Mesut Ozil has told Arsenal fans that he has returned to training after being struck down with flu over the festive period.The German World Cup winner has missed the Gunners’ last two matches due to illness, and fans will be hoping that he can get the team back on track.Arsenal are currently eight points adrift of leaders Chelsea and they have dropped out of the top four following a run of unwanted results.They suffered back-to-back defeats to Everton and Manchester City, and despite responding with wins over West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace, they had to fight from 3-0 down to claim a point against Bournemouth earlier this week.[ad_pod id=’now-tv’ align=’centre’]To be honest, Ozil’s superstar shine has dimmed slightly due to the playmaker struggling in his last few games to make a significant impact.Nevertheless, he has returned to training after being cooped up in bed with the flu, but he is unlikely to feature in this weekend’s FA Cup match against Preston North End.Ozil took to Twitter to let fans know that he is closing in on a return to action.
Last season’s Premier League Champions Leicester host current leaders Chelsea today.
Both sides failed to win their previous league fixture, with Chelsea succumbing to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Tottenham – or more notably Dele Alli, who scored both of the Lilywhites’ goals – while Leicester were held to a 0-0 draw against an impressive Middlesborough side.
For the visitors, they will be hoping to put the defeat against their London rivals behind them and get back the form they showed just before the New Year when they won a record-equalling 13 straight Premier League games.
It’s a case of the opposites for Leicester, however, who, having defied all the odds to win the title last year, now find themselves back in more familiar territory as they sit a lowly 15th in the Premier League. While Claudio Ranieri’s side have excelled in the Champions League so far this term, they have been unable to reproduce that sort of form in domestic action.
All is set up for an interesting tie at the King Power Stadium, then and we think these THREE key battles could decide the result…
Diego Costa vs. Kasper Schmeichel
Britain Football Soccer – Manchester City v Chelsea – Premier League – Etihad Stadium – 3/12/16Chelsea’s Diego Costa celebrates scoring their first goal and points to his armband in respect of the victims of the Colombia plane crash containing the Chapecoense players and staff Action Images via Reuters / Jason CairnduffLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no v
Spaniard Costa has been the main man for Chelsea this season having scored 14 Premier League goals already and put in some outstanding performances to remind everyone just why he is considered one of the best strikers in world football.
While it could the Leicester defence that stops him, it is almost a given that Costa will get chances, leaving only one man to prevent him from netting: Foxes shot-stopper Kasper Schmeichel. His recent return from injury has been a huge bonus for Ranieri’s side, but does he have enough to keep the Premier League’s most deadly man at bay?
N’Golo Kante vs. Riyad Mahrez
Britain Soccer Football – Leicester City v FC Copenhagen – UEFA Champions League Group Stage – Group G – King Power Stadium, Leicester, England – 18/10/16Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez celebrates scoring their first goal Reuters / Phil NobleLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
What an interesting battle this will be. Last year’s dynamic duo for Leicester find themselves face-to-face this time around, and both will be out to prove a point.
Mahrez absolutely tore the Blues apart in this fixture last season, with Chelsea unable to handle his skill and fluid movement in the final third of the pitch. We expect N’Golo Kante to stick to him like Sean Paul does to his girl (like glue) in an effort to contain the unpredictable Algerian.
Kante has again been a focal point for his new club this year, and without a doubt the Foxes have struggled without him. It could be the little Frenchman that proves the difference between the two sides today.
Pedro vs. Christian Fuchs
Football Soccer Britain – Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur – Premier League – Stamford Bridge – 26/11/16 Chelsea’s Pedro celebrates scoring their first goal Reuters / Stefan Wermuth Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.
It is starting to become clear why Chelsea snatched Pedro away from the hands of Manchester United at the back end of last summer’s transfer market. The Spaniard now has seven goals and five assists to his name this term, and will be looking to add to that tally against Leicester having put in a disappointing shift vs. Spurs. Willian breathing down his neck for a place in the starting XI is an extra incentive.
Leicester’s solid back four, arguably, won them the Premier League last year, especially during the latter stages of the season when 1-0 victories were the theme. Christian Fuchs was colossal at left-back for the Foxes but will have a big job on his hand to keep the fully flowing ex-Barcelona man quiet.
