Sunderland will be able to handle the mental pressure of a relegation battle, according to keeper Simon Mignolet.
Defeat at Aston Villa drew the club back into the scrap at the bottom of the table, although Wigan’s home defeat to Swansea on Tuesday night has eased the worries, but Mignolet says they can cope.
The keeper claims that as well as the physical battle they face, there is a mental one as well that takes its toll but the players are ready for the final two weeks of the season.
Mignolet told the Journal: “It’s tough for us mentally at the moment. If you’re a goalkeeper it’s already mentally a very tough job, I’ve played 35 times during the season.
“After every game you have to mentally refocus and prepare yourself fully for the upcoming game.
“When you’re in the position we’re in, it’s even tougher.
“However, we’re all professional football players and we should be able to deal with those kind of things. I think we have proved that.
“When you’re 1-0 down with 10 men then you have to have the courage and mentality in the second half to come out and press and push on, which we did – and we deserved credit for that.
“We have to do it again on Sunday. Of course, we all care and we’re all up for it.
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“We’re all trying our very best in every game and it’s imperative we do it again on Sunday.”
With not much left to play for in the Premier League, Manchester United and Tottenham’s seasons boil down to Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final. Win, and both clubs will take a step closer to ending 2017/18 with silverware; lose, and the final few games of the campaign become dead rubbers.
For Manchester United, that will be an important silver lining at the close of a season that has seen Manchester City move so far ahead of them. For Tottenham too though, it feels as if this season’s FA Cup is their best chance of winning the trophy Mauricio Pochettino’s maturing side deserves after so many near misses in recent campaigns.
So, having become such a significant competition for both clubs this season, who will come out on top in Saturday’s semi-final showdown? This week’s experts, The Sun’s Spurs-loving Sean Cook and Football FanCast’s very own United-adoring Sam Preston, share their thoughts and predictions ahead of 5.15pm kickoff…
It’s strange that United’s campaign has been deemed something of a disappointment, considering how consistent they’ve been compared to recent seasons. This will be United’s strongest finish in the Premier League since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement, but the gap between City has overshadowed that improvement.
Does winning the FA Cup and finishing second constitute a successful season for United?
Sam: “I think it does. In this era where six big teams are competing for four trophies and four Champions League spots (five if Arsenal win the Europa League), collecting a cup and being in the top four is a good season. It’s not been a brilliant campaign; we should be closer to City, the Bristol City and Sevilla debacles were embarrassing and we’re still not fluid, but another piece of silverware and another season in the Champions League is a success.”
Tottenham’s season, meanwhile, will be partly remembered for their temporary home – which will also be the venue of Saturday’s semi-final. At the start of the campaign, it was predicted to become a real burden for Pochettino’s team, but some have argued it’s now given the north Londoners an unfair advantage over United for the weekend.
How much will Tottenham’s familiarity with Wembley be an advantage against the Red Devils?
Sean: “It’s become almost laughable, the reaction to Wembley this year. At one point there was a ‘hoodoo’, now it’s seen as an advantage because of how well we’ve done there – we can’t win! It will never feel like home, but our form there has been remarkable. Given we’ll be in the away dressing room, plus half the stadium will be United fans, I don’t feel like it gives Spurs too much of an upper hand. They’ll feel more comfortable than in previous semi-finals, but that will be the extent of it.”
The last time Tottenham hosted United at Wembley, it ended in a 2-0 win for the home side – in a match that became memorable for Spurs’ explosive start and Jose Mourinho’s decision to hook off Paul Pogba after an hour of getting the runaround from Mousa Dembele.
What key aspects of that performance need to be replicated on Saturday?
Sean: “If we can match the energy and enthusiasm early like we did in that game, Spurs can win this. The key to tackling these big teams at home this year has been to come flying out the blocks and panic them – something United couldn’t handle after Christian Eriksen’s early goal back in January.”
And what do United need to learn from that game to avoid a similar outcome?
