..::Football IV::..

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Arsenal 1 Qarabag 0: Lacazette on target as Saka shines

Alexandre Lacazette's first Europa League goal of the season secured Arsenal a straightforward 1-0 home win over Qarabag as Unai Emery took the opportunity to blood young and returning players in a pressure-free match.

The Gunners were confirmed as winners of Europa League Group E after their 3-0 win over Vorskla and Emery handed Laurent Koscielny his first competitive start since last season's semi-final, while Mesut Ozil made his first appearance after a back injury.

With Qarabag already eliminated from the competition, the game was played like an exhibition match, but there were flashes of brilliance from 17-year-old midfielder Bukayo Saka, making his first start for Arsenal on the left wing.


Lacazette's eighth goal of the season in the 16th minute settled the game, allowing Emery to turn his focus to pushing Arsenal into the Premier League's top four.Saka had a swerving effort from the edge of the box saved by Qarabag goalkeeper Vagner after nine minutes, moments before Mesut Ozil played in Lacazette, who took a touch to beat his marker before rifling home from the corner of the six-yard box.

When Maksim Medvedev had the opportunity to hit back for the visitors from a cross that found him at the far post, he was denied by a challenge by Sokratis Papasthathopoulos whose effortless defending set the tone for the rest of Arsenal's evening.

Saka missed the chance to become Arsenal's youngest European goalscorer when fellow academy product Zech Medley's cross fell to him on the edge of the six-yard box. but his shot deflected wide, and the teenager then put Ozil through for another squandered chance.

Eddie Nketiah had a wonderful effort ruled out when Saka curled the ball onto his head and he diverted it into the net, only to see the offside flag raised. And Saka himself missed a golden opportunity to score when Vagner denied him at point-blank range in the last minute.

 

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Vidi 2 Chelsea 2: Giroud spares Sarri's side in lacklustre draw

Olivier Giroud came off the bench to salvage an under-strength Chelsea a laboured 2-2 draw at Vidi in the Europa League on Thursday.With the Blues already confirmed as Group L winners, Maurizio Sarri made 10 changes to the side that beat Manchester City last weekend and was almost made to endure an embarrassing defeat.

The visitors made life difficult for themselves as an Ethan Ampadu own goal quickly erased Willian's 30th-minute opener, before Loic Nego fired the unheralded Hungarians into the lead 11 minutes after the restart.


But the loss of Alvaro Morata to a first-half knee problem proved an unlikely blessing in disguise for Chelsea as Giroud stroked in their second free-kick late in the match to ensure the Premier League side enter the knockout rounds unbeaten.Vidi's deep defence made for a pedestrian start and it took Willian's moment of class to breathe life into the contest.

The Brazilian guided a fine free-kick beyond the cumbersome Adam Kovacsik, although the lead lasted less than two minutes as Ampadu awkwardly headed a corner into his own net at the other end.

Chelsea's luck continued to run against them when Morata, a largely peripheral figure, went down clutching his left knee in innocuous circumstances before the break and needed replacing.The dangerous Nego left nothing to chance about the goal that put Vidi ahead, lashing home on the volley after Georgi Milanov spotted his run to the far post.

Giroud failed to capitalise on either of two good opportunities that initially came his way, but the France striker made amends in the 75th minute, mirroring Willian's earlier set-piece wizardry to seal a share of the points.

 

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Pogba will be pushing for a move to Real Madrid, says ex-Man Utd winger


Paul Pogba will aim to force a move to Real Madrid and is not suited to the Premier League, says former Manchester United star Andrei Kanchelskis.

The midfielder has had a very public argument with United manager Jose Mourinho which saw him stripped of the vice-captaincy after he criticised the Portuguese's tactics.

Pogba moved back to United for a club record fee of £89.3 million ($112.9m) in 2016 but, although he started his career with the Red Devils, he has struggled to perform in England.

The midfielder's fluctuating form has led him to be linked with a move back to Juventus, and Kanchelskis believes Pogba will look for a move to Spain.

Speaking to Bwin, the former winger said: "I think Paul Pogba will be seeking a move to Real Madrid this summer. I don’t think his style of play is suited for the Premier League, and we will see his brilliance in the Italian or Spanish league. He may not suit the Barcelona style of play, but he’s perfect for Real Madrid. He’ll be able to express himself more freely on the field for them.

