..::Football IV::..

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Celtic 0 Valencia 2: Cheryshev, Sobrino put LaLiga side in control


Valencia took a huge step towards the last 16 of the Europa League with a 2-0 first-leg win at Celtic on Thursday.

The Spanish side dropped out of the Champions League after finishing behind Juventus and Manchester United but possessed the cutting edge required to damage Celtic's hopes of progressing in the competition.Brendan Rodgers' men conceded for the first time in all competitions in 2019 as Denis Cheryshev and Ruben Sobrino netted either side of half-time to put Valencia in complete control of the tie.

And while Celtic huffed and puffed in the closing stages, they were unable to make any inroads on home soil, leaving them needing a huge away victory in the return fixture next week.
Valencia goalkeeper Neto parried clear Callum McGregor's early low drive, while Scott Bain was extended at the other end to turn away a looping Daniel Wass header.



The two defences largely dominated for the remainder of the first half, but Celtic's run of seven consecutive clean sheets came to an end just before the interval.Sobrino held his run to meet Dani Parejo's pass and then squared for Cheryshev to tap in the opener.

And the roles were reversed within four minutes of the restart as Cheryshev sent over an inviting cross from Valencia's left for the unmarked Sobrino to volley through Bain's legs.

The introductions of Timothy Weah and Odsonne Edouard inspired belated improvement from Celtic in attack, yet Valencia dug in and eased through to full-time without any major concerns.

 

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Malmo 1 Chelsea 2: Barkley and Giroud earn first leg lead

Ross Barkley and Olivier Giroud scored as Chelsea earned a 2-1 win away to Malmo in the first leg of their Europa League last-32 meeting.

Chelsea had lost their past four straight away games in all competitions without scoring, a run that had its nadir in Sunday's 6-0 humiliation at the hands of Premier League champions Manchester City.Against more modest opposition at Swedbank Stadion on Thursday, Chelsea took a 2-0 lead thanks to goals either side of the break by Barkley and Giroud.

But although Maurizio Sarri's men appeared to be cruising to a morale-boosting win, Malmo will travel to London with hope after Anders Christiansen's excellent late reply.Chelsea took the lead with the game's first shot on target after 30 minutes.

Pedro floated in a cross from the right channel and, after defender Lasse Nielsen slipped, Barkley collected the ball and stabbed it past goalkeeper Johan Dahlin.

Arnor Ingvi Traustason fired wide at the end of a goalmouth scramble as a series of set-pieces caused Chelsea problems before the break, but Malmo's wasted openings were punished in the 58th minute.Brazil winger Willian raided down the left and fed Giroud, who cleverly beat Dahlin with an improvised close-range finish to score in his fourth consecutive European appearance.

Dahlin made a great save to deny Barkley his second of the game but, after the introduction of Eden Hazard as a substitute, Chelsea were caught on the counter.Christiansen burst on to a perfectly played throughball by Markus Rosenberg and beat Kepa Arrizabalaga with a placed finish to cut the Swedish side's deficit ahead of next week's Stamford Bridge return.

 

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Rapid Vienna 0 Inter 1: Martinez makes up for missing Icardi



Inter are in control of their Europa League last-32 tie with Rapid Vienna thanks to Thursday's 1-0 victory in Austria.

A penalty from Argentine striker Lautaro Martinez six minutes before half-time was enough to give Luciano Spalletti's side the win, their second in a row in all competitions.Much of the pre-match talk centred around Mauro Icardi, who was stripped of the club captaincy and then withdrew from the travelling squad, which he suggested was due to injury.

His compatriot made the most of a first start in Europe for the club, winning and converting the spot-kick to give his side the edge ahead of next week's return game at San Siro.Inter's dominance of the ball yielded few early opportunities for Martinez, selected as the visitors' attacking spearhead in place of the missing Icardi.

There was a long delay when Mario Sonnleitner had to have a nasty cut to his head stapled after an accidental clash with Stefan de Vrij, and, three minutes after the restart, Manuel Thurnwald's clumsy challenge on Martinez allowed the forward to dispatch the ball calmly down the middle of the goal.

Rapid had a Dejan Ljubicic goal disallowed for offside shortly before the interval, before substitute Christoph Knasmullner forced Samir Handanovic into a one-handed stop from Veton Berisha's cut-back, but Inter repelled the home side's threat with relative ease to claim a valuable result.

