Blow for United as Van Persie ruled out for a month
ROBIN van Persie will play no part in Manchester United’s busy holiday programme after being ruled out for a month with a thigh injury, manager David Moyes said on Friday.“Robin Van Persie is out for a month. He picked up a thigh strain in taking a corner kick which led to the goal (against Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday),” Moyes told a news conference ahead of Sunday’s game at Aston Villa.The Dutchman, who has scored seven goals in 11 Premier League matches this season, returned from a groin injury in last weekend’s 1-0 home defeat by Newcastle United.His absence will be a major blow to Moyes as United try and repair the damage of their poor first third of the season which has left them in ninth place, 13 points behind leaders Arsenal.“It’s unfortunate because I think if you look at our record with Wayne Rooney and Robin in the team, it is actually very good and we have not had them for quite a period recently,” Moyes said.
Superb strikes from Steven Gerrard and Daniel Sturridge fanned the flames of belief around Anfield as Liverpool beat Sunderland 2-1 on Wednesday to stay in the hunt for a first league title in 24 years.A seventh successive Premier League victory was secured despite a nervy finish, moving the Merseyside club back ahead of Manchester City and a point behind leaders Chelsea with both their main title rivals still to visit Anfield.After struggling to get into their stride against a stubborn Sunderland rearguard, a powerful Gerrard free kick and a curled effort from Sturridge handed Liverpool a two-goal advantage before Ki sung-Yueng pulled one back 14 minutes from time.Defeat left struggling Sunderland three points adrift of safety in 18th place in the relegation battle as West Ham United moved further clear of danger with a 2-1 home win over 10-man Hull City.
By Matthew JudgeWinning the greatest prize football has to offer in the shape of the World Cup is the pinnacle of any player’s career.Past legends of the game such as Pele, Diego Maradona and Fabio Cannavaro have all helped lead their respective countries to glory and managed to get their hands on the famous trophy, but what about the mediocre players who were carried to victories on the shoulders of others?Here are seven of the most undeserving footballers to lift the World Cup…7. Alain Boghossian (France 1998)Although he enjoyed playing club football alongside compatriot Liliam Thuram at Parma and winning the 1999 UEFA Cup, Alain Boghossian was one of a few players in France’s 1998 World Cup triumph that was carried to glory by the quality of other team-mates.While Aime Jacquet’s 1998 squad contained various stars such as Fabien Barthez, Laurent Blanc, Marcel Desailly and Youri Djorkaeff, it also had a couple of average players among them, such as Boghossian.The midfielder was capped just 26 times by France throughout his playing career, scoring two goals and appeared for Les Blues in the 1998 final against Brazil, replacing the injured Christian Karembeu.6. Cristian Zaccardo (Italy 2006)Since Cristian Zaccardo won the World Cup in 2006 with Italy, he hasn’t featured at another international tournament for his country.The defender, who can play either at centre-back or full-back, was 24 when he tasted World Cup glory under Marcello Lippi eight years ago.While most certainly not the worst player to lift the World Cup, Zaccardo – who currently plays for AC Milan – will be remembered for playing just three times on the road to Italy’s 2006 triumph, scoring an own goal off an attempted clearance against USA in the Azzurri’s second fixture.5. Luizão (Brazil 2002)While his name sounds similar to current Benfica centre-back, Luizão – or Luiz Bombonato Goulart in full – was one of Brazil’s strikers in the squad that won the World Cup in 2002.Luizao received just 17 caps for Brazil throughout his playing career, with a highpoint in his country’s jersey being the two goals he scored in their last game of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Qualification against Venezuela.He made a couple of substitute appearances for Luiz Felipe Scolari’s Selecao squad in 2002, but was overall an ordinary forward in a victorious Brazil team.4. Kleberson (Brazil 2002)Scolari will be hoping to lift his second World Cup with Brazil in 2014, having previously guided the Selecao to glory in 2002.Sprinkled between the stars such as Roberto Carlos, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo, Scolari’s squad that year also contained a couple of second-rate players – one of those being former Manchester United midfielder Kleberson.Kleberson’s move to Old Trafford in 2003 was disastrous to say the least, with the midfielder making just 20 appearances for the Red Devils and being widely hailed as one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s worst ever purchases in his time as United boss.For Brazil, Kleberson – who currently plays for Indy Eleven in the North American Soccer League – has 32 caps and was actually benched for his country’s first four games in 2002 before eventually breaking into the starting line-up for the rest of the competition.3. Roque Júnior (Brazil 2002)Not many players can boast winning the World Cup, the Copa Libertadores and also the Champions League, but that speaks volumes about the crazy career Roque Junior had as a player.The centre-back, who famously helped ship 20 goals in just