The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Manchester City

  • West Ham appoints Pellegrini on three-year deal

    West Ham United have appointed former Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini as their new manager on a three-year deal, the Premier League club announced on Tuesday.

    Chilean Pellegrini left Chinese Super League club Hebei China Fortune on Saturday and replaces David Moyes, who guided the club to a 13th-place finish in the league this past season.

    “I am delighted to welcome Manuel Pellegrini to West Ham United.

    “He is one of the world’s most respected football coaches and we look forward to working with him,” West Ham joint-chairman David Sullivan said.

    “It was important that we appointed someone with knowledge and experience of the Premier League.

    “Someone who already has an understanding – not only of the teams and players we face – but of West Ham United and our ambitions,” Sullivan explained.

    Read Also: Pellegrini predicts big future for Iheanacho

    Former Villarreal, Real Madrid and Malaga boss Pellegrini returns to England two years after leaving Manchester City, a team the 64-year-old led to the Premier League title in 2013-14.

  • Guardiola: Don’t expect massive City spending this summer

    Premier League champions Manchester City are targeting just one or two signings for next season, manager Pep Guardiola has said.

    City, owned by billionaire Sheikh Mansour, spent more than 300 million pounds ($405.42 million) on players last season.

    That heavy investment paid off with City winning the Premier League and League Cup, but Guardiola said fans should not expect similar spending.

    Read Also: Guardiola hopes Arteta would ignore Arsenal overtures

    “We will sign one or two more,’’ Guardiola told Sky Sports, adding: “… maybe people don’t believe me, but we don’t have the money to invest 300 million pounds every season.

    “We invested a lot of money and will invest less in the future, because instead of doing it in two or three transfer windows, we did it in one.

    “The fundamental success of this season is the quality of the players. People say you won because you invest a lot, they are right.’

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  • Guardiola hopes Arteta would ignore Arsenal overtures

    Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said he would understand if assistant coach Mikel Arteta was lured to Arsenal to become their next manager,

    But he hopes the Spaniard remains at the Premier League champions to finish what they started.

    Guardiola’s assistant at City since 2016, former Arsenal Captain Arteta has been mentioned as one of the leading contenders to succeed Arsene Wenger, who brought the curtain down on his 22-year reign at the London club on Sunday.

    “Mikel’s contribution has been amazing,” Guardiola told reporters after City’s 1-0 win over Southampton.

    Read Also: Misconduct: Guardiola, Liverpool to know fate May 31.

    “We work together so good and him staying will (make me) the happiest guy in the world.

    “If he decides to move because he has this offer, I will not say you don’t have to go. I want the best for my friends.

    “I will be so sad, but I will understand his position. It is his career, his life, but hopefully he can stay and finish what we started.”

    Former midfielder Arteta made 150 appearances for Arsenal under Wenger from 2011 to 2016. \

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  • FIFA meets with top clubs over $25bn investors offer

    The ruling body FIFA has met with seven leading clubs including Real Madrid and Manchester United to discuss a 25-billion dollar offer from investors for a revamped Club World Cup and a new global Nations League, the New York Times reported.

    The paper said that officials from Real, United, Manchester City, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Juventus Turin were invited to FIFA’s Swiss headquarters on Wednesday over the controversial issue.

    The paper quoted FIFA as saying that “today’s meeting allowed us to observe a real interest for a complete reform of the Club World Cup and the development of a new model of competition that would benefit the entire football community around the world.”

    Read Also: Budweiser kicks off ‘Light Up The Fifa World Cup’ global campaign

    FIFA president Gianni Infantino revealed the offer from yet to be identified investors to the governing body’s council two months ago.

    The investors are allegedly ready to dish out a maximum 25 billion euros for the two competitions between 2021 and 2033.

    The proposal has been met with stiff resistance from various sides including Europe’s UEFA and club organizations.

    Critics fear an even more blown up match calendar and rich clubs becoming even richer.

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  • Injured Aguero should be ready for World Cup – Guardiola

    Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero will be out of action for up to five weeks but he should be ready for the World Cup with Argentina, manager Pep Guardiola says.

    The 29-year-old, who has scored 21 English Premier League goals for Manchester City this season, is recovering from knee surgery having not started a match for the last six weeks.

    When asked on Friday if Aguero’s season with Manchester City was over, Guardiola said: “Here, yeah. It’s four or five weeks (out). We will try and get him ready for the World Cup.

    “He is in Barcelona right now. For the first part of the rehabilitation, he is going to be there.”

    Aguero is expected to be a key figure for Argentina, who play their opening World Cup match against Iceland on June 16.

    Manchester City were crowned English Premier League champions last weekend and Guardiola wants his team to break records before the end of the campaign.

    They could finish with the most points, most wins and most goals in a single English Premier League season.

    Now, the Spanish manager remains keen to keep his players motivated ahead of Sunday’s clash with Swansea City.

    “In the past when I won the league early at FC Bayern Munich and FC Barcelona, the next few games were not good,” Guardiola added.

    “But a good argument to keep going is the records. It would be nice to finish good in terms of good feelings.

    “The important thing is to win the title. But, maybe the records can help us (to) be focused against the clubs fighting to avoid relegation.”

    Manchester City’s opponents Swansea are currently 17th in the league and four points clear of the relegation zone with five matches to play.

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  • Manchester City players dominate PFA Team of the Year

    Players from the Premier League champions-in-waiting Manchester City dominated the Professional Footballers’ Association’s ( PFA ) Team of the Year announced on Wednesday, occupying five out of 11 spots.

    City defenders Kyle Walker and Nicolas Otamendi, midfielders David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne as well as all-time top scorer Sergio Aguero were named in the side.

