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..::Football IV::..
- Thread starter Wolverine GTR
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Guardiola gives Manchester City permission to believe
Pep Guardiola wants Manchester City to have faith in an improbable turnaround despite Liverpool romping to a 3-0 Champions League quarter-final win in Wednesday's first leg.
The game and, arguably, the tie, was settled inside 31 minutes at a raucous Anfield as goals from Mohamed Salah, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sadio Mane humbled the runaway Premier League leaders.
City were beaten 4-3 on Merseyside in January but Guardiola feels their exploits elsewhere – a 5-0 win at home to Liverpool last September, for example – should give them a reason not to give up the ghost.
"In this room I think there is nobody except the guy talking to you who believes we can go through. There are 90 minutes more, we are going to try," he told a news conference, before grouping City in with the other seemingly doomed teams in the draw."I believe a lot in my team. They show me many good things in the season. The result is so tough, you cannot deny it.
"Today you are talking about Real Madrid going through, Barcelona going through, Bayern Munich going through and Liverpool going through. "But we have 90 minutes all of us - Sevilla, Juventus, Roma and us. We are going to try. It is so complicated because we are going to play a top, top team. We have the permission to believe it."
Echoing a theme from the January loss – the only reverse in England's top flight this term for City, who can seal the Premier League title with victory against Manchester United on Saturday – Guardiola lamented his team losing control for a 10 to 15-minute spell, albeit much earlier in the game on this occasion."Our first minutes… it is always important to see how the team is. Did we arrive here a little bit scared? We arrived with a huge personality," he said.
"The problem is they arrived two times, the first one offside, to score two. Here at Anfield, it is always complicated."
Guardiola added: "When you play badly and the opponent is much better than you and it is 2-0 you have to accept it."But I do not have that feeling. Maybe tomorrow when I review the game I will say it was a disaster, but I do not have that feeling."
Pep Guardiola wants Manchester City to have faith in an improbable turnaround despite Liverpool romping to a 3-0 Champions League quarter-final win in Wednesday's first leg.
The game and, arguably, the tie, was settled inside 31 minutes at a raucous Anfield as goals from Mohamed Salah, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sadio Mane humbled the runaway Premier League leaders.
City were beaten 4-3 on Merseyside in January but Guardiola feels their exploits elsewhere – a 5-0 win at home to Liverpool last September, for example – should give them a reason not to give up the ghost.
"In this room I think there is nobody except the guy talking to you who believes we can go through. There are 90 minutes more, we are going to try," he told a news conference, before grouping City in with the other seemingly doomed teams in the draw."I believe a lot in my team. They show me many good things in the season. The result is so tough, you cannot deny it.
"Today you are talking about Real Madrid going through, Barcelona going through, Bayern Munich going through and Liverpool going through. "But we have 90 minutes all of us - Sevilla, Juventus, Roma and us. We are going to try. It is so complicated because we are going to play a top, top team. We have the permission to believe it."
Echoing a theme from the January loss – the only reverse in England's top flight this term for City, who can seal the Premier League title with victory against Manchester United on Saturday – Guardiola lamented his team losing control for a 10 to 15-minute spell, albeit much earlier in the game on this occasion."Our first minutes… it is always important to see how the team is. Did we arrive here a little bit scared? We arrived with a huge personality," he said.
"The problem is they arrived two times, the first one offside, to score two. Here at Anfield, it is always complicated."
Guardiola added: "When you play badly and the opponent is much better than you and it is 2-0 you have to accept it."But I do not have that feeling. Maybe tomorrow when I review the game I will say it was a disaster, but I do not have that feeling."
Stayaway Arsenal fans will return for Europa League, says Wenger
Arsene Wenger has been troubled by the frequent sight of a half-full Emirates Stadium but is optimistic of strong backing from Arsenal fans in their Europa League clash with CSKA Moscow.
Empty seats have marked recent Emirates Stadium matches as supporters demonstrate dissatisfaction with a campaign that appears likely to end without qualification for the Champions League for a second successive season.Winning the Europa League is the Gunners' last realistic hope of returning to the competition next term and they can strengthen those chances with a strong showing in the first leg of the quarter-finals on Thursday.
Club great Ian Wright has commended Arsenal fans for the "positive step" of staying away from matches and Wenger accepts slumping attendances are a worrying trend, albeit one he believes will soon end."I'm always concerned when our stadium is not completely full," the Frenchman told reporters on Wednesday.
"But I don't think that will be a problem tomorrow. Our concern is the performance and the crowd will be behind us. "I think when something is at stake the crowd is always behind us."Arsenal have been boosted by the return to fitness of Alexandre Lacazette as they attempt to reach the final four of a European competition for the first time since 2008-09.
The France forward, who scored in the weekend win over Stoke City, is in contention to feature against CSKA, although Wenger was not prepared to reveal his starting XI."Basically we have everybody available, I think," he said.
"Lacazette is ready to start. I have not decided if he will start or not but he is available and ready to start." Petr Cech missed the win against Stoke but is available, although David Ospina typically starts for Arsenal in cup competitions.
Arsene Wenger has been troubled by the frequent sight of a half-full Emirates Stadium but is optimistic of strong backing from Arsenal fans in their Europa League clash with CSKA Moscow.
Empty seats have marked recent Emirates Stadium matches as supporters demonstrate dissatisfaction with a campaign that appears likely to end without qualification for the Champions League for a second successive season.Winning the Europa League is the Gunners' last realistic hope of returning to the competition next term and they can strengthen those chances with a strong showing in the first leg of the quarter-finals on Thursday.
Club great Ian Wright has commended Arsenal fans for the "positive step" of staying away from matches and Wenger accepts slumping attendances are a worrying trend, albeit one he believes will soon end."I'm always concerned when our stadium is not completely full," the Frenchman told reporters on Wednesday.
"But I don't think that will be a problem tomorrow. Our concern is the performance and the crowd will be behind us. "I think when something is at stake the crowd is always behind us."Arsenal have been boosted by the return to fitness of Alexandre Lacazette as they attempt to reach the final four of a European competition for the first time since 2008-09.
The France forward, who scored in the weekend win over Stoke City, is in contention to feature against CSKA, although Wenger was not prepared to reveal his starting XI."Basically we have everybody available, I think," he said.
"Lacazette is ready to start. I have not decided if he will start or not but he is available and ready to start." Petr Cech missed the win against Stoke but is available, although David Ospina typically starts for Arsenal in cup competitions.
UEFA Europa League Quarter-finals 1st Leg Fixtures 2018.04.05
UEFA Europa League Quarter-finals 1st Leg Fixtures 2018.04.05
Arsenal Vs CSKA
Atletico Madrid Vs Sporting
Lazio Vs Salzburg
Leipzig Vs Marseille
Lazio 4 Red Bull Salzburg 2: Late drama sees Italians claim first-leg advantage
Late goals from Felipe Anderson and Ciro Immobile helped Lazio to a pulsating 4-2 win over Red Bull Salzburg in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final at the Stadio Olimpico.
In a game played at a frenetic pace, it was the hosts who struck first with Senad Lulic slotting home from close range inside the opening 10 minutes.Marco Rose's side then controversially pulled level on the half-hour through Valon Berisha's penalty, given after Dusan Basta had been punished for the softest of challenges.
Perhaps fuelled by the perceived injustice of that penalty, the Italian side started the second half in dominant fashion and restored their lead after 49 minutes through Marco Parolo's wonderful back-flick finish.Substitute Takumi Minamino looked to have secured a draw on the night for the visitors with a calm finish after 71 minutes, but Felipe Anderson and Immobile had other ideas.
