SPORTS SATURDAY, MAY 9, 2015 Van Gaal counts cost of Carrick’s absence

LONDON: Manchester United manager Louis player suited to that position, but the but to see it for the team is more difficult. Not than enough about us to upset them,” said van Gaal believes that the absence of England Netherlands international has been required so many players can read the game for the Ward, who returned from a shin injury last midfielder Michael Carrick has been a signifi- to fill in at left-back recently due to the team. That is why they need coaches.” United weekend in a 1-0 defeat at Chelsea that cant factor in his side’s recent absence of the injured Luke Shaw. have not announced a return date for allowed Jose Mourinho’s team to secure the slump. Carrick is not expected to recover in time England international Shaw, who is suffering title. “Our aim is always to finish as high as we Carrick, 33, suffered a calf injury during the to face Crystal Palace on Saturday, but Van from a groin strain. can, so we’ll always do that. We won’t sit back 4-2 win over Manchester City on April 12 and Gaal is hopeful he will be available for the Defenders Marcos Rojo, Rafael and Jonny on what we’ve got. We want to keep pushing has missed the last three matches, all of which final two matches of the campaign, against Evans-who has completed a six-game ban for forward and keep on looking forward to the United have lost. Arsenal and Hull City. spitting at Newcastle United’s Papiss Cisse-are guys above us. United have fallen to Chelsea, Everton and “When you see in our team holding mid- also likely to miss Saturday’s match because “The fans are a huge part of that and West Bromwich Albion, surprise 1-0 victors at fielders-he is a holding midfielder we don’t of injury. Victory for United would effectively they’ve been fantastic all season home and Old Trafford last weekend, having won their have so much,” Van Gaal said. “When Blind guarantee them a top-four finish in the event away-for the last two seasons. You can’t take previous six matches. and Carrick have been injured, we have a big that Liverpool fail to win at newly crowned that away from them. They’ve been absolute- It has undermined their position in the top problem. “Carrick is a player who can read the champions Chelsea on Sunday. ly outstanding and give us a lift every week.” four and given fifth-place Liverpool encour- game and that is what I am looking for; play- Palace have already beaten Manchester ’s side secured their Premier agement that they could yet catch their rivals ers who can read the game. Not only individu- City, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur at League status with a burst of five wins in six in the race for Champions League qualifica- ally, but also for the team, because the team is Selhurst Park this season and full-back Joel games between late February and early tion. When fit, Carrick has been deployed of more important. Ward is confident of claiming another prized April, but their recent form mirrors United’s- late as a holding midfielder in an effective 4-3- “All the players can read the game individ- scalp on Saturday. the defeat at Chelsea was their third in a 3 formation. Daley Blind is United’s only other ually. Their own role, that is not so difficult, “It’s a great occasion and we’ve got more row.—AFP Rangers keen to handle pressure Mourinho hails GLASGOW: Rangers assistant manager Kenny Black is confi- dent the pressure of the Championship play-offs will bring ‘champion’ Gerrard out the best in his side. The fallen Glasgow giants face Queen of the South at COBHAM: Jose Mourinho has paid trib- Palmerston Park in today’s play-off quarter-final first leg as ute to ahead of the they bid to return to the Scottish Premiership after three Liverpool midfielder’s final visit to years in exile. Stamford Bridge tomorrow. The Ibrox side head into the game having recorded just Gerrard and his Reds team-mates are one win in their last four matches as they were pipped to expected to provide a guard of honor second place in the second tier table by Hibernian. for Mourinho’s Chelsea side after the Rangers have struggled on the synthetic surface utilised club secured the Premier by Queens, who finished fourth, having lost 2-0 and 3-0 on League title last weekend. their previous visits to Palmerston Park this season. But Mourinho said Friday that the However, Black, who joined Rangers along with manager match would also provide him with an Stuart McCall in March, hopes his side can rise to the occa- opportunity to recognise Gerrard’s sion and keep their promotion dreams alive with a positive career at Liverpool which will come to a result to take back to Ibrox for the second leg next Sunday. close at the end of the season when