..::Football III::..

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Empoli 1-3 Juventus: Dybala seals comeback win

Defender Patrice Evra netted a rare goal to help Juventus come from behind to defeat Empoli 3-1 as the reigning Serie A champions claimed a first win in five away games in all competitions.

Juve were forced to dig deep when Massimo Maccarone looked dangerous for the hosts right from the start and gifted his side a surprise lead halfway through the first half.

Mario Mandzukic restored parity at the half-hour mark, though, before Evra headed home his first goal since last December.

Paulo Dybala punished wasteful Empoli with Juve's third six minutes from time as Massimiliano Allegri's men secured back-to-back league victories for the first time this season, although they still trail leaders Inter by nine points.

The Turin side first threatened after 15 minutes when Paul Pogba tried his luck with an ambitious volley from outside the area that was too high.

Mandzukic should have opened the scoring barely 60 seconds later after a perfect cross from Juan Cuadrado, yet the former Bayern Munich forward failed to properly connect and tapped his shot just wide from close range.

Empoli proved to be more clinical in front of goal and broke the deadlock after 19 minutes. Riccardo Saponara intercepted Leonardo Bonucci's poor pass from the back and Maccarone collected the loose ball on the edge of the area before beating Gianluigi Buffon with a low shot.

Saponara will feel he could have done better when he evaded a number of opposition players, but his shot from 20 yards lacked the power and precision to worry Buffon.

Juventus restored parity just after the half-hour mark following some unconvincing Empoli defending. Sami Khedira won a header to set up Mandzukic and the striker slid the ball past goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski.

Evra then gifted the reigning champions the lead after 38 minutes. Cuadrado curled in a corner from the right and the former Manchester United defender beat his marker to the ball before heading home.

Maccarone came close to netting an equaliser on the stroke of half-time following some fine work from Saponara, but his shot from the right-hand side of the area went inches wide at the far post.

The veteran striker had a great chance to make it 2-2 shortly after the break following a superb free-kick from Leandro Paredes, yet Maccarone aimed wide from just five yards out.

Juventus were again fortunate not to concede a second goal at the hour mark. Maccarone sent in a dangerous free-kick from the edge of the box and Mandzukic nearly beat his own goalkeeper with his attempted clearance.

Allegri's side looked dangerous again with 20 minutes left, but Pogba blasted his shot over after cutting inside from the left.

A third Juve goal did arrive late on. Mandzukic hit the upright after Skorupski had kept out Stephan Lichtsteiner's initial attempt, but Dybala was alert to tap home the rebound.

 

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Not even Messi could replace Gerrard - Can

Emre Can is keen to follow in the footsteps of Steven Gerrard at Liverpool, but claims that not even Lionel Messi could take the former captain's place at Anfield.

Gerrard left Liverpool for LA Galaxy at the end of last season, with Germany international Can touted as one of his long-term successors in the club's engine room.

But the 21-year-old feels that Gerrard is simply irreplaceable due to his influence both on and off the field.

"I don't think anyone can replace Gerrard, be it Messi or whoever," Can told the Daily Mail.

"Of course I would like to follow in his path but he really was the best player for Liverpool, not just on the pitch but off the pitch as well."

Liverpool are unbeaten under the management of new boss Jurgen Klopp and Can is hopeful that his compatriot can guide them to Champions League qualification.

He added: "Jurgen Klopp does have a winning mentality, he is hungry for titles. And the way we work is that if we believe it, we have the ability to win a match.

"The win at Chelsea was extremely important because we hadn’t won an away game for a long time.

"We want to play in the Champions League. With hard work, hopefully we will get back into the top four. We have a good chance."

 

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Roma 2-0 Lazio: Dzeko and Gervinho seal derby win for Giallorossi

Roma ran out 2-0 winners over fierce city rivals Lazio thanks to goals from Edin Dzeko and Gervinho either side of half-time, taking the Giallorossi to second in the scudetto race, behind Inter.

Dzeko, a summer signing from Manchester City, was awarded a penalty in controversial circumstances after 10 minutes after a foul from Santiago Gentiletti.

Both Felipe Anderson and Radja Nainggolan then rattled the woodwork in the first-half but it took until after the break for the game to be decided, with a brilliant individual goal from Gervinho, leaving Lazio right-back Dusan Batsa in his wake and finding the net.

