Rojo Injury Puts United In Defensive Crisis
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal confirmed Marcos
Rojo suffered a dislocated shoulder in the 1-0 defeat to Manchester City at the
Etihad Stadium. Rojo was stretchered off early on in the second half
and needed gas and air when going off the pitch after landing awkwardly on his
shoulder in making a sliding challenge. The Argentine is now facing a spell on
the sidelines to add to United’s defensive problems with Rafael and Phil Jones
out injured and Chris Smalling facing a ban following his sending off against
City have. “The shoulder is out, so you never know how long that
takes,” Van Gaal told Sky Sports. “I to wait until tomorrow but he
shall not play against Crystal Palace.” Despite United’s growing injury
list van Gaal is refusing to make excuses feeling they have a big enough squad
to cope without the missing players. “We have injuries but we still have
11 players to play and they are very good players,” added van Gaal.
“I don’t cry for that, but it is sometimes difficult to select the best
team. I think I can manage that.” Van Gaal should be worried as his only
available centre backs are youngsters Tyler Blackett or Paddy McNair.
Manchester City boss Manuel
Pellegrini has hinted at a move for Steven Gerrard if the midfielder fails to
agree a new deal at Liverpool. The former England captain will be out of
contract in June and has yet to agree terms on extending his 16-year career at
Anfield. Concerns were raised at Anfield after a recent interview with the
Liverpool talisman who said that he would consider playing for another team if
he did not receive a next contract. Gerrard has expressed his desire to play on
in the Premier League beyond the end of this season, and Reds manager Brendan
Rodgers remains confident the 34-year-old will stay at Liverpool. Pellegrini
has no concerns over Gerrard’s age, having signed 36-year-old Frank Lampard on
a short-term loan deal from new MLS franchise New York City FC. The City
manager believes Gerrard still has plenty to offer, and he will be carefully
monitoring his situation at Liverpool over the coming months. Pellegrini told
several national newspapers: “I don’t ever rate players on their age. It
depends on the money they cost and the number of years they have (on their
contract). But, like Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard is a top player and he can
continue at a high level for a couple more years.” Rodgers reiterated his
intention to retain Gerrard when asked about the progress of talks following
Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Newcastle. He said: “It’s quite straightforward. I had
a meeting with Steven’s representative explaining the situation. I very much
want him to be a part of what we are doing here. He’s been a brilliant captain
for me. I relayed that to the ownership. I’m sure he will go away with that and
hopefully his representative will organise a deal. Steven is very much part of
what I’m doing here. He’s a unique player, a unique talent.”
Chelsea manager Jose
Mourinho has refused to back down from his scathing attack on the club’s
lacklustre support. Mourinho criticised his team for a lack of intensity
after the 2-1 home win over struggling QPR, but his biggest frustration was
aimed at the home fans who he claimed were far too quiet during the game. Chelsea
are riding high at the top of the table, after winning all five of their
Premier League home games this season, but Mourinho is mystified as to why the
atmosphere is so poor at Stamford Bridge. “We are the team to get less support in
home matches. When compared to my previous time I think it’s getting
worse,” he said. “I don’t question the passion and the love – I’m
nobody to question that and I know clearly that is not true. I will always love
them and respect them, but I don’t know (why the atmosphere is poor).”
Manchester United
manager Louis van Gaal was unhappy with Chris Smalling for his sending off in
the defeat to Manchester City, but proud of his side for battling with ten men.
United faced an uphill battle from the moment Smalling got himself sent off
late on in the first half after picking up two bookings in the space of eight
minutes. Smalling picked up his first yellow card for needlessly impeding Joe
Hart as he tried to clear the ball and handed his second booking for taking
down James Milner. Van Gaal had no complaints with referee Michael Oliver
sending off Smalling admitting the England defender, who later apologised for
his actions, was “not very smart” to make the challenge on Milner
when he was already on a yellow card. “I think the first yellow card for
Chris Smalling, I did not see but OK, the referee gives a yellow card. Then you
know as a player you have a yellow and you cannot do what he did for the second
yellow card. That is logical. I say also a lot of things to the players and
despite that they do not always follow what I have said. There is also emotion and
sometimes you cannot control your emotion but it was not very smart.”
Celtic and Rangers
will meet in the semi-finals of the Scottish League Cup. The other
semi-final will see holders Aberdeen take on Scottish Premiership rivals Dundee
United. The game between Celtic and Rangers – which will take place on January
31 or February 1 – will be the first time the Glasgow clubs have met since the
financial collapse of Rangers in 2012. The last Old Firm meeting came in April
2012 when Celtic celebrated their title triumph with a 3-0 victory against a
club that had been deducted 10 points and were battling for survival off the
field.
Arsenal have moved a
step closer to signing Sporting Lisbon defender Cedric after the player’s agent
talked up a January switch to the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners have been
strongly linked with a move for right-back Cedric, who is rated as one of the
best full-backs in Europe at present. Arsene Wenger is reported to be
considering meeting his £25.5million release clause in January, and Cedric’s
agent won’t rule out the transfer happening. “We are happy his work is being
recognised,” said agent Miguel Veloso when asked about Arsenal interest. “Right
now, we continue to negotiate the renewal of the contract between Cedric and
Sporting. But nothing is agreed. All scenarios are possible [in January].” Arsenal
are currently without a first-choice right-back with Mathieu Debuchy injured
long-term, and Calum Chambers now seen as a centre back.
