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Mourinho denies ‘Hazard is here to stay’ rift with Woodward AFP | London AFP | Manchester den Hazard is set to make his first Chelsea start this ose Mourinho yesterday Eseason against Newcastle Jdenied a rift with executive on Sunday after Blues manager vice-chairman Ed Woodward Maurizio Sarri insisted there is despite growing speculation no chance of the Belgian star over the power structure at being sold. Manchester United. Hazard has been the subject The manager turned up for of interest from Real Madrid his weekly pre-match press amid talk of a possible £200 mil- conference 30 minutes ear- lion ($257 million) bid before ly, ensuring most reporters the Spanish were not even in attendance, closes next week. and was clearly in no mood But Sarri is adamant the Chel- to answer questions about sea playmaker won’t follow in United’s difficult start to the the footsteps of his compatriot season. Thibaut Courtois’s move from A testing summer, in which Stamford Bridge to Real earlier Woodward failed to deliver this month. Mourinho’s transfer targets, Jose Mourinho After using Hazard as a sub- has been followed by apparent stitute for Chelsea’s Premier difficulties between the United And when quizzed further League wins over Huddersfield manager and French World on whether there was a prob- and Arsenal while he recovered Cup winner Paul Pogba. lem with the United executive, Pogba has made enigmatic Mourinho responded: “No”. comments, suggesting he is not The veteran manager was happy at Old Trafford, while equally unforthcoming when Maurizio Sarri gives instructions to his controversial agent Mino asked about Pogba who I think Eden is ready Raiola seemed to worsen the claimed, on Sunday after a for 50 or 60 minutes, from his World Cup exertions, tus-Cheek and Gary Cahill re- “We can speak again about situation with a social media defeat at Brighton, that his at- I don’t know for 90 Sarri is set to start the midfield- main unclear however, with his situation, but only in De - outburst against United great titude was not “right” in the minutes, but he can er at St James’ Park this week- Sarri revealing he has held talks cember.” Paul Scholes. game. start. I am the coach end. with both. England defender Cahill has Mourinho was tense and “Paul said it, so he has to of a very good team, “I think Eden is ready for 50 England midfielder Lof - yet to figure in the Chelsea terse in his replies to questions answer for his words,” said or 60 minutes, I don’t know for tus-Cheek was left out of the squad this season. on those topics in a press con- Mourinho. “If you want any a very great club, and 90 minutes, but he can start,” squad against Arsenal last There are reports from Tur- ference that lasted just eight explanation about Paul’s words so I think with such Sarri told reporters on Friday. weekend, but Sarri will keep key that the 32-year-old is a minutes and was supposed to you must get him and ask an important player “I am the coach of a very good him at Stamford Bridge at least target for Galatasaray and Sarri preview United’s next Premier him.” I cannot sell without team, a very great club, and so I until the next transfer window admitted he can’t find a place League game, at home to Tot- The mood around Mourinho the possibility to buy think with such an important opens. for him in the team ahead of tenham on Monday. certainly summed up a diffi- another player at the player I cannot sell without the “It was only a decision about and Antonio Rudiger But Mourinho, at least, cult week for the club, which same level. So I think possibility to buy another player the positions I chose to put on at present. claimed that his relationship started with a poor perfor- at the same level. the bench to win,” Sarri added. “With Cahill I think at this with Woodward remained in- mance in a 3-2 defeat at Bright- Eden will stay with us “So I think Eden will stay with “I have spoken with him moment for a defender it’s more tact. When asked if his rela- on, a result that followed an for the whole season us for the whole season.” twice this week, after I spoke difficult to play in my team after tionship with Woodward was unconvincing 2-1 home win MAURIZIO SARRI The long-term futures to the club, so I think that Lof- only 20 days of training,” Sarri “fine” Mourinho would only against Leicester on the open- of Chelsea duo Ruben Lof - tus-Cheek will remain with us. said. answer: “Of course”. ing weekend. Old Trafford success possible: Pochettino

