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Liverpool are expected to make wholesale changes from their Carabao Cup win over Southampton when they face Tottenham in the Premier League today.

Arne Slot’s side got back to winning ways on Wednesday with a 2-1 win over managerless Southampton to book their place in the final four of the league cup.

Attention now turns back to the league, with the Reds travelling down to the capital for a huge clash against Spurs.

Should Chelsea beat Everton earlier on Sunday then Liverpool will begin their fixture in second place and Slot is likely to revert back to his full-strength starting XI as his side look to secure top spot for Christmas.

Mohamed Salah, Ryan Gravenberch, Virgil van Dijk and Alisson were all given a rest but the key quartet are all-but-certain to return to the starting lineup on Sunday.

And Liverpool will also be boosted by the return of Andy Robertson who has served his one-match suspension for the red card he picked up against Fulham.

Kostas Tsimikas will provide competition for Roberston once again having made his return from injury against Southampton, but Slot may be reticent to risk the Greek international from the start so soon after his comeback.

There were positive signs also for Federico Chiesa who played his first senior minutes for Liverpool since signing in the summer on Wednesday but the Italian is unlikely to be rushed back.

‘I saw ups and downs. I saw some really good moments and I saw some moments where I felt like, “OK, you can do better than this”.’ Slot said after the win against Southampton.

‘For me, that’s completely normal if a player has been out for so long and plays his first game in five or six months.’

Slot could also take the positives from Diogo Jota’s cameo appearance off the bench having said earlier in the week that he was a doubt for the game.

The Portuguese forward made a goalscoring return against Fulham last weekend and could now be pushing for a return to the starting XI.

Elsewhere Conor Bradley and Ibrahima Konate remained sidelined with longer-term problems.

Tottenham, meanwhile, are still dealing with injuries to several key players, with Richarlison, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven not returning until the New Year.

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Mikey Moore is back in training after recovering from a lengthy virus and Ange Postecoglou is hopeful that Destiny Udogie will also be available for Sunday’s clash having been brought off during last weekend’s win against Southampton.

Predicted Liverpool XI to face Tottenham

Allison, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo

Where to watch Tottenham vs Liverpool? Kick-off time and TV channel

Tottenham vs Liverpool kicks off at 4.30pm on Sunday, December 22. The match will be broadcast on Sky Sports, with viewers also able to tune in via Sky Go and NowTV.

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Ange Postecoglou has distanced Tottenham from a move for Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford in the January transfer window.

Rashford has made it clear that he intends to leave United in an interview with Henry Winter on Tuesday.

‘For me, personally, I think I’m ready for a new challenge and the next steps,’ Rashford said.

‘When I leave it’s going to be, “no hard feelings”. You’re not going to have any negative comments from me about Manchester United. That’s me as a person.

‘If I know that a situation is already bad I’m not going to make it worse. I’ve seen how other players have left in the past and I don’t want to be that person. When I leave I’ll make a statement and it will be from me.’

Tottenham have been previously linked with a move for Rashford but when asked about the 27-year-old’s current situation at Old Trafford, Postecoglou said on Wednesday: ‘No interest, don’t care, no interest.

‘He’s a Man United player, a very good player, they’ve got plenty of good players.

‘But I manage my players and I guess other managers will manage their own players.

‘In terms of Marcus’ situation, I have no real desire to examine it any further.’

One potential stumbling block for Rashford’s exit will be the forward’s high wages, which is understood to be worth £325,000 a week, and Postecoglou has indicated that Spurs will continue to be ‘disciplined’ with their transfer outlay.

Asked if Spurs will consider a move for Rashford ahead of the January window, Postecoglou replied: ‘Oh, mate, if I looked at everyone who we were linked to I’d have no time to do anything else, to be honest.

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‘I’ve got other people to do that part of the process.

‘For us, we’ve been pretty disciplined in terms of what we’re trying to build here and will continue to be so.’

Asked if that is a ‘no’, Postecoglou replied: ‘That’s side is not on my radar.

