..::Football IV::..

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England handed Netherlands tie in UEFA Nations League semi-finals


England will face the Netherlands in the UEFA Nations League semi-finals, with Portugal taking on Switzerland.The Three Lions booked their place in the last-four with a dramatic victory over Croatia in their final outing of the group stage.Gareth Southgate’s side had trailed in that contest before staging a stirring late fightback.

Jesse Lingard netted 12 minutes from time to set up a thrilling finish, with Harry Kane sending Wembley into raptures as he poked home in the 85th minute.

A 2-1 win was enough to see England edge above Spain and to the top of Group 4 in the League A section.Having reached the semi-finals of the World Cup finals in Russia over the summer, before coming up short against Croatia, the Three Lions will be hoping to go at least one step further in 2019.

Southgate’s side will tackle the Netherlands on June 6.They will already be aware of their potential final foes by the time they take to the field, with Portugal facing Switzerland 24 hours earlier.

England’s game will be played in Guimaraes, while the hosts will clash with the Swiss at Estadio do Dragao in Porto.Southgate could be forgiven for feeling that he has been handed the toughest draw, with the Three Lions not boasting the best of records against Dutch opposition.

Jesse Lingard netted 12 minutes from time to set up a thrilling finish, with Harry Kane sending Wembley into raptures as he poked home in the 85th minute.A 2-1 win was enough to see England edge above Spain and to the top of Group 4 in the League A section.

Having reached the semi-finals of the World Cup finals in Russia over the summer, before coming up short against Croatia, the Three Lions will be hoping to go at least one step further in 2019.

Southgate’s side will tackle the Netherlands on June 6.They will already be aware of their potential final foes by the time they take to the field, with Portugal facing Switzerland 24 hours earlier.

England’s game will be played in Guimaraes, while the hosts will clash with the Swiss at Estadio do Dragao in Porto.Southgate could be forgiven for feeling that he has been handed the toughest draw, with the Three Lions not boasting the best of records against Dutch opposition.

Portugal, meanwhile, went unbeaten through their four fixtures in Group 3 to see off the challenge of Italy and Poland.They will be hoping to have Cristiano Ronaldo back at their disposal before the Nations League finals take place, with the Juventus superstar having removed himself from contention for a place in recent squads.

Whoever reaches the final next summer will battle for the trophy on June 9, with a third-place play-off being staged on the same day.

 

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Careful what you wish for? Emery restoring Arsenal intensity after Wenger exit, says Wright


Ian Wright has heaped praise on Unai Emery after Arsenal’s dramatic derby day victory over Tottenham on Sunday.

The Gunners found themselves 2-1 down at half-time, before Emery made a double change for the second period, with Aaron Ramsey and Alexandre Lacazette coming on for Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Alex Iwobi.

Both Ramsey and Lacazette played a huge part in Arsenal’s second half comeback as Emery’s side went on to win 4-2 and subsequently leapfrogged Spurs into fourth place in the league table.

Speaking on Match of the Day 2 on Sunday evening, former Arsenal forward Wright claimed that Emery has brought an ‘intensity’ to the club that’s been lacking for some time.“I thought that was fantastic,” Wright said when asked for his thoughts on the win.“When you consider when he [Emery] came in, people said ‘be careful what you wish for’. They lost to City and Chelsea.

“He’s got a very meticulous approach, a very ruthless approach.“We’ve seen he’s not afraid to make the changes.“What he’s given Arsenal back now is that intensity.“We got it back today.“When you look at Spurs and the way they played against Chelsea, you needed Arsenal to come out firing.”

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netted a brace on the day, before Lacazette put the Gunners in front and Lucas Torreira notched his first goal for the club.Former Sevilla and PSG manager Emery has impressed since his arrival last summer, with Arsenal now 19 games unbeaten in all competitions.

Speaking on Match of the Day 2 on Sunday evening, former Arsenal forward Wright claimed that Emery has brought an ‘intensity’ to the club that’s been lacking for some time.“I thought that was fantastic,” Wright said when asked for his thoughts on the win.“When you consider when he [Emery] came in, people said ‘be careful what you wish for’. They lost to City and Chelsea.