Sam: “Where do I start? Pogba in a midfield two doesn’t work against the top sides, letting in a goal after 11 seconds isn’t a good idea and United must show more energy in order to match Spurs. It should be a 4-3-3 on Saturday and with Eric Bailly and Ander Herrera likely to start, United will fancy themselves to make it a much more even game. But they will have to play much, much better than they did last time they were at Wembley.”
Ahead of their Premier League clash with Bournemouth on Wednesday night, Mourinho warned that it was a chance for certain individuals to play their way into Saturday’s starting XI, after his most trusted players suffered a woeful defeat at home to West Bromwich Albion last weekend.
Which players grabbed their chance against the Cherries, and who could be left on the sidelines?
Sam: “None of the players who came in were outstanding. Jesse Lingard was benched against West Brom but I’d expect him to start at Wembley. Alexis Sanchez looks the player most at risk of missing out and if he does, I’d expect Marcus Rashford to get the nod. Sanchez has a sensational Wembley record though, and Mourinho clearly bought him to produce the goods when it matters most. Saturday is certainly one of those days.”
While the defeat to the Baggies was immensely disappointing, the win over Bournemouth was solid if not hugely inspiring, barring two well-worked goals from Chris Smalling and Romelu Lukaku. But amid all the debates over Mourinho’s cautious philosophy, too many egos being in the dressing room and some very unspectacular performances, it’s easy to forget the level of quality the Red Devils boast in attack.
Which United player brings the biggest threat into this game?
Sean: “The win over Bournemouth in the week showed that even when they’re having a quiet spell, the quality United have can carry them over the line. Whether they start or not, Pogba and Sanchez have the firepower to hurt Spurs. Sanchez’s pace in particular caused us problems in the first 20 minutes at Wembley earlier in the year. In the semi-final last season, Chelsea were able to bring Eden Hazard and Diego Costa off the bench, two players who won them the game. United have the same calibre of player and if Mourinho uses them correctly, that could prove the killer blow.”
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Where will this game be lost and won?
Sean: “I say it almost every week, but we need Christian Eriksen to be at his best. His passing, decision-making and overall game was poor against Brighton, so Pochettino needs to get him fired up for this one. If he can match the performance he showed against Swansea in the semi-final, I’m sure he can be decisive in helping Spurs win this game.”
Sam: “Psychologically. If Tottenham ignore their long wait for a trophy and their run of seven straight FA Cup semi-final defeats and play the game with the confidence they showed in that 2-0, they should win. If they let the occasion get to them and allow United’s greater big-game nous to intimidate them, then the Reds have got a fighting chance.”
And finally lads, let’s hear your score predictions…
There has been a lot of talk in recent months about the young home-grown talent rising through the Premier League and into the England squad.
From the PFA’s Young Player of the Year Harry Kane to Liverpool striker Raheem Sterling, England fans have started to get excited about what the future of England’s international team may hold. But there is one youngster who has been steadily improving but is not getting the recognition he so deserves.
David Moyes signed John Stones for Everton from Barnsley in January 2013. The 20-year-old did not play a single minute of first-team football under him but since Roberto Martinez took over the Toffees, his progression has been staggering.
In Everton’s recent Premier League win over Manchester United, Stones was the standout player and it is believed he is now worth over £17million more than when he first joined Goodison Park. He put in one of the most complete defensive displays he has produced, keeping Wayne Rooney and Marouane Fellaini in check as he got his seventh clean sheet of the season.
Whilst he is quietly getting on with his job and staying out of the main media attention, the centre back is quickly turning into a great England player of the future. Whether loved or not, John Terry has been a superb defender for England, but as he comes to the end of his career it is going to take a lot to fill his boots.
Stones is quick, strong, reliable and is not afraid to put in a decent tackle. He is already well on his way to becoming the perfect, modern centre-back.
All the gossip and excitement this season has been centred around the new found talent of Harry Kane at Tottenham and while the 21-year-old has had a season to remember at White Heart Lane, England’s defence is in desperate need of an up and coming star.
When you compare the statistics from this season between the two young players, Stones has a better pass success rate percentage for this season by 16.8% (Stones 89.9% and Kane 73.1%). England’s defence has been lacking since John Terry was partnered with Ashley Cole out to the side and Stones is the perfect player to learn from Terry and take over his role.
