List of All Articles with Tag 'football'

Jurgen Klopp said he has been given a new lease of life by his revamped Liverpool side as he waits to see where their destiny will take them. Liverpool have won their last seven games in all competitions and are unbeaten this season with a different midfield and their manager believes they have provided him with new energy. Klopp admitted he has been surprised by the speed of their progress after losing the experienced group of Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Roberto Firmino, Fabinho, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. But after bringing in Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch, Liverpool visit in-form Tottenham on Saturday in second place in the Premier League. And Klopp said: “It gives me completely new energy. It’s great, this team has a completely new set-up. I loved everything about the seven years before but obviously we all need energy sources and looking at these faces every day to see how much they enjoy the new challenge gives me energy as well. “I know it is words, but it feels like that. We don’t want to compare or think, ‘how did they do that?’ or whatever: we try to give this team a chance to create their own destiny. That is what we decided, that is what we live now and that is how it works so far, I don’t know where it will lead to but it is good fun anyway.” Klopp has previous experience of trying to build a second great side at the same club but struggled with the transition to a new side at Borussia Dortmund. He added: “I had seven years at Dortmund and when I left there it was a moment where change was needed and we would have had to change players in different roles or the manager. “Dortmund in the end did both. So I left and they changed a lot anyway. It was a moment for that. It is not the first time I was allowed to do something like that.” Liverpool face a potentially defining week with a Europa League tie against Union St Gilloise and a trip to another early-season pacesetter, in Brighton. Klopp added: “The signs are really positive but we have to make sure we leave ourselves space for real improvement towards stability and consistency because this race only started recently. “The Premier League, with all the other competitions in, is a long-distance run and you never know how you get through all of this. A good start is much better than a bad one though, definitely, and we see that we are happy about it, but we have to make sure we don’t stand here in 10 days’ time and speaking about three super difficult games when we couldn’t deliver. “As I’ve said, I love this team and there are so many reasons for it.” Read More Why new-look midfields will decide Liverpool’s clash with Tottenham

A winger is returning to training with Manchester United. He will be available for selection: not against Crystal Palace on Saturday but soon. It is not Jadon Sancho but Antony, who has been on a leave of absence after three women accused him of assault. If Erik ten Hag was confronted with the question of whether he is guilty of double standards, in bringing back his own biggest buy but not a player who criticised him on social media, he emphasised the differences in his answer. “Those issues are nothing to do with each other,” he said. “One is internal, the other one is external.” Which is correct up until a point. There could also seem a simpler solution to the internal affair: should Sancho apologise to Ten Hag, perhaps he would be welcomed back into the fold. Instead, his exile seems indefinite. Meanwhile, Antony has sat out four games, will miss a fifth but could be back in contention soon afterwards, opening up the possibility of a return against either Galatasaray on Tuesday or Brentford next weekend. Ten Hag expects the Brazilian to be physically fit. The issue instead is if he is mentally ready to play. “I can’t tell at the moment; first he has to be back,” the Dutchman said. “I have spoken to him but that doesn’t give the impression how he is; how his mental status is.” Others may argue that such concerns should also be expressed for Gabriella Cavallin, his former girlfriend, and Rayssa de Freitas and Ingrid Lana, who also made serious accusations against him. In each of their club statements, United have stressed that they condemn abuse of and violence towards women. Meanwhile, Antony has repeatedly insisted he is innocent. He returned to the UK from his native Sao Paulo this week and was voluntarily interviewed by Greater Manchester Police on Thursday, just as he had spoken to their Brazilian counterparts in June. So far, he has not been arrested, bailed or charged. United have said they will review developments, meaning his situation could change. Brazil opted to withdraw Antony from their squad earlier this month in light of an interview Cavallin gave; later that week, United, who had initially merely “acknowledged” the accusations then put him on a leave of absence a few days afterwards. Now their decision would seem to be that, without him being charged and barring new revelations, their timescale will not be determined by two police forces. Neither has yet officially said that they will not bring charges; if there is the prospect that no such announcement might come from Brazil for months or years, Antony might have lingered in limbo and United been deprived of an £86m signing. There is the principle of innocent until proven guilty. It matters and would render Antony available to do many another job. But there is also the reality that playing for United is not just another job, the context of Mason Greenwood’s situation and the fact that the club explored the possibility of bringing back another forward who was not convicted of a crime but whose behaviour many felt was unpleasant in the extreme. Antony, meanwhile, was accused of trying to throw a pregnant Cavallin out of a car, of punching and headbutting her. Earlier this month, the Female Fans Against Greenwood’s Return group described the allegations against Antony as “horrific” while the television presenter and United supporter Rachel Riley criticised the club for a lack of due diligence in signing the winger after a report had been lodged with police about him. It remains to be seen what kind of reception Antony receives when he takes the field: within Old Trafford and from the wider United fanbase, inside and outside grounds. Picking him again could be a divisive move. Ten Hag has not entered the moral argument but from a footballing perspective, he seems to want to call upon Antony. Rewind a couple of months and it may have seemed that United’s three best options on the right wing would be Antony, Greenwood and Sancho. In the last four games, with none available for reasons unrelated to injury or illness, United first played without a right winger – when their lack of width was exploited by Brighton, whose left-back Tariq Lamptey got two assists – and have used the rookie Facundo Pellestri there twice, including away at Bayern Munich, and the captain Bruno Fernandes there at Burnley, where he got the winner. The assumption now must be that Antony will soon reclaim his position. Not for the first time at Old Trafford of late, United are trying to navigate their way through a moral maze. It is far from certain they have taken the right turn. Read More Man United allow Antony to resume training despite assault investigations Jadon Sancho ‘not important’ and ‘cannot contribute’ for Manchester United says manager Erik ten Hag Man Utd star Antony arrives back in UK to ‘face police over abuse allegations’

