Tag: the Premier League

Mourinho hails ‘confident’ United

Jose Mourinho was left feeling more than pleased after his Manchester United recorded a second 4-0 win of the new season in easing past Swansea at the Liberty Stadium.

The Red Devils boss says his players are feeling the 'happiness' and that they were always in control, despite having to wait until the 82nd minute to make the points safe.

Eric Bailly netted from close range on the stroke of half-time to put Man United ahead and, while they were always holding the upper hand, it was not until Romelu Lukaku netted eight minutes from the end that the points were secured.

Further quick goals from Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial put a real gloss on the scoresheet for Mourinho's side and the Portuguese didn't disguise his pleasure afterwards.

"There was happiness in our play," said the United boss. "There was no need to close the door.

"I felt in control, if you had a chance to look at me and my body language I think you could see that."

It was another controlled performance from Man United after last week's win over West Ham. Once more, Nemanja Matic starred in giving his team a platform from which to go about their business but Mourinho singled out Martial for praise.

"They were waiting with class, calm and consistency for the moment to kill the game," he added.

"Swansea played with five in the back and they had a moment when they felt they had to change and when they did we had more space and killed the game.

"Anthony Martial is working hard. He is confident. The French language connection is there to help him a lot and get to the level we know he can be because the potential is huge."

Man United are 1/4 to win against Leicester City next weekend. The Foxes are 10/1 while the draw is 19/4 at Old Trafford. The home side are 12/1 to record another 4-0 win.

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Pep ponders his options

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is adamant that he will not rush Ilkay Gundogan back to first-team action.

Gundogan has been sidelined since December 2016 when he suffered a knee injury against Watford but played for 20 minutes on Tuesday when City were involved in a friendly against Girona.

He will not feature on Monday though when City, 5/4 to win the Premier League title this season, face Everton in their first home game of the campaign.

Benjamin Mendy is continuing his recovery from a thigh problem, while Fabian Delph is also closing in on a return to full fitness.

"They are good, they are fit," Guardiola said of his squad. "There are no injuries. Ilkay came back for a few minutes after seven, eight months.

"Mendy is at the last part of his rehabilitation – still not 100 per cent but he's almost done and Fabian Delph, too, is in the same position as Mendy, so we have all the players fit.

"[Gundogan] played a few minutes in Girona, so we will see. He is training really well. He needs time, confidence."

City are available at 5/6 to keep a clean sheet against Everton and can be backed at 6/1 to beat Ronald Koeman's side 2-0.

Conte has no desire to leave

Antonio Conte insists he sees his long-term future as being with Chelsea even though reports suggest he is unhappy at Stamford Bridge.

Conte guided the Blues to the Premier League title last term but they opened the 2017/18 campaign last weekend with a 3-2 home loss to Burnley.

The former Italy and Juventus manager is believed to be unhappy with the lack of signings this summer, particularly as Chelsea will be involved in the Champions League this season.

Conte has signed Alvaro Morata, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Antonio Rudiger and Willy Caballero since the end of last season, while the likes of Nemanja Matic, Nathan Ake, Juan Cuadrado, Asmir Begovic, Bertrand Traore, Christian Atsu and Nathaniel Chalobah have all left Stamford Bridge in the last three months.

"I think we need time. We need time," Conte said. "To try to fight for Champions League, to try to fight to be the best in the world, you need time.

"I have still got two years – this season and next season to work with this club. Then if we stay very well and we have the same vision, we continue. I don't see any problems about the future.

"Now we have two years left, but if we have the same vision we can continue to work together. I think that I can stay in the right club at this point of my career."

Chelsea, 8/1 to win the 2017/18 Premier League title outright, can be backed at 13/5 to beat Tottenham at Wembley on Sunday.

Benitez plans to deflate Town

Rafa Benitez knows that it will be difficult for his Newcastle United team to puncture Huddersfield Town's confidence levels on Sunday.

