1 goal, 3 dribbles, 3 chances created: Striker's excellent form continues

Romelu Lukaku claimed his 100th Premier League to crown another superb display up front for Manchester United against Swansea City on Saturday.

The striker, who now has 26 goals in all competitions this season, muscled his way into the box and fired a deflected shot past Łukasz Fabiański after just five minutes.

In the process he became the fifth youngest player to reach 100 Premier League goals and could have claimed more on the day, bringing the best out of Fabianski with a pair of dangerous drives.

His numbers from the game shed light on what was yet another accomplished performance at No.9 from the Belgium.

Lukaku’s game by numbers vs. Swansea City:

1 goal
3 shots
3 dribbles
3 chances created

100th Premier League goal. #MUFC pic.twitter.com/tpbebwHlyV

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) March 31, 2018

Talk will inevitably surround the goals Lukaku has accumulated in the aftermath in this game, but his performance at No.9, once again, was impressive for other reasons.

The fluidity and execution with which he handles the ball contrasts notably with what we saw at the start of the campaign. Even when Lukaku netted 11 goals in his first ten games his link up play was profligate at best. He was, in a strange way, still finding his feet in spite of his goalscoring record.

Now, however, he holds the ball with an air of maturity, as if attuned to the attacking habits of players like Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata. Some of the first time passes he made today were based on intuition more than anything else.

He may still be 24 and in his first season at a top club, but Lukaku is firmly establishing himself as a senior figure under Mourinho.

Alexis Sanchez suffers from his dedication to Chilean national side, claims Mourinho

Jose Mourinho admitted that Alexis Sanchez has felt the effects of a tough international break.

That was despite Sanchez earning the Man of the Match award for his performance against Swansea City at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon.

The Chilean scored his first goal for the Reds since a league win against Huddersfield in early February, doubling Man United’s lead after Romelu Lukaku had opened the scoring.

Mourinho, who has seen star man Sanchez struggle in the early stages of his United career after a January move from Arsenal, wasn’t overly enthusiastic in his praise for the forward.

“Alexis played well but everyone played well in the first half,” Mourinho said.

“Alexis paid the price of the international break in the second half. Almost no time to train, after 60 minutes he was on his way down.”

Sanchez considered rejecting the call-up from Chile. His commitment to his country is undoubted, having been a vital player for years and dragging Chile to Copa America glory only a couple of years ago.

However, it could have been a sensible decision after his poor form at Old Trafford. Sanchez eventually decided to play for Chile during the international break and thus is still yet to have a break for a long time.



If he picks up an injury later in the season, perhaps he’ll regret that choice, but he looked in excellent form against Swansea and hopefully that continues.

Chelsea predicted XI: Tottenham (H)

Chelsea are set to take on Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, and what could be a crucial game in deciding who gets Champions League football next season.

Harry Kane will be a major absence for Spurs, with the striker still missing after picking up an injury against Bournemouth just before the international break.

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte will evaluate the fitness of Andreas Christensen and Thibaut Courtois, with the pair just coming back off international duty.

Here’s how we expect Chelsea to line up against Spurs, in a 3-4-3 formation.

GK- Willy Caballero

With Courtois looking like to be ruled unfit, Caballero could be set for a rare Premier League appearance.

CB – Azpilicueta

Azpilicueta has been a mainstay of the Chelsea defence this season. Nailed on to start.

CB – Andreas Christensen

Late fitness test will see if he’s ready, but Christensen should start.

CB – Antonio Rudiger

Rudiger looks set to start on Sunday.

RWB – Victor Moses

Moses looks set to start at right back for Chelsea tomorrow.

LWB –  Marcos Alonso

Another stalwart of the Chelsea defence this season, Alonso will be a certainty to start on Sunday.

CM – Cesc Fabregas

Fabregas will likely start against Tottenham on Sunday.

CM – N’Golo Kante

Kante is another certainty to start at Stamford Bridge.

RW – Willian

Willian played in Chelsea’s last game against Leicester, and is set to keep his place in the side.

LW – Eden Hazard

Hazard went on Belgium duty, but will still be likely to start.

ST- Alvaro Morata

Morata will likely start, even though he has struggled this season.

 

The post Chelsea predicted XI: Tottenham (H) appeared first on Read Chelsea.

Man Utd fans react to Lukaku's performance vs Swansea

Manchester United fans were ecstatic after Romelu Lukaku’s performance vs Swansea as he grabbed an important milestone goal.

At Old Trafford in front of his own fans the Belgian managed to get his 100th Premier League goal to become the youngest foreign player to do so.

Despite his numerous records and proven ability, critics still attack Lukaku but he put that to one side as he scored United’s opener.

Jose Mourinho’s men were dominant in the first half and found themselves 2-0 up within 20 minutes to essentially kill the game.

With Romelu edging close to 30 goals across all competitions for the Red Devils in his first season, it’s clear there’s plenty more to come.

100 Premier League goals for 24-year-old Romelu Lukaku. Belgium's all-time top goalscorer, too. Mightily impressive.

— Liam Canning (@LiamPaulCanning) March 31, 2018

Thought Lukaku was excellent again today. Had a rough patch in the middle of the season but has been great for a few months now, following on from his brilliant start. Dead chuffed for him. So much more to his game than just goals.

— Scott Patterson (@R_o_M) March 31, 2018

People had the cheek to compare Morata to Lukaku

— ‏ㅤㅤً (@Utdology) March 31, 2018

Lukaku doing the Lord’s work!

— Musa Okwonga (@Okwonga) March 31, 2018

100 Premier League goals for Lukaku. At his age, he is capable of breaking many records. People keep playing down his ability, but he’s continuing to prove the critics wrong. Delighted for him!

— The Man Utd Way (@TheManUtdWay) March 31, 2018

Romelu Lukaku; converting those who slandered him into believers one game, one goal at a time.

— Adam Joseph (@AdamJosephSport) March 31, 2018

With Zlatan Ibrahimovic recently leaving to join Los Angeles Galaxy, it’s clear that the striker spot is all but won for Romelu Lukaku.

Although the Swede didn’t provide that much competition, it was expected that the former Everton man would be given a run for his money.

It’s now down to either one of Marcus Rashford or Anthony Martial to try to dislodge Lukaku from his place in the first team but it’s hard to imagine anyone doing that.

Even when he wasn’t scoring, the powerful forward was still assisting and more importantly was putting in shifts that were pleasing his manager.

Romelu would’ve also been reassured by Mourinho saying he has no wishes to bring in another elite striker with the club being linked with the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Antoine Griezmann.

Jose Mourinho reacts to Manchester United 2-0 Swansea City

Jose Mourinho has hailed Manchester United’s first half performance against Swansea City as one of the best halves of football he has seen from his side this season.

The Portuguese’s men, having been slated by their manager for an abject performance against Brighton, rampaged out of the blocks against the Welsh side, surging forward with superb tempo and execution.

It only took them five minutes to break the deadlock, with Romelu Lukaku netting his 100th Premier League goal and 26th in all competitions this season, before Alexis Sanchez crowned a determined performance with a much-needed goal.