five games during a loan spell at Leeds United, is – along with Luizao and Kleberson -fortunate to say he has a World Cup winners’ medal when considering how standard he was.Junior was one of many Brazilian players in 2002 that were carried to greatness by the talents of team-mates such as Cafu, Lucio, Gilberto Silva and more.The former AC Milan and Bayer Leverkusen defender, however, was a popular man for his country and received 48 caps for the Selecao.2. Stéphane Guivarc’h (France 1998)Famously voted the worst striker of the Premier League era by the Daily Mail in 2009, Stéphane Guivarc’h was lucky to earn a winners’ medal with France in 1998, with his displays on the international scene over the course of his career being somewhat disappointing.The former Newcastle and Rangers forward was part of Guy Roux’s Auxerre side that won the league and cup double in 1996.Having scored over 40 league goals for both Rennes and Auxerre respectively in his last two seasons leading into the 1998 World Cup, Guivarc’h subsequently earned himself a call-up for the tournament, but failed to shine.Guivarc’h started each of Les Blues’ seven games along the way to winning the World Cup that year, scoring no goals, while he scored just once in his total 14 appearances for France.1. Bernard Diomède (France 1998)Bernard Diomede will largely be remembered for his misfire spell at Liverpool under Gerard Houllier between 2000 and 2003, where he was brought to Anfield on the back of picking up a World Cup winners’ medal with France in 1998.The winger, who also won the league and cup double along with Guivarc’h at Auxerre in 1996, played three games in Les Blues’ 1998 success, but failed to regain his place in the national team after that tournament.Diomède, in total, received eight caps for France and didn’t score a single goal.For more articles and the latest football news, check out FTBpro
By Martyn HermanBurnley’s seemingly doomed attempt to avoid relegation from the Premier League reaches the last-chance saloon on Saturday (5pm) when failure to beat Hull City will send them down.Sean Dyche’s side have earned plenty of plaudits for their style of play this season, but not enough goals or points.When they stunned champions Manchester City 1-0 in March they were one point behind 17th place and survival appeared to be well within their grasp.Five defeats and a 0-0 home draw with Tottenham Hotspur in their next six matches, however, leaves the humble Lancashire club needing a sporting miracle.With three games left to play they have 26 points, compared to 17th placed Hull’s 34. They must beat Hull, Stoke City and Aston Villa and hope for favours elsewhere.Despite their predicament, Dyche said his team remains motivated and midfielder Matt Taylor insists the fight goes on.“There’s three games left and we’ll continue to fight,” Taylor told the Lancashire Telegraph.“We won’t feel sorry for ourselves. We’ll dust ourselves down and go again.”While Burnley’s Premier League status looks almost certain to last only one season, as it did in 2009-10, fellow promoted side Queens Park Rangers are also in dire straights, although Leicester City look like surviving.QPR, on 27 points, will be doomed by the time they travel to Man City on Sunday (3.30pm), should Hull beat Burnley, Aston Villa beat West Ham United and Newcastle United beat West Bromwich Albion on Saturday (all 5pm).Third from bottom Sunderland, who are a point behind Hull with a game in hand, could put the jitters up the teams just above them with victory in Saturday’s early kick-off at Everton (2.45pm).A Sunderland win against Roberto Martinez’s side would take them, for a few hours at least, above free-falling North East rivals Newcastle United who have lost eight league games in a row and are spiralling out of control.Newcastle, in 15th spot with 35 points, had two sent off in the 3-0 capitulation at Leicester last week, after which manager John Carver suggested defender Mike Williamson had got a red card on purpose.Such is the disarray at St James’ Park that skipper Fabricio Coloccini wrote an open letter apologising to the club’s fans.“Players and staff have come together in order to leave all past problems aside and to focus 100 per cent on the three ‘cup finals’ that we have left,” he said.With Chelsea already champions and Arsenal and Manchester City scrapping for second place, the only real intrigue at the top is whether fourth-placed Manchester United can clinch a place in the top four.Victory at Crystal Palace on Saturday (7.30pm) would ease their nerves.Both teams have lost their last three league games without scoring a goal, which has threatened to derail a decent season for the two sides.United boss Louis van Gaal yesterday confirmed on Friday that Michael Carrick will miss the final three games of the season with a calf problem.The midfielder was injured during the 4-2 win over Manchester City last month.“We tried everything but now we have to think about next season,” Van Gaal told MUTV. “He shall not play anymore this season, it’s better now to focus for him on next season and being fit to start.”On the £25m signing of fellow Dutchman Memphis Depay, he added: “I have been forced to sign him. We have to focus on the top four but I had to handle it because otherwise he would have signed for Paris St-Germain.”And on the top four: “It is a prize in itself. Clubs like Manchester United need to play at the highest point.”
