La Liga: Luis Enrique blasts Barcelona after Real Sociedad draw; says result was a 'miracle'

La Liga: Luis Enrique blasts Barcelona after Real Sociedad draw; says result was a 'miracle'

Barcelona boss Luis Enrique lamented what he described as the worst display of his time in charge as the Catalan giants escaped with a 1-1 draw at Real Sociedad on Sunday.
Barca have now failed to win in their last eight visits to San Sebastian, but for once the slip-up felt like a victory as Sociedad dominated from start to finish.

"The draw is positive because we take a point from a match in which it was practically impossible to take a point," Enrique told BeIN Sports Spain
"Real Sociedad were infinitely better than us with and without the ball. They won all the battles.

"It is almost a miracle that we took a point."
Barca avoided defeat at Anoeta for the first time in five seasons, but fall six points adrift of La Liga leaders Real Madrid ahead of their meeting in El Clasico next weekend.

"As almost always happens here Real got the better of us and if someone was watching the game without seeing the colour of the shirts they would think the other team was Barca," added Enrique.
Barca failed to muster a shot on target in the first-half and didn't even make it into the Sociedad area until the 41st minute.

However, it took 53 minutes for Sociedad to go ahead when a hobbling Gerard Pique, playing with a heavily strapped ankle, failed to clear Willian Jose's weak header off the line.
Yet, just six minutes later, in Barca's only move of real quality in the 90 minutes, Neymar sprinted clear on the left and his cross was buried into the bottom corner by Lionel Messi.

"Playing like this it will be very difficult to win the league," said Pique.
However, Enrique insisted Barca's league challenge is far from over with just 13 games played and two meetings with Madrid to come.
"That performance has happened I think once in my time at Barca," added the man who has steered Barca to back-to-back La Liga titles.

"It is the first time I have the seen the team clearly inferior to the opponents.
"The positive thing is we will fight for this league until the end and we have to improve on this display without doubt because it is impossible to play worse."

Barca should at least be able to count on Pique for the Clasico with the Spanish international confident he can't shrug off the ankle injury first picked up in a 0-0 stalemate with Malaga last weekend.
"I think so," he replied when asked if he will be fit to start.
"In the first-half I felt the ankle again, but hopefully I will be ok for Saturday."

source by  http://www.firstpost.com/

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La Liga isn’t gone, yet

La Liga isn’t gone, yet

A good win over newly promoted CA Osasuna this weekend sees Atlético rise to fourth in the table, helped by fellow top clubs dropping points. 

In an uncomfortable win against newly promoted CA Osasuna on Sunday, Atlético got a 3-0 win in a difficult game away from home. Having started the weekend in sixth place, at the end of matchweek 13 Atleti find themselves in fourth, keeping the dim light of a title challenge going.

Facing Osasuna at El Sadar is never an easy task, despite a poor start to the season from the home side, they were desperate for points, and the game was far from a cakewalk for Atleti.

Jose Gimenez was rewarded for a solid midweek performance against PSV with a start this weekend, however his continued issues with making mistakes became an issue once again, conceding a 14th minute penalty.

Thankfully, Jan Oblak saved Roberto Torres’ spot kick, the fourth of his Atleti career. Josema wasn’t entirely convincing in this match, but the clean sheet was maintained, though the Uruguayan may owe his ‘keeper a few drinks for the penalty save.

Atlético compounded woes for Osasuna when Diego Godin headed in Atleti’s first goal from a corner in the 36th minute, followed by a backbreaker from Kevin Gameiro just a minute later. Having given away such an early penalty kick, Atlético showed great resilience to recover and put themselves in a comfortable position.

Yannick Corrasco added the third in added time at the end of the match, capitalizing on a mistake by Miguel Flaño. On 68 minutes, Atleti had a huge penalty appeal waved off after a blatantly deliberate handball was not called by referee Antonio Lahoz.

Like in the PSV game, the midfield partnership of Tiago and Gabi was revived, with Koke and Correa acting as the wingers. Despite the allegedly “permanent” move Koke made to become a central midfielder, again he found himself mostly on the wing, which makes Atleti’s midfield tougher and safer, if less creative. Koke did register an assist from the corner for Godin’s opener, but how he fits into the team long term does remain a question mark.

Winning against a newly promoted team by a comfortable margin in the end is not and should not be wildly exciting for Atlético, but what made this a great weekend for the club was the failure of the other teams at the top of La Liga to pick up three points.

Villarreal, who started Sunday in front of Atlético, was facing a similar task of a newly promoted side in Alavés. Arguably, their match was easier as it was at home, but Alavés, who have caused trouble for both Barcelona and Atlético this season, again got an impressive result, winning 2-0. Real Sociedad, too, pulled off a good result at Anoeta, drawing 1-1 with Barcelona, continuing their great run of form at home against the Catalans.

Atleti are still nine points off of leaders Real Madrid, but only three off of Barcelona and Sevilla in second and third, respectively. Though Real Madrid have a quite substantial lead at the top of La Liga, next weekend’s El Clasico could have big ramifications for the future of the title race in Spain, and whether or not Atleti have a chance at all to win the title.

source by  http://www.intothecalderon.com/

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English Premier League sells China TV rights for £564m

English Premier League sells China TV rights for £564m

Deal with digital broadcaster PPTV is the league’s biggest ever outside UK
Three-year contract will start in 2019, when current deal comes to an end

Premier League club West Brom were bought by a Chinese company in August as links with the country continue to grow.
The Premier League has signed its richest TV deal outside the UK, cashing in on the boom in the sport in China by signing a three-year deal worth $700m (£564m).

The contract, for three years from 2019-20, is with digital broadcaster PPTV, a division of Suning Holdings, and is understood to be worth almost 12 times the existing deal of around $60m over three years with Super Sport Media Group.
Earlier this year, Suning bought a majority stake in Italian giants Internazionale amid an ongoing boom in football investment from China. Both at home and abroad, Chinese interests have invested in the sport as part of a drive by president Xi Jinping to build a “sports economy” built around football.

In taking the unusual step of negotiating a new three-year deal during the first year of the current three-year cycle in both China and the US, the Premier League has already guaranteed $1.2bn in income for its next rights period from 2019-20 to 2021-22.

The unprecedented spending spree in China has led to the Premier League’s biggest overseas deal, topping the $500m that NBC agreed to pay to extend its contract to show the league in the US from 2019-20 to 2021-22.

It also means that the Premier League has two of the biggest markets in the world tied up until 2021-22. Under its existing deals, the Premier League already brings in an estimated £8.3bn over three seasons, including £5.5bn in domestic contracts.

The Premier League shifted strategy in China around a decade ago following an ill-fated deal with a pay TV operator that saw it lose ground to other leagues and other sports, with free to air reach being prioritised over income.

With its new deal, it will hope to balance both. It is understood to include both free to air and regional TV elements, while also allowing a large number of matches to be parcelled up into subscription packages according to PPTV’s wishes.

The news will also come as a tonic to Premier League executives in the wake of a wave of speculation over the cause of a dip in viewing figures in the UK and the US, and a reminder of its commercial pre-eminence over other leagues around the world.

PPTV, a video-streaming website, paid $270m last year for the exclusive media rights to the Spanish soccer league La Liga.

The long-term contract will also give certainty to clubs and is the latest indication that the huge growth in overseas TV income, which has gone from zero to almost £3bn over the past 24 years, has not yet hit a ceiling.

source by  https://www.theguardian.com/

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Bournemouth's Eddie Howe not yet ready to take on Arsenal job

Bournemouth's Eddie Howe not yet ready to take on Arsenal job

As he so often does, Arsene Wenger faces the future on Sunday when he comes up against Bournemouth. Arsenal's fixture lists in recent years have been pockmarked by meetings with men tipped to be his successor, whether it is Owen Coyle, Roberto Martinez or Jurgen Klopp. The Emirates Stadium faithful may be grateful that such predictions about the Scot and the Spaniard never came true and, though some may yearn for the German, he is contracted to Liverpool until 2022.

