by David
on January 27, 2020
Wayne Rooney could face his former side Manchester United in the fifth round of the FA Cup if Derby can get past Northampton in their fourth-round replay.
Holders Manchester City will travel to Sheffield Wednesday.
Chelsea will host Shrewsbury or Liverpool, while Bournemouth can set up a south coast derby with Portsmouth if they beat Arsenal in Monday’s game.
All eight ties will be played across three midweek nights from 3-5 March.
Rooney, who is United and England’s all-time record goalscorer, joined Championship club Derby County as a player-coach in January from MLS side DC United. Read more... (484 words, estimated 1:56 mins reading time)
by David
on January 27, 2020
Jurgen Klopp has the full backing of the Liverpool hierarchy over his plan to stay away from his club’s FA Cup fourth-round replay with Shrewsbury.
Klopp said after Sunday’s 2-2 draw at the New Meadow that none of his first-team squad would be involved in next week’s game, which will be on either 4 or 5 February, in the middle of the first week of Liverpool’s winter break.
It is understood Klopp has already told his first-team squad they are free to spend next week as they like before returning to training on 10 February. Read more... (563 words, estimated 2:15 mins reading time)
by David
on January 26, 2020
Jurgen Klopp has said he will not take charge of the FA Cup replay against Shrewsbury, with Neil Critchley leading a youth side instead.
The Premier League Champions-Elect were expected to dominate at New Meadow, despite Klopp making 11 changes, but it proved to be the youngsters—and stand-in goalkeeper Adrian—who impressed the most.
Shrewsbury will now head to Anfield for a replay after the 2-2 draw on Sunday, with Klopp still yet to have progressed past the fourth round as Liverpool manager.
The replay is set to be held on February 5/6, disrupting the two-week ‘winter break’. Read more... (525 words, estimated 2:06 mins reading time)
by David
on January 26, 2020
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hit out at critics who he accused of wanting his team to fail following Manchester United’s 6-0 FA Cup thrashing of Tranmere Rovers on Sunday.
United enjoyed a welcome return to form against lower-league opposition following back-to-back Premier League defeats at the hands of Liverpool and Burnley.
Harry Maguire, Diogo Dalot, Jesse Lingard, Phil Jones, and Anthony Martial all hit in a sparkling first-half performance that saw the Red Devils go into half-time 5-0 up at Prenton Park. Read more... (411 words, estimated 1:39 mins reading time)
by David
on January 19, 2020
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 11th goals in seven Serie A games, as Juventus just about pushed past Parma 2-1 and broke four points clear at the top.
Inter drew 1-1 at Lecce this afternoon, so this was a big opportunity for Maurizio Sarri’s men. Rodrigo Bentancur was still suspended, with Merih Demiral, Giorgio Chiellini, Mattia De Sciglio and Sami Khedira injured. Cristiano Ronaldo missed the midweek Coppa Italia win over Udinese with sinusitis, but returned to partner Paulo Dybala. Parma had the chance to go into sixth place, but Gervinho, Alberto Grassi and Yann Karamoh didn’t make the trip. Read more... (490 words, estimated 1:58 mins reading time)
by David
on January 19, 2020
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could look to replace Marcus Rashford with loan signings after confirming that the Manchester United top scorer could be out for up to three months with a double stress fracture of his back.
United failed to score for the third time in six matches since the start of the year as they lost 2-0 to Liverpool at Anfield in Rashford’s absence on Sunday, remaining fifth in the table and falling 30 points behind the Premier League leaders.
Confirming the severity of the injury to 19-goal Rashford, Solskjaer rued: ‘It’s just an unfortunate situation. Read more... (298 words, estimated 1:12 mins reading time)
by David
on January 19, 2020
Antonio Conte warned Inter’s 1-1 draw with Lecce is proof that they depend on intensity. “If we go into cruise speed, we can’t bring home the points.”
The Nerazzurri were held to their second consecutive Serie A stalemate, after another 1-1 with Atalanta, and risk falling off the Scudetto pace.
“We are a team who have to go at 100km/h. If someone is below par, or off the pace, we cannot afford that and will end up drawing a game we comfortably should’ve brought home,” Conte told Sky Sport Italia. Read more... (367 words, estimated 1:28 mins reading time)
by David
on January 17, 2020
Real Madrid Coach Zinedine Zidane has sympathy for former Barcelona Coach Ernesto Valverde after he was fired earlier this week after two-and-a-half years in charge at the Camp Nou. Quique Setien was appointed as his successor.
Zidane has reacted to the decision from their La Liga rivals, while also acknowledging that he is fully aware that he will come under similar pressure if results were to drop for Real Madrid.
“I’m sorry for him,” he told reporters, as quoted by Diario AS. Read more... (266 words, estimated 1:04 mins reading time)
by David
on January 15, 2020
According to RMC Sport, Juventus are at risk of breaching Financial Fair Play parameters, as their payroll to total revenue ratio is at 71 per cent.
The calculations were made based on a leaked copy of the KPMG financial report on the eight major European league champions, showing Juve are the only ones running at a loss.
The report also suggests “the net results for the 2019-20 season will also be revised negatively.”
It is claimed the biggest problem is the breach of FFP parameters, as clubs need to keep their total payroll to revenue ratio at under 70 per cent, whereas Juve currently stand at 71 per cent. Read more... (269 words, estimated 1:05 mins reading time)
by David
on January 14, 2020
Quique Setien admits he could not have imagined managing the club ‘in his wildest dreams’ during his presentation conference.
The 61-year-old was appointed on Monday night by the club on a two-and-a-half year contract, following the dismissal of Ernesto Valverde.
Predominantly managing in the lower leagues until 2015, Setien led Las Palmas to 11th place in La Liga – their highest position in four decades – before being appointed at Real Betis in 2017.
He led the Seville-based side back into European competition in his first season at the helm before guiding them to the semi finals of the Copa del Rey last season. Read more... (439 words, estimated 1:45 mins reading time)
