Louis van Gaal is continuing to take it slowly but surely despite the good run of form that has seen his side edge towards the top four. Doubts about the manager's future was positive last week, with wins against Shrewsbury, FC Midtjylland and Arsenal complemented by teenager Marcus Rashford's remarkable emergence. It looked as if the negativity would return, though, as Watford looked set to upset the home faithful yesterday, only for Juan Mata's late free-kick to secure a fourth successive win in all competitions The strike was pure classic as it was important given he secured a 1-0 win that moved injury-plagued United level on points with fourth-placed Manchester City, who have a game in hand as well as a better goal difference. "We have to go step by … [Read more...]
Arsenal title hopes hits the rocks as injury woes continues
Arsenal’s evening capitulated in a flurry of frightened hacks, misplaced passes, lack of passion and general falling over. A mediocre Swansea side with a rookie left-back took them to the cleaners. Lukas Fabianski made some decent saves, Arsenal hit the woodwork twice, but let’s call a spade a spade: they bottled this. And they may well have bottled the title as well. Campbell gave Gunners the lead in the first half but Swansea were quick to reply with a well taken goal and took the lead when Ashley Williams met Sigurdsson set piece. Meanwhile, Arsenal will make the trip to Tottenham on Saturday without their goalkeeper Petr Cech and their best defender Laurent Koscielny, both of whom are injured and will play no part. Cech appeared to pull up in the … [Read more...]
Miralem Pjanic to Chelsea after £31m buyout clause is revealed
Roma midfielder Pjanic is wanted by Antonio Conte, the man expected to takeover from interim manager Guus Hiddink at Chelsea in the summer. Chelsea have opened talks with the representatives of Roma midfielder Miralem Pjanic over the possibility of springing a move that would trigger a £31m release clause in his contract, according to reports in Italy. Chelsea director and lead negotiator, Marina Granovskaia, has already made contact with Pjanic’s advisers ahead of a possible summer move for the 25-year-old Bosnia-Herzegovina playmaker. It’s added that the Blues have begun the initial stages of trying to lure Pjanic to Stamford Bridge after his name was handed to officials at the club by incoming manager Antonio Conte, with the current Italy head coach … [Read more...]
Exciting revenge as Liverpool dent a huge blow to City’s title challenge
Liverpool avenged their Capital One Cup final defeat with an emphatic 3-0 victory to put a huge hole in Manchester City’s title aspirations. A replay of their Wembley encounter three days ago produced a completely different game and result, with goals inside the first hour from Adam Lallana, James Milner and Roberto Firmino earning the home side a comfortable win. It inflicted City’s third successive Premier League defeat, a run they had not experienced for seven years — and more significantly left them trailing leaders Leicester by 10 points, with a match in hand. Worrying for Manuel Pellegrini as he enters his final three months in charge, it left fourth-placed City looking over their shoulder with Manchester United and West Ham now breathing down their … [Read more...]
Norwich vs Chelsea (credit: 24h sport news )
Klopp can’t afford to get this wrong.
Liverpool look set for a major summer overhaul after club owners Fenway Sports Group gave manager Jurgen Klopp the green light to splash the cash at the end of the campaign in a bid to turn a squad that is struggling to qualify for Europe and lost the Capital One Cup final into a serious force. Klopp, who has already secured the signing of defender Joel Matip from Schalke and Serbia Under-21 midfielder Marko Grujic, had been adamant that a raft of new faces would not arrive but an overhaul of the playing staff will take place during the summer. Few clubs in the Premier League have brought in as many new faces – or spent as much – as the Reds over the past few seasons. Klopp’s predecessor Brendan Rodgers outlaid just under £300million on 33 players from the time … [Read more...]
LVG confident Man Utd will guide modest Rashford
Louis van Gaal has urged the press to leave Marcus Rashford in peace following his dazzling start to life as a Manchester United player. The 18-year-old has burst onto the scene with four goals in his first two senior appearances for the Red Devils, including a double in the 3-2 win over arch rivals Arsenal on Sunday. Understandably, there has been an enormous amount of publicity surrounding local boy Rashford but van Gaal believes it is necessary to allow him the freedom to continue developing his game without the extreme fanfare he has witnessed over the past few days. "First I think that the media have to leave him in peace," van Gaal said. "Give him the time to be 18 years old, and we shall guide him also in that way. He is a very modest guy, so I don't … [Read more...]