Says European absence no big advantage
Klopp plays down the advantages of Liverpool’s absence from Europe this season. The side is currently level on points with Manchester City and Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table and, along with fourth-placed Chelsea, will not have to play any Champions League or Europa League football this season.
I’m not sure but 80 percent to 90 percent [of the time] in Europe, the team that is champion is playing in the Champions League. Why is that? Ah, because they have quality! Right, because they play good football, they can rotate and rest whenever. It’s not too cool when you’re not successful but when you are successful, you take it to the next game, you have a possibility to rotate and all that stuff because you have a big squad — we cannot rotate that much. It’s different things. Sometimes it is an advantage [not having Europe] but why so often does a team win the league with all these intense games in midweek? Maybe you’ll find an answer for this.
FA awaiting Mourinho referee report
The FA is awaiting referee Clattenburg’s report before deciding on any further steps to take regarding Mourinho’s conduct in Manchester United’s 0-0 draw against Burnley. Mourinho had been incensed by the failure to award Matteo Darmian a penalty after he had fallen in the box following a touch from Jon Flanagan.
Scores against Southampton
Hazard scores the first goal against Southampton, capitalising on poor marking before cutting inside Steven Davis and powering a shot through the legs of keeper Fraser Forster. It is his third goal in three consecutive Premier League games for the first tim. He also provides the pass from which Costa added Chelsea’s second.
Calls for cool heads against Inter Milan
Puel has instructed his players to stay calm as they aim to take advantage of the turmoil surrounding Inter Milan at Siro.
It’s important to stay calm. Perhaps it’s a big occasion for Inter to react as they need points but for us it’s the same thing. They have good players and a good team to have a good reaction and we approach this game with calm and we prepare this game with all our possibilities…It’s important to stay with good concentration for every game of this Europa League. Of course, to play away at Inter Milan is exciting, but this is for us just a game. It’s important to try to take the three points.
Rumour: Kompany out at Man City
Kompany is left out of the squad for the Champions League defeat in Barcelona. Despite Kompany being fit and available to face Barcelona following a brief comeback against Everton, Guardiola put teenage defender Pablo Maffeo on the bench instead. Kompany is understood to have grown increasingly frustrated and was involved in an angry confrontation with Aleksandar Kolarov in training before the Manchester derby.
Koeman: Barkley snub a ‘wake-up call’
Koeman says Barkley’s omission against Manchester City should act as a “wake-up call.” Barkley, who has already lost his place in the England squad, was an unused substitute in the game.
He was okay, very disappointed but you need to be disappointed if you don’t start. In my opinion it was the best lineup to have the best chance at Manchester City last week. If I am not totally happy or it’s a tactical question then he doesn’t start. I still believe in his qualities but maybe its a good wake-up call for him last weekend. He is already playing four years in the first team. You are not any more ‘a talent.’ That means you need to show more and improve.
Marotta: We didn’t have to sell Pogba to Man U
Marotta claims Juventus would have signed Higuain for £75.3m even if they had blocked Pogba from joining Manchester United for £89million.
I know [Napoli President] Aurelio [De Laurentiis] well. He is a passionate man and with Higuain there was a lot of controversy surrounding his move to Juventus. It’s not true, though, that this move was closely linked to Paul Pogba’s departure.We could have done the deal and still retained him, because in the past five years under the management of Andrea Agnelli our turnover has more than doubled, and we have considerable muscle if we want to buy new players.
Out for six months
Odubajo may miss the whole season after sustaining his second serious knee injury in just over three months. He will have surgery next week after fracturing a kneecap during a non-contact training session. Hull says Odubajo had been making “excellent strides” after dislocating the same kneecap. The ligaments he had reconstructed then “remain intact” and he would be out for about six months
Coach: Fabregas not right for AC Milan
Coach Montella says Fabregas is not the right type of player to replace Montolivo, who is expected to be out of action for the next six months after suffering knee ligament damage. Montella has ruled out making an approach for the player when the transfer market reopens in January.
We are looking for a player who has the characteristics of Montolivo, who can also play in a midfield two…Fabregas? He doesn’t have those particular attributes.