Soccer

RODRI hopes to be back in action for Manchester City before the season ends.The Ballon d’Or winner, 28, has been sidelined since injuring the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee against Arsenal on September 22.Ballon d’Or winner Rodri hopes to return from injury before the end of the seasonCredit: RexHe suffered an ACL injury against Arsenal in SeptemberCredit: EPAMan City boss Pep Guardiola said it would be the start of the 2025-26 campaign by the time the Spanish midfielder was fit again.But Rodri is aiming for Fifa’s Club World Cup, which takes place in the US in June and July.City’s talisman said: “The seasons are getting longer and this one has the Club World Cup.“It is good to have a challenge and I have it in my head to return this season — we’ll see when.”READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe Prem champions hope to persuade Rodri to extend his Etihad deal, which runs until 2027.He joined City from Atletico Madrid in 2019 and has not ruled out a return to his homeland.Rodri added: “Renewal with City is not my priority right now. “I want to recover and we’ll see.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS“I have a contract and I’m very, very happy.“But I see the Spanish league and I’m not closing doors.”Inside Rodri’s humble lifeOne factor which could affect his decision is whether Guardiola stays beyond the end of his current deal next summer.Rodri said: “When I signed, I was told he would leave the following year… and we are still like that five years later.” More

RUBEN AMORIM met several of Manchester United’s squad yesterday — and instantly gave them some TLC.The new Red Devils chief was snapped greeting Luke Shaw, Kobbie Mainoo, Leny Yoro, Mason Mount and Toby Collyer at Carrington.Ruben Amorim has been all smiles at CarringtonHe hugged Kobbie MainooAnd embraced Luke ShawHe was seen sharing a joke with summer signing Lenny YoroHe could have a big role for Mason MountIt came just 24 hours after his arrival from Sporting Lisbon.Amorim, 39, embraced Shaw, hugged Mainoo and Mount, shared a laugh with £42million summer buy Yoro and chatted to Collyer.The bulk of United’s players are on international duty — but some first-teamers have been working on their fitness in the gym.Amorim, whose first match in charge is a Prem trip to Ipswich on November 24, wasted little time making big calls off the pitch, too.READ MORE ON MAN UTDDarren Fletcher survived Amorim’s cull, unlike interim chief Ruud van Nistelrooy, who was axed on Monday in a move criticised by ex-Red Devils defender Rio Ferdinand.Stalwart Fletcher was part of Erik ten Hag’s staff and is set to continue in a coaching capacity.The Scot had been technical director but new owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe appointed Jason Wilcox in that role earlier this year, so the ex-midfielder joined the backroom set-up where he is set to remain.Amorim is waiting for a visa before he can work with his squad — but looks set to bring in Sporting analyst Eduardo Rosalino.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSThree Sporting stars Amorim could swoop for after joining Man UtdRUBEN AMORIM has ruled out poaching any of his Sporting Lisbon players in the January transfer window.But the Portuguese side’s chiefs expect Amorim will come calling in the summer – with his cheque book wide open.Here’s are three Sporting starts United could swoop for… but they won’t come cheap:VIKTOR GYOKERESAge: 26Position: StrikerCost: £84millionSwede has shone since joining Sporting last summer from Coventry — catching the eye of all Europe’s top clubs.Hit 43 goals in 50 games last season and boasts 18 strikes already this term.GONCALO INACIOAge: 23Position: DefenderCost: £50millionBall-playing centre-back was handed his debut by Amorim and has since become a key figure in Sporting’s recent title successes.Can also slot in at left-back if required and has 12 caps for Portugal.MORTEN HJULMANDAge: 25Position: MidfieldCost: £40millionDane is one of the top holding midfielders in Portugal — and made skipper by Amorim.He could be the man to replace Casemiro.The Portuguese wants Premier League experience on his staff so Fletcher and set-piece coach Andreas Georgson are set to stay.Carlos Fernandes, Adelio Candido, Paulo Barreira, Emanuel Ferro and Jorge Vital all travelled with Amorim to Manchester — but have not been confirmed yet.Man Utd fans cry ‘please, not you as well’ as Ruben Amorim copies Ten Hag’s worrying comments after Sporting beat City Meanwhile, Ferdinand reckons Amorim axed van Nistelrooy, who won three of his four games as caretaker, as he felt threatened.The Dutch club legend departed along with coaches Rene Hake, Jelle van Rouwelaar and Pieter Morel.Ferdinand said: “It’s not easy to go in and have, sitting next to you, one of the most prolific strikers.“Fans love him. And any bumps in the road, they’ll say to get Ruud in as a manager.”Left-back Tyrell Malacia ended his 17-month injury nightmare with a start for the Under-21s in the EFL Trophy at Huddersfield last night. More

