..::Football IV::..

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Caen 1 Paris Saint-Germain 2: Mbappe double completes turnaround



Kylian Mbappe scored twice to inspire Paris Saint-Germain to a late come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Caen at Stade Michel-d'Ornano on Saturday.France international Mbappe took his Ligue 1 tally to 24 goals this season with a pivotal double after Casimir Ninga gave Caen a surprise lead in the 56th minute.

Layvin Kurzawa, Marquinhos and Angel Di Maria were all denied by the frame of the goal in the first half, while the latter struck the upright for a second time after Mbappe had equalised from the spot.


The 20-year-old ensured PSG would head back to the capital with all three points, though, when he swept home from close range in the 87th minute, the Ligue 1 leaders opening a 20-point advantage over Lille, who face Dijon on Sunday.Kurzawa struck the bar from inside the six-yard box and Enzo Crivelli did the same for Caen from Saif-Eddine Khaoui's free-kick in a frenetic opening quarter of an hour.

Marquinhos was denied by the bar before Brice Samba got a crucial touch to turn Di Maria's 36th-minute shot against the upright and the Argentine saw his follow-up effort blocked by Jonathan Gradit.

However, PSG were behind 11 minutes after the restart. A clever free-kick routine saw Ninga get away from Dani Alves and fire across Alphonse Areola into the bottom-left corner.

The visitors hit back just three minutes later when Mbappe slotted home from the penalty spot after Younn Zahary blocked Moussa Diaby's cross with his arm.

Di Maria headed Thomas Meunier's cross against the post from the left side of the six-yard box and Samba kept out Paredes in the 80th minute.

PSG appeared destined for a draw when Gradit blocked a shot from Meunier on the line, but Mbappe was on hand to sweep home the rebound to seal a dramatic turnaround.

 

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Solskjaer fears knee ligament damage for Sanchez as Man Utd's injury woes mount


Alexis Sanchez may have suffered knee ligament damage in Manchester United's thrilling 3-2 Premier League win at home to Southampton, says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Sanchez started Saturday's game at Old Trafford but had to be substituted early in the second half after appearing to hurt his right knee following a challenge with Saints defender Jan Bednarek.With Anthony Martial, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata, Ander Herrera and Nemanja Matic all sidelined for United, Solskjaer can ill afford another injury blow.

But ahead of a tough run of games that could be crucial for Solskjaer's hopes of earning the United job on a permanent basis, Chile international Sanchez may be facing another layoff."We don't know, we will do a scan tomorrow," Solskjaer said of Sanchez at a post-match news conference. "It might be the ligaments. Hopefully it will not be too bad."

United head to Paris Saint-Germain for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday, hoping to overturn a 2-0 deficit.They will then go to Arsenal in the Premier League next Sunday, before a March 16 trip to Wolves in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

Solskjaer intends to make the most of every game that he remains at the helm , with no decision taken as yet regarding a permanent deal for United's interim boss.
He thoroughly enjoyed an entertaining clash with Southampton , telling Sky Sports :"We had character and belief more than quality. We lacked a bit of class, we should have been 2-0 up after five minutes. But we have three points and we are happy.

"They had two unbelievable strikes and we got a sucker punch at 2-2. It was a great response. We know the character and personality is there, so is the crowd."We are three points behind Tottenham now, the last nine games will be very exciting.

"I have decided that as long as I am here I am going to enjoy every single second. I am so happy for the players."

United are back into the Premier League's top four and qualification for the 2019-20 Champions League would likely be enough to keep Solskjaer in his current post, with just one defeat suffered during his interim reign so far.

 

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Matial,Lingard,Mata,Herrera,Matic & now Sanchez

Get well soon guys!​

 

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Real Madrid 0 Barcelona 1: LaLiga champions 10 points clear after Clasico win

Ivan Rakitic scored a delightful winning goal as Barcelona triumphed 1-0 in a tight Clasico clash with Real Madrid to move 10 points clear at the top of the LaLiga table.