One of the main points of discussion coming into the usually boisterous Rome Derby was the lack of fans in either the Curva Nord or the Curva Sud, with both Roma and Lazio Ultras deciding to stay away from the Stadio Olimpico in protest against the increased safety measures brought in by the Rome city authorities.

Against that muted backdrop, the game appeared a little flat in spells as the players did not have the roar of the expectant curvas to push them on.

Despite the strange derby atmosphere, Rudi Garcia’s Roma attempted to control the game early on, rewarded for their dominance with a controversial penalty, as Gentiletti brought down Dzeko.

The referee awarded a penalty for the foul, though replays seem to suggest that the collision came outside of the box. Dzeko, though, did not think twice, despatching the penalty into the net after 10 minutes.

The first-half then fizzled out a little, with flashes of quality coming in the form of long-range strikes from Lazio’s Anderson and Roma’s Nainggolan that struck the woodwork.

The game was wrapped up for Roma in the second-half as Gervinho burst away from Basta, driving into the box and pushing his effort through Lazio goalkeeper Federico Marchetti.

From then on, Roma were comfortable, but second-half substitute Miroslav Klose could have pinched a goal for Lazio in the final minutes, though his effort cannoned off his right boot and over the bar.

 

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'They didn't shoot once' - Pellegrini frustrated by Villa

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini was frustrated to see his side drop points in a 0-0 draw against Aston Villa on Sunday, saying his side deserved to claim a win.

The Premier League leaders hit the woodwork through Aleksandar Kolarov and Fernando at Villa Park, while Raheem Sterling felt he should have been awarded a first-half penalty after a challenge from Ciaran Clark.

Pellegrini insisted City fully deserved to beat Villa, pointing to the fact that the league's bottom club failed to register a shot on target in new manager Remi Garde's first match in charge."Of course we are frustrated – we deserved to win the game," the Chilean told Sky Sports.

"They didn't shoot once in the whole game at our goalkeeper. These things happen in football and we were unlucky not to score in the three or four options [chances] that we had – that happens in football.

"I was very happy with the way we played, especially in the second half with good pressing and movement.

"I think we started a little bit by waiting to find out which kind of team we were playing - it can be hard when you face a new manager and you don't know the way they want to play. Then finally we played really well in the second half but didn't score."

Pellegrini was not surprised to hear Fabian Delph booed when he came off the bench against his former side, while he was reluctant to discuss referee Craig Pawson's decision not to award City a penalty.

He added: "I don't talk about it – the referee decides it is not a penalty so it is not a penalty."People will boo because fans never want players to leave their team, but for Fabian it was very important to try to continue improving his career."

The 62-year-old conceded the loss of Wilfried Bony to injury mid-way through the first half scuppered his tactical plans, with Sergio Aguero already absent. "Unfortunately Bony has that injury and it was difficult for us to replace him without Kun [Aguero]," Pellegrini concluded.

"Of course it is difficult when you lose your striker in the beginning of a game that you need him – especially when you have so many defenders inside the other box."
The Etihad outfit are joint-top of the Premier League with Arsenal following the latter's 1-1 draw against Tottenham later on Sunday.

 

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Borussia Dortmund 3-2 Schalke: Tuchel's men hold on to take the points

Borussia Dortmund remain hot on the heels of Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich after a thrilling 3-2 victory over Schalke in the 147th Revierderby.

Shinji Kagawa, Matthias Ginter and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang all found the net for the hosts in Sunday's clash at Signal Iduna Park, with both of Schalke's goals coming from Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.

Although Schalke did manage to hit back quickly after Kagawa gave Dortmund a 30th-minute lead, they were undone again by Ginter just before the break and looked to be staring down the barrel when Aubameyang's 14th league goal of the season made it 3-1 early in the second half.

Huntelaar's 71st-minute reply made for a tense final quarter, but ultimately it was to be second-placed Dortmund's day as Thomas Tuchel's men hauled themselves to within five points of Bayern with a seventh consecutive win in all competitions.

The result extended Dortmund's fine Bundesliga start to nine wins from the opening 12 games and was all the more impressive bearing in mind they were denied the services of injured star Marco Reus.
The opening exchanges were predictably frenetic and bruising, with Schalke duo Max Meyer and Huntelaar very fortunate to escape without punishment after hurling themselves into rash challenges within the first five minutes.

Despite the scrappy start, however, the capacity crowd never let the volume level drop and were rewarded as the game burst into life after 20 minutes.