In the space of 138 seconds, Felipe Anderson showed fantastic composure to score his side's third and Immobile stroked home a first-time finish to give Lazio a healthy lead ahead of the return leg in Austria next week.
The hosts' blistering start was rewarded after just eight minutes as an incisive move cut open the Salzburg backline.
Immobile played in Basta down the right but was unable to get a decisive touch to the Serbian's low cross after a surging run into the penalty area. Thankfully for him, captain Lulic was lurking behind to stroke past Alexander Walke into the bottom corner for his first Europa League goal of the campaign.Salzburg responded well to that early setback and found a way back into the game after 30 minutes, albeit in controversial circumstances.
Munas Dabbur went to ground in the penalty area clutching his face after the softest of challenges by Basta and after a few moments of confusion, referee Ovidiu Hategan appeared to award the spot-kick on the advice of the official behind the goal.
Berisha was not fazed by the delay, though, slotting past Thomas Strakosha to draw the Austrians level.Lazio started the second period with even more verve than the first and restored their lead just four minutes after the restart.
Luis Alberto found himself in plenty of space down the right and was able to pick out Parolo, who clipped an impudent back-heel past an exposed Walke.Lazio's hopes of taking a lead to Austria looked in danger when Japan international Minamino slotted past Strakosha with his first touch after being introduced from the bench, having been set up by Dabbur.The hosts produced a stirring response, though, as Felipe Anderson and Immobile scored two in quick succession to dramatically change the complexion of the tie.
Felipe Anderson's was a superb solo effort, driving past three players before clipping past Walke, while Immobile clinically finished a flowing move from just inside the area, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Lucas Leiva respectively setting up the strikes.
Their lead could have been even greater had Immobile and Felipe Caicedo found a way past Walke late on, but it will have done little to take the shine off a fine night for Simone Inzaghi’s side.
Late goals from Felipe Anderson and Ciro Immobile helped Lazio to a pulsating 4-2 win over Red Bull Salzburg in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final at the Stadio Olimpico.
In a game played at a frenetic pace, it was the hosts who struck first with Senad Lulic slotting home from close range inside the opening 10 minutes.Marco Rose's side then controversially pulled level on the half-hour through Valon Berisha's penalty, given after Dusan Basta had been punished for the softest of challenges.
Perhaps fuelled by the perceived injustice of that penalty, the Italian side started the second half in dominant fashion and restored their lead after 49 minutes through Marco Parolo's wonderful back-flick finish.Substitute Takumi Minamino looked to have secured a draw on the night for the visitors with a calm finish after 71 minutes, but Felipe Anderson and Immobile had other ideas.
In the space of 138 seconds, Felipe Anderson showed fantastic composure to score his side's third and Immobile stroked home a first-time finish to give Lazio a healthy lead ahead of the return leg in Austria next week.
The hosts' blistering start was rewarded after just eight minutes as an incisive move cut open the Salzburg backline.
Immobile played in Basta down the right but was unable to get a decisive touch to the Serbian's low cross after a surging run into the penalty area. Thankfully for him, captain Lulic was lurking behind to stroke past Alexander Walke into the bottom corner for his first Europa League goal of the campaign.Salzburg responded well to that early setback and found a way back into the game after 30 minutes, albeit in controversial circumstances.
Munas Dabbur went to ground in the penalty area clutching his face after the softest of challenges by Basta and after a few moments of confusion, referee Ovidiu Hategan appeared to award the spot-kick on the advice of the official behind the goal.
Berisha was not fazed by the delay, though, slotting past Thomas Strakosha to draw the Austrians level.Lazio started the second period with even more verve than the first and restored their lead just four minutes after the restart.
Luis Alberto found himself in plenty of space down the right and was able to pick out Parolo, who clipped an impudent back-heel past an exposed Walke.Lazio's hopes of taking a lead to Austria looked in danger when Japan international Minamino slotted past Strakosha with his first touch after being introduced from the bench, having been set up by Dabbur.The hosts produced a stirring response, though, as Felipe Anderson and Immobile scored two in quick succession to dramatically change the complexion of the tie.
Felipe Anderson's was a superb solo effort, driving past three players before clipping past Walke, while Immobile clinically finished a flowing move from just inside the area, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Lucas Leiva respectively setting up the strikes.
Their lead could have been even greater had Immobile and Felipe Caicedo found a way past Walke late on, but it will have done little to take the shine off a fine night for Simone Inzaghi’s side.
Atletico Madrid 2 Sporting CP 0: Koke, Griezmann make defensive errors pay
Koke scored Atletico Madrid's quickest ever Europa League goal after just 22 seconds in an accomplished 2-0 quarter-final first-leg win over a sloppy Sporting CP at Wanda Metropolitano on Thursday.
The Spain midfielder punished Sebastian Coates' error to net the opener immediately after kick-off, setting the hosts on their way to a fifth successive victory in this year's competition.
In truth, it was made it easy for Diego Simeone's side, Jeremy Mathieu gifting Atleti a second, Antoine Griezmann's fourth goal in as many club outings arriving late in the first half.
The Portuguese outfit created occasional opportunities to snatch a handy away goal – substitute Fredy Montero notably blazing over at the death - but while both teams finished third in their respective Champions League groups, there was a clear gulf in quality.Indeed, the last time these teams met in the Europa League, it was the Rojiblancos who went on to lift the trophy in the inaugural 2009-10 tournament.
And Simeone, who led Atleti to a second triumph three years later, will be confident of booking a place in the final four when they reconvene for the return leg in Lisbon next Thursday.
Jorge Jesus spoke pre-match of being underdogs against the two-time tournament winners, but the Sporting boss will still have expected better than to cough up a cheap first-minute goal.
Ex-Liverpool defender Coates was the culprit as his panicked sideways pass was picked off Diego Costa, who squeezed a pass through for Koke to slide into the bottom corner.Rui Patricio prevented a stunned Sporting from falling further behind moments later as he palmed clear Diego Godin's firm header from Koke's corner.
The visitors steadied after those haphazard early exchanges and could well have been level just beyond the half-hour mark. Gelson Martins scampered onto an incisive Bruno Fernandes pass from deep but, slightly unbalanced by Godin's faint tug, he telegraphed a finish that Jan Oblak saved low to his left.He was made to pay for that miss five minutes before the break, as Griezmann this time pounced on Mathieu's loose touch, hared into the area and fired clinically to Patricio's left.
Though half-time was fast approaching, Jesus was not prepared to wait for the interval in replacing midfielder William Carvalho with the more attack-minded Marcos Acuna.
He may have considered dragging Coates when the defender's nightmare continued with a missed clearance at the start of the second half, although his embarrassment was to be shared by Costa as the striker failed to round Patricio in a one-on-one.
Sporting's frustration began to show with Cristiano Piccini, Bas Dost and Fabio Coentrao all shown yellow cards for rash challenges, the latter's ruling him out of the second leg.
Patricio did well to deny Juanfran from a narrow angle with one final Atleti chance late in the contest, before Montero wasted a gilt-edged opportunity to grab an away goal after Oblak failed to hold Bryan Ruiz's initial effort.But neither incident will mean much in the context of the tie if Jesus does not solve his side's defensive problems in next week's reverse fixture.