And Mourinho, speaking after the game, was full of praise for the way his players conducted themselves in the first half.

“First half I think one of the best halves we have played at Old Trafford this season,” he said.

“2-0 was very short not just in terms of chances to score but also the quality and beauty of our football. Second was different we gave them the chance they didn’t have in the first half to create something we went a little bit down.

“Maybe six of our players on the pitch were players who played international football they come back tired and late they almost don’t train.

“They let the pace and intensity go down but overall now seven games left three very important points. We want to finish in second, we have been there for the whole season and we deserve to finish there.”

This was a largely trouble free afternoon – save for a ten minute period of Swansea dominance – that saw United deliver a wonderfully fluid, purposeful, ambitious attacking performance to kill the game after just 20 minutes.

And yet, beneath the surface, you cannot help but feel an undercurrent of frustration. Mourinho uses fatigue as an excuse for why United started to wilt in the second half but this game, on reflection, was a microcosm of his side’s campaign as a whole: full of attacking promise, capable of producing some truly splendid displays going forward, only to fall short in delivering it on a regular enough basis.

Manchester City have managed to do that. And as a result they will wrap up the title with Mourinho in the opposition dugout next week.

1 goal, 1 assist, 49 passes: Man United star silences his doubters

Alexis Sanchez sent a bold message to his critics with a ruthless attacking display during Manchester United’s 2-0 win over Swansea City on Saturday.

The Chilean, who was dropped for the win over Brighton and Hove Albion, admitted recently to not playing well enough but within five minutes he had supplied a clever assist for Romelu Lukaku.

He continued to surge forward with purpose, finding pockets of space everywhere, and netted his first goal in ten games with a calm finish from Jesse Lingard‘s guided pass.

Sanchez’s numbers from the game demonstrate just how influential he was going forward against Carlos Carvalhal’s men.

Alexis Sánchez’s game by number vs. Swansea:

1 goal
1 assist
2 shots
3 tackles
3 interceptions
49 passes

Best performance in a United shirt. #MUFC pic.twitter.com/7QrLJ84y3i

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) March 31, 2018

The 29-year-old wheeled away, Old Trafford roaring in relief more than anything, and let out a roar that you could tell came right from his very core. He spoke himself last week of how he expected more from his performances at Man United – most notably against Sevilla.

Sanchez took to the pitch today like a man possessed, popping up in all kinds of positions to receive the ball and take players on. The forward played maybe ten yards further forward than normal – aided by Swansea’s flat back five – and it made all the difference; he was incisive, quick, skilful, a constant threat to the visitors.

He needed that. Big time. And supporters will desperately hope it serves as a catalyst for similar performances.

Player ratings: Sanchez silences his critics, Lukaku reaches milestone

David de Gea 7 – Had absolutely nothing to do until making two superb saves in quick succession from a couple of fierce Tammy Abraham shots in the second half. That’s 16 clean sheets this season and counting.

Antonio Valencia 7 – A typically dedicated, precise defensive display from the Ecuadorian. Picked up some good attacking positions in the second half.

Chris Smalling 6 – Had absolutely no troubles with Andre Ayew, defending commandingly in the box as usual, but could have got tighter to Tammy Abraham at times.

Victor Lindelof 7 – Produced a wonderfully easy-on-the-eye performance at the back, moving play along with intent and confidently stepping out into midfield on several occasions.

Ashley Young 6 – Defended with discipline and executed his challenges well, alongside making some important interceptions, but was profligate in the final third.

Nemanja Matic 6.5 – Had the freedom of the pitch in the first half as Swansea, playing far too deep, failed to put any pressure on him. Encountered a few shaky moments later on but always looked solid in possession.

Paul Pogba 7 – Not everything he attempted came off but this was a bold, ambitious, free-flowing display from the Frenchman, always looking to receive the ball and move play forward.

Jesse Lingard 6.5 – Played a key role in both goals in the first half, cleverly finding space off the Swansea defence and supplying a series of pin-point passes – most notably with an assist for Sanchez.

Juan Mata 7 – A quietly regal display from the Spaniard, who roamed across the pitch intelligently and treated Old Trafford to another sumptuous showing on the ball.

Alexis Sanchez 7 – Provided the perfect response to being left on the bench against Brighton with a ruthless attacking performance, laying on an assist for Lukaku before stroking a calm finish past Łukasz Fabiański. Tore across the pitch like a demon all game as well, often crucially winning the ball off Swansea players.

Romeu Lukaku 7 – The striker’s sensational form in front of goal continues. Claimed his 26th goal of the season – his 100th in the Premier League at the age of just 24 – with a deflected drive under pressure after five minutes and could have claimed a couple more if it weren’t for some excellent stops from Fabianski.

Substitutes

Marcus Rashford

Ander Herrera

Man Utd fans react to Sanchez's performance vs Swansea

Manchester United were absolutely delighted with Alexis Sanchez’s performance vs Swansea as he helped his side quickly dominate the away side.

The Chilean was instrumental in his club’s impressive opening 20 minutes, scoring and assisting as he looked refreshed following the international break.

Sanchez has been criticised since his move to Old Trafford for failing to live up to the same kind of form he showed for Arsenal.

The versatile attacker’s ability was never in question but his tendency to lose the ball left fans frustrated, particularly since his overall performances were poor.

However, against a lacklustre Swansea side Alexis showed signs of him returning to his best and United fans can’t wait for that to happen.

Pleased to see Alexis Sánchez on the scoresheet. Hopefully he can kick on and get back to his world class form.

— Liam Canning (@LiamPaulCanning) March 31, 2018

Sanchez in the opening 20 minutes:

1 Goal
1 Assist

Brilliant. #mufc pic.twitter.com/nYBH6NitXt

— United Xtra (@utdxtra) March 31, 2018

Sanchez has been brilliant today, defensively as well as his attacking play

— Ross Phillips (@Ross7Phillips) March 31, 2018

This has been Sanchez's best performance for United so far. Apparent this season the #mufc attack functions better when only one of Sanchez, Rashford and Martial are starting.

— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) March 31, 2018

Only 21 minutes in and that is by far the best I have seen of Sanchez in a United shirt.

— Neil Bernstein (@nbernste) March 31, 2018

Alexis Sanchez oozing class and confidence

— DILLINGER (@DillanMUFC) March 31, 2018

Another concern from supporters with the arrival of Alexis Sanchez was where he would fit in to the Red Devils current starting XI.

With Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial already occupying his preferred position, there were always going to question over his role in the side.

It initially appeared as though Jose Mourinho wasn’t sure where to play his star player as well since he moved his new signing all over the front four.

There was never any doubts as to what Sanchez brings to Manchester United but more so what it means for Martial and Rashford who need the game time to continue developing.

So far Mourinho’s been able to juggle their game time fairly well so far but there will come a time when he will need to make a decision on their futures.

Mourinho claims Man Utd don't need to invest in this department

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has insisted the club don’t need to sign another striker in the upcoming summer transfer window.

A host of top European strikers such as Robert Lewandowski and Antoine Griezmann have been touted for a move to Old Trafford but it appears as though the Portuguese manager doesn’t feel the need to improve on his current set of forwards.

