..::Football IV::..

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Evra agent refuses to rule out Premier League return for 'frustrated' Juventus full-back

Patrice Evra has grown frustrated with a reduced role in the Juventus first-team this season, the player's agent has said.

The 35-year-old has been a regular in the Champions League but has only started three Serie A matches this term, with Alex Sandro frequently preferred at left-back.

Evra's contract expires at the end of the season - although Juve have an option to extend it by a further year - but his lack of playing time has prompted talk of a move back to the Premier League as early as January.

Although his agent, Federico Pastorello, has denied that Evra is unhappy with life in general at Juve, he concedes that he would like a bigger role in the side.

"I do have to admit that, like all footballers, he would like to be playing more often," he told juvenews.eu. "I've been receiving a lot of calls, and I don't know where the rumours are coming from, but Patrice is not at all unhappy at Juventus."I honestly don't know [about Premier League interest]. I can only say that there is nothing definite right now about him leaving."

Evra has won two domestic doubles and the Supercoppa Italiana, and reached the Champions League final, since joining Juve from Manchester United in 2014.West Ham, who signed Simone Zaza from the Italian champions on loan in August, have been linked with a deal for the France international.

 

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'Oxlade-Chamberlain would be a major asset to Liverpool'

Liverpool are being linked with a January swoop for Arsenal’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and former England U21 boss Stuart Pearce believes the midfielder would be a "major asset" for anyone able to lure him away from the Emirates.A £25 million deal has been mooted for the 23-year-old, with Anfield considered to be a likely destination.

Jurgen Klopp has transformed Liverpool into a high-energy outfit who press from the front and boast pace in abundance throughout the final third of the field.

Oxlade-Chamberlain ticks all of those boxes and could become available when the transfer window re-opens after struggling for regular game time at Arsenal.

Pearce feels he should be looking to stay put and prove himself in north London, but admits his talents would benefit any number of sides, including Liverpool, if he does decide to take on a new challenge.He told Sky Sports News: “I personally don’t think he needs a move. He needs to stay at Arsenal and get a run of consistent games in the team.

“If anyone can get him out of Arsenal, he will be a great acquisition. There is talk of Liverpool, and if it is Liverpool then I think he has got the energy levels and the ability to be a major asset to anybody when playing regularly.”

Pearce considers Oxlade-Chamberlain to be one of the best players he worked with during his time in charge of England’s U21 side, but admits fierce competition at Arsenal has prevented him from scaling the heights his potential suggested he should reach.

He added: “Arsenal have probably got the best midfield options of any team in the Premier League, with [Santi] Cazorla and everyone else. It’s difficult for him to get in.“I’m still a little bit disappointed with what he has achieved at this moment in time, because he was one of the best 10 players I managed in my U21 time.

“I’m not sure I could say where his best position is – he’s been utilised all over and hasn’t really nailed one down.”

Oxlade-Chamberlain has been restricted to just eight Premier League starts this season, and has failed to complete 90 minutes in any of those outings.

 

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Nani: We weren't the best Portugal team but we'll be remembered forever

Portugal winger Nani admits that the side who became Euro 2016 champions cannot be considered the best in the country's history.Fernando Santos steered his men to an unlikely triumph in France, where they beat the host nation 1-0 after extra-time in the final to secure their first major trophy.

Despite boasting Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo in attack, the experience of players such as Pepe and rising stars including Renato Sanches, Portugal were not considered to be serious contenders by many prior to the tournament.

Nani accepts that there have been Portuguese vintages with more star quality in the past but is more than satisfied being part of one that will be remembered forever at home.

"It was a great feeling, I still think about it often," he told Omnisport. "It's something that some of the best players in Portugal wanted to do but haven't."Winning for my country is a huge achievement. I'm so proud of that. When you win trophies it's great, you realise afterwards how much work you've put in.