“He’s got a very meticulous approach, a very ruthless approach.“We’ve seen he’s not afraid to make the changes.“What he’s given Arsenal back now is that intensity.“We got it back today.

“When you look at Spurs and the way they played against Chelsea, you needed Arsenal to come out firing.”Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netted a brace on the day, before Lacazette put the Gunners in front and Lucas Torreira notched his first goal for the club.

Former Sevilla and PSG manager Emery has impressed since his arrival last summer, with Arsenal now 19 games unbeaten in all competitions.

 

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Lyon star Hegerberg wins Women's Ballon d'Or

Lyon and Norway star Ada Hegerberg has won the inaugural 2018 women's Ballon d'Or award.The 23-year-old striker beat Denmark star Pernille Harder, Lyon team-mate Dzsenifer Marozsan, Brazil icon Marta and Australia's Sam Kerr to claim title on Monday.

Hegerberg finished last season as the French league's top scorer with 31 goals and netted 15 in the Champions League as Lyon went on to win the competition. She has kept up that form this term, too, with 12 league goals and a further four in Europe. Overall, she has scored 185 goals in 149 games since signing for Lyon four years ago."It is fantastic. I don't have words. This is unbelievable. It's a big moment for me, " Hegerberg said as she accepted her award at the ceremony in France.

"This is a great moment for me. I want to say thank you to my teammates. It would not have been possible without you, thank you! Thanks to the technical staff, and to my club. And to one man in particular, Jean-Michel Aulas, our president. Thank you for everything you do for women's football."

She ended her speech with words of encouragement for young women across the world, saying: "Please, believe in yourself!"Hegerberg was the UEFA Women's Player of the Year in 2016 and has won the league, Coupe de France and Champions League three times apiece with Lyon.

Despite her continued success, however, she us unlikely to compete at the World Cup in France next year over a dispute with the Norwegian Football Association. Hegerberg claims the women's game has been shown a lack of respect amid low investment and player wages, causing her to step back from the national team indefinitely.

 

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Congratulations Hegerberg!
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‘I won a World Cup, what else do I have to do?’ - Griezmann disappointed by Ballon d’Or finish


Antoine Griezmann was disappointed to have not won the Ballon d’Or after winning the Europa League and World Cup in 2018, while Kylian Mbappe says he will work to finish higher in the future.

Griezmann finished third in the balloting behind winner Luka Modric and runner-up Cristiano Ronaldo for the 2018 award.It comes off a year that saw Griezmann win silverware twice, first with Atletico Madrid in the Europa League in May and then with France in the World Cup.

Griezmann played a crucial role in the club’s success in the tournament, securing a result for 10-man Atleti at the Emirates in the first leg of their semi-final tie against Arsenal.The forward would then seal his club’s victory in the tournament with a brace in the final – a 3-0 victory over Marseille.

Griezmann then scored four goals and added two assists for France in the 2018 World Cup, including a goal in the final against Modric and Croatia, winning the bronze ball as he helped guide the nation to their second-ever triumph in the tournament.

And Griezmann lamented that he was unable to turn that success on the field into a complete success in the Ballon d’Or, as while he was proud to won so much this year, he was left wondering what else he could have done to snag the award."When I learned [I didn’t win], you didn't want to be at home with me the first two days (laugh),” Griezmann said. “No, it's a great pride to be on the podium, to be a world champion.

“I'm counting on the team-mates in the club and the national team to be in Luka's place in the future.“I won an Europa League, a World Cup – what else I have to do, I do not know" .

Griezmann’s international team-mate Mbappe saw plenty of success on the night, taking home the inaugural Trophee Kopa for the best player under the age of 21.However, while his success with Paris Saint-Germain and France, which included a domestic treble and a World Cup trophy, might have merited consideration for the top award, the 19-year-old star finished fourth.

Still, Mbappe is pleased to have come so far in such a short time and is aiming to make the award his one day, noting he does not believe he deserved it in 2018."A disappointment? Well, from where I come, no,” Mbappe said. “In a short time I arrived at 7th and 4th place.

“The three players before me more more deserving than me. I have to work to be in this place in the future."