"Pogba has failed to show consistency with his performances since joining United and it’s time for a change. If Pogba wants to go down as a great, he needs to find a team that suits his play. Maradona never found his feet properly at Barcelona but turned in to a world beater at Napoli and I think this could be the same for Pogba."

Mourinho was unhappy with his club's failure to sign a centre-back in the summer as United failed with attempts to sign a number of defenders such as Harry Maguire and Jerome Boateng.The Red Devils did sign Fred, Diogo Dalot and Lee Camp, but Kanchelskis said it has been hard to form an opinion on the performances of those new additions.

"It’s hard to judge players like Fred with the current situation at United," the former Russia international continued. "The players that have been brought in are surrounded by negativity, which means they’re under the microscope every game and don’t have much time to settle in."Brazilian star Fred arrived on a five-year deal from Shakhtar Donetsk for a fee potentially worth £61.2 million ($77.3m) but has so far been unable to hold down a regular spot in the starting XI.

He is one of a number of established players signed since the departure of Alex Ferguson, but Kanchelskis would like to see the Reds bring in footballers who are more hungry to play for the club.

"Man Utd have bought Lukaku for £90 million, but have failed to buy players that will get the best out of him," he continued. "Man Utd need to bring one or two top wingers into the club who will work the opposition’s full-backs and get balls into the box for Lukaku to attack.

"Man Utd need to stop focusing on bringing in a big name and start signing players that want to play for the club. This is a massive few months and they can’t go rushing into a signing that doesn’t pay off."

The Red Devils face top of the table Liverpool on Sunday in a crucial game as they aim to regain a place in the Premier League's top four.

 

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'Difficult for Solari to emulate Zidane but Real Madrid signs are encouraging' - Karanka


Santiago Solari faces a tough task trying to emulate Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid, admits Aitor Karanka, but the Argentine is making a positive impression.The managerial rookie was handed the most high-profile of posts at the Santiago Bernabeu in October following the departure of Julen Lopetegui.

Having been promoted from within the Blancos’ youth set-up and handed a three-year contract, Solari has been charged with rescuing Madrid’s 2018-19 campaign at home and abroad.

He has lifted them to fourth in the Liga table, five points off the title-chasing pace, and secured a place in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Some tough calls have been made along the way, such as leaving Isco on the bench for long periods, and former Real defender Karanka has been impressed by what he has seen, telling Goal: “He's showing that he has personality. He has his idea.

“From what I hear, from what I know about Real Madrid, there are always some people who want some player to play and others who want another to play, and I'm seeing that he has his idea. And the team is winning.“If Santi is the one who is there, we have to support him and give him all the strength and credit, because being on that bench is complicated.

“Hopefully, if he cannot do what Zizou did – which would be difficult - he can launch the team and make them win again.”Zidane guided Madrid to three successive Champions League crowns during his reign, while also landing the Liga title.

Similar success is demanded by an expectant fan base, with Real forever among the favourites for the most prestigious prizes.

The same can be said for Clasico rivals Barcelona, with Ernesto Valverde the man currently expected to deliver at Camp Nou.He has also faced questions on his future this season, despite having his title holders back at the top of the domestic pile and making progress in Europe, and Karanka feels the criticism has been unfair.

“Yes, but in the end, the success of Ernesto is to be what he is like: to transmit that normality in everything,” the Spaniard said of his former Athletic team-mate.“What Ernesto is doing is very good, and in the end he is himself.

“If you coach such big clubs with that magnitude, although I was not in the front line like him, and you keep maintaining that naturalness and that normality, that’s already a success for me.”Karanka is pleased to see former colleagues filling the most demanding of roles and has not ruled out a return to La Liga himself at some stage.

The Nottingham Forest boss said when asked if he would like to take charge of Athletic, as a Basque native: “In football, as a player, you are saying: I want to play in Alaves, then in Athletic, then in Real Madrid, then the national team, then win the Champions League.

“You can have those dreams as a child. But as a coach, on Saturday you are preparing for a game against Millwall, you lose two or three games and after dreaming about training Real Madrid, Barcelona or a Chinese team, you end up being fired and then you have to return to zero.“I think the important thing is to grow, to learn every day and then time will decide where you end up.”

Karanka has spent enough time at leading clubs to know that nothing can ever be taken for granted in football, but he is fortunate enough to have learned from some of the very best coaches around.He has played under the likes of Jupp Heynckes and Vicente Del Bosque and worked alongside current Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho.

