Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp hailed the first-half performance of his side after a 5-1 Premier League mauling of Hull City on Saturday, insisting: That was how football should be.
Klopp s men were rampant, racking up a fourth win in a row in all competitions, with Adam Lallana giving Liverpool an early lead, which was soon doubled from the spot by James Milner after Ahmed Elmohamady was sent off for handball.
The goals continued to flow, with Sadio Mane on target and a wonderful strike from Philippe Coutinho adding the fourth, while another Milner penalty rounded off a victory that thrilled Klopp.
All good. Actually, the first half was brilliant, said Klopp. That was how football should be if you are able to do it. You have to show this.
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Paris Saint-Germain have announced that technical director Leonardo has left the club with immediate effect.
The Brazilian had previously announced his departure from the Ligue 1 champions after being handed a lengthy ban for allegedly pushing a referee, but had decided to stay until the end of the transfer window.
However, during the unveiling of striker Edinson Cavani at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday, it was confirmed that Leonardo had brought forward his exit date.
Today was Leonardo s last day, club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi said.
I thank him for his work. He was a friend and I wish him all the best for the future. The punishment was too hard for him.
People can leave, it doesn t change the project. I m disappointed but I respect his decision. <…
Sheffield United have rejected reports that convicted rapist Ched Evans has been offered a contract at the club.
The Welsh striker was with the side when he was charged with the offence, but was released upon his conviction in April 2012.
He was released from prison on Friday after serving half of his five-year sentence and it had been reported that he would return to Bramall Lane.
However, the League One outfit released a statement on Saturday that revealed no offer had been made, though the club did not rule out a move for the 25-year-old.
Sheffield United has become aware of speculative media coverage concerning the immediate future of its former player Ched Evans, the statement from co-chairmen Kevin McCabe and Jim Phipps said.
An article in…
European champions Barcelona drew Inter Milan, moneybags Real Madrid pulled AC Milan while Manchester United will take on German surprise package Wolfsburg after the Champions League group stage draw was made here on Thursday.
This season sees nine former champions go into action in the 32-team format split into eight groups of four while the quartets of teams from England and Spain will battle for an historic 13th triumph, both countries having polished off a round dozen to date.
Group A pits four-time champions Bayern Munich against two-time holders Juventus, French champions Bordeaux and Maccabi Haifa of Israel.
In Group B, Manchester United, European champions in 1968, 1999 and 2007 and beaten finalists last year, will go up against German champions Wolfsbur…
Sunderland have loaned defender Santiago Vergini to La Liga side Getafe for the 2015-16 season with a view to a permanent move.
Vergini joined the Premier League outfit on a season-long loan in August last year following a previous spell at the Stadium of Light in the 2013-14 campaign.
The deal became permanent after Vergini made more than 20 appearances last season.
However, head coach Dick Advocaat made it clear the centre-back was not part of his plans for the new season and Vergini will instead attempt to impress at Coliseum Alfonso Perez.
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Theo Walcott is close to signing his new contract at Arsenal, according to manager Arsene Wenger.
The England international is out of contract at the end of the coming season, having signed a three-and-a-half-year deal in January 2013.
Speculation surrounding his future has rumbled on and, while Walcott is yet to put pen to paper on a new contract, Wenger says he is hopeful terms can be agreed.
We re getting closer and closer. Hopefully we can finalise it very soon, said the Frenchman, who was also quizzed on the lack of striking arrivals in the close-season.
I can understand this question because we are in the transfer period but I can only repeat what I already said. I would not like it to be too detrimental.
Walcott scored the only goal…
Jurgen Klopp told Liverpool s players to expect another half-season of tight battles after a 1-0 victory over Wolves at Anfield moved them 13 points clear at the top of the Premier League.
Sadio Mane s goal proved the difference between the two teams as Liverpool survived a scare when Pedro Neto had an equaliser ruled out for offside following the latest in a string of controversial VAR rulings.
The Reds have played half of their fixtures for the season and look destined to win their first domestic league title for 30 years, but Klopp said the second half of the season would bring with it a shift in intensity.
We are halfway there, Klopp told reporters. We still have 19 games to play and probably 18 or 19 of them will be like this tonight, for different reasons…
Even in these extraordinary times, Barcelona letting Luis Suarez go to Atletico Madrid is starting to look like the oddest decision of the season.
Suarez s double over Eibar on Thursday secured a 2-1 victory for the league leaders, who are seven points clear at the top with a game in hand over champions Real Madrid in second.
The Uruguay star, who has netted six in his past six league games for Atleti, is joint-top of the division s scoring charts alongside former team-mate Lionel Messi.
It seems increasingly likely that Suarez, and certainly Atletico, will be at the top of the tree come the end of 2020-21.
With the majority of sides having now played half of their matches, the Stats Perform AI team have run the numbers to simulate how the rest of the …
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7. Manchester United 1999
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcSt08-Qy50
6. Liverpool 1978
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDW4aH6eC0U
5. Ajax 1972
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXUlxgoAFmI
4. Milan 1989
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwx-K5UUnBQ
3. Manchester United 2009
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8t94-viLpc
2. Barcelona 2009
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuk4fY198Os
1. Real Madrid 1960
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKJA8Kq_fxU
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Arsenal teenager Aaron Ramsey piled more pressure on Scotland coach George Burley as his virtuoso display inspired Wales to a 3-0 win over Scotland in Saturday s friendly.
Ramsey, 18, played a key role in the first two Wales goals from David Edwards and Simon Church and then got on the scoresheet himself to cap a superb first half display at the Cardiff City Stadium.
This was the sort of eye-catching performance that persuaded Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger to pay Cardiff five million pounds to sign the midfielder in June 2008, even though he had made just a handful of appearances for the Welsh club.
He was far too good for Burley s woeful Scots, who were completely out-classed. To make matters worse for Burley, who was handed a vote of confidence despite his fai…