"When we won the Euros it was the best thing in my life and for my team-mates.We celebrated a lot. When we met again with the national team we still talk about it, we know we will be remembered for ever."We're not the best team in Portuguese history, others had better players, but we are the ones who won something for Portugal and we are so proud.

"We had some great games, the results weren't always the ones we expected. We had been playing good players and the fans expected more and more wins.

"We had a strategy for the competition, and the most important part was reaching the final and winning the competition. No-one can criticise us for how we played, our target was to win and we did that."

Portugal won the final with an extra-time strike from Eder, having played since the 25th minute without Ronaldo, who went off in tears after failing to shake off a knee injury.

"It was a very hard moment when Ronaldo went off," Nani recalled. "It was hard for him especially as he wanted to win a trophy. We were close as a team and in that moment we were very sad for him. He was an important player for our team."

 

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Van Dijk and Fonte are both staying at Southampton, insists Puel

Southampton defenders Virgil van Dijk and Jose Fonte will not leave in the January transfer window, according to manager Claude Puel.

Van Dijk has been linked with a big-money move away from St Mary's Stadium, with Chelsea and Manchester City said to be chasing him after his impressive form since signing from Celtic in 2015.

Captain Fonte, meanwhile, has reportedly attracted the interest of Everton and Manchester United, with only has 18 months left on his Saints contract.

But Puel has reiterated he does not have any plans to sell the duo in January and is not worried that Van Dijk has become distracted by the speculation."With Jose [the situation] is a little particular but he is contracted with Southampton," Puel said ahead of Saturday's home Premier League match with West Brom.

"Virgil is a very important player for us and he will stay here. It will be important with Virgil to continue his work and [help us] go up on the table. "For me with Virgil it is not an idea or view [that he wants to leave].

"Of course they will both stay. It is always speculation about different players. It is normal because they are great and important players. "But it's important for them to stay and have a good attitude and improve our position in the table."

Puel also confirmed the club will not be appealing the red card given to Nathan Redmond in the 4-1 defeat to Tottenham on Wednesday, a first loss in four top-flight matches that left them in eighth position.

 

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Tevez could return to Boca Juniors next year, says President Macri

Carlos Tevez could return to Boca Juniors as early as next year, according to President of Argentina Mauricio Macri.

The 32-year-old striker has agreed to join Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua in a deal that will makes him the highest-paid player in world football.Tevez only returned to his boyhood club last year but will now head to China where he is set to earn an estimated salary of £32 million-a-year.

Macri, a former chairman of Boca Juniors, says he understands why the 32-year-old has made the decision to leave the club but is hopeful his stay in the Far East may be short-lived.

“Tevez's sale to Chinese football will improve the relationship between both countries,” he told Radio Mitre .“As a selfish Boca fan I didn't want him to go, but I know that he needed to.

“I love Carlitos. I told him he had to come back from Europe. I understand him now: his treatment here wore him down. He needed to take a rest and live in peace again.

“Boca is very demanding, very invasive. And Carlitos needs his space. I think what he's done is a good thing. Eight months will fly by, maybe we will have him back next year.”

Tevez is no stranger to high-profile transfers, having made the shock move to West Ham, along with Javier Mascherano in 2006. before swapping Manchester United for City in 2009.

The striker also enjoyed two years at Juventus, winning two Serie A titles, before returning to Boca Juniors in 2015 and winning a league and cup double in his first season back.

The new Shenhua recruit will join up with former Premier League stars Demba Ba and Obafemi Martin in Gus Poyet’s side.

 

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Mendes reveals €300m offer for Cristiano Ronaldo from China

Jorge Mendes has claimed that a €300 million offer for Cristiano Ronaldo was made to Real Madrid by a Chinese club, but the star turned the move down.

Chinese Super League sides have made a massive splash in the transfer market of late, notably signing Oscar and Carlos Tevez in quick succession.

Chelsea's former Brazilian star will line up for Shanghai SIPG in 2016, while the Argentine signed for two years with fellow Shanghai club Shenhua.

