Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp faces a team selection dilemma this weekend as he has one eye on next Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Roma.
The Merseyside outfit have one foot in the final following a 5-2 victory over the Italian giants at Anfield.
For around 70 minutes, the Reds were at their scintillating best as Mohamed Salah brought his goal tally up to 43 in all competitions, while Roberto Firmino scored twice and Sadio Mane also got on the scoresheet.
Liverpool were initially 5-0 up, but there was a twist in the tale when Roma struck two late away goals to give them a glimmer of hope.
Despite the Champions League being the Reds’ main focus, they still have work to do to qualify for next season’s competition as they currently sit third in the Premier League table, eight points above fifth-placed Chelsea with three games left to play.
On Saturday in the lunchtime kickoff, Liverpool will take on Stoke City at Anfield, and Klopp has a conundrum to solve in midfield.
During Tuesday’s match against Roma, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain suffered an injury that will keep him out for the rest of the campaign, as well as the World Cup in Russia.
This means that Liverpool have just three experienced midfielders available in Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Georginio Wijnaldum.
With Klopp likely to want fresh legs for the trip to Italy in midweek, he may opt against starting all three against the Potters.
Instead, perhaps 18-year-old Ben Woodburn should be given a chance to feature this weekend.
The seven-capped Wales international predominantly plays in a forward role, but for the Under-23s this season, he has featured numerous times in midfield.
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Woodburn has had very limited game time under Klopp in the 2017-18 campaign having failed to rack up a single minute in the Premier League, and instead featuring just once as a substitute in the Carabao Cup.
With the enormity of the Champions League semi-final second leg around the corner, should Liverpool put faith in Woodburn for this weekend’s match against Stoke?
With just four games remaining of the Premier League season, north London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham are starting to look ahead to the future.
Mauricio Pochettino looks set to miss out on a top four finish during his first season in charge, but the improved style of play and the emergence of Harry Kane have given Spurs fans reasons to be hopeful for the season.
Arsenal meanwhile are hoping for a second placed finish, having been the form team in the country over the second half of the season, whilst back-to-back FA Cups can be secured with a win over Aston Villa on May 30.
Arsene Wenger will be cursing his teams slow start to the season, but will hope lessons will be learnt in time for next season.
With both sides keen to push forward, we have decided to take a look back on some of their finest ever players, with this combined Arsenal and Tottenham XI.
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Click on Arsene Wenger and Mauricio Pochettino to reveal the best all time Arsenal and Tottenham combined XI
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David Seaman
It speaks volumes for the quality of David Seaman that Arsenal have struggled to replace him since he left the club way back in 2003 (bar a couple of decent seasons from Jens Lehmann).
‘Safe hands’ as he was known is firmly regarded as an Arsenal legend, being the undisputed number one for club and country during Wenger’s most succesful period at the club.
Seaman won twelve major honours in a career that spanned thirteen years with the Gunners.
The only grievance Arsenal fans can hold against him is that ridiculous ponytail he wore during his final two seasons at the club.
Lauren
Football – Stock 04/05 , 26/12/04Lauren – Arsenal Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Andrew Couldridge
Signed as a midfielder originally in the summer of 2000, Cameroon star Lauren would go on to become a key player for the Gunners in the successful years that followed. He pips Lee Dixon to the starting right back slot due to his consistency over the season in which the Gunners became the ‘Invincibles.’
He made his home debut in crunch clash with Liverpool at Highbury, where it took less than 10 minutes for him to open his account as the Gunners went on to a 2-0 victory.
A crucial match winning penalty against Tottenham will also be remembered as one of his Arsenal highlights.
Sol Campbell
Football – Arsenal v FC Barcelona – UEFA Champions League Final – Stade de France, St Denis – 05/06 – 17/5/06Arsenal’s Sol Campbell celebrates after scoring the first goal with team mates Emmanuel Eboue and Ashley ColeMandatory Credit: Action Images / Alex Morton
As he has never been allowed to forget, Sol Campbell represented both sides of north London during his career.
Commanding, physical and a leader, it could be argued the Gunners have not had a centre back to replace him sufficiently since he left the club.
A key member of two title winning sides under Arsene Wenger – including the invincible side of 2003-04 – Campbell was also just minutes away from writing his name into Arsenal history with what would have been a winning goal in a Champions League final, until goals from Samuel Eto’o and Julian Beletti swung the 2006 final back into Barcelona’s favour.
Ledley King
Football – FA Barclaycard Premiership – Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea – White Hart Lane – 3/4/04Chelsea’s William Gallas and Tottenham’s Ledley King in actionMandatory Credit : Action Images / Andrew BuddLivepic
The devestating thing for Tottenham supporters and King himself is the struggles the former Tottenham skipper had with injury.
