Premier League

YOU might think Liverpool away is the last fixture Pep Guardiola and Manchester City want right now.But you’d be wrong. This match — the only possible one in which few people would give City any chance of winning — is perfect.Liverpool away could be the surprise fixture City need right nowCredit: GettyPep Guardiola has been left scratching his head at recent performancesAfter five straight defeats, followed by the incredible capitulation from 3-0 up against Feyenoord in midweek, City would be seriously worried if they were facing Ipswich or Leicester next up.Their players are looking genuinely scared on the pitch right now and, after years of dominance, it is an amazing thing to witness.Yet even when they have been amassing six titles under Guardiola, they have never won at Anfield in front of a crowd.Those players will be thinking, “So why not now?”READ MORE IN FOOTBALLWinning away at Liverpool is the one result which would then completely change the narrative around the team.I’m sure those players will not be holding back in the dressing room when they discuss what has been going on in recent weeks.The higher you go in football, the harsher the dressing room.Elite players get to where they are because they always challenge themselves and their team-mates.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSIt’s not a blame game — it’s just genuine honesty. That’s how you get out of a mess.Although there was genuine concern for Guardiola after he started beating himself up in his dugout during Tuesday’s 3-3 Champions League draw, I think there will be part of him laughing and learning and enjoying this experience.Guardiola left scratching his head as City blow 3-0 lead against FeyenoordThe City boss has never suffered a run like this and a run like this is when you find out who you can really count upon.Nobody talks about poor morale or a lack of unity when a team is winning consistently — as City have been for pretty much all of the last eight years. Of course City are missing Rodri. When he’s not there, City aren’t as good.But it’s nonsense to suggest that the absence of one player should have such an extreme effect when they have so many other world-class players.Some of the theories around City’s meltdown simply have to be wrong.Like the idea that the team is too old. They weren’t too old when they won a fourth title in a row, so how are they suddenly too old six months later?They simply had a poor window this summer and their recruitment hasn’t been as good for a year or two now.Ilkay Gundogan is a legend of the club but to bring him back, a year after he’d been so desperate to leave, felt like a retrograde step.What is true is that plenty of people in football will be loving what is happening to City.There will be managers and players thinking, “Welcome to our world”.They’ll be thinking, “Welcome to the chaos and the bulls***”. The chaos and the bulls*** you only experience when you lose a few games in a row and people start to lose their heads.Right now, even a team as great as City need to concentrate on the basics — running your heart out, winning duels, heading or kicking it clear.Because it was a lack of those fundamentals which allowed Feyenoord back into the game on Tuesday.For so long, when City went 1-0 up, opponents lost heart. Now they even fancy their chances at 3-0 down.READ MORE SUN STORIESLiverpool have an eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League and a 100 per cent record in the Champions League, where they have just beaten the holders Real Madrid.They have never been such hot favourites to beat Guardiola’s City — and that is exactly why the visitors will be relishing this match. More

RUBEN AMORIM has adapted his coaching methods to get Manchester United players to learn his system quickly.The new boss has so far overseen a 1-1 draw with Ipswich and a 3-2 victory over Bodo/Glimt.Ruben Amorim has revealed he has had to tweak his coaching methodsCredit: GettyHe has been doing walkthroughs with his playersCredit: GettyBut he has little time on the training pitch to break down the games as the fixtures come thick and fast, with seven Premier League matches and two cup ties in December.The schedule is squeezing the ex-Sporting manager’s chance to work with his new players and he has resorted to a new approach to get his 3-4-3 style across.Amorim said: “I was a football player. Football players, videos more than 12 minutes? Forget. Because they lose the concentration.”So, we have to work on… imagine there’s an indoor stadium. We have that.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL”Instead of video, we do it like walking and jogging. It’s a way to do it and showing some videos.”Then we have all the staff. For example, Carlos Fernandes (assistant) is with the strikers.”They will show individual moments, so we will try to cope with that.”Everybody has a job in the staff, and they are more important maybe than me.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS”So, that’s it. Trying to see the game, what is missing. “They are very good players, they need to believe and we will show individual stuff, team stuff and work. Ruben Amorim bizarrely SLAPS Man Utd stars in training as fans joke ‘I hope Luke Shaw doesn’t get injured'”If you cannot run, you can jog and make the same exercise.”Ahead of facing Everton on Sunday, Amorim said: “Win. I am hoping to win.”It’s going to be a different match with a lot of fighting, long balls, second balls. “They have a quality coach that understands the league, that understands the moment of the opponent.”We need to have the ball because we have a short time to recover.”We need to rotate the team, so I hope for a win and I hope to see different things in my team.”Improve like we did from Ipswich to now, with Everton without training. But I expect to see different things and better things.”Man Utd ratings vs Bodo/Glimt More