 

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BATE 1 Arsenal 0: Dragun fires as Lacazette sees red

Arsenal have work to do if they are to reach the last 16 of the Europa League after slipping to a surprise 1-0 first-leg defeat to BATE in Belarus.Unai Emery's side were caught cold in sub-zero temperatures on the stroke of half-time, Stanislav Dragun's header ending their run of five successive clean sheets in the competition.Alexandre Lacazette had a potential equaliser ruled out for offside before he was shown a straight red card for throwing an elbow at Aleksandar Filipovic in the closing minutes.

Even when they had 11 men, the Premier League side struggled to capitalise on their territorial dominance, leaving them with a deficit to overturn in the return fixture next Thursday.
Considering the freezing conditions, Arsenal unsurprisingly took their time to warm to the task at hand.

The visitors' only chance of note in the opening half saw an unmarked Lacazette carelessly head over the top after being picked out by Sead Kolasinac's inviting cross to the back post.Dragun did not make the same mistake at the opposite end when getting on the end of a free-kick from captain Igor Stasevich, though, giving BATE the lead with an impressive header that curved over Petr Cech.

The Gunners had been spared from conceding earlier in the game by the woodwork, Nemanja Milic flicking the ball against a post from point-blank range when trying to provide the finishing touch to Maksim Skavysh's dangerous low delivery.

Lacazette did locate the net from another Kolasinac delivery from Arsenal's left soon after the break, only for the referee's assistant to correctly raise his flag against the over-eager Frenchman.

The former Lyon star also found the target when flinging his arm back into the face of Filipovic when under pressure from the defender, forcing his side to finish a frustrating evening a man down.

 

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Woodward hopeful of tying down more Man Utd stars to new deals


Manchester United want to tie more of their key players to new contracts by the end of the season - including David de Gea and Marcus Rashford.

While Old Trafford executive-vice chairman Ed Woodward is keeping his options open about appointing a permanent replacement for Jose Mourinho - sacked in December - he has been working to secure deals with key playing personnel.In a conference call with investors on Thursday, he ruled out making further announcements about the manager's position until the summer after drafting in Ole Gunner Solskjaer as interim boss.

But he is hopeful of signing up more of the club's stars to long-term commitments after the likes of Anthony Martial, Luke Shaw, Chris Smalling, Scott McTominay, Phil Jones and Ashley Young all signed contract extensions this season.He is reportedly in ongoing negotiations with De Gea and preliminary talks with Rashford - both out of contract in summer 2020.Midfielders Juan Mata and Ander Herrera - both free agents this summer - are also on the to-do list.

"We are a long way through the ones we had planned to do in this season," Woodward told investors."But obviously we want to finish off the final few as rapidly as we can."Solskjaer's position will not be resolved until the close of the season, despite a clamour in some quarters to appoint him sooner.

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino remains a front-runner alongside the Norwegian, but Woodward was happy to praise Solskjaer after he led United to 10 wins from his first 12 games in charge."In December we parted company with Jose Mourinho and appointed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as our caretaker manager through to the end of the season," he said.

“Ole has been joined by Mick Phelan, who previously spent 14 years with us as a coach, including five as Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant manager."They have had a fantastic start, reviving the fortunes of the team and in the process setting a new Manchester United record of winning their first eight consecutive matches."The team has accumulated 25 out of 27 points in the league with some fantastic performances."

 

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Lopetegui targets Premier League after Real Madrid nightmare


Former Real Madrid and Spain boss Julen Lopetegui is eyeing a return to management in the Premier League after breaking his silence following a nightmare year.

The 52-year-old lost two of the highest profile jobs in world football during 2018 during a haunting 138-day spell for the ex-goalkeeper.Sacked days before La Roja began their World Cup campaign, he lasted just 14 matches at Santiago Bernabeu.

But Lopetegui will not be deterred by the harrowing experience and is ready to resume his coaching career, with a move to England not out of the question.

"A coach needs to be open for the future, but if I can choose, I prefer to be in the best leagues," he told the BBC Radio 5 Live Football Daily podcast."England is a fantastic league. When you watch a match in England, you can feel the atmosphere, the respect for the players and the coaches, this is very important. I want to feel that.

"Of course Spain is a fantastic league too, with fantastic players and coaches, but we will see."Spain were one of the main contenders for last year's World Cup before they parted ways with Lopetegui just two days before the tournament was due to start.

