..::Football IV::..

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Wenger opens door to international management after Arsenal


Arsene Wenger admits he could manage an international team after his reign at Arsenal has ended.Wenger, who has been with the Gunners since 1996 and is the longest-serving manager in the Premier League, has been under pressure in recent months in north London.

Arsenal are currently sixth in the table, 12 points behind leaders Manchester City, and face Tottenham in a massive north London derby this weekend.

However, Wenger already appears to be making plans for his next job, telling beIN Sports that he could potentially transition into an international management role ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

"Maybe, yes, I will do it at some stage but until now I like to be involved every day, in the life of the club because the real test is there," he said.
"Four or five weeks, it's a different experience, it's more concentrated. But I believe the real experience to manage a team is on a daily basis but I will not always have the physical strength to do that so maybe I will move into that.

When asked if the opportunity interested him, he replied: "Yes of course. I haven't decided that, it is just a fact that my life is linked with football, it will be linked with my physical state but until the end of my life I will be in football.

"I don't know in what kind of position, as a director, as a manager. For as long as possible as a manager but one day that will stop. I will stay in football of course."

 

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Southgate draws positives after gutsy display in Brazil stalemate


Gareth Southgate believes England now have a "base to work from" after recording back-to-back 0-0 draws against Germany and Brazil at Wembley Stadium.

Pitched against the top two teams in the world rankings, Southgate was delighted with the resilient nature of his side's performances as they look to put down solid foundations ahead of next year's World Cup.

Joe Gomez produced a man-of-the-match display on his full debut as Brazil struggled to break down a home side that once again lined up in a 3-5-2 system.

England could even have grabbed victory in the closing stages but substitute Dominic Solanke failed to mark his international bow with a late winner, prodding his close-range attempt at advancing goalkeeper Alisson."We had the best defensive record in Europe in qualifying, now we've played the best two teams in the world and kept two clean sheets. That gives us something to build on," Southgate told ITV Sport.

"We know we need to be better with the ball than we were tonight – I thought we were a bit anxious with it – but even then when you dig in, you get half chances at the end that could win you the game. It's a base to work from."

Already without a number of regulars, Southgate saw Ruben Loftus-Cheek forced off in the first half with an apparent back injury. However, he was full of pride for the way his depleted side stood up to the test of taking on a full-strength Brazil.

"In terms of heart, resilience and spirit, [that performance] is up there with anything I've been involved in," Southgate said."Young players digging in, we just couldn't move the ball as well as we did the other night. The other night we showed really good qualities with the ball, and some defensive prowess.

"Tonight we showed resilience, guts and some really outstanding defending against a top, top team. I'm incredibly proud of what the team has done."

 

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'Virgil is focused 100 per cent' - Pellegrino backs Van Dijk ahead of Liverpool clash


Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk is fully focused on his performances for the club ahead of a clash with Liverpool, manager Mauricio Pellegrino said.The Netherlands international was heavily linked with a move to Anfield in the off-season, but ended up staying at Southampton.His team visit Jurgen Klopp's men in the Premier League on Saturday after a slow start to the campaign.

Pellegrino has no doubt Van Dijk, 26, is focused on Southampton after making just five league starts so far this season."I don't think it will be difficult because Virgil is focused 100 per cent on our team and is training well," the Argentinian said.

"He wants to improve his performances because obviously he was injured and he didn't play any games [earlier in the season].

"Obviously we cannot control the market and every single transfer window clubs are looking to buy our players."It's no secret that sometimes players are distracted, but it's normal."Liverpool sit fifth in the table ahead of the visit of Southampton, who are 13th.

 

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Ventura sacked from Italy post after World Cup qualifying failure


Gian Piero Ventura has been sacked as Italy manager after overseeing a catastrophic World Cup qualifying failure.

For the first time since 1958 Italy have failed to qualify for the World Cup, with a 0-0 draw against Sweden on Monday at San Siro clinching a 1-0 aggregate victory for the Swedes in their qualifying play-off.And the debacle has cost Ventura his job, as the FIGC confirmed in a statement released on Wednesday.