There is apparently no limit to their reach either, with Mendes stating that a Chinese outfit had offered his client Ronaldo a salary of over €100m a year in addition to the astronomical transfer fee to Madrid.That would make the four-time Ballon d'Or winner comfortably the highest-paid footballer in history, a title now held by Tevez following his move to the Far East.

However, the super agent claimed the Portugal star had turned down the offer in an instant as he is not motivated by money.

"An offer of €300 million to Real Madrid and more than €100m per year [was made] to the player from China," Mendes told Sky Sport Italia. "But money is not everything, the Spanish club is his life."

2016 Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo had only just extended his contract at Madrid in November, penning a deal until 2021.

The forward has been at the Santiago Bernabeu since 2009, winning two Champions League titles and a Liga crown as part of the Merengue squad.

 

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Mendes reveals €300m offer for Cristiano Ronaldo from China

Chinese league join welanam wadak naha.Sallie ma witharamai​

 

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Conte reminds me of Mourinho - Forlan

Diego Forlan sees many similarities between Chelsea coach Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho, as both are "very intense".

The Italian has enjoyed an excellent first half of the season at Chelsea, guiding them to a club record 12 wins in as many Premier League games to put them six points clear of second-placed Liverpool in the table.

The Blues seem to have recovered from a disastrous 2015-16 campaign, during which Mourinho was sacked with the team sitting 10th despite winning the league the previous year.

While Mourinho continues to struggle with his Manchester United team sitting sixth in the league, Conte has flourished at Stamford Bridge, continuing his success from his time at Juventus where he won three consecutive Serie A titles before taking over the national team.But Forlan believes they share some characteristics."I know people pick out Diego Costa or Pedro or Eden Hazard, but what their coach Antonio Conte does best is create teams," he wrote in The National.

"He did it at Juventus, where they were built on a brilliant defence, with great counter-attacking ability. He reminds me of Mourinho in this way, who also shares the characteristic of being very intense."

However, the former Manchester United and Uruguay attacker feels the players deserve a great deal of praise for their impeccable form."Much has been made of Conte playing three at the back and how effective this has been since he switched to it after a difficult start.

"I do not buy into these tactical obsessions that occupy so much space in the media. Football is a really simple game and the most important thing, in any formation, is that the players do their jobs, not the formation which they play in.

"All of the usual formations have advantages and disadvantages, but none would work without the magic of the players. Systems, coaches and directors or club presidents do not win games — players do, they are the only people who can make a significant difference once that game starts."

Crucial to Chelsea's excellent run of form has been Thibaut Courtois, who has kept 11 clean sheets in the Premier League this term. And Forlan remembers him fondly from his loan spell at Atletico Madrid, where he won La Liga and reached the Champions League final, and is glad to see him live up to expectation.

"Courtois was new and on loan [to Atletico] from Chelsea, very pleasant and very shy. I left for Inter, he stayed and had a superb loan spell at Atletico, where he played in the team which knocked Chelsea out of the 2014 Champions League.

"A few months after I left Atletico, I was surprised to see an interview with Courtois where he spoke really good Spanish, with all the correct pronunciation, which is not easy for any player new to a country, not because they do not want to learn but because it is not an easy language to learn."I still had friends at Atletico and they told me he was dating a Spanish girl. That is the best way to learn a language quickly.

"Courtois was rated highly enough by Chelsea to go back and replace Petr Cech, one of the best goalkeepers of modern times. He has lived up to his reputation."

 

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Lindelof left out of Benfica squad amid Manchester United speculation

Victor Lindelof has been left out of Benfica's squad for the clash against FC Pacos de Ferreira amid ongoing speculation surrounding a move to Manchester United.

The defender had been widely tipped to move to Old Trafford when the transfer window reopens in January and his agent has admitted Benfica have received formal bids for the 22-year-old.

However, more recent reports have suggested Jose Mourinho's men have lost interest in Lindelof due to the current form of Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo in central defence.