In the end it lead to an early retirement, but when fully fit – there were few better Premier League defenders than King.
It was sad to see his career finish prematurely, as it will always be a case of wondering what might have been for Spurs had he been fit on a regular basis, whilst supporters of England were left wondering exactly the same thing, with King having impressed every time he pulled on the white shirt at international level.
Jan Vertonghen
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Given the way Arsenal fans still feel about Ashley Cole, it is Belgian Jan Vertonghen who steps in to cover the left back position!
The Belgian has established himself as the best defender at White Hart Lane since his arrival from Ajax in 2012, and although he is most comfortable in the middle, he has shown he is more than capable of playing the left back role – whilst also popping up with a few important goals.
Vertonghen has often been linked with a move to a club offering Champions League football, however he remains vital to Tottenham’s hopes of breaking into the top four.
Robert Pires
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The Frenchman was one of the top wingers in the game for a few years before injuries took their toll.
His pace and trickery down the flanks were crucial to Arsenal’s style of play in the early 2000’s, whilst he had a habit of scoring plenty of important goals – some of which were spectacular.
Wenger once again proved he had an eye for a bargain in the transfer market, paying just £6million to bring the World Cup winner to the Red half of north London in 2000.
Luka Modric
The Croatian signed for Tottenham in 2008, and signalled the beginning of another era in terms of Spurs challenging the top sides under Harry Redknapp.
Modric was an integral part of the new Tottenham, dictating the play in the middle of the park, classy on the ball and able to find a killer pass seemingly at will.
He also had the ability to score stunning goals – perhaps not as often as he should have done – but never the less he remained a class act in his four years at the club.
He left the club for Real Madrid in a deal worth £30million in the summer of 2012.
Patrick Vieira
Captain of the invincibles in 2003/04, Vieira typified everything the modern day midfielder should be.
A natural leader in the middle of the park, Arsenal have not had a player quite like him since he left for Juventus in the summer of 2005.
Vieira won two league and cup doubles during his time with the Gunners, whilst popping up with a vital goal against Tottenham as Arsenal claimed another league title in 2004.
His final kick for the club was the winning penalty against Manchester United in the 2005 FA Cup final – not half bad for a £3.5million signing.
Gareth Bale
Even though Tottenham recouped a world record £86 million for Gareth Bale, there is surely not a Tottenham fan who wouldn’t take him back for the same price if it were offered tomorrow.
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Bale was sensational for Spurs, and is arguably one of the club’s all-time greats, with his performances in the Champions League under Harry Redknapp arguably the moments in which a star was born – his hat trick against Inter Milan in the San Siro a particularly special moment.
Bale carried Tottenham during his final two years at White Hart Lane, but failure to secure Champions League football saw him join Real Madrid in a world record deal.
Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry scores his 1st goal (Arsenal’s 2nd) under pressure from Jonathan Fortune (Charlton). Arsenal 4:0 Charlton Athletic. FA Barclays Premiership. Arsenal Stadium, Highbury, London, 2/10/04. Credit : Arsenal Football Club / Stuart MacFarlane.
Surely the greatest striker in Arsenal’s history and perhaps even the Premier League era.
Henry scored all kinds of wonderful goals, helped Arsenal to league titles, FA Cup’s and a Champions League Final and left as their record goal scorer.
Originally signed as a winger by Arsene Wenger, Henry went on to become arguably the finest striker in the world for a five year period.
His major regret will be failure to lift the Champions League as Arsenal captain, having reached the final of the competition in 2006.
Jermaine Defoe
Perhaps not the biggest name, but one of the Premier League’s most consistent goal scorers of all time.
Tottenham fans have fallen in love with Harry Kane this season, having watched the local lad fire more than 30 goals in all competitions.
Yet Kane has one good season under his belt, whilst Jermain Defoe scored goals consistently in the Premier League season upon season wherever he was, but particularly at Tottenham.
He pips fellow Spurs forwards the likes of Kane, Jurgen Klinsmann Robbie Keane and Teddy Sheringham to the forward’s position alongside Thierry Henry, having scored over 100 league goals in two spells at White Hart Lane.
Arsenal flop Andre Santos has revealed that he would like to make his loan move to Gremio a permanent transfer this summer.
The Brazilian full-back left the Gunners earlier this year, after a series of below par Premier League appearances pushed way down the pecking order under manager Arsene Wenger.