Barca won 3-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu to reach the Copa del Rey final in midweek and, three days later, they prevailed once more at the home of their bitter rivals in a game that saw captains Sergio Ramos and Lionel Messi involved in a flashpoint.

Rakitic struck the only goal with a cute chip that beat Thibaut Courtois with Barca comfortably holding Los Blancos at bay to inflict more Clasico misery and consecutive home league losses on Madrid.


And with Santiago Solari's side now 12 points behind Barca the title race may be almost over as a contest, although Atletico Madrid can stay in the hunt by winning at Real Sociedad on Sunday.
Gareth Bale was a surprise starter but the Wales forward wasted an early free-kick opportunity, with a Messi chip floating off target at the other end.Barca took the lead in the 26th minute, Rakitic racing clear of Ramos and delicately dinking a fine finish over Courtois after swapping passes with Sergi Roberto.Courtois made a fine save to deny Luis Suarez before Luka Modric headed over the crossbar, the first half ending in controversy as Ramos avoided punishment after clashing with Messi.

Karim Benzema missed a great chance shortly after the restart, although the offside flag was raised as he failed to turn home Casemiro's cross, then Vinicius Junior was denied by Marc-Andre ter Stegen as Madrid pushed for an equaliser.

Bale made way to boos as Solari turned to Federico Valverde and Marco Asensio before introducing third substitute Isco in a bid to change the game, but despite late pressure on Barca's goal the champions held on to perhaps strike a decisive blow in the title race.

 

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Booed Bale's best position still a mystery to former Madrid star Mijatovic


Former Real Madrid star Predrag Mijatovic claims Gareth Bale's best position is still uncertain after the forward was jeered off in the 1-0 Clasico loss to Barcelona on Saturday.

Bale struggled to make an impact at the Santiago Bernabeu, where Ivan Rakitic's first-half goal sealed a second victory for Barca away to their fierce rivals in the space of four days, Ernesto Valverde's men having run out 3-0 winners in the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg on Wednesday.

Madrid fans have looked to Bale to fill the void left by the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus in July, but the Wales international, who moved to the Spanish capital from Tottenham in 2013, has managed just seven goals in 21 La Liga appearances this season.

Bale was booed by some supporters of Los Blancos upon his withdrawal by coach Santiago Solari in the 61st minute. And former forward Mijatovic, who won the league and the Champions League for Madrid during a three-year spell from 1996 to 1999, feels the 29-year-old attacker remains something of an enigma.

Speaking on Cadena SER , he said: "I want to ask a question, can anyone explain to me what position is ideal for Bale after five years?" "It's that when you put him on the left, the kid doesn't produce or suffer. On the right too. As second striker too.

"Five years and, I'm not able to explain myself, in what position you should put him so that he delivers as he should." Bale has proven not to be a good luck charm against Barcelona at home. Madrid have lost each of their six Clasicos at the Bernabeu in all competitions when the former Spurs man has featured.

Madrid now sit 12 points back of Barcelona, with multiple players having conceded after Saturday's loss that their chances at the league title were over.

They’ll have to refocus quickly, however, with a Champions League last 16 second-leg clash with Ajax on tap for Tuesday, with Madrid holding a slender 2-1 advantage from the first leg.

Having been bounced from the Copa del Rey, the European competition now represents the best chance left for Madrid to claim major honours this season.

 

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'Messi is fine' – Valverde allays injury fears over Barcelona captain


Lionel Messi is "fine" after a bruising Clasico clash with Real Madrid, says Barcelona head coach Ernesto Valverde.Messi appeared to be suffering from soreness in his groin early in the second half as Barca ran out 1-0 winners in Saturday's La Liga clash at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The Barca captain was also involved in a first-half flashpoint with Madrid counterpart Sergio Ramos, who later denied deliberately pushing his arm into the forward's face .

Messi was clearly unhappy with the referee's decision not to punish Ramos over the incident, but his side won at the home of their rivals for the second time this week as Ivan Rakitic's goal moved Barca 10 points clear at the top of La Liga.