Schalke goalkeeper Ralf Fahrmann was almost caught out by Aubameyang after taking a heavy touch in trying to control a back-pass, while at the other end, Dennis Aogo picked out Leroy Sane with a fine cross from the left, but the teenage midfielder fired wide from close range.

Having survived that scare, the hosts began to apply some sustained pressure and found a way through on the half-hour mark.

Ginter delivered a superb right-footed cross and, despite the close attentions of three taller defenders, Kagawa rose highest to power a downward header past Fahrmann.

The home fans had barely stopped celebrating, however, when Schalke equalised three minutes later.

Mats Hummels gave the ball away cheaply on the halfway line, Leon Goretzka sent Sane racing away down the right and he squared for the onrushing Huntelaar to find the net.

Undaunted, Dortmund swiftly got back on the front foot and deservedly restored their lead three minutes before the break.

Having supplied the assist for his side's first goal, Ginter scored the second himself, out-jumping Sead Kolasinac at the near post to nod home Henrikh Mkhitaryan's corner.

Seven minutes into the second half, Tuchel's men increased their lead, Gonzalo Castro finding Aubameyang at the end of an incisive breakaway and the in-form striker calmly slotting home his 22nd goal of the season in all competitions.

Moments later it could and should have been 4-1, this time Aubameyang turning provider as he squared for the unmarked Mkhitaryan, who was foiled by Fahrmann with the goal at his mercy.

The overworked Schalke goalkeeper was then called into spectacular action again after 69 minutes, this time to keep out a powerful header from Sokratis Papastathopoulos, who had rumbled forward to meet a Mkhitaryan corner.

The Greek defender was less impressive in his own box moments later, however, failing to deal with a regulation cross and allowing Huntelaar to net his second goal of the game and set up a tense finale.

But despite their best efforts, Andre Breitenreiter's men could not manage to find the equaliser.

 

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Barcelona 3-0 Villarreal: Neymar hits second-half double

Neymar and Luis Suarez made light of Lionel Messi's absence once again by inspiring Barcelona to a 3-0 win over Villarreal with three second-half goals.

Usually the supporting cast to the Argentine in the Barca front three, Neymar and Suarez have been in irresistible form since Messi picked up a knee injury last month.

And the deadly duo were at it again at Camp Nou on Sunday, scoring once each before Neymar grabbed a spectacular third to move Luis Enrique's side at least temporarily three points clear of Real Madrid.

Their title rivals face Sevilla away from home on Sunday evening.

Only Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid had conceded fewer league goals this season than Villarreal prior to kick-off, and Marcelino's men showed plenty of gritty defensive organisation in the first half to keep Barca at bay.

But, somewhat inevitably, Neymar and Suarez came to the fore after the break, with the former breaking the deadlock after an hour with an unerring finish before the latter made sure of the points from the penalty spot nine minutes later.

Neymar then capped off the convincing win with a brilliant flick and volley from a Suarez pass.

After a quiet start, Barca gradually wrested control away from a confident Villarreal and Dani Alves saw a well-struck volley deflected wide for a corner in the 18th minute as the pressure on the visitors' goal began to mount.

Jeremy Mathieu was next to go close when a lightning counter from Barca ended with Suarez slipping a pass into the path of the marauding French defender, only for his powerful low shot to be well saved from Alphonse Areola.

But for all their territorial dominance, Luis Enrique's team had Claudio Bravo to thank for keeping them level at half-time when the Chilean made a superb save from Samu Castillejo's close-range effort just before the break.

Both Suarez and Neymar were cautioned for dissent shortly after the restart as Barca's frustrations grew, before Alves forced Areola into action once again from Neymar's pinpoint cross.

The hosts finally took the lead on the hour mark and it was Neymar who made the breakthrough.
Sergio Busquets intercepted a wayward pass around 40 yards from goal before feeding the Brazilian, who took one touch before coolly slotting his 10th league goal of the season beyond Areola at the goalkeeper's near post.

Suarez got in on the act soon after. Munir El Haddadi was crudely brought down in the area by Jaume Costa and Neymar unselfishly opted to hand penalty duties to his team-mate, who sent Areola the wrong way for his sixth goal in his last four appearances.

But Neymar saved the best for last. Suarez played a low ball in from the left, and the Brazil captain produced an audacious flick over the head of a hapless Villarreal defender before spinning and volleying past Areola.

The emphatic victory will see Barca go into the eagerly anticipated Clasico against Madrid on November 21 full of confidence.