By Ed OsmondWales sparkled in patches and centre Cory Allen scored a hat-trick to overpower Uruguay 54-9 in their opening Rugby World Cup Pool A match on Sunday but the gloss was taken off the victory by more fitness concerns.After a dispiriting build-up to the tournament marred by injuries to key players, the Welsh moved level with England at the top of Pool A on five points ahead of the teams’ seismic clash at Twickenham next Saturday.“It was a very tough game, Uruguay made it tough for us right from the start,” Wales coach Warren Gatland told reporters.“It was quite dewy out there and the ball was a bit slippery so there were a few turnovers but we’re satisfied to get the first one under our belt and to get the win.”Wales, fielding several second-string players, made a sluggish start, conceding a succession of turnovers, and Uruguay flyhalf Felipe Berchesi kicked two penalties to put his largely amateur side 6-0 ahead.The hosts, however, responded swiftly, much to the delight of a raucous and excitable crowd at the Millennium Stadium.Prop Samson Lee grounded the ball over the line following a ferocious driving maul and Allen ran on to a neat chip through by Rhys Priestland to score the second try.Man-of-the-match Allen scampered over again and completed his hat-trick after a flowing Welsh move down the left to take the hosts 28-9 ahead at halftime.Gatland made a number of replacements with the tougher group matches against England and Australia in mind, but his team continued to cut through the Uruguayan defence almost at will.Winger Hallam Amos surged over the line before the crowd’s celebrations were briefly dampened when Allen left the field with a hamstring injury, the third Wales player forced off.Scrumhalf Gareth Davies grabbed the sixth try with a sniping run as Uruguay, ranked 19th in the world and playing in their third World Cup, worked tirelessly to keep the scoreline respectable.“I’m still proud of my players after the performance,” Uruguay coach Pablo Lemoine told reporters.“We are not worried about the result, that was normal for the level and the feeling is positive.“It was our first game at the Millennium Stadium against Wales and the first match against a tier one nation in some 15 years.”Flanker Justin Tipuric touched down after another powerful Wales maul and Davies crashed over for his second try in the final minute to complete a satisfactory start for Gatland.Priestland slotted over seven of the eight conversions in the absence of regular kicker Leigh Halfpenny who misses the tournament due to injury.Allen has torn his hamstring, props Paul James and Lee suffered calf strains and fullback Liam Williams was also forced off with a knock, leaving Gatland with plenty to ponder and his physios with a busy week ahead.
Twice World Cup winners Argentina sacked coach Edgardo Bauza on Monday after a string of poor results in South American qualifying left them struggling to reach the 2018 finals in Russia.Media reports suggest Sevilla’s Argentine coach Jorge Sampaoli, who has never disguised his ambition to take charge of the national team and steered neighbouring Chile to the Copa America title in 2015, will step into the vacancy.“We’ve reached an agreement, we’ve told Bauza he’s ceased to be the national team coach,” the Argentine FA’s recently elected president Claudio Tapia told reporters after a meeting at the organisation’s Buenos Aires headquarters.Argentina, whose captain Lionel Messi has been banned for four matches for insulting a match official, are fifth in the South American group with four qualifiers remaining.The top four in the 10-nation group go through to the 2018 finals in Russia, while the fifth-placed country qualifies for a playoff against a team from Oceania.Bauza presided over eight matches, all 2018 World Cup qualifiers, with three wins, two draws and three defeats.If the AFA can successfully prize Sampaoli away from Sevilla at the end of the season, he would have until August 31 to prepare for Argentina’s next qualifier, a tricky trip to play Uruguay in Montevideo.Tapia has announced a news conference for Tuesday to give details of Bauza’s departure and his possible successor.The new AFA leadership made the decision to dispense with Bauza after Argentina were lucky to beat Chile 1-0 at home with a Messi penalty then lost 2-0 away to Bolivia at high altitude in La Paz last month.Argentina, who had Messi suspended before the Bolivia game, could be without their talisman in Uruguay and at home to Peru and Venezuela later this year unless they manage to get the ban reduced on appeal.If the appeal fails, Messi would only come back for the final, potentially decisive qualifier away to Ecuador at high altitude in Quito in October.Bauza was appointed last July by Armando Perez, who headed a FIFA committee that administered the AFA and prepared it for the presidential election that Tapia won last month.Messi had quit international football after Argentina’s second successive Copa America final defeat on penalties by Chile in the United States in June, having missed the opening spot kick in the shootout.Bauza persuaded Messi to return in August and the captain responded with a goal in a 1-0 home win over Uruguay on Sept. 1.The 59-year-old’s team were unconvincing, though, with draws away to Venezuela and Peru, losses to Paraguay and Brazil and a win over Colombia between September and November.Messi missed all but the Brazil and Colombia matches through injury.Sampaoli quit as Chile coach after lifting the 2015 Copa America but had just taken charge at Sevilla when the Argentina job became vacant last July after Gerardo Martino resigned.The AFA would have to pay a buyout clause to trigger Sampaoli’s release from Sevilla.