"During a meeting called by FIGC president Carlo Tevecchio... the failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia was discussed," the missive states.

"As the first order of business Tevecchio revealed the release of the entire technical team and, from today onwards, Gian Piero Ventura is no longer coach of the national team."Ventura refused to hand in his resignation immediately following the Sweden match, saying he needed time to speak with the Italian federation president.

“I didn’t resign because I haven't met [with the] Italian FA chairman yet. We’ll meet in the next days, we’ll discuss about it. There are many things to talk about," he said on Monday.

"Until the play-off we were progressing as foreseen, then we’ve been unlucky not to score against them [Sweden]. I apologize to the Italians. Only for the result, not for the effort we put in every game.”But the decision has now been taken out of his hands, as he is forced out of the post after a year-and-a-half in charge.

Ventura took over for Antonio Conte following Italy's successful Euro 2016 run, when they bowed out on penalties to Germany in the quarter-finals. Conte was considered to have overachieved with that Italy side, who were short on talent in comparison to Azzurri teams of the past.

But Ventura failed to achieve what his predecessor had during his time at the helm, with Italy regressing in a World Cup qualifying campaign that counted a 1-1 home draw to Macedonia last month among its more disappointing results.

Ventura could only lead Italy to a second-place finish in UEFA World Cup qualifying Group G, finishing five points behind group winners Spain and setting up a play-off with the Swedes to reach Russia.

 

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Rojo comes through 45-minute return for Man Utd


Marcos Rojo has made his competitive return to action seven months on from ACL damage, playing 45 minutes for Manchester United’s Under-23s on Wednesday night.The Argentine defender played the first half of United’s Premier League International Cup clash with Athletic Bilbao in Leigh before being replaced at the break by Tyrell Warren.

Rojo was playing for the first time since being stretchered off in the second leg of the Europa League quarter-final win over Anderlecht on April 20, the same game in which Zlatan Ibrahimovic sustained an identical injury which has prohibited the striker from playing since.

The centre-back moved freely throughout his 45-minute cameo at the Leigh Sports Village, and even came close to finding the net when heading just over from a set piece shortly before half-time.

It is likely that Rojo will be play at least once more for the under-23s in the next couple of weeks, with the former Sporting Lisbon man expected to target the clash with CSKA Moscow on December 5 for his first-team return.

Rojo was a regular pick last season before his injury, playing 41 times for United after cementing his spot at the heart of the defence in Jose Mourinho’s first campaign in charge.

 

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Clint Dempsey named MLS Comeback Player of the Year


Seattle Sounders forward Clint Dempsey has been named the 2017 MLS Comeback Player of the Year, the league announced Wednesday.The 34-year-old recorded 12 goals and five assists in 29 matches this season after spending six months on the sidelines with a career-threatening heart condition.

Dempsey claimed the honor by earning 18.79 percent of the total vote among players, club technical staffs and media.
Columbus Crew playmaker Federico Higuain finished a close second with 18.09 percent of the vote following a resurgent season that saw him compile nine goals and 14 assists.

Houston Dynamo striker Erick Torres, Vancouver Whitecaps playmaker Yordy Reyna, Toronto FC center back Drew Moor and New York City FC left back Ben Sweat rounded out the top six.

 

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Man Utd hopeful of Fellaini renewal despite contract rejection


Manchester United are still hopeful Marouane Fellaini will sign a new contract before the season is out and will not consider a January sale despite the Belgian having recently rejected an improved deal.

Fellaini’s current contract at Old Trafford is set to expire in June, and it has been revealed that the midfielder recently turned down a new deal during ongoing talks over his United future.

If the 29-year-old does not come to an agreement with the Red Devils he could become available to other clubs as early as January 1 on pre-contract terms ahead of a free transfer in the summer. However, United have far from given up hope of persuading Fellaini to commit to an extension with the club he joined in the summer of 2013.