Romelu Lukaku has been nothing short of outstanding for his new side as he’s grabbed over 20 goals so far and seems likely to break the 30 goal barrier in first season at the club.

Should he do so then the Belgian would turn out to be a better signing than most would’ve anticipated and it’s a credit to him for proving his doubters wrong/

However, Mourinho points to United’s other options up front as the reason why he doesn’t feel the need to invest any further in the strikers.

According to 101 Great Goals, Jose said: “We have Lukaku and Marcus Rashford as number nines, and of course Marcus can play right and left, but Marcus is a striker.

“Alexis can play as a striker, [Anthony] Martial can play as a striker, so without having another Lukaku, we have three more players that can play as a nine.

“If we don’t have Lukaku for different reasons, we can change systems and play with two and give more mobility to, for example, Marcus and Martial together, Marcus and Alexis together, so we are not going to go for another number nine.”

Jose Mourinho is certainly right in terms of the depth of his options to lead the line but there is the worry whether the others can fill in for Lukaku well enough.

Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial haven’t necessarily done enough to prove themselves as strikers, at least in the manager’s current system.

Alexis Sanchez has played as a striker before but just as the aforementioned pair, perhaps doesn’t suit his manager’s tactics when it comes to leading the line.

Mourinho is known for his love of physically imposing forwards and the simple truth is that the Red Devils don’t have anyone other than Romelu who can do that.

Mourinho bis the media to ask this Man Utd star about his poor form

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has urged the media to ask Paul Pogba about his recent poor form for the club.

The French international has struggled to impose himself on matches recently with Squawkwa claiming he hasn’t created a single chance in five consecutive Premier League matches.

The statistic appears to suggest that Pogba’s form is down to the player himself and not a tactical issue since even if he was used in a poor system he would be able to at least create one chance.

In Mourinho’s pre-match press conference the media didn’t waste any time in asking him about his player’s form and what can he do to help facilitate the former Juventus star.

It’s clear though that the Portuguese manager didn’t have much to say and encouraged the media to ask Paul himself.

According to the Independent, Jose said: “I think he is very fine after the injury. It was a difficult injury, it was an injury that other players, other clubs, other medical assessments, they end in surgery.

“His option with the medical opinions was not to go to the surgery table and his recovery was really really good. I think he is more than fine in relation to his recovery from the injury, which is an area sometimes where you have a recurrence. In his case, not at all.

“It’s nothing to do with his injury. His recovery was good. Ask him. Ask him when you get a chance what he thinks about it. I work. It’s the only thing I can do. I cannot do anything else.”

Much has been made about how to bring the best out of Paul Pogba of late but a lot of fans have now turned on the player himself.

The talented midfielder was initially given the benefit of the doubt with many urging Jose Mourinho to use the player better.

However, after the former Chelsea man switched formations and attempted everything possible to allow Pogba his freedom, he still let the manager down.

The academy product officially lost fans after his dire substitute appearance vs Sevilla when supporters and the team needed him then more than ever before.

A disappointing performance resulted in fans condemning the team as a whole but also accepting that their star player was just out of form.

Chelsea join chase for Real Madrid star, Barça eye Blues winger as Griezmann alternative and more: Chelsea news round-up

The news cycle surrounding Chelsea never stops and as such, it can be difficult to keep up to date with everything that’s going on. Therefore, we’ve rounded up everything you might have missed from yesterday into one place.

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Kenedy says Newcastle move would be a 'pleasure'

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Madrid want Chelsea Bale deal to happen

Real Madrid would prefer the idea of selling Gareth Bale to Chelsea this summer, according to reports in Spain from Don Balon.
The Welsh winger is … Read More

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PSV yet to confirm Braaf deal with Chelsea

Dutch side PSV are yet to hear from Chelsea over a deal to sign young striker Jayden Braaf, according to ED.
Previous reports have suggested that a … Read More

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Chelsea target Tuchel agrees PSG move

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Barcelona eyeing Umtiti replacements amid Chelsea interest

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Barcelona identify Willian as Griezmann alternative

Barcelona have reportedly identified Chelsea attacker Willian as a possible alternative to Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann.
According to … Read More

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Chelsea join three-team race to sign Isco

Chelsea will enter the transfer market in the summer for some fresh, young attackers but they face competition from two Premier League rivals for one … Read More

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Chelsea target Richarlison could be sold this summer

Chelsea were in the running to sign Richarlison last summer before he decided to leave Fluminense for Watford but the Blues have been linked with … Read More

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Chelsea will enquire about Pochettino if they pip Spurs to fourth

Chelsea will enquire about Mauricio Pochettino if they pip rivals Tottenham to the final Champions League spot this season.
It is widely expected … Read More

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The post Chelsea join chase for Real Madrid star, Barça eye Blues winger as Griezmann alternative and more: Chelsea news round-up appeared first on Read Chelsea.

Champions League qualification is crucial to Chelsea landing their preferred next manager

Chelsea will enquire about Mauricio Pochettino if they pip rivals Tottenham to the final Champions League spot this season.

It is widely expected that Antonio Conte will depart Stamford Bridge at the end of the season, leaving Chelsea to hunt for a new manager. While Luis Enrique and Thomas Tuchel are two names who have been heavily linked, the Telegraph claim that Pochettino would be the Blues’ first choice.

Although they are aware that there is little chance of convincing Pochettino to turn his back on Spurs for their rivals, Chelsea would at least enquire about his availability.

However, to do so they will need to secure Champions League qualification, because whereas Enrique or Tuchel may not be put off with a fifth place finish, it would most likely rule out Pochettino completely.

Pochettino still has three years to run on his current deal with Spurs, having signed a five-year contract in 2016. However, reports earlier this year have suggested that Spurs are readying a new bumper contract to stave off outside interest in their manager.

At the tail end of last year, the 46-year old Argentine said he would sign a 15-year deal with Tottenham if he was offered it, such does he enjoy being with the club. Therefore, it may be difficult for Chelsea to tempt him away.

The post Chelsea will enquire about Pochettino if they pip Spurs to fourth appeared first on Read Chelsea.

Three players Jose Mourinho must start against Swansea

The international break came at a good time for Manchester United, with players, fans and Jose Mourinho all suffering from defeat to Sevilla in a variety of ways, and they now have an opportunity to make a fresh start against Swansea City.

A win over Carlos Carvalhal’s men would restore Man United’s five point lead over Liverpool and a Chelsea defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at the same time would all but guarantee Mourinho’s side a place in next season’s Champions League.

The boss confirmed on Friday that Ashley Young, Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo were all fit to play, adding that Sergio Romero and Daley Blind would be unavailable.

With that in mind, here are three players who must start on Saturday.

Romelu Lukaku

The 24-year-old took his season tally for club and country to 35 goals with a brace against Saudi Arabia over the international break. He has 12 goals from 15 appearances in 2018. In other words, Lukaku is bang in form and, crucially, growing in maturity with each passing game.

Perhaps the biggest compliment you can pay him is that a United side without Lukaku would look simply wrong at this moment in time.