Injuries to the likes of Kieran Gibbs hinted that he could be set for an increased role during the latter half of the season, but the Gunners elected to swoop for Nacho Monreal, allowing Santos to return to his homeland.
Initially, the 30-year-old said that he would like to return to London to prove himself at Arsenal, but now he has had a change of heart, insisting that he would be more than happy to be a Gremio player on a permanent basis:
“I’ll do my best to win titles. I have won titles at every club I have played for.” He is quoted by Sky Sports via Zero Hora.
“The staff, board and the players have all made me feel very welcome. There is no doubt that I want to stay.”
Santos signed for Arsenal on a long-term contract on the deadline day of 2011’s summer transfer window, as Wenger set about addressing immediate concerns regarding his squad.
After forcing his way into the Brazilian national team, much was expected of the defender, but he failed to adapt to Premier League football.
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He had been linked with a switch to Turkey with Galatasaray, but a proposed move collapsed in January.
A lot more is riding on Arsenal’s Europa League campaign than just simply picking up a piece of silverware.
The club are likely to be in a position where they need to win the tournament in order to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
As it stands, the club are 13 points adrift of the top four in the Premier League, with just six games left to play.
In Europe, Arsene Wenger’s side have looked relatively comfortable, although they were given a scare on Thursday night in their quarter-final second leg against CSKA Moscow.
The North London outfit headed into the fixture with a commanding 4-1 lead from the contest at the Emirates, but nerves began to jangle when CSKA went 2-0 up after 50 minutes.
Arsenal recovered, though, with goals from Danny Welbeck and Aaron Ramsey, but it was Mohamed Elneny who received most of the plaudits from fans.
The Egyptian international assisted both goals and put in a display that proved he was worth his recent contract extension.
Earlier today, Arsenal were drawn against Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals of the competition.
The Spanish outfit were arguably the toughest opponents that the Gunners could have drawn given that RB Salzburg and Marseille were also in the hat.
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Supporters have since given their reactions to the draw.
On Sunday, as Chelsea laboured towards victory over Hull and limped ever closer to the Premier League title. Liverpool and Anfield was playing host to the ‘Juan Mata Show,’ as the 26-year-old Manchester United midfielder was tormenting their dearest rivals.
With home draws against Burnley and Southampton in the not so distant past, Mourinho’s men have lost all the early season flair which differentiated them from any other Jose side.
It is over a year since Mata departed Stamford Bridge for Old Trafford. Are Chelsea beginning to miss the mercurial midfielder?
The strangest thing about Juan Mata’s masterclass on Merseyside, was the fact that it came out of nowhere. van Gaal, similar to Moyes and Mourinho before him, did not trust the Spanish midfielder. He will trust him now.
When Mourinho dispensed of Mata’s services in January 2014, it was a move met with almost complete confusion. The two-time Player of the Season at the Bridge was now seen as surplus to requirements.
His main strengths have always been his technical abilities as opposed to his physical prowess, his work-rate has always been questioned, something Mourinho could not facilitate.
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Instead, the Chelsea midfield is packed with players who are happy to, coining an English phrase ‘Put a shift in.’ Even Willian, has transformed himself from a typical Brazillian attacker, to one that is willing to curtail his own attacking tendencies in order for the team to succeed.
Juan Mata’s Manchester United career has hardly been an unmitigated success. David Moyes did not manage to fit him into his United side. van Gaal has also struggled, but as the Dutchman has continuously searched for the perfect midfield blend, he may have stumbled across it. His last two performances, against Tottenham and Liverpool, have, almost definitely, been their best showings of the season.
Chelsea’s early season form, seemed to perfectly vindicate their manager’s decision. Nemanja Matic has established himself as one of the world’s great defensive-midfielders and early season Cesc Fabregas was unquestionably the best footballer plying his trade in the country.
But as winter turned to spring, Mourinho’s men have begun to stumble.
Following a humiliating defeat to lowly Bradford City in the FA Cup, Chelsea were eliminated from Europe by 10 man PSG. Fortunately for the Blues, their early season form seems to have done enough to secure them the league, but their 2015 has hardly been one to excite fans and perhaps more importantly, the owner.
Fabregas has become the centre of recent criticism from his own fans. His early season form now seems a distant memory. Where once he was dynamic, he is now becoming static.
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Chelsea are the massive odds-on-favourite, to win the title come May, maybe earlier. But it is of no doubt, that for the first time since he’s left, they will have been looking at the magnificent Mata and wishing him to still be in the blue of Chelsea.
Mata’s career was in danger of tailing off. A relic of the tiki-taka era. His performance on Sunday, proves he still has a long future in the English game.