The much-maligned former Everton man has become a more frequent member of the United first team under Jose Mourinho, with the Portuguese manager having entrusted Fellaini with increased game time since taking the helm from Louis van Gaal in 2016.

In total, 56 of Fellaini’s 142 United appearances have come in the 15 months since Mourinho took charge and the manager has been a staunch supporter of the Belgian amid much conjecture from supporters and critics.Now Mourinho is adamant he will not give up hope of Fellaini staying beyond the end of the 2017-18 campaign, with pressure likely to be put on the club’s decision-makers to ensure the midfielder isn’t allowed to walk away without a fight.

Whatever happens in the continued negotiations with Fellaini, United are insistent they will not sell the player in January despite the potential of missing out on a transfer fee which such a stance would present.

 

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Wenger: I might not see out Arsenal contract


Arsene Wenger has conceded that he might not see out the end of his two-year contract at Arsenal and says his situation will be discussed with the club's board at the end of the season.

The Frenchman's lengthy tenure at the Emirates Stadium came under severe scrutiny last term as the Gunners were humiliated by Bayern Munich in the Champions League round of 16.

A fifth-place finish in the Premier League also meant that Arsenal missed out on Europe's premier competition for the first time since the 1998-99 season.Despite the growing levels of discontent among Arsenal's fanbase, Wenger – who led the team to FA Cup success – penned a fresh two-year deal.

The uncertainty over Wenger's future last season is a situation the club will be keen to avoid this time around, but the veteran boss – whose side are sixth and 12 points off leaders Manchester City – gave no assurances that he would be at the helm next term.Speaking to beIN SPORTS, he said: "I said I will sit down with the board at the end of every season and see where we go from there - so that's not exactly the same.

"That's as well sometimes you know, you make a sentence and people turn it the way they would like to see it."That's what I said - I have a two-year contract, I will always try to go to the end of my contract but always have the honesty to sit down with the board and see where we go from there. So that's quite simple."

Wenger's side return to action after the international break on Saturday as they host Tottenham in the first North London Derby of the season.

 

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Lewandowski urges Bayern to sign another striker


Robert Lewandowski has urged Bayern Munich to sign another striker to lighten the load he is currently carrying at the club.The Poland international has played in all 11 of Bayern's Bundesliga games thus far this season, scoring 11 goals.

While Bayern sit top of the table, four points clear of second-placed RB Leipzig, manager Jupp Heynckes can only call upon one other senior striker, Thomas Muller.
Lewandowski's goalscoring exploits have gone some way to papering over the thinness of Bayern's squad, but he has now called on the club to bring in some backup."It would definitely be an option to sign a hungry, young striker who wants to learn from an experienced player," he told SportBild.

"It would be a relief for me to play 15 or 20 minutes less in a game, then you have more energy for the next games and a higher probability of staying fit and minimising the risk of injuries."

SportBild report that Ajax striker Kasper Dolberg could become an option for Bayern in the January transfer window, along with Arsenal's experienced forward Olivier Giroud.

 

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Martial has no issue with 'hard' Mourinho: He likes me as a person


Anthony Martial has insisted that there are no issues with Jose Mourinho despite his lack of regular starts for Manchester United.

The France international has made just three league starts in the 2017-18 campaign and has often been rotated with Marcus Rashford as both players vie for a start of the left of the attack.

He has, though, managed four goals in the Premier League, with United now needing to cut the gap on table-toppers Manchester City, who have raced into an eight-point lead.Despite not being a regular under Mourinho, Martial has no problem with the Red Devils boss, insisting that the Portuguese is "hard" on all his players.

"He's hard with all of us and he is hard with me, there is no question," he told the Premier League, via Manchester United's Twitter feed. "But I know that it's for my benefit. But I also know that he really likes me as a person, so there's no issue about the discipline being for the wrong reasons."But the objective, of course, is to have all of us in good condition, and being fit to play every match and that is what I'm hoping to do.

"At the beginning we didn't know each other too well, but over time we have got to know each other better. He knows my strengths and my weaknesses, such as they are, but the outcome is that we are learning to give everything in the right way."