So Bournemouth's Eddie Howe has, without necessarily wanting to, assumed the mantle of the next Arsenal manager. Named the Football League's manager of the decade, he is the bookmakers' favourite to replace Arsenal's veteran of the past two decades.

The 38-year-old plays a brand of passing football that could make him seem a natural fit. He offers the prospect of loyalty and longevity, two of Wenger's greatest attributes. He has identified and championed young talent such as Jordon Ibe, and displayed an ability to make his clubs money in the transfer market -- most notably Danny Ings and Matt Ritchie. He has even found a way of playing Jack Wilshere regularly (albeit while the midfielder is on loan).

Howe has been a transformative force. He inherited a club sitting 91st in English football when he first took over at Bournemouth; they now stand 10th. None of his peers have provided such exponential improvement, partly because most did not start at such lowly levels. Factor in a clean-cut image, a capacity to talk reasonably and eloquently while clearly motivating and coaching players to achieve more than they have done elsewhere and it could all put Howe in pole position.

It is undeniable that he has done a superb job at Bournemouth and hard to imagine that anyone else would have done better in the same circumstances. Yet the reality is that it is Bournemouth, a small club who often escape scrutiny, that can hide the problems in his candidacy.

When underdogs excel, it tends to be when the odds are stacked against them financially. Not Bournemouth, whose spending has been bigger than is often acknowledged. They were fined £7.6 million for breaching the Football League's Financial Fair Play rules during their 2014-15 promotion season, when they posted a loss of £38.3m. Their wage bill amounted to 235 percent of their turnover. It was scarcely a case of Wengernomics -- of living within their means in shareholder-pleasing fashion.

Then consider their transfer business. Some of it, undeniably, is brilliant. Harry Arter was a £4,000 signing from non-league Woking who has become an accomplished Premier League midfielder. The defiantly unglamorous Steve Cook cost £150,000 and has proved he is worth his place in the world's most glamorous league. Simon Francis was a League One stalwart who now captains a Premier League club. Andrew Surman came for an undisclosed fee and ran most miles in the top flight last season. Callum Wilson's pricetag may have only been £3m but he powered Bournemouth to promotion with 23 goals and has made a mark at the higher level.

But amid the bargain hunting are examples of strange signings and waste. Howe was unfortunate that Tyrone Mings, an £8m buy in 2015, was struck down by injury. Yet with Charlie Daniels proving a revelation at left-back, it was strange to spend a further £6m on Brad Smith -- who has not played a minute of Premier League football. The £7m acquisition Lewis Cook has only played 81 minutes, the £5.4m Lys Moussett only 14. They are 19 and 20 respectively, so their time could come, but £7m went on Lewis Grabban, who has scored one goal in 21 games since returning to the Vitality Stadium, while £10 million Benik Afobe has done better, but only to the tune of four in 25.

The experienced duo of Glenn Murray and Lee Tomlin came last summer for a combined £7.5m, much of which will never be recouped, and mustered only four goals between them. The second-string side that lost to Preston in the EFL Cup cost around £50m. Perhaps it is not quite the fairytale it seems. Perhaps Howe's record is sufficiently mixed to say he can be both canny buyer and spendthrift.

If Bournemouth sometimes pay over the odds, it is because they invariably buy from the British market. That may not serve as a qualification to manage Arsenal's more cosmopolitan squad. Howe would be utterly untried at a key part of the job. Apart from former club record buy Tokelo Rantie, who made a negligible impact after costing around £2.5m, he has rarely scouted abroad.

Perhaps more significantly, there is a glass ceiling for teams who are overwhelmingly English: it used to be around fifth place. Now it may be nearer 10th. Given the shortage of high-class locals and the numbers of them owned by the elite clubs, it is hard to get higher without at least half the side being comprised of foreign talent these days.

Howe has fielded up to nine English players in his starting XI this season. The appeal of such a move stretches beyond traditionalists and the more parochial. He has shown players from the lower leagues can perform in the Premier League in the right environment, yet ultimately that is not a qualification to take over at the Emirates Stadium as much as a reason for the FA to pursue him in the future.

Howe would be an imperfect fit as Arsenal manager and a much better one for England. There are more reasons to anoint him Gareth Southgate's eventual replacement than Wenger's.

source by  http://www.espn.in/football/

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Tottenham face acid test of Premier League title credentials at Chelsea

Tottenham face acid test of Premier League title credentials at Chelsea

Every team with aspirations of success faces a pivotal period when those ambitions are given the sternest test. Mauricio Pochettino will know that his Tottenham Hotspur players now stand on the verge of the fortnight which could make or break their season and may even affect the long-term destiny of the club itself.

Unbeaten in the Premier League so far this term, Spurs travel to Stamford Bridge on Saturday aiming to claim three points away to Chelsea for the first time since February 1990.

Last season's trip to west London, when Tottenham's title hopes died on May 2 last season as they surrendered a two-goal first-half lead to draw 2-2, offers a glimpse into the psychological battle that Pochettino's team must overcome this weekend before they can even focus on beating Chelsea on the pitch.

But the trip to Chelsea is only the first staging post of three games -- assuming they make easy work of bottom club Swansea at White Hart Lane on Dec. 3 -- which culminate in the Dec. 11 encounter with Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Four days prior to the clash with Jose Mourinho's team, Spurs must negotiate a Champions League game which now means nothing against CSKA Moscow at Wembley, fully aware that the only result which works in their favour against the Russians would be a defeat that would ensure they avoid having to honour Europa League commitments in the second half of the season.

Win or draw, and Spurs must then prepare for the unwanted burden of Thursday night football, just as their pursuit of the Premier League title will be entering its most crucial phase.

Europe has become a major problem for Spurs in the wake of their Champions League elimination at the hands of Monaco in midweek.

Juggling Premier League and Champions League commitments has, predictably, drained Tottenham's resources and perhaps played a central factor in their inability to turn any of their six league draws into victories.

Despite remaining unbeaten, six draws from 12 games is why Spurs go into their clash with Chelsea lying outside the top four. They are already having to play catch-up, so the distraction of the Europa League is hardly going to help in that regard. But it is likely going to be a problem they are simply going to have to deal with.

Yet how they fare against Chelsea and United will tell us how Spurs are likely to proceed for the remainder of the season, with or without the Europa League. Quite simply, it is time for Tottenham and Pochettino to live up to the hype and deliver when it matters.

Any failure to do so will leave them as also-rans in the title race and set up a potentially destructive summer in 2017, with a clutch of young players such as Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Eric Dier who may wonder whether their ambitions can be satisfied at a club unable, or unwilling, to pay the same astronomical wages as domestic rivals -- particularly Manchester City and Manchester United, who stand alone in their ability to outspend the rest.

If they come through the trips to Chelsea and United with six points, Spurs will find themselves justifiably billed as title contenders, but do they have it in them to win at Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford?

                                                                Michael Steele

The answer is yes, of course. On their day, as Spurs displayed when defeating Man City 2-0 at White Hart Lane in early October, they produce arguably the most effective football in the Premier League.

On that day, Spurs out pressed, out ran and out-scored a previously unbeaten City, but they have won just once in nine games in all competitions since then -- a dramatic injury-time win against West Ham -- and have proved unable to build on a result that had many billing the club as title favourites.