Chelsea may still come to regret that fateful day in January, 2014.
As some of the best football teams in the world battle it out in the Quarter-Finals of the UEFA Champions League, Heineken® has unveiled the latest element of its ‘Road to the Final’ campaign with the launch of a new ad campaign. The ad demonstrates how, with imagination and resourcefulness, one man is able to witness club football’s most prestigious event – the Final itself.
Premiering today, the ad is the latest element of the brand’s global integrated ‘Road to The Final’ campaign as it celebrates its seventh consecutive year sponsoring the UEFA Champions League.
The ad features one lucky fan, who receives a ticket to the UEFA Champions League Final. The only problem is that he is on the other side of the world and faces a race against the clock to get to the match. Through a combination of resourcefulness, imagination and inventiveness he manages to overcome every obstacle put in his way – to be rewarded with the ultimate football experience – a pitch side seat at Wembley, arriving just before kick-off.
Throughout the ‘Road to the Final’ campaign, Heineken® is encouraging fans to engage with the brand through a series of unique activities from on-pack to in-bar and social media, offering incredible once-in-a-lifetime prizes.
The brand’s Facebook fans can play a pinball game featuring elements of the advert. Players can compete against each other – and Heineken ambassadors including Clarence Seedorf – to earn bragging rights and UEFA Champions League prizes. For the Semi-Finals, eager fans will have the chance to engage with Seedorf through Twitter – with the most resourceful receiving prizes for their imaginative responses to Heineken’s task.
As the ‘Road to The Final’ campaign reaches its climax, Heineken® will be rewarding fans for displaying inspiring and imaginative behaviour by offering tickets to the UEFA Champions League Final in Wembley and this year’s Star Final VIP viewing event, in Ibiza. More than 250 lucky fans from around the world will have the chance to experience the combination of football and music in the world’s party and nightlife capital.
Hans Erik Tuijt, Heineken’s Global Activation Director, commented on today’s announcement: “We are delighted to launch the next stage of the ‘The Road to The Final’ campaign with this new TVC. Our fans are intelligent, quick witted and worldly people so we’ve worked hard to craft a campaign that they will enjoy being part of.
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We want consumers to watch the advert, engage with the brand – play the digital game, Tweet Clarence Seedorf and come to Heineken® events. If they do that then they might even get the chance to see the Final in a uniquely Heineken® way whether it’s in Wembley or even Ibiza.”
https://youtube.com/watch?v=c9paI3n9-Q0
Head over to Heineken’s Facebook page to play ‘The Road to the Final’ pinball game: www.facebook.com/heineken
As reported by The Scottish Sun, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has played down the prospect of attacker Scott Sinclair leaving the club this summer.
What’s the story?
Earlier this week reports emerged that the 29-year-old was angling for a move back down South to have another crack at the English Premier League.
However, Brendan Rodgers appeared to pour cold water over that suggestion in his pre-match press conference yesterday.
When asked about the player, as quoted by The Scottish Sun, the Hoops boss said:
Scott is very happy, he is a fantastic player for us and, again, he is coming into a part of the season where he was really effective last year.
He has got 17 goals, a lot of assists and this is as a wide player. He is a very important member of our squad and importantly he is very happy.
Clearly he is still rated at Celtic Park, but he has found himself on the bench in recent matches, so can he hit the heights again that made him such a favourite with supporters?
Can he still play a role?
There’s no doubting that Sinclair has failed to replicate his form of last season this term. On their way to an unbeaten domestic treble, Sinclair scored an impressive 25 goals, also creating 11 assists, making himself a hero with fans.
While his performance levels have dipped in his second season, his direct goal contribution is still beyond every other Celtic player. So far this term he’s banged in 17 goals and assisted 15 times. Nobody else in Rodgers’ squad has scored more.
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Perhaps pre-mature then to completely write off his Hoops career. He may have been poor in recent months, but he still has a big role to play in the tail-end of the season and beyond. Celtic are unlikely to want to let him leave any time soon when he is still producing.
Well, that was absolutely baffling and brutal to watch for Arsenal fans.
In truth, the Gunners cannot complain about the result as their performance gave them what they deserved – they probably didn’t even deserve a consolation goal!
It was such an ‘Arsenal’ performance that you couldn’t help but laugh; from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s lifeline in the dying minutes to the same man costing Arsenal in the dying seconds to gift the Ligue 1 outfit a third goal and all but killing off the tie.
Nothing went right for the boys of north London, epitomised by the fact Dimitar Berbatov, one-time hero of their arch rivals Tottenham Hotspur, found his name on the scoresheet.