RUUD VAN NISTELROOY has been confirmed as Leicester’s new manager.The Dutchman, 48, has made a quick return to management after working as Manchester United’s caretaker boss following Erik ten Hag’s dismissal.Ruud van Nistelrooy has been confirmed as Leicester’s new managerCredit: GettyHe will be in the stands as the Foxes take on Brentford tomorrow and his first in the dugout will be against West HamCredit: GettySteve Cooper was sacked by the Foxes after Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to ChelseaCredit: PAVan Nistelrooy succeeds Steve Cooper as Foxes manager, after the former Nottingham Forest boss received the axe following a 2-1 defeat to Chelsea.The Dutchman is set to be in the stands for their game against Brentford tomorrow, meaning his first match in charge will be against West Ham on Tuesday. On his Leicester arrival, Van Nistelrooy said: “I’m proud, I’m excited. Everybody that I speak to about Leicester City Football Club is enthusiastic. “They have great stories about the quality of the people working at the club, the supporters and, of course, the recent history of the club is impressive. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL”I’m excited to start and to get to know everyone and give everything I can for the football club.”Van Nistelrooy also revealed he spoke to ex-Foxes-turned-Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca about taking the job, who was his team-mate at Malaga. He revealed: “When the interest came, the first one I called was Enzo. He was so positive about it. He absolutely loved his time. “When you hear these things, it’s a club you want to be a part of. Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSVan Nistelrooy’s controversial appointmentBy Neil Custis, Football writerRUUD VAN NISTELROOY walking into the Leicester job must have managers further down the leagues tearing their hair out.This week at the Northwest Football Awards, for example, Dave Challinor of Stockport was named manager of the year ahead of Pep Guardiola.Now that may be because organisers felt he would probably turn up to get his gong, unlike Guardiola.Still, two promotions in 2½ years to lift the area’s poor relation from the National League to League One — where they sit fourth — is incredible.Yet that and a managerial background at Colwyn Bay, AFC Fylde and Hartlepool would sadly never put him on a Premier League club’s radar.Van Nistelrooy was on that radar at the Foxes in the summer after one season managing at PSV Eindhoven before they went for Steve Cooper.Now after a further four games as interim Manchester United boss and he is in at the King Power and Cooper is out.Big names excite fans and Van Nistelrooy has one, literally.But he also comes with a red flag or two…”Obviously, with the interest coming, I phoned him and I asked him more detailed questions about the Club, the structures, the people that work there, the squad, the stadium, the fans, the town, the surroundings… it was a fantastic conversation. “It’s always a pleasure to talk to him.”Leicester stars party in nightclub next to ‘Enzo I miss you’ sign hours after Chelsea loss on night before Cooper sackedChairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha added: “It is my pleasure to welcome Ruud to Leicester City. “He joins a Club with a rich history, passionate supporters, and a talented squad, and we are all excited to see the impact he can have as we embark on this new chapter together. “Ruud’s experience, knowledge, and winning mentality will undoubtedly bring great value to us, and we look forward to supporting him in achieving success for our fans and our club.”I have to say, when the interest came, the first one I called was Enzo. He was so positive about it. He absolutely loved his time.Van Nistelrooy on speaking to Maresca before taking the jobDuring his spell as Man Utd caretaker, Van Nistelrooy twice beat Cooper’s Leciester.They met in the Carabao Cup on October 30, with the Red Devils running out 5-2 winners.And he beat Leicester again 3-0 just 11 days later in the Premier League.Cooper won just two of his 12 Prem encounters at the Leicester helm, having succeeded Enzo Maresca in the summer, who guided the club to the Championship title last term.The players seemingly miss their old boss as they were spotted partying next to a sign that read “Enzo I miss u” during their Christmas party.Just hours after the loss to Chelsea, the squad jetted off to their festive Copenhagen bash signed off by Cooper, unaware he was about to be axed.According to The Telegraph, Cooper fell out with Jannik Vestergaard, Harry Winks and Hamza Choudhury during his ill-fated 157-day stint in charge at the King Power, with the former even being banished from training at one stageThe Foxes are 16th in the Prem table, a point above the relegation zone.Prior to joining Ten Hag’s Old Trafford coaching staff, the former Man Utd and Real Madrid striker managed PSV Eindhoven.He won 33 of his 51 games in charge, winning the KNVB Cup in 2023.Van Nistelrooy stepped down a week before the end of that season, citing a lack of support from above.READ MORE SUN STORIESFollowing Cooper’s sacking, Leicester were linked with Graham Potter and David Moyes.But club chiefs quickly settled upon Van Nistelrooy as their main target and have now got their man.Van Nistelrooy on joining Leicester “I’m proud, I’m excited. Everybody that I speak to about Leicester City Football Club is enthusiastic.”They have great stories about the quality of the people working at the club, the supporters and, of course, the recent history of the club is impressive. “I’m excited to start and to get to know everyone and give everything I can for the football club.