Dimitar Berbatov has stated that he has lost respect for Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson after leaving the club.
The Bulgarian forward was frozen out at Old Trafford, finding himself on the Red Devils’ bench for the bulk of last season with only a few chances to play.
As such the temperamental attacker sealed a move to Fulham in the transfer window, and has come out criticising his former manager.
“I don’t think I deserved such treatment at United – not playing [regularly] in the last year,” Berbatov told The Telegraph.
“I went more than 10, probably 15, times to ask the coach if they need me, and every time I was told that I’m an important player and should not leave, but then again I was not in the team.
“Maybe I should have gone when he [Ferguson] left me out of the squad for the Champions League final. I know he’s the boss, but he has lost, to some extent, my respect because of the way he treated me.
“I’ll have no problems playing against United as this already happened in my career, but there’s no point to look back again. I said goodbye to the people who deserve it, but I couldn’t say goodbye to Ferguson,” he concluded.
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Southampton host the Premier League champions Manchester City on the final day of the season at St Mary’s on Sunday knowing that they are all-but safe from relegation.
Saints recorded a crucial 1-0 win against 18th-place Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium to move three points clear of the drop zone, and Huddersfield Town’s draw at Chelsea on Wednesday means that it is now between the south coast outfit and the Welsh club to see who will go down this weekend.
It will take a 10-goal swing for that to happen though as Carlos Carvalhal’s men welcome already-relegated Stoke City to south Wales knowing they have a significantly inferior goal difference, and they will have to hope that as well as dishing out a thrashing themselves, that Pep Guardiola’s side are also on top form.
However, Manolo Gabbiadini’s winner in midweek means that Saints have now taken eight points from the last 12 available to move to within touching distance of survival, and they should be confident of picking up a positive result against the Citizens.
Mark Hughes made two changes from the XI that drew at Everton for the visit to Swansea as Jack Stephens came in for the suspended Maya Yoshida and Nathan Redmond replaced the injured Mario Lemina, and he may be considering making more alterations in what could be the final appearance for the club for some individuals.
Here is how Southampton must line up against Man City, ahead of Alex McCarthy in goal…
While Southampton had their fair share of dodgy defensive moments – especially in the first half –against Swansea on Tuesday night, the three-man defence with two wing-backs has largely worked to their advantage in recent weeks.
With Yoshida suspended Stephens came back into the XI at the Liberty Stadium, and while the latter should keep his spot in the team alongside Wesley Hoedt, who showed he should be regular starter next season following his latest display despite being regularly criticised previously, the Japan international should return in place of Jan Bednarek.
It may well turn out to be Yoshida’s final appearance for the club given he has been linked with a summer exit, while Bertrand may well be in the same boat at left wing-back, with right wing-back Cedric Soares another that could conceivably go.
With Lemina absent because of an injury he picked up at Goodison Park, Hughes decided to revert from a three-man midfield to just Oriol Romeu and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg against Swansea, and they once again looked better in the second half following a tough first 45 minutes – especially in possession.
Because of the quality that City clearly have, the 54-year-old boss should bring Lemina back into the XI on Sunday in order to give the hosts an extra body in the middle of the park, and to try and them have a little more control of possession than they perhaps would have done.
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With Lemina coming back in, that means that one of Nathan Redmond or Dusan Tadic drops out of the side, and we are going with the former on this occasion.
Tadic has been in great form in recent weeks – as shown by his brace in their previous match at St Mary’s against Bournemouth – while Redmond made a huge impact from the substitutes’ bench last weekend when he scored, but he struggled to make the same impact from the start against Swansea.
Saints may well have to play a counter-attacking game against Pep Guardiola’s men, and Shane Long will certainly be more suited to that than Charlie Austin will, and should start ahead of a man who will have been disappointed not to get on the score-sheet on Tuesday given the opportunities he had.
Stoke City fans will have been quite concerned when the Potters sold their player of the season Steven N’Zonzi to Sevilla for £7m recently, but should they be worried?
