winless streak in the league stretched to three matches.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Mourinho: Rooney still commands the respect of Man Utd

Jose Mourinho insists out-of-favour captain Wayne Rooney still has the respect and backing of the Manchester United fans.

Rooney has recently been pushed to the periphery for both United and England, after being axed by interim manager Gareth Southgate for the country's World Cup qualifier against Slovenia.

The 30-year-old has also warmed the bench for United's past three fixtures heading into Monday's Premier League showdown with Liverpool at Anfield.

But while doubts remain over Rooney's future at club and international level, United manager Mourinho said the skipper remains an admired figured.

"Wayne was not booed by Man United fans. To be honest, the last match when he went through the warm-up," Mourinho told reporters."I was feeling that Old Trafford was behind him and supporting him before he came on against Stoke.

"So I think at Man United he feels at home. At Man United he feels the respect he deserves - not at Anfield obviously - but he knows that here he is respected."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Klopp worried about defending set-pieces: Liverpool must stretch to reach Man Utd

Jurgen Klopp admits he is worried about Liverpool's ability to defend against Manchester United at set-pieces ahead of Monday's Premier League showdown.The Red Devils are expected to count on the physical advantage the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba and Marouane Fellaini at Anfield.

And Klopp recognises dead balls as potentially pivotal to the outcome of the game and urged his men to nullify United's advantage in such situations by not giving away unnecessary free-kicks and corners.

"We have already started to stretch our players!" Klopp joked to reporters."Seriously, though, I would imagine that if United start putting their tall players in the box they will be fighting for the result and for that to happen it must mean that something we did must have worked pretty well.

"We know about United's physical strength and we cannot do anything to change it, all we can do is try to avoid situations where they can use it."But we have strengths of our own and first we must concentrate on what we do well."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'I need him. Man City need him' – Pep praying for Kompany comeback

Pep Guardiola is desperate for Vincent Kompany to return, saying he "needs" him back to full fitness as Wednesday's Champions League showdown with Barcelona looms.Despite reeling off 10 consecutive wins to start Guardiola's tenure in dominant fashion domestically and in Europe, City have failed to convince at the back in the Kompany's absence.

The Premier League leaders have only kept a single clean sheet in their eight games so far and are winless in three after Saturday's 1-1 draw with Everton.

A switch to a back three failed to add stability at the Etihad Stadium as Gael Clichy's error allowed Romelu Lukaku to open the scoring, though Nolito was able to earn his side a point.

To the relief of fans, Kompany came on as a last-minute substitute for his first league appearance of the season, and Guardiola is desperate for him to regain match fitness and boost their title charge."I need him. We need him," the Catalan told the Manchester Evening News. "Today, it's tough. Every season is tougher.

"There are more games and more intensity, it is more demanding and there is more pressure on the players."Despite being at pains to underline that he will not rush the captain back, Kompany could be in line to earn minutes against Barcelona, who were boosted by the injury comeback of Lionel Messi at the weekend.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Oxlade-Chamberlain admits he could leave Arsenal

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has revealed he could be forced to leave Arsenal to play more first-team football.

The England international joined Arsenal in 2011, but has yet to nail down a regular starting spot, with over half of his Premier League appearances for the Gunners coming as a substitute. The winger has also endured several spells on the sidelines, with his latest injury forcing him to miss Euro 2016.

Arsene Wenger has said this season is an important one for Oxlade-Chamberlain's development, though the 23-year-old's last three Arsenal appearances have again come from the bench. And while he is still happy at the Emirates Stadium, Oxlade-Chamberlain admits he may have to consider his future if things do not change.

"I'd be lying if I wasn't going to sit here and say that it has crossed my mind that I need more game time. As a footballer, you want to play every game. Me being myself, I'm not happy when I'm not playing," he told Sky Sports.

"There is going to come a time in my career, and I think I'm approaching that, when I do need to be getting more regular football, but my focus completely and utterly now is on playing for Arsenal and still trying to break into the team when I get the opportunity."Help out if I have to come off the bench, do what I did yesterday and come on and make a difference.

"My sole aim for now is to help Arsenal and keep pushing myself to play in this team, because you know, I love playing at Arsenal. It's a great club, it's a great team and I've got a lot of faith in the team.

"There is that in my mind that I do want to get more game time. There comes a time in your career where you have to re-evaluate things and think, 'Is that going to be here or elsewhere?'

"I'm not there at the moment, I'm fully focused on this season, playing my part in that. When you get to the end of the season, just like managers do where they re-evaluate their team, players re-evaluate their personal situation, and I’ll do that at the end of the season."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

OFFICIAL: Sam Johnstone signs new Manchester United contract

Goalkeeper Sam Johnstone has signed a new Manchester United contract that will keep him at Old Trafford until 2018, with the deal including the option to extend terms for a further year.

The 23-year-old, who has been on the club's books for 13 years, has yet to appear for United in the Premier League.United manager Jose Mourinho feels Johnstone is developing quickly and is seen as one for the future.

"Sam is a goalkeeper with great potential," Mourinho told the club's official website. "He is a very professional young man with a great attitude to the game."He has progressed immensely even during my short time at the club. I am delighted he has committed his future to Manchester United."

Johnstone, who has been on loan to various clubs, including Walsall, Doncaster Rovers and Preston North End, thinks training with David de Gea and Sergio Romero will further improve his skills.

"I am delighted to have signed a new contract," Johnstone said. "I have been with the club since I was 10 years old and have grown up here."The last 13 years have flown by and I have enjoyed every moment of my time here so far.