Martial also discussed United's impressive home form, that has seen them win every match they've played at Old Trafford in all competitions this season.He added: "We do play better at home because we have good tactical awareness as a team and obviously at Old Trafford we have the fans behind us that give us that extra push, that extra force. So we are happy to get every win we can, so hopefully we can keep on winning."

Mourinho's men are back in Premier League action after the international break against Newcastle United as they aim to get back on track following defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

 

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Martial & Rash starting lineup eke play karawala balanna thiyenne

Martial - Lukaku - Rash

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Insigne: I had to accept Ventura's team selection for Sweden nightmare


Lorenzo Insigne insists he will not look back with any hard feelings after being left on the bench as Italy crashed out of World Cup contention.A goalless draw in Milan on Monday sent Sweden through with a 1-0 aggregate victory, meaning the Azzurri will miss the tournament for the first time since 1958.

Insigne has been in fine form for table-topping Napoli this season and it came as a surprise to many, including Daniele De Rossi, who was caught on camera making the case for the 26-year-old's introduction, that he was not utilised at all by coach Gian Piero Ventura in such an important fixture.

Ventura's days in charge appear numbered as Italian football bears the backlash of a nation embarrassed by its team's shortcomings, but Insigne is putting a brave face on the situation."We're sorry we're not going to the World Cup, it's always a good competition," Insigne told Sky.

"We gave our all to the end but we did not manage it. We apologise to all of Italy, we will do it again next time."I have always said I accepted the coach's decisions. He made these choices and I have no regrets.

"It was a game to win at all costs and, for the coach, they were the right men. I have accepted his decisions, it must be done for the national team."Napoli sit a point clear of Juventus at Serie A's summit and Insigne says the disappointment of missing out on the World Cup allows him to focus fully on securing a first league title since 1990 for his club.

"The Scudetto with Napoli is my goal," he added. "My team-mates and I will do everything until May to make it happen."

 

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Webb: I would want VAR as a World Cup referee


Former FIFA and Premier League official Howard Webb believes referees will embrace video review at the World Cup next summer, saying he would want the system in place if he were officiating in Russia.

Webb retired as a referee in 2014 after officiating matches at two World Cups, including the 2010 final between Spain and the Netherlands. Earlier this year, the 46-year-old joined the Professional Referee Organization in the United States to oversee the implementation of the video assistant referee system in MLS.

The league has used VAR in 132 regular season matches and 12 playoff games since taking the system live in August, with Webb encouraged by the results.

"If I was one of the referees going to a big worldwide tournament like the World Cup, with the spotlight of the global media, would I want video review in my games? Absolutely, yes I would," Webb told Goal . "Would I rather go in with the safety net of having a VAR in place rather than having nobody there? Absolutely, I would.

"I haven't spoken to all of the officials, but the ones I do speak to feel the same by and large, and I'm sure the officials at the World Cup will feel the same. They'll feel comfortable and happy to have that system in place."Webb and MLS vice president of competition Jeff Agoos traveled to Zurich last week to meet with executives from FIFA, the Bundesliga and Serie A to discuss the implementation of VAR in their respective competitions.

Having taken part in those talks, which included potential changes to VAR protocol, Webb feels confident in FIFA's commitment to making the system run smoothly next summer.

"FIFA are taking it very seriously," Webb said. "I was with FIFA last week and I know just how much they are investing in time and energy and effort to prepare their people to the best possible level."They're dealing with a global workforce from lots of different countries with different cultures and different languages, so it does present some other challenges that maybe we [in MLS] don't face in the same way.

"We've fed into the process our observations, our recommendations, and so have countries around the world. I'm hoping this collective knowledge that's building now can really be put to good use by all of us, including FIFA."

 

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'Raw' Lukaku no flash in the pan, says Owen


Romelu Lukaku should be given time to prove his worth despite his recent slump in form because he has already proved he's no flash in the pan, says former Manchester United striker Michael Owen.

