Premier League
AHEAD OF EPIC CLASH, JOSE MOURINHO MOCKS FORMERS CLUBS, MAN U & CHELSEA: ‘MAN CITY B TEAM’ HAS A GREATER PROSPECTS
Jose Mourinho has taken a jab at his former clubs, Manchester United and Chelsea, ruling both Premiership giants out of the title. He made his remarks on Sky Sports ahead of the clash of teams in this weekend’s Premiership clash.
The Portuguese manager even revealed he believed Manchester City’s substitutes would be more likely to triumph than the two giants he once managed – and that Tottenham could also be in with an outside chance.
He said: ‘Four [teams can win the title]. Man City, Tottenham, Liverpool and Man City B team. The players that were not already involved, I think the [City] B team could fight for the title.
‘I think if one of the teams plays magnificent today, I don’t believe they are going to resist in the title race. I don’t see also Arsenal to resist to a title race. Last season was phenomenal but I think Tottenham has to join it.’
Former United full back Gary Neville agreed with the 56-year-old tactician, and also wrote off the side he supports from mounting a title bid.
He added: ‘I don’t see United winning the title. As a United fan all I want them to do is to create a strategy and stick to it. David Moyes came in, Mata 5 ft 8, Fellaini 6 ft 4, then they sacked David Moyes, then LVG came in a lot of technical possession players to fit his model. Then they sacked him.
Jose came in, signed Bailly, Ibrahimovic – very physical, gave him a new contract, then cut that path short. Then Solskjaer has come in with British players. Four different strategies. Don’t keep changing all the time. And the club have been doing that.’
Mourinho also explained that he believes both City and Liverpool will be strong enough to fend off the chasing pack, although he hopes that the two sides’ rivals can one day return to the top level.
‘We would love United, Chelsea and Arsenal to also be at that level,’ Mourinho said. ‘It would be something incredible. Sometimes unpredictable things can happen. Who knows?
‘But I think we all agree, we are speaking about a team that won everything in England, we are speaking about the European champion and the European runner-up. Then we are talking about United sixth, and playing Europa League and Arsenal fifth and Europa League too.’
The former Blues boss also thinks that Frank Lampard’s side will be able to negate the effects caused by the club’s transfer ban, but admitted that his first television appearance back in England wasn’t an easy one.
He added: ‘If someone who could answer a transfer ban it’s Chelsea. They can get Zouma, Abraham. If that happens to another club it would be much more difficult to organise a difficult squad.
So I hope that something great happens with them [Chelsea]. I come just for the game and just to learn and listen to their opinions. You have to say it’s not an easy debut for me.’
Thomas Partey, who formerly played for English Premier League soccer club Arsenal, has been charged with rape and sexual assault, London’s Metropolitan Police said on Friday.
Partey, a Ghana international, was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, with the charges relating to three women and the offences reported to have taken place between 2021 and 2022, the statement said.
Partey’s management did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
He is due to appear at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Aug. 5.
Partey, 32, was signed by Arsenal from Atletico Madrid for 50 million euros ($59 million) in October 2020 and became a key member of Arsenal’s first team.
He was first arrested in July 2022, though he was not named at the time and continued to play for Arsenal while investigations were ongoing.
-Reuters
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Five players including England forward Marcus Rashford and Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho have informed Manchester United that they wish to explore a future away from the Premier League side, a club source said on Friday.
Brazilian midfielder Antony, Dutch defender Tyrell Malacia and England international Jadon Sancho are also looking to leave the club, the source added.
Rashford, who has made more than 400 senior appearances for United, has fallen out of favour with manager Ruben Amorim, played for Aston Villa on loan while United had their worst-ever Premier League campaign, finishing 15th in the standings.
Amorim had called Rashford’s work rate into question, saying he would rather put a goalkeeper coach on the bench than a player not giving their all.
Rashford said he was feeling fitter and better since joining Villa, where he scored two goals in 10 league appearances.
United also failed to qualify for the Champions League as they lost the Europa League final 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur. Garnacho, who was a late substitute in the final, voiced his displeasure on social media after the loss.
“Up until the final, I played every round helping the team, and today I play 20 minutes, I don’t know,” he wrote in a post . “The final will influence (my decision), but the whole season, the situation of the club.”
Sancho was on loan at Chelsea, where he made 31 league appearances last season. Antony, who joined United from Ajax Amsterdam in 2022 for a reported initial transfer fee of more than $100 million, scored five goals in 17 LaLiga appearances on loan at Real Betis.
Malacia joined Dutch side PSV Eindhoven on loan in February.
-Reuters
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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes turned down the opportunity to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in order to keep playing “at the highest level”, he said on Tuesday.
The Portuguese midfielder admitted that he had considered the move, which media reports said was worth four times his current salary, after being contacted by Al-Hilal’s president.
“There was that possibility, the president of Al-Hilal called me a month ago to ask me about it,” Fernandes, who is preparing to face Germany with Portugal, told reporters on Tuesday.
“It was a big offer, very ambitious. There was a waiting period for me to think about the future.”
Fernandes ultimately decided to stay at United and said he was motivated by his desire to continue playing at the top level and encouraged by his family and the club’s coach Ruben Amorim.
“I would be willing to do it if Manchester United thought so,” Fernandes added. “I spoke to the coach Ruben Amorim who really tried to talk me out of it. The club said they would not be willing to sell me, only if I wanted to leave.
“I spoke to my wife and family, and she asked me what my personal goals were in my career.
“It would have been easy to move there but I want to keep myself at the highest level, playing in the big competitions and I feel capable of it. I am happy with my decision.”
The 30-year-old Fernandes scored 19 goals and provided 19 assists in 57 appearances across all competitions for United last season, winning the club’s Player of the Year award for the fourth time.
However, it was a season to forget for the team, as they finished 15th in the Premier League, their lowest league finish in half a century, and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.
-Reuters
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