 

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Mourinho: Manchester United need 'miracle' to finish top four


Jose Mourinho admitted it would take a "miracle" for Manchester United to finish in the top four this season.The Red Devils currently sit seventh in the Premier League table in the aftermath of a 2-2 stalemate at Southampton on Saturday.Mourinho's side has earned just two points from the last three matches as draws with Southampton and Crystal Palace came in the aftermath of a loss to rivals Manchester City.

Currently a whopping 16 points out of the title race, Mourinho revealed Manchester United may struggle to make up the eight points that currently sit between his club and fourth-place Arsenal.

"Last year I said it was fantastic to finish second considering the quality we had compared to other teams who were fighting for a top four finish," Mourinho told RedeTV following the draw with Southampton. "This year, as we're facing even more problems, it proves what I said when the season started, that it would be very tough for us. Now we must try and win as most points as we can, almost a miracle, to finish in the top four."

Mourinho's opinion is also shared by Gary Neville, who said that the club would also need a miracle while adding this group is a “million miles away” from the top-four challengers at the moment,The Portuguese manager's biggest gripe for a majority of the season has been defence, with the inability to sign a central defender in the summer still being an issue for the club.In addition, Nemanja Matic and Scott McTominay struggled in defence when deployed their against Southampton.

"In the absence of more centre-backs that could play, we had to deploy midfielders to defend, but they don't know how to do it, that is not their traits," Mourinho said."By having them playing zonal we tried to hide our weaknesses."Mourinho and Manchester United's next chance to sort out their weakness will come against Arsenal on Wednesday.

 

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Watford 1 Manchester City 2: Sane and Mahrez seal victory for champions

Manchester City made it 13 wins from 15 Premier League games this season with a 2-1 victory at Watford on Tuesday.

Goals in each half from Leroy Sane and Riyad Mahrez secured all three points for the champions, who were again without the injured Sergio Aguero and left the in-form Raheem Sterling on the bench at Vicarage Road.Abdoulaye Doucoure had them worried in the closing stages after Fabian Delph lost possession near his own penalty area, but City soaked up the late pressure to hold onto the lead.

The result puts City five points ahead of second-place Liverpool, having played a game more, and means Watford have now lost seven matches in a row against Pep Guardiola's side.

Ben Foster did superbly to deny Mahrez and stop Bernardo Silva and David Silva from following up on the rebound, but Troy Deeney spurned Watford's best opening of the first half when he failed to beat Ederson's outstretched leg from eight yards out.

Sane punished that miss five minutes before the break, turning home Mahrez's curling cross from the right with his chest after Foster had thwarted David Silva moments before.It was a goal that seemed to sap some life out of the home fans and any hope of a comeback was seemingly quashed six minutes after the break, when Mahrez swept home Gabriel Jesus' cross when unmarked in the box.

Jesus wasted two clear chances for a third, heading Bernardo Silva's flick-on over the crossbar before clipping a tame finish wide of the right-hand post, but they were not left to rue those misses despite Doucoure scrambling the ball home with six minutes left.

 

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Bournemouth 2 Huddersfield Town 1: Wilson and Fraser score in long-awaited win


Callum Wilson scored his eighth Premier League goal of the season, as well as assisting another, as Bournemouth ended a run of four straight defeats with a 2-1 victory over Huddersfield Town.

England striker Wilson headed Bournemouth into the lead when he connected with a free-kick from Ryan Fraser, who has provided more assists than any other Premier League player this season with seven.

Wilson then returned the favour, providing a pass that allowed the Scottish midfielder to drive home Bournemouth's second of a game that they did not have all their own way.


Terence Kongolo pulled a goal back for the visitors before half-time but for all their running and hopeful balls into the penalty area, Huddersfield lacked the sort of clinical finish that Wilson has delivered so often for Bournemouth this season, helping the Cherries pick up all three points.

Huddersfield's Florent Hadergjonaj squandered an early chance from a corner and his miss was punished when the unmarked Wilson arrived in the box to powerfully head home Fraser's free-kick, the 26-year-old beating goalkeeper Jonas Lossl to his left.

Joshua King went close with two chances to score Bournemouth's second before Wilson burst into the Terriers' half with 22 minutes played and, finding himself surrounded, squared the ball to Fraser, who steered a shot through the legs of the advancing Lossl.