The 24-year-old has failed to score in his last seven United appearances having begun the campaign with 11 goals in 10 matches.But BT Sport pundit Owen, who spent three years at Old Trafford between 2009 and 2012, says critics must remember that Lukaku is still learning at the top level.

“I still think Lukaku is quite a raw player. I think his hold-up play for a big lad is not what it could be but he’s only young still and what he does give to the team are the bits that you really want, that don’t grow on trees,” Owen told Goal. “Scoring goals is one of the hardest things to do and he is a constant goalscorer.

“He’s obviously going through a bad patch at the moment, however it was only a few weeks ago when everyone was saying, ‘Is this lad going to break all the records?’ with 11 in 10 or whatever he scored. It was just a brilliant start to his Manchester United career and now it feels all of two minutes later and everyone’s questioning him.

“But nobody ought to question him, it’s not like he’s been a flash in the pan for 10 games. He’s done it consistently in the Premier League, he’s always scored goals, he’s got the attributes to score goals.”

Lukaku’s downturn has coincided with United’s switch to a more cautious style of play, and Owen was not entirely surprised by manager Jose Mourinho’s change in tactics.“A lot of the time at the start of the season they were winning 4-0 and whatever, but I think we’ve seen Jose Mourinho for many years now, naturally that is his way of managing,” Owen adds.

“I think everyone thought there was going to be a big sea change but when you look at the fixtures, Manchester United did have a relatively easy start to the season and we should have known really that Jose might slip back into a more cautious way of playing in these bigger games and that’s exactly what’s happened.”

Lukaku might find his immediate future complicated by the imminent return of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with the Swede potentially pushing for a spot on the bench for United’s Saturday evening clash with Newcastle United.And Owen says Ibrahimovic’s drive to continue his career at the age of 36 deserves huge praise.

“Firstly you’ve just got to give him full credit. At his age, to have a big injury like that, most people would probably think, ‘I’ve not got that long left anyway, so do I want to go through the sheer agony of rehabilitation.’ That is really hard, I’ve been there and done it with the same injury. So hats off to him because I don’t know whether I’d be able to do it at his age.

“Now he’s nearing his return, the next question is will he be what he was. I’ve got no reason to think he won’t. He was never one to necessarily rely on loads of pace, it’s his size and movement and everything else, and as long as his knee is structurally solid and strong enough to carry him then I don’t see why his game should be any worse. Obviously he’s getting to an age now where he’s not going to be around forever, but I really do admire him for getting back from such a bad injury.”

 

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Everyone's got Arsene Wenger’s back at Arsenal, says Alex Iwobi


Alex Iwobi has revealed that the whole Arsenal team is behind underfire manager Arsene Wenger.

The Gunners, enduring an underwhelming start to the 2017-18 campaign, are currently placed sixth in the English Premier League log after picking up 19 points from 11 games played so far. Also, they are 12 points behind early pacesetters, Manchester City.And the Frenchman has been heavily criticised for his decisions especially in encounters against other top sides.

But the Nigeria international said Wenger is unfazed by the critics and the entire dressing room at the Emirates Stadium is solidly behind their boss."I think he is a very good man. He is very patient. Wherever he goes, there are going to be critics,” Iwobi told Soccer Laduma.“He is getting these comments, but I think he is dealing with it very well. He is focused on the next job, and on the next game.

"He doesn’t really let the critics get to him. At the end of the day, fans are entitled to say what they want to say.“But the coach keeps on pushing. He is well respected and everyone has his back."

Arsenal will be looking to see off archrivals, Tottenham Hotspur in Saturday’s North London derby at the Emirates Stadium. And Iwobi, coming off a sensational international break where he netted twice in Nigeria's 4-2 thumping of Argentina, will hope to continue with his form against Mauricio Pochettino's men.

 

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Ronaldo: I want seven children and seven Ballons d'Or!


Cristiano Ronaldo says he wants to have seven children and win the same number of Ballons d'Or.