The two sides meet at the John Smith's Stadium after having contrasting opening weekends – the Terriers won 3-0 at Crystal Palace on Saturday before Newcastle were beaten 2-0 on home soil by Tottenham 24 hours later.

Newcastle and Huddersfield were Championship rivals last term with the Magpies finishing at the top of the table, 13 points clear of Town, who clinched promotion by beating Reading in the play-off final at Wembley.

Benitez said: "They have spent some money, signed around ten players, so they will obviously be a different team to the team of last season.

"They have nothing to lose. It is their first time in the Premier League, and every fan will realise that Newcastle United are a big club that have to be there, while Huddersfield Town and Brighton are fantastic clubs, but if they stay there then everybody will be over the moon.

"But, it is important to understand that the Premier League lasts for nine months – you have to play a lot of games, and at the beginning, football depends on momentum. They are playing with a lot of confidence so it will be even more difficult for us."

Newcastle are 11/5 to win Sunday's match with Matt Ritchie 3/1 to score at any time in West Yorkshire.

Mourinho ‘cool’ on fourth target

Jose Mourinho is not concerned if Manchester United cannot make a fourth key signing before the transfer window closes.

The Old Trafford boss identified four summer targets for chief executive Ed Woodward to bring him, and he says he will be content now having achieved three of those targets.

Man United opened the new season with a 4-0 win over West Ham at Old Trafford last Sunday.

Two of their big-name summer signings played key roles, former Everton forward Romelu Lukaku scoring twice while ex-Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic was named Man of the Match.

The third summer arrival, Victor Lindelof, was not in the squad as Mourinho wants to afford the defender more time to settle into the club.

United head for Swansea in Saturday's early kick-off, a game the Red Devils are 4/11 to win, and their boss says he has now instructed Woodward to 'be cool' in regards to a fourth arrival into the club.

"I don't think we are, unless something happened that put us in the market again," said Mourinho.

"I told Mr Woodward that obviously my plans were four, but I also told him 'be cool, no pressure from me, do what you think is best for the club'.

"We will be together again for another transfer window in January and another next summer, so there is no pressure from me at all. I'm happy with the squad we have and I'm ready to go without the fourth player."

Man United are 15/2 to beat Swansea 3-0 at the Liberty Stadium with Lukaku 11/4 to open the scoring in south Wales.

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Reds reject latest Coutinho offer

Liverpool have rejected a third bid from Barcelona, said to be worth up to £118m, for Philippe Coutinho according to press reports.

The Brazilian is the La Liga club's top target as they seek to replace Neymar, who moved to Paris St-Germain for a world record fee this month.

Barcelona have already had bids of £72m and £90.4m turned down by Liverpool, who are insisting that Coutinho is not for sale in this transfer window.

For his part, the 25-year-old playmaker officially told the Anfield hierarchy a week ago that he wishes to leave the club.

Barca general manager Josep Segura claimed earlier this week that the Spanish club were close to agreeing a deal for Coutinho.

In his press conference ahead of Saturday's home clash with Crystal Palace, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp refuted that suggestion.

"I don't know why other people are saying what they're saying. I don't even know him. I have never met him," Klopp said.

Coutinho pledged his future to Liverpool in January by signing a new five-and-a-half-year contract, with the deal including no release clause.

The Merseyside outfit say they are not under any pressure to allow their playmaker leave. Coutinho hasn't featured since the Barcelona interest became clear.

He missed last weekend's Premier League opening 3-3 draw with Watford and the midweek win over Hoffenheim in the Champions League playoff, both with a reported back problem.

The Reds are 11/1 to beat Crystal Palace 3-1 on Saturday, while they are 18/1 to be Premier League champions this season.

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Spurs snap up Sanchez

Tottenham Hotspur have finally made their first summer signing, completing a deal to lure defender Davinson Sanchez from Ajax.

The Colombian international arrives at White Hart Lane for a fee that could be worth up to a club-record £40m, according to various reports.

Sanchez has signed a six-year contract with Spurs, with the move still subject to a medical being passed and a work permit being granted.