As well as his superb pass rate Stones has won 67% of his tackles and 63% of his headers ranking him alongside the Premier League’s best and most experienced central defenders. He so far has four England caps but there is no doubt he will be a star of the future.
Many believe it will work in Stones’ favour, Leighton Baines said: “His composure for a lad of his age is unbelievable. He is a down-to-earth kid that just wants to play football, work hard, he doesn’t get involved in anything else.”
So whilst everyone else in the footballing world gets excited about Harry Kane, Everton fans can sit back and enjoy the talent that is slowly unfolding before their eyes at Goodison Park.
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Stones is the star to look for in the future, not Kane.
Reading striker Adam Le Fondre has refused to concede defeat in the Royals’ quest to avoid relegation, despite Saturday’s 2-0 loss to Southampton.
The result leaves the Berkshire outfit eight points adrift of safety, with only six games to play.
But Le Fondre, who featured for the full 90 minutes against the Saints, believes that the fight is not over yet and insists that the whole squad will keep going:
“We’ll pick ourselves up and go again. It’s not in our make-up to give in.” He told Sky Sports.
“Never say never and until it’s mathematically impossible, we still believe.
“We’ll always battle to the end – that’s what the fans expect from us and it’s what we expect from ourselves.”
Reading’s next fixture will see them play host to Liverpool, a side who have been playing attractive football since the turn of the year.
Although the Reds pose a difficult challenge, Le Fondre feels that his side have a chance and will give Brendan Rodgers’ men a tough time at the Madejski Stadium:
“We’ve got Liverpool here next weekend and we love games like that, so we’ll welcome the challenge and try to make it horrible for them.”
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Le Fondre has enjoyed a relatively successful first season in the top flight, managing ten goals in 29 appearances.
He has often played back-up to Pavel Pogrebnyak, bagging the majority of his tally from the substitutes bench.
Arsenal failed to win away from home in the English Premier League again on Sunday, slipping to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Newcastle United at St James’ Park.The Gunners are the only side in England’s top four divisions not to pick up a point away from home in 2018, a dismal record that continues to pile pressure on under-fire manager Arsene Wenger.Arsenal actually took the lead against Newcastle thanks to a Alexandre Lacazette strike before Ayoze Perez and Matt Ritchie struck to send away supporters home unhappy once again.Fans were left frustrated with the performance, particularly from the side’s defence, with many believing big changes are needed this summer in Wenger’s defensive line.[ad_pod ]Supporters simply aren’t convinced with the likes of Rob Holding continuing to be selected, with the 22-year-old again criticised for his performance against the Magpies.They took to Twitter to share their thoughts on his display…
Too good to go down? We hear the same expression almost every season in the Premier League, with one ‘fallen giant’ nearly always seen slipping towards the brown stuff at this time of year.
Everton are the unfortunate team this season, which is a remarkable fall from grace given that 12 months ago Champions League qualification was a genuine and realistic aim at Goodison Park.
https://vine.co/v/O0FphLPqPbe/embed/simple
Roberto Martinez’s men have stuttered this term, though. Perhaps the weight of expectation is too much now? The responsibilities of European football too demanding? Or maybe they just got lucky last season? Whatever the case, the drop to the Championship is just six points below the Merseysiders at time of writing, making second tier football an all too realistic prospect. However, ‘Bobby M’ has changes he could make, and here are FIVE…
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Get Barkley firing again
Everton were a bright, vibrant and exciting attacking force last season, and a major part of the feel-good factor was Ross Barkley. The youngster truly broke through under Martinez after years of hype and talk, with his youthful exuberance in the middle of the park and willingness to get forward and beat his man infectious. As with many emerging talents, the England international’s form has tailed off a little this term, though, with a lack of confidence in the team almost dragging him down and the criticism of his mistakes forcing Barkley into his shell.
A little patience and a free role as a ‘No. 10’ could be the remedy, with the 21-year-old a player with enough quality to turn games.
