SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2020 11

Solskjaer defends under-fire Man Utd striker Greenwood Bale starts as Spurs win, Celtic undone by Milan Gareth Bale helps Tottenham ease to Europa League win against Lask

AC Milan withstood a• late onslaught to beat Celtic

Arsenal fight back as Ozil• tweets his support Manchester United’s Norwegian manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (L) and Manchester United’s English striker Mason Greenwood react after a match AFP | Paris Reuters | London areth Bale said it felt good to be “loved and le Gunnar Solskjaer yes- Gappreciated” after help- Oterday defended the pro- 17 ing Tottenham to a 3-0 win over fessionalism of Mason Green- goals were scored by LASK of Austria in the Europa wood, saying the “whole Eng- Mason Greenwood last League. lish press” have targeted the season for Manchester The Welsh international Manchester United forward United after making his started his first match since his after he was sent home from first-team debut in March return from Real Madrid and England duty last month. 2019 played for an hour before Jose The 19-year-old has made Mourinho gave him a break. a big impact at Old Trafford Solskjaer described Green- Bale had come on as a substi- Tottenham Hotspur’s Welsh striker Gareth Bale (L) runs with the ball during the match since making his first-team de- wood as a “fantastic boy to tute last Sunday with Totten- hansk of Ukraine. Mesut Ozil, who has been left but in March 2019, scoring 17 work with”. ham 3-0 up against West Ham James Maddison, Harvey out of both Arsenal’s Europa goals last season and recently “I have to disappoint you, before his team collapsed to give Barnes and Kelechi Iheanacho League and Premier League making his international de- he’s never, ever late for train- up a 3-3 draw. were on the scoresheet. squad. but. ing, he’s never a problem when “It is amazing to be back,” In Glasgow, Celtic struggled “When I can’t support on the Greenwood was sent home he’s in the training ground,” Bale told BT Sport on Thursday. against Serie A leaders AC Milan KNOW WHAT pitch tonight, I will support from his first England camp he said. “It is a big reason why I play who were 2-0 up at half-time in front of the TV in London.” for breaching coronavirus pro- “He’s always on time. I’ve well and why I came back. You thanks to goals from Rade Kru- tweeted Ozil. tocols in Iceland and he has seen the stories, actually some want to be loved and appreci- nic and Brahim Diaz. The other Group B game reportedly been warned about ex-United players talking ated. I will give everything for Mohamed Elyounoussi re- Arsenal have not was being played out in Dublin his behaviour, including his about him and they don’t real- this shirt.” duced the arrears after the claimed a European where Dundalk, only Ireland’s time-keeping, by the club. ly know anything what they’re However, he admitted it will break, but Jens Petter Hauge trophy since lifting third ever representative in the But Solskjaer, speaking at his talking about because, well, take time to find his feet. broke clear to secure Milan’s the old Cup Win- group stage, were beaten 2-1 by pre-match press conference we’ve got photographers out- “I am a bit stiff. It is like a Group H 3-1 win in stoppage ners’ Cup in 1994 Norwegians Molde. yesterday, brushed that issue side the training ground every mini pre-season for me and I time. In Belgium, Steven Gerrard’s aside as the teenager prepares day so they can check the time am trying to get minutes into Milan were so comfortable the Gunners then turned the Rangers took on Standard Liege to make his return against every day.” the legs,” he said. that they could afford to take game around in four second half fresh from their Old Firm derby Chelsea this weekend. The Norwegian boss added: Despite Bale starting, it was off Zlatan Ibrahimovic just after minutes. win over Celtic which moved “You do (make a target for “He’s a good trainer, he trains on-loan Carlos Vinicius who the hour. David Luiz put them level them four points clear in the yourself ) when you play well really well, and I cannot be- made an impressive debut in the with a deft glancing header off Scottish Premiership last week- and I’m not concerned at all lieve all these stories about Group J opener. Ozil TV support Nicolas Pepe’s free-kick, with end. James Tavernier scored with Mason making a target of him not being professional.” Vinicius started in place of Earlier Thursday, Arsenal Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from the spot after Noe Dus - himself,” said the United boss. Greenwood missed United’s the resting Harry Kane and he came from behind to down Rap- then tapping home to bag the senne handled in the area to put “He’s come in, he’s played impressive Champions League made goals in either half for Lu- id Vienna 2-1 and Rangers beat three Group B points. them into a 19th minute lead. fantastic, he played his first win at Paris Saint-Germain cas Moura and Son Heung-min, Standard Liege 2-0. It was an eventful night for Then three minutes into league game against (Arsenal) on Tuesday with an unspeci- while he would have also netted After a goalless first half Ar- Mikel Arteta’s side. stoppage time Kemar Roofe last season, was brilliant and fied issue, while captain Har- himself had Andres Andrade not senal went behind when keeper Alongside eight yellow cards, produced a wonder goal from just kicked on. ry Maguire and new signing scored an own goal. Bernd Leno fluffed a clearance there was an eye-catching dis- the halfway line, the ball fly- “Yeah, he’s made a mistake Edinson Cavani were other Bale made that goal where on a night he will want to forget. play from Thomas Partey on ing over the head of bewildered this summer with England and high-profile absentees. Andrade put through his own Taxiarchis Fountas capital- his first start since his transfer keeper Arnaud Bodart. Benfica suddenly the whole English Solskjaer said he expected net. ised on Leno’s clanger, much deadline day move from Atletico had claimed the first goal of the press go after him and that’s all three of them to be availa- Leicester made the perfect to the joy of the 3,000 home Madrid. night and they went on to beat something we’ve got to look ble for the visit of Chelsea on start in Group G with a com - fans allowed in to watch under A frustrated follower of the Lech Poznan in Poland 4-2 in after.” Saturday. fortable 3-0 win over Zorya Lu- coronavirus safety protocol, but game from his London sofa was the other Group D game.