Stoke may have already signed a good replacement for the towering French midfielder in the shape of Chelsea loanee Marco van Ginkel. N’Zonzi was a huge player for Stoke last season in every sense of the word, he played in every league game, scoring three goals in the process including a memorable curling effort in what has proved to be his last game for the club against Liverpool in the final day of the campaign.
N’Zonzi did perform a key role in the midfield for the Potters, and showed himself to be almost the perfect type of defensive midfielder for the Premier League. He is calm and composed on the ball and certainly gives the impression in possession of having time and space.
He has been heavily compared to fellow Frenchman Patrick Vieira, both in his languid style and his fantastic physical attributes – height, strength and energy – which allow him to cover great distances in matches. Understandably losing a player of such calibre is a worry.
There is no doubting that Mark Hughes has a lot to replace in the centre of his midfield and whether Van Ginkel is really the right man remains to be seen.
There is a long time left in the transfer window, and Hughes may well be in the market for a new midfielder more similar to departed the Frenchman, but as it stands his likely replacement could well be the Dutchman.
Van Ginkel does not boast the physical presence of N’Zonzi, but he does stand at over 6ft tall and has the strength to cope with the physical demands of the Premier League despite being just 22-years-old.
Despite his young age, Van Ginkel is recognised as a solid, well-rounded player who has all the tools to go right to the top.
On the pitch he is widely known for his maturity on the ball, as well as his control and extensive range of passing. He is comfortable with both feet, makes intelligent runs into the box and has an exceptional long-range shot. Van Ginkel describes himself as a box to box player something which current Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is impressed with about the youngster. He said: “He covers a fantastic area of the field defensively and after that he has this instinct where he wants to go into finishing areas, he wants to score goals.”
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Comparisons have indeed been made with Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard. Obviously we don’t know how good the Dutchman will be in the end, but the youngster does look like a highly impressive prospect, and the more you look at him the more you have to say: why would Mark Hughes need to sign another midfielder?
Van Ginkel could well be the replacement for N’Zonzi and what a stand in he could prove to be.
At 23, there may have been some expectation that Asier Illarramendi would have built up a bigger reputation outside of La Liga. But it isn’t too much of a problem, especially for Real Sociedad, as the Basque midfielder is one of Spain’s best kept secrets.
It would be careless to skip over the importance of Illarramendi in Spain’s U21 European Championship squad. The spotlight is rightly on Isco and Thiago, and to some extent Alvaro Morata; each of those players have stories going into this summer, with the Real Madrid striker staking a claim for a bigger and better position in European football.
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But Illarramendi didn’t just slot in and do a job in the midfield. Like Sergio Busquets at Barcelona, he tied the midfield and defence together. The obvious comparisons are to Xabi Alonso, with their movement, ability and even appearance sharing plenty of similarities. The truth is Illarra takes certain traits from each of these outstanding Spanish midfielders. He’s a player that understands the role of the holding midfielder, able to intercept, tackle and break up opposition play exceptionally well. Adding to that, his attacking play, notably his eye for a pass and distribution is absolutely magnificent.
Asier Illarramendi is the type of midfielder clubs build their teams around. He’s that good now and he’ll be that good in the future, which is why it’s a little hard to understand the story linking him with a move to Arsenal at this stage. Or, to re-word it, why it’s difficult to understand the story suggesting Sociedad would be willing to sell at this stage.
Real Sociedad are preparing for a season in the Champions League having finished fourth in La Liga. They were the most attractive Spanish side to watch last season – yes, even ahead of Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and underdogs Malaga. At their very best, la Real are able to take apart any opposition, combining their pace in attack with the playmaking abilities of Illarramendi in the midfield. They were the first team to beat Barcelona last season when Tito Vilanova’s side travelled to the Anoeta, and they’ll replicate such feats once again this coming season. And Illarramendi will very much be a part of that.
But you can understand why Arsenal may have been looking around. In fact, you’d quite comfortably understand any major club’s interest in the Spanish starlet. Both Real Madrid and Barcelona have been touted as possible destinations due to the player’s likeness to Xabi Alonso and even Xavi (maybe that’s why there’s some degree of willingness on Barcelona’s part to allow Thiago to leave). When so many clubs are said to be chasing Dortmund’s Ilkay Gundogan following the German’s outstanding season, Illarramendi, in theory, should represent a cheaper but equally capable alternative. The reported £10million fee is a little short, however.
