Football is our passion

Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola has confirmed that his highly dependable defender Aymeric Laporte is back and undergoing light training.  The French defender's return will come as huge boast to City who are seriously struggling for consistency or keep out goals.  City have kept just one clean sheet in 15 Premier League matches which goes to prove why Liverpool are 13 points clear of them.  Guardiola was asked if Aymeric Laporte and Leroy Sane are back and he said;  "First of all, Happy New Year for everyone. Laporte and Leroy are injured and the rest are ok!" he told the press.  Quizzed again on Laporte, he added: "He's getting better. He's training alone but already on the pitch. I don't know but he's in the last part.  "In one week or ten days he can start to trian with us". 

Liverpool's right back Nathaniel Clyne has returned to light training after overcoming cruciate knee ligament injury that ruled for six months.  Clyne haven't been missed, Liverpool have grown from strength to strength and won trophies without even mentioning a world about him.  His main rival Trent Alexander Arnold has cemented himself as Anfield legend and forever will be remembered for that brilliant pass to Divock Origi against Barcelona.  Its now obvious Clyne will be sold in the January transfer window if the club can find a suitable buyer for the 27-year-old. 

Liverpool could be losing one of its tried and tested superstar Adam Lallana whose contract runs down in the summer.  The 31-year-old will have the option to sign a pre-contract agreement with any club of his choice on Wednesday when the January transfer window opens.  According to the Telegraph, Jurgen Klopp still wants him in the team and will offer him a year contract at the end of the summer.  Lallana meanwhile has told friends he wants more football under his belt having recovered from years of persistent injuries and fatigue.  If the midfielder those leave Liverpool, he will leave as a Champions League winner, a Club World Cup winner, a Super Cup winner and soon, a Premier League winner.  The question now remains should Liverpool sell him or offer him a one year contract? 

Manchester City's all time goal scorer Sergio Aguero has all but given up on City's chances of winning this season's Premier League title due to the incredible form of Liverpool.  Liverpool are 14 points clear of City having won 17 games and drawn just once.. They still have a game in hand against West Ham and a win could see them move 17 points clear of City.  Aguero can't see City catching Liverpool and feels its just too hard to even think about it.  "Now, Liverpool is too hard. We have to focus just on winning because we need to play Champions League next season", Aguero told Reuters.  "We have to play the same way and see what happens." City manager Pep Guardiola later added: "It's unrealistic to think about {catching Liverpool. "When a team has the numbers that Liverpool has, why should we think about it, when we are 14 or 17 points behind?"  City will play Everton next on New Year's Day before turning atte...

Tottenham star Christian Ericksen could be heading to Manchester United this summer reports The Telegraph. Ericksen's contract ends in six months time and he has no intention of extending it.  Next month, he will be given the option to sign a pre-contract agreement with any club of his choice be it Real Madrid, PSG, Juventus or even Manchester United.  But again, Spurs Chairman Daniel Levy will be reaching out to clubs in China or the Middle East to sign Ericksen knowing that meet his askign price { £40m } and even pay more for his service.  As far as know, Ericksen has no interest in going outside of Europe, he wants to win big trophies having spent 6 years at Spurs with just a single cup to show for it- the Caraboa Cup.

Manchester United legend Paul Scoles has lavished praises on Liverpool who is said have already wrapped up the Premier League title.  Scholes can't see anybody catching Liverpool this season who are 13 points off Leicester City and 14 points off reigning champions Manchester City.  The scary part of Liverpool's is that they could move 16 points clear of second place Leicester City if they beat West Ham in their outstanding match.  "I don't think we'd {Manchester United} ever won it by Christmas", Scholes told Premier League Productions.  "This team- look it's game over, there's nobody {who is going to catch them}. I think the question now is how many points they going to win it by, i think they're so good.  "City have a team if any team could get anywhere near them but i don't expect that to happen. I just think Liverpool are too good. I think the biggest fight we've got now this season is probably the relegation fight ...

What a player Adama Traore has turned into in just five weeks.. The 23-year-old has developed into one of Europe's electrifying winger.  He combines blistering pace with his power and outstanding physical strength.. Against Manchester City he was unplayable, difficult to stop and a threat whenever he gets the ball.  Watching Pep Guardiola closely you could see he was visibly shaken whenever Traore was on the run and skipping past his players with ease. He did score the first goal, assisted the second and had a hand in the third goal.  The 23-year-old Spaniard was unplayable and City just realized that. His next opponent is Liverpool and Andrew Robertson at the famous Stadium Anfield.  Can Andrew Robertson match him for pace and power? Can he really stop Traore when he actives his beat mode. If Robertson fails, Liverpool will surely lose at Anfield for the first time in 2 years, that i can assure you. 