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Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou is hopeful captain Son Heung-min and James Maddison will be fit for Saturday’s “great test” against Liverpool. Son and Maddison were forced off late on during last weekend’s 2-2 draw at Arsenal after not being “100 per cent” for the derby, according to the Spurs boss. The influential duo both trained on Friday and Postecoglou remains confident they will feature against Jurgen Klopp’s team, but Brennan Johnson will be absent. He said: “From last week, Brennan will miss out. It’s nothing too serious but he won’t be right for this week. “Madders and Sonny trained today, just finished the session and seemed to get through it not too bad. “We’ll just have to see how they pull up as it’s fair to say they were a bit sore after last week and had a bit of an interrupted week training, so just a matter of seeing how they pull up.” Maddison and Son combined twice at the Emirates to earn Tottenham a 2-2 draw and maintain their unbeaten start to life under Postecoglou in the Premier League. Summer recruit Maddison suggested post-match the club were beginning to shed their ‘Spursy’ tag after they showed plenty of grit to peg back Arsenal on two occasions last Sunday. “I haven’t heard exactly what Madders said but he is obviously new to the club and is going on what he is feeling at the moment,” Postecoglou reflected. “It is fair to say the lads have shown a fair bit of resilience this year and we’ve had to adjust to the nature of the way the games have gone. We have had a lot of things in the context of a football game that haven’t gone our way. “Sometimes these things can become a little bit overblown because opposition supporters are obviously looking for any kind of sore point that a football club may have. “This club has been up at the top of the table for quite a while now and got close to having the ultimate success in the Champions League, so it is far from being a club that has fallen on bad times for a long time. “Obviously there is a crucial bit missing there and every group of players, myself included, have the opportunity to change that.” Liverpool boss Klopp had been full of praise for Postecoglou during his press conference earlier on Friday and the Australian returned the favour. Postecoglou added: “They probably bring something different from any other team in the league in the way they play and the manner they go about things. “It’ll be a really good test for us to try to impose our football on a team that’s fairly unique in the way they play the game. “Jurgen is an outstanding manager, he’s one of the managers I think it’s fair to say who has made an impact on the competition, not just his club. “Because when he came in, with the way Liverpool went about things, he challenged quite a few of the conventions about the Premier League and introduced a new style of play that others have followed. It’s a great test for where we are at the moment in terms of our development.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Mark Selby edges out Jack Lisowski to reach Cazoo British Open semi-finals Captain Ardie Savea proud of New Zealand’s 14-try drubbing of Italy Ange Postecoglou had a love of Liverpool as a youngster but says ‘things change’