Koke scored Atletico Madrid's quickest ever Europa League goal after just 22 seconds in an accomplished 2-0 quarter-final first-leg win over a sloppy Sporting CP at Wanda Metropolitano on Thursday.
The Spain midfielder punished Sebastian Coates' error to net the opener immediately after kick-off, setting the hosts on their way to a fifth successive victory in this year's competition.
In truth, it was made it easy for Diego Simeone's side, Jeremy Mathieu gifting Atleti a second, Antoine Griezmann's fourth goal in as many club outings arriving late in the first half.
The Portuguese outfit created occasional opportunities to snatch a handy away goal – substitute Fredy Montero notably blazing over at the death - but while both teams finished third in their respective Champions League groups, there was a clear gulf in quality.Indeed, the last time these teams met in the Europa League, it was the Rojiblancos who went on to lift the trophy in the inaugural 2009-10 tournament.
And Simeone, who led Atleti to a second triumph three years later, will be confident of booking a place in the final four when they reconvene for the return leg in Lisbon next Thursday.
Jorge Jesus spoke pre-match of being underdogs against the two-time tournament winners, but the Sporting boss will still have expected better than to cough up a cheap first-minute goal.
Ex-Liverpool defender Coates was the culprit as his panicked sideways pass was picked off Diego Costa, who squeezed a pass through for Koke to slide into the bottom corner.Rui Patricio prevented a stunned Sporting from falling further behind moments later as he palmed clear Diego Godin's firm header from Koke's corner.
The visitors steadied after those haphazard early exchanges and could well have been level just beyond the half-hour mark. Gelson Martins scampered onto an incisive Bruno Fernandes pass from deep but, slightly unbalanced by Godin's faint tug, he telegraphed a finish that Jan Oblak saved low to his left.He was made to pay for that miss five minutes before the break, as Griezmann this time pounced on Mathieu's loose touch, hared into the area and fired clinically to Patricio's left.
Though half-time was fast approaching, Jesus was not prepared to wait for the interval in replacing midfielder William Carvalho with the more attack-minded Marcos Acuna.
He may have considered dragging Coates when the defender's nightmare continued with a missed clearance at the start of the second half, although his embarrassment was to be shared by Costa as the striker failed to round Patricio in a one-on-one.
Sporting's frustration began to show with Cristiano Piccini, Bas Dost and Fabio Coentrao all shown yellow cards for rash challenges, the latter's ruling him out of the second leg.
Patricio did well to deny Juanfran from a narrow angle with one final Atleti chance late in the contest, before Montero wasted a gilt-edged opportunity to grab an away goal after Oblak failed to hold Bryan Ruiz's initial effort.But neither incident will mean much in the context of the tie if Jesus does not solve his side's defensive problems in next week's reverse fixture.
RB Leipzig 1 Marseille 0: Werner hands hosts first-leg advantage
Timo Werner struck the only goal of an entertaining first leg to hand RB Leipzig a narrow advantage over Marseille in their Europa League quarter-final.The Germany international finished off a sweeping Leipzig move on the stroke of half-time, meaning Ralph Hasenhuttl's men will take a slender lead to the Stade Velodrome in a week's time.Marseille will approach the second leg with optimism, however, after an enterprising display that was spoiled only by some wayward finishing.
Lucas Ocampos was particularly profligate, marring a fine individual performance, although Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi deserved credit for a string of saves that preserved a clean sheet.The home side enjoyed the lion's share of possession in a first half initially short on goalmouth incident, yet Marseille created the better of the opportunities.
Gulacsi had to make a fine save after nine minutes to keep out Kostas Mitroglou's clever, flicked volley from Dimitri Payet's right-wing cross.The impressive Naby Keita had a shot blocked by the Marseille defence at the other end with Ibrahima Konate nodding Emil Forsberg's teasing cross over the bar shortly afterwards.
Ocampos was posing plenty of problems down the Marseille left and his 41st-minute cross was only partially cleared, allowing Bouna Sarr to fire a volley into the turf and on to the bar.The opening period really came to life in the closing seconds.Leipzig forward Jean-Kevin Augustin was denied a penalty after going down easily when his better option was to shoot just six yards out with Marseille pouring forward on the counter.
Gulacsi denied Sarr and Ocampos in quick succession with the ball eventually falling to Forsberg, who immediately launched a rapid attack.The Swede played in Werner who cut inside on to his left foot before drilling a shot low under Yohann Pele.
Marseille continued to threaten after the break and missed three excellent chances to level within 10 minutes of the restart.Konate denied Ocampos after the Argentine found space inside the area before the former Monaco winger wasted an even better opportunity from the resulting corner, shooting inches wide after latching on to Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa's clever backheel.Marseille captain Payet then shot over the bar after finding space on the edge of the area.
With Leipzig seemingly content to sit on their lead, the visitors struggled to carve out any more clear-cut chances in the final half-hour but they will be confident of overturning this deficit on home soil.
Timo Werner struck the only goal of an entertaining first leg to hand RB Leipzig a narrow advantage over Marseille in their Europa League quarter-final.The Germany international finished off a sweeping Leipzig move on the stroke of half-time, meaning Ralph Hasenhuttl's men will take a slender lead to the Stade Velodrome in a week's time.Marseille will approach the second leg with optimism, however, after an enterprising display that was spoiled only by some wayward finishing.
Lucas Ocampos was particularly profligate, marring a fine individual performance, although Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi deserved credit for a string of saves that preserved a clean sheet.The home side enjoyed the lion's share of possession in a first half initially short on goalmouth incident, yet Marseille created the better of the opportunities.
Gulacsi had to make a fine save after nine minutes to keep out Kostas Mitroglou's clever, flicked volley from Dimitri Payet's right-wing cross.The impressive Naby Keita had a shot blocked by the Marseille defence at the other end with Ibrahima Konate nodding Emil Forsberg's teasing cross over the bar shortly afterwards.
Ocampos was posing plenty of problems down the Marseille left and his 41st-minute cross was only partially cleared, allowing Bouna Sarr to fire a volley into the turf and on to the bar.The opening period really came to life in the closing seconds.Leipzig forward Jean-Kevin Augustin was denied a penalty after going down easily when his better option was to shoot just six yards out with Marseille pouring forward on the counter.
Gulacsi denied Sarr and Ocampos in quick succession with the ball eventually falling to Forsberg, who immediately launched a rapid attack.The Swede played in Werner who cut inside on to his left foot before drilling a shot low under Yohann Pele.
Marseille continued to threaten after the break and missed three excellent chances to level within 10 minutes of the restart.Konate denied Ocampos after the Argentine found space inside the area before the former Monaco winger wasted an even better opportunity from the resulting corner, shooting inches wide after latching on to Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa's clever backheel.Marseille captain Payet then shot over the bar after finding space on the edge of the area.
With Leipzig seemingly content to sit on their lead, the visitors struggled to carve out any more clear-cut chances in the final half-hour but they will be confident of overturning this deficit on home soil.
Arsenal 4 CSKA Moscow 1: Ramsey and Lacazette put Gunners in charge
Aaron Ramsey and Alexandre Lacazette led the way as Arsenal crushed CSKA Moscow 4-1 at Emirates Stadium in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final, putting the Gunners in complete control of the tie.
The competition offers Arsenal their only realistic chance of securing Champions League football for next season and on this evidence they will take some beating, as they swept their visitors aside with consummate ease on Thursday.
