Claude Puel insists Jamie Vardy’s makeover can make him a Premier League force for years. The Frenchman has been forced to deny a rift with Vardy this season and benched him for the 3-1 defeat at Tottenham. Vardy has claimed this season that Puel’s tactics do not suit him but said he was prepared to …
Maurizio Sarri has issued an impassioned defence of his Chelsea record – by digging out Arsenal. Sarri has faced intense criticism over the past few weeks as Chelsea embarked on a run of poor form. The Blues have slipped to sixth in the Premier League but reached the last 16 of the Europa League on …
Read more “Chelsea boss Sarri aims wonderful (and wrong) dig at Arsenal”
Leicester boss Claude Puel has held clear-the-air talks with Kasper Schmeichel after father Peter claimed he wanted to quit the club. Frenchman Puel believes he can still count on his goalkeeper despite Schmeichel senior’s strong criticism of his management. The former Manchester United keeper said the Foxes did not have a manager to get the …
Read more “Leicester boss reveals clear-the-air talks with Schmeichel”
West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini believes Declan Rice is already England’s best holding midfielder. Rice, 20, last week pledged his international future to England despite having three caps for the Republic of Ireland. The London-born player will make only his 60th West Ham appearance against Fulham on Friday night, but Pellegrini insists he is ready …
Read more “England-ready Rice likened to ex-Liverpool and Barca star”
Jose Mourinho has described his old rival Arsene Wenger as a “sweet enemy” and insisted he regarded a man he once mocked as “one of the best football managers in the history of football”. Mourinho and Wenger frequently clashed in the Premier League, with Mourinho branding the long-time Arsenal manager a “specialist in failure” in …
Maurizio Sarri says Chelsea would have to sell one of their established wingers in order to satisfy Callum Hudson-Odoi’s desire for immediate first-team action. Teenage prospect Hudson-Odoi has grown restless at Stamford Bridge and handed in a January transfer request amid offers from German champions Bayern Munich. The 18-year-old, who has yet to start a …
Read more “Sarri makes incorrect claim over Chelsea’s use of Hudson-Odoi”
Maurizio Sarri has warned Chelsea against repeating the first 30 minutes of their Malmo display against Manchester City. The Blues claimed a 5-1 aggregate win over Malmo FF and will now join Arsenal in the last-16 stage of the Europa League. The Chelsea boss said: “I think we played without confidence the first 30 minutes, …
Read more “Sarri warns of ‘disaster’ if Chelsea repeat Malmo display”
Gianfranco Zola was absent from the Chelsea bench for a second successive match after being readmitted to hospital following gallstone surgery complications. Zola, assistant to Blues head coach Maurizio Sarri, missed Monday’s FA Cup loss to Manchester United and was again absent for Thursday night’s Europa League last-32 victory over Malmo. There is no timescale …
Read more “Zola misses another Chelsea game through ill health”
Mesut Ozil returned to the Arsenal side as they secured safe passage into the last 16 of the Europa League – but head coach Unai Emery insists he is not certain of a regular place in his team. The Gunners went into the second leg against BATE Borisov needing to complete a comeback following a …
Read more “Arsenal team-mate wants Ozil in XI, Emery less convinced”
Former Premier League striker Andy Cole thinks Mesut Ozil’s current situation at Arsenal has turned into a “comedy sketch”. The German playmaker sat out his 20th match of the campaign as the Gunners lost 1-0 to BATE Borisov on Thursday night. Despite training all week, Ozil also missed their 2-1 win over Huddersfield Town at the weekend …
Read more “Cole likens Ozil’s situation at Arsenal to a ‘comedy sketch’”