Ramos used a post-match interview to all but concede Madrid's title dreams are over, with Santiago Solari's men now 12 points off the pace and Barca on track for the treble.

An injury to Messi would have dented Barca's hopes of success on all fronts, but with a Champions League last-16 second leg against Lyon to come, Valverde shrugged off suggestions Messi was hurt as Barca made history by becoming the first team to win three straight away games against Madrid."Messi is fine," said the Barca boss. "He has had a great game and made a great effort."He is an extraterrestrial in a way, because every time he takes the ball something extraordinary happens."

Barca's lead atop the table is into double-digits but Atletico Madrid will close the gap to seven points if they win at Real Sociedad on Sunday.And although Madrid's hopes of unseating the defending champions look to be over, Valverde is taking nothing for granted in the title race."There is a world ahead," added Valverde. "Real Madrid are capable of winning many matches in a row, but there is also Atletico.

"We respect our opponents just as they respect us and it is absurd to start thinking about the league when there are so many games left.

"Last year we had more distance in the league and they were European champions, they are a candidate to make history in any capacity."We have been much better than the other day [Barca's 3-0 win in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final], we wanted to have control but the ball did not flow too much."We had a good attitude, today we took a step forward and when we dominated we hurt them."

 

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Ramos denies blame over Messi clash as he admits Madrid are 'gone' from title race


Sergio Ramos has conceded Real Madrid cannot realistically expect to catch Barcelona in the La Liga title race but denied deliberately clashing with Lionel Messi.

After Ivan Rakitic gave Barcelona the lead at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday, Ramos and Messi collided at the end of the first half.As the Madrid captain lifted the ball past the Barca skipper, Ramos appeared to push his forearm into Messi's face.

Neither the on-field referee or VAR officials were interested in punishing Ramos for the incident but former Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho made his feelings plain in an appearance as a television pundit."I think Sergio Ramos' action probably is coming from a player that knows the game has to change," Mourinho said on beIN SPORTS.

"And probably he does it with the intention of creating a different temperature for the second half, because the game until then was really soft, in my opinion."Ramos, no stranger to disciplinary controversy, denied he had set out to hurt Messi, however.

"I didn't mean to catch Messi, but he took it badly," Ramos told Movistar, with the result coming at the end of a week in which Madrid lost 3-0 to their rivals in the Copa del Rey.

"It's a shame that we're gone [from the title race] and the distance is so big, but we're going to keep fighting because everything is possible. We congratulate them on the result. We played well but it was not enough.

"It has been two very intense matches, with a very high level of effort, it is obvious, we have not had much time to recover, they do not either, so it is not an excuse for us."Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois had little to do but he was given no chance by Rakitic's excellent finish.

And the Belgium international feels Madrid's lack of goal threat, having failed to score in either Clasico this week, proved costly.

"I think we played well," he told Movistar. "Barca had more chances and they scored. To win the game you have to do that."I would not say [the lack of goals] is a problem. Sometimes we were just missing the final ball and there were also two blocks from [Clement] Lenglet."We played well in both games. The only thing is that we didn't score. If you do not score, you lose."

 

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'He needed to raise the temperature' - Mourinho defends Ramos over Messi collision


Jose Mourinho accused Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos of deliberately hitting Lionel Messi before half-time during Saturday's Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Barcelona claimed a 1-0 first-half lead thanks Ivan Rakitic's delicate finish in the 26th minute but Mourinho felt the match lacked the customary intensity of European football's fiercest rivalry.

Ramos caught Messi with a flailing arm, leaving the Barcelona superstar prone on the turf before he confronted his opponent and protested to the referee - Alberto Undiano Mallenco, who decided no action was necessary.

Speaking in his capacity as a pundit on beIN Sports, former Madrid boss Jose Mourinho suggested Ramos knew exactly what he was doing."I think in the first half, both teams when they had the ball, they did not hurt the opponent too much," he said."There was no intensity on the defensive actions, with everybody playing in a low-medium block.