AFP | London

ottenham boss Mauricio BETTER TPochettino is urging his side to use their landmark win at Chelsea last season as inspira- KNOW tion for ending an Old Trafford drought on Monday. Spurs head to Manchester United with a poor recent re- In the last 6 years, cord, having not won or scored only 2 a goal in their past four visits. teams conceded fewer Becker (L) speaks with Jurgen Klopp Pochettino’s men beat their London rivals Chelsea at Stam- than 4 goals after 7 ford Bridge in April for the first games – Tottenham time since 1990 on their way to Hotspur in 2016 and Klopp salutes Alisson a Champions League spot. Southampton in 2013, The Argentine wants his side both managed by Mau- to use that experience to get a ricio Pochettino as Karius faces exit result on Monday, even if prepa- rations for the game have been AFP | London The 25-year-old has already disrupted by a drink-driving need to believe and I believe impressed with clean sheets in charge for club captain Hugo more than ever that we can win. urgen Klopp has praised his first two matches, leaving Lloris. We’re winners. Jthe impact of new Liver- Karius on the verge of an un- Pochettino, who did not talk “The winners sometimes pool goalkeeper Alisson Beck- wanted exit. about Lloris’s situation in his Mauricio Pochettino (R) with lose but if your attitude is right, er as the Reds boss prepares to “It’s a normal thing in foot- press conference on Friday, you’ll win more than you lose.” send error-prone Loris Karius ball. It happens to managers: said of their Old Trafford form: didn’t score a goal, we didn’t a good example. After 28 years Jose Mourinho’s men are hav- on to Besiktas. as a manager you usually don’t “That’s not perception, it’s re- win a point. we won. Why not? There are ing a fraught start to the Pre- Just months after his blun- need that much time between ality. We lost four games, we “But Chelsea last season was many negative things but you mier League campaign. ders ruined Liverpool’s bid to one game and another to get win the Champions League the sack!” Klopp told report- final, Karius is set to join Turk- ers when asked about Karius’s ish club Besiktas on a two-year impending move. loan with a view to a perma- “It is not the sack, it is only Hugo Lloris charged with drink-driving nent transfer in 2020. change. That’s football, no Karius wept on the pitch problem with that.” AFP | London been tarnished by his late-night After spending seven hours in drink driving on Friday, 24 Au- after making two costly er- If he doesn’t concede against antics. a cell, Lloris, a married father gust. rors in Liverpool’s 3-1 defeat Brighton on Saturday, Alis- rance’s World Cup-winning Lloris was pulled over in a of two, returned home on foot “He has been bailed to return against Real Madrid in May son could become only the Fcaptain Hugo Lloris has routine stop at 2:20 am (0120 and refused to answer questions to Westminster magistrates’ and the German still looked fourth Liverpool goalkeep- been charged with drink-driv- GMT) in Gloucester Place, cen- from reporters. court on, 11 September.” traumatised as he struggled er in the last 51 seasons, af - ing after the Tottenham keeper tral London. “A man has been charged fol- France won their second again during pre-season. ter Bruce Grobbelaar, Pepe was stopped by police in the The 31-year-old was reported lowing a routine patrol stop in World Cup with a 4-2 final win Klopp moved quickly to re- Reina and , early hours of Friday morning. to have failed a roadside breath- Gloucester Place, W1,” a Police over Croatia, although Lloris place Karius with Brazilian to keep clean sheets in the Just weeks after playing a alyser test and has been released spokesperson said. was guilty of a bad mistake that keeper Alisson from Roma in a first three matches of a league key role in France’s World Cup on bail to appear at Westminster “Hugo Lloris, 31, of East allowed Mario Mandzukic to £65-million ($82 million) deal. campaign. glory, Lloris’s reputation has magistrates’ court next month. Finchley, was charged with score in the Moscow title match.