Quizzed on what he has taken from those experiences, Karanka said: “I think it has been about taking a little from each one. We are talking about three very different coaches.

“I was with Jupp Heynckes when I was 20 years old when he came from Germany, and he changed the mindset at Athletic, we started playing the ball more, and we qualified for the UEFA Cup.“With Vicente Del Bosque was another style: try to play, with his personality.

“And Jose, that aggressiveness, that organisation. I was already thinking about being a coach and he was the one that, more or less, makes you take the final step. I was already beginning to take notes of what I would or wouldn’t do and how I would handle each situation.”

 

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Wenger tips Zidane for Premier League post amid ongoing Man Utd talk


Zinedine Zidane continues to spark speculation regarding a possible role at Manchester United and fellow Frenchman Arsene Wenger believes he should take a Premier League post.

The World Cup winner is currently without a job having walked away from Real Madrid on the back of a third successive Champions League triumph.Various positions have been mooted for Zidane during his absence from the dugout, with an iconic figure still in high demand.

It has been suggested that he could be taken to Old Trafford if United lose patience with Jose Mourinho and wield the axe.

Former Arsenal manager Wenger would like to see Zidane in England, telling beIN Sports: “Yes, why not? If you want to work at the top, it has to be England nowadays.“But there are many uncertainties with Brexit and the uncertainty: will the Premier League continue to dominate financially? We'll know soon.

“England is the only country with six clubs that can fight for the championship.
“In all the other countries basically you can say in December who will win the championship and there are some countries, like France, where you can say it in September.”While urging Zidane to consider options in the Premier League, Wenger admits that the former World Player of the Year has a tough decision to make.

Having already experienced life under the brightest of spotlights in Madrid, any role filled at this point will feel like a step down.“He's in a very difficult position, he's been in the biggest club in the world, and he can only go to the second biggest club in the world,” Wenger added.“That means he is in front of something, or I go for a long-term project and I go to a different aspect of my job, and I want to be involved in building up a club.

“Or I go straight away again to a team that can compete, that can win the Champions League again. That won't be easy, personally.

“In his case, I would go for a different aspect of my job.”Wenger is also in the market for a new post at present.He saw a 22-year reign at Arsenal brought to a close over the summer and has been heavily linked with possible openings at AC Milan and Bayern Munich.

 

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'Nobody will fear Man Utd in last 16' - Red Devils a worry against anyone other than Porto, says Owen


Manchester United hold no fear to the Champions League heavyweights, says Michael Owen, with Porto the only last-16 opponents the Red Devils should feel confident against.Jose Mourinho’s side were already assured of progress in Europe prior to a trip to Valencia on Wednesday.

They could, however, have topped Group H had they taken maximum points from that contest, with Juventus suffering a surprise 2-1 defeat to Young Boys.

United came unstuck by the same scoreline on Spanish soil, with another disjointed display seeing Phil Jones put through his own net and the Red Devils make little impression in the final third until Marcus Rashford grabbed a late consolation.

Owen believes the performance sent out a worrying message to the rest of the continental elite, telling BT Sport: “The really sad thing is the group winners are probably looking at the runners-up and thinking Atletico Madrid and Liverpool are the ones to avoid.

“Manchester United, as much as it still says Manchester United on the shirt, it’s just not the same Manchester United as it was six years-plus ago now.“It’s been a pale shadow of that team for a long time now.“They’re not the force to be reckoned with as they used to be.“If they played next week I think they could beat Porto but I’d be very, very worried against anyone else.

“The good thing for Manchester United is there’s a couple of months now to regroup.“At the minute, against any of those big boys, I couldn’t see them going through over two legs.

“The team just doesn’t reflect Manchester United teams that have gone deep in the competition on a regular basis.”

The draw for the last 16 of the Champions League will take place on December 17 in Nyon.Porto would be the preferred option for United at the next stage, with their other potential opponents being Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund.

Prior to turning their attention back to European matters, though, Mourinho’s men have a crunch Premier League clash with arch-rivals Liverpool to take in on Sunday.

 

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Pochettino not expecting new Tottenham signings in January


Mauricio Pochettino has admitted that he is not expecting much movement from Tottenham in the upcoming transfer window.Spurs were inactive over the summer in the transfer market, failing to bring in a single new face.