Although Ramsey's early opener was quickly cancelled out by a delightful Aleksandr Golovin free-kick, Arsenal rarely looked in danger of failing to win, as the brilliant Mesut Ozil soon turned on the style to win a penalty that Lacazette fired home.Ozil then set up Ramsey for his glorious improvised second, before also picking out Lacazette – starting for the first time since January 30 – as the Gunners opened up a three-goal lead.
Chances continued to fall Arsenal's way after the interval, though they were nowhere near as clinical and CSKA appeared to take encouragement from that, seeing an Alan Dzagoev header disallowed for offside.And although Ramsey - chasing a treble - hit the post late on, there were to be no further goals, as Arsene Wenger's men take a comprehensive lead into next week's return leg in Moscow.
Arsenal made an imperious start and went ahead after just nine minutes, as Ramsey – who had an earlier goal disallowed – rifled an emphatic finish past Igor Akinfeev from the centre of the penalty area.Golovin got CSKA an away goal soon after, bending a sumptuous free-kick into the top-right corner from just outside the area.
But at the back the away side looked absolutely hapless and that allowed the Gunners to restore their lead in the 23rd minute – Georgy Schennikov clumsily tripping Ozil in the area and Lacazette confidently dispatched the resulting spot-kick.Ramsey then doubled his tally in style just before the half-hour mark, latching on to Ozil's chipped pass and flicking it over the head of Akinfeev with a delicate cushioned effort using the outside of his right foot.
Arsenal were rampant and a fourth arrived in the 35th minute, as Lacazette joined Ramsey in getting a second, finding the bottom-left corner with a smart finish after a well-placed cut-back from the immense Ozil.
Ramsey looked desperate to complete his hat-trick, going close twice within 10 minutes of the restart - an effort deflecting off Sergei Ignashevich and going just wide, before he then fired over from the middle of the area after Akinfeev could only parry Henrikh Mkhitaryan's long-range effort.
The Armenian was then forced off with an innocuous-looking injury just after the hour, with Alex Iwobi taking his place.And Iwobi quickly found himself involved, racing on to Jack Wilshere's pass into the right side of the box, but instead of shooting he tried to pick out the offside Lacazette and the chance was wasted.
Ramsey went agonisingly close to getting his coveted third goal 12 minutes from time when he saw a first-time 18-yard strike come back off the right-hand post, but it is unlikely Arsenal will be made to rue that miss as they head to Russia with a commanding lead.
Aaron Ramsey and Alexandre Lacazette led the way as Arsenal crushed CSKA Moscow 4-1 at Emirates Stadium in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final, putting the Gunners in complete control of the tie.
The competition offers Arsenal their only realistic chance of securing Champions League football for next season and on this evidence they will take some beating, as they swept their visitors aside with consummate ease on Thursday.
Although Ramsey's early opener was quickly cancelled out by a delightful Aleksandr Golovin free-kick, Arsenal rarely looked in danger of failing to win, as the brilliant Mesut Ozil soon turned on the style to win a penalty that Lacazette fired home.Ozil then set up Ramsey for his glorious improvised second, before also picking out Lacazette – starting for the first time since January 30 – as the Gunners opened up a three-goal lead.
Chances continued to fall Arsenal's way after the interval, though they were nowhere near as clinical and CSKA appeared to take encouragement from that, seeing an Alan Dzagoev header disallowed for offside.And although Ramsey - chasing a treble - hit the post late on, there were to be no further goals, as Arsene Wenger's men take a comprehensive lead into next week's return leg in Moscow.
Arsenal made an imperious start and went ahead after just nine minutes, as Ramsey – who had an earlier goal disallowed – rifled an emphatic finish past Igor Akinfeev from the centre of the penalty area.Golovin got CSKA an away goal soon after, bending a sumptuous free-kick into the top-right corner from just outside the area.
But at the back the away side looked absolutely hapless and that allowed the Gunners to restore their lead in the 23rd minute – Georgy Schennikov clumsily tripping Ozil in the area and Lacazette confidently dispatched the resulting spot-kick.Ramsey then doubled his tally in style just before the half-hour mark, latching on to Ozil's chipped pass and flicking it over the head of Akinfeev with a delicate cushioned effort using the outside of his right foot.
Arsenal were rampant and a fourth arrived in the 35th minute, as Lacazette joined Ramsey in getting a second, finding the bottom-left corner with a smart finish after a well-placed cut-back from the immense Ozil.
Ramsey looked desperate to complete his hat-trick, going close twice within 10 minutes of the restart - an effort deflecting off Sergei Ignashevich and going just wide, before he then fired over from the middle of the area after Akinfeev could only parry Henrikh Mkhitaryan's long-range effort.
The Armenian was then forced off with an innocuous-looking injury just after the hour, with Alex Iwobi taking his place.And Iwobi quickly found himself involved, racing on to Jack Wilshere's pass into the right side of the box, but instead of shooting he tried to pick out the offside Lacazette and the chance was wasted.
Ramsey went agonisingly close to getting his coveted third goal 12 minutes from time when he saw a first-time 18-yard strike come back off the right-hand post, but it is unlikely Arsenal will be made to rue that miss as they head to Russia with a commanding lead.
Gattuso signs three-year AC Milan contract
AC Milan head coach Gennaro Gattuso has signed a new three-year contract, the Serie A club have confirmed.
The 40-year-old has agreed to fresh terms that will reportedly see his wages increased from the €120,000 salary he has had since making the step up from the Primavera team.It is also claimed Gattuso will have a say in the club's transfer plans for next season as part of the agreement.
Milan made the announcement live on their official Facebook account, with managing director Marco Fassone confirming a three-year deal for Gattuso.He said: "Rino Gattuso will be the coach of AC Milan for the next three years, and one of the most important decisions that I and [Massimiliano] Mirabelli have made during this period."
Gattuso's new deal is a reward for Milan's improvement on the pitch since he was appointed as coach following the departure of Vincenzo Montella in November.The Rossoneri have won nine of their 16 Serie A matches under the former Italy midfielder, although they missed the chance to close the eight-point gap to Inter in fourth with Wednesday's 0-0 derby draw at San Siro.
They suffered a 5-1 aggregate defeat to Arsenal in the last 16 of the Europa League but overcame Verona, Inter and Lazio to reach the Coppa Italia final, where they will meet Juventus.
AC Milan head coach Gennaro Gattuso has signed a new three-year contract, the Serie A club have confirmed.
The 40-year-old has agreed to fresh terms that will reportedly see his wages increased from the €120,000 salary he has had since making the step up from the Primavera team.It is also claimed Gattuso will have a say in the club's transfer plans for next season as part of the agreement.
Milan made the announcement live on their official Facebook account, with managing director Marco Fassone confirming a three-year deal for Gattuso.He said: "Rino Gattuso will be the coach of AC Milan for the next three years, and one of the most important decisions that I and [Massimiliano] Mirabelli have made during this period."
Gattuso's new deal is a reward for Milan's improvement on the pitch since he was appointed as coach following the departure of Vincenzo Montella in November.The Rossoneri have won nine of their 16 Serie A matches under the former Italy midfielder, although they missed the chance to close the eight-point gap to Inter in fourth with Wednesday's 0-0 derby draw at San Siro.
They suffered a 5-1 aggregate defeat to Arsenal in the last 16 of the Europa League but overcame Verona, Inter and Lazio to reach the Coppa Italia final, where they will meet Juventus.
Liverpool charged over Man City bus attack
UEFA have opened disciplinary proceedings against Liverpool following their supporters' attack on Manchester City's team bus on Wednesday.