Pep Guardiola believes changes to gruelling playing schedules will only happen when players themselves take action. The Manchester City boss pointed to the example of the Spain’s women’s team and the changes that have occurred at the country’s football federation after its now-former president Luis Rubiales kissed forward Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the medal ceremony after they won the World Cup in August. At his press conference ahead of City’s Premier League trip to Wolves on Saturday, Guardiola was asked about comments made by Burnley manager Vincent Kompany, his former captain, who said appearances within a season should be capped for top players. “There is only one solution to change something - the players decide for themselves, (to say), 'Stop, we have to change something' Pep Guardiola Guardiola said: “I would say every idea that you reduce a little bit the amount of games for the players would be nice. But there’s not going to be change. “There is only one solution to change something – the players decide for themselves, (to say), ‘Stop, we have to change something’. And after, FIFA and UEFA will maybe react a little bit. “This business, the show must go on. Without Pep? Keep going. But without the players, the show will not go on, that’s for sure. So it depends on them, they decide if they accept. “Look what happened in Spain with the women’s team. The players decided they had to change something and they changed it. They did it. The best legacy they have done is that. “The women’s team in Spain did it. I don’t know (if), in world football, the men’s, they are able to do it.” He added: “When we have a break it has to be a proper break. This is my point of view. “I always use the example of the NBA. They play 80 games in a few months but then have three or four months off. You can regenerate. Then after, full (on). “The problem here is it is full (on) and after we have three weeks off. For me it’s a lot. But it’s my personal opinion. “I don’t want to influence, because I’m not going to influence anyone. I think it has to be the players. If the players want to change something, they are the only ones who can do it.” Saturday’s match at Molineux could see Matheus Nunes face his old club after leaving Wolves to join City last month. It was reported at the time that Nunes had stopped training with the midlands outfit ahead of the move, but Guardiola said on Friday: “When I spoke to him…he said to me, ‘I never, never, ever said I’m not going to train’.” On the reception Nunes might receive from the crowd on Saturday, Guardiola added: “Hopefully he is strong to accept the situation.” Guardiola was also asked for his thoughts on the allegations surrounding his old club Barcelona. In March, Spanish prosecutors filed a complaint and UEFA announced it was opening an investigation into Barca after it was reported the club had made payments to companies owned by Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, the former vice-president of Spain’s referees committee, between 2001 and 2018. Police on Thursday searched the headquarters of the committee in relation to the case. Barcelona deny any wrongdoing. Guardiola, who was Barcelona boss from 2008 to 2012, said: “Wait and see…let the justice, the process (run). “So far what I heard…I didn’t see or read, because I’m out of that, but I didn’t see Barcelona really, really, really, really pay a referee to take a benefit. I didn’t see that, I didn’t read it. “That’s why I want to wait before have an opinion, because Barcelona is going to defend what they have to do, and we will see. “What I’m pretty sure is when Barcelona won, it was because they were better than the opponents. That I’m pretty convinced about right now – in our day. “We won because we were far better than our rivals. And when they were not, they don’t win, they lose. But justice will decide what really happened.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Ange Postecoglou had a love of Liverpool as a youngster but says ‘things change’ It is the food – Mikel Arteta suggests reason behind string of Basque coaches Ben Earl raised eyebrows when he first arrived at Saracens, says Maro Itoje

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has acknowledged Liverpool’s trophy-laden era during the 1970s’ and 1980s’ planted the seeds for him to become a manager. Postecoglou has made no secret of his childhood love for Liverpool and recalled on several occasions how he used to watch matches in the early hours of the morning in Australia with his dad Jim. Kenny Dalglish was an early hero for the 58-year-old and he believes watching the teams of Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley win European Cups helped shape his pathway to a coaching career that has seen him manage across the globe. “I was just consumed by football,” Postecoglou reflected ahead of Saturday’s visit of Liverpool. “I’ve said before, it wasn’t just playing the game. My infatuation was with all the game, I wanted to read about it all and yeah I was fascinated by the culture at a club like Liverpool. “The Boot Room, Shankly, Paisley, and Ronnie Moran, all those guys because I just loved reading about it. Just as I was interested reading about Sir Alex (Ferguson) or Jock Stein. “It seemed that even at a young age I had a real fascination with managers and people of influence within the game because I loved the game. “We all as kids have something we love and takes us away from the world we were in and that was my world. I just loved reading about the history of football clubs and the great people within them. “Certainly Liverpool at the time there was always a unique story there about this mythical boot room where all the magic happened. For me it was almost like reading fairytales all the time. “Obviously that has an influence, yeah it does because that’s where all the seeds are planted, my love for the game.” Dalglish would have been the Liverpool player on Postecoglou’s wall as a child, but he was quick to point out that is no longer the case. He added: “I was mad about Kenny Dalglish. Everything was about Dalglish for me, whether that was Celtic or Liverpool. I was a mad Kenny fan. “It was just about that time when I was what 12, 13 and you know we look for heroes in our lives. He was it for me, scoring in European Cup finals and the way he played. Like any kid, I had the posters up on my wall, so Liverpool was my team, but you grow up, things change. I used to love Happy Days back then too, but I don't have pictures of the Fonz on my wall today either Ange Postecoglou “Like any kid, I had the posters up on my wall, so Liverpool was my team, but you grow up, things change. I used to love Happy Days back then too, but I don’t have pictures of the Fonz on my wall today either!” Postecoglou has plenty of respect for this current Liverpool team and their manager Jurgen Klopp, who will pose a huge test to the Australian’s lengthy unbeaten home record in league matches. You have to go back to 2020, when Postecoglou was in charge of Yokohama, for the last time he lost a home league fixture – when Kashima won in the J1 League. A dramatic stoppage-time turnaround against Sheffield United a fortnight ago made it 50 home league matches without defeat for the former Celtic boss, but he knows Liverpool will test that run. “Over those 50 games I’ve had some big tests, I’ve had some good teams, to be fair,” Postecoglou admitted. “I put a lot of stock in home form because that’s the time where you can give your supporters, who you know are going to be the majority in the stadium, that feeling you want to give them, of experiencing their team winning a game of football. “I put a lot of stock in that. It’s 50 games against all types of opposition, different types of circumstances. “There would have been games in there where we were down to 10 men, there would have been games where we would have been down. Well, two weeks ago in the 95th minute. “There are always tests to go for that long. I’ve probably been lucky along the way too.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Only action from players will prompt changes to brutal schedules – Pep Guardiola It is the food – Mikel Arteta suggests reason behind string of Basque coaches Ben Earl raised eyebrows when he first arrived at Saracens, says Maro Itoje