That lack of expenditure has not had an adverse effect on the pitch, however, as the Londoners currently occupy third place in the Premier League behind pace-setters Liverpool and Manchester City.

They will also be active in the Champions League after the new year following a thrilling 1-1 draw with Barcelona at Camp Nou on Tuesday.

And the Argentine manager believes that his side should not enter the market unless it is for the right man.“Would I be disappointed if we didn’t sign anyone? No, not disappointed,” he said to reporters on Friday.

“I know very well that January is always difficult. In the same way, if you find some player, look what happened to different players that arrive in January.“Last season it takes time to understand and to perform, to fit with the team. Sometimes it's better not to sign if you don't find the right player.

“I don’t know if it is better for team spirit not to sign anyone. Sometimes yes, but not in general.”Despite the euphoria of last-16 qualification, questions were raised over a shaky performance from young defender Kyle Walker-Peters.

Pochettino, however, has faith in the 21-year-old, who put pen to paper on a fresh five-year contract earlier this week. “Like always, who deserves more is going to play,” he added. “You know me, I am so happy with his performance.

“All the players can struggle sometimes in some actions but the most important is to see the big picture and he was very good.“For me, what pleased the most in his performance was that from the beginning he started very well, he suffered in this action, and then we concede but he played really well.

“Of course I wanted to protect him in the second half because he had a yellow card but I am so happy and so proud of how he managed the pressure – I am very pleased and I talk very highly of him.“Have I ever considered loaning him out? Now, no. Now, for me, he is one of the best options.”

Tottenham continue their Premier League campaign on Saturday, when they will host Burnley.

 

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Bale facing another enforced rest as ankle complaint concerns Real Madrid


Gareth Bale is a major doubt for Real Madrid's La Liga match against Rayo Vallecano due to an ankle injury.Bale was introduced as a half-time substitute during Madrid's 3-0 Champions League loss to CSKA Moscow in midweek but suffered his latest fitness setback.

The Wales forward missed training on Friday and, although head coach Santiago Solari did not categorically rule him out, featuring versus Rayo looks like a long shot.

"We'll see. It's a matter of rest because it's his ankle," Solari told a news conference."We will see how it evolves. We will talk with the doctors and with him and we will think about it."

Bale has scored seven goals in 20 appearances across all competitions for Los Blancos this season.He was on target in his last Liga outing against Huesca.That effort brought an end to an 802-minute barren run in front of goal.

Solari may be denied the opportunity to play the Welshman back into peak form as he faces up to another enforced rest.Fitness struggles have been all too frequent for Bale throughout his time with Madrid, sparking talk of moves elsewhere at regular intervals.

Real have stuck with him, but they could do with seeing him steer clear of the treatment table for a while as they endeavour to salvage a 2018-19 campaign which got off to a rocky start.

 

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Benitez wins November's Premier League Manager of the Month award


Rafael Benitez has picked up the Premier League Manager of the Month award for November after steering Newcastle United to three successive wins.Newcastle had failed to register a victory in the 2018-19 season going into the month, but a nine-point haul helped move them away from the relegation zone.

Having recorded respective 1-0 and 2-1 results in home fixtures against Watford and Bournemouth, they rounded out November with a hard-fought 2-1 triumph over Burnley at Turf Moor.

"It's always good to win trophies - I would obviously like to win more manager of the month awards, as that means we're in a better position in the table," Benitez said."It's good for the staff too, everyone that is helping you because it gives you extra motivation."The Magpies have since embarked on a three-match winless run but can get back on track with a win against Huddersfield away on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Son Heung-min was awarded the Premier League Goal of the Month honour following his solo effort for Tottenham in their 3-1 victory over Chelsea on November 24.

Son out-paced Jorginho to pick up Dele Alli's pass down Spurs' right before cutting inside David Luiz and beating goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga with a left-footed shot.It was the South Korea international's first league goal of the season but his 50th for the Lilywhites.

Spurs are back in Premier League action this weekend at Wembley, as Burnley make the trip to north London.
Spurs are back in Premier League action this weekend at Wembley, as Burnley make the trip to north London.

 

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Mourinho in bizarre Liverpool spending rant: When the house is ready you buy furniture!


Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho offered a somewhat bizarre response when questioned about Liverpool's recent spending ahead of the two sides' meeting on Sunday.The north west rivals face off at Anfield with the home side heading into the Premier League weekend sitting atop the table after an unbeaten 16-match run of domestic fixtures.