The boss had an agreement in place to move to Madrid at the end of the tournament, with an announcement made as Spain were preparing for the finals.But Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) chief Luis Rubiales took exception to talks seemingly taking place behind his back and dismissed Lopetegui, with Fernando Hierro thrust into the breach.The 2010 winners reached the last 16 before being knocked out on penalties by hosts Russia.

"It was not easy for me," he admits. "We worked very hard for two years, we felt that we were ready to have a fantastic World Cup."Two months previously, when I signed a new contract with Spain, they put a buyout clause in. It was [Luis] Rubiales' idea, I agreed it with him no problem and then it [the Real Madrid job offer] happened.

"The timing was not chosen by me or Real Madrid - I said yes, but I knew the World Cup was my only responsibility. To keep it secret for one month is impossible and was not honest."We were convinced it was best to have a press conference to open and close the issue then, after that, the only focus was the World Cup.

"The players were fantastic. After I told them, we had our best training session in the three weeks of our preparation so we were very happy but in the end the president took that decision."It was a very hard moment and I will never forget it because it was a surprise. I felt it was very unfair.

"It was a five-hour flight home from Moscow to Madrid and I did not say anything but that is life. It was a very hard experience but you need to try and put it in a positive situation."Lopetegui's fortunes would not improve upon moving to Los Blancos to succeed three-time Champions League winner Zinedine Zidane.

Real won five of the opening six games of the regular season but a run of seven without a win, which included a humiliating 5-1 defeat to Barcelona in El Clasico, saw him dismissed in October.

"We had a good start, the team was playing well but then we had three very bad weeks," explained Lopetegui, who had been unbeaten in his 20 games in charge."You just hope you have time to find a solution because these things can balance out over a season. We were sure this situation was going to pass.

"I didn't have time, that is the best way I can explain it.""I have all respect for the new coach [Santiago Solari], his new staff. And the players - I love them, they had a fantastic attitude with me."I would never say a bad word about Real Madrid. To manage the club is a fantastic experience for any coach. I hoped I could have more time but I have to look to the future."

 

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Juventus 3 Frosinone 0: Ronaldo rounds off routine romp

Juventus took another step towards an eighth Serie A title in a row with a routine 3-0 win over Frosinone on Friday.

A spectacular early goal from Paulo Dybala set Massimiliano Allegri's side on their way at Allianz Stadium, before Leonardo Bonucci and Cristiano Ronaldo made the three points secure.Juve were able to withdraw Ronaldo and Giorgio Chiellini in the second half, with their attentions now turning to the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie with Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

The hosts needed only six minutes to break the deadlock, Dybala sending a stunning left-foot strike flying into the top-right corner from 25 yards out.
It was 2-0 only 11 minutes later, with Bonucci prodding the ball in from on the line after Marco Sportiello had reacted well to save Mario Mandzukic's diving header from a corner.

Juve rather eased off and allowed Frosinone to threaten, and Camillo Ciano sent a curling free-kick inches over the bar with the last kick of the first half.Any fears of a possible comeback from the visitors were dispelled after 62 minutes, though, when Ronaldo swept home Mandzukic's low cross from the right before being taken off for extra rest ahead of his return to Spain.

A fourth goal eluded them, with Federico Bernardeschi's stinging strike beaten away by Sportiello, but Juve will head to the Wanda Metropolitano in confident mood.

 

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Augsburg 2 Bayern Munich 3: Classy Coman shines in comeback win

Kingsley Coman starred as Bayern Munich twice came from behind to earn a 3-2 win at Augsburg that moves the Bundesliga champions two points behind Borussia Dortmund, but he did not see out the match after picking up an apparent ankle injury in the closing stages.

Augsburg ended Niko Kovac's run of seven straight wins in all competitions at the start of his Bayern reign and they again gave his side a headache, opening the scoring in the first minute at WWK Arena on Friday.

But a brilliant individual performance from Coman, who twice scored first-half equalisers before setting up David Alaba for the winner after the interval, ensured Bayern go to Liverpool for the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on the back of an exhilarating victory.


Bayern captain Manuel Neuer was back in goal after missing three games with a thumb injury but he conceded after just 13 seconds, Leon Goretzka turning a Philipp Max cross into his own net.

