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Football legend Diego Maradona was in Kolkata for a three-day visit that began on Sunday.

Scores of fans were gathered outside the airport to get a glimpse of their favourite star footballer when he reached Kolkata two days back.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/SGanguly99?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SGanguly99</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DiegoAMaradona?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DiegoAMaradona</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/vikrantgupta73?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@vikrantgupta73</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aajtak?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@aajtak</a> Few precious moment of tday. The Prince of football with the Prince of cricket.???? <a href="https://t.co/dVMIT3oL85">pic.twitter.com/dVMIT3oL85</a>
&mdash; SAMRAT MUKHERJEE (@prince3091) <a href="https://twitter.com/prince3091/status/940554056455544833?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Maradona unveiled a 12-foot statue of himself in Kolkata and was also expected to play a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/diego-maradona-and-sourav-ganguly-take-part-in-a-charity-football-match-in-west-bengals-kolkata-7316" target="_blank">charity football match</a> with former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly.&nbsp;

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Diego Maradona unveils are rather unflattering bronze statue of himself holding a massive World Cup trophy &amp; a massive head of hair, in Kolkata, India <a href="https://twitter.com/PAImages?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PAImages</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Maradona?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Maradona</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/soccer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#soccer</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/funny?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#funny</a> <a href="https://t.co/Y4KopbhSW7">pic.twitter.com/Y4KopbhSW7</a>
&mdash; Richard Holt (@Richard_Holt69) <a href="https://twitter.com/Richard_Holt69/status/940561540767518720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
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While many marvelled at the sight of the humungous statue put up in honour of the Argentine legend, social media -- like always -- had a different chord to strum.

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Diego Maradona is in India &amp; a statue of him was unveiled at a charity event in Kolkata. 
Good to see the chap that did the Ronaldo one is still in business <a href="https://t.co/p5IDzgfExw">pic.twitter.com/p5IDzgfExw</a>
&mdash; Peter Coates (@golazoargentino) <a href="https://twitter.com/golazoargentino/status/940350184453746688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Twitter cracked up saying that the statue looked nothing like Maradona.&nbsp;

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One of these is a statue of Diego Maradona. <a href="https://t.co/4KqgUGPjD8">pic.twitter.com/4KqgUGPjD8</a>
&mdash; Steve Darrah ?????? (@Darrah88) <a href="https://twitter.com/Darrah88/status/940349826478280705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The sculptor who did the new Diego Maradona statue mixed up his Scottish icons <a href="https://t.co/hc5lhkJqDD">pic.twitter.com/hc5lhkJqDD</a>
&mdash; McBookie (@McBookie) <a href="https://twitter.com/McBookie/status/940321606450270208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Genuinely thought this was a statue of Roy Hodgson... 
 
...it&#39;s Diego Maradona... <a href="https://t.co/V9NAVJMdop">pic.twitter.com/V9NAVJMdop</a>
&mdash; The Sack Race (@thesackrace) <a href="https://twitter.com/thesackrace/status/940507452428247040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Earlier this year, Cristiano Ronaldo&#39;s rather bizarre statue unveiled in Portugal raked in similar reactions.&nbsp;

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How about statues of the same guys, but done by the guy who did that stroke-faced Cristiano Ronaldo statue in Portugal. <a href="https://t.co/gqI5bzOuOC">pic.twitter.com/gqI5bzOuOC</a>
&mdash; Dave O&#39;Connell (@bethenikki) <a href="https://twitter.com/bethenikki/status/899621827496071169?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Maradona&#39;s trip was originally scheduled to take place in October but was postponed to December.

This is the second visit by the footballer in the city. He last visited Kolkata in December 2008.&nbsp;

Reportedly, the Argentine legend on Tuesday skipped the much-hyped &#39;Diego versus Dada&#39; exhibition match, leaving cricket icon Sourav Ganguly disappointed.

&quot;It would have been great to have played with him but he could not play,&quot; Ganguly said after featuring in the seven-a-side exhibition match.