Glass bottles and flares were among a host of objects thrown at the coach carrying City's players and coaching staff as they arrived at Anfield for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.Such was the damage to the vehicle a new bus needed to be sourced to transport the team home following their 3-0 defeat on Merseyside.
Liverpool have since been charged with four breaches of discipline, including throwing objects, acts of damage and crowd disturbances.
City boss Pep Guardiola was left fuming following the incident, blaming local police for not doing more to ensure his side a more peaceful passage into the ground."Normally when the police know that is going to happen, they try to avoid it happening. I did not expect that from the Liverpool side, from the people," he told reporters after just his side's fourth defeat of the season.
"The bus is destroyed. I didn't expect that a club as prestigious as Liverpool would do these kind of things. Of course, it is not Liverpool, it is the people – it was not only one, only two, only three. Hopefully it doesn't happen again."Both Liverpool and their manager Jurgen Klopp apologised for the incident - which saw two police officers suffer injuries - prior to kick-off on what was a raucous evening around Stanley Park.
"The club condemns in the strongest possible terms the scenes which preceded our Champions League quarter-final, which resulted in damage being inflicted on the Manchester City team bus during their arrival at Anfield," a Liverpool statement read.
"We apologise unreservedly to Pep Guardiola, his players, staff and officials caught up in the incident."UEFA's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary body will deal with the case on 31 May.
UEFA have opened disciplinary proceedings against Liverpool following their supporters' attack on Manchester City's team bus on Wednesday.
Glass bottles and flares were among a host of objects thrown at the coach carrying City's players and coaching staff as they arrived at Anfield for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.Such was the damage to the vehicle a new bus needed to be sourced to transport the team home following their 3-0 defeat on Merseyside.
Liverpool have since been charged with four breaches of discipline, including throwing objects, acts of damage and crowd disturbances.
City boss Pep Guardiola was left fuming following the incident, blaming local police for not doing more to ensure his side a more peaceful passage into the ground."Normally when the police know that is going to happen, they try to avoid it happening. I did not expect that from the Liverpool side, from the people," he told reporters after just his side's fourth defeat of the season.
"The bus is destroyed. I didn't expect that a club as prestigious as Liverpool would do these kind of things. Of course, it is not Liverpool, it is the people – it was not only one, only two, only three. Hopefully it doesn't happen again."Both Liverpool and their manager Jurgen Klopp apologised for the incident - which saw two police officers suffer injuries - prior to kick-off on what was a raucous evening around Stanley Park.
"The club condemns in the strongest possible terms the scenes which preceded our Champions League quarter-final, which resulted in damage being inflicted on the Manchester City team bus during their arrival at Anfield," a Liverpool statement read.
"We apologise unreservedly to Pep Guardiola, his players, staff and officials caught up in the incident."UEFA's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary body will deal with the case on 31 May.
Ibrahimovic: Mourinho still the 'Special One' but needs another trophyZlatan Ibrahimovic still considers Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho to be “the Special One”, but admits he needs another trophy to remain on top.
The enigmatic Swedish striker recently departed Old Trafford to link up with MLS side LA Galaxy.A second stint with United did not go to plan, amid ongoing fitness issues, but Ibrahimovic’s debut campaign did deliver 28 goals and three trophies.
Mourinho is now chasing down more silverware, with the FA Cup up for grabs, and the Portuguese is being backed to cement a standing among the global managerial elite.Ibrahimovic told ESPN FC on a coach he has also worked with at Italian giants Inter: “I like Mourinho. He is the Special One.
“He likes to win. Wherever he went he won. He made me feel comfortable. He gave me a lot of responsibility. He said to me the only problem he had with me was when could he rest me. “They've been doing it good. Let's hope, there's one last trophy to play for, and that's the FA Cup. So hopefully they win it.
“Last year we had a big success with the three trophies. With a new team like that -- new coach, couple of new players -- and hopefully that rings on, because as a top team, like United, you need to keep winning, because that is the status of the club.“You need to win. And if you're not winning, you're not belonging to the top.”
Ibrahimovic may no longer be chasing down honours in England, but he does have other goals to aim at.
He made an immediate impact on his Galaxy debut with a match-winning brace in the Los Angeles derby and, as he feels more settled in America, is still harbouring ambitions of coming out of international retirement to aid Sweden’s cause at the 2018 World Cup.
“I mean, today I just want to play football,” he added.“I just want to feel good, play. And the other day I played 20 minutes, I think, and I've been training. I want to settle in, feel comfortable and do what I'm good at -- feel free in my game.
“So to think about the national team is a next step, but I don't think we're there yet. It's all about how I feel and what I want. To worry about football, we should not. We should worry about what I want.“Everybody wants to play in the World Cup. I was super happy [for Sweden] because there's been a lot of talks - if I'm not there, what will happen? Normal kind of talks.
“When they succeed, I was the happiest, because you want to see your country play in the best scene in the world, and that's World Cup. So you just want to see them succeed.“That is what I represented, and I want the other players to take it further and make it even better. So I'm just super positive and happy for them.”
It has been revealed that a FIFA rule may scupper Ibrahimovic’s dreams, with the 36-year-old having recently committed to a commercial partnership with gambling operator Bethard.
Lacazette double perfect tonic for Arsenal’s Europa League ambitions
When you arrive at a club for big money the expectations are equally as weighty and no-one knows that better than Alexandre Lacazette.
The France international joined Arsenal from Lyon last summer for a then club record fee of £46.5million, but hasn’t produced as many goalscoring moments as Arsene Wenger would have liked over the past few months – but his past two games have showed that he is more than capable of leading the Gunners to Europa League glory, following an impressive brace and performance against CSKA Moscow.
Lacazette went nine games without scoring in January before undergoing knee surgery weeks later which kept him on the sidelines for over a month. Despite a goal on his debut against Leicester at the start of the season, the 26-year-old hasn’t replicated the kind of form he was known for with Lyon where he earned the nickname ‘Penazette’ for his effectiveness from the penalty spot.
Two penalties converted in his last two games certainly backs up that nickname but his brace against CSKA Moscow was only his 12th goal in 31 matches for the north London side.Arsenal’s performance against the Russians encapsulated what has been a familiar theme in recent seasons - an early goal followed by a manic few minutes where they concede and almost go 2-1 down.
Fortunately for the Gunners, their saving grace is the attacking quartet led by Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey who dominated the game with their passing and powerful running, the latter scoring a wonderful goal after flicking the ball over Igor Akinfeev from Ozil’s pin-point ball.
Ozil was undoubtedly man of the match despite an equally impressive wondershow from Ramsey, but the biggest plus point from the game will surely be Lacazette’s goal which gives him further confidence to build on and help Arsenal finish the season strongly.Wenger admitted recently that the Frenchman wasn’t at his best earlier on in the campaign due to his injury.
"I realise now when I see him in training that he was not himself for a while,” said Wenger. “It was not dramatically different before. He was a good player. But I think in the last seven or eight games he played, he was not completely free with his knee."Unfortunately, in our job you need your body and when you are not 100 per cent you cannot play well. It's good to have him back because it gives us different opportunities. Danny [Welbeck] is more a guy who goes behind, whereas Lacazette is more combination play, so to have both options is important."
The signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang would have felt like a hammer blow to Lacazette but he has received a stroke of luck with the Gabon striker being cup tied in European competition.