the “Hopefully this pressurised situation will bring out the former England captain joins LA Galaxy best in us. We have a lot of experienced players and staff, in the United States’ Major League and it is up to us to go and retaliate first,” Black said. Soccer. “Queen of the South have a terrific home record. They’ve The Chelsea manager admitted he had 13 home victories in the league this season so we have tried to sign Gerrard on four different to make sure we combat that. occasions at three different clubs but “With a two-legged affair then hopefully we can come was denied by the player’s unstinting back with an advantage or, at the very minimum, still be on loyalty to Liverpool. level terms with the 90 minutes to come at Ibrox. Yesterday saw the Portuguese boss “We certainly wouldn’t like to come back with the two say he was more concerned about previous results we have had there as that would put us acknowledging Gerrard, who has never under extreme pressure.” The aggregate winners of the won the Premier League title, than he clash will face Hibernian, who finished second in the was about Liverpool honouring his Championship, in another two-leg play-off in a semi-final team. that leads to a final against the side finishing second bot- “Liverpool is a giant club and if they tom of the Premiership. want to do that (provide a guard of hon- Rangers’ problems are a world away from Old Firm rivals our) my players will accept with Celtic, who were crowned Scottish Premiership champions respect,” Mourinho told a news confer- for the fourth consecutive time last weekend. ence at Chelsea’s Cobham training The Hoops travel to Pittodrie to take on second-placed ground.”But speaking about Liverpool Aberdeen tomorrow and goalkeeper Craig Gordon wants and honoring the champions, it is my LIVERPOOL: Liverpool’s English midfielder Steven Gerrard (left) is consoled by his team-mates to put in the kind of performance that time to honor the champion. Liverpool’s Slovakian defender Martin Skrtel in this file photo. —AFP underlines Celtic’s championship credentials. “We have to “It’s my time to honor Steve Gerrard earn the points,” the Celtic stopper said. “We have done well and say with opponents like him that I Chelsea, I tried to bring him to Inter, I Abramovich (the Chelsea owner) has to in the three games we have played them so far and it is am the manager I am. I learn with my tried to bring him to Real Madrid but he be calm because he has me, I’m in his three wins out of three, which has been pivotal in the race players and my best opponents. was always with the enemy. I want to hands, I want to stay, I don’t want to for the title, but there are no guarantees we can go there “Steven Gerrard is for sure one of my honour him and I hope Stamford Bridge leave,” he said. and do that again. favourite enemies and for sure my dear has the same feeling. “It’s too late to “I’m not asking for a better contract, “It was very close up there the last time and one or two enemy, the one who made me a better sign him,” lamented Mourinho. I’m very calm, so he doesn’t have to be things could have gone either way. It took a last-minute manager,” he explained. “I need people “He can’t play against Liverpool, he worried,” Mourinho said. “He has me goal from a set-piece for us to get the win and it turned out like him to make me a better coach.” refused to play in other big clubs, other and if he wants me to stay I’m staying to be a really significant afternoon for us. Drawing comparisons with Frank big leagues to play only for Liverpool. and the day he wants me to leave I “Who knows, I play against Steven as a leave. “But they will be playing for pride. By no means are we Lampard’s departure from Chelsea at Liverpool manager someday?” “For next season we are already thinking we just need to turn up to win the game. “We want the end of last season, Mourinho said: “I Mourinho is expected to be reward- working, so I know I am staying but to keep the form going until the last day of the season and am sad he is leaving the same as our ed for his success this season with a new more important than a contract for two we don’t want to take our foot off the gas now. Frank Lampard, but Frank is a Chelsea contract but the manager insisted he or 10 years is my desire to stay and his “We were excellent last Friday in the 5-0 win over legend and it’s a different situation because Steven was always on the other did not need a new deal to commit his (Abramovich’s) desire for me to stay. Dundee, and it is important that we try to finish the season side. future to Chelsea. When he wants me to go I go,” said as strongly as possible now.” —AFP “I tried to bring him (Gerrard) to “I don’t need a contract. Mr Mourinho, now in his second spell as