Alexis Sanchez

Having admitted himself over the international break that he needs to do more, Sanchez now has a superb chance to finally assert himself at Old Trafford following a timid ten games.

Mourinho will need to give him a chance to occupy a role further up the pitch, receiving the ball on the edge of the box to fire away shots and pick out teammates. You just get the feeling that player of his talent – even without a pre-season – cannot stay down for too long.

Paul Pogba

The Frenchman produced the perfect response to his recent troubles at Old Trafford with a textbook midfield performance against Russia on Tuesday, marauding up the pitch with attacking intent and claiming a goal and an assist in the process.

There isn’t a United player supporters are craving to see perform well than Pogba and you can only hope Mourinho hands him the chance to express himself.

4-2-3-1: Jose Mourinho's strongest lineup for Swansea clash

The international break is finally over and Manchester United have a chance to clear the growingly toxic air at Old Trafford with a win over Swansea.

Jose Mourinho’s men have already beaten the Welsh side twice this season, winning 4-0 and 2-0 in the Premier League and League Cup respectively.

The boss confirmed at a press conference that Ashley Young, Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo were all fit to play, while Sergio Romero will be out for a “few weeks”.

With that in mind, here is Sam’s potential XI for the game. Be sure to leave your own predicted XI in the video’s comments section.

Carlos Carvalhal explains why he reveres Jose Mourinho

Swansea City boss Carlos Carvalhal has hailed Jose Mourinho as the “king” of Portuguese football ahead of his side’s trip to Old Trafford this Saturday.

Carvalhal was appointed Swansea manager back in December having impressed with fluid, calculated style at Sheffield Wednesday.

He is just the fourth Portuguese manager to grace the Premier League, with Mourinho, Andre Villas-Boas and Marco Silva coming before him.

Speaking ahead of his first ever meeting with Mourinho, Carvalhal was full of praise for the way the 55-year-old played a pioneering role for Portuguese managers abroad.

“He is our king of football,” he said. “He is the best manager ever for Porto.”

“He opened the doors for the new generation of managers to go abroad. He opened the ideas of the world on Portuguese coaches.

“He’s a fighter – what I mean is he’s very good at mind games. The way he acts, he likes the theatre of it, and he usually wins all these battles. I am completely different, I prefer to be out of the theatre.”

Portuguese football had yet to make a splash outside of its borders until Mourinho came along in 2003 and forced the world to take notice. The country had failed at the World Cup the year before. Hardly any of their players were in the top five divisions.

Bit by bit, however, Mourinho started to change that – the watershed moment coming with a totally unexpected Champions League victory with Porto. He then went to England and, having declared himself special, won more silverware. At the same time, a certain Cristiano Ronaldo was starting to become an internationally known figure, coinciding with Portugal’s trip to the final of the European Championships in 2004.

It was a whirlwind couple of years for Portuguese football, and Mourinho, as ever, was right at the centre of it all.

Former Man United midfielder hits out at Jose Mourinho's use of Alexis Sancez

Former Manchester United midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron has called on Jose Mourinho to give Juan Sebastian Veron greater freedom on the pitch.

The Chilean, who arrived from Arsenal in a swap deal involving Henrikh Mkhitaryan in January, has only managed one goal in his opening ten games.

He was dropped from the starting XI against Brighton and Hove Albion and admitted last week that he expected more of himself during the early stages of his Old Trafford career.

But Veron has noted that Sanchez would benefit enormously from Mourinho handing him a freer role going forward.

“These types of players don’t have to prove anything,” he said. “In order to see the best version of Alexis, one needs to have a little patience.”

“For me, [Sanchez] is a player that needs more freedom, because he moves everywhere in attack and also gives you a hand when stepping back.”

So far Sanchez has been an awkward, one-dimensional presence on the left-hand side, often level with the likes of Paul Pogba in midfield and almost always occupying the left channel area the Frenchman enjoys to exploit so much.

The result: Sanchez is nowhere near dangerous positions further forward and stifling Pogba’s momentum in the process.

Having had two weeks to dwell Mourinho needs to have come up with a better attacking formula. Perhaps allowing for Sanchez and Mata, both high up the pitch, to interchange across the right hand side and centre of the pitch would bring the former into the game more, menacingly roaming the final third like he has done so many times before, while Pogba has space to attack the left channel along with Anthony Martial, who simply needs to play.

Pundit explains where Paul Pogba needs to improve at Man United

Former France left-back Bixente Lizarazu believes Paul Pogba is not progressing under the tutelage of Jose Mourinho at Manchester United.

The Frenchman has only started four of Man United’s last 11 games amid a series of injuries and underwhelming performances, with youngster Scott McTominay – a favourite of Mourinho – filling his place instead.

He had no such problems with the national team this week, however, complimenting a commanding performance against Russia with a goal and an assist.

And Lizarazu, speaking earlier this week, has claimed that the 55-year-old is stifling the midfielder’s progression at Old Trafford.

“I see that the relationship with Mourinho is not good,” he said.

“When he was in Juventus, he was really improving a lot; my feeling, at Manchester United, is that he is not improving so this is a problem because the potential is so big that we don’t want for him, for the French national team, that he stays at this level. He can make better.

“Why he don’t make it? It’s difficult to say what’s going on in his brain. Someone has to talk to him. Of course, Mourinho is not an easy manager. He is using the strong method – he can be hard with the player.

“Some players need that but others need something more soft but you have to be focused and sometimes he is not focused enough. Sometimes he is making too much and so he has to control that.”

Comparing the Juventus Pogba to the Man United Pogba is simply unfair given that the former was – and still is – miles ahead of Mourinho’s side. The 25-year-old was playing alongside the likes of Andrea Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio and Arturo Vidal in midfield, with Carlos Tevez and Paulo Dybala further up the pitch to pick out in a slower league compared to that of England.

That said, to see only the occasional game where Pogba’s brilliance shines through is painful to say the least. The midfielder does, as many have noted, need to work a bit harder perhaps, but the manager needs to let him off the leash more. He is simply too good – too important to the vitality of this team – to waste.

Jesse Lingard determined to emulate these Manchester United legends

Jesse Lingard has spoken of a duty to replicate the feats of homegrown Manchester United greats such as Paul Scholes, David Beckham and Gary Neville.

The 25-year-old made his first major splash on the world stage with a stunning winning goal in the FA Cup final back in 2016.

He added the League Cup and Europa League to his collection last term and has seen his stock dramatically rise over the last few months with a series of remarkable strikes at important moments.

Speaking on Football Focus, Lingard noted that he took inspiration from the generation of homegrown players who won everything under Sir Alex Ferguson.

“It is all about making new history but you see the team with Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Gary Neville etc and you see what they achieved and it is only right that the likes of me, Marcus and Paul try and emulate that and win trophies,” he said. 

“They came through the ranks together, but my (youth) team went their separate ways so to have another home lad like Marcus in the team and with Paul having been here since 16, we just want to try and emulate what they did.”

It can often feel like that organic streak United always had under Sir Alex Ferguson – the commitment to always improving, always demanding more of each other, lessons from the academy being applied on the biggest of stages – has somewhat dissipated amid the slew of modern football, with its crazy fees and social media and globalised feel.

