Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has jokingly acknowledged he is on dangerous ground by returning the affections of Manchester United great Alex Ferguson.
Ferguson heaped praise on Klopp in an interview in Kicker on Thursday, stating: He has done a really good job and revived Liverpool s enthusiasm.
You can see Klopp s dedication on the sideline, I m convinced his work in training is similar. He s a strong personality. That s absolutely vital at a big club.
I m worried about him because the one thing United don t want is Liverpool to get above us.
Despite the fierce rivalry that exists between the two north-west clubs, Klopp conceded he was flattered and reciprocated the kind words from the 74-year-old Scot, who left Old Trafford in 2013 after leading …
Antonio Conte reiterated it will take time to bring Tottenham back following Spurs shock 2-1 loss to Slovenian minnows Mura in the Europa Conference League.
Harry Kane looked to have salvaged a point for Tottenham by cancelling out Tommy Horvat s opener at Fazanerija, but Amadej Marosa scored a dramatic winner with the final kick on Thursday.
Spurs made nine changes from their 2-1 Premier League win over Leeds United last weekend and played more than an hour with 10 men following Ryan Sessegnon s dismissal.
But the defeat – Tottenham s first under head coach Conte since his appointment earlier this month – will still go down as one of the worst in their European history against a side with a UEFA coefficient ranking of 341.
Spurs can now no longer fin…
Bayern Munich won all of their home games in the Champions League group stage for the second straight season as they saw off Lokomotiv Moscow 2-0 on Wednesday.
With top spot in Group A already ensured for the holders heading into the encounter in Munich, Hansi Flick s side had little pressure on their shoulders.
A toothless first-half display paved the way for a much-improved performance after the break as Niklas Sule s towering header and an excellent finish from Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting saw Bayern return to winning ways after drawing with Atletico Madrid last week.
Flick has now won 13 of his 14 Champions League matches in charge of Bayern, who have shown little let up following their triumphant campaign last term.
SÜLE SMASH 1-0
— FC B…
Thomas Muller scored a second-half brace as Bayern Munich ran riot with a 5-1 thrashing of relegation-threatened Union Berlin.
Fresh from their Champions League win over Arsenal in midweek, Bayern looked in the mood to put their disappointing Bundesliga campaign behind them and they did just that when Leon Goretzka put them in front before Harry Kane landed a perfect free-kick on the stroke of half-time.
Muller bagged twice in the second period either side of Mathys Tel’s goal but Union Berlin avoided going four consecutive game without scoring through a late Yorbe Vertessen goal but the results leaves them just three points above the relegation play-off.
5 goals, 4 goalscorers and 3 points match report
— FC Bayern Munich (@FCBayernEN)
Unio…
After knocking holders Arsenal out of the FA Cup on Sunday, Nottingham Forest have appointed former Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka as their new manager.
Forest stunned the Gunners in a 4-2 victory at the City Ground under the guidance of caretaker manager Gary Brazil, having parted company with Mark Warburton last month.
And Karanka, who led Boro to the Premier League in 2015-16, has agreed a two-and-a-half-year contract with the two-time European champions, taking over with Forest 14th in the Championship.
We are very pleased to have reached terms with Aitor Karanka to become the manager of Nottingham Forest, said chairman Nicholas Randall of the Spaniard, who left the Riverside Stadium in March as the Teessiders Premier League return lasted just one season.�…
Romelu Lukaku eased concerns about his goalscoring form with the winner as Manchester United bounced back from derby day disappointment by edging Bournemouth 1-0 at a sodden Old Trafford.
Belgium international Lukaku hit the ground running with seven goals in as many Premier League appearances following his £75million move from Everton, but a run of one in nine led to criticism and the resurfacing of questions over his ability to score against big clubs.
That scrutiny intensified after the striker s failure to clear from set-pieces led to David Silva and Nicolas Otamendi scoring in Manchester City s 2-1 victory over United on Sunday, a result that saw Jose Mourinho s side fall 11 points behind the league leaders, and he responded by finding the net against Bournemouth.…
Lionel Messi was the hero as Argentina opened their CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying campaign with a 1-0 win over Ecuador.
Argentina were scheduled to start their road to Qatar 2022 in March, but the qualifiers were postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Messi and Argentina finally took to the pitch at the iconic La Bombonera on Thursday, and the superstar captain s 13th-minute penalty settled the contest in Buenos Aires.
The six-time Ballon d Or winner took his international tally to 71 goals as Argentina extended their unbeaten streak to eight matches, dating back to the country s third-place play-off victory over Chile at the 2019 Copa America.
Argentina were playing for the first time since their 2-2 friendly draw with South American rivals Uruguay in …
Antonio Conte has again rejected speculation he could leave Chelsea before the expiry of his contract in 2019, as he believes he is doing incredible work at Stamford Bridge.
Alessandro Costacurta s appointment as vice-commissioner of the Italian Football Federation [FIGC] led to fresh reports Conte could be reappointed as Italy s national team coach.
Conte led the Azzurri to the quarter-finals at Euro 2016, beating Spain before losing to Germany on penalties, and the Italian has regularly spoken about the possibility of returning to his homeland.
But ahead of Monday s Premier League trip to Watford, Conte reasserted his desire to see out his three-year Chelsea contract.
If you remember I took the decision to come back to club [management] before starting…
Ralf Rangnick has strengthened his Manchester United staff by bringing in assistant coach Chris Armas and sports psychologist Sascha Lense.
Interim manager Rangnick has until the end of the season to make his mark at Old Trafford, with scope for two further years as a consultant, after club legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked in late November.
Former RB Leipzig head coach Rangnick started with a 1-0 home triumph over Crystal Palace on Sunday, becoming the first German boss to win his opening game in the Premier League after five countrymen previously tried and failed.
United technical director Darren Fletcher and coach Kieran McKenna acted as assistants for that victory and Rangnick has now bolstered his backroom staff with new appointments.
Lense h…
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta insisted there was nothing concrete yet regarding Mesut Ozil s reported move to Fenerbahce.
Ozil, who is out of contract at the end of the season, has been heavily linked with a move to the Turkish giants.
But Arteta said no deal was done yet for the playmaker, who last played for Arsenal in March.
Well, I don t know how close he s been before, he told a news conference after Thursday s 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace.
There are some conversations going on with [technical director] Edu and the club at the moment, but nothing concrete yet.
The 0-0 draw against Palace means Arsenal have failed to score in seven Premier League matches this season, as many as all of 2019-20.
One point each.
0-0 (FT)
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