Jose Mourinho calls him "a specialist in failure" - but Arsene Wenger is the "commander-in-chief" for Pep Guardiola .
Netflix
fan Guardiola picked up the term from US TV series 'House of Cards' and
it underlines his huge respect for the Arsenal boss - in stark contrast
to Mourinho's attitude towards him. Wenger
must feel like a soulmate for Guardiola as he struggles to preach the
gospel of passing football in the land of the long ball.
"He's the commander-in-chief because he's the boss, no?" said the City coach.
Pep a big fan of Frank Underwood of House of Cards
"I saw many Netflix series and that's why. Commander-in-chief and colonel, I use a lot." Unsurprisingly, Guardiola is a huge fan of Wenger's style of play ahead of tomorrow's showdown at the Etihad.
"I like it, yes, He's been here a long
time. When that happens at a club such as Arsenal, it's because a
person is doing a good job.
"I understand it's not easy to win
the Premier League, but I have a lot of respect about his career. I've
said many times that I admire the way he tries to play and especially
the quality of the players they like and they buy. I like a lot."
Yet
Wenger still hasn't won the Premier League since 2004 - a fact Mourinho
never tires of mentioning - and Guardiola knocked him out of the
Champions League three times with Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
Wenger is accused of refusing to adapt his philosophy to the
physicality of the Premier League, which is also levelled at the purist
Guardiola.
Guardiola is irked by this charge and insists he understands the need to adapt to English football's long-ball style.
"I am pragmatic,I'm so pragmatic. Look at my past, I'm so pragmatic.
"I'm here because I won. I want to win. I'm so pragmatic, guys. Concede few goals and score more goals.
"I have to learn about the players, know the players, but to build something you need time."
Guardiola has not been helped by injuries and suspensions and he
confirmed Ilkay Gundogan needs surgery on his season-ending anterior
cruciate ligaments injury.
Gundogan is expected to be operated
on by Guardiola's favourite surgeon Dr Ramon Cugat in Barcelona and the
City boss feels for the Germany midfielder.
"It's so sad for him, We're going to miss him a lot, but he will be operated on by the best." Guardiola said.
A resurgent Victor Moses under new boss Antonio Conte has been voted the Premier League PFA Fans’ Player of the Month for November by a clear margin over fellow nominees Sergio Aguero, Matt Phillips, Victor Anichebe, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Nordin Amrobat.
The award represents a second in succession for Chelsea players with Eden Hazard winning in October. Chelsea are top of the Premier League by 1 point from Liverpool and Man City after matchweek 13.
Victor Moses found himself in the wilderness as a Chelsea player and hadn’t played for his parent club in three years but finds himself as a key player under Antonio Conte. After impressing the new boss in pre-season the winger was reinvented in Conte’s all conquering 3-4-3 as a wing-back, and the rest is history.
Moses has been ever-present as Chelsea has forged a seven-game winning streak that makes you wonder why he has been overlooked for so long.
The Nigeria international joined Chelsea in 2012 for £9m from Wigan but he has enjoyed mixed fortunes until this season with Jose Mourinho not of the same opinion as his predecessors as to the qualities of the winger.
The 25-year-old capped off a sensational performance by scoring the winning goal in the London derby with Spurs, ending their unbeaten run in the Premier League and keeping Chelsea top of the table.
Anthony Martial and Zlatan Ibrahimovic both scored twice to help Manchester United secure an EFL Cup semi-final spot as Jose Mourinho served a touchline ban in Wednesday’s 4-1 win over West Ham at Old Trafford.
The Portuguese was absent from the dugout following his dismissal in Sunday’s 1-1 draw against the same opponents, having kicked a drinks bottle in frustration when Paul Pogba was booked for diving.
United were behind inside two minutes in that game, but the roles were reversed this time as Zlatan Ibrahimovic swiftly put the hosts ahead.
It was a lead they should have built on, with Ibrahimovic again coming close before Wayne Rooney tested Adrian with a curling free-kick.