Mikel Arteta believes Basque food is the secret behind the success of a string of managers from the region. The Arsenal manager is one of a number of coaches born in the area of northern Spain to make a name for himself on the touchline. He will come up against another on Saturday in the shape of Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, a former childhood team-mate of Arteta. Aston Villa’s Unai Emery was also born in the Basque Country – as were Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso and former Wolves, Spain and Real Madrid manager Julen Lopetegui. Now Arteta has discussed why he feels such a small area is responsible for creating such success. “The food! We have the best food in the world. The best restaurants by square metre, the most beautiful city,” he said. “It has to be linked to that — what we eat, the way we live. The quality of life in our city is incredible. I think it is related to our roots. The education, the passion about the game. You breathe it within the city. You breathe it everywhere you go. “We played on the beach. You go there on a Saturday or Sunday and there are 300 kids playing on the beach. We have the best food in the world. The best restaurants by square metre, the most beautiful city Mikel Arteta “You sense that in the city. It is not just about now, because in the past they always produced coaches and good players. Somebody is doing the right thing. “When I said the food I was not joking. It is the way they look after the city. The education, the people. “Finding the quality and I am really really proud that I see a lot of people — not only in sport, in other industries as well — that manage to get out and promote our city in the right way. “I think it’s the education that we get. It’s the level of coaching that we get, they really take care of the academy. “You have seen Real Sociedad, Athletic Bilbao, Eibar all those teams do great work to raise talent and it’s not a coincidence that a lot of players have come through there.” While Arteta and Iraola go way back, the Arsenal boss insists there will be no room for niceties come 3pm on Saturday. “Very easy. You are in winning mode,” he replied when asked how easy it will be to put aside their friendship at the Vitality Stadium. “Get the best for your team and get in the battle. Before and after is a different story, especially after, but during there is nothing there. “He was really excited to come. He was really complimentary about the club and the support he was getting with players and staff. He was happy to be part of the league. “We know each other really well. We played together, we had fantastic times together. We played together in Antiguoko, which is a team in San Sebastian – that’s the beauty of football that 30 years later we are here together in the Premier League as managers. I’m really happy for that.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Ange Postecoglou had a love of Liverpool as a youngster but says ‘things change’ Only action from players will prompt changes to brutal schedules – Pep Guardiola Ben Earl raised eyebrows when he first arrived at Saracens, says Maro Itoje