But even in today’s radically altered footballing climate that belief in players from the academy remains, with Marcus Rashford, Lingard, Paul Pogba, Scott McTominay – and to a lesser extent Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Axel Tuanzebe – forming an essential part of the United squad.

And that, above anything, engenders a feeling of hope among youngsters like Angel Gomes and Tahith Chong looking to front the next generation of United players. How many top clubs can boast that?

Jose Mourinho reacts to Zlatan Ibrahimovic joining LA Galaxy

Jose Mourinho has admitted that seeing Zlatan Ibrahimovic leave Manchester United for LA Galaxy was a “sad moment”.

The Swede was brought to Old Trafford by Mourinho on a free transfer in July 2016 and he confounded his critics by plundering 28 goals in his opening campaign.

A severe knee ligament injury in April, however, marked the end of his time at the top, with the 36-year-old managing just two starts in his second campaign ahead of joining LA Galaxy last week.

And Mourinho, speaking at a press conference on Friday, paid tribute to what the man achieved and insisted that joining LA Galaxy was a good decision.

“For me it’s always sad when the big players go in the direction of the end,” he said.

“I remember for example [Luis] Figo, last match, with me and with Inter, and I always remember as one of my saddest moments because I always feel very very sorry when the big ones finish or go to the last period of their careers.

“Zlatan goodbye moment was more in that direction, he’s a huge big player that top football, European football is losing now and forever because he will not be back to this level of football. But fantastic for him in this period, is a fantastic way not to go from being a player to being a former player, this period with Galaxy, these couple of years will be very good for him and American football.

“What he can do, teach, attract, his personality, passion for football, he’s always had since his recovery was an example of what a pro should be is more the MLS and US as a football country is going to get, what more is Zlatan is going to get, will be just a way for him to enjoy the last couple of years of his football.”

Zlatan’s achievements will be remembered and admired long after he has passed from the public limelight. Appearing in senior football for the first time in 1999 as an ostracised teenager for Malmo, he spent nearly 20 years establishing himself as one of the greatest sportsmen of all time, becoming a national icon in the process.

His feats are so remarkable they deserve to be spelled out clearly, so here are a collection of numbers – and facts – which give some impression of his greatness.

– He claimed 33 trophies in his club career, just two fewer than Ryan Giggs.

– He has 215 club goals since turning 30. The closest after that is Henrik Larsson with 189.

– Nobody over the age of 35 scored as many goals in a single Premier League season.

– He reached double figures for league goals in every season from 2006 to 2017. Only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have managed to match that.

– He was the only player to score in the Champions League for six different teams (Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Milan and Paris Saint-Germain).

– He is one of only two players, along with Cristiano Ronaldo, to have scored a goal in every minute of a competitive game during their careers.

– He scored 493 competitive goals.

– His name has been officially trademarked in Sweden.

– He is miles better than all of us.

– And yes, he beat Mona Lisa in a staring competition.

Brazilian forward could be set for transfer as Chelsea and Arsenal consider bids

Chelsea were in the running to sign Richarlison last summer before he decided to leave Fluminense for Watford but the Blues have been linked with reviving their interest in him once the summer transfer window opens.

Arsenal have also been credited with interest in the Brazilian forward and Watford could be forced to cash-in on Richarlison after spending just one year together in order to keep their finances in check.

The Mirror state that Watford will be reliant on offloading some of their most prized assets in the summer in a bid to stay in profit, and Richarlison along with midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure are the most likely candidates to be sold with their value considerably higher than what the Hornets bought them for.

Watford spent just £11.2m on the 20-year-old last summer and he has netted five goals and provided five assists in 30 Premier League appearances so far this season, and his value has sky-rocketed as a result.

News of Watford’s potentially willingness to cash-in on the attacker will be good news for both Chelsea and Arsenal who are said to be interested in signing him.

The post Chelsea target Richarlison could be sold this summer appeared first on Read Chelsea.

Jose Mourinho provides injury update on five Man United players

Jose Mourinho has confirmed Sergio Romero will miss the FA Cup semi-final with Tottenham Hotspur with a knee injury, noting that the Argentine would be out for “a few weeks”.

The 31-year-old suffered a nasty collision with Diego Costa during Argentina’s 6-1 hammering at the hands of Spain over the international break.

It was confirmed following the game that Romero hadn’t suffered any ligament or bone damage, but Mourinho, speaking at a press conference ahead of the Swansea City game, noted that he will not recover in time to face Spurs at Wembley.

“Romero is injured, and I think he will for a few weeks, I think in the end he was lucky because was a strong contusion and will take a little bit of time to recover,” he said.

The boss was able to reveal that Young had picked up a knee injury during England’s draw with Italy but noted it wasn’t too serious, adding that he would call on Luke Shaw – who he vehemently criticised two weeks ago – if needed. Daley Blind, on the other hand, has returned to training having been on the sidelines since January.

“Ashley Young had a problem in the last part of the game against Italy but we think there is a chance for him to recover and Daley Blind come back from his treatment in Holland, start training with us in the last few days and is the only one not available.

“If he’s available Luke Shaw is always an option, Ashley Young was available to play against Brighton so I started with Luke Shaw, so that’s not a problem.

Phil Jones is also back after another frustrating period on the sidelines, while Marcos Rojo, who played for Argentina during the week, is also back.

“Apart from Daley, after a couple of months out, we recovered all the other problems we had, including Phil Jones, Rojo played with Argentina so the picture improved a lot for us in that aspect.”

Chelsea join Man City and Tottenham in race to sign wantaway £88-rated Real Madrid star

Chelsea will enter the transfer market in the summer for some fresh, young attackers but they face competition from two Premier League rivals for one of the biggest name set to become available.

After hinting at his potential unrest at Real Madrid, Isco is widely expected to leave the Bernabeu in the summer with Chelsea joining Manchester City and Tottenham in a bidding war to secure his services.

Isco signed for Madrid in a £27m deal from Malaga in the summer of 2013 and only penned a new five-year deal with the club last September, but the 25-year-old fears he doesn’t have the full backing of Zinedine Zidane and would like to join a club where he can become a prominent figure.

It’s believed that Manchester City and Pep Guardiola have already made an approach to Real Madrid to sign the Spain international while Tottenham and Chelsea are also keeping tabs on his situation.

Madrid value Isco at £88m which would make him the club-record signing of all three clubs said to be chasing his signature.

The post Chelsea join three-team race to sign Isco appeared first on Read Chelsea.

Arsenal To Prioritise Central Midfield And Centre Back In Summer Transfer Window

Arsenal are reportedly ready to sign a centre-back and a central midfielder once the transfer window reopens in the summer (via The Telegraph).

It’s going to be an important summer for Arsenal regardless of whether the club appoints a new manager or not.

There are several key positions on the pitch which Arsenal need to reinforce and it seems that the club has identified two of them.

Reports suggest that the club has prioritised central midfield and centre-back as two positions which need reinforcement.

Arsenal’s issues at centre-back are no secret but central midfield is an important area too.