The Real Madrid star recently had his fourth child, and is expected to win his fifth Ballon d'Or when the award is announced next month.

But the 32-year-old has still come in for recent criticism, as his return of one goal in seven La Liga matches this season is far below his usual output.

In an interview with L'Equipe, Ronaldo said he is staying calm after his slow start to the league campaign, insisting he can contribute more to his team than just goals. "I'm happy and I feel good, you have to stay calm and keep working, because you can obviously do better," Ronaldo said."You look at me as a goal machine, like a guy who has to score all the time. If that's not the case, everybody does not care if I know I have played well or not.

"I am only judged on scoring, which is sometimes not always the most important thing."I accept the criticism, but I do not agree. That's why I avoid reading or hearing what is said about me."But, I have no choice but to accept it, I cannot control the world."

Ronaldo is off to a much better goalscoring start in the Champions League, where he has netted six times in four group-stage matches. However, Madrid are currently sitting second in Group H after losing 3-1 to Tottenham in their last match on November 1.

Finishing second in their group would mean a matchup against a group winner in the round of 16 – which could mean a date with high-flying Paris Saint-Germain.But Ronaldo insists that as the tournament's two-time defending champions, Madrid don't fear any potential opponent."I'm not afraid of PSG, we're the defending champions two years in a row, we have to respect that," Ronaldo said.

"We would prefer to finish first in the group, but the important thing is first of all qualification."Looking farther ahead, the Portugal star said he still has plenty more he'd like to achieve – both on the pitch and off.

"I want seven children and the same number of Ballons d'Or," Ronaldo said. "That means that I do not intend to stop there. As long as I play, I will win all I can win. "My dream is the fifth Ballon d'Or, and next year there will be another one to go. "

 

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Manchester United post record first-quarter revenues


Manchester United have posted first-quarter revenues of £141million, a 17 per cent increase on the same period last year.The Red Devils, who became the first British club to break the £500m mark in revenue in 2016, enjoyed a boost in earnings thanks largely to a return to the Champions League.

United's broadcasting and matchday revenue jumped by 30.9 per cent and 33.3 per cent respectively compared to the first quarter of the previous year, while commercial income increased in part due to a lucrative pre-season tour of the United States.

The club enjoyed an operating profit of £15.2m, up 145 per cent from 12 months ago. This is despite an increase in "employee benefit" and operating expenses, which the club said is due to "player salary uplifts due to participation in the UEFA Champions League", as well as the increased number of total fixtures.

United earned £17.3m in the "disposal of intangible assets", which is believed to comprise the fee paid by Real Sociedad for Adnan Januzaj and reported sell-on clause payments for the transfers of academy graduates Michael Keane to Everton and Danny Drinkwater to Chelsea.

Net debt also decreased by £69.6m to £268.1m, despite them spending close to £145m on Romelu Lukaku, Nemanja Matic and Victor Lindelof in the transfer window.Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward said: "We are just over a quarter of the way through what promises to be another exciting season.

"In the Champions League, we have won all four games played to date; we are through to the quarter-final of the Carabao Cup [EFL Cup]; and are looking forward to the next few months as the number of matches ramps up."

 

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Aubameyang dropped by Dortmund for 'disciplinary reasons'


Borussia Dortmund have dropped Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from the squad for Friday's game with Stuttgart for "disciplinary reasons".The Bundesliga club confirmed the news via their official Twitter account on Thursday following reports the striker would not be involved.

"Aubameyang has been removed from the squad for tomorrow's match for disciplinary reasons," the club said, without offering any further clarification on the nature of his indiscretion.

The 28-year-old has shouldered much of the blame for Dortmund's slump in recent weeks, which has seen them win just one of their last seven games in all competitions.Aubameyang has not scored since netting a double in the 3-2 Bundesliga defeat to RB Leipzig on October 14 and spoke this week of his eagerness to recapture his form.