More flexibility from Martinez
A football purist, Martinez has always been reluctant to divert away from his neat passing, attacking style. At Wigan he eventually surpassed his nine lives, and dropped, but all looked fine last season as the system truly clicked for the Toffees. But now with confidence low, playing in such a manner is tricky, with players overthinking passes and taking too long on the ball.
With an outlet such as Romelu Lukaku, Everton have the ability to go more direct, which would relieve the pressure on the midfield and creaking backline and perhaps inject some belief into the team. There’s no shame in adapting to circumstance.
Turn Barry’s suspension into a positive
Garth Barry’s two-game ban for picking up yet another yellow card last night may actually be a positive. The former England international is a walking caution-magnate, and even though his experience and know-how are useful, his lack of mobility and drive in a flat midfield three are drawbacks.
With his hand forced, Martinez may opt to go a bit more attacking, perhaps pushing Barkley into an advanced role with James McCarthy and Muhamed Besic sitting behind.
Use European action as a springboard
While the Europa League is often harangued for its tiring effects and fixture congestion, the competition has been a welcome break for Everton this term. Arguably the Premier League team with the greatest chance of continental success, a feel good factor from getting deeper into the tournament may be enough to breed confidence at Goodison Park, which is vital in the way Martinez likes to play.
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With Young Boys convincingly dispatched, Dynamo Kiev await in the last-16, and, as Fulham proved a few years back, punching above your weight is a realistic aim in the competition.
Add some width
A flat three in the middle of midfield and Steven Naismith on one flank made Everton very narrow at Stoke. A complete disregard for the wing cut off the chance to whip balls into Romelu Lukaku, while the threat of overlapping full-backs – Baines and Coleman were so good last season – seems to have disappeared.
Aiden McGeady may return soon and Christian Atsu impressed for Ghana at the AFCON, so Martinez has options.
Sometimes here at the Football Transfer Tavern we think it can be a bit of a challenge to compile top ten lists – for example if we had to make a list of Fernando Torres misses, we would not know where to start there is simply so many of them.
Struggle and debate as we may there has not been a more difficult one than this – ugliest Liverpool players of all time. Quite frankly a top ten is not enough we think a top one hundred may just about cover it as all we need to do is go through their current starting eleven which has some absolute draw droppers in it. In fact some in the tavern even quip it may be a Howard Webb conspiracy that the side have such a disproportionate amount of ugly players in it.
As it is we have done our best to narrow the list down and get some crackers on here – there is still debate that we have not picked the right ones but when you know the rest of a side makes Jamie Carragher look like the next pin up for the club it is over before it has even begun. Here are our top ten ugliest Liverpool players of all time.
Click on Anfield to reveal the top ten ugliest Liverpol players of all-time.
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Manchester United fans may have celebrated a win in the English Premier League this weekend but it was a former hero of the Red Devils that stole headlines across the world with a stunning double for new club LA Galaxy.
The above volley was the first of two goals that ensured a 4-3 victory for Galaxy, with the second coming in stoppage time at the end of the game.
It’s the kind of magic we’ve come to expect over the years from the Swedish legend, but somehow he still manages to surprise and wow supporters even though he is now 36 years of age.
Man United fans couldn’t help but admire the incredible debut, with some left wondering why he wasn’t utilised more by Jose Mourinho before eventually leaving the club last week.
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MLS may be a lower standard than the English Premier League, but it’s clear the striker still has that magic touch that puts him on a level beyond most players in the top-flight.
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Supporters took to Twitter to share their thoughts on his impact at LA Galaxy…
While Sami Khedira remains close to returning to the Real Madrid first team after suffering a lengthy spell on the sidelines this season, his ultimate future at the Bernabeu remains in doubt beyond the end of the 2014/15 campaign. The 27-year-old German international, through a mixture of form-related and external circumstances, seemingly hasn’t been able to tie down a guaranteed place in Madrid’s starting XI since first signing for the La Liga giants back in 2010.
He may have made over 100 appearances for Carlo Ancelotti’s current side – but as the combative midfielder has remained the subject of widespread transfer speculation with every passing window – the writing seems to already be on the wall for this former Stuttgart man. A potential move to England, where Khedira has supposedly long been admired since his successful stint at the 2010 World Cup, could therefore prove a promising opportunity for the half-Tunisian/half-German star.
