Lisandro Martinez believes Manchester United are on track to compete for honours under Erik ten Hag, but says the Red Devils must remain grounded following their turnaround in fortunes.
United began the campaign with humiliating back-to-back losses to Brighton and Hove Albion and Brentford, but have won six of their eight subsequent Premier League fixtures to sit fifth in the table.
Ten Hag s team could now leapfrog Chelsea into a top-four spot when they face the Blues at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, having won three of their last four away league games.
United claimed one of their most impressive results of the season last time out, as goals from Fred and Bruno Fernandes downed Tottenham 2-0 at Old Trafford, and Martinez says that display was the culmination of …
Manchester United are ready to do battle with Real Madrid over the services of Paul Pogba, according to .
The French midfielder s contract with the Premier League side expires at the end of the season, and he recently said he wouldn t be rushing to decide whether to renew his commitment or to move on. Mino Raiola, his representative, has apparently told United to wait until April 2022. Real are said to be monitoring the situation closely, with president Florentino Perez aiming to make Pogba one of his Galacticos as he draws up plans for another era of superstars at the club.
However, the 20-time English champions are ready to do whatever it takes to keep hold of Pogba as they, like Real, aim to return to the paths of former glory. They ve shown great ambition by re-sign…
Pep Guardiola believes anything is possible when Barcelona face arch-rivals Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final on Wednesday.
The two sides will meet for the second time in five days at the Mestalla Stadium in Valencia after they drew 1-1 in their La Liga match on Saturday.
However, it is the first time the two great rivals have met in the Copa del Rey for 21 years and with Real Madrid fighting hard to win their first trophy since 2008, Guardiola is tipping another riveting clash.
I imagine that anything can happen in a final between two great teams, with great players, Guardiola said.
I hope that there is a fantastic atmosphere, with no trouble. I hope everyone cheers their team and respects their opposition and that it is a very good final.
<…
Jurgen Klopp hopes Liverpool reaching the Champions League knockout stages can give everyone a lift as the Reds aim to atone for an underwhelming Premier League start.
Klopp has progressed through every Champions League group stage with Liverpool, achieving a club-record sixth straight qualification with a 3-0 victory at Ajax on Wednesday.
Mohamed Salah became the third player to be directly involved in 50 or more goals in the competition for English clubs with a first-half finish and an assist after the interval for Harvey Elliott.
Darwin Nunez scored the other goal as Liverpool eased into the last 16, with Klopp hoping the Reds can carry that form into the Premier League, where they sit eighth – 12 points behind leaders Arsenal.
We had a tough half a…
Liverpool have agreed a fee for Aston Villa winger Stewart Downing, the Anfield club revealed on Wednesday.
Downing, 26, has reportedly been a target of two previous bids from Liverpool during the English Premier League off-season, and it now appears that the Reds are close to landing the England midfielder.
A statement on Liverpool s website announced a bid had been accepted for Downing, with Villa chief executive Paul Faulkner telling The Guardian that Downing had handed in a transfer request to help push through the move.
I can confirm that we have reached an agreement with Liverpool following an improved offer received earlier today and the submission of a formal transfer request by Stewart Downing, and have subsequently given them permission to speak with …
The Qatar Football Association (QFA) have decided to relieve national team boss Milovan Rajevac of his duties after an unimpressive run of results.
The 57-year-old Serbian will be replaced by Brazilian Sebastiao Lazaroni, who had been coaching Qatar Sports Club in the domestic top flight.
Rajevac, who led Ghana at the 2010 World Cup, had taken over as Qatar boss following Bruno Metsu s dismissal after the 2011 Asian Cup, where they reached the quarter-finals as hosts.
However the Serbian failed to impress as Qatar boss with recent losses to India and Vietnam prompting the QFA to move to replace him.
We thank him for his efforts. But we feel this is a time to move on so we mutually agreed to end the contract, QFA president Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Tha…
Stoke City are set to enter the race to sign AC Milan striker M’Baye Niang, .
Premier League leaders Leicester City are also interesting in securing a deal for the forward, as our German giants Borussia Dortmund.
The twenty-one year old moved to Milan from Caen in the summer of 2012, and has since played for them fifty-five times in all competitions, scoring nine goals though he has spent time away from the Serie A outfit on loan.
He had a spell with French side Montpellier in the 2013/14 campaign before spending time with Genoa last season.
Internationally, he has been capped three times for France’s U21s, scoring once while he has also represented his country at U16 and U17 levels.
Milan, who have not won in the league since Niang inju…
Chelsea interim manager Guus Hiddink has played down reports that Eden Hazard could be on his way out of Stamford Bridge,
The Belgium international, who was named the PFA Player of the Year in the Blues’ title winning 2015/16 campaign has struggled to produce his best form this season hitting only four goals in all competitions.
Paris Saint Germain and Real Madrid have both been linked with a move to secure the twenty-five year old’s services with both considering a £70m bid.
Hazard moved to England in the summer the summer of 2012 and recently made his two hundredth appearance for the club in all competitions, scoring fifty-three goals.
As well as triumphing in the league in 2015, the former Lille man also lifted the League Cup the same year …
Verdict: Manchester United win and both teams to score
Best Odds:
Bookmaker:
As Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reign as permenant manager gets underway, Manchester United will host FA Cup semi-finalists Watford at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon.
Manchester United
Starting with the hosts, despite Manchester United crashing out of the FA Cup at the hands of Wolves prior to the international break, their impressive resurge under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has seen the Norweigan icon handed the permanent job at Old Trafford. With their sights firmly set on securing a top-four finish and a Champions League quarter-final with Barcelona to look forward to next month, it has been United s continued performances on home soil really starting to catch the eye. The Red Dev…
Arsenal s bid to finish in the Premier League s top four was dented on Sunday as Phil Jagielka s early goal gave Everton a deserved 1-0 home win.
Unai Emery s men could have leapfrogged Tottenham into third with a draw but will now slide back to fifth if Chelsea secure a point or more at home to West Ham on Monday.
The defeat, their first in seven league games, was no less than deserved after a timid display that was punished when an unmarked Jagielka, in as a late replacement for the unwell Michael Keane, seized on a loose ball in the 10th minute, the 36-year-old tucking home as Arsenal s defenders appealed in vain for offside.
The arrival of Aaron Ramsey at half-time led to an improved second-half showing but the Toffees capably dealt with rare defensive c…