Injury-enforced absences suffered by the likes of Kane and Toby Alderweireld have not helped, but Tottenham's loss of form without two of their key players points to a lack of depth in Pochettino's squad, with struggling Dutch forward Vincent Janssen exposing a failure to recruit properly over the summer.

The game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge is now an acid test of their credentials.

The negative history there is one thing, but Antonio Conte's team are beginning to blow teams away at Stamford Bridge -- they have hit 12 without reply in their last three home outings, against Leicester, United and Everton -- and will be confident of doing the same against a Spurs stide still licking their wounds from the Champions League humiliation in midweek.

Failure at Chelsea will cast Tottenham adrift in the title race and leave them fighting a battle to finish in the top four, which is why the trip to United would then become so important.

Currently lying fifth, Spurs are just one place, and five points, above Mourinho's spluttering United.

Win at Old Trafford and Spurs would pull clear of United, consigning them and Mourinho into a five-month slog for an unwanted Europa League spot. But lose and they would energise a powerful rival -- one which would also dearly love to prise Kane away from White Hart Lane -- and leave growing question marks over the prospects of Pochettino's squad realising their potential at the club.

It just needs a couple of victories at Chelsea and United to banish the storm clouds currently gathering over White Hart Lane; the next few games will be crucial.

source by  http://www.espn.in/football/

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Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal lead Premier League support for Rainbow Laces 2016 campaign

Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal lead Premier League support for Rainbow Laces 2016 campaign

Premiership Rugby, English Football League and the Rug by Football Union are also involved in the scheme to raise awareness in both professional and amateur sport

Mancester United, Liverpool and Arsenal head a Premier League contingent to join Premiership Rugby, Football Association, English Football League, Rugby Football Union and sports clubs around Britain in taking part in the Rainbow Laces takeover this weekend.

The campaign aims to show support for lesbian, gay, bi and trans players and fans.

Rainbow Laces-themed activities will take place
21-27 November across both professional and grass roots sports clubs.

The Premier League have been actively involved and will prominently feature the campaign at all games this weekend.

Perimeter advertising and a giant Premier League Rainbow Laces flag to open games are amongst the additional acts of support.

Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool FC, and Hull City are all involved


Players across the country in the Premier League will wear the rainbow-coloured shoe laces to tackle LGBT discrimination

In addition to Premier League Clubs, teams from the Championship, League One and League Two, English Football League, Premiership Rugby and Welsh Rugby will also be involved.

Numerous players will don the Rainbow Laces during training and games, while the Wembley Arch will also be lit up in rainbow colours on Saturday 26 November.

The initiative follows Stonewall research that shows 72 per cent
football fans have heard homophobic abuse at grounds around the country.
The research, conducted by ICM, also demonstrated that the majority of fans would welcome fans from the LGBT community. Moreover, 63 per cent said more should be done to integrate the LGBT community into sport.

A film has been released to demonstrate the effects of homophobic, biphobic and transphobic language, including Team GB canoeing champion Matt Lister, Sophie Cook, club photographer for AFC Bournemouth, and former England and Team GB women’s football captain Casey Stoney.
Premier League Executive Chairman, Richard Scudamore, said: "The Premier League is all about exciting, passionate and unpredictable football that is for everyone, everywhere.

"The Rainbow Laces campaign complements the work clubs are doing to promote inclusion and diversity in their stadiums, and across all levels of the sport.

"Our support for the campaign, and the decision to become members of Team Pride, is further recognition that the LGBT community is a vital and integral part of our community."

source by http://www.mirror.co.uk/ 

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English Premier League: Jose Mourinho wants more time at Manchester United

English Premier League: Jose Mourinho wants more time at Manchester United

Mourinho has admitted that he needs more time to build a team that can dominate English Premier League.

English Premier League: Jose Mourinho wants more time at Manchester United

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has admitted that he needs more time to build a team that can emulate the dominance in English football that former manager Alex Ferguson achieved during his time at the club.
Mourinho took over from former manager Louis van Gaal last May and has seen mixed results with the former English Premier League (EPL) champions so far.
The team has generally struggled to create goals with veteran Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic the main threat in their forwardline. The defense not exactly covered themselves in glory either.
Of the 12 EPL goals that they have played so far this season, Manchester United have managed only 17 goals and have conceded 14. They currently lie at the sixth place in the EPL table with 19 points, nine behind current league leaders Chelsea.
Mourinho, however, pointed out that Ferguson took four years to win his first major trophy in English football and insisted that it may take time for his managerial skills to have an impact at the club.
Ferguson spent 26 years at Manchester United, during which he won 38 trophies, including 13 EPL titles, five FA Cups and two Champions League titles.
“The best manager in the history of the Premier League needed a few years to build such a successful period. If the best needed that time, means that the others also need that time,” Mourinho was quoted as saying by the Independent on Wednesday.
The former Chelsea and Inter Milan manager admitted that he is finding the going tough at Old Trafford, but insisted that he was prapared for the pressure of managing a big club.
“The job is as difficult as I was expecting. I was not expecting the job was easy. I said that I wanted to try to win the EPL but at the same time I thought that was a risky approach with my words,” Mourinho said.
“My words were not defensive with the risk. I knew it was going to be very difficult.”
The 53-year-old, who has won the EPL twice with Chelsea, asserted that he wants to stay at Manchester United beyond his current three-year contract, but admitted that he will have to earn it by delivering results.
“I am in the beginning of my contract. I am in the beginning of the process. Let’s go step by step,” he said.
“If you ask me would I like to be successful in these three years, would I like to stay here for more time than these three years, then yes.”
(With agency inputs)

source by  http://www.india.com/sports/

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Liverpool are best team I've played against, says Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg

Liverpool are best team I've played against, says Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg

                            Liverpool were held to a goalless draw at Southampton

Southampton midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg says Liverpool are the best team he has ever played against.

The Denmark international has played some of the giants of the Bundesliga and some of the Premier League big boys - but he reckons Jurgen Klopp's men are a class apart.

Southampton held on for a 0-0 draw at St Mary's - Liverpool dominated the match but did not manage to breach Fraser Forster's goal.

"I played in Germany against Bayern Munich and Dortmund, I played against Manchester City in the Champions League, but I must say this is maybe the best team I have ever played against," Hojbjerg told the Saints website.

                                                    Southampton 0-0 Liverpool

"It's not only that they move the ball quickly. They also have fast players, and with the ball they are very good one against one.

Rain covers the glasses of Liverpool's German manager Jurgen Klopp as he applauds the fans

"It's unbelievable how they move, how they stand, how they work together - it's like a symphony."

With an off-target Charlie Austin header the best opportunity Claude Puel's men could muster on a stormy afternoon, Hojbjerg was ultimately pleased to take a share of the spoils.
Reaction from Jurgen Klopp after Liverpool's 0-0 draw with Southampton
"As always, the best is to win, but against a fantastic team like Liverpool you have to realise that a point is a fantastic result," he added.

"We should be happy with the one point, but it's not that I say this is not our level. We can come up here and we have something to say up here and we showed that today."

source by  http://www.skysports.com/

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English Premier League: Diego Costa's Strike Puts Chelsea on Top of the Table

English Premier League: Diego Costa's Strike Puts Chelsea on Top of the Table

Diego Costa celebrates after scoring against Middlebrough in the English Premier League.

Middlesbrough: Chelsea replaced Liverpool at the top of the Premier League with a comfortable 1-0 win at Middlesbrough thanks to a first-half Diego Costa strike on Sunday.
It was the London side's sixth successive league victory without conceding a goal and put them on 28 points from 12 games, a point ahead of the Merseyside club and Manchester City.
The league's leading scorer, Costa, hit his 10th goal of the season to put them in front four minutes before the break.