Santi Cazorla will presumably leave the club and Jack Wilshere is no closer to signing a new deal which only leaves Aaron Ramsey, Granit Xhaka and Mohamed Elneny in the middle.

Reports suggest that the club are looking at the 22-year-old German midfielder, Max Meyer whose current contract with Schalke expires at the end of the season.

The two positions listed are in desperate need of reinforcement but it would be foolish if Arsenal didn’t sign a goalkeeper as well. Max Meyer would be a shrewd transfer but the Gunners need similar quality at centre-back and in goals too.

European heavyweights identify Chelsea star as transfer alternative - a deal could save them huge sums of money

Barcelona have reportedly identified Chelsea attacker Willian as a possible alternative to Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann.

According to reports in Spain, the Catalan giants want to sign the French forward this summer but are aware of the difficulties that the deal could present.

Griezmann, who was so heavily linked with a move to Manchester United last summer, is expected to complete a summer deal to join up with the likes of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez at the Nou Camp but it is going to cost Barcelona.

Atletico Madrid are hoping to hand Griezmann a new deal, that would, in turn, raise his release clause, meaning a deal could cost Barcelona in the region of €200 million.

A deal to sign Willian from Chelsea would be considerably cheaper, especially if the club misses out on Champions League football.

After falling out of favour earlier in the season, Willian was linked with moves away from Stamford Bridge, but he has since won his place back in the team in spectacular fashion.

The post Barcelona identify Willian as Griezmann alternative appeared first on Read Chelsea.

Arsenal Star Credits 'Father Figure' Wenger For His Success

Ainsley Maitland-Niles has credited Arsene Wenger for his breakthrough season (via Sky Sports).

Despite the numerous problems Arsenal are having on the pitch, it has been a good season for one young player.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles has enjoyed a hugely successful breakout season with impressive performances in both the Europa League and the Premier League.

Now, the 20-year-old has revealed that Arsene Wenger is the main reason behind his rise to the first team.

“I owe him a lot for believing in me and telling me I need to work on stuff before he has put me out there,” Maitland-Niles told Sky Sports.

“He’s a very trusting person. He has a lot of belief in his players and whenever you want to talk to him about something his door’s always open – you can always walk in.

“You could talk to him about anything. He’s such a loving guy, he treats every player as family.

“It depends how open you are as well to go and speak to him. It’s almost like he can be your dad, but he’s your coach at the same time, so he’s giving you that push in both areas.”

However people fall on the Wenger in/out debate, there is no doubting Wenger’s qualities as a person and a man manager. Very few former Arsenal players have bad things to say about Arsene Wenger and it seems that Ainsley Maitland-Niles is the latest in the long line.

Barcelona preparing to replace £53m-rated star wanted by Chelsea and Man Utd

Chelsea have been linked with a summer swoop for Samuel Umtiti and Barcelona are now preparing for the eventuality that the France international does leave the Nou Camp this summer.

Barcelona still hope they can agree a new long-term contract with Umtiti as his current deal possesses a £53m release clause which the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United are considering activating when the transfer window opens, but they are readying contingency plans if they can’t.

Reports suggest that the La Liga leaders have singled out two players as potential replacements for Umtiti if a club convinces him to leave: Toulouse standout Issa Diop and Schalke youngster Thilo Kehrer.

Diop is a France U21 international and has impressed in Ligue 1 this season for Toulouse, while Germany U21 captain Kehrer has established himself as a regular for Schalke this season.

Umtiti is happy to pen an extension with Barcelona but is looking for £140,000-a-week in order to so, wage demands that both Chelsea and Manchester United could be able to meet.

The post Barcelona eyeing Umtiti replacements amid Chelsea interest appeared first on Read Chelsea.

Chelsea to miss out on key summer target who has an agreement in place to join European heavyweights

Chelsea managerial target Thomas Tuchel reportedly has an agreement in place with Paris Saint-Germain according to Le Parisien, as cited by Get French Football.

The reports from France claim that the club has an agreement in place, ready for the ex-Dortmund boss to replace Unai Emery this summer, despite interest from Arsenal and Bayern.

Emery, despite looking set to win Ligue 1 this season, is widely expected to stand down after failing to impress in the Champions League.

With Antonio Conte also likely to move on from Stamford Bridge this summer, the Blues had been linked but now look set to miss out on the German.

Conte remains certain he wants to see out his contract but has also been linked with Milan and the Italian national job this season.

Reports over the last week have linked Tuchel heavily with a move to the Premier League.

Initial claims said Arsenal were the most likely destination but the connection with Sven Mislintat means that a move is unlikely.

The post Chelsea target Tuchel agrees PSG move appeared first on Read Chelsea.

Club yet to hear from Chelsea over deal to sign striker amid late City interest

Dutch side PSV are yet to hear from Chelsea over a deal to sign young striker Jayden Braaf, according to ED.

Previous reports have suggested that a deal is all-but complete and the player will join up with the club over the summer.

Family members of the striker had seemingly confirmed the move, however, the report suggests that nothing is official just yet.

Manchester City were reportedly keen on the striker and there has been some late interest.

A deal is still likely to go through but is unlikely to be confirmed in the immediate future.

The deal is also likely to include a small fee for the player and a future transfer percentage.

Braaf will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of Daishawn Redan, who also made the move from the Dutch leagues, joining Chelsea from Ajax over the summer and has been impressing in the club’s academy sides this season.

The post PSV yet to confirm Braaf deal with Chelsea appeared first on Read Chelsea.

Club want to sell £70m star to Chelsea despite Premier League interest

Real Madrid would prefer the idea of selling Gareth Bale to Chelsea this summer, according to reports in Spain from Don Balon.

The Welsh winger is being heavily linked with a move away from Real Madrid after a tough season at the Bernabeu.

Manchester United have been long-term admirers of the player and tried to sign him when it became clear he would be leaving Tottenham earlier in his career.

Jose Mourinho is said to be a huge admirer of the player and reports have gone as far as suggesting he has convinced him to turn down interest from Chelsea and Bayern Munich to move to Old Trafford this summer.

However, if Madrid do get their way, Chelsea may land the Welsh superstar this summer.

The Blues are unlikely to feature in the Champions League next season, meaning they will not be improving a direct rival in Europe and they could utilise their interest in Eden Hazard to wager a deal.

The latter has been heavily linked with a move to Spain in the past and the lack of Champions League football may tempt Madrid into trying to land the Belgian.

The post Madrid want Chelsea Bale deal to happen appeared first on Read Chelsea.

Chelsea attacker claims move away from Stamford Bridge would be a 'pleasure'

Chelsea attacker Kenedy has described the possibility of joining Newcastle United on a permanent basis as a ‘pleasure’.

Speaking UOL, Kenedy talked up the chances of joining the club permanently after a fruitful loan spell with Rafa Benitez’s side.

This new stage with Newcastle’s shirt makes me very happy, it’s very difficult for a player to stay a long time without playing, even more to get back in the rhythm of the Premier League. If it’s good for everyone, it would be a pleasure to continue wearing the shirt of this great team.

The Brazilian, who had fallen out of favour at Chelsea under Antonio Conte, joined the Magpies on loan in the January window.