‘You can ask me about Marcus, but you could ask me about any Premier League footballer, I’m going to say the same thing.’

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Tottenham’s business empire has already extended its tentacles into the NFL, music concerts featuring the likes of Beyonce and Guns N’ Roses and Go Karting. Now they are branching out into promoting the new series of Netflix drama Squid Game before the festive home matches with Liverpool and Wolves. Kerching!

But here’s a revolutionary thought chaps, how about spending your phenomenal profits on buying world-class footballers and turning Spurs into a team capable of winning the Premier League on a regular basis?

Call me old fashioned if you like, but it seems to have worked for Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea in the recent past, Manchester United back in the day and even Arsenal – although it’s two decades and counting since their last league title.

Ange Postecoglou has promised Tottenham their first trophy since 2008 as he always wins one in his second year in charge of a club and he can move to within a couple of games of living up to his proud proclamation if Tottenham beat United in their Carabao Cup quarter-final contest in N17.

The two clubs have trodden similar paths this season, with both struggling to meet sky high expectations as they throw away points against supposedly inferior opposition while doing just about enough to stay relevant in the Europa League.

Both have beaten Manchester City, in fact Spurs have done it twice, but just one win in a dozen matches for Pep Guardiola’s side rather dilutes that achievement.

When they get it right, as Tottenham did in devastating fashion at Southampton on Sunday, in the early parts of the first half against Chelsea, and in quick bursts of goals against both Aston Villa and West Ham, Spurs are simply unplayable.

United, despite Ruben Amorim replacing Erik Ten Hag, still look a long way off that level and it’s no surprise they are the 9/5 underdogs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs beat United 3-0 at Old Trafford earlier in the season and are a widespread 13/10 to win in normal time while a 3-1 victory is 14/1 with William Hill, Betfred, bet365 and several others.

Dejan Kulusevski is 12/1 with Paddy Power to put Spurs ahead and 7/2 with the same firm and Betfair to score at any point.

• Denver have put up big scores in winning their last four NFL games on their way to a 9-5 record for the season with their 29-19 victory against the Las Vegas Raiders their lowest points tally in that run. They face a tricky Thursday night trip to the 8-6 Los Angeles Rams but are 13/10 with William Hill and BetMGM to return from the SoFi Stadium with an impressive victory. Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton is 9/1 with bet365, Sky Bet and BoyleSports to haul in the first touchdown and 15/8 with the former firm to cross the paint at any time.

• Former champion Michael Smith, our ante-post each-way selection, starts his World Darts campaign against Kevin Doets on Thursday and is 5/2 with Unibet and BetMGM to win in straight sets.

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Russell martin has been sacked as Southampton manager, just hours after his team were beaten 5-0 at home by Tottenham Hotspur.

The thrashing at the hands of Spurs left the Saints bottom of the Premier League with just five points from 16 games.

Southampton have won just one league game this season under Martin’s management, scoring only 11 goals and conceding 36.

Simon Rusk, the club’s Under-21 manager will take charge of the first team as interim manager before a permanent replacement is appointed.

A club statement late on Sunday night read: ‘We can confirm that we have taken the difficult decision to part ways with our Men’s First Team Manager, Russell Martin.

‘Going into the start of the season, we all knew the challenges that we would face this year as we readjusted to life in the top flight, competing in the best and most competitive league in the world.

‘However, the reality of our situation is clear. The board have supported Russell and his staff and been open and transparent regarding our expectations. We have all been on the same page in recognising the urgency of needing results to improve.

‘We would like to take this opportunity to thank Russell and his staff for all the hard work and dedication they have given the club on and off the pitch over the last 18 months. Everyone connected with Southampton FC will always have fantastic memories of last season, especially the Play-Off Final win in May.

‘Current Under-21s Manager Simon Rusk will take charge of the team on an interim basis until we announce a permanent replacement.

‘Behind the scenes, we are encouraged by the continued development of talent coming through our Academy. We are proud of the contributions our young players are making and are confident this will remain a source of strength and pride for everyone associated with the club.