Their form has been built off the back of some impressive signings over the last 12 months, but Mourinho believes their performances are not solely down to flashing the cash.

He did, however, go about explaining his apparent acclaim of Jurgen Klopp's coaching in a way in which only Mourinho can.

"It’s not just about the money they spend in the summer, is about many things," he told a press conference.“It’s not just about spending money and reinforcing the squad, a football team is more than that, is not just about spending the money.

“It’s like a house, it’s not just about buying the furniture, you have to do work, you spend money on the best possible furniture and then you’re ready to live in an amazing house.”

Since the start of 2018, Liverpool have broken two transfer world records, making Virgil van Dijk the world's most expensive defender in January while Alisson was - albeit briefly before Kepa Arrizabalaga joined Chelsea - the most costly goalkeeper in history upon his arrival in July.

The Red Devils, meanwhile, have not been shy in spending themselves, with Paul Pogba signed for a then-world record fee in the summer of 2016 before Alexis Sanchez was made the Premier League's best-paid player in January 2018.

Despite that, Mourinho still believes that his squad is nowhere near strong enough to be competing with the sides towards the top of the table, blaming a lack of transfer activity from the Man Utd hierarchy."Far," was his response when asked how far away his current team were from one with which he would be truly happy.

When pressed further as to why, he added: "The reasons I was saying. It’s not just about spending."

Mourinho's side head along the M62 this weekend looking to bounce back from their midweek defeat to Valencia in the Champions League, though they will be buoyed by their first Premier League win in five matches over Fulham last time they were in domestic action.

Despite that victory over Claudio Ranieri's side, they head into the weekend sitting sixth in the table, eight points behind fourth-placed Chelsea in the fight for a place among Europe's elite next season.

 

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Mourinho warned he won't be able to park Man Utd bus on latest visit to Liverpool


Jose Mourninho has been warned that Manchester United are not capable of “doing the defensive jobs they have done on Liverpool in the past”.The Red Devils have, under their Portuguese boss, often favoured a pragmatic approach when taking in trips to their fiercest Premier League rivals.

Accusations of ‘parking the bus’ have become commonplace, with Mourinho considered to adopt a defensive mentality when pursuing precious points on the road.

United are, however, enduring struggles at the back this season - with 26 goals conceded in 16 top-flight outings to date – and Jan Molby doubts they can contain Liverpool’s fearsome attacking unit if they head to Anfield in containment mode again on Sunday.

The Reds legend told the Liverpool Echo: “I don’t know if Manchester United are capable of doing the defensive jobs they have done on Liverpool in the past
“The longer it goes without them producing those heroic performances, the more I doubt they are capable.“I know they got a couple of draws with Arsenal and Chelsea, but Liverpool are another level.

“I’m not convinced that Mourinho can produce a tactical masterclass to get himself a result. I think Liverpool will have too much for them.“They are too inconsistent. The defeat in Valencia, I know it was a fringe team, won’t do them any good. I’d be amazed if we didn’t have too much quality for them.

“The level of quality you expect from Manchester United is not there. They have some average players and some good players who aren’t performing at the level expected of them.

“I think what Mourinho wants to do is go with a defensive tactic and hope that the bit of pace he has causes problems. But you need good enough defenders to invite Liverpool onto you, and I’m not convinced.

“But you are playing Manchester United. That’s why you can never be sure, because we know ourselves that big clubs can find results that nobody else can.”Mohamed Salah is likely to pose Mourinho the biggest headache as he prepares for a trip to Merseyside, with the Egypt international having rediscovered his spark of late.

After a relatively slow start to the season by his standards, the current holder of the Premier League Golden Boot has recorded a hat-trick against Bournemouth and a vital Champions League match-winner versus Napoli in his last two outings.