"It was not the temperature of a derby, of a Clasico that can settle the title."I think Sergio Ramos' action probably is coming from a player that knows the game has to change."And probably he does it with the intention of creating a different temper

Ramos is no stranger to on-field controversy in high-profile matches and was the subject of prolonged scrutiny after his tangle with Mohamed Salah during last season's Champions League final left Liverpool's star forward with an injury shoulder before Madrid secured a 3-1 win.

UEFA has banned the 32-year-old for two Champions League games after it ruled he deliberately got himself booked during last month's first-leg win over Ajax in the last 16 in order to activate a yellow-card suspension.

Barcelona would go on to win the match 1-0, opening up a 12-point gap over third-place Madrid.

 

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Barclays Premier League Fixtures 2019.03.03

Barclays Premier League Fixtures 2019.03.03

Watford Vs Leicester City

Fulham Vs Chelsea

Everton Vs Liverpool

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LA Liga Fixtures 2019.03.03

LA Liga Fixtures 2019.03.03

Eibar Vs Celta Vigo

Real Betis Vs Getafe

Real Sociedad Vs Atletico Madrid

Valencia Vs Athletic Bilbao​

 

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Serie A Fixtures 2019.03.03

Serie A Fixtures 2019.03.03

Torino Vs Chievo

Genoa Vs Frosinone

Spal Vs Sampdoria

Udinese Vs Bologna

Atalanta Vs Fiorentina

Napoli Vs Juventus​

 

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Bundesliga Fixtures 2019.03.03

Bundesliga Fixtures 2019.03.03

Stuttgart Vs Hannover

Wolsburg Vs Werder Bremen​

 

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Everton 0 Liverpool 0: Reds miss chance to reclaim top spot in derby stalemate

Liverpool could not break down a stubborn Everton in Sunday's Merseyside derby, with Jurgen Klopp's side denied the chance to reclaim top spot in the Premier League.Manchester City's 1-0 win at Bournemouth a day earlier moved the defending champions back to the summit, meaning Liverpool had to win at Goodison Park on Sunday to go top once more.

But with Mohamed Salah wasting the clearest chance of the game for Liverpool, Everton prevented their rivals from taking another step towards the club's first title of the Premier League era.


After a high-octane start, Salah fired the game's first shot in the 15th minute but Jordan Pickford, whose error handed Liverpool victory in December, made a comfortable save.Salah should have given Liverpool the lead when played through by Fabinho, but the Egypt star could not find the right angle to beat Pickford as the Everton goalkeeper made himself big.

After the interval a rare loose pass from Fabinho led to an Everton corner but Alisson held on to Dominic Calvert-Lewin's downward header.Michael Keane made a superb challenge to deny Salah another shot on Pickford's goal before Klopp turned to Roberto Firmino and vice-captain James Milner from the bench.

Bernard was close to turning in a fizzed low cross from Richarlison as the game became increasingly stretched in the second half, before an unmarked Cenk Tosun mishit his shot from Gylfi Sigurdsson's free-kick.

December's derby saw incredible late drama as Pickford's mistake allowed Divock Origi to score a 96th-minute winner, but Everton held firm in the 200th top-flight meeting between the clubs for a result that may prove pivotal in the title race.

 

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Fulham 1 Chelsea 2: Jorginho decisive in Kepa's return to favour

Jorginho's first goal from open play in the Premier League proved decisive in Chelsea's 2-1 London derby win over Fulham on Sunday, as Kepa Arrizabalaga returned from his post-EFL Cup final exile.

Spain international Kepa was dropped for the midweek win over Tottenham after refusing to be substituted in the Wembley defeat to Manchester City, but he returned at Craven Cottage as Chelsea moved back to within two points of the top four.

Fulham, playing their first game since Claudio Ranieri was sacked and replaced by interim boss Scott Parker, put up a scrap at times and even cancelled out Gonzalo Higuain's opener when Calum Chambers equalised.