 

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Liverpool 1-2 Crystal Palace: Dann delivers first defeat for Klopp

Scott Dann's header eight minutes from time earned Crystal Palace a 2-1 win over Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday as Jurgen Klopp suffered his first defeat since taking charge at Anfield.

A month since his appointment as manager, Liverpool's steady progression under Klopp was curtailed by goals from Yannick Bolasie and Dann either side of Philippe Coutinho's equaliser as Palace continue to prove tricky opposition for the hosts.

In front of watching former captain Steven Gerrard, the hosts' late pressure failed to yield a breakthrough as Palace secured a third consecutive Premier League win over their hosts.

Following victories over Chelsea and Rubin Kazan, Klopp's men go into the international break feeling the sting of defeat after Palace recorded their fourth away win of the league season.

Despite losing forward Dwight Gayle to a hamstring injury in the days before the game, Palace started strongly with well-timed challenges from Emre Can and Sakho required to deny Wilfried Zaha and Yohan Cabaye early on.

Direct running from Jordon Ibe - who retained a starting place following his midweek winner in the Europa League - helped ease the pressure until Bolasie made the most of sloppy Liverpool defending 21 minutes in.

After questionable play from Alberto Moreno, Can then failed to clear inside the box, allowing Bolasie to end Palace's wait for a goal in open play, their first since the same man hit the back of the net against West Brom on October 3.

The opener sparked Liverpool into life, Coutinho's effort saved by Wayne Hennessey following good play from Ibe before the Palace goalkeeper kept Martin Skrtel's header out.
The withdrawal of in-form defender Mamadou Sakho due to injury appeared to have compounded a frustrating half for the hosts but Coutinho restored parity before the break with a slick equaliser.

Ibe found Nathaniel Clyne down the right, the full-back's cross diverted into Coutinho's pass by Adam Lallana, with the Brazilian scoring for the second Premier League running.

Christian Benteke threatened with an effort from inside the box early in the second half before former Liverpool defender Martin Kelly snuffed out a Coutinho opportunity while Palace too looked dangerous going forward in a breathless second half.

Referee Neil Swarbrick waved away penalty appeals after Benteke went down under Dann's challenge, with Bakary Sako then finding the side-netting at the other end.

Dann would prove the match-winner in the latter stages however, seeing a header saved by Simon Mignolet before reacting quickest to nod home the rebound as Palace leapfrogged their opponents to move into eighth place on the table.

 

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Arsenal 1-1 Tottenham: Gibbs denies Spurs derby glory

Kieran Gibbs came off the bench to bundle in a late equaliser and rescue a 1-1 draw for Arsenal against Tottenham on Sunday.

Harry Kane slotted past Petr Cech in the first half to give Mauricio Pochettino's side a deserved lead against a Gunners team lacking any real spark in attack.

Olivier Giroud hit the crossbar with a second-half header and glanced another effort just wide, but Cech kept Arsenal in the match with fine saves to deny Toby Alderweireld and Christian Eriksen.

And the goalkeeper's performance proved pivotal when substitute Gibbs converted Mesut Ozil's cross at the far post 13 minutes from time to secure a share of the spoils for the home side.

Arsenal continue to trail Premier League leaders Manchester City on goal difference, while Spurs are back up to fifth in the table, five points adrift of their north London rivals.

Arsene Wenger's men had the best of a scrappy opening 20 minutes but both sides lacked composure in the final third, with early chances at a premium.

Eric Dier headed a good opportunity wide of the far post from Eriksen's flighted free-kick as Spurs began to settle on the ball, and Danny Rose lashed over from 18 yards when given time and space.

Tottenham were growing in confidence and Kane silenced the frustrated home fans after 32 minutes with his fifth goal in three league matches. The England striker's simple run through the heart of the Arsenal defence was picked out by Rose's long ball into the left channel, and Kane rolled a shot past Cech and into the far corner.

Giroud went down under a challenge from Jan Vertonghen off the ball and promptly barged the Belgium international to ground as tempers flared before Cech denied Kane a second by parrying away a fierce low shot.

Arsenal came out of the blocks quickly in the second half and Joel Campbell had Hugo Lloris at full stretch with a curling effort from the right, but Eriksen came even closer with a shot that clipped Mathieu Flamini's knee and flew just wide.

Giroud then caught the crossbar with a header from Ozil's free-kick and Laurent Koscielny looped another header wide as the Gunners turned up the pressure in search of an equaliser.

