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Sunday, 29 September 2013
Liverpool want to give manager Brendan Rodgers a new contract
Liverpool want to give manager Brendan Rodgers a new contract as the Merseyside club are wary of taking risks over his future. The Northern Irishman has two years left on his current deal but has admirers at Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham.
Lionel Messi is doubtful for Barcelona's Champions League
Lionel Messi is doubtful for Barcelona's Champions League tie with Celtic on Tuesday after the Argentina forward, 26, picked up a thigh muscle injury during the 2-0 win at Almeria on Saturday.
Atletico Madrid are keen on making a move for Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho
Atletico Madrid are keen on making a move for Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho, 21, if they qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Manchester United forward Shinji Kagawa's future at the club is in doubt
Manchester United forward Shinji Kagawa's future at the club is in doubt after the 24-year-old Japan international was taken off at half-time during the Old Trafford club's 2-1 defeat by West Brom on Saturday. (Mail on Sunday)
Parrott: Real Madrid and Bale already feeling the heat
European football expert Chris Parrott says Real Madrid and Gareth Bale will now face a test of their mettle after they lost 1-0 to Atletico Madrid on Saturday evening.
The former Tottenham winger has yet to taste victory since signing for a world record £85.3million.
And Parrott says the pressure is already on after the defeat at Santiago Bernabeu. He said: "When Real Madrid don’t win a game, it’s an enormous thing. I would expect Real Madrid and Gareth Bale will be fine but there’s suddenly early season pressure.
"Pressure does interesting things to any team and how they react to this will be very interesting." Parott also says Atleti's win means they should be considered title candidates.
"Gareth Bale was ten the last time Atletico won a Madrid derby in the league. If this didn’t confirm what we already knew, that Atletico are a serious team and potentially there will be a three way title race in Spain. "Suddenly (Diego) Simone’s team are real challengers."
The former Tottenham winger has yet to taste victory since signing for a world record £85.3million.
And Parrott says the pressure is already on after the defeat at Santiago Bernabeu. He said: "When Real Madrid don’t win a game, it’s an enormous thing. I would expect Real Madrid and Gareth Bale will be fine but there’s suddenly early season pressure.
"Pressure does interesting things to any team and how they react to this will be very interesting." Parott also says Atleti's win means they should be considered title candidates.
"Gareth Bale was ten the last time Atletico won a Madrid derby in the league. If this didn’t confirm what we already knew, that Atletico are a serious team and potentially there will be a three way title race in Spain. "Suddenly (Diego) Simone’s team are real challengers."
Man Utd boss David Moyes has Champions League doubts
Manchester United boss David Moyes has questioned whether his side have the quality to win the Champions League.
"To win the Champions League, you need five or six world-class players," said Moyes, who took over the club in July.
"That's the level you have to be at to win it. We've not got that yet but what we have got is experience."
Moyes replaced Sir Alex Ferguson, who retired at the end of last season following 26 years in charge at Old Trafford.Ferguson won 13 league titles, two Champions League crowns, five FA Cups and four League Cups during his tenure.
He recommended fellow Scottish countryman Moyes to take over from him but his successor has endured a difficult start in the role.
United were beaten 2-1 by West Brom on Saturday and have lost three of their opening six Premier League games in defence of the title they won last season.
Boos accompanied the final whistle at Old Trafford after the defeat by the Baggies and United lie 12th in the league table ahead of their match in Ukraine.
However, football legend Johan Cruyff says Moyes needs time to come to terms with being Manchester United manager.
Cruyff was part of the Dutch team famed for its fluid pass-and-move style during the 1970s and the forward played for Ajax and Barcelona before going on to manage both teams.
"If you are going to succeed somebody who was very successful it takes some time," he told BBC Radio 5 live's Sportsweek programme.
Man Utd did not play well enough - Moyes
The 66-year-old guided Barcelona to four consecutive league titles and a European Cup during an eight-year spell in charge of the club.
He added: "It is not a question of your own way of doing things. It is a question that everybody expects you to do everything and win everything.
"They won a lot of things before and they didn't buy a lot of new players, which is an area where they could have done better.
"People always like to win and fans are the same everywhere so it's quite normal that they are like that."
Cristiano Ronaldo blames Real Madrid's players for Atletico loss

Cristiano Ronaldo has defended Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti, saying the players have to be blamed for their 1-0
loss to Atletico.
"The manager has nothing to do with it. He is doing a great job. The fault is on the players, we are the ones that have to improve," he told Marca.
"I am happy with Ancelotti; he is one of the best coaches I have ever had."
Diego Costa's eighth league goal of the season was enough to inflict a first defeat on Ancelotti, who was
appointed manager at the Bernabeu in the summer.
Real had also dropped points earlier this month in a 2-2 draw with Villarreal, Bale's first game for the club, leaving them five points off the top of La Liga.
"We have to keep our heads up because the league is complicated," said Portuguese forward Ronaldo, 28.
"The good thing is that this loss has come early. I have a lot of hope for winning something important this year. I played poorly and so did my team-mates."
Meanwhile, Atletico manager Diego Simeone has urged his players not to get carried away by their perfect start to the season.
The former Argentina international midfielder, 43, said: "In a season, Barca and Real's financial and individual strength is bigger, we have to use our weapons and take it game by game.
"We have to keep calm, the season is very long, we cannot be over-confident."