(With inputs from PTI)

&nbsp;

The Twitterati thought it didn't look like him

Football legend Diego Maradona was in Kolkata for a three-day visit that began on Sunday. Scores of fans were gathered outside the airport to get a glimpse of their favourite star footballer when he reached Kolkata two days back. @SGanguly99 @DiegoAMaradona @vikrantgupta73 @aajtak Few precious moment of tday. The Prince of football with the Prince of cricket.???? pic.twitter.com/dVMIT3oL85 — SAMRAT MUKHERJEE (@prince3091) December 12, 2017 × Maradona unveiled a 12-foot statue of himself in Kolkata and was also expected to play a charity football match with former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly. Diego Maradona unveils are rather unflattering bronze statue of himself holding a massive World Cup trophy & a massive head of hair, in Kolkata, India @PAImages #Maradona #soccer #funny pic.twitter.com/Y4KopbhSW7 — Richard Holt (@Richard_Holt69) December 12, 2017 × While many marvelled at the sight of the humungous statue put up in honour of the Argentine legend, social media -- like always -- had a different chord to strum. Diego Maradona is in India & a statue of him was unveiled at a charity event in Kolkata. Good to see the chap that did the Ronaldo one is still in business pic.twitter.com/p5IDzgfExw — Peter Coates (@golazoargentino) December 11, 2017 × Twitter cracked up saying that the statue looked nothing like Maradona. One of these is a statue of Diego Maradona. pic.twitter.com/4KqgUGPjD8 — Steve Darrah ?????? (@Darrah88) December 11, 2017 × The sculptor who did the new Diego Maradona statue mixed up his Scottish icons pic.twitter.com/hc5lhkJqDD — McBookie (@McBookie) December 11, 2017 × Genuinely thought this was a statue of Roy Hodgson... ...it's Diego Maradona... pic.twitter.com/V9NAVJMdop — The Sack Race (@thesackrace) December 12, 2017 × Earlier this year, Cristiano Ronaldo's rather bizarre statue unveiled in Portugal raked in similar reactions. How about statues of the same guys, but done by the guy who did that stroke-faced Cristiano Ronaldo statue in Portugal. pic.twitter.com/gqI5bzOuOC — Dave O'Connell (@bethenikki) August 21, 2017 × Maradona's trip was originally scheduled to take place in October but was postponed to December. This is the second visit by the footballer in the city. He last visited Kolkata in December 2008. Reportedly, the Argentine legend on Tuesday skipped the much-hyped 'Diego versus Dada' exhibition match, leaving cricket icon Sourav Ganguly disappointed. "It would have been great to have played with him but he could not play," Ganguly said after featuring in the seven-a-side exhibition match. (With inputs from PTI)

Twitter cracks up over 'bizarre' Maradona statue in Kolkata

Cristiano Ronaldo&#39;s Real Madrid will continue their bid for a first European Cup treble in 40 years against Neymar&#39;s Paris Saint-Germain after the big-spending duo were on Monday drawn together in a mouth-watering Champions League last 16 clash.

No club has won the European title three years running since Bayern Munich in the mid-1970s, underlining how big an achievement it would be if Madrid -- 12 times winners overall -- won the trophy again in the final in Kiev in May.

They know exactly what it takes to be European champions, and in Ronaldo have the most prolific goal-scorer in the competition&#39;s history.

Emilio Butragueno, a Real director, and former striker, regretted that one of the favourites would be eliminated so soon in the competition.

&quot;For the potential of the two teams, luck has worked out this way and one of the two teams will be out at the last 16 stage, which we think is a bit soon taking into account they are two of the contenders for the title,&quot; Butragueno told BeIN Sports Spain.

PSG made waves in the transfer market in the close season when they signed Brazilian star Neymar for a world-record 222 million euros ($261.5 million), followed closely by great French hope Kylian Mbappe, who will cost 180m euros when his loan deal becomes permanent next summer.

&quot;Every summer they have signed great players, they get stronger all the time and they have had a nearly impeccable group stage,&quot; acknowledged Butragueno.

&quot;With Neymar and Mbappe they have improved a lot up front, they are a very dangerous team who will demand the best of us. We need to face both games like finals and for the fans it will be a thrilling tie.

&quot;Mbappe and Neymar are very dangerous. We need to play at our best, but we can&#39;t forget this team has won the Champions League twice, we hope to have all the injured players back and the key is who has the luck over two games.&quot;

&#39;Big tie of the round&#39;&nbsp;

Butragueno added: &quot;Of course it is the big tie of the round. Chelsea-Barca is important too, but I think for the players that will be on show, it is the most attractive of all the ties.&quot;

PSG ambassador Maxwell said the Real tie threw up the chance for the Parisian club to atone for their 6-1 hammering by Barcelona that eliminated them in the last 16 last season.

&quot;It&#39;s a good draw, with two good games to play,&quot; Maxwell said. &quot;Our fans will like it after we were knocked out by Barcelona last season.