If Arsenal are going to comeback from a 3-1 defecit, then there aren’t too many better teams to face in this competition, however, the fact only six teams in European cup history have gone through after a first-leg defeat, I wouldn’t bank on a footballing miracle.
Anyway, here’s what we learnt from tonight’s clash at the Emirates.
Walcott’s Arsenal career over?
Theo Walcott was yet again on the bench for Arsenal tonight and although the Englishman has the most appearances and goals of anyone in the current squad, that lengthy spell on the sidelines appears to have cost him dearly.
Arsene Wenger opted to go for Danny Welbeck alongside Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud in the final third and with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also returning to the squad tonight, you have to question just how long Theo’s Arsenal career will last.
Arsenal have their Patrick Vieira replacement
Well, kind of. They don’t own him but boy should Arsene Wenger do everything he can to make sure they do. Geoffrey Kondogbia put in an imperious and physical performance in the middle of the park, capped off with his fine opener (via a helping hand from Per Mertesacker).
It is hard to replace someone of Patrick Vieira’s talents, however, Arsene Wenger could go a long way in doing so by bringing the former Sevilla midfielder over to the Premier League.
Time for Gabriel
Per Mertesacker was at fault for two of Monaco’s three goals tonight, sure, it is hard to blame the former German international for the first goal – a wicked deflection – however, shouldn’t he close down Kondogbia quicker?
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The blame can firmly be placed at Mertesacker’s door for the second, though, with the central defender’s rash decision to close down Monaco on the halfway line backfiring majorly, leaving Dimitar Berbatov to run through unmarked and to smash home.
Arsenal never really change
They always do it, Arsene Wenger’s side always trick the footballing world into thinking they’re ready to return to the upper echelons of English football. And then they go and do things like trail Liverpool 4-0 after 20-minutes or throw away a 3-0 lead at home to a bang average Anderlecht.
North London derby performance aside, Arsenal’s recent form had been impressive and they were expected to coast past Monaco tonight, have the job done after the first-leg. However, the footballing version of suicide is never too far away from this group.
Both Harry Redknapp and Mauricio Pochettino celebrate their birthdays today and neither will settle for any less than the perfect birthday gift – three points.
Redknapp’s arrival at Loftus Road looked to have given the doomed London club a much needed boost at first, but the novelty appears to warn off now as they search for a first win in six top-flight outings.
The Saints will believe a a few more wins can be enough for them to secure Premier League safety and they’ll be targeting three points against a relegation rival today in order to keep those survival hopes well and truly alive.
Here’s how the birthday boys’ teams line up today:
QPR: Cesar, Traore, Samba, Hill, Bosingwa, Granero, Park, Hoilett, Bothroyd, Mbia, Remy. Subs: Green, Taarabt, Mackie, Onouha, Jenas, Fabio, Townsend.
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According to The Sun, Barcelona are interested in signing Tottenham midfielder Christian Eriksen after Spanish newspaper Sport claimed the North London side are scrambling to secure their star man’s future.
Whats the story?
Eriksen was a target for Barcelona in January before they secured the signing of Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool.
According the The Sun, Nou Camp chiefs remain keen on the Dan following his stunning form since Christmas.
Eriksen has been key to Spurs excellent form and instrumental in their push for top 4. However, the wage structure at Spurs has meant a number of key players are stalling contract extensions.
Eriksen would be a huge loss, bigger than Dembele or Kane
The Dane’s influence on Spurs goes somewhat under the radar, with Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Mousa Dembele taking the limelight. He is not someone who seeks the stardom but deserves it.
Eriksen, who is valued at £63m by transfermarkt.com, is Spurs most important player. He links their midfield and defence and is the driving creative force. While others have sometimes faltered, the midfielder has consistently performed form Spurs.
He regularly provides excellent chances for top scorer Kane and Son. Eriksen’s importance was highlight when Kane was injured.
Without Kane’s goals and holdup play, Tottenham had to be a bit more clever with their play. This was led through Eriksen who’s excellent range off passing and ability to get a goal allowed Spurs to continue to win without Kane.
His importance was highlighted against Chelsea when he scored an excellent goal just before half-time to change the tide of the game. The goal was very much his own doing and without it Spurs may have struggled to get take the points back to Wembley.
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Losing Eriksen would be a massive loss for the North London side. Without the Dane, Spurs go flat and lack creativity. Dele Alli and Son do not have his guile and calmness. He links the team together and is an important part of Mauricio Pochettino’s game plan.
He is the master of finding space and is the main supply chain for Kane’s goals. While Spurs could cope without Kane they would struggle to fill the hole that selling Eriksen would leave.