Asmir Begovic made a trio of saves to preserve Bournemouth's two-goal advantage, the best coming from a close-range Laurent Depoitre header.
However, the home side’s goalkeeper was beaten by a looping Kongolo header after his defenders failed to clear an Aaron Mooy cross seven minutes before half-time.

Bournemouth had Begovic to thank for coming to their rescue when Charlie Daniels' poor defensive header fell to Mooy, whose low drive was well saved by the Bosnian keeper, and that proved to be Huddersfield's best chance to equalise despite dominating after the break.

 

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West Ham 3 Cardiff City 1: Perez at the double as visitors pay the penalty


Joe Ralls' penalty miss proved costly for Cardiff City as Lucas Perez scored twice to help West Ham to a 3-1 Premier League win at London Stadium.

Having replaced the injured Marko Arnautovic late in the first half, Perez followed up his first Premier League goal since January 2017 with a second just five minutes later to put the game beyond Cardiff.

Things would have been different, however, had Ralls converted from 12 yards in the 35th minute, with Lukasz Fabianski pulling off a comfortable save from the midfielder's tame strike.


And although the loss of Arnautovic seemed to have derailed West Ham's chances, replacement Perez took centre stage before Michail Antonio wrapped up the points just after the hour, meaning Josh Murphy's late header was no more than a consolation for the visitors.

West Ham's dominant start looked set to be rewarded when Arnautovic burst beyond Cardiff's defence and hammered a low strike past Neil Etheridge, only for Sean Morrison to make a crucial block.

Arnautovic was involved at the other end 10 minutes later, with his clumsy challenge on Junior Hoilett giving referee Graham Scott little choice but to award Cardiff a penalty, but Fabianski got down to his left to keep out Ralls' effort. Arnautovic's hopes of atoning for his error were cut short as he was forced off with a hamstring issue prior to half-time, and Perez made his mark four minutes after the restart, prodding in from close range.

Perez swiftly doubled his tally with a cool finish through Etheridge's legs, with Antonio's header from Robert Snodgrass' corner completing West Ham's 12-minute burst.

Superb saves from Etheridge prevented Angelo Ogbonna and Grady Diangana adding further gloss, and Murphy had the final say when he headed home following a goalmouth scramble in stoppage time.

 

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Messi coming fifth in Ballon d'Or is absurd – Valverde


Barcelona head coach Ernesto Valverde has described Lionel Messi's fifth-place finish in the Ballon d'Or vote as "absurd".Messi is a five-time winner of the prize and shared the previous 10 with long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo but saw Real Madrid's Luka Modric top the 2018 poll on Monday.

It is the first time Messi has finished outside the top three since 2006, with Ronaldo, Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe all finishing ahead of him.

And while Valverde was reluctant to give his full verdict on the result, he conceded that seeing Messi down in fifth was difficult to comprehend."I'm not going to get into that, whether it's right or wrong how an award ended up," he said.

And while Valverde was reluctant to give his full verdict on the result, he conceded that seeing Messi down in fifth was difficult to comprehend."I'm not going to get into that, whether it's right or wrong how an award ended up," he said.

Asked who he was looking forward to seeing in action amid multiple changes to his side for Wednesday's clash, Valverde responded: "Everybody. Not just one player.

"There will be changes to the line-up and there will be players who have had not so many opportunities and it will be a chance to see them."But let's not forget it's not just about seeing what players can do, it's about winning. We have a strong motivation for the match."

 

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'Professional' Sarri unwilling to address £70m Pulisic raid


Maurizio Sarri is unwilling to address speculation linking Chelsea with Borussia Dortmund star Christian Pulisic, believing discussing another club's player to be unprofessional.

Goal revealed on Saturday that Chelsea have been in talks with Dortmund over the United States international, with a £70 million ($89m) price tag being set.The Blues have submitted a bid significantly lower than that asking price, while Pulisic is said to prefer a move to Liverpool.

Maurizio Sarri is unwilling to address speculation linking Chelsea with Borussia Dortmund star Christian Pulisic, believing discussing another club's player to be unprofessional.