The Red Devils also have Chris Smalling coming back from injury while Daley Blind can also play centre-back, although they are set to lose Eric Bailly to the Africa Cup of Nations in January.

However, Lindelof was surprisingly left out of Benfica's squad for Thursday's Primeira Liga which looks set to reignite speculation over his future.

Benfica won the game 1-0 thanks to a first-half goal from Franco Cervi.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Tell me if there's anyone better at finding gaps and finishing at the moment

Consistency!

Patta!

CR7
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Man Utd and Chelsea target James has nothing to prove, says Mendes

Real Madrid midfielder James Rodriguez has nothing to prove as he continues to be linked with a move away, according to his agent Jorge Mendes.Manchester United, Juventus and Chelsea are among the clubs reportedly interested in James, who has struggled for game time at Madrid this season.

Mendes, who has said James will not be leaving the LaLiga leaders in January, said the Colombia international needed to work his way back into Zinedine Zidane's plans.

"He's a top player. He can play anywhere. He doesn't have to prove anything," he told Sky Italia."He's a player who has done well. Now, he has to recover to convince Zidane."James has made just eight La Liga appearances for Madrid this season, scoring one goal.

Asked about the links to Juve, Mendes said: "I don't speak of clubs. We'll see what will happen."

 

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'Mkhitaryan is the long-term replacement for Wayne Rooney' - Wright

Manchester United have ‘got themselves’ going, according to Ian Wright, with Paul Pogba impressing and Henrikh Mkhitaryan looking like ‘the long-term replacement for Wayne Rooney’.

The Armenian’s form since breaking back into the Red Devils side suggests that he is very much an option for the present and future, with Rooney in danger of becoming the odd man out.

The England international has spent plenty of time on the bench this season, and is currently sidelined with a muscle complaint.He will find it difficult to force his way into Jose Mourinho’s starting XI, with United starting to move ominously through the gears.

Four straight wins in Premier League competition have edged them back into contention for a top-four finish, with there still the promise of much more to come.
Former Arsenal striker Wright sees Mourinho’s men kicking on from this point, with summer signings having found their feet and answers found to previously problematic questions at the back.He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “United didn’t start off brilliantly and they’ve been trying to get themselves going.

“Mourinho was working out his best team and who was going to play where. He’s got something with [Marcos] Rojo and [Phil] Jones at the back. Pogba is playing brilliantly. I think Mkhitaryan is the long-term replacement for Wayne Rooney.

“You know that with the quality of players they have, now they’ve got it going, you have to say Man United will be in and around it [at the end of the season].”

The Red Devils are still sat sixth in the Premier League standings at present, but are now just four points adrift of Arsenal in fourth.Their next outing sees them welcome Middlesbrough to Old Trafford on New Year’s Eve, with Mourinho set to lock coaching horns with his former Real Madrid assistant Aitor Karanka.

 

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Wenger rates Chelsea as 'super favourites' in title race

Arsene Wenger believes Chelsea are "super favourites" to lift the title this season, but the Arsenal boss was critical of the Premier League's quality as a whole in 2016.Chelsea hold a six-point cushion over Liverpool with the year coming to a close, with the Gunners a further three back in fourth.

A run of 12 successive wins makes Chelsea the team to beat in Wenger's eyes and the Frenchman concedes that catching Antonio Conte's men is a tall order.And Wenger knows if they are to reel in their London neighbours it is imperative they come out on top against their top-six rivals in the second-half of the campaign.

"It [head-to-head matches] will be vital of course," he told a media conference ahead of Sunday's contest against Crystal Palace."But Chelsea are the super favourites, it is there's to lose."They can still lose it, there is still a long way to go. It will be difficult for everybody and head-to-head will have a big influence."

As the calendar year comes to a close Wenger was surprisingly critical of the quality on show in the Premier League in 2016, stating all the clubs must up their levels in the coming 12 months."I assess it [2016] in two parts," he added. "In the first half we finished second in the league. It was disappointing not to win the league.