"I am working with world-class goalkeepers every day and now I am going to use all that experience to push myself and show the manager what I can do."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Alonso: Man Utd can't afford to lose to Liverpool

Former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso has talked up the importance of the Premier League clash with Manchester United at Anfield on Monday.

Alonso, who is now with Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, played for Liverpool between 2004 and 2009, winning the Champions League during his time at the club.The 34-year-old featured in a number of Liverpool v United rivalry clashes in that time and revealed it was always seen as the biggest game of the season for the Reds.

"I look out for most of the games," Alonso told Liverpool's website. "But this one especially because of how big it is, the build-up and what it means for both clubs to be successful after 90 minutes, to be the winners.

"It's so important for both teams. It's still early days in the season but it can be a very, very important game. That's a big one in terms of tradition and a big clash.

"Liverpool against Manchester United was our big game of the season, whenever they were coming to Anfield or whenever we had to go to Old Trafford, because the tension between the two crowds was so strong you could feel it on the pitch."

Alonso predicted an exciting match but refused to pick a winner in Monday's Premier League clash between the old rivals."These kinds of games, anyone can win," an on-the-fence Alonso said. "Maybe Liverpool are in a better position and maybe favourites, but it doesn't matter.

"United still have great players and a good team. This game is so important for them because they don't want the gap to be bigger.
"It's going to be a good one to watch."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Embolo could miss six months after ankle surgery

Schalke striker Breel Embolo could be out for up to six months after surgery revealed his ankle injury is worse than first feared.

Embolo broke his ankle during his side's 1-1 draw at Augsburg on Saturday after a challenge by Konstantinos Stafylidis, who received a yellow card for the foul and later apologised to the Switzerland international via a post on Instagram.

Initial reports suggested the 19-year-old was likely to miss the rest of 2016, but surgery on his fractured ankle revealed he had also ruptured his syndesmosis and medial collateral ligament.Doctors say he is now likely to be out of action for at least between four and six months.

Embolo joined Schalke from Basel in June for a reported initial fee of €20 million, and has scored two goals in seven league appearances for the club.

"Everyone at Schalke is shocked by the injury," sporting director Christian Heidel told the club's official website."We've all seen how strongly Breel identifies with the club and, at just 19 years of age, has already developed into a very important player.

"We'll give Breel all the support he requires so he can come back stronger from this serious injury and pick up where he’s left off."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Bravo backs former Barca rival Ter Stegen after fierce criticism

Claudio Bravo has backed his former Barcelona rival Marc-Andre ter Stegen ahead of Manchester City's visit to Camp Nou on Wednesday.

The two men competed for Barca's No.1 jersey during their two seasons together in Catalunya, with Bravo selected for league games and Ter Stegen utilised in the Champions League and Copa del Rey.

City had shown an interest in Ter Stegen earlier this summer but eventually signed Bravo after it became apparent that Barca considered the German a long-term option.

The keepers did not always see eye-to-eye while at Barca, but Bravo has supported his counterpart in the wake of fierce criticism for two ball-playing errors that contributed to a 4-3 defeat at Celta a fortnight ago.

Bravo himself had to put up with jibes after an occasionally shaky debut performance in the Manchester derby, and he believes negative headlines are part and parcel of being a goalkeeper at a big club - particularly for those expected to play risky passes.

"Playing in goal is something special," he told reporters. "We hear a lot of criticism, doubts and thousands of things that aren't positive, but he has to be calm and believe in his work because he's playing there for a reason.

"In this position you're always likely to be criticised. Us goalkeepers know what it means and the magnitude of the position at these clubs. I think Marc, like any keeper, has that capacity to overcome it."

Bravo signed for Barcelona at the age of 31 and says he is excited to return to the club next week, as they provided him with the opportunity to play at the very top level.

"We're calm, we're looking forward to playing an attractive, important game," he said of his City team-mates. "I came from there, I did what I had to do as well as possible and I'm happy to return to a place that opened the doors of global football to me."

He added: "Barcelona have to win at all costs. They're playing at home. We have to do our things well, with our weapons, and keep our rhythm going."Bravo was speaking after City's 1-1 draw with Everton, their third consecutive game without victory.

But he says Pep Guardiola's side are still at an early stage of their development, even if he does believe they have already started to change the landscape of English football.

"The finished article will come later," he said. "Now I am calm. I've just arrived and started to compete. We are getting to know our team-mates and the way the team plays and you can't learn that overnight.

"It's been fast and furious, City have changed how they were doing things before here in England."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Barclays Premier League Fixture 2016.10.17

Barclays Premier League Fixture 2016.10.17

Liverpool Vs Manchester United

​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Good Luck Manchester United!

Godak tough match 1kak wei but kohomahari win karamu

​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

LA Liga Fixture 2016.10.16

LA Liga Fixture 2016.10.17

Eibar Vs Osasuna​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Serie A Fixture 2016.10.17

Serie A Fixture 2016.10.17​

Palermo Vs Torino​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Liverpool Vs Manchester United

Liverpool Starting Line-up

Loris Karius
Dejan Lovren
Joel Matip
James Milner
Nathaniel Clyne
Jordan Henderson
Philippe Coutinho
Emre Can
Daniel Sturridge
Roberto Firmino
Sadio Mane

&

Manchester United Starting Line-up

David De Gea
Chris Smalling
Eric Bailly
Daley Blind
Antonio Valencia
Ander Herrera
Paul Pogba
Marouane Fellaini
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Ashley Young
Marcus Rashford
​