Arsenal's aerial threat looked their best chance of breaking down Spurs' resistance but Giroud's accuracy was off and he nodded Ozil's latest delivery wide of the far post after rising unchallenged.

Eriksen and Alderweireld were both thwarted by Cech again as Spurs looked to kill the game off before the Gunners finally made their goalkeeper's excellence count.

Ozil clipped a cross towards the far post from the right and Gibbs, introduced off the bench just three minutes earlier, arrived in perfect time to force the ball over Lloris at the near post for his first goal in over a year.

With their tails up, Arsenal pushed forward for a winner and Lloris did well to save Giroud's glancing header low to his right, but Spurs held out to remain unbeaten since the opening day of the Premier League season.

 

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Moyes set for Real Sociedad exit

Real Sociedad have decided to dispense with David Moyes' services as coach, with an official announcement expected from the club in the coming hours as results continue to disappoint this season.

The Basque institution will have to pay out around 3 million euros in compensation to the Scot, formerly in charge of Everton and Manchester United. Real, however, hope to negotiate a settlement with Moyes that would bring down the cost.

Eusebio Sacristan and Gaizka Garitano have been installed as the favourites to succeed Moyes at Anoeta.

The coach arrived at Sociedad in November 2014 with the task of saving the club from relegation, after an awful start to the season under Jagoba Arrasate.

Moyes managed to turn around results and guide the Basques to a comfortable mid-table finish, although better things were expected for 2015-16.

Despite bringing in players such as Jonathas and Asier Illarramendi, however, Real have managed just two victories and three draws in the opening 11 Liga games, a run which appears to have sealed Moyes' fate.

A tame defeat at the weekend away to Las Palmas only heightened discontent in San Sebastian, with directors running out of patience 12 months into the coach's tenure.

 

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Wenger: Cazorla was not at the races

Arsene Wenger says Santi Cazorla was "not himself" after replacing the Spain international at half-time during Arsenal's 1-1 draw with Tottenham at the Emirates.

The Gunners had to fight back to salvage a point against Spurs after Harry Kane had opened the scoring with Mauricio Pochettino's men impressing for the majority of the match.

However, the hosts equalised through Kieran Gibbs and Wenger praised his side's second-half performance saying the players responded well to going behind.

"It was a very intense game where we were a bit unlucky because [Santi] Cazorla in the first half was not himself and I took him off at half time because he was dizzy and we suffered in the middle of the park," he told Sky Sports.

"As well maybe we didn't have the right timing to play offside after that. I think in the second half we had a great mental response and showed that we were determined not to lose."

The draw means Arsenal have missed the chance to move clear at the top of the table after Manchester City were held by Aston Villa earlier in the day and Wenger felt his side could have won it late on.

"I believe the 1-1 is the fair result for both teams. Both teams have had chances," he added.

"There was more regret because I feel Giroud had some great chances today and he could have nicked it at the end."

"In the first half Cazorla was not at the races and we suffered.

"We have too many players out as well, restricted options, offensive options on the bench and that makes the game difficult.

"In the end I must give credit to my players for their refusal to lose the game because they played a good Tottenham side but they still managed to get at least a point."

The result leaves them still level on points with joint-Premier League leaders Manchester City, who drew 0-0 at Aston Villa earlier on Sunday.

 

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Klopp calls for Liverpool concentration

Jurgen Klopp has urged Liverpool to maintain their concentration after the manager suffered the first defeat of his tenure, losing 2-1 against Crystal Palace at home on Sunday.

Having seen Philippe Coutinho cancel out Yannick Bolasie's opener in the Premier League match at Anfield, Scott Dann's header eight minutes from time consigned the hosts to a 2-1 defeat.

Dann reacted quickest to head in a rebound following Simon Mignolet's save, but a number of missed chances forced Klopp to contemplate a first defeat at the helm a month after being appointed.

"When Palace scored I saw many people leave. I felt very alone in this moment," the former Borussia Dortmund coach told reporters. "But we have to make them want to stay.

"It's not the first time I've lost a game. We opened the door for Palace with our start.

"We defended the counter-attack well, but a corner has cost us. I'm satisfied with some moments [the team created], but my problem is that we need to play all 95 minutes."We have to learn that we decide how strong, tired, awake we are. I decide if I am tired, nobody else.