Kapil Dev stable after angioplasty Pique lays into Barca over Messi situation Reuters | London emergency coronary angio- Reuters | Barcelona plasty having suffered chest ricket great Kapil Dev, pain. arcelona defender Gerard Cwho captained India to “Currently, he is admitted in BPique has torn into the club their 1983 World Cup triumph, ICU and under close supervi- over their handling of the Lionel What’s going on? Messi is stable after undergoing an sion...” the hospital said. Messi contract situation, which deserves everything; resulted in the forward attempt- the new stadium should ing to leave in the close-season. be named after him first The criticism comes on the and then the sponsor. eve of the first Clasico against We should preserve Real Madrid this season and two days after the 33-year-old our figureheads, not Pique signed a new three-year underappreciate them. deal at Barca, with a vote of no It really gets to me confidence against the board LIONEL MESSI also imminent. Club president Josep Bar- knew the club hired a social tomeu was the target of a scath- media agency to criticise the ing interview by Messi, who players earlier this year. ultimately ended up staying at Barcelona’s Argentinian forward Lionel Messi (L) and Barcelona’s Spanish Bartomeu has denied the al- the Camp Nou, however the defender Gerard Pique sit on the bench during a match (file photo) legations. relationship between the two “I, as a Barca player, see that seems irreparable, something a Burofax (recorded delivery dium should be named after my club have spent money, mon- that has left Pique astounded. mail) because he feels like he’s him first and then the sponsor. ey they’re now asking us for (in “I ask myself: How can it be not being listened to?” Pique We should preserve our fig - salary reductions), to criticise that the best-ever player to have told La Vanguardia newspaper. ureheads, not underappreciate us - and I’m not talking about played the game, who we have “It’s all too confrontational. them. It really gets to me.” criticising people outside the been lucky enough to enjoy, What’s going on? Messi de - The defender also addressed club, but current players - it’s wakes up one day and sends serves everything; the new sta- media reports that Bartomeu atrocious.