Goal revealed on Saturday that Chelsea have been in talks with Dortmund over the United States international, with a £70 million ($89m) price tag being set.The Blues have submitted a bid significantly lower than that asking price, while Pulisic is said to prefer a move to Liverpool.

"But I think that Morata, in the last month, played well. He scored five goals. He needs only continuity, I think."He needs confidence and confidence and confidence, so I think we need only to have continuity in the scoring.

"Now he is 26. He can change, but the characteristics of his character are this. So, he has only to stay calm because, in the last match, he missed the goal only because he wanted to score too much."

 

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Ibrahimovic edging closer to AC Milan return from MLS during winter window


Zlatan Ibrahimovic is closing in on a return to AC Milan, with Goal of the understanding that talks are at an advanced stage.

A second spell at San Siro for the Swedish striker has been mooted for some time, with his exploits in America with the LA Galaxy having kept him on the radar of clubs in Europe, even at 37 years of age.Ibrahimovic netted 22 times in the 2018 MLS season, earning him the Newcomer of the Year award.

He had suggested that he would be staying on for another 12 months, which was part of his initial agreement with the Galaxy.It is, however, looking increasingly likely that his spell in the United States will be brought to a close.

Goal understands that discussions with Milan are progressing at pace and that a deal could be announced in the next few days.If suitable terms are put in place, then Ibrahimovic will be heading back to a division he knows well.

Having previously spent time with Milan, Juventus and Inter, the experienced frontman is aware of the challenges posed by Serie A.He has tasted title glory in the past and will be hoping to push the Rossoneri closer to the crown than they have been since he departed.

Milan last secured domestic dominance with Ibrahimovic on their books in 2010-11 – during a productive loan switch from Barcelona.They then parted with a talismanic presence in 2012 as he completed a move to ambitious Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain.With both parties considered to have unfinished business, a reunion is now on the cards.

It is, however, understood that Ibrahimovic’s arrival will not spell the end for Patrick Cutrone.A 20-year-old academy graduate enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2017-18, and has another seven goals to his name this term.

It is Milan’s intention to keep him on their books and allow his ongoing development to be aided by working with two proven performers in the shape of Ibrahimovic and Gonzalo Higuain.

 

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Icardi becomes first man since Ibrahimovic to break Juventus' stranglehold on Serie A Footballer of the Year prize


Inter star Mauro Icardi has become the first non-Juventus player to win Serie A Footballer of the Year since Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2011, while Massimiliano Allegri scooped the coach's prize for a fourth time.

Icardi finished joint top-scorer in Serie A last term alongside Ciro Immobile on 29 goals and helped get Inter back into the Champions League.The Argentina international has carried that form into the current campaign as well, having netted eight times in 11 outings.

Juventus' title success helped Allegri reclaim the prize for the best coach, with Maurizio Sarri – whose Napoli side were just pipped to Serie A success by the Old Lady last term – winning it in 2017.

Allegri already has himself in with a strong chance of taking the award for a fifth time next year, as Juve are eight points clear at the top of the table after 14 matches, and the coach paid tribute to his squad."It's a group of great guys, with a great club supporting us," Allegri told reporters.

"I am fortunate to have worked with so many marvellous players and tonight I see the maestro, Andrea Pirlo, too. It has been truly an honour to work with all of them."A major part of Juve's form this term has been the introduction of Cristiano Ronaldo, who has 10 Serie A goals already following his move from Real Madrid, and Allegri lauded his attitude.

"Ronaldo makes a difference because he brings professionalism, competitiveness and is a humble guy," he said.

 

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Mourinho denies Man Utd need top-four miracle but warns they could finish sixth


Jose Mourinho has changed his top four tune at Manchester United, with the Portuguese claiming that no “miracle” is required for the Red Devils to secure Champions League qualification.The United manager had been quoted by RedeTV as saying: “This year, as we're facing even more problems, it proves what I said when the season started: that it would be very tough for us. Now we must try and win as many points as we can.It will take almost a miracle to finish in the top four.”United are currently sat seventh in the Premier League table, eight points adrift of fourth-placed Arsenal.

