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Arsenal 2-0 Borussia Dortmund: Sanogo & Alexis send Gunners through

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Wolverine GTR

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    Ancelotti: Kroos may be tired, but he will play

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    Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti insists Toni Kroos will play in Saturday's meeting with Malaga despite the midfielder's claims he is tired.

    The Germany international has spoken of his fatigue, having featured throughout the second half of last term for former club Bayern Munich before playing at the World Cup and becoming a regular at the Santiago Bernabeu since his arrival.

    However, while acknowledging the wariness of his players, Ancelotti is not prepared to rotate for this weekend's clash with Malaga as Real eye a club-record 16th win in a row.

    "I see the tiredness of the team," he said on Friday. "They have recovered very well. We will do some rotations next week in the cup match against Cornella."We need Kroos, but he may rest next week

    "We have Asier Illarramendi to replace Kroos now he has come back from an injury, and he played very well against Basel in the Champions League on Wednesday."We will have no problem swapping Kroos for Illarramendi."

    Sami Khedira remains unavailable for selection due to a knee injury, but Ancelotti is adamant that he would like to see the World Cup winner stay at the club beyond his current contract, which expires at the end of the season."Khedira is still not ready to play, he needs some more days to work on his fitness," the Italian said. "I think he will be ready next week.

    "The will of the club is to extend his contract. We need him, I have great confidence in Khedira."He will put aside his physical problems and play for us."
     

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    Rodgers: I'm the favourite to get sacked

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    Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers admits he is the favourite to be sacked following the club's poor start to the season.

    The Reds narrowly missed out on the Premier League title last season, a year that saw Rodgers named manager of the year, but only four wins from their opening 12 games leaves his side in 12th position.

    And although the Northern Irishman signed a "long-term" deal last May, it has led to calls from some quarters for the club to replace the 41-year-old.

    He told reporters: "A few months ago I was manager of the year, now I'm tipped to get sacked. All I can focus on is what you can control."

    Having lost Luis Suarez to Barcelona in the summer and seen Daniel Sturridge sidelined by a number of injury problems, Rodgers admits he has been "dealt a different hand this season," though he admits Liverpool need to improve in the coming weeks if they are to meet their objective of qualifying for the Champions League.

    "We just need to focus on the now, not dwell on the bad results," he added. "We get to go again. We were competitive against Ludogorets, we worked well and now we want to take this into the Premier League against Stoke.

    "There's a lot of time left, a big chunk of the season to go. We have been nowhere near what we would expect. We're five points off the top four and the points total is the lowest it has been in the Premier League, so it tells you it is a unique league this year.

    "Our objective, like last season, is fourth."

    Rodgers also confirmed that Mario Balotelli - a €20 million summer signing from AC Milan - will have to continue to wait for his first Premier League goal for the Reds, with injury ruling him out of this weekend's clash, while Mamadou Sakho will also miss out.
     

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    Mourinho: Chelsea must not get complacent

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    Jose Mourinho says Chelsea must avoid complacency if they are to keep their impressive form going after an almost flawless start to the season.

    Chelsea remain unbeaten in all competitions following a scintillating opening to the season, with their lead at the top of the Premier League currently standing at six points.

    Tuesday's 5-0 thrashing of Schalke saw Chelsea qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League in convincing fashion but, speaking ahead of this weekend's trip to Sunderland, Mourinho has warned his side against any drop in standards.

    "Every player in my squad is fantastic and I'm so happy with all of them," Mourinho said. "The only risk we have is complacency."

    The Portuguese coach added that, despite the club's fine form, he has no reason to be "over the moon when we win or in hell when we lose," but he believes that his squad has been improved after last season's third-placed finish.

    "We've improved where we can without worrying about other factors and other teams," he added.

    "For us every competition is important so we don't rest players and we try to play with our best team."

    Chelsea have won 10 and drawn two of their opening 12 Premier League games, and will look to continue their superb form against a Sunderland side in 14th place in the Premier League this Saturday.
     

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    Klopp: Dortmund will turn it around

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    ​Jurgen Klopp is convinced Borussia Dortmund's fortunes will turn soon despite a disappointing loss to Arsenal in the Champions League.Wednesday's 2-0 defeat was Dortmund's first loss in Europe this season and added to their frustrating form in the Bundesliga.

    Klopp's side have only won three times all season domestically and sit third bottom in the table with only 11 points from 12 matches.

    However, the head coach believes things are beginning to come together and Dortmund are ready to turn their campaign around, starting at Eintracht Frankfurt this weekend."This is no picnic," he said of Dortmund's current situation. "You have to deal critically with it.

    "The team is now fitter than at the beginning of the season. We must not lose our positive view. "None of the players is at the upper limit, we have to keep working. All of our attackers weren't good enough in London, but the key is to stay positive.

    "We are convinced that we will fix this situation. We must all take responsibility."
    Klopp will make late checks on the fitness of Mats Hummels (ankle) and Sven Bender (hip) before Sunday's clash, but Jakub Blaszczykowski (muscular injury) is still away off a first-team return.
     