Liverpool might wrapped up the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup under Sadio Mane's watch but the Senegalese wants more.  Mane wants to win Liverpool's first ever Premier League title along with the FA Cup and the Champions League trophy.  But doing it will be tedious due to the congested nature of the Premier League but Mane is a believer along with his teammates. They're all ready to sacrifice whatever it takes to win trophies for Liverpool and themselves.  "That's why we are working harder to get better and better, to learn from the mistake. Last year was a little bit tough for us and i think we learnt  a lot from it", Mane told BBC Sport.  "We are better this season than last year. It's another adventure and we know it's many games to play for but we keep it one by one. We want to win something with the team and i think you have to sacrifice yourself and that's for sure.  "Tiredness is alway...

Leicester City's high flying Jamie Vardy has warn his teammates not to underestimate the present Liverpool team who are breaking all kind of records in their run to major titles.  Liverpool is the first team in Premier League history to have won the European treble {the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup} while remaining unbeaten in the Premier League.  But despite their success, Vardy feels Leicester City can beat them at the King Power Stadium or at least hold them to draw- which seems to be good result agaisnt Liverpool this days.  "Liverpool is a good team, a fantastic team with good work ethics", Vardy told reporters.  "We can stop them playing our game, stopping the cross from Arnold and Robo and probably limit the spaces their front three need to attack." Asked about Liverpool's trip to Doha will affect their fitness, Vardy added: "I don't think that comes to it at all.  "Every professional footballer...

Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola is optimistic of beating Arsenal at the Emirate Stadium.  The coach feels Frendie Ljunberg's team is still in infancy stages and therefore, will make lots of mistakes in building from the back, closing down spaces or even defending..  City don't want to lose any more grounds with Liverpool and now know beating Arsenal next will be key to their dim title hopes. "We watched the games with Unai {Emery} and the games with Ljunberg and try to figure out what they will do against us", Guardiola said during his press conference.  "Arsenal is a good team, they play good football and will attack with the counter but, they have problems in their shape and how they defend".  "We will be ready and i am sure we will do all we can to win". 

According to Sports mail, Pep Guardiola can decide to work away from Manchester City at the end of the season if things aren't working as planned.  The release clause stipulates that Guardiola can decide to cut his tie with the club if he feels his team is no longer buying his idea again and no longer winning games.  As an obsessive manager who always preaches perfection, he only works best when the team works according to his principle and if not, he walks away...Class!!  Pep Guardiola has won back to back Premier League titles along with 4 other domestic trophies.. Champions League still remains the only trophy eluding the manager and the club. Asked if he wants to extend his contract with the club, Guardiola said: "I'm open {to it}, yes.  "It not about what the club wants or not. For me, i want to see my players the reaction of my players and everything. It is not as simple as i want to extend. I want to see the club, i want to see the players, i want t...

Red Bull Salzburg sporting director Christoph Freund has confirmed that Liverpool in are advanced talks to sign Takumi Minamino.  The midfielder will be arriving Anfield this January having impressed Jurgen Klopp during Liverpool's tightly contested Champions League Group stage matches.  Liverpool had to beat Salzburg at the Red Bull Arena to qualify to the Round of 16 which did but, would've lost had Minamino and Haaland taken their chances in the first half.  Minamino's fantastic dribbling ability coupled with his running power and strength fascinated not just Klopp but his entire coaching staff.  Now the Reds are interested in him and Salzburg sporting director Christoph Freund has confirmed a deal is currently on.  "He is an outstanding player with an outstanding personality", Freund told Sky Sports.  "The big clubs have been watching him and if i was them, i'd have no hesitation to sign him. Takumi is ready to make the next step in Janua...