    Tottenham Hotspur had three players on the list, including England striker Harry Kane, who made the team for a third straight year along with Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea.

    Read Also: Champions League: Manchester City & Barcelona Out

    Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, who has 40 goals across all competitions this season and was nominated for the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award, also made the team.

    Chelsea had a lone representative in defender Marcos Alonso.

    PFA Team of the Year: David de Gea, Kyle Walker, Jan Vertonghen, Nicolas Otamendi, Marcos Alonso, David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Christian Eriksen, Harry Kane, Mohamed Salah, Sergio Aguero.

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  • Arsenal boss Wenger criticises Premier League’s VAR delay

    Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has said the Premier League’s decision to delay the implementation of the video assistant referee (VAR) system means the English top flight is being left behind.

    The 20 top-flight teams voted against introducing the system for the leagues 2018-19 seasons after trial runs in the cup competitions received mixed reviews.

    “The Premier League has been created with people who had a progressive mind…,” Wenger told reporters after Arsenal’s 2-1 league defeat by Newcastle United on Sunday.

    “Overall, I believe that with that decision we are behind the rest of the world.

    Read Also: Arsenal’s Wenger understands Mertesacker’s wish to retire

    “The young generation is used to (VAR) and worldwide they might move away from us because they see that in other countries they do it.

    “Unfortunately the Premier League has again decided not to go for VAR and personally I believe that is a very, very bad decision,” Wenger added.

    “Every big game this season has been decided by mistakes that could have been avoided with VAR, especially in the Champions League with Manchester City and Liverpool.”

    Arsenal host West Ham United on Sunday.

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  • Liverpool’s Salah targets Champions League over individual glory

    Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah says helping the team win the Champions League is more important than any individual award he could receive this season.

    The Egyptian reached the 40-goal mark across all competitions this season in Liverpool’s 3-0 Premier League win over Bournemouth on Saturday.

    He is also leading the race for the European Golden Shoe after an impressive campaign.

    Liverpool beat Manchester City 5-1 on aggregate this month to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League, where they will face AS Roma, and Salah hopes the run can continue.

    “To win the Champions League,” Salah said when asked if he preferred to win the competition or an individual award.

    Read Also: ‘Salah-less’ Liverpool fail to beat Everton

    “If you had a choice, then of course, the Champions League.

    “…To win the Champions League is huge for everyone. I don’t care about the rest.”

    The 25-year-old has scored 30 goals in 32 league appearances for Liverpool in his debut season at the club and is a favourite to win the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year award.

    Liverpool plays West Bromwich Albion in the league on April 21 before the first leg of their Champions League tie, three days later.

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  • Misconduct: Guardiola, Liverpool to know fate May 31.

     

    Manchester City  Coach Pep Guardiola and Liverpool will know the type of hammer that will fall on them come May 31 after they were charged for improper conduct during the two legged Champions League clash that saw city fall by the way side while Liverpool progressed to the semi finals.

    Liverpool emerged victorious both home and away to progress but the conduct of their fans during the first leg at Artfield resulting in the damage of Manchester City bus among other things was consider unacceptable by UEFA which has vowed to investigate and decide on what to do. Guardiola on the other hand was giving the marching orders after confronting centre referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz during the second leg tie that ended 2-1 in favour of the Reds who had enjoyed a 3-0 victory in the first leg.

    Guardiola’s UEFA rap sheet includes two breaches of the organisation’s disciplinary regulations – “dismissal from the bench” and “improper conduct of the coach”.

    While the appointed date remains about 50 days away the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach insists that his reaction after what he considered zenith of poor officiating does not amount to misconduct adding that he was polite in his complaint to his country man referee chose to do the unacceptable describing the referee as one who has a way of seeing the opposite of glaring facts.

    Speaking to BT Sport after the match, the City manager spoke witheringly of Mateu Lahoz’s officiating.

    “I said it [Sane’s effort] was a goal. I didn’t insult him; I was polite, I was correct. But Mateu Lahoz is a special guy, he likes to be different, he likes to be special,” he said.

    “I know what happened in Monaco last season, at 1-1, with an incredible penalty [not given to] Sergio Aguero.

    “He’s special. When everybody sees things, he likes to decide the opposite. I didn’t say any wrong word.”

    Liverpool whose fans claim the possibility of winning the Champions league is high have been charged under article 16 (2) of the UEFA regulations in relation to fans setting off fireworks and throwing objects.

  • Liverpool face anxious wait over Salah injury

    Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has assured club manager Juergen Klopp he’s “all fine, all good’’ after picking up an injury during the club’s UEFA Champions League clash with Manchester City on Wednesday.

    But Klopp admits he is concerned over the fitness of his leading goalscorer after he limped off seven minutes after the interval at Anfield on Wednesday.

    This was after the Egyptian had scored the opening goal in Liverpool’s 3-0 win over Pep Guardiola’s side in the first leg of the quarter-final.

    Klopp confirmed the 25-year-old, who has scored 38 goals for Liverpool in all competitions this season, will be assessed in the coming days.

    Read Also: Liverpool stun Manchester City with 3-0 win at Anfield

    This is ahead of their English Premier League clash against local rivals Everton at Goodison Park.

    “About Mo, I don’t know at the moment,” Klopp told reporters. “He came to the sideline and said he feels sometimes, something. That was enough for me to not even ask the doctor how he was. So, we immediately took him off the pitch.

    “After the game I asked him and he said, ‘I will be good, it will be fine’. But now we have to wait for the real diagnosis, not Mo’s self-diagnosis.”

    Liverpool will defend their three-goal advantage against Manchester City in the return leg at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.

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