Over the coming weeks it is vital that his knee is managed carefully so as to ensure he stays fully fit for a Europa League campaign which Arsenal genuinely look like they are able to win.
When you arrive at a club for big money the expectations are equally as weighty and no-one knows that better than Alexandre Lacazette.
The France international joined Arsenal from Lyon last summer for a then club record fee of £46.5million, but hasn’t produced as many goalscoring moments as Arsene Wenger would have liked over the past few months – but his past two games have showed that he is more than capable of leading the Gunners to Europa League glory, following an impressive brace and performance against CSKA Moscow.
Lacazette went nine games without scoring in January before undergoing knee surgery weeks later which kept him on the sidelines for over a month. Despite a goal on his debut against Leicester at the start of the season, the 26-year-old hasn’t replicated the kind of form he was known for with Lyon where he earned the nickname ‘Penazette’ for his effectiveness from the penalty spot.
Two penalties converted in his last two games certainly backs up that nickname but his brace against CSKA Moscow was only his 12th goal in 31 matches for the north London side.Arsenal’s performance against the Russians encapsulated what has been a familiar theme in recent seasons - an early goal followed by a manic few minutes where they concede and almost go 2-1 down.
Fortunately for the Gunners, their saving grace is the attacking quartet led by Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey who dominated the game with their passing and powerful running, the latter scoring a wonderful goal after flicking the ball over Igor Akinfeev from Ozil’s pin-point ball.
Ozil was undoubtedly man of the match despite an equally impressive wondershow from Ramsey, but the biggest plus point from the game will surely be Lacazette’s goal which gives him further confidence to build on and help Arsenal finish the season strongly.Wenger admitted recently that the Frenchman wasn’t at his best earlier on in the campaign due to his injury.
"I realise now when I see him in training that he was not himself for a while,” said Wenger. “It was not dramatically different before. He was a good player. But I think in the last seven or eight games he played, he was not completely free with his knee."Unfortunately, in our job you need your body and when you are not 100 per cent you cannot play well. It's good to have him back because it gives us different opportunities. Danny [Welbeck] is more a guy who goes behind, whereas Lacazette is more combination play, so to have both options is important."
The signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang would have felt like a hammer blow to Lacazette but he has received a stroke of luck with the Gabon striker being cup tied in European competition.
Over the coming weeks it is vital that his knee is managed carefully so as to ensure he stays fully fit for a Europa League campaign which Arsenal genuinely look like they are able to win.
Arsenal meh widiyatama digatama play kaloth Europa League eke hoda result ekak ganna puluwan
Zidane expects Bale to remain at Real Madrid despite Man Utd transfer talk
Zinedine Zidane remains confident that Gareth Bale will stay at Real Madrid, despite mounting talk of interest from the likes of Manchester United.After five seasons in Spain, the Wales international forward is being heavily linked with a summer move away from the Santiago Bernabeu.
Injury troubles have blighted his time in Spain and led to him making less of an impact of late than Real had been hoping for when investing €100 million to sign him from Tottenham.
There have been highs – such as a La Liga title and three Champions League crowns – but Bale faces fierce competition for places and is no longer guaranteed a starting berth.
He was benched again for the midweek Champions League clash with Juventus, but Zidane maintains that the 28-year-old remains part of his plans past the end of the season, telling reporters: "My feeling is that Bale is going to stay at Real Madrid next season.
“He is not going to lose his motivation. He is an important player. “It's true that there are other players playing and they are doing very well.“I would understand if he wasn’t feeling as motivated, because players want to play every game. But he has to keep working.”
Bale may get another opportunity to impress and prove his worth on Sunday when Real take in a derby date with cross-city rivals Atletico.There are also big games to come against Juventus and Barcelona over the coming weeks.
Real head into Sunday’s derby with Atletico four points behind Diego Simeone’s side, with both teams playing for second place behind Barca.“There is no explanation, there have been times this season when things didn’t go well for us,” said Zidane when asked why the derby is now a match in the battle to finish second.
"It happened to us for a long time, especially when we couldn't score goals. We have always worked in the same way and sometimes things don't work out, but we have to keep working.
"It is true that we had a very difficult start, we cannot change that and we can only do what we are doing: playing well. In the league, also, we want to finish the season well.
"We are going to concentrate on tomorrow's game. We are going to think about the three points, we want to try to cut the points gap."Atletico deserve to be where they are. They are second, and what we can do is cut that gap."
Zinedine Zidane remains confident that Gareth Bale will stay at Real Madrid, despite mounting talk of interest from the likes of Manchester United.After five seasons in Spain, the Wales international forward is being heavily linked with a summer move away from the Santiago Bernabeu.
Injury troubles have blighted his time in Spain and led to him making less of an impact of late than Real had been hoping for when investing €100 million to sign him from Tottenham.
There have been highs – such as a La Liga title and three Champions League crowns – but Bale faces fierce competition for places and is no longer guaranteed a starting berth.
He was benched again for the midweek Champions League clash with Juventus, but Zidane maintains that the 28-year-old remains part of his plans past the end of the season, telling reporters: "My feeling is that Bale is going to stay at Real Madrid next season.
“He is not going to lose his motivation. He is an important player. “It's true that there are other players playing and they are doing very well.“I would understand if he wasn’t feeling as motivated, because players want to play every game. But he has to keep working.”
Bale may get another opportunity to impress and prove his worth on Sunday when Real take in a derby date with cross-city rivals Atletico.There are also big games to come against Juventus and Barcelona over the coming weeks.
Real head into Sunday’s derby with Atletico four points behind Diego Simeone’s side, with both teams playing for second place behind Barca.“There is no explanation, there have been times this season when things didn’t go well for us,” said Zidane when asked why the derby is now a match in the battle to finish second.
"It happened to us for a long time, especially when we couldn't score goals. We have always worked in the same way and sometimes things don't work out, but we have to keep working.
"It is true that we had a very difficult start, we cannot change that and we can only do what we are doing: playing well. In the league, also, we want to finish the season well.
"We are going to concentrate on tomorrow's game. We are going to think about the three points, we want to try to cut the points gap."Atletico deserve to be where they are. They are second, and what we can do is cut that gap."
My experience helped me settle quickly at Arsenal - Aubameyang
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang believes his past experiences have helped him settle quickly at Arsenal.
The Gabon international has scored five goals in his first six Premier League games following his arrival from Borussia Dortmund in January, thus, becoming the first player to achieve that feat at the Emirates outfit.The forward revealed that his ability to cope and settle quickly into a new environment is as a result of the nomadic lifestyle he has always lived since he was young, majorly due to his father's football career.
“I've travelled throughout my life because my father was a footballer,”Aubameyang told club website.“I've experienced many different cultures and languages, so that was a very good experience for me, to be able to move around quite frequently.
“The advice I'd give my youngster self is to always believe in what you're doing. You need to give yourself the chance to succeed.“That doesn't come from anyone else, you need to give yourself a chance and to fight for your objectives.
"I've fought hard - it's never been easy for me. I always kept on believing too and this is where it's taken me today.”
Aubameyang will be looking to continue the fine form in front of goal when Arsenal play host to Southampton in their next league game on Sunday.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang believes his past experiences have helped him settle quickly at Arsenal.
The Gabon international has scored five goals in his first six Premier League games following his arrival from Borussia Dortmund in January, thus, becoming the first player to achieve that feat at the Emirates outfit.The forward revealed that his ability to cope and settle quickly into a new environment is as a result of the nomadic lifestyle he has always lived since he was young, majorly due to his father's football career.