Joshua Kimmich's 10th Bundesliga assist of the season helped Bayern get back on level terms, with Coman's smart low volley providing the finishing touch.But Augsburg retook the lead in the 23rd minute as Max raided down the left wing again, his cross taking a couple of deflections on its way through to Ji Dong-won, who smashed home.

Robert Lewandowski hit the crossbar with a header from another Kimmich cross but it was Coman who levelled again on the stroke of half-time, drilling through Gregor Kobel's legs.And within seven minutes of the restart Bayern led, Coman adding an assist to his brace by setting up Alaba for a thumping finish that beat Kobel at his near post.

Reece Oxford missed a great headed chance from yet another Max centre and Kobel denied Coman his hat-trick before a late injury scare for the winger, but Bayern held on for three vital points in the increasingly close title race.

 

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Solskjaer's 'remarkable' Man Utd impact delights Chelsea hero Zola


Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has done "quite remarkable" work at Manchester United since taking charge, according to Chelsea assistant Gianfranco Zola.United won 10 and drew one of their first 11 games under the caretaker manager before Tuesday's 2-0 Champions League defeat at home to Paris Saint-Germain.

Their improved form since the departure of Jose Mourinho in December has seen United overhaul Chelsea and Arsenal in the table and move into fourth place on 51 points.

They also claimed a 3-1 FA Cup win at Emirates Stadium last month and will now meet Chelsea at Stamford Bridge for a place in the quarter-finals.Zola, who earned his coaching badges alongside Solskjaer, is happy to see the former striker having such a positive impact in a difficult job.

"I am pleased, first of all," he told a news conference. "That is the first feeling that I have. I know Ole, we did the course together and I am pleased to see him doing so well."I knew that United weren't going through a very good moment before, but I knew the value of the team and they were going to come back.

"What Ole has done in this small amount of time is quite remarkable. He was clever, he was always interested, and you can see when someone is focusing on what they do."Despite the loss to PSG, Zola believes United's players are enjoying their football more, which makes them daunting opponents.

"It's a classic, it's a great game," he said. "They are in a good moment and it's the sort of challenge we need right now."You can see they are a team at the moment who are enjoying what they are doing. They are committed, they are working as a group."When you have this attitude and the qualities that they have it can only be good.

"The only thing you can say is they had a very good coach before and sometimes things don't work out. The value of the team wasn't in doubt before and it is not surprising now that they are doing what they are doing."Chelsea have won the last four cup meetings between the two teams, including last season's final, but Zola admits he did not always enjoy playing against United under Alex Ferguson.

"I have fantastic memories of him – not when I played against his team – but respect, great respect for the person and the manager," he said."He used to like to mark me with [Gary] Neville all the time. It was not very pleasant for me. I didn't like it.

"It’s always been a fantastic game, very competitive. It's a game that both sets of supporters feel a lot."

 

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'Life is for warriors' – Neymar defiant on social media as injury recovery continues


Neymar has used social media to share a defiant message as he continues his recovery from a metatarsal injury.Paris Saint-Germain's star man has been out of action since sustaining the injury in a Coupe de France win over Strasbourg last month.The 27-year-old missed PSG's 2-0 win over Manchester United on Tuesday, but revealed he is hopeful of returning in time to feature in the Champions League quarter-finals should Thomas Tuchel's side avoid an embarrassing turnaround in the second leg of their clash with the Red Devils.

“It's getting better,” the attacker told YouTube show Fui Clear ."We have already done several treatments, some procedures in order to improve it as quickly as possible and we are happy with the progress and with how things are going.

"I can't wait to do what I love to do the most in my life which is to play football. It's eight to 10 weeks [recovery period] - that's what we imagine, so I think 10 weeks at most. We have worked to accelerate the process.

And Neymar, who also released a video of himself wildly celebrating PSG's goals in the victory at Old Trafford, followed that news up by taking to his personal Instagram account.

"Because life is for warriors, nothing weakens me!" a caption stated, with Neymar pictured in front of a private jet holding both crutches across his chest, although Tuchel may not be best pleased that his key player is so willing to take such a risk if he is indeed serious about making a swift comeback.PSG are back in action Sunday with a league clash against Saint-Etienne and will face four other matches, including a French Cup quarterfinal against Dijon, before hosting the second leg against Manchester United on March 6.

Even without Neymar in recent days the club sit 10 points clear at the top of Ligue 1, having lost just one match over the course of what has been a stellar league campaign.