Mauricio Pochettino said this week that he hoped to bring as many as four players into the club before the transfer window closes, and the Argentine has now started that process.

Sanchez has won two caps for Colombia and scored six goals in his first season in the Eredivisie, making a total of 43 appearances after signing last summer from Atletico Nacional. He was voted Player of the Year at Ajax and was said to be attracting interest from the likes of Barcelona and Inter Milan this summer.

Tottenham however have won the race for his signature, the 21-year-old showing his gratitude to the Dutch club and its supporters ahead of his switch to London.

"I would like to thank the coach, management, players and fans of Ajax. It is a great move for me to come here to develop my career," Davinson told the club's website.

"I am very excited to be signing for such a famous club as Tottenham Hotspur. I am looking forward to working with Mauricio Pochettino and the players and meeting everyone there."

Tottenham are 11/10 to beat Chelsea on Sunday in their first Premier League game at Wembley.

The Blues are 11/4 while the draw is 13/5.

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Pochettino: I want four players

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has indicated that he would like to bring four new players to the club before the end of the transfer window.

Ajax defender Davinson Sanchez is one player that has been linked with a move to Spurs, who have made no major signings since the end of last season.

They have sold Kyle Walker to Manchester City after finishing second in the Premier League table in 2016/17.

Pochettino's team began their campaign with a 2-0 victory at Newcastle United on Sunday and are 10/1 to beat Chelsea by the same scoreline at Wembley this weekend and 8/1 to win the match from behind.

Pochettino said: "I want four players. It is possible yes but it is not easy.

"We expect to sign some players. Our aim is to improve the squad and bring new faces and new energy to the squad because it is a long season."

Pochettino will hand a late fitness test to Kieran Trippier (ankle) to see if the former Burnley defender can feature against Antonio Conte's side, while Georges-Kevin N'Koudou (foot), Erik Lamela (hip) and Danny Rose (knee) will definitely miss the derby clash.

Spurs are 8/1 to win the 2017/18 Premier League title and 4/6 to finish in the top four.

Hughes to give newcomers a chance

Stoke City manager Mark Hughes has indicated that all six of his new signings will feature in Saturday evening's match against Arsenal.

Jese Rodriguez is set to make his Potters debut against the Gunners at the us Stadium following his loan switch from Paris Saint-Germain.

Hughes said of the 24-year-old: "I think we can give Jese a platform here to really enjoy himself.

"Everyone is excited to see him play. He is an elite player, a top-level player and you don't get too many opportunities to bring players like him to the club.

"We are delighted to get him and when you do you should enjoy it.

"We are hoping to involve all the ones we have brought in if we can, albeit some will be on the bench and some will start."

Hughes has also signed Bruno Martins Indi, Darren Fletcher, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Josh Tymon and Kurt Zouma this summer.

Stoke are 7/2 to beat Arsenal on Saturday while Joe Allen is 6/1 to score at any time in the match.

The Potters can be backed at 4/1 to be relegated this season and at 10/3 to finish in the top half of the Premier League table.

Gradel opts for Toulouse loan

Bournemouth have sent Max Gradel out on loan to Toulouse after Sunderland failed to lure the 29-year-old winger to the Stadium of Light.

Black Cats boss Simon Grayson had been keen to snap up the Ivory Coast star who turned down a move to Wearside due to family reasons in order to move to France on a season-long loan agreement.

Grayson said: "We spoke to Max but he eventually decided to go to France.

"We had agreed something with Bournemouth and he is a good player who I wanted to bring to the club – it shows you where we are with the players we are looking at.

"That would have been a big signing for us but he just felt his family wanted to go back to France. That was disappointing but it is part and parcel of football."

Gradel joined the Cherries for £7million from Saint-Etienne in August 2015 but was almost immediately sidelined for six months after suffering a serious knee injury.

He made only 11 substitute appearances in the Premier League for Eddie Howe's team last term.

Bournemouth can be backed at 1/1 to beat Watford on Saturday and at 8/1 to triumph against the Hornets 2-1.