Former Liverpool and Manchester United star Michael Owen believes Dinamo Zagreb can become the sixth different team to beat Manchester City.  City have lost just twice this season to 'Wolves and Manchester United' but Owen feels Zagreb who need all three points to reach the last 16 can become the 3rd this season.  "Dinamo can still qualify for the last 16 if they beat group winners Manchester City and Shakhtar fail to beat Atalanta in the other tie", Owen told BetVictor.  "City lost at home to United at the weekend and they currently sit 14 points behind leaders Liverpool in the Premier League which will hurt all involve at the club.  "The Croatian side must come out and attack City and that is likely to allow the visitors to hit them on the break. I expect City to return to winning ways".  City vs Dinamo Zagreb is a dead rubber game.. Pep Guardiola will play his second string of players and give his senior players some rest.  Win, lose or draw, ...

Dejan Lovren will miss Liverpool's clash with Watford after complaining of Cramp.   The defender is currently suffering from a cramp coupled with a dead leg due to the series of games he had played. Lovren have played seven consecutive games without rest and his body can no longer take the intensity of the game.  Klopp is fully aware of this and have decided to rest him against Watford.  "We hope it's exactly the same like last time he felt something and we made a decision", Klopp told reporters after Liverpool's 2-0 win over Salzburgt.  "It wasn't cool. He played really well and was very important in those 55 minutes. We don't know at the moment. Like lat time, we have to see".  Joe Gomez will likely start the match while Dejan Lovren rest his legs for the upcoming trip to Qater for the FIFA Club World Cup. 

PSG are reportedly monitory Liverpool's sensational attacker Sadio Mane who they feel possess the world class ability to replace Neymar.  Neymar will certainly rejoin Barcelona, it is just a matter of time and PSG don't want to be on the losing side and have already began holding talks with Sadio's agent. Signing Mane won't be easy, he is currently playing for the best club in the world; have lots of friends at Anfield who are mostly Africans and have lifted the biggest trophy in European football- The Champions League.  You can say he is very relaxed at Liverpool and loves the type of football they currently play.  The 27-year-old Senegalese international was once asked about leaving Liverpool, he replied:  "Why would i want to leave Liverpool?  "The way they play i can't see any team beating them and i really don't want to be facing them with another team".  Mane is right with that assertion, Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool is very h...

Manchester City have reportedly closing in on signing Barcelona's central defender Samuel Umtiti.  The 26-year-old France international has struggled for regular playing berth under Ernesto Valverde having suffered series of injuries in the past as well as lacking the pace, power and defensive nous of his replacement-  Clement Lenglet.  According to L'Equipe, Umtiti could be heading to the Etihad Stadium having reached verbal agreement with the club.  Pep Guardiola is a big fan of the defender and wouldn't mind spending $45m to sign the France World Cup winning defender. 

Determined to prove his squad is the best in the world, Jurgen Klopp has called on each and everyone of his players to brace up for the challenge.  The Reds will play Aston Villa in the League Cup quarter final and the following day will play FIFA Club World Cup the following day.  Confident of winning both ties, Klopp said: "We had to do it like this. I think it's a really nice opportunity for the younger players", he told reporters.  "I know everyone thinks no chance but football is a wonderful. I would love to be part of that game to be honest.  "I hope they enjoy it, whatever happens. No pressure".  Speaking about Aston Villa's game, Klopp added: "It is a really nice opportunity for the younger players if you grow above yourself, you can make the next step, i would love to be part of that game.  "I hope all the staff enjoy it. It is a wonderful stadium for them, great atmosphere. They can make a step".  Liverpool will ...

Its all over, Everton have sack Marco Silva who have struggled to pass his message across his team this season and fallen short of the club's lofty expectations.  Silva's team have managed to win just 4 Premier League matches this season, losing nine and drawing 3.  That horrible form coupled with the 5-2 drubbing by Liverpool meant a change had to be made and fast.  Marcel Brands, the director of football, and Alexander Ryazantsev, the club's CEO, were visibly seen angrily gesticulating in the Directors' Box at Anfield while infuriated fans were forced to leave early.  The club statement released on Thursday evening reads: "Everton Football Club can confirm that manager Marco Silva has left the club.  "Majority Shareholder Farhad Moshiri, Chairman Bill Kenwright and the Board of Directors wold like to thank Marco for his service over the last 18 months and wish him well for the future.  "Duncan Ferguson has taken temporary charge of the fir...