&quot;It will be nice. It&#39;s a beautiful challenge for the club. I think we&#39;re ready for that.&quot;

While Real&#39;s La Liga rivals Barcelona were drawn against Chelsea, English Premier League leaders Manchester City play Basel, who have had some fine results against English sides in recent years.

Five-time winners and current Bundesliga table toppers Bayern Munich drew Turkish giants Besiktas, while last year&#39;s beaten finalists Juventus take on Tottenham.

Bayern&#39;s director of sport Hasan Salihamidzic said the Germans would not be underestimating Besiktas, who should enjoy some raucous support from the city&#39;s Turkish community.

&quot;We know how strong they are after we followed their games against Leipzig. It will be a difficult task, but we are looking forward to the unusual atmosphere in their stadium,&quot; he said.

&quot;One always says that it is a disadvantage to play at home in the first-leg, which is right - it certainly won&#39;t be an advantage - but we are strong enough to accept that and we will give our all.&quot;

With a record five English clubs in the draw, three-time champions Manchester United face Sevilla and Liverpool, five-time winners, will be up against two-time former champions Porto.

Unfancied Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk will play Roma.

First legs will be played on February 13/14 and 20/21, with second legs on March 6/7 and 13/14.

Cristiano Ronaldo's Real Madrid will continue their bid for a first European Cup treble in 40 years against Neymar's Paris Saint-Germain after the big-spending duo were on Monday drawn together in a mouth-watering Champions League last 16 clash. No club has won the European title three years running since Bayern Munich in the mid-1970s, underlining how big an achievement it would be if Madrid -- 12 times winners overall -- won the trophy again in the final in Kiev in May. They know exactly what it takes to be European champions, and in Ronaldo have the most prolific goal-scorer in the competition's history. Emilio Butragueno, a Real director, and former striker, regretted that one of the favourites would be eliminated so soon in the competition. "For the potential of the two teams, luck has worked out this way and one of the two teams will be out at the last 16 stage, which we think is a bit soon taking into account they are two of the contenders for the title," Butragueno told BeIN Sports Spain. PSG made waves in the transfer market in the close season when they signed Brazilian star Neymar for a world-record 222 million euros ($261.5 million), followed closely by great French hope Kylian Mbappe, who will cost 180m euros when his loan deal becomes permanent next summer. "Every summer they have signed great players, they get stronger all the time and they have had a nearly impeccable group stage," acknowledged Butragueno. "With Neymar and Mbappe they have improved a lot up front, they are a very dangerous team who will demand the best of us. We need to face both games like finals and for the fans it will be a thrilling tie. "Mbappe and Neymar are very dangerous. We need to play at our best, but we can't forget this team has won the Champions League twice, we hope to have all the injured players back and the key is who has the luck over two games." 'Big tie of the round' Butragueno added: "Of course it is the big tie of the round. Chelsea-Barca is important too, but I think for the players that will be on show, it is the most attractive of all the ties." PSG ambassador Maxwell said the Real tie threw up the chance for the Parisian club to atone for their 6-1 hammering by Barcelona that eliminated them in the last 16 last season. "It's a good draw, with two good games to play," Maxwell said. "Our fans will like it after we were knocked out by Barcelona last season. "It will be nice. It's a beautiful challenge for the club. I think we're ready for that." While Real's La Liga rivals Barcelona were drawn against Chelsea, English Premier League leaders Manchester City play Basel, who have had some fine results against English sides in recent years. Five-time winners and current Bundesliga table toppers Bayern Munich drew Turkish giants Besiktas, while last year's beaten finalists Juventus take on Tottenham. Bayern's director of sport Hasan Salihamidzic said the Germans would not be underestimating Besiktas, who should enjoy some raucous support from the city's Turkish community. "We know how strong they are after we followed their games against Leipzig. It will be a difficult task, but we are looking forward to the unusual atmosphere in their stadium," he said. "One always says that it is a disadvantage to play at home in the first-leg, which is right - it certainly won't be an advantage - but we are strong enough to accept that and we will give our all." With a record five English clubs in the draw, three-time champions Manchester United face Sevilla and Liverpool, five-time winners, will be up against two-time former champions Porto. Unfancied Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk will play Roma. First legs will be played on February 13/14 and 20/21, with second legs on March 6/7 and 13/14.

Ronaldo vs Neymar as Real draw PSG in Champions League

Antonio Conte says Chelsea are battling to secure their Champions League future and warned of a &quot;bad surprise&quot; after weekend results left them 14 points behind Premier League leaders Manchester City.