 

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Barclays Premier League Fixtures 2018.12.15

Barclays Premier League Fixtures 2018.12.15

Manchester City Vs Everton

Crystal Palace Vs Leicester City

Huddersfield Vs Newcastle

Tottenham Vs Burnley

Watford Vs Cardiff City

Wolves Vs Bournemouth

Fulham Vs West Ham

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LA Liga Fixtures 2018.12.15

LA Liga Fixtures 2018.12.15

Getafe Vs Real Sociedad

Real Valladoid Vs Atletico Madrid

Real Madrid Vs Rayo Vallecano

Eibar Vs Valencia
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Serie A Fixtures 2018.12.15

Serie A Fixtures 2018.12.15

Inter Vs Udinese

Torino Vs Juventus
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Bundesliga Fixtures 2018.12.15

Bundesliga Fixtures 2018.12.15

Augsburg Vs Schalke

Fortuna Vs Freiburg

Hannover Vs Bayern

Hoffenheim Vs Monchengladbach

Stuttgart Vs Hertha Berlin

Dortmund Vs Werder Bremen
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Manchester City 3 Everton 1: Jesus at the double as City go top

Gabriel Jesus ended his 11-game Premier League goal drought with a brace as Manchester City bounced back from their defeat at Chelsea with a 3-1 victory over Everton.Jesus had not scored in the league since August but, with Sergio Aguero among the substitutes after recovering from a groin injury, the Brazil international led the line superbly as Pep Guardiola's side returned to the summit.

Everton's Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored to cut a two-goal deficit in half but substitute Raheem Sterling, who was allegedly the subject of racial abuse from supporters at Stamford Bridge a week ago, scored the game's crucial fourth goal.

The result sends City back on top of the Premier League until Liverpool play Manchester United on Sunday, while Everton are now winless in four games.Richarlison missed a fine opportunity to put Everton ahead when he arrived unmarked at the far post but volleyed Bernard's cross high and wide, failing to apply the spectacular finish he intended.

The Toffees were shaping up to give City a tough game only to concede a sloppy opener, Yerry Mina's clearance leading to Leroy Sane playing in Jesus, who guided the ball under the body of the advancing Jordan Pickford.Pickford made a superb save from Riyad Mahrez at close range before the break but could do little with City's second goal five minutes into the second half, Jesus meeting Sane's curling ball with a clinical header that flashed beyond the England goalkeeper.

There was a mix-up in the City defence when Lucas Digne's looping cross was headed down into the net by Calvert-Lewin via a deflection off Fabian Delph, but Sterling quickly dismissed any ideas of a comeback.

Less than four minutes after replacing the disgruntled Sane, the forward ghosted into the six-yard box to head home Fernandinho's cross from City's left flank.

 

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Tottenham 1 Burnley 0: Eriksen snatches victory at the death

Christian Eriksen struck in injury time to give Tottenham a 1-0 Premier League victory over Burnley on Saturday.Sean Dyche's men withstood the pressure in front of a sparse crowd at Wembley, thanks partly to two excellent saves from goalkeeper Joe Hart, until substitute Eriksen scored in the 91st minute.

Mauricio Pochettino made five changes to the team that drew with Barcelona this week, handing a first Premier League start to 18-year-old Oliver Skipp, and his side certainly lacked their customary cutting edge against a rigid Burnley rearguard.


However, the introduction of Eriksen proved crucial as Spurs moved back to within five points of league leaders Manchester City.
Lucas Moura, who scored the crucial equaliser against Barca, was among those restored to the starting line-up and almost broke the deadlock with an improvised effort from Erik Lamela's long ball.Harry Kane had shouts for a penalty waved away but it was 30 minutes in until the first effort on target, which saw Lamela denied by some good work from Hart.

Burnley had barely threatened early on but could twice have gone ahead, with Ashley Barnes heading over after an error from Hugo Lloris and then seeing a goalbound volley blocked.

The visitors' time-wasting tactics were beginning to irritate the Spurs fans and players, but when Lamela finally had another clear opening 16 minutes from time, Hart again responded with a fine one-handed save.

Substitute Son Heung-min scuffed a shot wide and Dele Alli failed to convert his cross with the goal gaping, but Eriksen eventually proved the hero, side-footing home Kane's pass to break Burnley hearts.

 

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Real Valladolid 2 Atletico Madrid 3: Griezmann the hero on landmark appearance

Antoine Griezmann was Atletico Madrid's hero with two goals on his 300th LaLiga appearance as they snatched a dramatic 3-2 win at Real Valladolid.Nikola Kalinic's second goal in Spain's top flight – courtesy of a wonderful Griezmann pass – was followed by his strike partner's 124th – the points appearing safe when he converted from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time.

But Atletico's defensive solidity uncharacteristically failed and Saul Niguez's own goal after Fernando Calero's header meant it was all square in the 63rd minute.


It was left to Griezmann to punish a scuffed Oscar Plano clearance 10 minutes from time and move Diego Simeone's side level on points with Barcelona at the summit.