'Boro, promoted last season, found it hard to make any clear opportunities against a solid Chelsea defence and remain in the bottom six, one point clear of the relegation places.
Despite starting brightly, the hosts struggled against the 3-4-3 system that has brought the west London side such success since manager Antonio Conte introduced it at the start of October following a 3-0 defeat by Arsenal.

Eden Hazard, who has rediscovered the form that made him Player of the Year in England two years' ago, prompted attacks from wide on the left and, with Victor Moses continuing to enjoy himself out on the right, Chelsea started creating chances.
Moses, up against former Manchester United defender Fabio de Silva, shot wildly high but did better in setting up Pedro, whose goalbound shot was brilliantly touched over the bar by Victor Valdes.
When Moses won another corner shortly before the interval, a clutch of 'Boro defenders failed to clear the ball and Costa reacted faster than any of them to volley home.

FINE SAVE

It took a fine save by Valdes to prevent another goal within 25 seconds of the second half. He parried Marcos Alonso's low drive and Calum Chambers scraped the loose ball to safety.
Gaston Ramirez put a rare Middlesbrough chance too high from 20 metres before Pedro was denied what would have been a stunning Chelsea goal.

Costa headed down David Luiz's perfectly flighted diagonal cross and his fellow Spanish international Pedro crashed a shot against the bar.
'Boro manager Aitor Karanka, appointed three years ago this week, tried in vain to change things with a double substitution, although Alvaro Negredo was unfortunate with a clever volley that forced Chelsea's Thibaut Courtois into his first real save of the game 12 minutes from the end.

"We knew it was going to be hard but we are in the Premier League and one mistake gets you punished," Karanka said.
Middlesbrough have now lost their last seven league and cup games against the London side without scoring and have not beaten them since 2006.

"Confidence and spirit are up and we are playing well," Chelsea defender Gary Cahill told Sky Sports.
"We are getting the results too which is the most important thing. We have carried on from where we left off at the international break.
"We are happy with today's work, but the league is not won today. It is not even Christmas yet."

source by  http://www.news18.com/

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Thibaut Courtois: This is what I make of Chelsea's title chances

Thibaut Courtois: This is what I make of Chelsea's title chances

THIBAUT COURTOIS has admitted Chelsea are contenders for the Premier League title.

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has backed his side to be in the Premier League title race

The Blues have been in brilliant form since Antonio Conte switched to a 3-4-3 formation, winning five league games in a row without conceding a goal.

They currently sit second in the Premier League, a point behind leaders Liverpool.

Chelsea finished 10th in the Premier League last season, but Courtois thinks they are more likely to replicate their 2014/15 title-winning campaign this time around.

Thibaut Courtois has been part of Antonio Conte's tight defensive unit at Chelsea

Thibaut Courtois is currently on international duty with Belgium

But the Belgian goalkeeper warned his team-mates not to get complacent.

He told Sky Sports: "We could be title contenders but after last season we have to be careful about everything.

"We cannot relax because maybe last year we went too easy into the season because we were champions the year before.
"We have to keep the focus, ambition and hunger to win and, if we keep that, then maybe in May we can lift that trophy.

"The clean sheets are nice but, apart from Leicester and Manchester United, I didn't have too much work to do.

"That's part of the teamwork.

"If you defend well you keep clean sheets and that's what's happening."

source by  http://www.dailystar.co.uk/

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Liverpool latest news: Jordan Henderson hails impact of new backroom recruits

Liverpool latest news: Jordan Henderson hails impact of new backroom recruits

INTO another international break, Liverpool are sitting pretty at the top of the Premier League table and they have plenty of people to thank.

While Jurgen Klopp has brought out the best in the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino, there is one person whose contribution has flown under the radar — and she is a former Pep Guardiola recruit.

But Mona Nemmer’s role has not gone unnoticed by skipper Jordan Henderson, who has heaped praise on the impact the club’s head of nutrition is having off the field.

“We all ate well anyway – as professionals you need to make sure your diet is good,” Henderson told Liverpool’s official website.

“But since Mona come in, I think it has gone to another level — the food we’ve been having is unbelievable.

“In pre-season, I couldn’t believe it — we’re getting a bit spoilt, actually. She’s been world-class, making sure we’re getting the right food in after games, the protein shakes we have… everything is covered nutritionally.

“I’ve never seen anything like it since I’ve been involved in football in terms of the food we’re having. Everything seems to be done and checked off for us to go out at the weekend and perform.

“She varies it, it changes all the time. The food is always different — it’s the way it’s made, the way it’s prepared for us. The variation is the biggest thing for us because having the same things all the time can get a bit boring and nutritionally it isn’t good for you. It’s good for you to try different things. I think she’s introduced that brilliantly there.

“Nutrition is a massive part of football, it makes sure you’re healthy, fit and feeling good, and that’s definitely been a side we’ve improved massively on.”

Nemmer joined Klopp’s backroom staff at the start of pre-season, having previously spent three seasons with Guardiola at German giants Bayern Munich and previously holding the role of chef and nutritionist for the German U21 national team.

As part of her role with the club, Nemmer also does one-on-one consultations with players, including giving cooking lessons, to ensure they are in tip top condition to deal with the rigours of the English Premier League.

source by  http://www.foxsports.com.au/

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MESUT OZIL VS DIMITRI PAYET - A STATISTICAL COMPARISON

MESUT OZIL VS DIMITRI PAYET - A STATISTICAL COMPARISON

Dimitri Payet and Mesut Ozil are both excellent midfielders, who are key players for West Ham and Arsenal respectively. However, there has been a lot of debate, mainly on social media, about who is better out of the two. The latter has played for two of the biggest clubs in the world and has a World Cup to his name. Whereas Dimitri Payet plays for a mid-table Premier League side and has never lifted a major trophy. Based on this, it would be easy to believe that Ozil is the better player, but Payet has been incredible for club and country in recent years and deserves to be talked about alongside the better players in his position. I’m going to look at how the two players have started the season and see how they compare to each other.

In terms of goals, Ozil has the beating of Payet as he has scored three to the Frenchman’s one. The Arsenal man has looked a bigger goal threat this season and could be set to score more than ten in the league. In terms of shots, Ozil is averaging 1.8 shots per game at an accuracy of 46%. Compare this with Payet, who is averaging 3.22 shots per game at an accuracy of 38%. The German has been a lot better at converting chances that come his way and there is a feeling that Payet is relied on to make something happen for his side, causing him to take shots on at every opportunity. He needs to be more intelligent in the final third when it comes to shot selection as he has been wasteful at the start of this season.

Last season, Mesut Ozil has the best creative season recorded by Opta since stats began. However, he has dropped off this season and is significantly lower than Payet in the creativity ranks. The Frenchman is averaging an impressive 4.44 chances created and 4 key passes per game. He has recorded four assists this season and if he continues to create as his current rate, that total will only increase. Meanwhile, Ozil has contributed just one assist this season. He is currently averaging 2.7 chances created and 2.6 key passes per game. This is an area that he needs to improve as he is the main creative outlet in the Arsenal side.

Finally, the passing stats of the two make interesting reading and show the different roles that the two play in their respective teams. Ozil is excellent in possession and is rarely dispossessed. He averages 59 passes per game with an accuracy of 87%. The German is the link between the midfield and attack for Arsenal, making him the key man in transition. The fact that he rarely gives the ball away puts a lot of pressure on the opposition defence, as they know he has the passing range and vision to really hurt them. Meanwhile, Payet completes an average of 43.89 passes per game at an accuracy of 79%. He is less involved than Ozil, but it is clear from his creative stats that he tries to cut open defences more frequently and this may be why his pass accuracy is lower.