Sunderland 1-3 Liverpool: Welcome return for Suarez as Reds beat Black Cats

Luis Suarez enjoyed a rapturous return to the Liverpool first-team as his brace helped the Reds to a 3-1 win over Sunderland in his first league appearance since April. It was a bustling encounter at the Stadium of Light, with both teams creating a host of decent chances, but the visitors' more clinical front pair of Suarez and Daniel Sturridge paid dividends. And it didn’t take long for the Uruguayan to show manager Brendan Rodgers what he’s been missing, with the 26-year-old testing the Sunderland defence as he twisted and turned to make room for himself before unleashing a fierce drive that fizzed just past the post in the opening exchanges. The Black Cats also threatened early on as midfielder Seb Larsson struck the bar with a trademark free-kick, but Liverpool looked to have the lead after nine minutes when Martin Skrtel had the ball in the back of the net, only for the defender’s goal to be ruled out for offside. Despite the home side’s best efforts, the in-form Sturridge put the visitors ahead in controversial circumstances on the half-hour mark, the England striker appearing to divert Steven Gerrard’s corner into the net with his upper arm. Sunderland fans were then further angered when the referee turned down protests after an apparent pass back from Kolo Toure to Simon Mignolet, who returned to the Stadium of Light for the first time since his £9million switch to Merseyside. But their jeers were silenced just minutes later when Suarez netted his first goal since returning from his ten-match domestic ban, slotting Sturridge’s pass home into an empty net after a sumptuous long ball from passmaster Gerrard. Liverpool looked vulnerable at the back in moments, while Liverpool’s makeshift right-back Kolo Toure found it difficult to keep tabs on Mackems winger Adam Johnson. The half-time scoreline was perhaps harsh on the Black Cats who performed well and kept plucking away at Liverpool’s back four, with Craig Gardner forcing Mignolet to save magnificently from point-blank range after a clever pass over the top from Lee Cattermole. And the home side started the better as the teams emerged for the second-half, with Johnson again going close with a low strike that drifted just wide and Emanuele Giaccherini pulling one back for the Wearside outfit seconds later, the Italian poking the ball home after Mignolet spilled Ki Sung-Yueng’s initial effort. Mignolet then redeemed himself as Sunderland pushed for an equaliser, the Belgian stopper doing extremely well to parry Gardner’s well hit long-range strike. Liverpool seem to be unable to maintain their dominance in matches at present, and the three points looked less and less likely for them after each Sunderland attack. There was that familiar lack of cohesion to Liverpool’s second-half performance, with wayward passes and poor control halting a lot of their forward moves, as interim boss Kevin Ball’s men looked to pounce on their mistakes. But the hosts struggled to sustain their high tempo, and while Westwood came to his side’s rescue again with a fine save from piledriver from Toure, Suarez wrapped up the contest with his second a minute from time, sweeping the ball into another empty net following a swift counter-attack from the red men. Sunderland’s fourth consecutive defeat sees them remain rock-bottom of the top flight, while Liverpool rise to second - level on points with Tottenham -, with the emerging partnership of Suarez and Sturridge leaving the Anfield faithful hopeful of catching first-placed Arsenal.
Lionel Messi: Barcelona forward out injured for three weeks
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi will be sidelined for up to three weeks after pulling a right thigh muscle in the 2-0 win over Almeria on Saturday.
The injury to the world player of the year will rule him out of Tuesday's Champions League trip to Celtic.
Messi, 26, scored as Barca recorded a club-record seventh straight La Liga win at the start of the season.
It is the Argentine's second injury of the season after he missed an earlier game after bruising his left thigh.
He also missed several games at the end of last season with a right hamstring pull.
In addition to the Celtic match, he will also miss two Spanish league games against Valladolid and Osasuna.
Exclusive - Man United will pull though sticky transitional period, insists May
Former Manchester United defender David May has called for fans to be patient with David Moyes as he steers the club through a difficult period of transition.
The former Everton boss has overseen United’s worst league start in the Premier League era, in his first season since taking over from the great Sir Alex Ferguson.
On the back of winning a record 20th top-flight title, the Red Devils have already slumped to three defeats in their opening six games, while United fans have been left wanting following an unproductive summer transfer window.
But May, who was a key part of United’s famous 1998/99 treble winning team, insisted the club will come out of the other side of their recent woes, and adds that it's crucial that Moyes strengthens the squad over January.
“Teams are ahead of us now, Arsenal are eight points ahead and you cannot give the competing teams these points in hand,” the former full-back told Press Pass.
“But you have to bear with it. We’ve got a team of champions who know how to win things and they need to stick together and turn it around.
“They’ve got big players at United. Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand and Michael Carrick, all these players have got vast experience of being in this position, and it’s up to those lads to pull the rest of the team through.
“David Moyes might be saying something to the owners now. We went for Cesc Fabregas, Thiago Alcantara and Gareth Bale this summer, but they didn’t happen.
“Their summer dealings sent out the wrong message for fans, but we need to stick together and see it out to the New Year and hopefully get in a couple of players in the winter.”
Friday, 27 September 2013
Former Man United striker vows to snub Stoke's interest
Former Man United striker vows to snub Stoke's interest
Stoke's long-standing plans to sign former Manchester United striker Mame Biram Diouf have taken a hit.
Diouf is out of contract with Hannover in the summer and Stoke manager Mark Hughes tried to sign him in the transfer window.
The Senegal star, who had a poor time in England with United and Blackburn, has improved since moving to the Bundesliga.
Hughes is keen for more firepower up front and will try to land the 25-year-old in the winter.
However, as talkSPORT revealed recently, Hannover are eager to keep Diouf and will fight to keep hold of him.
And now the player himself is planning on holding renewal talks.
He said: "I'm under contract with the Hanover and I like to renew.
"Hannover is a nice place to live and signing with them was the best thing I have done in my career."
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