“Everybody that I speak to about Leicester City Football Club is enthusiastic, has great stories about the quality of the people working at the Club, the supporters, also of course, the recent history of the Club is impressive. “I’m dead excited to start and to get to know everyone and give everything I can for the Football Club.“It’s also something I hear a lot about. I can’t wait to find that out, to be part of the Club, in a manager role, which is a big responsibility. I take it very seriously. “Also, getting to know everybody, the community and the supporters, I can only imagine what it means to them. I want to feel it.”I want to get started and get to know everybody and take time to invest in the relationship with all the other departments and community of the Football Club. That can make us a really strong movement to go forward and get results.“Of course, when you’re in football a long time, you know so many people and that’s why I said about the stories about the Club and its people and its supporters. That’s always positive. “It’s a stable club, you can see within the leadership structures that it’s all good and organised and with an idea. “Also, the squad, of course, is exciting with young emerging talents, also experienced players… a good mixture. I can’t wait to get on the pitch and start with them.”There are two players in every position of good quality. There’s young, emerging talents, with very experienced players and, obviously, the captain, Jamie Vardy, has the most experience and the character. He’s the face of the Football Club. As a former striker, I can’t wait to work together with him as well.“A lot of principles and structures that I see, on the ball and off the ball, are structures that I use a lot myself as the PSV manager and at United. “Not all of them, of course, but many of them. The way Leicester City played under [Enzo] Maresca, winning the Championship and going into the Premier League, I see also that line continuing in those structures and the idea of playing.”I have to say, when the interest came, the first one I called was Enzo. He was so positive about it. He absolutely loved his time. When you hear these things, it’s a club you want to be a part of. “Obviously, with the interest coming, I phoned him and I asked him more detailed questions about the Club, the structures, the people that work there, the squad, the stadium, the fans, the town, the surroundings… it was a fantastic conversation. It’s always a pleasure to talk to him.” More

A DEAD rat was seen at Old Trafford during Manchester United’s clash with Bodo/Glimt last night, a fan on social media has claimed.The Red Devils hosted the Norwegian side in what was new boss Ruben Amorim’s first home game in charge.A supporter posted this image from Old TraffordCredit: X / @Connor_LomasClub chiefs have recently received a backlash from fans after it was confirmed that ticket prices would be rising to a minimum of £66 for members, regardless of age.And during last night’s match, a social media user claimed that a “dead animal” had appeared beneath their seat.Man Utd have endured several instances of rain water getting through the Old Trafford roof during recent seasons.The social media user, named Connor Lomas, last night posted a picture that appeared to be taken of beneath his seat.READ MORE ON MAN UTDIt showed a soaking wet floor, with what appeared to be a dead rat lying there.Tagging several fan accounts, Lomas posted: “#mufc will let anyone in Old Trafford for £66, including dead animals apparently. Block N3401.”The image has been viewed more than 300,000 times on social media.A Man Utd spokesman acknowledged the picture when SunSport went to the club for comment.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSThe club stress they undergo regular pest control inspections but the stadium’s location next to a railway and canal, as well as the cold weather, can drive pests into buildings. A mouse was also seen on the pitch during last night’s game.Inside Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s plans to replace Old Trafford with a ‘Wembley of the North’Since purchasing a minority stake in the club earlier this year, Ineos chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe has begun the process of improving the Red Devils’ home.It is currently being explored whether the club would be better off upgrading Old Trafford at significant cost, or building a new stadium from scratch.Man Utd chiefs have polled supporters over which option they would prefer.Of the 50,000 polled, 52 per cent claimed to be open to a new build, with 31 per cent favouring an Old Trafford redevelopment and 17 per cent unsure.A decision over the project, which could cost up to £2billion, is expected to be made in early 2025.A mouse was seen on the pitch at Old Trafford last nightCredit: GettyOld Trafford has had several flooding incidents in recent yearsCredit: PAThe roof at Old Trafford has struggled with containing heavy rainfallCredit: Getty More