To conclude, they are both very good players, but they differ somewhat. There is no player that compares to Ozil in the current game. He executes things on the football pitch that few other players would even see, let alone be able to pull off. This season’s stats aren’t the best indication of what he brings to a team and there is definitely a lot more to come from him. Whereas Payet is a great player, capable of producing moments of magic, but he wouldn’t be as effective in a top side. He is doing so well at West Ham as the side is set up to get the best from him. The Frenchman has also taken his time to get to the top of the game and the opportunity to achieve meaningful success has probably alluded him. In short, I think Mesut Ozil is a better player and in truth, it shouldn’t even be a debate.

source by  http://eplindex.com/

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The Best EPL Transfers So Far This Season

The Best EPL Transfers So Far This Season

Every year the top Premier League clubs look to the transfer market for the opportunity to add at least a couple of key player that they hope can put them over the top and help them contend for a championship banner the following season. Some of those moves work out while others fail miserably. We have certainly seen some strong fits out of the gate this year beginning with a star striker that Manchester United managed to steal away from Paris Saint-Germain. Here is a look at the best Premier League transfers so far this season.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Manchester United

There is no doubt about who the top transfer in the Premier League has been so far this season with Ibrahimovic proving that he still has a lot left in the tank early on. The superstar striker has six goals through his first 11 starts for Manchester United with 22 shots on goal in total. Opposing teams have had to game plan for what he brings to the table and there is no reason to think he will slow down. Ibrahimovic’s excellent relationship with Jose Mourinho dates back to their days together with Inter Milan and it will be very interesting to see what they can accomplish together at United this season.

At the current moment, Manchester United is sitting in sixth place in the EPL standings with 18 points. They have managed to score 16 goals while allowing 13 in 11 games this season.

Sadio Mane, Liverpool

Acquiring a player from Southampton seems like it has become an annual rite of passage for Liverpool and they have found an absolute beauty in Mane. The 24-year-old midfielder leads the club with six goals and eight points through his first 10 appearances and is a big reason why the Reds own the best record in the Premier League right now. Jurgen Klopp had been tracking Mane as a potential target since his days with Borussia Dortmund and his addition has paid major dividends for Liverpool early on this season.

Liverpool is the top team in the Premier League as of right now. They have manufactured 26 points in 11 games so far. Most of that success has been due to an offense that has been outstanding. Liverpool has scored a total of 30 goals in 11 games. Those 30 goals are the most in the EPL so far this season.

Granit Xhaka, Arsenal

Xhaka’s biggest impact has been in the defensive midfield so far as he has fit in perfectly with an Arsenal side that is absolutely loaded with talent up front. Arsene Wenger has been criticized in the past for not being willing enough to spend big money on defensive midfielders but he has found a perfect fit in Xhaka. He might have just one goal for the Gunners so far but Xhaka’s defensive presence has definitely been a valuable addition at Arsenal.

Arsenal is currently in fourth place in the EPL standings. They have produced 24 points in 11 games and have clearly been one of the most balanced teams in the Premier League. They have scored 24 goals in those 11 games, which is the fourth-best mark in the EPL, and they have allowed just 11 goals. That’s also the fourth-best mark in the league, which explains perfectly why they are where they are in the standings.

Ilkay Gundogan, Manchester City

Gundogan has been limited to a goal and an assist with Manchester City in the Premier League but like Xhaka, his biggest contributions are on in the central midfield where he has thrived as a possession player. City is loaded with weapons up front and Gundogan has provided a perfect balance in the midfield when called upon by manager Pep Guardiola. Guardiola’s philosophy relies heavily on ball possession and passing angles and that makes Gundogan the perfect fit as a holding midfielder.

Manchester City is currently sitting in third place in the EPL standings. Their offense has been very effective so far as they’ve tallied 25 goals in 11 games. Only two teams have managed to score more goals than them, which are the two teams above them in the standings (Liverpool and Chelsea). Their defense has been airtight too as they’ve allowed just 10 goals on the year. That’s the third best mark among any team in the league.

source by  https://www.getmoresports.com/

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Brendan Rodgers believes Celtic have exceeded expectations in Champions League and brands Manchester City a 'world-class team'

Brendan Rodgers believes Celtic have exceeded expectations in Champions League and brands Manchester City a 'world-class team'

Brendan Rodgers insists Celtic have already exceeded outside expectations in the Champions League despite taking only two points from four Group C fixtures.
The Hoops' 1-1 draw against Borussia Monchengladbach on Tuesday night - after losing 2-0 at home to the Bundesliga outfit a fortnight ago - kept them at the bottom of the table.
After a 7-0 thrashing against Barcelona in the Nou Camp on match day one, the Scottish champions responded with a fine performance in the 3-3 home draw with Manchester City.

         Celtic boss Brendan Rogers thinks his side has exceeded expectations

                    Celtic striker Moussa Dembele celebrates after scoring
     

                Rodgers' men have two points and a slight chance of progressing



Celtic host Barca later in the month before visiting the Etihad stadium in December and progress in the competition or even finding a place in the Europa League remains odds-against.
However, ahead of the Ladbrokes Premiership game against Inverness on Saturday - where defender Jozo Simunovic and striker Leigh Griffiths will return to the squad - Rodgers said: 'I think everyone's expectation coming into it was that we wouldn't get a point. Everyone noted the opponents we were playing, that we would be lucky to get even a point.
'Barcelona away of course we deserved nothing.
'Manchester City was an outstanding team performance, we got a point from that and great encouragement from the performance.
'We were second best on the night at home against Monchengladbach, we didn't quite get to our level.

                       Celtic captain Scott Brown battles for the ball in midfield

'But our last game away we showed a good level of performance and picked up a deserved point.
'So it is game by game. A tough one the next one, but I really look forward to that and we hope to get back to that level we showed against Manchester City.'
Asked if he believed Celtic would be playing European football in the New Year, the Northern Irishman said: 'Win, lose or draw the next two games, it is about performance level.
'I said it was going to be a learning process for us and you can see the players are learning.
'We go into every game thinking we can win and that has always got to be the ambition.
'We recognise we are up against the world's best team and it will be tough for us.'

                         Rodgers believes Manchester City are a 'world-class team

Despite his admiration for Barcelona, Rodgers was not surprised by City's 3-1 win over the Catalan club on Tuesday night, which left the English side two points behind Barca at the top.
He said: 'No, because they (City) are a world-class team in their own right.
'I haven't seen the game yet but again they showed at our place the top level they are at, the investment in the club and the coach (Pep Guardiola) is arguably the world's best and they have got the top players functioning very well.
'So I wasn't surprised. Barcelona have lose three times this season and Manchester City are a top team.'

source by  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

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New Inter Milan boss Stefano Pioli targets Champions League in his first season: 'It won't be easy but there is time to do it'

New Inter Milan boss Stefano Pioli targets Champions League in his first season: 'It won't be easy but there is time to do it'

Stefano Pioli was appointed Inter Milan head coach earlier this week

Speaking to the press for the first time, Pioli announced his lofty ambitions

He wants to see Inter to the Champions League for the first time since 2012

In his first press conference since taking over as head coach of Inter Milan, Stefano Pioli said he is targeting a quick return to the Champions League.

Inter are ninth in Serie A, eight points behind third-place AC Milan and the final Champions League spot.

Pioli's new club have not played in the Champions League since bowing out of the last 16 back in March 2012 but the new boss is determined he will leading his side out in Europe's top tier next season.

                                      New Inter Milan coach  Stefano Pioli is targeting a quick return to the Champions League

                                  Pioli takes over with Inter ninth in Serie A, eight points off the final Champions League spot

                                        Inter haven't played in the Champions League since bowing out of the last 16 back in 2012

'We need to have a winning mentality,' Pioli said. 'The squad has the right values to play in a concrete and winning way. The aim is to get them to play with passion, that's how we'll become a strong team.