An upturn in fortune will be required in order to close that gap, but the Gunners are the next opponents on the Red Devils’ schedule and Mourinho now claims that anything is possible.He told reporters ahead of a crunch clash at Old Trafford on Wednesday: “I don’t know if I said it or if I didn’t but if I used that word it is not what I feel at all.

“We are like eight or nine points from fourth, something like that, I don’t think we need a miracle at all. We need a good run of results, not waste points.“Last week, before the Crystal Palace game, I said my target was end of December to be in that position. The target changes but in the sense of let’s try to close the distance the best we can and be very close to these positions.

“I think far from a miracle, we just need to not be so unlucky with the problems that we have. We need some players to perform better than they are, we need to perform better as a team, but far from a miracle.”

While keen to avoid ruling United out of the top-four tussle, Mourinho concedes that the Red Devils may still struggle to secure a lofty finish amid fierce competition for limited places.The ‘big six’ are all expected to be in the mix come the end of the campaign, as the likes of Everton fade away, but the order in which that pack settles is yet to be determined.

Mourinho added on the challenges to come: “I think Manchester United, in seventh place, I can agree, in spite of the investment Everton made, which was phenomenal.“Obviously there was a great improvement in that team from last season in relation to this season, but I don’t think Everton will be in front of us at the end of the season.

“There are six teams that should stay in the first six positions. Season after season, two of these teams are staying outside the top four.“Last season was Arsenal and Chelsea, and this season two of these six are going to stay outside. Who is the best team of the six? The team with more potential? The team with less potential? Who is the team performing not so well?

“These will be the questions and answers around the top six. At the end of the season, the top six will be done by the six teams we all know have that responsibility to finish in the top six.”

 

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Barclays Premier League Fixtures 2018.12.05

Barclays Premier League Fixtures 2018.12.05

Burnley Vs Liverpool

Everton Vs Newcastle

Fulham Vs Leicester City

Wolves Vs Chelsea

Manchester United Vs Arsenal

Tottenham Vs Southampton

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Thawath tough match ekak

Manchester United dan inna situation ekath ekka baluwama face karanna wena godak amaru match ekakLesi wenne nam naha win ekakata yana eka pahugiya tike play karana widiyath ekka baluwamaArsenal strikers lath top form ekaka inne

Loku fight ekak denna wei hoda result ekak ganna.Good luck Manchester United!
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Jose Mourinho says Manchester United did not improve, unlike their Premier League rivals


The United boss warned supporters they were set for a tough campaign at the start of the season after the club failed to bring in his desired centre-back targets to build on their second-place finish last term.

Mourinho spent £80m on the signings of Fred and Diogo Dalot, meanwhile, the rest of the top six, except for Tottenham, were all active in the transfer market.

Despite being surprised by the eight-point gap between United and the top four, Mourinho believes last season may have distorted the perception of his side's title credentials."The distance [between United and top four] is something I couldn't predict," said Mourinho. "You always think in a positive way, you always think the distance is not going to be so big.

"But I said clearly, last season we didn't get the credit we deserved. To finish second, to play the FA Cup final and to qualify as winners in our Champions League group - we didn't get the credit we deserved at all.

"All the teams they got better, Spurs was the team that did not make a direct investment, but the best investment is to keep the top players that you have. So every team got better and we didn't."Injuries to Chris Smalling and Eric Bailly forced Mourinho to field a makeshift back-three in Saturday's 2-2 draw at Southampton, with midfielders Scott McTominay and Nemanja Matic playing alongside Phil Jones.

Asked about the injuries in his squad ahead of Wednesday's visit of Arsenal in the league, Mourinho said the situation had worsened, but revealed one defender is ready to return."Against Southampton, three hours before the game I don't know the team that is going to play," he added.

"We were waiting and waiting to see who could [play] and who could not. And we are in a very similar situation this time."If the game was at 11 o'clock [in the morning on Tuesday], I would say Chris Smalling is not playing, Eric Bailly is not playing, Phil Jones is not playing, Victor Lindelof is out of the question."Antonio Valencia is not playing, Luke Shaw is a doubt, Matteo Darmian is back, but I have to wait, I have to select probably everybody again and take everybody again.

