Category: RSS English

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Manchester United have a mountain to climb in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final after a 3-1 defeat to rivals City at Old Trafford.

It was United’s visitors who caught the eye first in the Manchester derby before a ball had even been kicked, with Pep Guardiola opting to rest both Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Agüero – instead starting Bernardo Silva out of position.

​​When the match finally got underway, it was Manchester United who opened up the first real chance of the game through Marcus Rashford, but the England international’s low cross was cleared by Fernandinho.

When City finally ventured forward after a quarter of an hour, Bernardo Silva produced a moment of magic that opened the scoring in the cup semi-final.

The Portugal international was invited to shoot after being given time and space on his stronger left foot from the edge of the area, and Silva picked out the top corner of David de Gea’s net with a stunning strike that went in off the underside of the bar.

City took control of the match after Silva’s opener and they doubled their lead soon after Riyad Mahrez broke away on the counter-attack.

The Algerian waltzed past David de Gea and tapped the ball into the back of an empty net from inside the penalty area, putting the visitors firmly in control as they looked to get the two-legged tie wrapped up at Old Trafford.

City’s two-goal lead quickly became three after a moment of magic from De Bruyne on the edge of the area to open up space in behind United’s defence.

The Belgium international’s initial shot was saved by de Gea, but the loose ball rebounded off a helpless Andreas Pereira and into the back of the net – rounding off an awful first-half for the hosts.

The game was only going in one direction.

But United showed they still had some life left in them when Marcus Rashford raced onto the end of a through ball from Mason Greenwood.

The England international’s touch took him away from Nicolás Otamendi and Rashford picked out the bottom corner of Claudio Bravo’s net – offering some hope that United would at least avoid total humiliation in the Manchester derby.

It was a goal that offered a small glimmer of hope for Manchester United, but City held on for the win to put one foot in the Carabao Cup final already.

Both sides will meet again at Etihad Stadium on January 29, but Solskjaer’s side will desperately need to improve if they want to stand any chance of overturning their two-goal deficit and a shot at winning some silverware this season.

But before the second leg, here’s what the reaction to the game at Old Trafford was like on social media.

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The watching world were treated to two Arsenal performances for the price of one on Monday evening. A terrible first half saw them overrun by Leeds, before Reiss Nelson’s goal capped a 1-0 victory, better second 45 minutes and progression to the FA Cup fourth round. ​

For those who haven’t watched Leeds or any previous Bielsa teams in action, the opening half was a crash course in why he is so widely revered. They played without fear, were dominant in possession and created chances – the best of which came courtesy of Patrick Bamford and Ezgjan Alioski.

​​​​From an ​Arsenal perspective, fans on Twitter were right to question Mikel Arteta’s formation and the personnel playing within it. A back four with Sokratis and Sead Kolasinac as full-backs enabled Leeds’ wingers to run them ragged, cutting inside and running in behind to great effect.

At the heart of the team, two pairs seemed uncomfortable and overrun by their opponent’s energy. David Luiz and Rob Holding were sloppy when playing out from the back, while Granit Xhaka and Matteo Guendouzi lost track of their runners, occupied the same space and generally seemed a yard behind the visitors.

Put the four players together and Leeds had a field day between the lines and behind the defence.

​​Surely Arsenal couldn’t be as bad as they were in the opening 45? Thankfully not! Whatever home truths Arteta had to say at half time, it resulted in the Gunners playing with higher intensity and much further up the pitch.

They began to win the midfield battle and got their attacking players into the game, which sparked two questions on Twitter: where was this Arsenal in the first half? What happened to the Leeds of that first 45?

The new and improved Arsenal made their dominance count just ten minutes into the second half, as Reiss Nelson converted a ball that took more than one deflection between ​Alexandre Lacazette‘s cross and hitting the back of the net. It took the sting out of a Leeds side who had been made to rue their first half wastefulness.

The performance might have been better, but there was still time for some Arsenal petulance and they were arguably lucky to have a full compliment of 11 players on the pitch.

Xhaka had been on a one-man mission to rack up the same cynical foul as many times as possible, which went unpunished time and again – surely there were at least two yellows in his cumulative fouls?

Lacazette, meanwhile, was lucky to escape punishment via a VAR review as he kicked out at a ​Leeds player – it threw up more questions about the process and Twitter was divided.

Crystal Palace and Swansea are set to battle it out for the signature of Bristol City star Kasey Palmer in the January transfer window.

Palmer has fallen out of favour at Ashton Gate following a breakdown in his relationship with boss Lee Johnson, and he is subsequently open to a move away from the Championship club.

​The Bristol Post reports that Palmer has attracted the attention of both Swansea and Premier League side Crystal Palace, with the former having already made an official approach for the 23-year-old.

Palmer was left out of Bristol City’s recent 4-0 defeat to Brentford, despite being seen completing fitness drills prior to the match.

The attacking midfielder feels unfairly singled out by his dissatisfied boss over his performances and lifestyle away from football, and he is willing to leave the club if his treatment continues in this manner.