After a fourth loss in 16 games against West Ham on Saturday, the Chelsea boss thinks a title challenge is now all but over and spoke of a revised target ahead of Tuesday&#39;s Premier League clash at Huddersfield.

&quot;I like to win,&quot; said Conte. &quot;When we lose I&#39;m not happy. In 16 games we lost four games. My experience tells (me) it&#39;s impossible to win the title.&quot;

&quot;Now we must be focused in the league to go game by game, to do our best. This league is not simple. We have to fight to find a place in the Champions League.&quot;

But securing a Champions League berth will not be easy, with six big Premier League clubs all chasing four spots.

Conte&#39;s focus is on the immediate future and not the Champions League last-16 tie with Barcelona.

He has continually bemoaned a lack of transfer activity last summer, when he watched rivals City and Manchester United strengthen their squads.

But the Italian is seeking an immediate response and is not relying on new recruits in January&#39;s winter transfer window to improve Chelsea&#39;s fortunes.

Midfielder Danny Drinkwater missed the West Ham loss through illness, while defender David Luiz is being monitored over his knee injury.

Conte is likely to make changes for the trip to Huddersfield. Midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko was substituted at half-time at the London Stadium and striker Alvaro Morata was replaced 10 minutes into the second half and both could be in need of a rest.

And Conte, who repeated his Chelsea side are rebuilding after the departures of the likes of John Terry and Frank Lampard in recent seasons, says it is important the summer arrivals are given time to bed in.

Chelsea are currently third in the league, 14 points behind leaders Manchester City

Antonio Conte says Chelsea are battling to secure their Champions League future and warned of a "bad surprise" after weekend results left them 14 points behind Premier League leaders Manchester City. After a fourth loss in 16 games against West Ham on Saturday, the Chelsea boss thinks a title challenge is now all but over and spoke of a revised target ahead of Tuesday's Premier League clash at Huddersfield. "I like to win," said Conte. "When we lose I'm not happy. In 16 games we lost four games. My experience tells (me) it's impossible to win the title." "Now we must be focused in the league to go game by game, to do our best. This league is not simple. We have to fight to find a place in the Champions League." But securing a Champions League berth will not be easy, with six big Premier League clubs all chasing four spots. Conte's focus is on the immediate future and not the Champions League last-16 tie with Barcelona. He has continually bemoaned a lack of transfer activity last summer, when he watched rivals City and Manchester United strengthen their squads. But the Italian is seeking an immediate response and is not relying on new recruits in January's winter transfer window to improve Chelsea's fortunes. Midfielder Danny Drinkwater missed the West Ham loss through illness, while defender David Luiz is being monitored over his knee injury. Conte is likely to make changes for the trip to Huddersfield. Midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko was substituted at half-time at the London Stadium and striker Alvaro Morata was replaced 10 minutes into the second half and both could be in need of a rest. And Conte, who repeated his Chelsea side are rebuilding after the departures of the likes of John Terry and Frank Lampard in recent seasons, says it is important the summer arrivals are given time to bed in.

Chelsea battling for Champions League future: Conte

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola took a big step towards his first title in the English football with a 2-1 derby victory over arch-rival Manchester United on Sunday which sent his team 11 points clear at the top of the P remier League.

Guardiola, who won three Spanish league titles and two Champions League crowns during his time with Barcelona and then won three Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich, had faced criticism about whether his trademark possession style would work in the premier league.&nbsp;

City finished 15 points behind Chelsea in third place last season but it will take a major collapse for them to not win this season&#39;s championship.

The Spaniard also responded to comments from his United counterpart Jose Mourinho who had blamed the referee&#39;s failure to give his team a penalty for the loss.

&quot;We tried to keep playing and we came here like we were in Stamford Bridge and all the games since I came here to try to win, to make our job, and I&#39;m so happy that people say in England you cannot play in that way in England, in England you can play in that way as well,&quot; Guardiola said

&quot;Through the passes, we created the chances, it&#39;s not easy to create chances at United because they are so tough defensively but we created enough, the people say an amazing save from Ederson, that&#39;s true, it was amazing. But I think (David) De Gea had more saves, much much more than Ederson. Those statistics were better, the way we played was better so that&#39;s why it&#39;s well-done guys, well done,&quot; he added.

Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho, Manchester United manager, said that he expected City to score two great goals. Not disgraceful goals.