"Of course we can do more and if anyone thinks we can't, they're wrong."Liverpool's disappointing outing was made worse by an injury that forced Mamadou Sakho off before half-time, the in-form defender landing awkwardly on his right knee following an aerial challenge.

"We don't want to speculate, but we have to wait for a scan," Klopp added.
"I'd rather lose 4-1 and keep him in the team."

 

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Henry: That was not good enough from Arsenal

Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry hit out at Arsene Wenger's side after their 1-1 draw with Tottenham prevented them from taking sole leadership in the Premier League.

The visitors went ahead through Harry Kane and were only denied a London derby win by substitute Kieren Gibbs' first goal in over a year.

And after joint-leaders Manchester City were held to a 0-0 draw at Aston Villa earlier on Sunday, Henry feels Arsene Wenger's men threw away a crucial opportunity in the title race.

"I still think that Tottenham played better than Arsenal did today at the Emirates," the pundit said on Sky Sports.

"Ultimately for me, you knew Man City drew the game and you can get two points ahead of them and they didn't take that opportunity today.

"Yes, they didn't play well but you have to manage to win these types of games when you are not playing well - no matter how, now matter what, especially against Tottenham.

"I would say the desire was back in the second half but overall it wasn't enough."

 

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Atletico Madrid 1-0 Sporting Gijon: Griezmann salvages win for Colchoneros

A last-gasp goal from Antoine Griezmann gave Atletico Madrid a dramatic 1-0 win over Sporting Gijon at the Vicente Calderon on Sunday.

The France international headed home in the third minute of stoppage time to rescue Diego Simeone's men, who had struggled to create many opportunities following their Champions League trip to Kazakhstan on Tuesday.

The hosts had goalkeeper Jan Oblak to thank in the first half as he made a superb stop to deny on-loan Barcelona playmaker Alen Halilovic from opening the scoring.

Griezmann had come closest to finding a breakthrough, but he was left frustrated by an impressive double save from Sporting's Ivan Cuellar before he made the difference with a winner at the death.

The victory moves Atletico up to third in La Liga as a result of Celta Vigo's heavy defeat to Valencia on Saturday, with Simeone's side four points adrift of the top after extending their unbeaten run in all competitions to seven games.

Simeone made four changes to his starting XI following the goalless stalemate at Astana, including the return of Jackson Martinez in attack in place of Fernando Torres.

Sporting almost took a surprise early lead when Jony carried the ball from the halfway line and shot wide of Oblak's far post, before Yannick Ferreira Carrasco and Tiago were off-target with efforts at the other end.

Atletico striker Martinez wanted a penalty when his cross cannoned against the right arm of Bernardo from close range, but referee Javier Estrada Fernandez was unmoved.

Sporting suffered a double blow by having to replace both Sergio Alvarez and Miguel Angel Guerrero due to injuries inside the first 25 minutes.

But it was still the visitors who created the best chance of the first half. A sweeping counterattack led to Jony's cross from the left finding Halilovic and his goal-bound left-footed shot was brilliantly saved by a diving Oblak.

Atletico upped the tempo early in the second half. Gabi shot wide and Koke smashed a long-range attempt into the side netting before he was replaced by Angel Correa.

Griezmann was thwarted by Cuellar's double save as the hosts finally created a big chance. The Frenchman's initial shot from Carrasco's cross was saved, before he reacted first to the rebound and sent a clever flick towards the other corner which the keeper was also equal to.

Sporting were not finished as an attacking force, though, with Oblak having to be at full stretch to push Jony's left-footed drive over as both teams pressed for the vital breakthrough.

Diego Godin headed over from a Jesus Gamez long throw, but Griezmann's two efforts had been shot-shy Atletico's only attempts on target going into stoppage time.

Griezmann came to the rescue, though, as he latched on to a Godin flick-on to head past the onrushing Cuellar, sending Simeone wild on the touchline.

 

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Arsenal were on the ropes, admits Wenger

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was proud of the character shown by his side in their 1-1 draw against Tottenham but acknowledged they were "on the ropes" for large parts of Sunday's match.

Harry Kane's fifth Premier League goal in three games put Spurs ahead at the Emirates Stadium and Petr Cech was forced to make smart saves from Christian Eriksen and Toby Alderweireld to keep the Gunners in touch.

Substitute Kieran Gibbs grabbed an equaliser just three minutes after coming on to salvage a draw but Wenger insisted it would be wrong to claim his side had dropped two points in the title race.

