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FIFA Club World Cup final preview: Bayern Munich vs Tigres UANL
Bayern Munich will take on Tigres UANL in the FIFA Club World Cup final on Thursday. The Bavarian giants booked their spot in the final with a 2-0 win over CAF Champions League holders Al Ahly on Monday evening. They will be aiming to win the competition for the second time in their history when they come up against Tigres, who have played two games en route to the final. The CONCACAF Champions League winners beat Ulsan Hyundai 2-1 in the second round before clinching a 1-0 semi-final win over Palmeiras last weekend. The Mexican outfit are featuring in their first-ever Club World Cup final. They are also the first CONCACAF side to reach this stage of the competition. Team News: Bayern: Bayern manager Hansi Flick is likely to stick with the same combination from the win over Al Ahly. Marc R...
Liverpool form might not be the only reason behind Klopp’s erratic behaviour
Jurgen Klopp has been under the spotlight for his recent tiff with the media during post-match pressers. The Liverpool manager has been branded as a sore loser by rival fans. There have been claims on social media that the German’s ‘nice guy’ mask has slipped off, but it appears that Klopp is going through a turbulent period in his personal life. Apparently, his mother passed away on January 19 and he has not been allowed to travel home or attend her funeral because of the coronavirus restrictions in Germany. Managers in modern football are already under tremendous pressure. Liverpool’s recent dip in form coupled with the emotional stress Klopp has been under, because of his mother’s demise, paints a different picture. Klopp said (via Bild): “She meant everything to me. She ...
Arsenal midfielder claims Spurs star is the best player in the EPL
Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi is currently on a season-long loan with Bundesliga outfit Hertha Berlin, but it appears that he still keeps tabs on the Premier League. The Frenchman has named Tottenham Hotspur winger Heung-Min Son as the best player in the English top-flight right now, and that might not have done his relationship with the Gunners fan base any good. Guendouzi fell out with manager Mikel Arteta last term, and while he has impressed since joining Hertha, it remains to be seen whether a return to North London is on the cards. The 21-year-old is rarely economical with the truth, and he did not seem to care about Arsenal’s rivalry with Spurs in a recent interview. Guendouzi was asked who he thinks the best player in the Premier League at the moment is, and while he mentione...
Thomas Tuchel confirms two Chelsea stars who will start against Barnsley
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has confirmed two players, who are expected to make the starting line-up against Barnsley tomorrow. The Blues are unbeaten in the past five games in all competitions and four of those have been under Tuchel, who replaced Frank Lampard last month. Ahead of the game, Tuchel has confirmed that N’Golo Kante will make the starting XI after coming off the bench in the last two matches for the Blues. The Frenchman has not started a game for the club since January 3 because of a hamstring problem sustained in training. He has played only 31 minutes off the bench since his comeback. He has the chance to impress tomorrow and reclaim a regular starting role. “N’Golo will start tomorrow and I am so happy to have him back again. We put him on the pitch against Tottenham an...
The best and worst transfers between Premier League rivals
Title contenders often follow a golden rule in the transfer market: don’t sell to direct rivals. However, there are a fair few occasions where this rule hasn’t been followed. Sometimes the player wanted to leave; other times the club received an offer they couldn’t refuse. Some of these players went on to be superstars at their new clubs, bringing in almost instant success. Others were…well…a bit rubbish. In no particular order – here we go: Carlos Tevez (Manchester United to Manchester City, £25m) 1/2 OTD in 2009 Carlos Tevez signed for Manchester City. This ‘Welcome’ poster soon appeared close to Manchester’s city border on Deansgate- pic.twitter.com/rTPWEmDsNO — Dr Gary James (@GaryJamesWriter) July 13, 2017 After winning two titles and a Champions League at Manchester...
‘Top-quality’: Alisson drools over two Liverpool players who work hard ‘on a daily basis’
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson has showered praise on teammates Diogo Jota and Thiago Alcantara. In an exclusive interview with Four Four Two magazine, Alisson has suggested that both Jota and Thiago are top-quality players who work extremely hard in training. Jota joined Liverpool in the summer transfer window from Wolverhampton Wanderers, while Thiago moved to Anfield from Bayern Munich. The Brazilian has admitted that he enjoys their company as they can speak in their ‘own language’. “Jota and Thiago are top-quality players – Jota adds some goals and energy upfront, while Thiago brings more creativity and class to the middle of the park,” said Alisson. “They are two really humble guys who work hard on a daily basis and aren’t worried about themselves – they always think about the team.” S...