 

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'They had to lose at some point!' - Giggs not overreacting to Solskjaer's first Man Utd defeat


Ryan Giggs says there is no need to overreact to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's first loss as Manchester United manager in the wake of the Champions League defeat to PSG.Solskjaer rattled off a streak of 11 unbeaten matches to start his Red Devils tenure before suffering a 2-0 reversal against PSG in Tuesday's clash at Old Trafford.

With Neymar and Edinson Cavani headlining those absent from the PSG team, Solskjaer and Manchester United have been criticized in the aftermath for their inability to put together a performance at home.

Giggs, meanwhile, doesn't see it that way as he backed the former Red Devils striker despite the recent defeat.

"Manchester United have been brilliant since Ole took over but we all knew what United are, they were in a false position in the league before he took over but they're still a few players short of challenging in the Champions League year after year," Giggs said in his Class of 92 Diary on Sky Sports.

"But the signs have been promising so it's just a case of not getting too cocky when United were winning, but not getting too downhearted after losing to PSG. They had to lose at some point!"There are some big games coming up for the club to bounce back in; tough games against Chelsea and then Liverpool, probably the biggest game for United fans.

"But they're good games to have after a defeat as you don't need any help to get the players up for them."Manchester United will be without Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial for upcoming clashes against Chelsea and Liverpool as the pair have been diagnosed with injuries that will keep them out two-to-three weeks.

As things stand, the Red Devils sit fourth in the Premier League following a run of form in the league that has produced eights wins and one draw from nine matches.They sit one point above fifth-place Arsenal and sixth-place Chelsea, while Tottenham are nine points clear of Solskjaer's side in third spot.

Following an FA Cup meeting with Chelsea on Monday and a league match against Liverpool, Manchester United will face Crystal Palace and Southampton before heading to Paris for their second leg against PSG.

 

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Milan will need helmets against Atalanta - Gattuso


AC Milan will "need to wear helmets" when they take on Atalanta on Saturday, according to head coach Gennaro Gattuso.Atalanta are unbeaten in six Serie A matches and are part of a three-team group that sits one point behind fourth-place Milan, making their meeting in Bergamo important in the race for Champions League qualification.

Gattuso is wary of the physical prowess of the Rossoneri's opponents and wants to see a strong all-round performance to secure a potentially key result.

"We will need to wear helmets," said Gattuso. "We are playing against a top Italian team who are both physically impressive and also possess great quality."They play a unique style of football. It will be a difficult and crucial game and we must ensure that we're ready to play well and hold our ground.

"We must respect our opponent, playing sensibly and putting in a great performance. They press you high and look to fill the area. We must do well in both attack and defence."

"We will need to wear helmets," said Gattuso. "We are playing against a top Italian team who are both physically impressive and also possess great quality."They play a unique style of football. It will be a difficult and crucial game and we must ensure that we're ready to play well and hold our ground."We must respect our opponent, playing sensibly and putting in a great performance. They press you high and look to fill the area. We must do well in both attack and defence."

The last time the Rossoneri played in the competition their squad still contained the likes of Kaka, Mario Balotelli and Robinho.Since then Milan have not finished higher than sixth in the table, but are on course to place in the top four this time around, having picked up 39 points from 29 games.

Gattuso’s men face stiff competition from Atalanta, Roma and Lazio, however, with the trio all on 38 points.

 

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Blow for Man Utd as Martial and Lingard ruled out for up to three weeks


Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed that Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard will miss out on Manchester United's upcoming games with Chelsea and Liverpool due to injury. Lingard and Martial were forced out of this week's Champions League loss to Paris Saint-Germain with groin and hamstring injuries, respectively.

As a result, they will miss the club's FA Cup fifth-round clash with Chelsea on Monday as well as a Premier League battle with title contenders Liverpool on February 24.

One possible replacement named was striker Mason Greenwood but the 17-year-old is also injured, preventing him from making his first-team debut in their stead."I think they'll be out for two-to-three weeks," Solskjaer said of Lingard and Martial.

"Then, you're looking at young players, Mason Greenwood, it's your time to step in, and he's injured, unfortunately, out for a couple of weeks as well."Sometimes that's how the luck goes but Mason will get his chance."Lingard was forced out of the 2-0 defeat to PSG late in the first half and was replaced by a relatively ineffective Alexis Sanchez.