"It is expected of me that I score goals," he told Bild. "That's my job. I face up to criticism even though I don't think everything's fair. I know that I now need to score goals again. But there have been periods like this before."Dortmund head into the match in third place, six points behind league leaders Bayern Munich and two behind Leipzig.

 

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'I feel like a 10' - Ibrahimovic hints at new role at Man Utd


Zlatan Ibrahimovic has suggested that he could play a different role when he makes his Manchester United return.The 36-year-old has been out of action since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in the Europa League quarter-final victory over Anderlecht in April, but Jose Mourinho has hinted he could return before the end of 2017.

Ibrahimovic led the line for Mourinho's side last year, supported by a rotating cast of attacking midfielders.

Romelu Lukaku took the Swede's position and number nine shirt following his arrival from Everton, but Ibrahimovic has said that his switch to number 10 is a natural fit for him and could well herald a change in the way he fits into the side.

"To me, the No.10 is the star," he said in a promotional video for Volvo. "The one who makes the difference, gets noticed, wins the matches and is the leader. And I see myself in that position but it is not something that is given to you, it is just something you are, that's just the way it is.

"To be honest, it is like a trigger for me coming back from that injury because I wore the No.10 in the Swedish national team and PSG. I would have worn it at Inter but I soon moved to Barcelona. I wanted it in Milan but took another number out of respect. In Ajax, I didn't have it.

"I feel like a ten and I stand for No.10. It will go down in history that I always had No.10."
Speaking about his knee injury, Ibrahimovic added that it was so painful it felt like he was swallowing his own tongue."I tried to take down a ball with my chest and timed the landing wrong," he said. "I stuck my legs out and landed completely wrong. The leg went backwards and then it was pulled out. I have never been hurt, but then I felt I swallowed my tongue. It was a strange feeling that I had never known before.

"I told myself it's just a bang up. But when I got up, I felt that the leg was not in balance. In the locker room they started to check the leg but without an X-ray it was impossible to say exactly what the problem was. It turned out to be a cruciate ligament injury."

 

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Kante is ‘easily’ the best in the world – Poyet


Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante is “easily” the best defensive midfielder in the world, Gus Poyet has argued.Antonio Conte has put his side’s recent slump in form due to the absence of the 26-year-old, and Poyet is in agreement with the Italian.

The former Uruguay international, who spent four years as a player at Stamford Bridge before embarking on a coaching career that took him to Brighton, Sunderland, AEK Athens and Shanghai Shenhua among others, believes the France international is superior in that role to any other player.

“They missed him a lot, you could see how much the minute he came back,” Poyet told Standard Sport. “He’s easily the best central midfielder in the world. Easily. He would play in a World XI, no doubt. I know there are players like Casemiro, Sergio Busquets but he’s better than them.

“He knows the game, when to stay, when to run and how to run well. He reads it so well he knows what is going to happen before he gets there. That way he controls it with his incredible power and finesse. Normally players like that aren’t as good on the ball as Kante is.“It’s incredible that he went to Leicester and nobody saw him until they won the league! You do what you do, managers do what they do but how didn’t any scouts see him?”

Without the midfielder, who spent three weeks out due to thigh problems, Chelsea won only two of their five fixtures in the Premier League and Europe, and suffered as many defeats. With Kante in their side in these competitions, the Blues have won five of eight encounters.

This inconsistency has allowed Manchester City to open up a nine-point gap to the fourth-placed Blues at the top of the league standings. Poyet says there is a strange “virus” that has taken hold at Stamford Bridge that means it is difficult for them to mount a serious challenge after winning the title, as Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti have found in the past.

“Winning the title, it’s a virus,” he said. “After you win it the next year something goes wrong for Mourinho, Ancelotti and Conte. It’s tough and when you’re champions everyone wants to kill you.“For Chelsea it was a very strange summer, a mess inside the club. The Costa situation was tough and so was replacing him. The new players need time to adapt and prove themselves.

“Last year, with all respect to the squad players, the team was made. This year you make one team, I make one team, he makes one team, Conte makes another team. That consistency is why they won the league… not just of selection but formation and style of play.”