But Jorginho put Chelsea back in front and, despite Fulham's noble efforts, the Blues managed to hold on, leaving Parker's men 10 points adrift of safety.Kepa almost embarrassed himself 18 minutes into his return, dropping a routine cross right in front of Ryan Babel, but fortunately he was able to pounce before the Netherlands international could punish him.

Shortly afterwards, Chelsea capitalised on that let-off – Higuain steering Cesar
Azpilicueta's low cross in with a first-time finish.Fulham levelled seven minutes later when an unmarked Chambers met Babel's cross following a short corner with a controlled finish at the back post.

But Chelsea restored their lead in the 31st minute, as Eden Hazard teed up Jorginho on the edge of the box, who found the top-right corner.Proceedings continued to be open after the break – Willian and Aleksandar Mitrovic both going fairly close within 15 minutes of the restart.

Kepa rescued Chelsea with a fine flying save to parry Mitrovic's header, securing victory and a hint of redemption, before Ryan Sessegnon saw an injury-time leveller correctly ruled out for offside.

 

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'This is Man United' - Dalot hails 'unbelievable' comeback win against Southampton


Manchester United showcased the kind of spirit they have built their legacy on during Saturday’s dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Southampton, according to Diogo Dalot.

The Red Devils recorded a key win to move back above Arsenal into the Champions League spots, while they now trail third-place Tottenham by only three points after Spurs failed to win any of their last three games.

United did not have it easy however, in a see-saw encounter that saw them initially fall behind to a spectacular Yan Valery strike before equalising through Andreas Pereira’s top-right corner effort.

Manchester United showcased the kind of spirit they have built their legacy on during Saturday’s dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Southampton, according to Diogo Dalot.The Red Devils recorded a key win to move back above Arsenal into the Champions League spots, while they now trail third-place Tottenham by only three points after Spurs failed to win any of their last three games.

United did not have it easy however, in a see-saw encounter that saw them initially fall behind to a spectacular Yan Valery strike before equalising through Andreas Pereira’s top-right corner effort.

Dalot insists United go into it with no fear, however, as they have nothing to lose.“We have no pressure on us [on Wednesday] because we are 2-0 down, but we know in football anything is possible and, in this club, you know that even more," the full-back said.

“We feel that if we can score a goal, then they will be worried, so we will focus on doing that.”

 

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'Nobody knows the future' - Neymar admits Real Madrid attraction but 'happy' in Paris


Neymar has refused to rule out the possibility of playing for Real Madrid at some point in his career though he says he is happy in Paris.

The Brazil international is currently in his second season for Paris Saint-Germain following his move from Barcelona back in August 2017.He’s bagged 48 goals in 53 games so far for the Ligue 1 club, but speculation has not ceased around a potential return to La Liga in the near future.

He has been linked with a Barcelona return and with Real Madrid still looking to replace Cristiano Ronaldo following his departure from the club for Juventus in the summer, Neymar is touted as a suitable replacement. The 27-year-old admitted he’s attracted to the possibility of playing for Los Blancos, but stated he’s happy with his life in France for now.

"Real is one of the biggest clubs in the world,” Neymar told Globo. “Everyone that is followed by Real Madrid would feel attracted to play there, but I am happy in Paris.

“But no one knows the future, I am not saying that I will play for Real Madrid."
Neymar did add that he had already accomplished one of his goals – to play for Barca.

"Everybody knows the dream that I have already accomplished," Neymar added.
“Barcelona was always my dream, something that I used to say since little kid. I was able to accomplish that, so my dream is fulfilled". Neymar also stated he’s not obsessing over winning the Ballon d’Or at some stage in his career.

The forward has been unable to break the stranglehold that Lionel Messi and Ronaldo have had on the award over recent years and a disappointing World Cup left him well short of Luka Modric in 2018.

He has managed to finish third on two occasions during his career, but stated he's more obsessed with the prospect of winning the World Cup with Brazil than a Ballon d'Or triumph.

"Even some geniuses never won the Ballon d'Or,” Neymar added. “It's something that, if doesn't happen, won't be the end of the world, it won't erase what I have done in my career and what I will still do.