Zinedine Zidane’s son Enzo scored on his Real Madrid debut and Mariano netted a hat-trick as the European champions prepared for El Clasico with a 6-1 win over Cultural Leonesa in the Copa del Rey.
Having won the away leg of this last-32 tie 7-1 a month ago, and with a trip to face Barcelona at Camp Nou just three days away, Wednesday’s meeting against third-tier opposition at the Santiago Bernabeu was little more than a warm-up for Madrid as they sealed a 13-2 aggregate success.
Zidane made eight changes from last weekend’s 2-1 win over Sporting Gijon, with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Luka Modric all rested.
In their absence, striker Mariano – making his maiden start – took his chance to impress by scoring the first of his goals after just 23 seconds, his first-half double coming either side of James Rodriguez’s header.
The Akwa Ibom State Government has asked Brazil legend, Pele, to refund a $300,000 appearance fee.
Pele was paid the amount, to grace the opening of the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo two years ago.
The 30,000-capacity stadium, hosted Nigeria’s 2018 World Cup qualifier against Algeria last weekend and was declared open by former president Goodluck Jonathan in November 2014.
Pele failed to attend the inauguration, because there was a shift in dates for the opening of ‘The Nest of Champions’.
This has led to the state goverment demanding he pays back the money.
“The Akwa Ibom Government want their cash back, but so far all their efforts have proved abortive,” a source told AfricanFootball.
“They want all the $300,000, but some experts in the business have advised they should angle for a part of this sum.
“Pele’s people have continued to insist they were not the ones who breached the agreement and so they could not be liable.
“And that by the time a new date for the opening of the stadium was fixed, their client was committed to another engagement.”
It was a thrilling, breathless night, full of everything that football should be, and when it was all done Manchester City could reflect on the kind of result they have desperately craved since the bags of gold came in from Abu Dhabi and the story of this club changed forever. They had not only beaten Barcelona for the first time but they had done it the hard way, coming from behind, and they have spent so long waiting for this form of affirmation it automatically takes its place as the most gratifying win in the Champions League to date.
Any victory against a side featuring Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suárez has to be cherished but perhaps the most jubilant aspect for Pep Guardiola’s team is what it showed about their competitive courage and the change in mentality compared to City’s previous attempts to overcome perhaps the most beautifully constructed club side there has ever been.
Daniel Sturridge struck a brace for Liverpool to down Tottenham 2-1 in their EFL Cup fourth round tie on Tuesday.
The striker opened the scoring early at Anfield after Jurgen Klopp’s men ruthlessly exploited Georges-Kevin Nkoudou Mbida’sa mistake, with Marko Grujic finding Sturridge to turn home.
Georginio Wijnaldum then put the England striker through on goal right after the hour mark and the 27-year-old made no mistake with his finish, cooly slotting past the onrushing Michel Vorm.
Liverpool were forced to endure a nervy end to the evening, however, as Vincent Janssen pulled one back for Tottenham with his penalty after Lucas Leiva fouled Erik Lamela in the area.
You won’t love the papers this morning today if you’re a Red and Access Bank has joined the banter party.
The bank took a hilarious swipe at United’s expensive squad while advertising its ‘pay with capture’ feature.
United signed Paul Pogba for a world record fee in the summers alongside other pricey recruits such as Eric Bailly and Henrikh Mhiktryan.
The Portuguese boss has confirmed he was sacked by the Blues in December 2015, despite the club insisting he left by mutual consent
Jose Mourinho bears no grudges to anyone at Chelsea despite confirming he was sacked in December 2015 and did not leave by mutual consent.
Mourinho was shown the door seven months after leading the west London club to the title, after Chelsea opened their defence at the start of the 2015-16 season with nine defeats in their first 16 games.
At the time the club statement claimed the Portuguese had left by mutual consent but Mourinho, who returns to Stamford Bridge for the first time since with Manchester United on Sunday, was adamant he was dismissed by owner Roman Abramovich.
“Mr Abramovich decided to sack me,” He told Sky Sports. “It was not mutual consent. But I left without a bad word about anything or anyone at the club.
