Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes Fernandinho ranks as one of the best three holding midfielders in the world.
Free-scoring Premier League leaders City will aim to improve their record of nine wins and a draw from 10 top-flight games when they host Arsenal on Sunday.
A 4-2 triumph at Napoli to secure qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League in midweek gave the latest demonstration of the stunning attacking array at Guardiola s disposal.
Raheem Sterling netted his 10th of the season and Sergio Aguero became City s all-time leading scorer as Leroy Sane excelled against the Serie A table-toppers.
But ahead of an encounter with Arsene Wenger s side that promises to be another feast of attacking football, Guardiola took time to …
Jesse Lingard accused Manchester United of making false promises to him during his final months at the club ahead of his first return to Old Trafford with Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.
Lingard came through United s academy, spending 22 years at the club before his departure on a free transfer at the end of last season.
The England international had been largely a rotation option during his time in United s senior squad, but he fell well down the pecking order in the 2020-21 campaign as he failed to make a single Premier League appearance in the first half of the season.
That led to him joining West Ham on loan and reinvigorating his career in London, scoring nine Premier League goals – a personal best for a single campaign – in 16 appearances.
Such fo…
AC Milan have announced the signing of centre-back Mateo Musacchio from Villarreal on a four-year deal.
The defender underwent a medical last week and he has now formalised his move to San Siro, with Milan believed to have paid a fee in the region of €18million.
The 26-year-old started his professional career with River Plate before joining Villarreal in 2009.
He made well over 200 appearances in all competitions, but will now continue his career in Serie A.
announces signing from on a 4-year contract through to 30 June 2021
— AC Milan (@acmilan)
Musacchio becomes Milan’s first signing ahead of next season as they look to re-build their squad.
The Rossoneri finished sixth in Serie A in 2016-17 to qualify for Europa Leag…
Celtic will take a 1-0 lead to Saint Petersburg in their Europa League round-of-32 tie with Zenit after Callum McGregor netted a first-leg winner.
Substitute Charly Musonda centred for McGregor to slam a finish into the top-left corner and lift the roof off Parkhead with just 12 minutes remaining and Roberto Mancini s visitors seemingly content with a hard-earned draw.
Zenit s only previous meeting with Scottish opposition had seen their dominant 2008 side defeat Rangers in the UEFA Cup final, but Celtic fared rather better than their rivals 10 years on and deserved a goal long before it finally arrived.
Although a rusty Russian defence out of competitive action for over two months prior to the game struggled to contain Brendan Rodgers men from the off, the lack …
Best Odds: 7/10
Bookmaker:
In what looks set to be a heavyweight FA Cup showdown from the Etihad on Friday night, Manchester City will host title rivals Arsenal.
Manchester City
Starting with the hosts, despite suffering that controversial 2-1 loss away at Old Trafford a fortnight ago, Manchester City have come roaring back. Last seen breezing their way to a 3-0 romp against relegation scrappers Wolves, Pep Guardiola s men know that they face a real Premier League title battle in 2023. Still sat five points adrift of Friday s guests, the former Barcelona boss should be boosted by City s recent success on home soil. Mounting that stunning second-half comeback against top-four hopefuls Tottenham on January 19th as they eventually claimed an epic 4-2 victory at th…
Aaron Ramsey feels Arsenal will improve their wretched away form after establishing a 2-0 lead against Napoli in their Europa League quarter-final.
Ramsey put the Gunners in front at Emirates Stadium on Thursday and Kalidou Koulibaly deflected in Lucas Torreira s drive to double their lead.
Arsenal could have taken an even more dominant position to Naples next week, with Ramsey and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang wasting late chances to extend their advantage.
Despite Arsenal having only won twice away from home since November, at Huddersfield Town in the Premier League and Blackpool in the FA Cup, Ramsey is confident about Unai Emery s side moving into the semis.
We ve won away this season so we re capable of doing it, Ramsey said to BT Sport.
We ve…
Gaizka Mendieta approves of Julen Lopetegui s decision to leave Alvaro Morata out of Spain s World Cup squad, believing it is more important to have options in other positions.
Lopetegui has included only two traditional centre forwards, Diego Costa and Rodrigo, in his 23-man group for the tournament, with Chelsea s Morata omitted after a mixed first season in the Premier League.
And while Spain now have few alternatives in attack, Mendieta trusts that this decision has been made to include players in other positions who are some of the best in the world .
Speaking courtesy of Nissan, official Champions League partner, the former Valencia man said: If you look at the positions, I think we have some of the best players in the world.
So I am not worried ab…
Pep Guardiola has admitted Manchester City may need to seek a replacement for Kalvin Phillips in January if the England midfielder moves on.
Phillips, 28, is expected to leave the Etihad next month in search of regular first-team football, having been unable to force his way into Guardiola’s side in the 18 months since his £42million switch from Leeds.
And while Guardiola insisted he was not thinking about the January market, that might change if he was left short of numbers in midfield, where City have struggled any time their regular enforcer Rodri has been missing through injury or suspension.
“Right now I don’t have anything in my mind,” Guardiola said. “It depends if they leave or don’t leave. Some players stay, some players leave. It depends on…
According to a recent report from AS, Martin Odegaard could be recalled early from his loan spell with Real Sociedad by parent club Real Madrid. The youngster was sent on loan to Sociedad during the recent summer transfer window with the original plan being that he would remain there for two years before heading back to Real in 2021. Now, however, he’s set to be recalled by Madrid in June 2020 – one whole year early.
Whether or not they’re able to do that comes down to the terms within the contract, but at the end of the day, this doesn’t feel like all too much of a shock to the system. Madrid have always done their own thing and they’ve always made it clear that they are the alpha males in any potential transfer dealings they may have.
Sociedad have enjoy…
Robert Moreno has been appointed as Spain s permanent head coach after Luis Enrique stepped down from the role.
The 41-year-old has already overseen three Euro 2020 qualifiers – all of which were wins – while Luis Enrique was absent due to a family emergency and has now been handed the reins on a full-time basis.
During Wednesday s news conference, Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales confirmed Moreno will be in charge until the end of Euro 2020.
But who is Moreno and how did someone with such little pedigree as a head coach come to arrive in Spanish football s most senior role?
EARLY CAREER
Rather than the traditional route of going from the pitch to the dugout, Moreno, born in Barcelona in 1977, started…