“It's an important prize for every player, but it's not something that takes away my sleep, something that I want more than anything. “I want the World Cup more than anything. This is something that I dream with every day."

 

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Real Sociedad 0 Atletico Madrid 2: Morata brace keeps Barca in sight

Atletico Madrid closed back to within seven points of Barcelona thanks to Alvaro Morata's quickfire brace in a 2-0 win at Real Socieded on Sunday.Spain striker Morata opened his Atletico account in last weekend's victory over Villarreal and boosted his tally to three goals in two games with a pair of headers in the space of three first-half minutes.

Diego Simeone's side needed three points to stay in touch with LaLiga leaders Barca, who edged Real Madrid 1-0 in El Clasico on Saturday, and had to complete the job with 10 men after Koke received a second yellow in the 62nd minute.


But the home side, unbeaten in their 10 previous outings across all competitions, failed to make the advantage count and could not keep the Rojiblancos from moving five points clear of their city rivals.
Morata passed up two early opportunities but not did take long to find his scoring groove.Diego Godin flicked on a Thomas Lemar corner and the on-loan striker stooped to head in the opener in the 30th minute.Then, from Koke's inviting right-sided free-kick, the 26-year-old timed his leap well and nodded past Geronimo Rulli, putting the visitors firmly in command at half-time.

They looked likely to go untroubled until midfielder Koke, already walking a tightrope after his first-half foul on Theo Hernandez, foolishly earned a second booking for impeding Joseba Zaldua's progress.Socieded eventually worked Jan Oblak in the 76th minute, the Slovenia international diving to his right to parry a smart Mikel Merino header.

But the goalkeeper otherwise had precious little to do as Atletico comfortably navigated the closing exchanges, ensuring Imanol Alguacil's men remain stuck in eighth.

 

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Liverpool 'must be more clinical' claims Henderson after second goalless draw in a week


Jordan Henderson has said Liverpool must be more clinical in front of goal after a stalemate in the Merseyside derby handed the Premier League title race advantage to Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola's men took top spot with a 1-0 win at Bournemouth on Saturday and the Reds were unable to return to the summit after drawing 0-0 at rivals Everton a day later.

Jurgen Klopp's side have failed to score in three of their past four matches in all competitions with back-to-back goalless draws in the Premier League away from home after last weekend's stalemate at Manchester United.

Mohamed Salah could not convert the best chance of the game as Jordan Pickford made a big save to deny the forward, making amends for his stoppage-time error in Everton's December derby defeat at Anfield.And Henderson cannot put his finger on what is going wrong in front of goal for Liverpool, who destroyed Watford 5-0 on Wednesday.

"Could be a number of things," the Liverpool captain said to Sky Sports . "We created good chances but need to be more clinical and come away with one or two nil as we defended well as a team."United away and Everton away are tough and you can't win by four or five every week. We take the positives and keep going, we're still in the race and keep going to the end.

"Listen, at the end of the day we expect high things and want to win these games but it's football. We got a point in both games and we have to keep going to the end, there's lots of football to play and we have to keep going. We have belief and have to keep going and see where it takes us."Obviously we are disappointed because we wanted to come and get the points but we knew it'd be tough and frantic at times. We created enough chances to win the game and defended well.

"The big man [Virgil van Dijk] and Joel [Matip] defended well but we're disappointed. We want to win every game and we defended well and need to be more clinical."

Liverpool will seek to bounce back in their next game, at home to Burnley on Sunday, but City can stretch their lead to four points if they beat Watford at the Etihad Stadium a day earlier.Van Dijk, however, insisted Liverpool had done enough to beat Everton, who are now without a derby win against their rivals in 19 attempts across all competitions.

"I think we deserved it, based on the chances, the three points," the centre-back said to Sky Sports."It says a lot they celebrated like that but we are disappointed and had chances, didn't take them, but we go again. I like this kind of game but we came for three points and didn't get it, time to recover and be ready for the next game.

"Our next game is next weekend, that's the only thing we focus on right now.Everyone wants to be top of the league but it is how it is and we can't change that at the moment. We just have to keep winning games."