“That was in my first period at Chelsea when I agreed it was time to change.
“I was keen to change, more than ready to go to other countries but this time it was not like that.
“It was a decision by the owner and I was informed of that decision. I accepted it in a polite way and we signed the papers. I did it in a calm, respectful way.”
Mourinho continued to live in London before he was named United boss in May.
“I waited for what I preferred, which was to stay in England, in the Premier League and I was lucky to have a big club like Manchester United,” he added.
“It took a couple of days [to get over it] and then it was finished and I started my life in a common way.
“I was still in London, I kept a house there, I was walking in the street, going to the gym, watching football…”
Mourinho, who guided Chelsea to two Premier League titles in his first spell in charge, believes the sack is a part of modern management.
“It’s not nice for me or anyone but that’s life, I took it in a positive way,” he said.
“To be sacked is [part of] football, many of the best managers in the history of football have had their moment to be sacked.
“Of course there are exceptions but normally, and especially in modern football, you are in a position where it can happen to anyone.
“If it was a club where I gave nothing it would be more difficult. When I leave the club that in two different periods I gave titles and, to the fans, some of the best moments that a club’s supporters can have, then I leave with a feeling of ‘I did my job’.”
Mourinho claimed the fans wanted him to stay before the axe fell.
“I don’t think they wanted it but, even if they did, they cannot remove me from Chelsea history,” he said.
“I am in their history and they belong to my history too, so there is no reason for bad feelings.”
Claudio Bravo endured a nightmare return to Camp Nou as he was sent off during Manchester City’s 4-0 Champions League defeat to Barcelona, with marvellous Lionel Messi supplying a hat-trick.
Mesut Ozil was devastating in front of goal scoring his first career hat-trick as Arsenal surged to an easy 6-0 win over Ludogorets in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Alexis Sanchez had opened the floodgates in the 12th minute before Walcott doubled their lead before half time.
The avalanche of goals continued after the break as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain immediately got in on the scoring, before Ozil capped off a fine win with three cool finishes.
Diego Costa and Eden Hazard both got on the scoresheet as Chelsea secured a 3-0 win over Leicester City in the Premier League on Saturday.
Costa opened the scoring after just seven minutes as he tapped home from close range when found unmarked from a corner.
The Blues soon doubled their advantage as Hazard profited from some woeful defending from Leicester before slotting past Kasper Schmeichel.
And Victor Moses played a delightful one-two with Nathaniel Chalobah late on before finding the back of the net to wrap up the three points for Antonio Conte’s men.
Nigeria cruised past Zambia 2-1 at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium thanks to first half goals from Alex Iwobi and Kelechi Iheanacho to give coach Gernot Rohr a winning start in the 2018 World Cup qualifying series.
Missed the match? Nothing to worry. We got you covered.
The former girlfriend of Manchester United star Jesse Lingard has blasted him for giving her the boot after he hit the big time.
Emma Hyde claims she put her life on hold for five years to help him when he was an unknown academy player – and even quit the job she loved to nurse him through an injury.
The 28-year-old told pals that after Jesse blew the whistle on their relationship earlier this year she was forced to quit an apartment he had rented for her.
She also claims a luxury motor he gave her vanished and she can no longer get into a Manchester nightclub when Jesse, 23, is there.
Emma told a pal: “To think we were going to get married and I thought Jesse was the one.
“I’ve had the worst time of my life. I can’t believe I wasted so many years only for him to dump me when he hit the big time.”
Emma had hoped for a reconciliation after the player returned from a summer trip to Miami and asked her out again. But after the make-or-break dates he showed her the red card – and things allegedly turned sour.
The pal said: “She’s devastated. The Jesse she met five years ago was a nice, normal person, he wasn’t famous. She can’t believe he could have done something like that to her.”
Jesse and Emma lived together in Bowdon, Cheshire, and he showered her with gifts including a Range Rover Evoque.
Emma later swapped this for a Porsche Cayenne – but last month, the car disappeared.
