by David
on April 10, 2018
What a difference a week makes. Or in this case eight days.
Eight days ago, Pep Guardiola and his side were being hailed as the best side to every play in the Premier League.
‘I have been a manager in the Premier League for 20 years and I can’t work out how to stop them,’ said Everton’s Sam Allardyce only a week-and-half ago.
It was not that long ago that pundits were picking City to win an unprecedented quadruple this season, although defeat to League One outfit Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup ended that dream. They were supposed to go a season unbeaten too but Liverpool put a stop to that in January. Read more... (386 words, estimated 1:33 mins reading time)
by David
on April 10, 2018
Liverpool started this European season as nervous participants in Germany but, eight months on, they have careered into the last four.
With an attack of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, Liverpool have the potential to blitz opponents and will cause sleepless nights for whichever team they are pitted against in Friday’s semi-final draw.
Few would have predicted Liverpool would be England’s last representative in the Champions League, particularly after they drew their opening two group games last September, so how has this transformation come about? Here are five ways that Jurgen Klopp has turned Liverpool’s fortunes around. Read more... (951 words, 1 image, estimated 3:48 mins reading time)
by David
on April 6, 2018
Sensational claim from Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola ahead of Saturday’s Manchester derby. Guardiola claims that in January, Mino Raiola, the agent for both Paul and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, offered Manchester City both players. A move that will not go over well with the Manchester United board.
Guardiola made his amazing statement after being asked whether Jose Mourinho still represented a fierce rival, given the history between the two which reached a boiling point when they managed Barcelona and Real Madrid, respectively.
‘I have many rivals especially agents,’ Guardiola said. ‘I have a lot. I am a big boss. I’ll give you a huge list of my big rivalries, believe me.’ Read more... (390 words, 1 image, estimated 1:34 mins reading time)
by David
on April 5, 2018
Some interesting comments from former Manchester United player Henrikh Mkhitaryan about life in North London and how he is determined to turn Arsenal’s ailing fortunes around and become a Gunners legend
The Armenian playmaker arrived from Manchester United in January as part of a swap deal with Alexis Sanchez, following a stop-start 18-month spell at Old Trafford.
Despite flashes of brilliance, including a scorpion kick volley against Sunderland and six goals in United’s run to 2017 Europa League glory, Mkhitaryan struggled to hold down a regular spot in Jose Mourinho’s side, making just 26 league starts. Read more... (348 words, 1 image, estimated 1:24 mins reading time)
by David
on April 5, 2018
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp hailed his side’s performance in the 3-0 romp past Manchester City on Wednesday night as brilliant but rued the failure to kill of the Uefa Champions League quarter-final tie.
Mohamed Salah, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sadio Mané scored in the opening 31 minutes as Liverpool’s high pressing up the pitch, led to City giving away the ball on numerous occasions in the first 30 minutes of the game, directly leading to two of Liverpool’s three goals.
“The first half was brilliant. It was how football should look,” Klopp said afterwards. “We knew about the quality of City but also about our quality as well. Read more... (377 words, 1 image, estimated 1:30 mins reading time)
by David
on April 4, 2018
Mauro Icardi wasted a glorious stoppage-time chance as Inter missed the opportunity to put further distance between themselves and city rivals AC Milan in the race for Champions League qualification with a 0-0 draw at San Siro.
Having looked likely to win Derby della Madonnina for a second time this term, Luciano Spalletti will know Inter should have more than a two-point cushion over fifth-placed Lazio in the race for the final Champions League place.
The scoreless draw was enough to maintain their eight-point advantage over Milan, meaning Lazio are now the main side who can deny them a return to Europe’s top club competition. Read more... (519 words, 1 image, estimated 2:05 mins reading time)
by David
on April 4, 2018
Arsene Wenger has insisted that there is ‘extra pressure’ on his side heading into the all-important Europa League quarter-final against CSKA Moscow due to their league position.
Arsenal host the Russia side on Thursday night in the first leg of the last-eight tie knowing that winning the competition would ensure they qualify for the Champions League next season.
The Gunners have fallen off the pace in the race for the top four in the Premier League as they are currently sixth, 13 points adrift of fourth-placed Tottenham.
In his pre-match press conference for the Europa League match, Wenger said: Read more... (294 words, 1 image, estimated 1:11 mins reading time)
by David
on April 4, 2018
Jurgen Klopp is one of the only managers in world football who has proven over time he can go toe-to-toe with Pep Guardiola.
The rivalry between the game’s most intense and innovative coaches began in July 2013 when Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund beat Pep’s new club Bayern Munich 4-2 to win the German Supercup.
Overall, their current record is five wins apiece with two draws from their dozen head-to-head encounters.
Whoever emerges victorious from the greatly-anticipated Champions League quarter-final between Liverpool and Manchester City will take a step closer to club football’s biggest prize, but also personal satisfaction for beating a long-standing adversary. Read more... (788 words, 1 image, estimated 3:09 mins reading time)
by David
on April 2, 2018
Manchester United and Liverpool are expected to meet sat the Big House in Ann Arbor Michigan in front of over 107,000 fans this summer.
According to James Pearce from Liverpool Echo, the lucrative friendly is to be part of the International Champions Cup tournament, with the game poised to take place at some point between 20 and 28 July.
United and Liverpool met in Miami as part of the 2014 ICC, when Louis Van Gaal‘s Red Devils won the match-up and eventually the tournament. Liverpool finished second. Read more... (495 words, 1 image, estimated 1:59 mins reading time)
by David
on April 1, 2018
Bayern Munich will be back in the United States next summer, as the club announced a pair of friendlies, which will take place after the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said at the club’s annual general meeting that the World Cup would limit the amount of time the club can spend in the U.S.
“It will be a short trip with only two games as we don’t want to overload our players after the World Cup”.
Bayern participated in the International Champions Cup in 2016, playing matches against AC Milan in Chicago, Inter Milan in Charlotte and Real Madrid in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Read more... (217 words, 1 image, estimated 52 secs reading time)