Illarramendi’s current contract holds him to Real Sociedad until 2018. Importantly, there is little unrest from within for the team’s star names to look elsewhere ahead of next season. Antoine Griezmann, Carlos Vela and Inigo Martinez have collectively offered their support to the club one way or another, at least for one more season. Add Illarramendi into the mix and Sociedad know they’re sitting on a gold mine. Each of those players bar Vela came through club’s youth system. When Illarra decides to move on, Ruben Pardo, another youngster with a fantastic future, will step in.
Arsenal’s interest in the player is likely with the view to Illarramendi replacing Mikel Arteta as the team’s anchor. The Spanish youngster doesn’t have that frame and build that most would like to see in a Premier League holding midfielder, but he’s extremely robust and very capable.
Paired with another strong individual in the midfield, Illarramendi can dictate the play from deep and act as the team’s focal point, much in the way Alonso has done at Real Madrid and Xavi at Barcelona. As a defensive player, Illarramendi likes to drop deeper almost alongside the centre-backs to take in a better view of the game. It’s meticulous and it’s wonderful to watch, seeing a player of his age play the game with such a veteran outlook. You wouldn’t believe that he’s never played a Champions League game, nor would he look out of place in Spain’s senior squad.
Illarramendi will unquestionably be a superstar at both club and international level, and the major clubs across Europe will line up for him once they get a better glimpse of him in the Champions League (provided Sociedad make it past the qualifying round). He’s the current centrepiece for the Basque club. Regardless of how good they were to land fourth in La Liga, the youthfulness of the squad still came through and struggles arose. Illarramendi, however, was the constant and the undeniable best player in the team.
Would Illarramendi be a good signing for Arsenal?
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Howlers, we’re all prone to a wiffy performance or two. There’s nothing worse than realising you’ve forgotten your shooting boots or your touch has let you down once again. There are times when it’s even a struggle to move around the pitch without tripping over your own feet. If you’re lucky this lasts at most, for 90 minutes, the endless ridicule from your mates is painful but at least it’ll all be forgotten about in the morning.
However, there are some players, who claim to be professionals no less, who suffer this humiliation from the day they arrive in the Premier League to the moment they’re ushered out the door. They’re usually the subjects of a big money transfer, drafted in from foreign shores with the expectations of an entire city instantly weighing down on their shoulders. Yet, despite a big reputation they struggle to adapt and whether it’s the unfamiliar food, weather, language, traditions or style of football, some players just aren’t suited to the Premier League.
Click on Rebrov and Shevchenko below to reveal my Top TEN
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Borussia Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc has told Bild that he has not heard of any reports linking Christian Pulisic to Liverpool.
What’s the word?
It is not the first time that the Reds have been linked to Pulisic and if the club manage to beat Real Madrid in the Champions League final, it is unlikely to be the last.
However, Bild claims that Dortmund chief Zorc has insisted that he “knows nothing” about the speculation but added that he is in “constant contact” with manager Jurgen Klopp, who previously coached the German club.
The USA international has made 40 appearances in all competitions, including 25 starts in the Bundesliga this season.
In that time, Pulisic, who moved to Dortmund’s youth team in 2015, has scored five goals and created as many assists.
Should Liverpool swoop?
The 19-year-old has shown versatility this season as he has played in midfield, as well as on the right and left-hand side of attack.
Liverpool have talented attackers in abundance, with Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane firing on all fronts.
The club’s midfield has been ticking, particularly in the second half of the campaign, which indicates that Pulisic would struggle to land a first-team spot.
Reuniting with Klopp could be a good career move for the attack-minded player, but it is unlikely that he would want to sacrifice regular minutes.
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In addition, if a number of clubs come in for the youngster’s signature, the price is expected to rise and Liverpool will want to avoid a transfer battle.
More than two decades at Real Madrid has seen goalkeeper extraordinaire Iker Casillas win everything there is worth winning in football.