The pal said: “Emma contacted the police but she was told the car belonged to Jesse and was taken with a key, so there was no theft. She was stunned.”
And Emma has said she struggled to get into a top celebrity spot in Manchester on her birthday this year. “I’ve been told I can’t go in when Jesse’s there,” she told her pal.
“I only got in on my birthday as it was the night before Jesse’s match, so he wasn’t out.”
But Emma is particularly angry and hurt that having supported Jesse before he found success, she has since been portrayed as a kept WAG.
The friend said: “Emma wants people to know she’s no gold-digger. She was the one who supported him for years.
“Jesse stayed at Emma’s apartment in Sale, she was an assistant manager at a jewellery shop and paid the bills.
“They only moved to a gated community when Jesse started getting too much attention. People were knocking at the door asking for signed shirts.
“Emma was so proud of him for doing well, it’s all she ever wanted.
"She really enjoyed her job. She had a normal life with Jesse. They’d go out with friends from home.
"Before he became a United regular he was loaned out to Brighton, Birmingham and Leicester and she went with him.”
Emma’s support for the player, who has moved into a new luxury pad in Bowdon, included taking months off work unpaid to care for him when he was injured last year.
Her pal said: “Jesse asked Emma to leave work to care for him, saying he would financially support her.
"Seeing him so down broke her heart and she agreed, she wanted to get him back on the pitch as soon as possible. His foot was in a brace, he couldn’t drive and had to be on an ice machine every few hours. Jesse was sent on loan to Derby, so they moved there for four months.”
Emma met Jesse in December 2011 when the footballer spotted her at Manchester club Bijou.
Her pal said: “He then messaged her on Facebook asking if she’d had a good night. Emma had no idea who he was, he was a complete nobody back then, an academy player without a contract. He’d seen her around a few times and was smitten.”
Emma, who manages a hair salon, hoped to become a personal trainer and claims her plans went on hold while Jesse tried to hit the big time.
His efforts paid off last year, when he scored the winning goal for the Red Devils in the FA Cup Final – but his rising fame caused serious problems. In January, X Factor singer Emily Wademan claimed the star begged her for a night out in Manchester on social media. She was floored.
She told her pal: “I lost my head and went to Dubai for a week and didn’t speak to him.
“Jesse promised me the messages were innocent but it put me on edge. By March he told me wanted space. He rented me an apartment for six months, I thought maybe he could have the summer and we could get back together.”
But the pal added: “Emma moved out of her apartment after four months when Jesse stopped her allowance.”
Despite everything, Emma claims her biggest concern is her five-year-old son, who had a strong bond with Jesse – but has not seen him since their split.
“He really misses Jesse,” the friend said. “That is perhaps the saddest part of this. Jesse promised he’d see him.”
Emma has also told her pal she thinks Jesse is dating again. But she has also moved on – and has vowed never to go near another footballer.
Her pal said: “She is happy with her new man. He isn’t famous and he has a normal job.
“But we think Emma is still in love with Jesse and she’d take him back tomorrow.
"She’s heard rumours about him partying with other girls. She doesn’t miss the lifestyle he gave her, she misses the man she thought she knew.”
Getty Images
A pal of Red Devil Lingard insists heartbroken Emma was not treated badly
Meanwhile, a friend of Jesse said: “The break-up wasn’t unexpected, they discussed it for three months.
“He didn’t treat Emma badly. He wanted to make sure she was provided for.
“He lent her a car and gave her an apartment and an allowance for six months, so she had time to get a job and move on. He didn’t need to do that. All Jesse wants to do now is focus on his career.”
Sam Allardyce has been removed as England manager by mutual consent with The FA.
Allardyce’s departure was confirmed after emergency talks at Wembley with FA bosses on Tuesday.
England under-21 boss Gareth Southgate has been asked to take over for the next four matches.
The former Sunderland boss leaves after just 67 days into his reign after a newspaper sting filmed him telling undercover reporters how to bend rules on third party ownership of players.