Since arriving at St James’ Park, Kenedy has impressed the Newcastle faithful with his trickery and speed.

Previous reports have suggested that a deal could be agreed if Newcastle meet a £15 million asking price.

The Brazilian’s future at Stamford Bridge may well depend on what happens with Italian head coach Antonio Conte.

Conte himself is being linked with moves away from Chelsea this summer and Kenedy could fancy his chances of winning back his place in the first-team squad.

He found game time hard to come by after being sent home from Chelsea’s pre-season tour of China.

The post Kenedy says Newcastle move would be a ‘pleasure’ appeared first on Read Chelsea.

Pundit claims Mourinho is still this many players away from his own Man Utd team

David May has claimed that Jose Mourinho is still about four or five players away from having a Manchester United squad in his own image.

The Portuguese manager has signed a fair few players in his two seasons in charge of the club but apparently it’s not enough yet.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Eric Bailly, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Paul Pogba, Victor Lindelof, Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez have all been brought in by Mourinho so far.

Morgan Schneiderlin, Memphis Depay, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Adnan Januzaj, Wayne Rooney and Mkhitaryan are the highest profile departures so far as well.

However, May is focussed on the incoming players and believes Jose still needs more transfers for the players to be truly his.

According to the Sport Review, David said to 888sport: “Given time the team will be built around him [Paul Pogba]. The manager is still four or five players away from getting where he wants to get to. He likes a big man up front and now he has Lukaku.

“He likes a holding midfielder and now he has Matic. I’m sure in the summer he’ll go again and hopefully from that United can get closer to where City are.”

In fairness to the pundit, there doesn’t seem to be too many departures or enough departures to truly allow Jose Mourinho to turn the squad into his own.

Louis Van Gaal similarly shuffled the pack so to speak when David Moyes left the club but the former Chelsea manager isn’t even close in terms of ins and outs.

The Dutchman spent an almost identical amount of money but not only got in a few extra but saw plenty of departures as he completely changed the squad in his favour.

Van Gaal noticed a team lacking confidence and were devoid of a lot of things but decided to bring in his own players which everyone saw as fair.

Since Mourinho hasn’t been given the same opportunity or at least hasn’t done the same yet, it’s not a surprise the squad doesn’t yet look like one that he would trust.

Bayern eye Chelsea star, Milan respond to pursuit of defender and more: Chelsea news round-up

The news cycle surrounding Chelsea never stops and as such, it can be difficult to keep up to date with everything that’s going on. Therefore, we’ve rounded up everything you might have missed from yesterday into one place.

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Mourinho convinces Bale to sign with Manchester United

Legendary Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has reportedly convinced Gareth Bale to sign for Manchester United, according to Sport.
Bale, who is … Read More

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Morata named as potential Lewandowski replacement at Bayern

Alvaro Morata has been identified as a potential replacement for Robert Lewandowski, if he were to leave Bayern Munich in the summer, according to … Read More

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Milan tell Chelsea that Romagnoli is not for sale

Alessio Romagnoli has been on Chelsea's radar for some time now and the Blues are said to be keen to renew their interest in the AC Milan centre-back … Read More

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Kane set to miss Chelsea game with injury

Harry Kane has been ruled out of Spurs' game against Chelsea this weekend, handing the Blues a major injury boost.
Kane picked up the ankle injury … Read More

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PSG reportedly overlook Conte as they search for new boss

According to reports from Italy, PSG will not be appointing Antonio Conte as their next manager.
The Chelsea boss has been heavily linked with a … Read More

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Conte delivers update on defensive injuries

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has delivered an update on the condition of his players ahead of their clash with Tottenham Hotspur this … Read More

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Conte backs Morata to regain form

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has backed the club's record signing, Alvaro Morata to reap the rewards of his hard work this season despite not … Read More

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The post Bayern eye Chelsea star, Milan respond to pursuit of defender and more: Chelsea news round-up appeared first on Read Chelsea.

Napoli superstar explains why he doesn't want to play for Jose Mourinho

Manchester United target and Napoli midfielder Jorginho has implied that Jose Mourinho’s tactical set-up would not suit him should he decide to leave over the summer.

The 55-year-old has set his sights on adding midfield reinforcements over the transfer window ahead of Michael Carrick‘s retirement and Marouane Fellaini‘s departure.

And Jorginho, who has spoken effusively of the Premier League in the past, is reportedly being lined up as a potential target.

Speaking soon after Italy’s 1-1 draw with England, Jorginho implied that he wanted to play in a system that radically differs from what supporters have seen at Old Trafford this season.

“I think that I could fit (in the Premier League),” he said. “It depends on who else is around me – I need players with the same characteristics that I have.”

“There are English teams with this style of play, ball on the ground, quick transitions, high pressure. If one of those teams wanted me, I could fit and the other way round. My football way is not an usual one.”

What Jorginho is saying here, in effect, is that Mourinho’s way of playing does not allow for midfielders to flourish – and you can hardly argue with that.

Mourinho does not necessarily bank on his midfielders to act as springboards for attacks like Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri, whose use of triangles and building up the pitch in rapid phases gives players like Jorginho freedom to express themselves.

At Old Trafford, however, midfielders are there to add structure first and innovation second. Taking up the right position is the most important thing for Mourinho, who wants his side spend less time moving the ball around and place greater emphasis and finding the right position to supply, as he has called it before, the ‘killer pass’.

As a result, United have lost out on one of Europe’s best midfielders ahead of the summer.

 

David de Gea explains why he wants to win this individual award

David de Gea has expressed his desire to claim the Premier League ‘Golden Glove’ award for most clean sheets this season.

The Spaniard is widely regarded as the best goalkeeper in the world but has never claimed the award, with Thibaut Courtois, Petr Cech, Joe Hart the last three winners of the title.

But he currently leads the way this season with 15 clean sheets – just one behind the total required to claim the award in each campaign since 2013 – with Manchester City’s Ederson just one behind.

And De Gea, when asked about the honour, noted that winning it would be indicative of United’s strength at the back this season.

“Of course, I would love to win it, not just this year but every year,” he said. “I feel it’s a reflection of how well the team is defending as a whole when a goalkeeper wins an award like this.”

“I feel we have defended well as a team this season and it would be a trophy for my colleagues and all the lads, in particular those in defence who protect you.”

The last Manchester United keeper to claim the ‘Golden Glove’ was Edwin van der Sar in 2009 but De Gea was quite literally seconds away from winning it back in 2016.

All Man United needed to do against AFC Bournemouth was hold on to a 3-0 lead for a few more minutes, the life long gone from the contest in what was Louis van Gaal‘s last game at Old Trafford, only for Chris Smalling to inexplicably scuff a cross past him. The whistle blew moments after. You could see the sheer fury on De Gea’s face.

Supporters will just hope that, this time around, De Gea’s excellent work between the sticks is recognised with an award.

From Spain: Jose Mourinho convinces Real Madrid star to join Man United

Jose Mourinho has convinced Gareth Bale to swap Real Madrid for Manchester United in the summer following another difficult campaign under Zinedine Zidane, according to reports from Spain.