West Ham United were thought to be tracking Brentford striker Scott Hogan throughout the month ahead of a potential move, but he ended up joining Aston Villa on transfer deadline day.Hammers manager Slaven Bilic told reporters in Tuesday’s press conference that he was the one that pulled the plug on a potential deal.The Croatian claimed that he is satisfied with the attacking options that he has, and given that aÂreported £12m fee was agreedÂbetween Villa and Brentford, perhaps Bilic did not think paying out a similar figure was worth it.[ad_pod id=’now-tv’ align=’centre’]West Ham’s top scorer of the season so far is Michail Antonio with eight goals, but since returning to fitness, Andy Carroll has been in decent form, scoring three goals in his last two Premier League games.Looking at the statistics, though, there is a chance that West Ham will regret not snapping up prolific Hogan.
As OptaJoe claim, the forward has an impressive goal return, netting 21 in 29 Championship appearances, while WhoScored note Hogan’s consistency.
Only Newcastle United’s Dwight Gayle has scored more often than Hogan out of Championship players that have started 15 or more league games since the start of the 2015-16 season.
West Ham have scored 11 more goals than Middlesbrough, who have scored the fewest (18) than any other club in the division, while the East London outfit are 22 goals short of top scorers Liverpool.
If Hogan continues his impressive form in front of goal, Bilic may wish that he had changed his mind.
With Liverpool’s 2017 form having been dreadful – they’re yet to win in the league since calendars changed – it’s easy to overlook just how well the Reds have done over the course of the season.
If you asked any Kopite before a ball was kicked if they would take being four points adrift of second place and well within the fight for a top-four finish at this stage they would undoubtedly have taken it – but it’s hard to deny that the campaign is edging towards being an opportunity missed rather than one of over-achievement.
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So, Liverpool supporters are in need of good news, and one nugget has landed today in the form of reports from the Daily Mail, claiming Adam Lallana is close to signing a new contract at Anfield.
The 28-year-old playmaker has thrived in a new, deeper midfield role under Jurgen Klopp this season, and the club have been so impressed that they’re willing to pay him around £150,000-per-week until 2021.
Is he worth that figure, though?
Well, Lallana’s numbers from the season so far are darn good, with the former Southampton playmaker leading the way for Liverpool in terms of assists with seven, which, added to his seven goals, means he’s directly contributed to 14 league strikes – the most of any Reds star. On top of this, he’s played 964 passes, completing 85% of those; no mean feat given that his advanced midfield role demands risky passes forward.
“I knew it since the beginning he would be an important player and I think he feels that confidence in me and he feels that confidence in the game we want to try to play, so he’s happy and he’s happy on the pitch and you can see that the way he plays.”
Jose Mourinho’s words (via the Manchester Evening News) seemed a million miles from being anywhere near the truth during the summer transfer window when he arrived at Manchester United.
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Famously, the Portuguese boss sold the Spaniard to the Red Devils during the winter of 2014, even though the playmaker had been the Blues’ Player of the Year two times in a row and was widely hailed as one of the best creative midfielders in Europe. Naturally, when ‘Mou’ rocked up at Man United, it was suggested that the same fate was on the cards for Mata, with this report from the Daily Mail one of just many to have circulated.
Alas, the now 28-year-old stayed and has been, as Mourinho himself alluded to, excellent – and the stats really back that up…
Mata is known to be a player whose game reflects well through numbers, but his 32 chances created from 773 passes (90% pass success, too, by the way) averages out at a chance made every 24.2 passes – some going, that. The Iberian ace has also netted six goals and made two assists, while also working in a defensive sense with 14 tackles won.
Liverpool are eyeing a summer swoop for Napoli ace Lorenzo Insigne and have been handed a major boost following the star’s stall in contract talks, Italian outlet CalcioMercato reports.
What’s the word?
Liverpool are keen to bolster their attacking options this summer and have had their heads turned by the starring performances of Lorenzo Insigne at Napoli- and they’ve now been handed a major boost in their quest to land the Italian ace.
CalcioMercato reports Insigne’s contract renewal talks with the Serie A giants have stalled as he seeks a bumper pay-rise, and other special factors, if he is to stay with the Naples outfit beyond his current deal.