"You can say that to [Manchester] City as well," he told reporters, with Manuel Pellegrini's side having earlier drawn earlier in the day with Aston Villa.

"We look on a longer distance; in the last six games we've played five wins and one draw.

"Overall, today I'm disappointed we didn't win the game, but if you look at the recent period as a block it can happen that you lose two points.

"We were a bit on the ropes. We responded. Every time we have a disappointment, the game after we respond well.

"When you look at the results again today you see Villa versus City was 0-0, Liverpool lost [against Crystal Palace]. We played a 1-1. It just shows that the championship will be extremely difficult for everybody.

"The mental qualities can have a big input in the future and I think we'll need these qualities."

 

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Last-gasp winner makes Atletico stronger - Godin

Diego Godin believes Atletico Madrid will only become stronger after their dramatic late winner against Sporting Gijon in La Liga on Sunday.Diego Simeone's side were frustrated throughout at the Vicente Calderon until Antoine Griezmann stole in behind the defence to nod in a goal in second-half injury time after Godin's flick-on.

The Uruguay international says Atleti are accustomed to making their own life difficult in matches, but felt securing the three points could prove vital.

"It was important because we had to win and we were able to get the victory thanks to our effort," he told Canal+. "We suffered because that's what Atleti do, but we didn't give up.

"It was a tough game, the crowd were anxious. We were, too."This makes us stronger because we continue on a hard-working and humble road. We give everything. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't, but we give everything."

Atletico moved above Celta Vigo into third place following their victory and the latter's 5-1 loss at home to Valencia on Saturday.

 

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Pellegrini defends Mourinho: I don't understand owners' impatience

Manuel Pellegrini has hit out at the impatience of Premier League club owners as pressure mounts on Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.

A 1-0 defeat to Stoke City on Saturday has left Mourinho, who missed the match due to a stadium ban, fighting for his job at Stamford Bridge despite having guided the club to Premier League and League Cup glory last season.

Pellegrini himself saw his position come under scrutiny as Manchester City failed to defend their title, while speculation linking Pep Guardiola with his job has continued into the current campaign.

"I read every day that Chelsea will sack Mourinho," Pellegrini said ahead of City's 0-0 draw with Aston Villa. "It has also happened to [Manchester United boss Louis] Van Gaal and me.

"Things have changed and I don't understand why owners are so impatient. If I was an owner, I'd choose a manager to stay for three years and see out his contract - and then decide [on his future].

"Several years ago in England, most clubs in the Premier League had patience with their managers.

"That is changing. And it is not just difficult for young managers - it is difficult for all managers. The longer you can be at a club, the better it is for the manager - and for the club.

"Having a manager like Arsene Wenger, in the way that he works for a long time, means that that his club will improve."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Sevilla 3-2 Real Madrid: Benitez's men lose ground on Barcelona

Sevilla inflicted a surprise 3-2 defeat on Real Madrid on Sunday night to leave Barcelona three points clear at the top of La Liga.

Sergio Ramos opened the scoring for Rafa Benitez's men but was later forced off with an injury, and four minutes after his withdrawal Ciro Immobile grabbed an equaliser.

Second-half goals from Ever Banega and Fernando Llorente sealed an important victory for Unai Emery's team, who have endured a mixed start to the campaign, and ensured James Rodriguez's late strike was a mere consolation.

Real Madrid face Barcelona next on November 21 following the international break.

Karim Benzema was absent from the visitors' squad after being charged with conspiracy to blackmail his France team-mate Mathieu Valbuena, but Gareth Bale returned after a calf injury.

Amid early Madrid pressure, Cristiano Ronaldo saw an effort blocked by Mariano before Nacho rattled the woodwork with a shot from outside the area.

As Sevilla sat deep, Benitez's team got their breakthrough courtesy of a sublime Ramos finish midway through the half.

Against his former club, the centre-back produced a stunning bicycle kick to beat Sergio Rico but in doing do appeared to hurt his left shoulder.

Sevilla responded well, with Ramos denying Immobile a clear-cut chance before the Madrid defender was replaced by Raphael Varane.

Four minutes after Ramos' departure, Immobile opened his Sevilla account with an expert finish from a tight angle following a deep corner not dealt with by the Madrid defence.

The Borussia Dortmund loanee's first goal since March sent Sevilla in level at half-time, although the Italian came close to a second before the break when he prodded Benoit Tremoulinas' cross wide.