The Proteas quick suffered a fracture to his right shoulder on day two of the first Test against Australia at the WACA this month, cutting short his participation in the tour soon after it started.Steyn, who damaged the same shoulder in the first Test against England last December, flew home and faces another lengthy spell out of action after going under the knife.South Africa team manager and chief medical officer Dr Mohammed Moosajee said the experienced strike bowler, who turns 34 next June, should make a full recovery.”Dale had successful surgery on Thursday where the fracture in the right shoulder blade was fixated with the placement of a screw,” Moosajee said.”We expect a minimum six-month rehabilitation period before he can start any form of bowling. “It is crucial to give the injury enough time to heal and to make sure that he is completely pain-free before he starts bowling again. “He will begin with his rehabilitation programme once the satisfactory bony healing has taken place; this is expected to be in a few weeks. “We are positive that he will make a successful return to international cricket. “He will be provided with the best possible support and guidance led by our physiotherapist, Brandon Jackson, and Cricket South Africa’s medical committee, which will give him the best opportunity to make a successful return to full fitness.”
“On behalf of my Confederate, I congratulate Reatau Rau and we look forward to working with you,” said New Guinea Islands Confederate Director, Horta Boskey.“I’ve known Reatau for over 20 years and to get a man like him is hard to come by. I have no qualms. A man like him is going to serve us well,” said Northern Confederate Director, Russ Kaupa.Highlands Confederate Director, Joe Tokam, said: “I congratulate Reatau. As rugby league goes, it is about teamwork.“We understand it’s going to be a challenge. With the board members here, we’ll be willing to support you all the way.”“On behalf of the Southern Confederate and its 22 affiliates, we congratulate Reatau and wish him all the best in his new position,” said Southern Confederate Director, Gwaibo Mairi.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho sent a clear message to French forward Anthony Martial on Wednesday, saying he needs to do more to impress him and comparing his approach unfavourably with that of team-mate Marcus Rashford.It was the latest example of Mourinho going public with his challenges to a player, after his recent criticisms of full-back Luke Shaw.Martial joined United in a 36 million-pound move from Monaco in 2015, but this season he has struggled to earn a regular starting place. Even with Zlatan Ibrahimovic rested on Sunday against Chelsea, the 21-year-old was left on the bench.Speaking before Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final, second-leg against Anderlecht at Old Trafford (10.05pm), Mourinho was asked his thoughts on the France international and whether leaving him on the bench indicated he was not fully satisfied with him.“We are together now for almost 10 months and the same way I know the players much better now, the players should know me also much better now,” said Mourinho, who opted for Jesse Lingaard and Rashford in attack against Chelsea.“The same way I know what they like, I think they also know what I like. I have to go in the direction of the players and they have to come in my direction.“That is the point – that is why Marcus Rashford, even without scoring goals, even without being without a Premier League goal since September, even with that, he was always a player that I trusted, a player that I played, was always a player that I support, because he was always coming in my direction, the direction of what I want from a player, what I want from a Manchester United player,” the United manager said.“It is about that – we have to know each other better and better and go in the direction. Do I think Anthony has potential? Yes. Do I think he can play successfully for me? Yes, I think. But he needs to give me things that I like very much,” he said.Mourinho also said that Wayne Rooney could be back on the bench for Thursday’s game if he comes through training on Wednesday without any reaction from an ankle injury.The fixture stands at 1-1 after the first leg.
Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri shunned the plaudits after his side move closer to the treble by beating AS Monaco to reach the Champions League final on Tuesday.“I don’t need people to talk about my merits,” said the phlegmatic coach after his team won 2-1 to complete a 4-1 aggregate semi-final win.“I try to do my work serenely and with enthusiasm, but I’m not interested in the others saying that I’m the best. I really enjoy coaching, it helps me relax and when it starts to cause me stress, I will stop.”Allegri was greeted with suspicion by some fans when he was appointed in July 2014 to replace Antonio Conte, having been sacked by AC Milan in his previous job.But he won supporters over by winning a league and cup double and leading them to the Champions League final in his first season in charge, then claiming another double last season.This season they are on the brink of winning Serie A and have again reached the cup and Champions League finals, making Allegri one of Europe’s most wanted coaches.Juventus effectively finished off the tie by scoring twice in the first half.The second half was marred when Monaco defender Kamil Glik stamped on Gonzalo Higuain’s thigh, a moment which Allegri said brought his team back to life just after the visitors had pulled a goal back.“That foul woke us up,” he said. “We learned that the game is never over, we have to be plugged in throughout.“We should have been more concentrated on the corner and not let that goal in. I think that scuffle with Glik actually brought us back into the game.” (