'I would be happy if we get to the Champions League. Last year at this time Inter was first and (eventual champion Juventus) was way down, we all know how it finished. I don't want anyone to be under any illusions. It won't be easy but there is time to do it.'

Pioli replaced Frank de Boer, who was fired last week after Inter lost seven of 14 his matches in all competitions. The Italian is Inter's ninth coach since Jose Mourinho led the club to a treble in 2010.

Pioli, who claims to have always been an Inter fan, faces rivals AC Milan in his first match after the international break.

                                  Pioli replaced Frank de Boer, who was fired last week after Inter lost seven of his 14 matches

'We have a very important month coming up,' Pioli said. 'We will have eight matches in a month, we will need everyone. I will make sure everyone is ready. Above all, I want everyone to have the right attitude.'

Pioli spent nearly two seasons in charge of Lazio. He led the Rome club to a third-place finish in his first campaign, but was fired last April after a 4-1 derby loss to Roma.

He has been given an 18-month contract at Inter.

                                 Pioli spent nearly two terms in charge of Lazioand got a third-place finish in his first campaign

'I'm not worried about my future,' Pioli said. 'I'm just focused and motivated. I'm coaching Inter, I can't think about anything else but that. I will give everything. My contract doesn't matter, the only thing that matters is the good of Inter.'

Besides Lazio, the 51-year-old Pioli previously coached his hometown club Parma plus Chievo Verona, Palermo and Bologna in Serie A. In 218 matches as a Serie A coach, his teams have a record of 73 wins, 62 draws and 83 losses. 

De Boer was hired less than two weeks before the season began following the unexpected resignation of Roberto Mancini, who reportedly wanted more control over the transfer market and clashed with Suning, the Chinese retail giant that took control of 70 percent of Inter in June.

source by  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html

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Ronaldo 2 goals shy of 100 in European competitions

Ronaldo 2 goals shy of 100 in European competitions

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, left, smiles after scoring his second goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Deportivo Alaves, at Mendizorroza stadium, in Vitoria, northern Spain, Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016.
ARCELONA, SPAIN
Unless Cristiano Ronaldo suddenly decides to add mercy to his list of virtues, the Real Madrid forward will have a good shot at scoring his 100th goal in European competition on Wednesday.

Ronaldo, who once aptly described himself as "rich, handsome and a great player," is two goals short of that landmark before Madrid visits Legia Warsaw in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The Portugal forward arrives primed for more goals after recovering his ruthless touch on Saturday, when he scored his 38th career hat trick in a 4-1 win at Alaves in the Spanish league.

Ronaldo is the all-time leading scorer in the Champions League, with 95 of his European goals coming in the tournament he helped Madrid win for a record 11th time last season.

But Barcelona rival Lionel Messi has closed the gap with Ronaldo in their never-ending scoring duel after netting seven goals to lead the Champions League this season. That's compared to Ronaldo's two so far. Messi has 90 Champions League goals — after scoring the opener in Barcelona's 3-1 defeat against Manchester City on Tuesday — and 93 in all UEFA competitions.

Legia looks like easy pickings for Ronaldo. The Polish team has lost all three group matches and conceded a tournament-high 13 goals.

And its players will face Madrid all alone at Wojska Polskiego Stadium, whose doors will be closed to the public by UEFA as a penalty for fans' racist behavior and the fireworks thrown during a previous loss to Borussia Dortmund.

Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane said Legia has played well despite the poor results.

"We respect Legia. This is a good team, that can get you into trouble," Zidane said. They were not very lucky with results, but, as I said, they can be dangerous for opponents."

Madrid, which beat Legia 5-1 in their first meeting without any goals from Ronaldo, are undefeated in 26 matches across all competitions dating back to last season's quarterfinals. They have won their last five matches overall by the combined score of 24-5.

Gareth Bale will also be eager to shine after signing a new contract with Madrid through 2022.

The only worry for Madrid is the absence of injured center backs Pepe and Sergio Ramos.

Madrid will qualify for the last 16 if it wins and Dortmund beats Sporting Lisbon in the other Group F match.

Here are some others things to know about Wednesday's matches:

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GROUP E

Group E is proving to be this season's most competitive quartet.

Only three points separate leader Monaco from last-placed CSKA Moscow before they meet in the Mediterranean principality. Monaco has been boosted this campaign by the arrival of Poland defender Kamil Glik, whose late goal earned a draw against Bayer Leverkusen.

Tottenham hosts Leverkusen with both sides hoping for a win combined with a Monaco slip to move to the top of the group. Spurs haven't won in five matches across all competitions without injured striker Harry Kane.

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GROUP F

Dortmund, like Madrid, can advance with a win over Sporting Lisbon.

Mario Goetze, who returned to Dortmund this season from Bayern Munich, has shown some flashes of his rich talent. But more will be needed for Dortmund make another run to the final like in 2013, which Goetze missed because of injury.

"To do it would be my biggest dream come true," Goetze said. "Yet that was a long time ago. I'm focusing on the future and on this Champions League season. It's not going to be easy next time against Sporting."

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GROUP G

Its Premier League title defense may be in serious trouble, but Leicester City is outperforming the other English sides in its first foray in the Champions League.

Three wins in as many matches mean Leicester can seal a place in the knockout rounds with another win over FC Copenhagen.

In the other group match, FC Porto welcomes Brugge hoping to break a run of four home matches without a victory in Europe.

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GROUP H

Juventus and Sevilla are level at the top of Group H and can go through with victories in their respective home matches against Lyon and Dinamo Zagreb.

Juventus faces Lyon fresh off an encouraging 2-1 win over domestic rival Napoli, which allowed it to build a four-point lead in Serie A.

"I can be satisfied with our start, but I'm also sure we have a lot of room to improve," Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain said. "We're expecting a difficult game. Lyon had better results in their recent games and they gave us a real test two weeks ago."

Sevilla will be without midfielder Samir Nasri, who has been playing well for the Andalusian side on loan from Manchester City.

Nasri scored Sevilla's winner in a 1-0 victory in Zagreb. He then picked up a left leg muscle injury over the weekend.

source by  http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/article111760962.html

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Neymar's fraud trial should go ahead, says Spanish court

Neymar's fraud trial should go ahead, says Spanish court

Barcelona forward Neymar, his parents and two of the club's executives should stand trial for alleged corruption, Spain's High Court said on Monday as it wrapped up a fraud investigation into the Brazil international's transfer to the Catalan team.

The case stems from a complaint by a Brazilian investment group, DIS, which owned part of Neymar's transfer rights and which alleges it received less money than it was entitled to.

Investigating magistrate Jose de la Mata, from Spain's High Court, said in a written ruling that the prosecution had 10 days to decide to go ahead or withdraw their claim - a formality that normally precedes the launch of a trial process.

Barcelona and Neymar's former club in Brazil, Santos, have come under fire for the way the transfer was completed in 2013.

Investigations have also centred on how Barcelona allegedly concealed an initial contract to poach the player two years earlier, in 2011.

DIS owned 40 per cent of Neymar's sporting rights when the player's transfer to Barcelona went ahead and claims Barcelona hid the real fee and kept it out of the loop in its dealings.
he club - which has already agreed to pay €5.5 million (£4.9 million) to Spanish tax authorities in relation to the case - had initially said they paid €57.1 million (£50 million) for Neymar but later said the cost was nearer €100 million.

The Spanish court said it was proposing that Neymar, his father-cum-agent Neymar Da Silva Santos and his mother Nadine Goncalves, a 50 per cent shareholder of the family company N&N, be tried on a corruption charge.