‘We are also deeply grateful for the continued support and positivity shown by our fans. We are witnessing first-hand the significant gap between the Championship and the Premier League, but your understanding and passion, even when results have not been what we all want, continue to drive our long-term commitment to the club.’

Speaking to TNT Sports after the heavy defeat to Tottenham but before he was dismissed, Martin said: ‘We have no choice but to keep working and fighting. It’s what I have been doing in this job and I will continue doing it until I am told not to.’

Spurs were 4-0 ahead after just 25 minutes and had scored the fifth before half-time on a nightmare period for Martin.

‘I was hurt in the first half,’ he said. ‘We did not respond very well to the setbacks as a group. We have seen that all too often this season. After the first goal, our response was very poor.

‘It’s most disappointing because we had worked on a plan. We had a week’s training and the players have been part of that process. But we did not carry out anywhere near the intensity or aggression we needed. I didn’t recognise our team in the first half. But I am pleased they stuck out in the second half.

‘At this point, it is about pride and showing some care for each other.’

Martin was appointed Southampton manager in June 2023 and led the team to promotion from the Championship through the play-offs in May this year, beating Leeds United in the final.

However, the home fans made their feelings clear on Sunday, with a banner telling Martin to leave the club clear to see and boos obvious to hear.

On whether the boos hurt, Martin said: ‘As a person, no, because I understand that it’s not personal. But as a manager, yes. It hurts me as well as the team. But I also understand it.’

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Ange Postecoglou has revealed that he was unhappy with Pedro Porro for putting Fraser Forster ‘under pressure’ in the closing stages of Tottenham’s 1-1 draw with Rangers in the Europa League on Thursday evening.

Spurs looked on course for their third straight defeat after Hamza Igamane put Rangers ahead early in the second half at Ibrox before Dejan Kulusevski rescued a draw for the Premier League side with 15 minutes remaining.

Porro was caught out of position for Rangers’ goal and Postecoglou was seen speaking with the Spurs right-back on the pitch just moments after the full-time whistle.

However, Postecoglou says he was urging Porro to make ‘better decisions’ after the Spaniard put goalkeeper Forster under pressure with a back-pass in injury time as Rangers pushed for the winning goal.

When asked what he told Porro after the game, Postecoglou said: ‘Again, just feedback.

‘He’s played a volley back to Fraser in the 92nd minute of the game. It’s kind of… Fraser’s unbelievable last night and you’re putting a teammate under pressure.

‘It’s about the context of what we’re doing right now. I spoke on the weekend about individual moments, desperation, giving away penalties in a big game where we’re playing really well, you’re kind of allowing the opposition.

‘That was another moment and it’s just about, again, feedback, to say in this moment you’ve got to make better decisions, we’ve got to be really calm, we’ve got to be clear-headed because, again, we’ve done so well to get back into a difficult tie, we were in a good position, why would you put that in jeopardy.

‘That’s my role, to give players feedback.’

Postecoglou was also asked for his verdict on Antonio Conte’s rant about Tottenham’s squad after they let a two-goal lead slip in their 3-3 draw against Southampton in March 2023.

Conte, who left the club ‘by mutual consent’ eight days after, accused his Spurs players of not wanting to play under ‘pressure’ or ‘stress’.

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‘I was on planet earth at that time, I was well aware of it,’ Postecoglou said.

‘I think you know when a manager gets to that point that there’s obviously some underlying issues.

‘Antonio is a top manager, a world-class manager and I think most of the time when managers do that they’re trying to get a reaction, they’re trying to get some sort of impact on the team. In difficult moments, what you want from your leaders is action rather than inaction of just letting things drift along.

‘He did it to try and get a positive impact on the group, one way or another. We’ve all been in that situation as a manager where you feel, ‘okay, this is the time to send a message’.’

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After Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou described Timo Werner’s performance against Rangers as ‘unacceptable’ he has also hit out at comments from Cristian Romero.