“I've travelled throughout my life because my father was a footballer,”Aubameyang told club website.“I've experienced many different cultures and languages, so that was a very good experience for me, to be able to move around quite frequently.
“The advice I'd give my youngster self is to always believe in what you're doing. You need to give yourself the chance to succeed.“That doesn't come from anyone else, you need to give yourself a chance and to fight for your objectives.
"I've fought hard - it's never been easy for me. I always kept on believing too and this is where it's taken me today.”
Aubameyang will be looking to continue the fine form in front of goal when Arsenal play host to Southampton in their next league game on Sunday.
Pele: Neymar is more Messi than Ronaldo
Neymar is more like Barcelona icon Lionel Messi than Real Madrid talisman Cristiano Ronaldo, claims Brazil legend Pele.The Brazil international, widely tipped to one day inherit the Ballon d’Or crown dominated by the two Clasico rivals over the last decade, has drawn comparisons to the pair of La Liga superstars.
He spent four seasons working alongside Messi at Camp Nou before heading to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, with his time in Catalunya seeing him face Ronaldo on a regular basis.
Neymar is seemingly a mix between the two modern day idols, with his game blending creativity and goal-scoring threat.Pele believes that makes him more Messi than Ronaldo, with his fellow countryman getting more involved in build-up play than being an out-and-out frontman.
The three-time World Cup winner told ESPN: "Neymar has been compared with Cristiano Ronaldo. So I've said several times, told friends, in Europe, given interviews... Cristiano Ronaldo is an excellent player, he could be like our Vava, our Coutinho, the finisher.
"Neymar is really more of a Messi-style, one who constructs the play, but scores the goal also."Brazil are hoping that their star man will be fit in time for the World Cup as they aim to go far in the competition in Russia.
Neymar is currently recovering from surgery to repair a broken metatarsal and has been out of action since February but he is expected to return to action before the end of the season.
Neymar is more like Barcelona icon Lionel Messi than Real Madrid talisman Cristiano Ronaldo, claims Brazil legend Pele.The Brazil international, widely tipped to one day inherit the Ballon d’Or crown dominated by the two Clasico rivals over the last decade, has drawn comparisons to the pair of La Liga superstars.
He spent four seasons working alongside Messi at Camp Nou before heading to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, with his time in Catalunya seeing him face Ronaldo on a regular basis.
Neymar is seemingly a mix between the two modern day idols, with his game blending creativity and goal-scoring threat.Pele believes that makes him more Messi than Ronaldo, with his fellow countryman getting more involved in build-up play than being an out-and-out frontman.
The three-time World Cup winner told ESPN: "Neymar has been compared with Cristiano Ronaldo. So I've said several times, told friends, in Europe, given interviews... Cristiano Ronaldo is an excellent player, he could be like our Vava, our Coutinho, the finisher.
"Neymar is really more of a Messi-style, one who constructs the play, but scores the goal also."Brazil are hoping that their star man will be fit in time for the World Cup as they aim to go far in the competition in Russia.
Neymar is currently recovering from surgery to repair a broken metatarsal and has been out of action since February but he is expected to return to action before the end of the season.
Man Utd can accept being second best to this City side - but for one season onlyEven if it doesn’t happen in Manchester United’s presence on Saturday, the inevitability is that Manchester City will be the 2017-18 Premier League champions. The best team in the land by a country mile will, sooner or later, be crowned.
Whether United fans like it or not, they have at least had the last few months to get used to the fact that their noisy neighbours will have a third league triumph in seven seasons to celebrate. City have been so good all year that there was never a doubt they would walk away with the title as soon as they left Old Trafford with all three points in December to extend their lead to 11.
Such has been City’s dominance that most observers have agreed there is no shame in finishing distant runners-up to Pep Guardiola’s side. What’s more, given United’s distinctly average league record since Sir Alex Ferguson hung up his stopwatch and chewing gum, there is also every reason to give them credit for the progress they have made this term should they hold off Liverpool and Tottenham to earn the silver-medal spot.
It is a point Jose Mourinho was keen to stress recently. “Manchester City is not important for me,” the United boss said. “Important for me is that since the moment we left the first position and went to second, we stayed there for the whole season. We deserve to feel second in spite of what you can say, the critics you make, you all say the third, fourth, fifth, sixth are better than us but they are not better because we have more points.”
While their football has been far less swashbuckling than that of either Liverpool or Spurs, United deserve far more kudos than they have received for their league form. Sure, their early Champions League exit to Sevilla has conditioned some people’s views on them, but many had already made up their minds on United based solely on the fact they have not run City closer.
“If you ain’t first, you’re last,” says Will Ferrell’s character Ricky Bobby in the comedy film Talladega Nights, and it is an adage by which most seem to want to judge United. But, just as Ricky’s father Reese claims later in the movie that the advice was passed on under the influence, the reality of United’s situation is far less clear-cut than win or bust. Second really is an achievement at this stage.
And most United supporters have been understanding of the circumstances to this point. While there were severe concerns with the whimpering European exit, the league form has been less of a bone of contention. The majority at the Theatre of Dreams have stuck by Mourinho despite the pelters coming from outside and some internal gripes over the style of football, with the signs of progress being enough to placate them thus far.
But next season will be a different story. Next season will be Mourinho’s third in charge at Old Trafford, and marks the final term of his initial three-year deal which was extended in January this year. There was an expectation from all quarters that by the summer of 2019 he will have got United back to fighting weight, and he will have run out of excuses and caveats by that time.
At some point his rebuilding has to lead somewhere. While he continues to work with a squad which is a mish-mash of several different visions, he can blame nobody but himself if he cannot mould them into a true challenger within three years. While it took Sir Alex four years to even secure an FA Cup and a further three to finally pocket a league championship, Mourinho is working in a more immediate age and was brought in entirely because of his success rate in just such a position.
If he has a problem with Luke Shaw, he needs to sell and replace him. If he cannot get his midfield working in unison, he needs to make the alterations necessary to find the harmony needed. Whatever resources he has by year three, he should have enough to his liking to make a go of this job, particularly since more money will inevitably be spent in the summer.
Two years was never going to be enough for him to iron out all of the issues existing at Old Trafford, but it is on him next term if United are well adrift once more. They need to at least make a fight of it third time around.
Manchester City not ready to win Champions League - Guardiola
Pep Guardiola still feels Manchester City have improving to do if they are to reach the level required to win the Champions League.
City have looked more at home in Europe's elite competition than ever this season, but their campaign could come to an end at the quarter-finals, having lost the first leg against Liverpool at Anfield 3-0.In the group stages, City won five out of their six matches, scoring 14 goals and conceding just five.
They continued to impress with a 4-0 victory at Basel in the last-16 first leg and progressed comfortably despite a 2-1 loss in the return fixture at the Etihad Stadium.
However, their dreams of a treble are hanging by a thread after defeat on Merseyside and while some may be surprised given their dominance in the Premier League, Guardiola is not.
"From what I saw at Anfield, I think we've made a step forward in terms of personality to play these games," he told a media conference on Friday. "Last season I did not feel we were ready, right now I don't feel we are ready, but we've made a step forward.
"We made a magnificent group stage and first game in Basel."We are still in the Champions League. Next Tuesday [against Liverpool] you will see a magnificent game."
City are just one win away from lifting the Premier League title and could be confirmed after Saturday's derby against Manchester United.