Allardyce and The FA confirmed Allardyce's exit in separate statements.
“Further to recent events, The FA and I have mutually agreed to part company," Allardyce said.
“It was a great honour for me to be appointed back in July and I am deeply disappointed at this outcome.
“This afternoon, I met with Greg Clarke and Martin Glenn and offered a sincere and wholehearted apology for my actions.
“Although it was made clear during the recorded conversations that any proposed arrangements would need The FA’s full approval, I recognise I made some comments which have caused embarrassment.
“As part of today’s meeting, I was asked to clarify what I said and the context in which the conversations took place. I have co-operated fully in this regard.
“I also regret my comments with regard to other individuals.”
The FA reiterated that Allardyce's actions were "inappropriate" for an England manager.
"He accepts he made a significant error of judgement and has apologised. However, due to the serious nature of his actions, The FA and Allardyce have mutually agreed to terminate his contract with immediate effect," the statement read
"This is not a decision that was taken lightly but The FA's priority is to protect the wider interests of the game and maintain the highest standards of conduct in football.
"The manager of the England men's senior team is a position which must demonstrate strong leadership and show respect for the integrity of the game at all times.
"Gareth Southgate will take charge of the men's senior team for the next four matches against Malta, Slovenia, Scotland and Spain whilst The FA begins its search for the new England manager.
Ian Wright has revealed how he almost ruined his football career by smoking weed before matches.
The Arsenal and Crystal Palace legend says he nearly threw it all away by sparking up joints just hours before big matches – and almost getting busted by drug testers.
Wright, 52, remains one of the all-time Premier League greats, scoring 113 goals in 213 appearances.
But when he was just 21 and playing for Crystal Palace he almost lost it all by smoking hours before beating West Brom 4-1.
As the elated team celebrated in the dressing room, excitement quickly turned to panic for Wright when drug testers arrived.
The Woolwich-born striker says he was "practically paralysed" while trying to act unconcerned.
In his candid new autobiography, he reveals: "What hit me the most is how much I would have been letting people from my area down.
"If I had got caught on that drugs test it would have been beyond them."
But Wright, who says as a youngster he preferred smoking to drinking and was "around weed smokers from an early age", wasn't called and his panic quickly turned to relief.
"I sit down – more or less collapse – and think, "Somebody's looking out for me, now I know it!'" he says.
Anyone who watched Man United's 3-1 defeat at Watford knows Wayne Rooney didn't play well.
In fairness to the skipper, he wasn't alone. Several of Jose Mourinho's men were poor, as a hugely disappointing United side suffered their third loss in a week.
However, there was a very good reason Rooney was the chief target of internet mockery following the Red Devils' latest setback. It was because he was almost UNBELIEVABLY bad.
If you don't believe us, just take a look at Rooney's stats from the match at Vicarage Road. Judging by these numbers, it may have been Wazza's worst day in a United shirt…
*1. He took nine corners/free-kicks - but only created a chance for United with TWO of them.
2. He didn't create a single chance from open play.
3. He didn't play a single through ball.
4. He didn't 'take on' an opponent, so never actually went past a Watford player.
5. He didn't have a shot on target.
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6. In fact, he only managed one shot OFF target.
"But wait!", we hear the Wazza fans cry. "He wasn't playing as a striker! You can't judge him purely on his attacking stats!"
Fair enough. Let's look at what he did defensively…
7. He didn't make a single tackle. Not one!
8. He went up for three 'aerial duels' - and lost two of them.
9. In fact, his entire defensive contribution amounted to one interception, one block… and committing one foul.
We can still hear the voices of the Rooney fan club pleading their man's case. "But he passed the ball around, right? He was still spreading the play, right?"
Well, let's look at his passing stats.
11. He played 40 passes, completing 33 of them.
Which doesn't sound TOO bad, until you find out that…
12. 27 of the 33 successful passes he played either went sideways (12) or backwards (15).
13. Which meant he only successfully passed the ball FORWARDS on six occasions. In 90 minutes. That is once every quarter of an hour.*