Arsenal and Man United to travel to Italy in tough Europa League games next week
UEFA have confirmed that Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool will play the first leg of their respective European ties at neutral venues this month. The Gunners qualified for the last 32 of the Europa League after topping their group with the perfect tally of 18 points from six matches. They are scheduled to face Benfica in the round of 32 and the away leg will be played at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome instead of the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon. Portugal is on the ‘red list’ of countries listed by the UK government and the requirement for a mandatory quarantine for Gunners players on return has led to the decision. Elsewhere, United won’t travel to Real Sociedad’s Anoeta stadium for the first leg of the Europa League round of 32 and the game has been relocated to Juventus...
Tottenham man sends three-word message ahead of FA Cup clash vs Everton
Tottenham Hotspur will face Everton in a mouth-watering FA Cup tie at Goodison Park on Wednesday night. Ahead of the match, Spurs winger Gareth Bale has posted a message for his fans on social networking site Instagram. Bale, who joined Spurs in the summer transfer window on loan from Real Madrid, has really struggled to make an impact for the north London club this season. The Welshman could get a chance to impress Jose Mourinho against the Toffees with the Spurs boss unlikely to start with both Erik Lamela and Lucas Moura for this game. The 31-year-old has managed only two starts in the Premier League this season. However, he has started six Europa League games and will be hoping to be in the starting line-up against Carlo Ancelotti’s side. With game-time hard to come by for him in the l...
Leeds star deserves international chance, but hopes will probably be scuppered – opinion
Patrick Bamford’s performances for Leeds United have sparked talk that he could force his way into the England squad for this summer’s European Championships. The 27-year-old is enjoying an excellent season, scoring 12 goals with six assists in 22 appearances for the Whites. SL View Bamford represented England at youth level, but he has never previously come close to being in the conversation for a senior call-up. However, he has improved massively under manager Marcelo Bielsa and probably deserves a chance to stake his claim for a place. Unfortunately for Bamford, there is plenty of competition with Harry Kane, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Marcus Rashford all ahead of him in the pecking order. Factor in the likes of Tammy Abraham, Jadon Sancho and Phil Foden, and the Leeds star has his work ...
Report: Liverpool ‘continue to track’ £52m star in scintillating form
According to reports from Record (h/t The Mirror), Liverpool are continuing to track Sporting Lisbon’s Pedro Goncalves. Liverpool have been in contact with the Portuguese club over a move for the midfielder who has been nothing short of sensational this season. The Reds have made an informal offer for the Portuguese star who has scored 14 times in 15 league games this term for Sporting. Liverpool, currently fourth in the Premier League table, are already behind leaders Manchester City by 10 points, and they may struggle to retain their league title. Whether or not they manage to do so, it is evident that the squad needs freshness and new additions are required. The Reds could be set for a busy summer transfer window, and it seems Jurgen Klopp has already earmarked Goncalves as an opti...
‘Excellent’, ‘Top class’: Some Man United fans react to 24-year-old’s display vs West Ham United
A selection of Manchester United fans praised the performance of Scott McTominay after he bagged the winning goal in the FA Cup fifth round tie against West Ham United. The Red Devils commanded two-thirds of the possession over the entire cup tie at Old Trafford and it was a frustrating night with very few scoring chances. McTominay came off the bench to replace Nemanja Matic in the 73rd minute of the game and he eventually made the difference in added extra-time. The Scotland international has scored some valuable goals this term and found the back of the net in the 97th minute after a smart lay-off from Marcus Rashford in the box. That proved the only goal of the entire contest and ensured that United reached the last eight of the competition for the seventh season in a row. McTominay’s ...
Jesus and Walker start, Predicted Manchester City line-up (4-2-3-1) vs Swansea City
Manchester City are scheduled to face Swansea City on the road in tonight’s FA Cup fifth round tie. The Cityzens are alive in all four competitions and they still have the chance of securing the unprecedented quadruple. They have been in exceptional form over the past few months and are presently on a stunning 14-match winning streak. The club registered a comfortable 4-1 win over Liverpool to boost their Premier League title credentials last weekend. While manager Pep Guardiola is likely to make changes, they should still be favourites to progress to the last eight of the competition. Formation: 4-2-3-1 Predicted Line-up: Zack Steffen has been the Cityzens’ cup goalkeeper and he is likely to reclaim the goalkeeping role ahead of Ederson. In the backline, there could be a complete reshuffl...