"After that, in the second part, we have moved our level up, we are in the middle of the championship now, and although it is a very promising league, it promised to be an exceptional year, and I think it has been disappointing on all levels.

"We have not produced the games that are remembered, I am convinced that in the second part [of the current season] the level will go up, we have a responsibility to achieve that.

"Maybe it's because the teams are all top quality, everybody is under pressure not to lose, every game has become so important.

"I just feel there is more in the league than what we produced, and I include myself [and Arsenal] in that."

 

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Conte rules out Courtois Chelsea exit

Antonio Conte has dismissed suggestions that Thibaut Courtois is planning to leave Chelsea following reports linking him with Real Madrid.

The Belgian has kept 11 clean sheets so far this season, more than any other goalkeeper, as Conte's men remain six points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

And the Blues boss is happy with how his 24-year-old goalkeeper is playing and believes that he is one of the best in the world in his position.He told reporters: "This situation [reports of a transfer] is not important. Thibaut is one of the best, if not the best, goalkeeper in the world.

"He stays with us. The other situation is only speculation."I think in this season he is playing very well and you can see that he is not only good with his hands but with his feet too. I think he is a complete goalkeeper, he is a modern goalkeeper.

"For me, he is one of the best in the world. I wouldn't say the best, because he is my goalkeeper but he is fantastic and he is at the top."Speculation around Courtois's future could lead to Chelsea offering him a lucrative new deal to ward off interest from some of Europe's top clubs.

The former Atletico Madrid goalkeeper and the rest of his Chelsea team-mates face Stoke City on Saturday as they look for their 13th league win in a row.

 

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Martial? Depay? Schneiderlin? Mourinho reveals the ONE Man Utd player to be loaned out

Jose Mourinho has revealed that Sam Johnstone will be the only first-team player he will allow to leave the club on loan in January.The likes of Memphis Depay and Morgan Schneiderlin have both been tipped to quit Old Trafford when the winter transfer window opens having fallen out of favour.

Anthony Martial's agent, meanwhile, has talked up the possibility of a loan switch to Sevilla, where he would be expected to get more gametime than he's being offered under Mourinho.

But it appears the trio will only be able to leave if a club comes in with a permanent offer and not on temporary deals, with the likes of Everton and West Brom having been linked with Depay and Schneiderlin."Sam Johnstone is the only player that I allow to go on loan," Mourinho told reporters ahead of Saturday's clash with Middlesbrough.

"He hasn't played one minute and he needs to play. We have a young keeper in Joel [Pereira], he played many minutes in last six months in Primeira Liga, so now is time for Sam to play six months."

Both Sunderland and Aston Villa have been mooted as potential destinations for Johnstone, who is third in the pecking order at Old Trafford behind David De Gea and Sergio Romero.

That could mean Depay, who has made just four appearances in the league for United in the 2016-17 season, will be forced to stay put unless a substantial offer in January materialises.Schneiderlin, meanwhile, is free to leave the club in the winter window, with West Brom reportedly having seen a £13 million bid rejected.

Martial was United's top scorer in the Premier League in 2015-16 after his expensive move from Monaco on the summer deadline day, bagging 11 goals.

However, since Louis van Gaal was replaced by Mourinho in the off-season, the France international has only scored once in 11 appearances in the competition.

 

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Man Utd skipper Rooney remains sidelined for Middlesbrough clash

Wayne Rooney will miss Manchester United's home clash with Middlesbrough on Saturday as he continues to be sidelined with injury.The United skipper missed the Red Devils' Boxing Day victory over Sunderland in the Premier League after picking up a knock in training.

Mourinho stated after that win that Rooney's return against Boro was unlikely, and the United manager confirmed at a pre-match news conference that the England international remains absent."Out," he replied when asked about Rooney's fitness, before adding "not really" when pushed for a return date for the 31-year-old.

Mourinho is unlikely to rotate his squad this weekend despite the quick turnaround after Monday's win at Old Trafford, with the Portuguese keen to stay at full strength as they look to maintain a five-game winning run in all competitions.