 

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Manchester United comeback 'like the old days' for Solskjaer


Ole Gunnar Solskjaer compared Manchester United's dramatic 3-2 win over Southampton on Saturday to "the old days" of thrilling late victories.

United went behind at Old Trafford to a Yan Valery strike in the first half and, having gone 2-1 up through Andreas Pereira and Romelu Lukaku, they were pegged back by James Ward-Prowse's free-kick.

However, Lukaku struck another sublime goal in the 88th minute to secure three points that lift them back into the top four of the Premier League at the expense of Arsenal.

And Solskjaer, who famously scored the injury-time winner in the 1999 Champions League final, felt there was an element of nostalgia to United's triumph.

"The manner of it is like the old days," he said. "I have been part of it so many times myself. I'm so pleased for the boys – they managed to claw three points out of this game.

"You forget you are tired. You just run and you want that ball delivered around the box. We have done it so many times. As a manager, that is not the way you want to enjoy the first 90 minutes. You want to be comfortable.

"We should have been two up in the first five minutes. [There were] some great saves by the kid. Those two strikes for them – absolute quality."We spoke at half-time: get more urgency, get the ball in the box, and the strength of them [the fans] will suck the ball in. I don't want to take too much from Andreas and Romelu as they were great finishes, but that is part of the history."

Lukaku missed two good early chances that were saved by Angus Gunn before he struck twice with two clinical right-foot finishes.

"He is a quality goalscorer," said Solskjaer of the Belgium striker, who scored the opening goal of the 3-1 win at Crystal Palace last time out."We need to have him more in front of the goal, but he has done fantastic in his work rate, attitude, he loves scoring goals, he smiles every day, he does extra shooting in training. He has got the goalscorer's quality."

Solskjaer also praised Pereira's impact, as he scored his first league goal for the club with a sublime effort from 25 yards out."I'm so pleased for him, so happy," he said. "He has gone through the academy, he has loads of energy and drive. Maybe we found a better position for him. He is more of a number eight or 10 than a six.

"A goal and an assist, it is a nice day to remember. Young kids, when they get criticism, there is nothing better than seeing them grab their chance."

 

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Sarri satisfied with Chelsea's 'minimum of consistency' but urges Blues to continue


Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri feels that his side have created a "minimum of consistency" in the wake of their Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City after notching consecutive Premier League wins.The Blues secured a 2-1 victory away against Fulham to make it two victories from two against London rivals in the wake of their penalty shoot-out loss at Wembley.

Before the final, Sarri had been thought to be under pressure, having failed to replicate the form shown in 2018 since the new year, but has since somewhat reasserted himself with a pair of key results.

And the manager is pleased his team look to be putting together a series of positive results, though he notes it is something that much continue.

“Today we had a great opportunity,” the Italian said after the match at Craven Cottage. “A great opportunity because we were five points from the top four, but now we are only two points off.

“It's not easy. We have to fight until the last minute of the last match, I think. We are fighting. In the last four matches, we did well.“It was really very important for us, the final, losing on penalties but, after the last match against City in Manchester when we lost 6-0, we played at the same level as them.

“That was very important for our confidence. Then we won against Tottenham and won today. I think that a minimum of consistency has arrived. But we have to continue.”

Sarri however did admit that the game was not a complete performance from his side, to which he pointed to the aggressive fixture pile-up over the past week.“I think that we played very well for 60 minutes,” he added. “We could have killed the match with a third goal. We didn't kill the match and then, in the last 25 minutes, we were really very tired.

“In seven days, we played 120 minutes in a very difficult match against City. We played 90 minutes against Tottenham. Today we had to play a very important derby against a team with a new coach, so it was a really very difficult match.

“I think [we played] very well for 60 minutes, and [were] then very tired. That's the normal reaction to our seven days.”Chelsea face another midweek clash on Thursday when they host Dynamo Kiev in first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie.

Then the Blues will return to Premier League action the following Sunday against Wolves at Stamford Bridge.