It also recommended that Barcelona’s current chairman, Josep Maria Bartomeu, his predecessor Sandro Rosell, and the club should also stand tried for corruption and fraud.
Santos and its former chairman Odilio Rodrigues may have also committed fraud, it said.

Barcelona could not immediately be reached for comment.

source by  http://www.eurosport.com/football/liga/2016-2017/

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Sevilla 1-2 Barcelona

Sevilla 1-2 Barcelona

Messi & Suarez Rescue Barca At Sevilla

Spanish La Liga Report: Sevilla v FC Barcelona 06 November 2016
Spanish La Liga

Report: Sevilla 1-2 FC Barcelona

Date: 06 November 2016

Venue: Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán

Goals from Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez helped FC Barcelona come from behind to secure a 2-1 win over Sevilla on Sunday evening.

Luis Enrique made once change from the team that lost to Manchester City, as Denis Suarez came in for Andre Gomes.

Sevilla broke the deadlock after 15 minutes when Vitolo calmly slotted past Marc-Andre Ter Stegen from close range, after Sergi Roberto was caught ball-watching.

The home side should have doubled their advantage after 30 minutes when Luciano Vietto outmuscled Javier Mascherano, before dragging his effort wide of the upright from close range.

The Catalan giants eventually leveled matters just before the halftime break, as Neymar skipped past a couple challenges before teeing up Messi, who placed the ball into the bottom corner.

Barcelona nearly took the lead after 53 minutes, as Messi latched onto a fine flick from Suarez, before forcing Sergio Rico into a superb save.

The visitors were not to be denied on the hour mark, as Messi turned provider to pick out Suarez, who fired home a low effort from close range, 2-1.

Enrique opted for a change for the final 15 minutes, as Gomes replaced Ivan Rakitic as the Catalan giants looked to close out the victory.

Barcelona pushed for a third goal but were unable to breach the Sevilla defence once again, as the score remained 2-1 at the full-time whistle.

The victory sees Enrique's charges move back up to second spot, two points adrift of Real Madrid.

source by  http://www.soccerladuma.co.za/

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Arsenal 1-1 Tottenham: Kane penalty denies Gunners victory

Arsenal 1-1 Tottenham: Kane penalty denies Gunners victory

Mauricio Pochettino's men went behind to a Kevin Wimmer own goal but recovered to pick up a point and ensure they remain the only unbeaten team in the Premier League

Arsenal missed the chance to move top of the Premier League after being held to a 1-1 draw by Tottenham in the north London derby at the Emirates.

The unfortunate Wimmer became just the second man after Chris Armstrong to put through his own net in a north London derby during the Premier League era, as Spurs trailed going into the break.

But England international Kane, back in the team after recovering from an ankle injury, struck from the spot early in the second half as Mauricio Pochettino's visitors earned a share of the spoils from an entertaining contest.

The equaliser, Kane's fifth goal in four league meetings with the Gunners, saw the north London derby become the highest scoring fixture in Premier League history.

The result leaves Arsenal third, one point behind leaders Chelsea and three ahead of fifth-placed Spurs.

Tottenham started strongly on enemy territory, Kane narrowly failing to get on the end of an inviting pass to the back post five minutes in after good work down the left from Son Heung-min.

And the striker was inches away from opening the scoring in the 21st minute, his glancing header bouncing narrowly wide from Christian Eriksen's cross.

Arsenal's first clear-cut opportunity ended in disappointment just past the half-hour mark, Alex Iwobi shooting straight at Hugo Lloris after being played in by Alexis Sanchez.

The Gunners slowly began to assert themselves and, with six minutes to go before half-time, Theo Walcott was found in space down the right and cannoned a vicious strike against the upright with Lloris beaten.

The deadlock was finally broken - through an unexpected source - in the 42nd minute, Wimmer attempting to head clear Mesut Ozil's free-kick only to inadvertently dispatch the ball beyond the reach of the diving Lloris.

Spurs responded by starting the second half strongly and were level in the 51st minute after Laurent Koscielny felled Mousa Dembele inside the area.

Referee Mark Clattenburg had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and Kane kept his cool from 12 yards, waiting for Petr Cech to dive before dispatching his penalty straight down the middle.

Cech was called on to prevent Tottenham from going ahead four minutes later, producing an excellent reaction save to keep out Eriksen's shot after the Arsenal centre-backs failed to clear an awkward high ball.

Jolted into life by those narrow escapes, it was Arsenal's turn to threaten in the 61st minute, Granit Xhaka coming agonisingly close to heading home Iwobi's inviting cross.

Hector Bellerin almost restored Arsenal's lead when he broke into the area with 15 minutes to go, the full-back's deflected shot slipping wide of the post after ricocheting into the body of Kyle Walker.

In the 84th minute, an Eriksen free-kick somehow evaded a host of bodies - including Cech - inside the area, before striking the post and bouncing clear, in what was the last real chance of a game, despite a sustained period of late Arsenal pressure.

The next assignment for Arsene Wenger's men is a trip to face two old enemies in the form of Jose Mourinho and Manchester United after the international break, when Spurs host another capital city clash against West Ham at White Hart Lane.

source by  http://www.goal.com/en-us/match/arsenal-vs-tottenham-hotspur/

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LIVERPOOL ON TOP AFTER ARSENAL DRAWS

LIVERPOOL ON TOP AFTER ARSENAL DRAWS

Liverpool's German midfielder Emre Can celebrates scoring his team's third goal in the Reds' 6-1 beatdown of Watford. (Getty Images)

Sunday's English Premier League action opened with the match of the weekend, Tottenham's short trip to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal in the North London Derby. The match didn't feature all the fireworks we've come to expect from a NLD and ended in a 1-1 draw, a fair result for two evenly-matched teams.

Tottenham looked like the better team and up for the challenge of getting three points on the road through the first 40 minutes, but Arsenal went ahead in the blink of an eye thanks to a Spurs own goal. Mesut Ozil delivered a wonderful free kick about square with goal in the 42nd, and Tottenham's Kevin Wimmer misplaced his clearance, sending into the back of the net instead of out for a corner kick.
The opener offered Arsenal the opportunity to come out swinging in the second half and put the match out of reach before Spurs had a chance to apply much pressure. However, the Gunners capitulated thanks to a mistake of their own. Laurent Koscielny stepped in to tackle Mousa Dembele, but took out his legs instead.


Harry Kane, in his first action for Spurs since a win over Sunderland in late September, stepped to the spot and finished cooly to give Tottenham the equalizer, and keep the club unbeaten in the Premier League this season.
The draw will be seen as a wasted opportunity for Arsenal. Manchester City drew and Chelsea won on Saturday to put Arsenal in third coming into the match. The Gunners would have gone top with a win. Instead, Liverpool now leads the pack after a might victory on Sunday,

Liverpool leads the league

Liverpool's high-flying attack was full of gusto and verve once again on Sunday, supplying the Reds with six goals en route to a 6-1 beatdown of Watford at Anfield to go top of the table.

The first two scores came just outside the first 25 minutes of the match via Sadio Mane and Philippe Coutinho. Mane applied a clinical glancing header off a cross to open the scoring, then, minutes later, Coutinho found a yard of space at the top of the box and fired past the keeper for a 2-0 lead.

The match was over from that moment, and Liverpool continued to expand it lead throughout the afternoon, with goals from Emre Can, Roberto Firmino, Georginio Wijnaldum and another from Mane. There might not be an attack in the Premier League better than Liverpool's this season. And now the Reds have first place in the table to go along with it.