"No [I will not rotate]," he said. "Middlesbrough is the next game and the next game you play to win. "So against Middlesbrough we are going to think about Middlesbrough and try to choose a team that gives us guarantees and chances to win the match.

"That includes everyone that is available and everyone we think is important for the match. We are going to play with the players we think are the best to play."

United's return to form has put them back in touch with the top four and Mourinho is not surprised by his side's upturn in fortunes.He added: "The momentum of playing well comes from a long time ago. It's difficult for me to remember the last match where we didn't play well.

"But the reality is that in the last four Premier League matches and five competitive matches we've managed to win and in this moment we need points, so let's try to get three more at home at Old Trafford for our fans."It is a good day to play football, the last day of the year, so let's try."

 

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Cillessen out for two weeks with calf injury

Barcelona goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen is set for two weeks on the sidelines after sustaining a calf injury.

The 27-year-old Netherlands international has served as back-up to number one Marc-Andre ter Stegen since moving to Camp Nou from Ajax in August, making four appearances in all competitions for the LaLiga champions.

A statement on Barcelona's official website read: "The first-team player Jasper Cillessen has an injury in his soleus muscle in his left leg and the doctors have said he will be out of action for around about two weeks."

Luis Enrique's side resume their campaign following Spain's mid-season break with a trip to Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey on January 5 before a visit to Villarreal in La Liga three days later.Cillessen can also expect to miss the return leg with Athletic on January 11.

 

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Del Bosque rounds on Zidane critics

Vicente del Bosque has sympathised with Zinedine Zidane over perceptions that he is a lucky coach and praised the Real Madrid boss' leadership qualities.Following a decorated playing career at Santiago Bernabeu and a long apprenticeship coaching Madrid's youth teams, Del Bosque twice won La Liga and the Champions League in an excellent four-year spell as head coach.

He went on to claim World Cup and European Championship glory in charge of Spain and retired after his defending champions bowed out at the last-16 stage of Euro 2016.

Enjoying life after football to the extent that he prefers to see matches on the television as opposed to attending stadiums, Del Bosque watched on with admiration as Zidane's Madrid established themselves at the top of LaLiga this season with a club-record unbeaten run, while adding the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup titles to last season's memorable Champions League triumph over Atletico Madrid.

Madrid's football under the former Ballon d'Or winner has often tended towards functional rather than flashy, leading to similar questions over Zidane's ability in the dugout to those Del Bosque was once forced to bat away."We already know that there are those who don't appreciate the work of people based on the belief that they're very lucky," the 66-year-old told El Confidencial.

"That's quite some value Zidane will have after this whole run of [unbeaten] games and the three international titles he's won. Zizou has a group of players behind him that follow him like a leader.

"As much as they devalue him, like they did with me with contempt of this kind, he's a man that has shown his influence over the squad."I do not know [if Zidane will stay as coach for many seasons], but everything will depend on the results and confidence that the president has placed in him.

"I am one of those who thinks, for the person who holds the position of coach, that the first ones that have to be to on his side are the players and secondly those that command the club."In a wide-ranging interview, Del Bosque revealed he recently rejected an approach from an unnamed club in the cash-rich Chinese Super League.

"Yes, yes, it is true," he said. "But I did not let the person who called me finish making the proposal, although I thanked them for remembering me.

"I've never moved for money. The happiest sporting stage of my life was when I was coach and director of the lower categories of Madrid, along with Luis Molowny and other fabulous people. "At that time, even if we only earned enough to live, it was enriching in every way."

 

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Barclays Premier League Fixtures 2016.12.31

Barclays Premier League Fixtures 2016.12.31

Burnley Vs Sunderland

Chelsea Vs Stoke City

Leicester City Vs West Ham

Manchester United Vs Middlesbrough

Southampton Vs WBA

Swansea Vs Bournemouth

Liverpool Vs Manchester City

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Good Luck Manchester United!​