Insigne’s representatives are set to meet with Napoli before the end of the month to discuss terms of a new deal but Liverpool, and the likes of AC Milan, will be on-alert in case their is any indication of a further breakdown.
What does Insigne want?
However, Liverpool face a battle as CalcioMercato report it’s Insigne’s preference to remain at Napoli. For that to happen though, he’ll need to be offered a huge pay rise at the Stadio San Paolo and he will also seek special treatment.
Usually, Napoli retain all the image rights to their players but made an exception previously with Gonzalo Higuain. If they want to keep Insigne at the club, they may have to offer the same to the Italian- but that could have a knock-on affect.
If Insigne was to own his own image rights, then the likes of Dries Mertens, Marek Hamsik and other stars within the Napoli ranks may seek the same treatment- so it could be a huge stumbling block in discussions about a new deal.
Southampton have unearthed an old clip of a very young James Ward-Prowse discussing his hopes of one day making the England squad.As a 13-year-old, the midfielder told the Saints that one of his long-term targets was to be considered for the international stage.
His dream of playing for his country could be realised next week after he was named in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for an upcoming friendly with Germany and World Cup qualifier against Lithuania.
Ward-Prowse has been part of the England Under-21 setup since 2013, but at the age of 22 he has now made the step up to senior level.
Over the last couple of seasons, the midfielder has been transforming into an important first-team member.
In the current campaign under manager Claude Puel, he has started 12 Premier League games and has come on as a substitute in a further eight.
The midfielder has contributed with two league goals and four assists so far this season.
As well as Ward-Prowse, Southampton’s Nathan Redmond, Ryan Bertrand and Fraser Forster were included in the England squad.
As any Scottish football fan or Celtic supporter will tell you, Leigh Griffiths loves a bit of Twitter. He gets a fair bit of stick from rival fans but always seems to have a response to put them in their place.That’s no different today after one Rangers fan took to the platform to deliver a Mother’s Day jibe about last season’s 40-goal man.
Griffiths is in line for a Scotland start tonight at home to Slovenia, a match he’ll be hoping can finally kickstart the nation’s faltering World Cup Qualification bid.
The Celtic striker has yet to find the net for Scotland but even though he’s been displaced by Moussa Dembele this season has always delivered for the Hoops when called upon, scoring 14 goals in total.
Scotland fans have been calling for his inclusion from the start of games on a regular basis for a while but Gordon Strachan has so far been unwilling to commit to the forward.
Can he take a big step towards cementing a place in the Scotland first team with a goal or two at Hampden?
West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic has tried to rally the troops by saying that it is time that the team showed everyone ‘what they’re made of’, but the fans are not buying it.
Plenty of the Hammers’ following have been frustrated all season due to disappointing results and issues with the London Stadium, which they moved into at the start of the campaign.
It has been quite the come down since last season when they finished seventh in the standings.
After the weekend’s 2-1 defeat to Hull City, West Ham have now recorded four losses in a row and they sit 14th in the table with eight games left to play.
In fact, the team have only won nine top-flight matches this season, and things could get even worse when they travel to the Emirates to face Arsenal on Wednesday.
Bilic has spoken to the club’s official website ahead of the game and has delivered a positive message to boost morale, but the fans are not having any of it.
Liverpool’s hopes of a top four finish took a serious hit earlier this month when Sadio Mane limped off injured in a 3-1 win over Everton.
Unquestionably a strong candidate for signing of the season, the Senegal international is Liverpool’s top scorer in the league and the Reds hadn’t actually won a top flight fixture without him this term until beating Stoke City last weekend – going without victory for the entirety of his African Cup of Nations stint in January.
It has since been confirmed that Mane will be out for the rest of the season, having undergone knee surgery yesterday, which looks set to leave an almighty void in Liverpool’s attacking lineup between now and the end of May.
Earlier today, Mane shared his thoughts on his injury with Liverpool’s official website, thanking Reds fans for the support they’ve shown him over the last few weeks and vowing to come back better than ever before.
Here’s a look at how Liverpool fans reacted to Mane’s heartfelt message on Twitter…