The impressive haul includes five domestic titles and three Champions League trophies with the most recent being just last year and he is still in the running to retain it come June 6th. But despite his influence at the club and the love of his supporters Casillas has been heavily criticised this season with many expecting him to leave as soon as this summer.
At 33-years-old he is hardly past it, with many goalkeepers maintaining their first team presence long into their thirties, but several slip-ups have caused some at the Bernabeu to feel he is not consistent enough to be Real Madrid’s number one anymore.
Madrid supporters are notoriously fussy despite having some of the most talented and expensive players in the world. Just a few under-par performances by the team or its individuals can result in the crowd waving white handkerchiefs or whistling as the squad leaves the field. Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale have suffered this fate, even though they have scored a huge amount of goals this season as fans felt they just weren’t good enough.
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Casillas’ future may not look so bright in the Spanish capital, but he has been rumoured to be still held in high regard elsewhere in Europe. Casillas could also make a sizeable amount of money by heading off to America’s MLS but a goalkeeper of his age and reputation can still command a starting place in some of the smaller European teams or, alternatively, would be an asset to any of the top clubs as a second choice stopper.
Playing second fiddle, at least at first, seems like his best option. That way he can still play for a high achieving club for a few more seasons, and that’s where Arsenal comes in. The Gunners have been associated with a potential transfer for the Spaniard this season, especially as Wojciech Szczesny has announced that he may leave this summer in favour of finding more first team football. Szczesny is only 25, so it is understandable that he doesn’t want to have to wait for David Ospina to get injured or lose form before he gets another the chance to play in the important fixtures at the Emirates.
Arsenal have also been linked with a move across London for Chelsea’s Petr Cech, who has been overlooked by Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho since the arrival of Thibaut Courtois. The Gunners may find it easier to coax Real Madrid to sell Casillas to them rather than holding out for Cech, who would be leaving for a direct rival.
Despite his weaknesses, Casillas is still a formidable and intelligent keeper who, if he did sign for Arsenal, may have to sit out the first few games. But there is every chance that once he does start a match then his impressive display may just win him the role on a more permanent basis. Then Casillas would be making a name for himself in another league for a club whose fans are much more supportive and forgiving than his previous ones.
Obviously Casillas loves Real Madrid and is sure to have dreamt of ending his career there but if that becomes an impossibility, then a move to Arsenal would be the perfect way to reinvent himself for a whole new audience.
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For all its been a season of frustration at Arsenal the time to choke isn’t now. After spending much of the season outside of the top-four the Gunners couldn’t have timed their recent resurgence any finer. One defeat in 11 has reignited hope of attaining Champions League qualification for a 16th consecutive season and rightly so. However, the goalless draw with Everton on Monday has allowed anxiety to creep in once again and that is something Arsene Wenger needs to quickly nip in the bud. The North London club are currently sandwiched in between third placed Chelsea and fierce rivals Tottenham in fifth with little margin for error. Basically it’s a case of winning their remaining games and keeping Spurs on a short leash. Anything less and disaster could follow.
Conversely, Fulham’s season is done and dusted with five games to spare. With 40 points already chalked up and a top-half finish in their sights there isn’t much left for Martin Jol’s side to play for. That was evident during the 3-0 thumping suffered at the hands of west London foes Chelsea on Wednesday and they’ll undoubtedly be smarting from that. Now the task for Jol is to ensure his players don’t fall victims to complacency and end a season of unnerving consistency on a low note.
Team News
Damien Duff will miss out for Fulham after suffering an adductor strain against Chelsea in mid-week. Steve Sidwell returns after completing a three-match ban but fellow midfielders Ashkan Dejagah (ankle) and Mahamadou Diarra (knee) are out for the season.
Goalkeeper Lukas Fabiankski misses out for Arsenal because of a cracked rib meaning Wojciech Szczesny will return to the starting lineup. Thomas Rosicky (hamstring) will undergo a fitness test before kick-off.