Solskjaer himself said there was little he could do to help the struggling Chilean, who failed to make an impact in his appearance.Martial, meanwhile, was removed at half-time for Juan Mata after carrying an injury through the first half, as Solskjaer was forced into making two changes.

Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku will likely be given chances to prove themselves in the coming weeks while Solskjaer also says Tahith Chong and Angel Gomes are in contention."Chance for anyone who plays, Alexis, Romelu, Chongy or Angel," Solskjaer said.

"Anthony and Jesse have done really well for us, they’re vital but then again with Rom and Alexis, they’ve got different skill sets and will be able to show what they can do. So, we just need to gel a team together for Monday."Following the clashes against Chelsea and Liverpool, United then face a visit to Crystal Palace and a fixture with Southampton at Old Trafford in the Premier League.

Then comes the Champions League return leg in Paris on March 6 when the Red Devils look to overcome their two-goal deficit without the likes of Paul Pogba, who will miss out after being sent off in Tuesday's defeat at Old Trafford.

 

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Martial & Lingard nathi ekanam lokuma paduwakSanchez unath out of form neh

Get well soon guys!​

 

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Solskjaer to call on Man Utd youngsters after Lingard & Martial injuries


Manchester United interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer feels there is a chance for fringe players to step up after injuries to Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard, with Tahith Chong and Angel Gomes likely to get opportunities.United lost 2-0 in their Champions League last-16 first leg at home to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, with Martial and Lingard subsequently ruled out for at least two weeks with injuries they sustained in the match.

Their absences mean there are two places up for grabs in the United starting XI for upcoming games against Chelsea in the FA Cup and Liverpool in the league over the next nine days.

Solskjaer confirmed highly rated attackers Chong and Gomes – 19 and 18 years old respectively – are likely to benefit, both of whom featured during the early stages of the Norwegian's spell in charge.But it is also an opportunity for Alexis Sanchez to finally deliver for the Red Devils, as the Chilean has endured a woeful time at the club so far.

"It's a chance for anyone who plays - Alexis, Romelu [Lukaku], Chong or Angel," Solskjaer told reporters on Friday."Anthony and Jesse have done really well for us, they're vital in attack with their attributes, their pace.

"But then again, with Rom and Alexis, they've got different skillsets and will be able to show what they can do. So we just need to gel a team together for Monday.
"We've still got forward options, but Angel and Chong have been training with us all week and the weeks leading up to this, so there's a big chance they'll be involved."

Monday's FA Cup outing will be United's first opportunity to respond to that chastening defeat to PSG, and Solskjaer says the team must provide a response.
"You've got to bounce back at this club," he said. "You'll always have challenges and away against Chelsea is one of the tougher challenges.

"Let's make sure the next two days in training we're ready on Monday. We know there was a spell against PSG for about 10 minutes when we lost our way a bit. Apart from that we weren't too bad."

 

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Chong & Angel pattahodai chance eka dena eka​

 

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Arsenal heading in a 'frightening' direction as former Gunner brands them 'a selling club'


Arsenal have become “a selling club”, according to former academy graduate Steve Sidwell, with the ongoing Aaron Ramsey saga highlighting the “frightening” direction in which the club are heading.

Having tasted Premier League title success on three occasions under Arsene Wenger, a move to Emirates Stadium in 2006 was intended to lift the club to even greater heights.

The costs of making a move impacted on transfer business, though, with a more frugal approach taken to player recruitment.

That has ultimately led to the club slipping out of the top four and behind a number of those they once looked down on.Key men continue to slip through the net, with Juventus-bound Ramsey the latest to run down his contract, and Sidwell fears an alarming trend has been set in north London.

A man who emerged out of a famed youth system, winning two FA Youth Cups along the way, told talkSPORT: “I was at Arsenal when the club left Highbury to go the Emirates to start competing at the top of world football, but it’s not really materialised.“The Aaron Ramsey situation is just frightening. They’ve backed themselves into a corner with the wages they’re paying [Mesut] Ozil – and even that saga was a strange one – and they’ve got to let him [Ramsey] go now.

“They’re slowly becoming a selling club where their best players are leaving, and if they don’t buck their ideas up they are really going to fall short of top-four football.”Arsenal had offered indications early in the 2018-19 campaign that they had shaken off the shackles of recent years.

Unai Emery, who succeeded the legendary Wenger last summer, oversaw a 22-game unbeaten run across all competitions at one stage.Inconsistency has crept back in, though, and Sidwell believes it was inevitable that the wheels would fall off at some stage.