With Schalke reported as the most recent front-runners to land the Real Madrid man however, are the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United ultimately going to miss out on the highly sought after World Cup winner this summer?
When pushed on the subject, current Schalke 04 manager and former Champions League winner with Chelsea, Roberto Di Matteo, has been quick to sing the praises of Ancelotti’s in-demand midfielder;
“Khedira? We all know he’s a great player. If he wants to come, the door is open. He’s a world class player.”
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The former Bundesliga man seemingly could do the business for a number of Europe’s top sides next season then. He possesses an important ability to read the game effectively and make the most of his chances when they arrive. Just ask any Brazilian fan who had the displeasure of seeing the midfielder take apart their side in this summer’s dramatic 7-1 semi-final destruction of the host nation for evidence of the German’s talents.
Khedira displays a distinct intelligence on the ball, plays the box-to-box role better than most on his day, and alongside another midfield maestro in the centre of the park, the current Madrid man can simply boss proceedings with maximum ease. The player’s somewhat bulky stature makes his technical ability all the more impressive, and although he certainly doesn’t ply his trade with the same level of grace as someone of David Silva’s ilk, the determined no. 6 still benefits from putting his foot in and performing the ugly side of the game when the time comes.
At a side as illustrious and as high profile as Real Madrid however – where all the aforementioned abilities are considered no more than basic necessities to make it at the Bernabeu – a player like Sami Khedira was never going to fully take the world by storm. The 27-year-old simply fails to command the spotlight when playing alongside the likes of James Rodriguez, Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and Ronaldo, which when all things are considered, shouldn’t take away from what the German international could potentially offer another of Europe’s top sides.
Although both Chelsea and Manchester United have reportedly been after the midfield enforcer in recent months, Arsenal simply remain the Premier League team most in need of Khedira’s services. He may not be the all-out holding midfielder that many among the Emirates faithful have been calling for of late – but as the Real Madrid man would certainly offer Arsene Wenger than bit more steel and power within the heart of Arsenal’s midfield – any move to bring the no. 6 to North London would likely receive a very warm welcome.
The Gunners really don’t need another name to add to their busy treatment room however, so with the German international seemingly failing to keep away from those frustrating niggles and long term injury concerns this season, perhaps Arsenal would be better served by looking elsewhere.
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With Schalke nonetheless in strong contention to land the World Cup winner though, it seems that the Premier League is ultimately going to miss out on the signing of Sami Khedira – no matter how important he could have potentially been throughout the course of next season. As nothing remains confirmed at this current stage however, the future remains open for Real Madrid’s talented midfielder enforcer.
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Tottenham have turned down an offer from Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala for defender Younes Kaboul.
Anzhi restart their season next month and have been struggling to find a replacement for Chris Samba who left for QPR in January. They were hoping that they could strike a loan deal with Spurs for Kaboul but the offer was refused first in January and then when the transfer window in Russia closed on Wednesday night.
The North London club want to keep Kaboul and Villas-Boas personally indicated that he very much features in his future plans, according to The Guardian
Kaboul has been out since the first game of the season with a knee injury that required surgery but he has just returned to training. The defender was impressive last season for Spurs and there is a good chance he might return to fitness in time to play in the remainder of their chase for a Champions League place.
The Frenchman, who earns around £35,000 a week, has a contract with Spurs until 2014 and he will most likely be offered an extension to stay at the club if he can manage to stay fit until the end of the season.
Anzhi resume their domestic season next month after the winter break and are currently in second place behind CSKA Moscow. They are in pursuit of top place and have signed Brazilian winger Willian and left-back Andrey Yeschenko to aid them in their chase.
Meanwhile Gylfi Sigurdsson has warned his Spurs team mates that even if they beat rivals Arsenal this weekend then they will still have to perform to qualify for the Champions League.
“It is going to be a massive game for us,” said the Iceland international.
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“However, anything is possible in football. The league was won in the last minute on the last day [last time], so even if we beat them it is not finished. We want to get in to the Champions League, that is our aim. If we achieve that, we want to finish as high as we can.”