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    Dzeko close to Man City return

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    Manuel Pellegrini expects Edin Dzeko to make his Manchester City return "next week" after overcoming a thigh injury.

    The Bosnia-Herzegovina international has not featured since coming off the bench in the 2-2 draw at QPR earlier this month and lasting only a few minutes before limping off.

    Dzeko is not available for Sunday's Premier League game against second-placed Southampton, but could face either Sunderland on Wednesday or Everton three days later.

    City manager Pellegrini also revealed that David Silva (knee) and Aleksandar Kolarov (calf) are not yet ready to return.

    "No news about Silva, Kolarov or Dzeko – they will not be fit for this game. Everyone else is fit for this game," said the Chilean.

    "I suppose Edin Dzeko will be fit next week. There are no complications with David Silva, it was a ligament injury and he is recovering."

    City fought back to secure a stunning 3-2 victory over 10-man Bayern Munich in midweek courtesy of a hat-trick from Sergio Aguero.

    A win at Roma next month will ensure the Premier League side progress along with Bayern, provided the Bavarian giants beat CSKA Moscow at home in their final Group E game.

    Pellegrini's men also came from behind to beat Swansea City 2-1 in the Premier League last weekend and the former Malaga coach believes both victories showed there is no disharmony in his squad.

    "We can't complain about our spirit. We were losing against Swansea and we scored twice – the same against Bayern," he said.

    Pellegrini welcomes Yaya Toure and Fernandinho back into the squad after they missed the win over the Bundesliga champions due to suspension.
     

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    :(Van Gaal: Shaw out for several weeks

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    Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has confirmed that defender Luke Shaw has damaged ankle ligaments and will be out for "a few weeks".

    The England international picked up the problem in Saturday's 2-1 win over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium and joins a lengthy injury list at Old Trafford that includes Daley Blind, Jonny Evans and Phil Jones.

    There was confusion last week when United's official Twitter account, having misunderstood Van Gaal, said that Blind would miss six months with a knee injury.

    To avoid a repeat performance, Van Gaal was at pains to point out that he was relaying a message from the medical staff, pulling a piece of paper out of his jacket pocket and putting on his spectacles to read the message to the assembled press.

    "Last time I said something and it was not so good interpreted, so I have asked my medical advisor, maybe Manchester United’s twitter account can pay attention to it, eh?" he said.

    The Dutchman read: "Luke sustained an ankle ligament injury but with no serious complications, and he will be out for the next few weeks because of this. Point."

    Van Gaal, who coached the Netherlands to third place at this summer's World Cup, also revealed that he has given Blind a week off as he looks to recover from his knee injury.

    "I give him a holiday because in the first week it’s more rest than exercise and he didn’t have so much holiday because of the World Cup – maybe you remember that the Netherlands were there until the end – so I gave him a holiday.

    "He comes back on Monday and then he has to exercise and practise every day, because an injured player has to train more than the fit player."Van Gaal also revealed that Evans will not be involved in Saturday's match against Hull City despite his return to action with the club's reserves in midweek.

    "Evans is out of an injury that has taken a lot of weeks and he has to develop a match ryhythm. He is fit to play but not in the Premier League," he told MUTV.

    Radamel Falcao, who was also involved in last week's injury mix-up when it appeared Van Gaal claimed he would miss two weeks with a calf injury, could be in the squad despite not being at 100 per cent.

    "He is not ready, it's the same thing with Evans. When you are so long out of running and not training with your team-mates, one week of training is not sufficient. But I need strikers now so maybe he is in the 18."
     

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    Walcott picked up groin injury with England - Wenger

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    Theo Walcott has added to Arsenal's growing injury list as Arsene Wenger has revealed the winger picked up a groin problem while with England.

    The 25-year-old made his return from an anterior cruciate ligament injury against Burnley on November 1, his first outing since January, but has since missed the loss to Manchester United and the win over Dortmund.

    Mikel Arteta and Yaya Sanogo were forced off on Wednesday night, joining the likes of Wojciech Szczesny, Danny Welbeck and Mesut Ozil on the sidelines as Wenger counts 10 first-team absentees.

    "[Walcott] has a groin problem that he came back from England with. He's not available," Wenger told reporters.

    "We have so many knocks I can only sort it out this morning. Szczesny has not practiced, Arteta is out, Sanogo has problems.

    "Welbeck will be checked. He had a swollen knee so he wasn't available for Dortmund. [Debuchy] is about two weeks away. We have been unlucky with injuries. What can you do about it? Not a lot."

    Jack Wilshere was also recently sidelined for three months after injuring ligaments in his left ankle, but Wenger has backed the youngster to not dwell on the setback despite the repeat damage.

    "We knew he would have surgery. He's focused to come back and finish the season well. I think he will be back at end of February, beginning of March," he added.

    "His injury is a consequence of a very bad tackle that was not malicious. He deals very well with tackles and kicks but nobody would've dealt with that tackle.

    "If he has no problems with his joints he will make a massive career. He loves the game but he has also learnt to deal with adversity at a young age. He's determined."
     

    Wolverine GTR

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    Gundogan: Dortmund must win next five games

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    Ilkay Gundogan has stressed that it's vital for Borussia Dortmund to win their five remaining games before the winter break.

