WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2019 16

Manchester United rebound makes Klopp points to injuries as Solskjaer favourite for hot seat - Liverpool slip-up again McClaren strikes for as Liverpool suffer stage fright in draw

AFP |

urgen Klopp pinpointed a mounting injury list as Manchester United interim the explanation for Liv- manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer J celebrates after a match (file erpool’s sub-par performance in a 1-1 draw at West Ham on photo) Monday that leaves the league Reuters | London leaders just three points clear of Manchester City. anchester United will Less than a week after miss- Mhave an easy manage- ing the opportunity to go sev- rial decision on their hands en points clear of City with a if caretaker boss Ole Gun- 1-1 draw against Leicester, Liv- nar Solskjaer keeps building erpool again let a lead slip as on his splendid start at Old Michail Antonio quickly can- Trafford, former England celled out Sadio Mane’s 22nd manager Steve McClaren minute opener. has said. Victory over Everton on Having replaced Jose Wednesday will now take City Mourinho in December, to the top of the table, while Solskjaer has collected sev- Tottenham are just five points en wins and a draw in the off the top in third. to guide a It could have been even worse Liverpool’s Senegalese striker Sadio Mane (3R) scores the opening goal rejuvenated United to with- for Liverpool had in two points of the top four. and not failed to hit matches to mount the tension the season. derson’s pass in off the far post. United will appoint a the target with huge chances to in their chase for a first title in “They have two clear chances, More lax set-piece defend- new permanent manager claim all three points for West 29 years. one that is one-and-a-half me- ing should have cost Liverpool at the end of the season and Ham. However, Klopp played down tres offside where they score a again three minutes before the McClaren, who coached Klopp was without the injured suggestions it is the pressure It’s not about goal, and one in the last minute break when Rice headed wide Solskjaer during United’s , Georgin- and the weight of history that pressure, it’s with (Divock) Origi in front of another wicked Anderson free- treble-winning campaign io Wijnaldum and Trent Alex- has dragged his players down about enjoying the the linesman again one metre kick delivery wide when com- as Alex Ferguson’s assistant ander-Arnold meaning James over the past week. situation you are in. offside. pletely unmarked 10 yards out. in 1999, said the Norwegian Milner started in an unfamil- “It’s not about pressure, it’s We have 62 points, “Of course, you must be dis- Anderson continued to create has exceeded expectations iar role at right-back, while the about enjoying the situation you have lost one game appointed,” said Pellegrini, who problems in the second peri- under pressure. German was forced to name an are in,” added Klopp. “We have in the whole season recalled a series of controver- od and another positive break “I think everyone was experimental midfield three of 62 points, have lost one game in sial calls that went in favour from the Brazilian should have astonished at the appoint- Fabinho, Naby Keita and Adam the whole season so far which is so far which is very of Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund created the winner when Noble ment,” McClaren, who Lallana. very positive. positive when they beat Pellegrini’s Mal- fired over. is currently in charge of “Last night we trained and “I think from your faces al- JURGEN KLOPP aga in the 2012/13 Champions Origi replaced the ineffective Queens Park after we had to change three ready you (the media) feel sorry League quarter-finals. Roberto Firmino 15 minutes Rangers, told positions,” said Klopp. for us. We are fine. Tonight was “Klopp is used to win with from time and the Belgian had . “It’s just a fact, it’s not an ex- just a tough game.” Marko Arnautovic, Pellegrini offside goals. He beat me against a huge chance to make him - “(But) I cuse. The preparation for the Hammers boss Manuel Pel- got the response he wanted in Malaga with Borussia Dort- self a hero as he did with a last know Ole game was far from being perfect legrini claimed it was “impos- West Ham’s performance if mund with a goal seven metres gasp Merseyside derby winner well. He’s a and we still got a point.” sible to play worse” after his not their end product and the offside, so he can’t complain against Everton in December. thinker and After posting a perfect record side’s 3-0 capitulation to Wolves Chilean was angered that Liv- about nothing.” This time, though, Origi shot he’s intelli- against opposition outside the last week that followed a deeply erpool’s opener was allowed to Liverpool’s lead lasted just six meekly into Lukasz Fabianski’s gent. top six in their first 23 league disappointing FA Cup exit to stand despite Milner clearly be- minutes as the visitors switched grateful arms with the fi- games, Liverpool have now League One AFC Wimbledon. ing offside when he crossed for off from a well-worked free-kick nal action of the slipped up twice in as many Even without the injured Mane to score his 12th goal of and Antonio drilled Felipe An- match.

Liverpool not feeling Premier Man Utd open League title heat, says Robertson talks with AFP | London Rashford over ndy Robertson has dis - Amissed suggestions Liv- new deal erpool are starting to feel the pressure of being Premier AFP | London new contract League leaders, saying they are for goalkeep- experiencing no more than a anchester United have er David de “blip” in their pursuit of their Mopened talks with Marcus Gea, having first title for 29 years. Rashford over a new and im - last week tied Jurgen Klopp’s side drew 1-1 proved contract following the forward Anthony with West Ham on Monday af- forward’s impressive run of form Martial down until at least ter failing to beat Leicester last under caretaker manager Ole 2024. week, meaning they lead Man- Gunnar Solskjaer, reports said United interim boss Solsk- chester City by just three points yesterday. jaer said on Friday that Martial with 13 games to go instead of a The 21-year-old scored his 10th and Rashford could create a dev- potential seven. goal of the season in Sunday’s 1-0 astating on-field relationship for In both matches Liverpool Liverpool’s Scottish defender Andrew Robertson heads the ball during the win at Leicester, becoming the years to come. have struggled for the fluency English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Leicester City second-youngest player to reach “They’ll play many, many years that had taken them to the top (file photo) 100 Premier League appearances together, hopefully, so if they get of the table, suggesting they for United after Ryan Giggs. an understanding of each other, could be at risk of throwing showing,” said the 24-year-old. sition we’re in just now. Nerves Rashford’s contract expires because both are very good at away their advantage, just as “Did anyone say that when aren’t showing in the changing next year and while United have coming in off the left,” he said. they did in losing the title to City dropped points against room. It’s been two poor results the option to extend it until 2021, “If one of them plays cen- City five years ago. (Crystal) Palace and Leicester and poor performances, it hap- negotiations are understood to trally, then the other one Robertson believes the loss (in December)? I don’t think pens during a long season. have started over a fresh agree- has to have opposite move- of the injured Jordan Hender- they did. It’s no different for us “We need to get back to ment. ments.” son, Joe Gomez and Trent Al- -- people talk about pressure playing the better football we Rashford has started all eight Seven wins in eight league exander-Arnold is having an because we’ve not been in this can, but it’s nothing to do with Premier League games since Sol- games under Solskjaer have influence but feels he and his position, but it’s February. nerves. We’re having a wee blip skjaer took over from the sacked lifted United to just two teammates have the capacity “Everyone needs to relax and and we need to just try and get Jose Mourinho in December, points behind fourth-placed Marcus to respond. try and enjoy the run-in. Many over the line in a couple of scoring six goals. Chelsea in the race for Cham- Rashford “I wouldn’t say nerves are other clubs want to be in the po- games.” The club are also working on a pions League places.