That would see City wrap up the top flight quicker than any team in English history, but Guardiola does not expect a repeat next season."No way, it will not happen again, never," he added. "[Winning] 18 games in a row, never, no way, impossible.
"The opponents want to beat you, you are relaxed, the intensity drops - I've experienced it in Barcelona. Next season will be so complicated for us."I'm so happy with what we've done this year and I assure you one thing, it's impossible to do it without top players and they cost a lot of money. People say you win because of how much we've spent. I'd say you're right, it's impossible to do it without money.
"It's impossible to do it without top players, you need money to buy and play at that level. We spend a lot but it's the way we play. To achieve those results you need this investment."
Pep Guardiola still feels Manchester City have improving to do if they are to reach the level required to win the Champions League.
City have looked more at home in Europe's elite competition than ever this season, but their campaign could come to an end at the quarter-finals, having lost the first leg against Liverpool at Anfield 3-0.In the group stages, City won five out of their six matches, scoring 14 goals and conceding just five.
They continued to impress with a 4-0 victory at Basel in the last-16 first leg and progressed comfortably despite a 2-1 loss in the return fixture at the Etihad Stadium.
However, their dreams of a treble are hanging by a thread after defeat on Merseyside and while some may be surprised given their dominance in the Premier League, Guardiola is not.
"From what I saw at Anfield, I think we've made a step forward in terms of personality to play these games," he told a media conference on Friday. "Last season I did not feel we were ready, right now I don't feel we are ready, but we've made a step forward.
"We made a magnificent group stage and first game in Basel."We are still in the Champions League. Next Tuesday [against Liverpool] you will see a magnificent game."
City are just one win away from lifting the Premier League title and could be confirmed after Saturday's derby against Manchester United.
That would see City wrap up the top flight quicker than any team in English history, but Guardiola does not expect a repeat next season."No way, it will not happen again, never," he added. "[Winning] 18 games in a row, never, no way, impossible.
"The opponents want to beat you, you are relaxed, the intensity drops - I've experienced it in Barcelona. Next season will be so complicated for us."I'm so happy with what we've done this year and I assure you one thing, it's impossible to do it without top players and they cost a lot of money. People say you win because of how much we've spent. I'd say you're right, it's impossible to do it without money.
"It's impossible to do it without top players, you need money to buy and play at that level. We spend a lot but it's the way we play. To achieve those results you need this investment."
Handing Man City the title wouldn't be the 'end of the world', insists Mourinho
Jose Mourinho believes that Manchester City winning the title against United would be no big deal for his club, as it is something he already achieved while managing Chelsea.
Sixteen points clear of their Manchester rivals with just seven games remaining, City know a win at the Etihad Stadium would mathematically guarantee them the Premier League crown.
But when asked if he would be going all-out to spoil the hosts' celebrations, Mourinho seemed unconcerned. In words that evoked his curious defence of the Champions League defeat to Sevilla — when Mourinho listed previous triumphs over his current employers — he looked to play down the significance of the weekend's big clash.
“I won the title at Chelsea against United,” Mourinho explained to reporters on Friday.“We beat United 3-0 and we won the title, at Stamford Bridge, in 2005-06. It was not the end of the world, Manchester United didn't finish. It was just football.
"The only thing I can say is that we want to win. We don't want to offer them the game. We want to go there, we want to compete and win the match if possible.”
Regardless of the result on Saturday, United look set to take at best a second-place finish from this year's Premier League campaign.Mourinho, however, pointed to the positives from a season that has been a mixed experience for the Red Devils.
"We have more points than last season [after 31 games, 68 to 61], more goals scored [60 to 46], less goals conceded [23 to 24],” he said.“But City made it impossible for the others. So congratulations for the great Premier League season they are doing.
“And the moment they become champions, which will be sooner rather than later, I will react the same way other people reacted when I won three titles in this country."
Jose Mourinho believes that Manchester City winning the title against United would be no big deal for his club, as it is something he already achieved while managing Chelsea.
Sixteen points clear of their Manchester rivals with just seven games remaining, City know a win at the Etihad Stadium would mathematically guarantee them the Premier League crown.
But when asked if he would be going all-out to spoil the hosts' celebrations, Mourinho seemed unconcerned. In words that evoked his curious defence of the Champions League defeat to Sevilla — when Mourinho listed previous triumphs over his current employers — he looked to play down the significance of the weekend's big clash.
“I won the title at Chelsea against United,” Mourinho explained to reporters on Friday.“We beat United 3-0 and we won the title, at Stamford Bridge, in 2005-06. It was not the end of the world, Manchester United didn't finish. It was just football.
"The only thing I can say is that we want to win. We don't want to offer them the game. We want to go there, we want to compete and win the match if possible.”
Regardless of the result on Saturday, United look set to take at best a second-place finish from this year's Premier League campaign.Mourinho, however, pointed to the positives from a season that has been a mixed experience for the Red Devils.
"We have more points than last season [after 31 games, 68 to 61], more goals scored [60 to 46], less goals conceded [23 to 24],” he said.“But City made it impossible for the others. So congratulations for the great Premier League season they are doing.
“And the moment they become champions, which will be sooner rather than later, I will react the same way other people reacted when I won three titles in this country."
Alonso warns Liverpool - Champions League job is only half done
Xabi Alonso has warned Liverpool that their job is only half done in the Champions League quarter-finals, despite taking a commanding lead against Manchester City.
Liverpool turned on the style at Anfield on Wednesday to record a stunning 3-0 victory over Pep Guardiola's side – Mohamed Salah, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sadio Mane all scoring before half-time.
It was another disappointing defeat for City against Jurgen Klopp's Reds, following their 4-3 Premier League reverse in January, but Alonso has urged caution ahead of Tuesday's return leg.
"They have shown they can beat anyone, the atmosphere was thrilling at Anfield," Alonso told Omnisport."The first half was unbelievable, to score three goals against City. The way they play they can be very happy, but it's not done.
"There is still 90 minutes to play at City's stadium and I am sure that they will improve and it's not going to be easy." Alonso retired from playing at the end of last season and is ready to begin the next stage of his career as a coach, and he would not rule out a future role at Anfield.
"Time will tell, [it is] still early days," he added. "I'm starting my badges in a few days so this is a long process and I am not in a rush at all but for my sure my link, commitment and passion with Liverpool is obvious. "I was just recently there and I feel attached with the club."
Xabi Alonso has warned Liverpool that their job is only half done in the Champions League quarter-finals, despite taking a commanding lead against Manchester City.
Liverpool turned on the style at Anfield on Wednesday to record a stunning 3-0 victory over Pep Guardiola's side – Mohamed Salah, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sadio Mane all scoring before half-time.
It was another disappointing defeat for City against Jurgen Klopp's Reds, following their 4-3 Premier League reverse in January, but Alonso has urged caution ahead of Tuesday's return leg.
"They have shown they can beat anyone, the atmosphere was thrilling at Anfield," Alonso told Omnisport."The first half was unbelievable, to score three goals against City. The way they play they can be very happy, but it's not done.
"There is still 90 minutes to play at City's stadium and I am sure that they will improve and it's not going to be easy." Alonso retired from playing at the end of last season and is ready to begin the next stage of his career as a coach, and he would not rule out a future role at Anfield.
"Time will tell, [it is] still early days," he added. "I'm starting my badges in a few days so this is a long process and I am not in a rush at all but for my sure my link, commitment and passion with Liverpool is obvious. "I was just recently there and I feel attached with the club."