THE Premier League could descend into chaos this season due to the growing injury toll on its stars.That is the warning from PFA boss Maheta Molango, who is alarmed at the increased casualty list across England’s top flight.Several England players have been hit by injury this season including Bukayo SakaCredit: PAJack Grealish has also seen his momentum curtailed by fitness issuesCredit: RexA staggering 232 Prem games have been missed by players at English clubs in Europe, while the Three Lions lost EIGHT to injury for this week’s Nations League clashes with Greece and Ireland.Molango said: “Players have been talking for a long time about the impact of the football calendar and fans can see it for themselves when they look at the number of players injured.“Nobody should want major competitions to just come down to who can get their players out on the pitch.”England’s lengthy injury list has added to worries that the demands on top stars are getting worse — and could end up being crucial in the title race.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLInterim boss Lee Carsley is without Gunners’ Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka and Manchester City duo Phil Foden and Jack Grealish.Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill, Liverpool full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold and Southampton keeper Aaron Ramsdale all pulled out.John Stones, Harry Maguire, Kobbie Mainoo, Luke Shaw and Eberechi Eze were previously ruled out through injury.And that is BEFORE the ramifications of this year’s final international break, two more rounds of European games, the Carabao Cup quarter-finals and a packed league programme.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSThat run could mean up to 13 matches in seven weeks for players up to January 1.City boss Pep Guardiola has seen Rodri KO’d for the campaign, not seen Oscar Bobb all season and spoken of his concerns for Grealish, Kevin De Bruyne, Nathan Ake and Foden. He admits his side’s title hopes are under threat from the injuries.Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca comments on Cole Palmer injury after draw with Arsenal And even after the Prem is decided City, along with Chelsea, will be playing in next summer’s expanded Fifa Club World Cup.But City, whose players have missed 42 games between them in the Prem, are not alone in sparking player welfare fears.Across Manchester, Erik ten Hag’s pre-sacking complaints about his injury misfortune had some validity.United players, including both his left-backs Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia, have missed 57 matches so far.Incoming Ruben Amorim may be able to change the mood but he cannot wave a magic wand to bring those two, Maguire or Mainoo back any quicker than their bodies can heal.Injuries are part and parcel of football. Always have been, always will be.But as PFA chief Maheta Molango points out, extra demands on the biggest stars, with the fixture list becoming increasingly packed and this summer’s 32-team Club World Cup for City and Chelsea, the outcome is almost inevitable.Molango said: “It’s important to be able to back that up with numbers and evidence, so we can make the case for things like proper rest periods and restrictions around the frequency of games.“The No 1 principle behind the way we structure the calendar has got to be a proper understanding of the physical limits of the players.Injury problems have plagued Reece James for the past few yearsCredit: GettyA staggering 232 Prem games have been missed by players this seasonCredit: Reuters“We always say that this is not just a player issue but a football issue.“Fans are paying to see the best players competing for the biggest prizes, but that can’t happen if they are constantly injured.“It also has a knock-on impact, as it means even more workload on those who can play.“They are then pushed beyond their limits and put at greater risk of injury themselves. It’s a vicious cycle.”Molango’s argument holds water. While clubs have 25-man squads, even the biggest and best have a core of players who the manager knows he can rely on. If any of those are injured for a long spell, it means more minutes for the remaining key players.And that, inevitably, means those players are even more likely to pick up knocks, pulls, strains and other wear and tear injuries.Chelsea’s improvement under Enzo Maresca is doubtless due to hard work on the training ground.But it is helped by the fact that his players have missed only 15 games.Seven of those are accounted for by Reece James.Nobody should want major competitions to just come down to who can get their players out on the pitch. PFA boss Maheta MolangoLiverpool have been without Alisson for a month and Diogo Jota for the past few games, while Alexander-Arnold has pulled out of England duty with a hamstring problem.Arsenal’s recent drop-off coincided with injuries to Saka, Riccardo Calafiori and Ben White on top of the extended absence of skipper Martin Odegaard.The injury pattern has been getting worse in recent years.In their latest European Football Injury Index, insurers Howden totted up that Prem clubs paid £266million in wages last season to players who were not available for selection through injury, with United top of the crocks.Critically, the average length of absence for an injured Premier League player has almost doubled, from 15 days to four weeks, since the start of the 2020-21 campaign.Howden had already anticipated “a continuation of this upwards trajectory” and that “the squad depth of clubs will continue to be tested”.Even more so in the period after international players return from the various corners of Europe and the world next week.Unsurprisingly, given that clubs can play more than a sixth of their entire Prem programme in the four weeks of December, it is also the month Howden’s statistics found that most injuries are accrued.Part of it, too, is about the style of play of a number of coaches.Even in the Championship, where European football is the thing that takes place when they are facing another of the seemingly endless midweek fixture lists, front-foot chiefs can suffer the consequences.Norwich, who switched from a more patient style under former boss David Wagner after the arrival of Johannes Hoff Thorup, had EIGHT stars out as they lost at home to Bristol City on Saturday.But it is at the top end that it really shows.Molango’s argument that “nobody should want major competitions to just come down to who can get their players out on the pitch” is more than valid.READ MORE SUN STORIESYet it might well be that which determines the destination of the Premier League crown.The medical staff could be the most important members of every club’s backroom team. 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