The Premier League and Scottish Premiership sides shared a pulsating 1-1 draw at Ibrox on Thursday night after Dejan Kulusevski’s 75th-minute strike cancelled out Hamza Igamane’s opener just after half-time.

Both sides squandered opportunities for more goals but a draw is a decent enough result for both sides as they look for automatic qualification to the Europa League knockout stages.

Rangers are in the final automatic spot in eighth, above ninth-placed Tottenham on goal difference.

Postecoglou said it was an ‘important point’ for his side but blasted the performance of Werner, who he subbed off at half-time.

‘When you’ve got 18-year-olds in the team, it’s not acceptable to me,’ Postecoglou said when asked about Werner’s withdrawal.

‘I said that to Timo, he’s a German international. In the moment we’re in right now – it’s not like we’ve got many options, I need everyone to at least be going out there and trying to give the best of themselves.

‘His performance in the first half wasn’t acceptable. We need everybody, including him, to be contributing because we don’t have the depth to leave people out if they perform poorly.

‘I expect a level of performance from some of the senior guys, and tonight wasn’t that.’

Expanding on those comments at a press conference on Friday morning, Postecoglou said: ‘We’re in a fight here. I’m not going to go around worrying about bruised egos. We want to achieve things, we want to be successful and we’re down to the bare bones in players.

‘If someone is fit and able to contribute and someone who feels they need a bit extra [motivation], they are probably not the right person. If they can’t give me extra right now, that shows me where they are at.

‘We are in a difficult situation because of where we are squad wise. We have 15 fit players. If you want to make excuses there’s millions of excuses of them why they can’t be successful. If that’s you, move on, go somewhere else.

‘Last night wasn’t about Timo Werner wasn’t about him. It could have been someone else. Other players could have given more. It’s not about Timo, it’s about the situation we are in. It could be anyone. It’s not about bringing someone down or blaming someone.’

The Australian also responded to Romero’s comments which suggested there has not been enough investment in the squad.

The Argentina international said earlier this week: ‘Manchester City competes every year, you see how Liverpool strengthens its squad, Chelsea strengthens their squad, doesn’t do well, strengthens again, and now they’re seeing results. Those are the things to imitate,’ said Romero.

‘You have to realise that something is going wrong, hopefully, they realise it.

‘The last few years, it’s always the same: first, the players, then the coaching staff changes, and it’s always the same people responsible.

‘Hopefully, they realise who the true responsible ones are, and we move forward because it’s a beautiful club that, with the structure it has, could easily be competing for the title every year.’

Postecoglou is not impressed, saying: ‘I am sick of that too. That is an excuse for me. That is why, Romero’s comments – I think that is an excuse.

‘We are here. If we think some mythical thing exits that prevents success, then change it – what’s the point otherwise. If you don’t buy into it, don’t come here.’

Speaking after the match on Thursday, the Spurs boss said of the draw: ‘A tough game as expected, obviously with the atmosphere in the stadium.

‘I thought the first half was pretty tight with no clear-cut for either side. When they score straight after half-time the energy levels obviously go up and it’s going to be a tough one to claw back, but I thought we worked our way back in well.

‘I thought the substitutes made a difference and we scored a good goal, had other good moments and a great save by Fraser [Forster] at the end.

‘In the context of where we are in Europe, an important point.’

While Postecoglou was content with a point, the result means Tottenham have now not won in four games since they thumped Premier League champions Manchester City 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium.

They are 11th in the English top-flight ahead of Sunday’s trip to the south coast to face a Southampton side sitting bottom of the Premier League with five points from 15 games.

Rangers, meanwhile, will hope to produce an equally dynamic performance on the weekend when they face Old Firm rivals Celtic in the League Cup final.

Speaking after the Spurs stalemate, Rangers boss Philippe Clement said: ‘I’m very proud about the performance because it’s the way we want to see football being played.

‘Also if you see where this group of players is coming from, from a few months ago and making performances like this now, it is a big, big step forward.

‘On the other side, I’m also disappointed we didn’t take the three points. That would have been even better and would have been the result we deserved today with the performance the players gave.’