Valladolid started in impressive fashion, taking the game to Atletico and starving their creative players of space.But Griezmann found a pocket in which to operate in the 26th minute and Kalinic was on hand to stroke home his team-mates' sumptuous throughball.

Plano and Enes Unal passed up clear chances for the hosts as Atleti showed unusual vulnerability down their right flank and Valladolid were made to pay with the final action of the half.

Jordi Masip saved brilliantly from Griezmann's deflected shot before a VAR review showed the deviation came courtesy of Kiko Olivas' handball, and the France star clinically dispatched the penalty.As in the opening period, Valladolid resumed on the front foot and their pressure told in the 57th minute.

Calero rose highest to power captain Michel's corner past the efforts of Jan Oblak and Santiago Arias on the line.Sergio Gonzalez's men were ruthless in seizing upon an unusually vulnerable Atletico and they were level when Saul diverted Unal's header from a right-wing corner into the net.

But having caused Atleti repeated problems from set-pieces, Valladolid faltered in deflecting one and Griezmann needed no second invitation to thump into the bottom corner.

 

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Real Madrid 1 Rayo Vallecano 0: Benzema secures steady response to CSKA loss

Real Madrid rebounded from their midweek Champions League embarrassment by securing a 1-0 home victory over lowly Rayo Vallecano on Saturday.Karim Benzema, who limped off late on, struck in the 13th minute to ensure there was no repeat of the forgettable 3-0 loss to CSKA Moscow that summarily ended a run of four successive triumphs.

Marco Asensio had chances to put the result beyond doubt before Thibaut Courtois made a crucial double save in stoppage time, Santiago Solari's men returning to winning ways in time for Wednesday's Club World Cup semi-final clash with Kashima Antlers.


They head to the United Arab Emirates two points shy of table-topping Barcelona, who visit Levante on Sunday, and with clean sheets in three straight LaLiga matches for the first time since September 2015.

Madrid began confidently in their bid to move on from the CSKA shock as Lucas Vazquez cut inside from the right and slipped through Benzema for the French forward's first goal in six games.

Chances came and went soon after the opener with Emiliano Velazquez heading marginally wide from a corner, before Stole Dimitrievski foiled Asensio in a one-on-one.Rayo were fortunate to avoid additional damage before the break, Toni Kroos' left-footed drive cannoning into the post.

Dimitrievski denied Asensio for the second time five minutes after the restart while Sergio Ramos had a header ruled out for a marginal offside call as Madrid's wait for a second stretched beyond the hour.

They were never able to completely put the match to bed against their 19th-placed visitors and, after Benzema hobbled off, it was Courtois' time to shine, the goalkeeper well-placed to block both Alex Alegria's overhead kick and Velazquez's follow-up in a panicked conclusion.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Inter 1 Udinese 0: Icardi penalty gets lethargic Nerazzurri back on track

VAR came to Inter's rescue as Mauro Icardi's penalty ensured Luciano Spalletti's side bounced back from their Champions League exit with a 1-0 win over Serie A strugglers Udinese.

Spalletti was in bullish mood ahead of Saturday's clash, insisting that his side would not suffer the same mid-season crisis that beset them last term.But his side failed to live up to expectations at San Siro, with a poor miss from Icardi seemingly summing up a dismal performance.

Icardi turned from zero to hero with 14 minutes remaining, however, as he lifted a delicate finish home from 12 yards after VAR was used to deem that Seko Fofana had handled in the area.
Joao Mario had Inter's first sight of goal, dragging wide from the edge of Udinese's area, before Icardi headed across the face of goal in the 22nd minute.

Icardi should have done better from Sime Vrsaljko's pinpoint cross as Inter toiled for an opener, but Udinese goalkeeper Juan Musso remained untested until he reacted sharply to tip Keita Balde Diao's crisp strike over.

Inter's profligacy nearly proved costly after the interval, Rolando Mandragora drilling over from Fofana's cut-back, with Hidde ter Avest firing wide moments later, though Inter should have been ahead in the 66th minute. Keita's cross was perfect but, with the goal gaping, Icardi failed to keep his header on target.

Fofana's error gave Icardi the chance to make amends, though, and the forward made no mistake with a perfectly executed Panenka to get Inter back on track. Icardi was flagged for offside as he found the net again with a late header, but Udinese never threatened to punish Inter with an equaliser.