What the managers said…
“Arsenal have done ever so well in the last couple of months and they have got themselves back into that fight for Champions League football. I admire Arsene Wenger, he is an unbelievable manager. He is emotional, he wants to win. If you look at this season, they had that unbelievable win at Bayern and they have come back. All the teams like Spurs and Chelsea and Everton have been fighting for that top four spot and Arsenal are in that again.” Martin Jol backs Arsene Wenger to guide Arsenal to a top-four finish (Daily Mail)
“I don’t think it holds players back. In fact, the opposite, the foreign players who come to England improve and you get that aspect of the game as well. I’ve seen so many French players complain about the physicality when they arrived in England. I tell them it will take some time but the intensity of the game will make them better players.” Arsene Wenger believes the Premier League’s physical nature is beneficial for foreign players (arsenal.com)
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Pre-match Statistic: Fulham are unbeaten in each of their last four Premier League meetings with Arsenal.
Prediction: Fulham 1-2 Arsenal
Make your bets ahead of the showdown at Craven Cottage by clicking on the banner below
West Ham’s official Twitter account wished manager David Moyes a happy birthday on Wednesday, and the fan responses have been quite simply hilarious.
While there are plenty of West Ham fans who appreciate the job David Moyes has done at the club, the majority of fans are calling for major changes this summer.
The Scotsman was brought in to secure the Hammers’ top-flight status, and to be fair he looks to have done just that.
Still, his negative, defensive football and his bizarre team selection and game management have turned a lot of fans against him, and they’re not letting up just because it’s his birthday.
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The Hammers have lost five of their last six away matches in the Premier League, conceding an incredible 16 goals in that span.
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The home form hasn’t been particularly inspiring either, as wins against Watford and Southampton have been dampened by disappointing results against Burnley and Stoke.
The club wished the former Manchester United man a happy 55th birthday via Twitter, and some of the best reactions can be found below…
“I think it will be a loss for him, for his career. He can say ‘I was European champion at Liverpool’ and I have to say that is correct. But I can say to him in the next 10 years we will compare trophies at Chelsea and trophies at Liverpool. And he will lose.”
Jose Mourinho said this ten years ago, when Steven Gerrard was still enjoying the ecstasy of being a Champions League winner. 2005 was a great year for Gerrard; aside from the Champions League win, he was named UEFA Club Footballer of the Year and Ballon d’Or Bronze.
Despite the offer from Chelsea, Gerrard stayed put and kept his loyalties in Merseyside. But, should he have signed for Chelsea after all?
Jose Mourinho may have been considered arrogant for what he had said about Gerrard at the time, but he was not far wrong. Chelsea have been dominant within these quotes, and are on course to snag the Premier League title once again this season. Being a Champions League winner was a big deal then, but Chelsea have that accolade themselves now.
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Lampard and Gerrard would have been given the opportunity to play together at Chelsea, in addition to playing together for England. No doubt they would have been a force to be reckoned with at Chelsea. But as time progressed, would they have been able to play together – or would they have been competing against each other for a regular role at Stamford Bridge?
In fact, would Steven Gerrard even be playing in England today? Look at Ashley Cole. Within his final year at Chelsea, he fell out of favour for a much younger replacement – Cesar Azpilicueta. If Cole could not keep his place at Chelsea, who’s to say Gerrard would have? He could well have been playing abroad by now like Cole, who now plays for Roma.
Gerrard’s final season has been far from favourable. Brendan Rodgers seems uninterested in the fact Gerrard will be leaving in the summer, and often choses not to start the captain. Gerrard was subbed on against Manchester United at Anfield, only to be sent off almost immediately: not an ideal way to finish your last ever home game against your bitter rivals.
The FA Cup final falls on Gerrard’s 35th birthday, but he will not be on the pitch at Wembley, as Liverpool were knocked out by Aston Villa last weekend. If anything, his last season in England has been somewhat of a nightmare. Had he been at Chelsea, he could have had the opportunity to bow out as a Premier League winner.
No matter how you weigh it up, should Gerrard have moved to Chelsea is a question that can never be answered. Had he been at Chelsea, he would never have lifted the Champions League in 2005, and all the recognition that came with it.
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He has in turn made himself a club legend at Anfield by committing to his club for the best part of 20 years. Although he will not be a ‘one club player’, he will no doubt be remembered in Liverpool’s history for his achievements.