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Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara has called on Spurs to appoint Thomas Frank if Ange Postecoglou is sacked.

Tottenham have registered just one win in their last seven games and currently sit 11th in the Premier League, seven points behind fourth-placed Manchester City.

Spurs travel to Rangers in the Europa League on Thursday night and a win would push them into an automatic qualification spot for the next round.

Postecoglou, meanwhile, has faced repeated calls to improve his game-management after seeing his sides squander two-goal leads against both Brighton and Chelsea this season.

O’Hara believes Spurs will be left with little option if Postecoglou does not change his approach and feels Brentford manager Frank is the best replacement.

‘If Ange Postecoglou keeps playing in the same way, then I’m afraid he’ll have to go, I’m sorry but Daniel Levy will have to get rid of him,’ O’Hara told Grosvenor Sport.

‘You can’t go on with that football and style of defending any longer.’

‘I love Thomas Frank and I’d have him at Spurs every day of the week if Ange left. I think he’d be a great fit as Tottenham’s manager if we could get him out of Brentford. He’s been brilliant there and if Ange does leave – he’d be someone I’d look at.’

O’Hara also feels that Nuno Espirito Santo, who Tottenham sacked after just four months in charge, is showing the in-game management at Nottingham Forest, who sit fifth in the table.

‘Spurs went to the extreme with Jose Mourinho. His football was tough to watch—defensive and rigid—but they did win games,’ O’Hara said.

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‘Then Antonio Conte came in, similar story: some good stuff but still all about defence. Now they’ve swung completely the other way with Ange Postecoglou, and it’s all attack, no cohesion in the defensive structure. You need a balance—good football but also the ability to keep clean sheets.

‘Nuno Espirito Santo, who Spurs binned off because his football wasn’t great, but he showed over the weekend why he’s still top-notch. Look at Forest against Man United—they played some great stuff bopping it about. But when it got to 3-2, he made changes. Straight away, subbed on defenders, switched to a 5-4-1, and said, ‘Try and break us!’ United couldn’t. That’s in-game management. Result? Three points for Forest.

‘It’s not always pretty, but that’s the difference between a manager and one who knows how to adapt mid-game. Take Spurs against Chelsea—2-0 up, game should’ve been dead and buried.

‘Instead of being horrible to watch and shutting it down, they fell apart and lost 4-3. That’s the gap between top managers. Nuno knows how to see a game out, understands his team’s strengths, and gets the job done.’

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Jadon Sancho has revealed Chelsea players are saying ‘we haven’t done anything yet’ amid talk of them being in the Premier League title race.

The Blues have massively impressed this season under head coach Enzo Maresca and sit second in the top-flight after their opening 15 games.

Chelsea are currently two points ahead of third-placed Arsenal and four points ahead of fourth-placed Manchester City, who were considered bigger title challengers by pundits and fans at the start of the season.

With Chelsea just four points behind leaders Liverpool, many football pundits have argued that Chelsea are now in the race for the trophy.

Blues head coach Maresca and his players, though, have been extremely coy about their chances of coming out on top.

Sancho has continued that trend in a new interview with Sky Sports as he was asked about what Chelsea can achieve this season.

‘We’re taking it game by game,’ Sancho said, who is on loan at Stamford Bridge from Manchester United.

‘Every game is going to be a tough game, and it’s still a long season ahead. None of the boys are thinking anything right now.

‘Obviously we are glad to be in this position but we have to take it game by game.’

Quizzed if Chelsea’s players needed to block the outside noise about their title chances, Sancho added: ‘That’s what all the guys are saying to each other – we haven’t done anything yet.’

Sancho has, however, admitted that Chelsea have a key advantage this season due to the west Londoners playing in the UEFA Conference League, which has allowed Maresca to rotate his squad and keep key players fit.

‘A thing about our squad is that we can rotate at any moment,’ Sancho explained.

‘We have two or three players in every position. With the Premier League and Conference League back-to-back, it can be tough sometimes. To have that right balance of playing time is crucial.’