Liverpool legend Steve Nicol has called on Liverpool key decision makers when it comes on signing players (Jurgen Klopp {coach}, Micheal Edwards {sporting director} and Micheal Gordon {club director) not to sign Jadon Sancho.  Nicol though feel the 19-year-old England international will be useful addition to the squad but questions where he will play if he those join Liverpool.  He can't bench Sadio Mane who is without doubt, the world best player neither can he bench Mohamed Salah or Roberto Firmino.. It won't make sense to sign a player for  £ 100m and then bench him.  "I don't think {Sancho} would start but it would be fantastic to have him in teh squad", Nicol told ESPN FC.  "As good as Divock Origi has been at times, i would prefer if Liverpool did what City did with {Gabriel} Jesus. They got  him when he was very young as wasn't expecting to start and he came along.  "Sancho would be expecting to start and that's the problem. You...

David de Gea feels the present Manchester United team have the potential to go the Etihad Stadium and pick all three points.  United were outstanding against Spurs, they moved the ball intricately, created the best chances and scored two goals to win the tie. Marcus Rashford was yet again the man of the match as he scored two goals and had one shoot crash the bar.  Although, the Etihad Stadium is no easy place to win and De Gea knows United must exceptionally good to beat their once noisy neigbours.  "I think we controlled the game really well. It's a massive win for us and let's see if we can keep this level up and keep wining", De Gea told reporters.  "It's a special game against Manchester City- the derby. Let's see if we can win there.  "It's a tough game, but if we show the same as we did against Spurs, i think we have chances to win".  City will play United next and De Gea will be in contention to start.

Gabriel Jesus still believes Manchester City has what it takes to beat Liverpool to win the Premier League title this season.  The Brazilian attacker thinks Liverpool will struggle this December due to their tightly congested fixture and their history of always failing apart when it really matters.  Even last season when it all seems Liverpool will finally win the title having amassed 97 points {the club's highest point tally} they still failed to beat City to the Premier League itl.  "We have only played 15 fixtures and, in spite of being only December, we are 8 points behind Liverpool, so obviously, at this point, it is very difficult", Jesus told Sky Sports.  "But i think we are still in early stages of the season, there are a lot of games to play. December is always a crucial month for the championship, so we need to be very focus and try to win game by game.  "Liverpool have a lot of games and i don't see them winning all the matches". ...

Burnley manager Sean Dyche believes Liverpool have shelved aside attractive football and focused more on grinding out result.  The Reds aren't the best footballing side in the Premier League but their resolute display and winning mentality have helped massively in keeping them on top of the league.   Liverpool are 8 points clear of second placed Leicester City having won 13 games and drawn just once all season.  Dyche feels the Reds have the edge over City who struggling for consistency due to injuries.  "Liverpool are learning that when it's not quite their day the can win", Dyche told the Associated Press.  "They can win ugly when they have to. I think that's a big step forward. If you want to win the title you've got to win as many games in as many different ways as you can.  "I think Liverpool have moved forward with that. I think they had a tight one on Saturday {against Brighton}, but they won, and i think that's an important f...

Another year, another catastrophic decision made by the Ballon d'Or organisers who gave the once prestigious trophy to a player who don't deserve to win it.  Its really embarrassing to know that Lionel Messi won the award ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Virgil van Dijk who both outperformed him with both club and country.  Cristiano Ronaldo was arguably the best of trio having won trophies with both club and country. The 34-year-old captained Portugal to the inaugural Nation's League against Holland and lifted two domestic trophies with Juventus.  Added to that, the Seria A Player needs just 6 goals to become the highest goalscorer in International football and yet, Lionel Messi who only lifted the La Liga title with Barcelona beat him to the Ballon d'or? It doesn't make sense..  No disrespect to Messi he is an incredible player, he scored 46 goals with 17 assists in a season that saw Barcelona heavily rely on him for inspiration and goals.  He single-...

Roberto Mancini has warned Liverpool fans not to rule out Manchester City in the race to win the Premier League title.  City are eleven points off Liverpool after 14 games played and many have already ruled them out of winning the trophy.  Mancini who lifted City's first league title in 44 years feel the club can still surpass Liverpool have done twice in history. They did it under Manuel Pellegrini {2013-14} and again under Pep Guardiola {2018-19}.  Buttressing his point, he said: "I think that Liverpool in the last two years are a strong team", he told Sky Sports News.  "But i remember last year in November and December Manchester City were seven points behind Liverpool.  "The Premier League is a very difficult championship. There is too long {to go}".