The former Huddersfield man’s deteriorating relationships at Bristol City have stirred interest from ​Swansea, who have made a formal enquiry into the availability of the midfielder.

​Crystal Palace have also approached the Championship club over a possible move for Palmer, along with another unnamed Premier League team and a Bundesliga side.

Palmer has scored one goal and provided three assists in 11 starts in the Championship this season, but his recent issues with manager Johnson have seen him ostracised from the squad entirely.

It is believed that Palmer’s poor rapport with Johnson is not irreparable however, and a future at Ashton Gate is still possible.

Crystal Palace are in desperate need of creativity in their side, having scored only 19 goals in 21 Premier League matches this season. The Eagles are sitting in the top half of the table, thanks to their excellent defensive capabilities, but coach Roy Hodgson is desperate to increase his side’s goal threat.

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A friendly match between inmates at a prison in Mexico descended into chaos on New Year’s Day as 16 people ended up being killed as a result of violent clashes during the game.

Varonil prison, which is located in the town of Cieneguillas, hosted what was supposed to be a light-hearted game for inmates, and family members were also invited to watch the event to kick-start the new year.

Unfortunately, as noted by ​La Jornada, things did not go to plan as members of the ‘Gulf’ and ‘Sinaloa’ cartels ended up fighting one another with handmade weapons and firearms which were allegedly smuggled into the prison by visiting family members on the day of the attack.

The incident is understood to have lasted for around three hours, in which players and family members alike came under attack.

In total, 16 people were killed as a result of the violence and many more were left with injuries. Five people are said to be in critical condition as a result of their wounds. Some children are thought to be among those injured.

The government have launched an investigation to try and determine who instigated the violence, as well as how the weapons found their way into the prison.

120 inmates were relocated to other facilities to try and prevent any future outbreaks of violence, but there are fears that things could soon escalate again as Mexican prisons have often been plagued by gang wars in recent years.

You get the feeling that prison officials probably won’t organise this match again next year.

Celtic’s derby day defeat to Rangers left them only a point above their sworn enemies at the top of the Scottish Premiership table, and Neil Lennon’s side can ill-afford slip ups in the second half of the season.​

Lennon’s men are going for their ninth consecutive Scottish league title but will need to reinforce in January if they are to successfully fend off their Old Firm rivals.

The 2-1 loss at Parkhead exposed Celtic’s problems upfront and striker Odsonne Eduoard – who has 13 league goals – needs a partner to share the workload.

A forward will be the Hoops’ top priority in the transfer window but the defence also requires reinforcements.

Here, 90min takes a look at 5 potential signings that may give Celtic the edge in what promises to be a gripping title race.

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Jordan Rhodes (Striker)

Sheffield Wednesday’s striker definitely knows where the goal is and could provide much-needed assistance to Eduoard at the head of Celtic’s attack.

The 29-year-old has found his time on the pitch limited this season but he showed his striking prowess by netting a hat-trick against Nottingham Forest in December.

Rhode’s treble came off the back of 20 months without making an appearance for the Owls and in spite of a recent run in the team, it’s thought Garry Monk may be prepared to offload the striker.

And a move over the border could be the key to reviving Rhodes’ career and help the Scotsman rediscover the goalscoring form that once saw him score 36 league goals for Huddersfield in a single campaign.

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Billy Sharp (Striker)

​Sheffield United’s skipper has been prolific throughout his career and would offer an assurance of goals should Lennon convince him to move from the ​​Premier League side.

The 33-year-old will be hard to prize away from Bramall Lane but he has only appeared 10 times in the league this season and he may be in search of a regular starting berth.

Celtic would provide the marksman with a fresh challenge in the latter stages of his career and the lure of Europa League football could prove tempting.

Sharp would bring a wealth of experience to Parkhead and his guaranteed goal output might well fire the Hoops to a 10th title in a row.

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Moussa Sissako (Striker)

The PSG defender is under contract for another 18 months but the French champions do not see him as part of their plans and he is reportedly free to leave the club.

According to ​the Scottish Sun, the 19-year-old is on Celtic’s radar and Lennon could be tempted to make a move for Sissako in January.

Sissako is yet to make a first-team appearance for PSG but has starred in their youth side and is thought to be a prospect with great potential.

And in spite of his age, and lack of experience, Celtic fans will be quick to point towards 19-year-old Jeremie Frimpong who has taken to life at Parkhead with consummate ease this season.

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Shane Long (Striker)

The Irishman’s contract runs out in the summer and there are questions over whether ​Southampton will offer the 32-year-old another deal.

Long has been in and out of the team since the start of the campaign and is yet to open his Premier League account for the Saints this season.

But in spite of his failings to find the net this term, his track record speaks for itself and he has struck 17 times for Republic Ireland during his career.

If Long were to move to Glasgow, he wouldn’t be the first Saints star to make the switch and would be joining up with former teammate Fraser Forster at Parkhead.