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Chelsea vs Brentford and Southampton vs Tottenham both kick-off at the unusual time of 7pm in the Premier League this Sunday evening.

Typically, the final game of the weekend begins at 4.30pm and this Sunday will see Manchester City host Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium at that time.

However, both Chelsea and Tottenham have seen their games moved to the later time of 7pm in order to give the two clubs extra recovery time after their matches in Europe on Thursday night.

Chelsea face a 16-hour round trip to Kazakhstan for their Conference League game against Astana, which kicks-off at 3.30pm on Thursday due to the five-hour time difference.

Spurs, who are away to Scottish side Rangers in the Europa League on Thursday night, were also offered the rare 7pm slot after their game was selected for live broadcast by TNT Sports.

Premier League games broadcast by TNT Sports are usually scheduled for 12.30pm on Saturday, however, Spurs’ Europa League commitments on Thursday have meant that the Sunday 7pm slot is the only one available in order to avoid televised clashes with Sky Sports’ live fixtures.

Manchester United will also play Fulham at 7pm on January 26, 2025, after they demanded more recovery time following their Europa League game at home to Rangers on January 23.

The decision to host Premier League matches at 7pm on a Sunday has been criticised by The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA).

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‘The Sunday evening kick-off slot is really unpopular with match-goers as public transport options are limited and it’s no good for families with young kids,’ a spokesperson for the FSA said.

‘When the general slot was announced the Premier League told us it was a ‘contingency’ — but it seems to be getting used an awful lot for such a provision.

‘A big part of the problem is allowing broadcasters to choose ‘conditional’ picks which are then moved when a team progresses in Europe.

‘The Premier League puts broadcasters first by allowing them to select such games knowing full well conditional picks are very likely to be rescheduled again.’

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Nicolas Jackson was inconsolable on the bench after he was substituted during Chelsea’s 4-3 victory over Tottenham on Sunday.

The 23-year-old has been in excellent form for Enzo Maresca’s side this season with eight goals in 14 Premier League games so far.

However, Jackson struggled to make an impact against Spurs at the weekend before he was replaced by Christopher Nkunku with 14 minutes of the match remaining.

Worrying footage has subsequently emerged of Jackson’s reaction after being brought off as he was sat directly behind Maresca in the Chelsea dugout, leaning forward with his head bowed.

Towards the end of the 68-second clip, Jackson covered his shirt over his face and put his hands on his head.

A supporter sat behind the Chelsea striker said: ‘Jackson, you’ve been taken off, you’re gutted I know, you’re in my fantasy team, how do you think I feel?’

As Chelsea’s players and coaching staff applauded the away fans inside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after the full-time whistle, Maresca was seen running back to Jackson who was on his own and slowly making his way towards the supporters.

Maresca put his arm around Jackson’s shoulder and was seen speaking with the Senegal international as he made his way over to the Chelsea fans.

Chelsea’s win over Spurs has put them second in the Premier League table and four points behind Liverpool, who have a game in hand after their Merseyside derby against Everton was called off on Saturday dur to Storm Darragh.

‘It’s an important win, firstly for the way it arrived, because to come in this stadium against this team and concede two goals, and then continue with the same plan on and off the ball, shows how the players are mentally strong,’ Maresca said.

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‘We are trying to work with the players on an off the pitch, but we’re also trying to work on mentality and togetherness. To come in this stadium and think you are going to win without suffering is impossible.

‘For that, probably it’s the perfect win because two goals down, it was the worst picture for us, even if we were in control. We conceded two goals from Cucu, we created chances, we controlled the game, we kept the ball. At half-time we changed something tactically, and second half we deserved to win.

‘There was no problem first half. The plan was working well, we were attacking and controlling the game after conceding two goals. I was very happy.

‘The only thing was watching the way they were pressing. First half we had Cole Palmer on one side, and Enzo Fernandez on the other. Second half we had Palmer on one side, and Cucurella on the other, and we changed something in behind. It was for this reason, it worked quite well and we won the game.’

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