He added: “I’ve watched Arsenal a lot this year and I think that run papered over a lot of cracks in their performances.“It hasn’t been great, there were plenty of games where they could have lost. They rode their luck on a few games, they weren’t blowing things away at all.“It was only going to be a matter of time before that came to a halt, and they’re on a bad run of form at the moment.

“It was always going to be a tough transition, but they’re doing better than I thought they would, I thought they were going to be around the mid-table mark, I really did.

“And then you’ve got the politics going on upstairs with transfers, the ownership, directors and sporting director and all that now – there is not an alignment from top to bottom and it really needs to be restructured or they could be in real trouble.”Emery was only able to make one addition to his squad in January – a loan deal for Barcelona midfielder Denis Suarez that includes an option to buy.

His side are still sat fifth in the Premier League, just one point outside the Champions League places, but they have been far from convincing of late and suffered a 1-0 Europa League defeat to BATE in their most recent outing.

 

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Son has been one of the best players in the Premier League this season - Carragher


Tottenham forward Son Heung-min has been one of the stand-out performers in the Premier League this season, according to Jamie Carragher.

Since returning from international duty with South Korea at the end of January, having played at the Asian Cup, Son has scored in all four Spurs games, including late, decisive goals against Watford , Newcastle and Leicester.His impact in the last few weeks has impressed many, including Carragher, especially given Tottenham’s time of need given their injury crisis, with Harry Kane and Dele Alli currently sidelined.

Tottenham forward Son Heung-min has been one of the stand-out performers in the Premier League this season, according to Jamie Carragher.Since returning from international duty with South Korea at the end of January, having played at the Asian Cup, Son has scored in all four Spurs games, including late, decisive goals against Watford , Newcastle and Leicester.

His impact in the last few weeks has impressed many, including Carragher, especially given Tottenham’s time of need given their injury crisis, with Harry Kane and Dele Alli currently sidelined.

The former Bayer Leverkusen man scored just two minutes into the second half before late goals from Jan Vertonghen and Fernando Llorente appear to have sealed the London club’s spot in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.Mauricio Pochettino’s men have a 10-day gap between the Dortmund clash and their next fixture - a trip to Burnley - due to their elimination from the FA Cup in the last round.

However, it may come as a welcome break for Spurs’ beleaguered squad, who could add Kane and Alli to the fold for the visit to Turf Moor, as they attempt to close the gap to leaders Liverpool to just two points.

 

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'Verratti would be great for Man Utd' - PSG star considered to be perfect Matic partner


Marco Verratti would be “great at Manchester United”, says Dimitar Berbatov, with the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder considered to be the perfect partner for Nemanja Matic.The Italy international gave a demonstration of his talent to at Old Trafford during Tuesday night's Champions League clash.

His control over proceedings in the middle of the park, alongside Marquinhos, helped to keep contain the threat of Paul Pogba prior to the Frenchman losing his head and getting sent off.

Verratti’s efforts also contributed to a 2-0 victory for PSG which has put them in complete control of a heavyweight last-16 encounter.

The 26-year-old has long been considered one of the finest performers in European football, even when fitness issues have impacted his form and ability to produce his best.Berbatov is among his many admirers and would love to see the Italy international on United’s books, even if a transfer is highly unlikely as his current club will be reluctant to sell.

The former Red Devils striker told Betfair that the 26-year-old, who has been heavily linked with Barcelona in the past, reminds him of some of the world's greatest midfielders of recent years: “Marco Veratti was very impressive in the centre of the park for PSG.“What I like about him is that his first thought is always to go forwards, but if that's not on, he's happy just to keep the ball, controlling the tempo and almost putting the other team to sleep.

“The Italian is an unbelievable talent; he reminds me of Xavi and Iniesta in many ways.“He'd be great at United next to Nemanja Matic in midfield, allowing the Serbian to do the dirty work while he controlled the game. Can't see PSG selling though!”

United will be expected to dip back into the transfer market when the next window swings open this summer.A new midfielder may figure prominently on their wish list, alongside the centre-half additions which have been mooted for some time.

Verratti, though, is unlikely to be making his way to Old Trafford, with his current contract at PSG due to keep him in the French capital until at least 2021.

 

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FA Cup Fixtures 2019.02.16

FA Cup Fixtures 2019.02.16

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