The Portuguese established interest in Bale last summer but decided against making an official bid after Zinedine Zidane started him in the UEFA Super Cup and insisted he was part of Real’s plans for the season.

But Bale has endured another injury-hit campaign and it is roundly believed that the winger will depart the Bernabeu over the transfer window.

And according to Spanish media outlet SPORT, Bale is keen on a move back to the Premier League and Mourinho has convinced him to choose Old Trafford as his next destination.

Bale does feel like more of a Mourinho player than Anthony Martial but to make that deal – thereby dispensing with one of the finest young talents in the modern game – would be nothing short of criminal.

The former Tottenham Hotspur man is a player capable of taking on a talismanic role alongside plundering goals and assists, but his injury record and age outweigh any potential benefits.

United have made a number of signings like Bale in recent years – internationally known and proven on the big stage – and they haven’t worked. Surely exercising patience and faith in players of Martial’s calibre is a better way to go.

Manchester United chiefs make big structural change ahead of transfer window: report

Manchester United have appointed Rebecca Scott as club secretary following the retirement of John Alexander and will appoint a director of football operations, according to reports.

Alexander, who is the uncle of Liverpool full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, spent seven years at the club and retired from his role in September.

The club has been reluctant to appoint a director of football in the past for fear of diluting the manager’s role, but Alexander’s departure has been treated as a chance to restructure the way operations are handled at the top.

And according to M.E.N‘s Samuel Luckhurst, Britain’s arrival from Tottenham Hotspur will coincide with splitting the role into three separate departments, with a director of football set to take a more hands-on role with transfer policy.

Jose Mourinho’s demise at both Real Madrid and Chelsea were closely linked with disputes with the club’s footballing director – a role he found to be too powerful at the Bernabeu especially – but the post-Fergie era at Old Trafford serves as a clear example of why the role, adopted by more or less all top clubs, is necessary.

United’s continually disjoined performances can be largely put down to having three managers in the space of four years enter the club and make signings that, when put together, often don’t make an awful lot of sense.

The role of football director is to preside closely over arrivals and departures, ensuring that a long-term strategy and a sense of structure is favoured over arbitrarily signing players who seem suitable at a particular given time.

Ed Woodward has generally conducted himself well as executive vice chairman but his role in signings have, in keeping with his background, felt largely business-oriented – geared towards profit and shares as opposed to the team’s welfare – and supporters will hope this change of tack from United helps to shift them away from the systemic inertia that still runs deep following the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson and David Gill in 2013.

Conte makes surprising claim over striker's form

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has backed the club’s record signing, Alvaro Morata to reap the rewards of his hard work this season despite not finding life too easy since moving to London, according to Goal.

Morata has scored just one goal since Boxing Day after a tough recent run of form which also seen him spend a long time sidelined with injury woes.

After coming in for a huge fee from Real Madrid in the summer, the Spanish forward has scored just ten goals in the Premier League. This has contributed towards Chelsea being a long way off the pace in the Premier League.

He scored in his last game for the club in the FA Cup semi-final against Leicester City but was not called up to the Spanish national team for the recent international friendlies.

Conte has spoken about Morata ahead of his side’s visit from Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon:

This period for Morata was very important. I think that, in the last week and this week, he has worked very well. I think that he needed to work hard because, don’t forget, Alvaro was out for one and a half months with his back problem.

Now Alvaro is really fit, 100 per cent, and ready to have an important final of the season: for Chelsea and then, for him, to have the chance to go and play in the World Cup.

The post Conte backs Morata to regain form appeared first on Read Chelsea.

Video: Bailly sends hilarious farewell message to Ibrahimovic

Concern for Chelsea as injuries pile up ahead of Tottenham clash - star defender out for three weeks

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has delivered an update on the condition of his players ahead of their clash with Tottenham Hotspur this weekend.

The Blues are enduring a difficult season and will see the Spurs game as a must-win, with their London rivals currently ahead in fourth place by a sizable total of five points.

A win over Spurs would bridge the gap to only two points and help Chelsea in their pursuit of a top four finish this season. However, they will be forced to do so in the midst of injury concerns at the back.

Addressing the media ahead of the Spurs game, Conte discussed his defenders’ fitness for the encounter and failed to deliver promising news for Blues fans.

David Luiz looks set to be sidelined until May as he continues to recover from a niggling knee injury which has halted his progress this season. Conte was not wholly convincing when delivering an update on Andreas Christensen’s condition ahead of the game, either.

Twitter: Conte says David Luiz is out for at least another three weeks as he continues his recovery from a knee problem. The… https://t.co/RMNRsrvJTn (@ChelseaFC)

Ethan Ampadu also suffered a season-ending injury in recent times and will be forced to sit out for the remainder of what has been a promising maiden campaign in the first-team.

The post Conte delivers update on defensive injuries appeared first on Read Chelsea.

Alexis Sanchez has to learn this.m to succeed at Man United, claims Champions League winner

Alexis Sanchez is trying too hard to succeed at Manchester United, according to former-Red David May.

The Chilean forward signed a four-and-a-half-year deal at Old Trafford in a player swap deal in January.

He’s about halfway his first half-season at Man United and has been far from impressive thus far.

Sanchez has looked wasteful, frustrated and has contributed little.

Rather, the changing of the team to feature him in it has made it difficult to give in form Marcus Rashford or Anthony Martial game time.

“Personally I think he’s trying too hard,” May told 888sport.

Of course, May was the opposite of Sanchez, an under-the-radar player compared to the huge profile and expectation of the 29-year-old forward.

“He wants to be involved in everything but he needs to be told that standing still is a good position,” May explained.

“He’s an absolutely fantastic player and everybody knows that after what he did with Arsenal but he needs to take a step back and enjoy it.

“He’s forever looking for the ball but sometimes you have to let the ball find you.”

It’s an important point. Dishearteningly, Sanchez has looked, at times similar to how Wayne Rooney did for spells of his career; out of form, off his game.

But not only that, similarly to that frustrating Rooney, Sanchez continues to attempt the incredibly difficult when he’s having a bad game rather than returning to the simpler stuff.

That leaves him open to criticism when it doesn’t come off. That he loses the ball is not an issue for a risky attacking player like he is, but his response to losing it and the amount of times it does actually come off; those are two things that do matter. And at the moment, Sanchez has been a frustration since his move from Arsenal.

PSG make huge decision in their pursuit of key Chelsea man

According to reports from Italy, PSG will not be appointing Antonio Conte as their next manager.

The Chelsea boss has been heavily linked with a move to Paris this summer, with the Ligue 1 leaders looking to replace Unai Emery. This comes after yet another underwhelming showing in the Champions League this season.

It was even claimed in previous times that Conte’s representatives had been contacted by PSG with regards to a summer switch. However, it appears they will not be looking towards the Italian to take the reins, if the recent reports are to be believed.

Conte is under immense pressure at Chelsea, with the Blues having endured a difficult season so far. Their title defence has been underwhelming this term and Conte appears to be headed for the exit door.

The PSG links will no doubt continue, but new claims insist he will not be the man to replace Emery at the Ligue 1 side.

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