Both sides had chances in an open start to the second half, with Yevhen Konoplyanka threatening for the hosts and Toni Kroos sending an effort wide for Madrid.

Ronaldo too fired wide but Benitez's side generally looked ponderous in the final third. Sevilla were anything but, and took the lead after a stunning passing move was finished off by Banega.

The Argentine was the beneficiary of a quick one-two between Konoplyanka and Immobile, converting the Ukrainian's cross to complete the turnaround.

James was introduced by Benitez in an attempt to salvage something from the game but Ronaldo's decision to shoot from a tight angle instead of play in Luka Modric somewhat typified Madrid's lacklustre attacking play.

Casemiro's header was brilliantly saved by Rico and substitute Llorente then sealed the points when he headed home unmarked inside the area 16 minutes from time.

James made his case to start when Barca visit for El Clasico with a goal deep into stoppage time, but it mattered little as Madrid remain three points off the leaders.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Neymar: I planned Villarreal stunner

Neymar reveals his sensational strike in Barcelona's 3-0 win against Villarreal on Sunday came off exactly as he had planned it.

The La Liga top scorer took his tally for the season to 11 with his brace against the Yellow Submarines, netting the opener on the hour mark before producing a sublime flick and finish to cap off a commanding display.

And with him becoming increasingly important to Barcelona's ambitions for silverware this season, Neymar insists the best is still to come from him.

"I thought about the move [that led to his second goal] in advance and it came off," the forward told reporters after the match.

"I'm happy with my contribution to the team but I think I can improve even more. Together with my team-mates, we have to keep growing.

"We played really well, we created a lot of chances throughout the game. We have to carry on like this. Everyone played well against Villarreal, who are a great team."

The win sets up the Catalans perfectly for their upcoming El Clasico clash with Real Madrid, and Neymar states he will return from the international break with Brazil fully focused on the mammoth fixture.

"We have a break from the league now to think about the Clasico, but we also have to play well for our national teams."

Barcelona went three points clear at the top of La Liga following Madrid's 3-2 loss at Sevilla later on Sunday.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Benitez: Madrid failed to respond

Rafael Benitez rued Real Madrid's error-riddled second-half performance in their 3-2 loss at Sevilla on Sunday, saying it cost them victory.

Madrid's unbeaten record under Benitez was ended by Unai Emery's men, who scored two goals in the second half to win turn the tie around.

Sergio Ramos' 22nd-minute opener seemingly had Madrid on course for an eighth league victory of the season, but their inability to see out the match saw los Blancos succumb to goals from Ciro Immobile, Ever Banega and Fernando Llorente.

And Benitez was left to lament Madrid's failure to react after a promising start to the match as they surrendered top spot in the table to upcoming opponents Barcelona.

"We played 30 very good minutes, lots of control, in all levels. Then we let them score at dead ball. That changed the game," Benitez told reporters after the match.

"From [the] second goal we started to make mistakes, they took advantage and scored a third. We came back and scored late, but it wasn't enough."That was lesson from [the] game, [in the] second half we were not able to manage the situation.

"We lacked know-how. We had the game under control and should killed it, but our mistakes brought them [Sevilla] back in. We couldn't react."At 3-1 it's difficult to react, players didn't know how to control the situation when the result was [going] against us."

Madrid's first match after the international break is the eagerly anticipated Clasico at home to Spanish champions Barcelona in a fortnight.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Lukaku now worth £55m - Martinez

Everton manager Roberto Martinez deems star forward Romelu Lukaku to now be worth £55 million after the Belgian's exploits in a 1-1 draw at West Ham on Saturday.Lukaku notched his seventh Premier League goal of the season as Everton claimed a point at Upton Park, with the 22-year-old continuing his fine form amidst intensifying rumours linking him with a move away.

However, Everton held on to John Stones despite considerable interest from Chelsea earlier this season, and Martinez is keen to do the same with Lukaku.
Quizzed on a reported price tag of £45m, Martinez told reporters: "After today, [he is worth] £55m!

"The real problem is when the chairman or owner of the club says we need to cash in on two or three players. That is not the situation at Everton.
"[Lukaku] wants to break records. He had in his eye Tony Cottee in 1993 being the last player to score 20 goals in a calendar year."He achieved that and he scored 21 and keeps going. He wants to improve and be the best in the world."

Lukaku's next opportunity to add to his tally for Everton will come at home to Aston Villa in a fortnight, after he returns from his nation's friendlies against Italy and Spain.