Liverpool are ready
to outbid Arsenal in the race to sign Barcelona sensation Pedro in the January
transfer window. The 27-year-old is destined to leave Barca in the new year
after falling out of favour under new manager Luis Enrique, and Arsenal had
been in pole position to do business. But now reports in Spain say Liverpool
are now poised to join the race and would be prepared to outbid Arsenal to get
their man. It’s thought that Barca are looking for about £25million for Pedro
and would be happy to let him go if an offer around that price arrived.
Algerian club ES Setif got their hands on a second star after
beating Congolese team AS Vita on the away-goals rule in the 2014 CAF Champions
League Final. After the first leg in Kinshasa ended 2-2, it was the
North Africans who were crowned kings of African club football for the second
time in their history after a 1-1 draw in Blida. It is the second title for
Setif after their first African Champions Cup win in 1988. They are also the
first Algerian club to win the competition since rivals JS Kabylie in 1990. Setif
will receive $1.5-million and represent Africa at the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup
in Morocco in December.
Real Madrid reserve
team coach Zinedine Zidane has had his three-month ban temporarily lifted after
the club appealed the ban sanctioned by the Spanish Football Federation. Zidane
was hit with a three-month ban by the RFEF after it was established that the
Frenchman was not in possession of the necessary qualifications for his
managerial role with Real Madrid Castilla. However, Real Madrid have since
appealed to the Spanish Administrative Court for Sport against the ban cast
upon the former Madrid midfielder and, according to a statement on the club’s
website, the court has temporarily suspended the ban.
La Liga strugglers
Real Sociedad have sacked their coach Jagoba Arrasate. The Basque outfit
are third-from-bottom on the table with just one win from their 10 matches so
far this term, while they were also eliminated from the Europa League in the
qualifying phase. One-time Mainz coach Thomas Tuchel, ex-Betis and West Brom
boss Pepe Mel as well as former Manchester United boss David Moyes are reported
to be possible successors for Arrasate.
QPR defender Rio
Ferdinand has been suspended for three matches and fined £25,000 for comments
he made on Twitter. The former England captain was sanctioned for his
response to a jibe from a Twitter follower on 1 September, who said:
“Maybe QPR will sign a good CB (centre-back) they need one.” Ferdinand
replied by saying, “get ya mum in, plays the field well son! #sket”. The
Collins English Dictionary defines the word ‘sket’ as “a promiscuous girl
or woman”.
World football
governing body Fifa have narrowed down their options in selecting the
prospective dates for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The tournament looks to
be heading for the winter months in order to miss the extreme heat of the Asian
country’s summer season. Fifa has revealed that it has narrowed down the
possible dates for staging the Qatar World Cup to January/February 2022 or
November/December 2022, but has been asked to consider a third option by a host
of top European clubs. A task force set up by the Fifa Executive Committee met
in Zurich on Monday to discuss the best possible dates that Qatar should host
the world showpiece. “We are getting closer to narrowing the dates for the FIFA
World Cup to two options – January/February 2022 or November/December 2022 –
but FIFA has also been asked to consider May 2022,” said Fifa general secretary
Jerome Valcke. “We will summarise what we’ve heard today and provide feedback
to all parties in order for them to prepare for the next meeting as we progress
towards a final decision.” Local organising committee representative Hassan Al
Thawadi said their preferred option would be to stage it in the winter, yet January/February
2022 is a doubt due to the dates clashing with the 2022 Winter Olympics. Further
meetings are expected, with a decision rumoured to be finalised in March next
year.
Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher named Chelsea’s Cesar
Azpilicueta as the best defender in the Premier League on Monday Night
Football. Asked to select the standout stopper in the division –
from a purely defensive point of view, discarding the player’s attacking
contributions – the pundits picked out the Spain full back. The 25-year-old has
become a key member of Jose Mourinho’s backline since dispossessing Ashley Cole
of Chelsea’s left-back berth and the Blues have conceded just eight times in
his eight league appearances this term. “I’d say, for consistency of
performances, it would be one of the Chelsea lads – and I’d probably say
Azpilicueta,” said Neville. “For technical defending, not making a mistake, not
being in the wrong position, not getting caught out… I don’t see him making a
mistake. And I have to say the Chelsea defenders aren’t far behind him; Gary
Cahill, John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic. But Azpilicueta, when I watch him,
he’s as near to perfect as possible when it comes to defending; he’s
immaculate.” Carragher described the former Marseille man as an ‘out-and-out
defender’ and commended the way Mourinho has cultivated a mean defence at
Chelsea. The Blues have conceded the second-fewest number of goals in the
league this season. “I totally agree,” said Carragher. “I think those Chelsea
players, all of them, they defend properly. We see that in terms of the number
of goals they’ve conceded, the clean sheets they keep. Azpilicueta is an
out-and-out defender. You very rarely see anybody get the better of him. He’d
be my number one.”
Newcastle United
winger Jonas Gutierrez has been given the all-clear following treatment for
testicular cancer. The 31-year-old revealed in September he was having
treatment in his native Argentina and he has taken to Twitter to reveal the
good news of his recovery. “Today I
was given a medical discharge,” he said in Spanish on Twitter. “Thank you
very much to all who accompanied me at this time, especially my family, my
parents, brothers, godmother, friends and @alemaglietti” Newcastle also
tweeted their congratulations, posting: “Everyone at #NUFC is delighted to
share the news that @elgalgojonas has been discharged from hospital in
Argentina #UnitedWithJonas’.” Gutierrez moved to St James’ Park from Real
Mallorca in July 2008 and played a key role in helping United win the
Championship in his second season with the club. He was largely unused by
manager Alan Pardew last season though and joined Norwich on loan for the
second half of the campaign, making his last league appearance in Norwich’s 1-0
defeat to West Brom in April.