Lucas Leiva has hailed the impact of Jurgen Klopp as the Liverpool manager prepares to take charge of his new team at Anfield for the first time.
Liverpool welcome Rubin Kazan to Merseyside in the Europa League on Thursday, five days after the Klopp era got under way with a promising 0-0 draw at Tottenham.
And Brazilian midfielder Lucas had nothing but praise for the former Borussia Dortmund coach at Wednesday s pre-match media conference although he joked that he could not really say anything else with the German sitting next to him.
I can t say anything bad! Lucas quipped.
It s been really good, really positive. The game against Spurs was a little step in the way we want to go.
We want to be a successful team, he s been a success before. He…
Prediction: Manchester City to win 3-0
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Fulham and Manchester City will face each other in the Premier League this weekend. The game between the Cottagers and the Citizens is slated to kick off at 8pm UK time on Saturday and could be a very interesting game of football.
Fulham
Fulham are in danger of getting relegated to the Championship at the end of the season. The Cottagers are third from bottom in the Premier League table at the moment with 26 points from 28 matches, level on points with 17th-placed Brighton and Hove Albion, who have played 27 games.
Scott Parker’s side have been playing well in recent weeks, and last weekend, they picked up all three points against defending English champions Liverpool. Mar…
Best odds: 3/4
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Wolverhampton Wanderers are set to welcome Liverpool to the Molineux on Monday evening for what will be the 29th Premier League game of the season for the two teams.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Having narrowly missed out on European qualification last year, Wolves are nowhere near that goal this time around, and even with 10 rounds to go, it seems comfortably avoiding a role in a late relegation battle will be all they can do.
Nuno Espirito Santo s team are currently in 13th place with 35 points to their name, 11 less than Everton in sixth and only nine more than Fulham in 18th. As for their recent form, Wolves won two of their last six Premier League games, drawing three and losing only away to table toppers Manchester City by 4-1…
QPR have revealed that they have reluctantly accepted a transfer request from striker Jamie Mackie.
The Scotland international has been strongly linked with a switch to the London club s Championship rivals Nottingham Forest, and now appears ready to force through a move to the City Ground.
Jamie Mackie has today (Thursday) submitted a transfer request, which the club have reluctantly accepted, a statement on QPR s official website read.
The 27 year-old has informed the club of his desire to leave, having found first team opportunities limited at Loftus Road in the last six months.
As previously stated, no player will leave QPR unless the club’s valuation is met. The club will be making no further comment at this time.
Mackie joined QPR from Plymouth Arg…
Ajax youngsters Daley Blind and Joel Veltman have signed new contracts with the Eredivisie champions.
The duo are products of the prestigious Ajax youth academy and are the latest in a long line of homegrown players to shine in the first team at the Amsterdam Arena.
Blind, son of former Ajax defender Danny Blind, broke into the Ajax first team during the 2010/11 season and has become a regular in Frank de Boer s side.
The 23-year-old full-back has signed a new three-year contract with the club after making 44 appearances last season along with his international debut for Netherlands against Italy.
Central defender Veltman, 21, has had less exposure at senior level compared to Blind, but the promise he has shown in his seven Eredivisie appearances to date have con…
Mamelodi Sundowns are out of the CAF Champions League following Tuesday s 0-0 draw with Horoya.
The South African champions had to win to advance to the quarter-finals alongside holders Wydad Casablanca, who were held to a goalless draw by Togo Port.
However, they could find no way past Horoya in Pretoria, meaning the Guinean side progress from Group C at the expense of the 2016 African champions.
Al Ahly won Group A after holding off KCCA to win a seven-goal thriller 4-3.
The Ugandans twice came from behind to level but could not find the win they needed to leapfrog ES Tunis, who drew 0-0 with Township Rollers to secure second spot.
ES Setif climbed into second spot in Group B after a 2-1 victory away to fellow Algerians MC Alger, meaning they g…
Keita Balde Diao is about to fulfil a childhood dream of playing for Inter after securing his Serie A return in an initial loan move from Monaco.
The Senegal international will be a familiar face for Inter fans, having previously enjoyed four seasons in Serie A with Lazio, who he left last August.
Despite establishing himself as a significant talent at Lazio, Keita and the club s management had a rocky relationship and his departure in 2017 was not a surprise, even if his eventual destination of Monaco raised a few eyebrows.
He scored eight times in 23 Ligue 1 appearances and, although his spell there was brief, Keita s agent Roberto Calenda credited Monaco with bringing the winger s smile back prior to Monday s official announcement by Inter.
The loan de…
Best Odds: 19/20
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Hoping to extend on their Champions League charge on Saturday afternoon, Tottenham will welcome Wolves to north London.
Tottenham
Starting with the hosts, mounting a dramatic last-gasp comeback at home against Brighton last weekend, Tottenham have continued to receive a string of plaudits this season. Clearly enjoying life under Ange Postecoglou, Spurs now have their sights firmly set on booking a lucrative Champions League return in 2024. With the mood around north London at a red-hot high, the former Celtic boss will be calling on his squad to make another statement of intent here. Eventually snatching a 2-1 victory against Brighton last week, Tottenham have found a route back into the top-four and they have gained a reputation or …
Antonio Conte is relaxed regarding his contract situation at Tottenham, despite his current deal expiring at the end of the season.
Although Spurs have a year s option on Conte s deal – which initially runs until 2023, speculation has suggested he could be tempted to return to Juventus at the end of the campaign.
Speaking on Thursday ahead of Tottenham s trip to north London rivals Arsenal, Conte labelled such reports disrespectful , and the Italian has now said there is no rush to agree fresh terms.
There is not [a] contract, there is not [an] option… if the club and the manager want to work together, they will continue to work together. If they don t want to work together, they finish, Conte told reporters.
The most important thing for me is that…
Leeds United have confirmed the loan signing of Sunderland striker Connor Wickham for the remainder of the season.
Wickham, an England under-21 international, came through the ranks at Ipswich Town before moving to Sunderland in 2011.
However, having failed to secure a regular first-team place at the Stadium of Light, making just one start for the club this season, he has spent much of the current campaign on loan at Leeds Championship rivals Sheffield Wednesday.
Wickham, who was also loaned to Wednesday for a spell last season, scored eight goals in 11 appearances for Stuart Gray s side in his most recent stint with the club.
Leeds manager Brian McDermott will hope the 20-year-old can provide extra firepower and fire his side, currently in 11th, to the play-of…