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Manchester United have decided Antony can resume training and will be allowed to play for the club during ongoing police inquiries after three women accused him of assault. The winger had taken a leave of absence, without being suspended by the club. He has missed United’s last four matches and will not feature in Saturday’s home game against Crystal Palace. His former partner, Gabriela Cavallin, made accusations of abuse in an interview with Brazilian newspaper UOL. Two further women, Rayssa de Freitas and Ingrid Lana, then made separate allegations against the 23-year-old. Antony has insisted he is innocent and has spoken to police in both Brazil and England. He voluntarily attended an interview with Greater Manchester Police on Thursday and submitted his phone for investigation. He also spoke to police in Sao Paulo in June and has not yet been arrested or charged in either country. United said in a statement: “Since allegations were first made in June, Antony has cooperated with police inquiries in both Brazil and the UK, and he continues to do so. “As Antony’s employer, Manchester United has decided that he will resume training at Carrington, and be available for selection, while police inquiries proceed. This will be kept under review pending further developments in the case. “As a club we condemn acts of violence and abuse. We recognise the importance of safeguarding all those involved in this situation, and acknowledge the impact these allegations have on survivors of abuse.” Manager Erik ten Hag stated Antony will return to training on Saturday and expects him to be fit. “I have to see but I think so,” he said in a press conference later in the afternoon. Cavallin claimed she was attacked by Antony last summer, when she was pregnant and before she suffered a miscarriage. She said the £86m signing had threatened to throw her out of a car and alleged the footballer punched and headbutted her in January 2023. Antony issued a statement on 10 September in which he said: “I want to reiterate my innocence of the things I have been accused of, and I will fully cooperate with the police to help them reach the truth.” Read More Antony return to Manchester United will not be a distraction – Erik ten Hag Erik ten Hag reveals cause of Manchester United’s injury woes Manchester United suffer another injury blow to defender

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Lisandro Martinez faces around two months on the sidelines having aggravated a previous foot complaint as Manchester United’s injury-hit start to the season continues. There have been 16 different United players injured or ill already this season, with seven sidelined for Saturday’s Premier League home clash against Crystal Palace. United full-backs Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia and Sergio Reguilon are all ruled out, with Kobbie Mainoo, Amad Diallo and Martinez also absent. The Argentina defender sustained a fractured metatarsal in April’s Europa League quarter-final first leg against Sevilla, keeping him out for around two months. Martinez is now understood to be looking at a similar timescale on the sidelines after United announced an issue with the same foot. “Lisandro Martinez will be out of action for an extended period due to an aggravation of the foot injury he suffered in April,” the club said. “The Argentinian defender experienced the setback in our Premier League game against Arsenal earlier this month. “Martinez bravely continued playing for the following two games against Brighton and Bayern Munich. Aaron Wan-Bissaka Amad Diallo Antony Jadon Sancho Kobbie Mainoo Lisandro Martinez Luke Shaw Sergio Reguilon Tyrell Malacia “But it has now been determined that he needs a period on the sidelines for recovery and rehabilitation. Assessment is ongoing to decide next steps.”Martinez’s absence in a gut punch for a United side that can welcome back Christian Eriksen and Scott McTominay after missing Tuesday’s 3-0 Carabao Cup win against Palace through illness. Ahead of hosting Palace again, manager Erik ten Hag said: “We have seen some players back on Tuesday. “For tomorrow the players who were out of the squad for Tuesday, Scott McTominay and Christian Eriksen, they are back.” Ten Hag recently admitted he was concerned about the number of injuries United have been picking up at a time when there are ever-increasing demands on elite players. “We already expanded the squad this season,” he said. “We had a World Cup in the middle of (last) season, so we had a longer season. “We had to play a longer season as well because of the FA Cup (final) then nations games, so a shorter break. “Every time the shadow is expanding, and the load on the players is just too much. It’s such a great overload. “But many colleagues have already pointed to that, and I have pointed to that as well. “But it kept going, we keep expanding the shadow, but anywhere it will stop and players can’t deal any more with this overload. “I think this is what you see across many squads in this moment.” The strain of injuries and illness have been compounded by the absence of Antony and Jadon Sancho. Antony has not played since the 3-1 loss at Arsenal on September 3, having been given a leave of absence to deal with allegations of abuse against him. United announced on Friday that the winger will resume training and is available for selection again as he continues to co-operate with police inquiries. But Antony will not feature against Palace this weekend, nor will Sancho. Four weeks ago the England international claimed on social media that he had been made a “scapegoat” after Ten Hag said he left him out of the squad for the game at Arsenal because of poor performance in training. United later announced Sancho was training “away from the first-team group, pending resolution of a squad discipline issue”. Ten Hag has not backed down and gave short shrift to the latest questions about the banished winger. “Many of you ask me so often these questions and I have said everything,” he said ahead of the Palace game. When asked how long this situation with Sancho can continue, Ten Hag said curtly: “What I said – I said everything.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Shane Lowry ‘lost it’ before even teeing off as Europe make dream start Russian athletes allowed to compete as neutrals at next year’s Paralympics Antony return to Manchester United will not be a distraction – Erik ten Hag

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