"Maybe [on Wednesday] we have to decide, like in the last match, with a couple of hours before the game."

 

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Manchester United 2 Arsenal 2: Lingard earns point but Red Devils stay eighth

Manchester United twice came from behind against Arsenal in an entertaining 2-2 Premier League draw at Old Trafford on Wednesday.Anthony Martial, on his 23rd birthday, cancelled out Shkodran Mustafi's opener in the first half following an error from goalkeeper David de Gea.

Alexandre Lacazette capitalised on a Marcos Rojo mistake in the second half - the Argentine getting the final touch as the ball was bundled over the line - only for Jesse Lingard to respond almost immediately, meaning each side had to settle for a draw that does not greatly benefit their top-four ambitions.


Arsenal grew into the game after some early United dominance and went ahead 26 minutes in, when De Gea let Mustafi's header slip through his grasp and Ander Herrera could not clear off the line in time.

United hit back just four minutes later, though. Bernd Leno saved Rojo's free-kick, the ball was turned back towards the six-yard box by Herrera, and Martial swept it high into the net.

The match descended into a scrappier contest, with Arsenal losing Rob Holding and Aaron Ramsey to injury, as both sides seemed to struggle with the torrential rain and slick surface.And the pitch did United no favours 68 minutes in in a horrible moment for Rojo.

Having given the ball away to Lacazette, who exchanged passes with Henrikh Mkhitaryan, the defender raced back only to divert the ball past De Gea with a siding challenge on Arsenal's number nine.However, the Gunners once more failed to protect their lead, Lingard pouncing on some uncertainty in the visitors' box to slide the ball beneath Leno, 74 seconds after United had fallen behind.

With the game suddenly having come to life, Arsenal wasted two chances to take the lead for the third time, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang shooting straight at De Gea from point-blank range before Mkhitaryan missed with a near-post touch.

Aubameyang was denied again by a sprawling De Gea and Jose Mourinho threw on Paul Pogba, but neither side could find a winner, with United's goalkeeper making a fine late stop to prevent Lucas Torreira from snatching victory.

 

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Congratulations Manchester United!

but now 4 games without a win

next Fulham.Good luck for the next match Manchester United!
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Tottenham 3 Southampton 1: Spurs bounce back from derby defeat, Hasenhuttl watches on

Tottenham bounced back from their north London derby defeat to Arsenal with a 3-1 win against Southampton, giving new Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl his first look at the job that lies ahead.

Spurs lost 4-2 at Emirates Stadium on Sunday but banished those memories with goals from Harry Kane, Lucas Moura and Son Heung-min inside 55 minutes to lift them above Chelsea to third in the Premier League.

Southampton, who gave Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino his first job in English football, sacked Mark Hughes following their Saturday draw with Manchester United and Hasenhuttl - confirmed as the Welshman's successor earlier on Wednesday - was in the Wembley stands to watch the club's eighth defeat of the top-flight season.


The visitors - coached by Kelvin Davis in this match - hit the woodwork three times before Charlie Austin netted a stoppage-time consolation, but three soft goals had already killed off a Southampton side who are now only kept off the foot of the table by goal difference.
Son almost had the home side in front after only three minutes, rattling the right-hand upright on the volley after Kieran Trippier nodded into his path.Southampton were not so fortunate six minutes later, when Kane drifted into the six-yard box to touch home a low Christian Eriksen delivery from the left.

The visitors created a chance from nowhere as Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's beautiful 25-yard strike found the woodwork with the slightest of touches from the fingertips of a fully stretched Hugo Lloris.

The lively Son forced Alex McCarthy to tip over his crossbar and the Southampton goalkeeper was kept busy early in the second half, too.He was beaten for a second time in the 51st minute when Lucas buried a shot from inside the box after his first effort bounced back off the hand of Jack Stephens.

A poor Matt Targett clearance then allowed Kane to square a pass for Son to net the third from close range, before a late Saints flourish saw Nathan Redmond hit the crossbar and Lloris forced into a brilliant double save from Hojbjerg and James Ward-Prowse.

Southampton hit the woodwork one more time through Mohamed Elyounoussi and finally found the net with a neat finish from Austin after Steven Davis' assist, long after the match had been lost.