Manchester United rebounds from midweek disappointment

Manchester United has gone through a mighty slump in recent weeks, culminating with a 2-1 loss to Fenerbache on Thursday. But the Red Devils appear to have righted the ship, momentarily at least, by beating Swansea City 3-1 on Sunday.


One player who experienced a lot of criticism during United's skid was the most-expensive player in the world, Paul Pogba. People expect you to score goal, and spectacular ones at that, when you command the kind of fee Pogba did. Against Swansea, he started producing that kind of quality once again with a stunner in the 15th minute to put United up 1-0.

But Pogba wasn't the only United player to respond after weeks of poor play. Zlatan Ibrahimovic began the season on a tear, scoring five goals in his first five matches. He's cooled off considerably since then, scoring just once more coming into Sunday. However, Ibrahimovic scored a first half brace to put the match well out of Swansea's reach.

With the win, Manchester United advances to sixth in the EPL table. Swansea, meanwhile, keeps it place in 19th with just five points. American manager Bob Bradley is still winless since joining the club, with three losses in his four matches at Swansea.

source by  http://www.sportsonearth.com/

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EPL: Six-goal Liverpool goes top as Arsenal held in North London derby

EPL: Six-goal Liverpool goes top as Arsenal held in North London derby

Sadio Mane of Liverpool celebrates scoring the opener against Watford as his team goes top of the English Premier League
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(CNN)Liverpool left no doubt of its English Premier League title credentials with a 6-1 rout of Watford at Anfield Sunday to go top of the table ahead of the international break.
Jurgen Klopp's in-form team was in rampant form against a team which had kept three previous clean sheets but had no answer to swathes of home attacks.

The only surprise was it took 27 minutes to make the breakthrough with Sadio Mane heading home from Philippe Coutinho's cross.
It opened the floodgates with Coutinho on the scoresheet three minutes later from Roberto Firmino's pass.

Emre Can put the Reds three-up in the 43rd minute from another excellent delivery from Adam Lallana. It was England midfielder Lallana who also laid on the fourth after the break for Firmino.
Mane's second, set up by Brazilian Firmino, made it five before Daryl Janmaat grabbed a consolation for Watford with 15 minutes left.
Liverpool substitute Daniel Sturridge saw two efforts hit the woodwork before Georginio Wijnaldum rounded off the rout.

Klopp is refusing to engage in title talk, despite moving a point clear of Chelsea, equally impressive in a 5-0 rout of Everton Saturday.
"I am really not interested," he told the Press Association.



"For me it is more important that we look like a team who is able to win and score goals."
There was a welcome three points for Jose Mourinho's Manchester United, beating struggling Swansea City 3-1 at the Liberty Stadium
.
Mourinho had harsh words for his team after the disappointing Europa League defeat to Fenerbahce and made six changes to his line-up.
A stunning volley from record signing Paul Pogba put United ahead on 15 minutes with a further first half double from Zlatan Ibrahimovic all but sealing the win.
Mike van der Hoorn headed a consolation for Swansea on 69 minutes, but new boss Bob Bradley has just one point from his first four matches.

The earlier North London derby was a thrilling and feisty affair as Arsenal was held 1-1 by Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal could have gone top with a victory, but after going ahead with a Kevin Wimmer 42nd-minute own goal, Arsene Wenger's team was unable to press home its advantage.

The equalizer came early in the second half as Mousa Dembele was upended by Laurent Koscielny and the returning Harry Kane scored from the spot to mark his return after a six-week absence.
t left Tottenham as the only unbeaten team in the EPL after 11 games, but still trailing leader Liverpool by five points.

Both side hit the woodwork in either half with and had late chances to seal victory, but Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino was satisfied.
"It's difficult to say one team deserved it more than the other," he said.
"A draw is maybe the fair result. It's been a very difficult game for us, but 11 games unbeaten in the Premier League, we need to be very pleased."

Reigning champion Leicester continued its disappointing title defense with a 2-1 home defeat to West Bromwich Albion, while Hull was relieved to edge Southampton by the same scoreline.

source by  http://edition.cnn.com/2016/11/06/football/football-epl-liverpool-top-mourinho/

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Liverpool v Watford: Can the Reds’ defence finally find their feet?

Liverpool v Watford: Can the Reds’ defence finally find their feet?

Watford travel to Liverpool on Sunday, knowing that they will have chances to score but also a hard time keeping a clean sheet at the other end.
The Merseyside outfit have been free-scoring this season, but have tempered that promise with a leaky defence.
Despite this, the Reds are on equal points with Premier League leaders Manchester City, and will be expecting to take all three points from the Hornets.
Meanwhile, Walter Mazzarri’s side have made a promising start to the campaign, lying in the top half ahead of the international break.
As such, both sides will be gunning for victory this weekend…
It’s a big game for…

                              Dejan Lovren made several mistakes last weekend (Picture: Getty)

Dejan Lovren.

Although, Lovren scored against Crystal Palace last week, he played a key part in both goals that Liverpool conceded.
The Croatian has also been a regular in a defence which has conceded 13 goals in the top flight so far – a total only Bournemouth exceed among the teams in the top half.
As such, the 27-year-old will be eager to prove himself against the Hornets, with the likes of Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo likely to be facing him.
If Liverpool, and Lovren, are to have a successful season, then they really need to start tightening up at the back – and a clean sheet against Watford could be a good place to start.
Likely line-ups

No major changes for Jurgen Klopp, with the fit again James Milner set to come in for Alberto Moreno.
Elsewhere, Emre Can and Giorginio Wijnaldum have both recovered after feeling unwell during the week, with the German likely to play ahead of the former Newcastle man as he has done in the last three league matches.
With the attack performing well against Crystal Palace last weekend, this does mean it could be another game on the substitutes’ bench for Daniel Sturridge.

A solid 1-0 win over Hull City for Watford last week, but an injury to Sebastian Prodl will have soured the three points.
This leaves Mazzarri with a decision to make over whether to stick with three at the back or shift to four.
With Liverpool particularly strong in attack, the Hornets could do with an extra man in defence – and so a back three could be what the Italian goes for.
Meanwhile, injuries to Isaac Success and Stefano Okaka mean that Odion Ighalo is likely to get another chance up front.
If you memorise one stat, make it this…

There has never been a draw between these two sides in the Premier League.
Liverpool have won four of their encounters, with Watford grabbing victories in the other two.
Last time they met....

                                 Joe Allen scored one of Liverpool’s goals (Picture: Getty)

A much-changed Liverpool side ran out 2-0 winners against Watford towards the end of last season.
Coming days after the Reds had dispatched Villarreal in the semi-final of the Europa League, Klopp made eight changes to his side – with the likes of Sheyi Ojo, Kevin Stewart, and Jon Flanagan all getting starts.
Watford, who were already safe by this point, lacked the ability to take their chances and were downed by goals from Joe Allen and Roberto Firmino while Ighalo was profligate.
Liverpool managed a victory by the skin of their teeth back in 2000, even though Patrick Berger and David Thompson had put the Reds two goals ahead after 41 minutes.
However, the Hornets didn’t give up there, with Richard Johnson and Heidar Helguson both netting just before half time to bring the game back alive.
It wasn’t to be for then Watford boss Graham Taylor though, and Vladimir Smicer came off the bench to hit the back of the net with twenty minutes to go and wrap up the three points for Liverpool.
Metro.co.uk’s prediction…
Liverpool should end the game as victors, but it is likely to be another difficult three points for them.
Deeney and the out of form Ighalo will be looking to pounce on any errors from the Reds’ back line, and if recent games are anything to go by there will be a few.
As such, it could be another high scoring affair at Anfield, with the home side coming out on top. 4-2.

source by  http://metro.co.uk/2016/11/04/

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