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Andraz Sporar (Striker)

It is no secret of Celtic’s desire to bring the Slovakian striker to Scotland, and the Hoops’ hierarchy has already held talks with his club Slovan Bratislava over a possible move.

The 25-year-old has been in red hot form this season, having scored 12 times in 11 league games for Bratislava.

Sporar was also a stand-out during his side’s Europa League campaign which included two impressive performances against ​Wolves and saw him net six goals in the competition.

Bratislava value the striker at £5m and although Celtic are in pole position to land him, Dynamo Kiev and Championship side Bristol City are also interested, according to ​the Daily Record.

From the Emirates Stadium – So there we have it. Manchester United’s run of poor form against teams in the bottom half of the Premier League continues.

Manchester United’s record of being consistently inconsistent continues.

Another season of frustration for Manchester United continues.

Defeat to Arsenal on New Year’s Day at the Emirates was United’s sixth such result of the campaign, leaving them sitting fifth in the ​Premier League – they have other results to thank for that – and five points back from fourth-placed Chelsea. But while their league position has improved with positive results over the last month, there are still no tangible signs of development in style just over a year into the managerial reign of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Losing an opener to Nicolas Pepe – who put in his best performance in an Arsenal shirt, typically – set the tone. Lax defending allowed the opportunity and the strike saw United’s only known “game-plan” under the Norwegian undone within eight minutes.

All this United side are known for is being able to counter attack with pace. And handing Arsenal the lead so early meant any space between the lines that they need to succeed in matches against teams of similar or greater stature was immediately shut down.

Condense the space, stop United. Limit them to ponderous, slow possession which is easy to defend. United do not possess the craft to break down teams even as porous as Arsenal, who had before this fixture kept just three clean sheets in 20 Premier League outings this term. Even Scott McTominay’s goal in September’s reverse fixture came from an Arsenal corner.

​Arsenal of course deserve credit for rising to the occasion and implementing a game plan conceived by new head coach Mikel Arteta, who earned his first win, but United supporters will be unable to look past the shortcomings that are so obvious and recognisable rearing their heads yet again.

A lack of ideas and a lack of ball players meant United never stood a chance after losing the first goal. United have a chance this month – the transfer window opened earlier today – to attempt to address some of their shortcomings in personnel and remedy problems like these, though every indication from their manager to date is that they won’t panic or rush in the market.

But there are plenty of players out there, and United must work faster than they have been in recent markets.

This lack of quality meant United were unable to dig themselves out of the hole they fell into after wilting under the famous Emirates atmosphere early on, and to a team of mentality giants who simply wanted it more.

It is missed opportunity after missed opportunity for United, with no signs of change.

This is far from terminal for their hopes of reaching the top four come the end of the season, but they only remain in with a chance of doing so because of the shortcomings of rival teams. 

Wolves, Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester United – all teams currently in the mix for that fourth spot – dropped points on the first day of the decade. And while it’s clear that the team who manage to be the most consistent over the next 17 games will end up earning the spot, there doesn’t seem to be one willing or able to grab the opportunity with both hands.

United must do all they can in January to not let this opportunity continue to slip through their fingers.

Inter Miami have confirmed the appointment of Diego Alonso as their first head coach, ahead of their inaugural season in MLS.

The 44-year-old has CONCACAF winning experience under his belt after leading Monterrey to glory last May, and has also won the domestic Mexican league title on three occasions.

He will become the first man to take charge of the David Beckham-owned franchise, who will make their bow in MLS next season, though the length of his contract has not been revealed.

Confirming his appointment in a ​statement on their official website, Inter Miami said: “In Diego we found a manager that fits our culture and has a strong desire to build a winning club for our fans. He brings a lot of experience and championship – winning mentality as we begin our drive to be among the best clubs in the Americas.

“We have big aspirations for our club and believe Diego has the right drive, passion and leadership to accomplish our goals.”

The statement continued with a brief rundown of Alonso’s achievements in management, which include extensive success in Mexico. He spent three years as head coach of Liga MX side C.F. Pachuca, leading them to the 2016 Liga MX Clausura league title, as well as finishing runner-up in the 2017 Copa MX Apertura.

Alonso also led Pachuca to the 2016/17 CONCACAF Champions League title, which earned a place in the 2017 FIFA Club World Cup. Los Tuzos would go on to achieve a third place finish in the competition, their best ever showing. Alonso is also the only head coach in history to lift the CONCACAF Champions League with two different teams.

During his career in management, Alonso has managed rising star Hirving Lozano, who has gone to be a major success in Europe with PSV and Napoli. The flying winger, nicknamed ‘Chucky’, is regarded as one of the quickest players in world football, with Alonso credited with much of his development at a young age.

As a player, Alonso featured prominently in Spain, turning out for Valencia and ​Atletico Madrid, as well as brief spells with Racing Santander and Malaga. He also represented Uruguay on eight occasions.