    Jurgen Klopp's men have been in disappointing form in the opening months of the 2014-15 Bundesliga campaign, but Gundogan feels they can limit the damage in the upcoming few weeks."We simply do not have enough points in the Bundesliga at the moment," Gundogan told the official Dortmund website.

    "Our goal until the winter break is now to add as many points to our tally as possible. Ideally, we would like to win all five games."It will still not have been a good first half of the season, but at least we would have some sort of foundation for the second half. We hope to have all our players fit again for the restart in January."

    Dortmund were beaten in the Champions League by Arsenal on Wednesday, but Gundogan is hopeful they can bounce back against Eintracht Frankfurt at the weekend.

    "Maybe this is the moment where we can hit the gas in the Bundesliga after slipping up in the Champions League. We want to do what we intended to do again Arsenal in Sunday's match versus Frankfurt."Dortmund currently sit 16th in the Bundesliga table.
     

    Wolverine GTR

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    Henry hints at Arsenal return

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    Thierry Henry has hinted at a future role at Arsenal following his retirement from playing, adding that he wants to see them win the Champions League.

    The striker is rumoured to be considering ending his playing days with his contract at New York Red Bulls close to expiry, with Arsene Wenger recently revealing the Gunners' all-time top scorer could return as a coach .

    The Arsenal manager insists any role would not be for show and, while he insists he has not decided on his future plans, Henry is keen to see the club win the Champions League - be it directly helping or as a fan.

    "Nothing is clear," he told L'Equipe . "I have not taken any decision or speculated, it's not my thing.

    "One thing is certain: I will stay in football, to coach, to be a consultant... we'll see. The second certainty is that I would like to see Arsenal win the Champions League.

    "Whether from near or far, it does not depend on me, but I'd sure like to help. Because this is my club and, as a player, I have not been able to give them the Champions League."
     

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    Wenger rules out Arsenal bid for Cech

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    Arsene Wenger has quashed rumours linking Arsenal with a January move for Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech.

    Cech has hinted at looking for a new club after falling behind Thibaut Courtois in the pecking order at Stamford Bridge, and according to newspaper reports the Gunners are planning a £7 million bid.

    But when asked about a possible move by reporters on Friday, Wenger rejected the notion out of hand.

    Lukas Podolski is another who has gone public with unhappiness at a lack of sufficient playing time, with a January move also mooted for the Germany international.

    Former club Koln have already ruled out bringing the striker back in January, as well as Schalke, and Wenger has admitted Arsenal are yet to receive any offers for the 29-year-old.

    "I have had no enquiries from anybody," Wenger said.

    "He faces big competition. He has an outstanding attitude and he works very hard."
     

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    Pele showing no signs of infection

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    Brazil legend Pele has shown no sign of infection and is on the road to recover after surgery to remove kidney stones, Sao Paulo's Albert Einstein hospital has said.Pele was initially underwent an operation on November 13, though he was forced to return to the hospital on Monday as he picked up a urinary infection.

    Reports began to circulate on Thursday that the 74-year-old had been admitted to intensive care as his condition was claimed to have gone downhill.

    Such rumours were later refuted by the hospital, who revealed that the former Santos star was only moved to a special care unit in order for him to receive the best treatment away from the public glare.After the Brazilian's own statement that he was "fine" on Thursday, the hospital released a positive update on Friday.

    A press statement read: "The patient Edson Arantes do Nascimento [Pele] has shown improvement in his clinical condition and is still in care in the special care unit, still in temporary treatment RRT [continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration] and lucid.

    "The only bacteria identified yet is sensitive to the antibiotics used. No systemic infection was identified. The patient eats normally by the mouth."The hospital will provide an update when there is new information."
     

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    Nesta comes out of retirement

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    Former AC Milan defender Alessandro Nesta has come out of retirement to join Indian Super League side Chennaiyin.

    The 38-year-old, who won the 2006 World Cup with Italy, has not played a match since featuring in a 2-1 MLS victory for Montreal Impact over Philadelphia Union in October 2013.However, Chennaiyin announced on Friday that the 78-cap veteran had joined the club, linking up with former international colleague Marco Materazzi - currently player-manager.

    Nesta is the latest big name to turn out for Chennaiyin, who also have Elano, Mikael Silvestre and Eric Djemba-Djemba on their books.He started his career with Lazio before making the switch to Serie A rivals Milan in 2002, winning the league title on three occasions during his time in Italy.

    The Italian is also a double Champions League winner with Milan, having lifted the trophy in 2003 and 2007.Chennaiyin currently sit top of the ISL, three points clear of second-placed Atletico de Kolkata who have a game in hand.
     

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    Barclays Premier League 2014.11.29 Fixtures

    Barclays Premier League 2014.11.29 Fixtures

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    WBA Vs Arsenal
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    Burnley Vs Aston Villa
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    Liverpool Vs Stoke City
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    Manchester United Vs Hull City
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    QPR Vs Leicester
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    Swansea Vs Crystal Palace
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    West Ham Vs Newcastle
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    Sunderland Vs Chelsea
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