&quot;I think when you see Manchester City play you expect Manchester City to score great goals, not to score two disgraceful goals (they) are the last goals that you would expect to concede against a quality team like Manchester City. Two very bad goals in one corner and one free kick with rebounds and incredibly lucky or unlucky depending on the perspective, so yes they had much more of the ball, yes they had that apparent control of the game with the ball, but the biggest save of the game is the double save by their goalkeeper and the big decision of the game is the unlucky (penalty) decision of (referee) Michael (Oliver), &quot; said Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho.&nbsp;

City finished 15 points behind Chelsea in third place last season but it will take a major collapse for them to not win this season's championship.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola took a big step towards his first title in the English football with a 2-1 derby victory over arch-rival Manchester United on Sunday which sent his team 11 points clear at the top of the P remier League. Guardiola, who won three Spanish league titles and two Champions League crowns during his time with Barcelona and then won three Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich, had faced criticism about whether his trademark possession style would work in the premier league. City finished 15 points behind Chelsea in third place last season but it will take a major collapse for them to not win this season's championship. The Spaniard also responded to comments from his United counterpart Jose Mourinho who had blamed the referee's failure to give his team a penalty for the loss. "We tried to keep playing and we came here like we were in Stamford Bridge and all the games since I came here to try to win, to make our job, and I'm so happy that people say in England you cannot play in that way in England, in England you can play in that way as well," Guardiola said "Through the passes, we created the chances, it's not easy to create chances at United because they are so tough defensively but we created enough, the people say an amazing save from Ederson, that's true, it was amazing. But I think (David) De Gea had more saves, much much more than Ederson. Those statistics were better, the way we played was better so that's why it's well-done guys, well done," he added. Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho, Manchester United manager, said that he expected City to score two great goals. Not disgraceful goals. "I think when you see Manchester City play you expect Manchester City to score great goals, not to score two disgraceful goals (they) are the last goals that you would expect to concede against a quality team like Manchester City. Two very bad goals in one corner and one free kick with rebounds and incredibly lucky or unlucky depending on the perspective, so yes they had much more of the ball, yes they had that apparent control of the game with the ball, but the biggest save of the game is the double save by their goalkeeper and the big decision of the game is the unlucky (penalty) decision of (referee) Michael (Oliver), " said Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho.

Pep Guardiola takes big step towards first title in EPL with 2-1 derby victory

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola&#39;s commitment to possession football is well established but ahead of Sunday&#39;s derby clash with Manchester United, the former Barcelona coach revealed he had once doubted his philosophy - but only for 48 hours.

The Spaniard&#39;s zeal for passing and possession with intelligent use of space is almost ideological but he said that early in his career he had questioned if it was the right way.

Guardiola began his coaching career in 2007 with Barcelona&#39;s B team, who played in the lower divisions of the Spanish league and it was there that his commitment to &#39;total football&#39; was tested.

&quot;Yes I had doubts a little bit in the beginning,&quot; he told reporters.

&quot;I remember the first three games, I won, I draw and I lost, we played in the fourth division on artificial pitches, and they were so small. On the Monday I thought I have to change it because we cannot play (on those pitches),&quot; he said.

&quot;Arrived Tuesday and I said we have to change because the pitch is so small. But arrived Wednesday and I said &lsquo;no, I am not going to change&rsquo; because the alternative to playing the way I believe didn&rsquo;t convince me,&quot; said Guardiola.

The decision to stick by his principles paid off for the Spaniard.

&quot;It was so good because at the end of the season, we were champions and promoted and at that moment I said - if we were able to win quite good and play quite good football, if you can do that on small pitch, artificial pitch, then I can do that at a higher level with better pitches, better players,&quot; he said with a grin.

Guardiola&#39;s almost dogmatic belief in the &quot;right way&quot; of playing was questioned last season as City struggled to adjust to the former Barca and Bayern Munich coach&#39;s demands.

Early days

But with City heading into the derby unbeaten in the Premier League and with an eight-point lead over United, Guardiola was comfortable looking back on his early coaching days.

&quot;That was an important moment...I was 37 years old, never trained big players and I had to prove myself. That showed me. But at the end it depends on results.

&quot;I said many times &ndash; the manager has to do what they believe, that is the most important thing. If someone comes to me for advice or comments, always I say, do what you believe. That is the only thing that works,&quot; he said.

The Catalan said sticking to his guns was not just a wise move in terms of tactics but is an honest and authentic approach.

&quot;People who have success in many other aspects in life it is because they believe 100 percent what they do. When it doesn&rsquo;t work &ndash; of course you have to change, but always with something from inside,&quot; he said, while conceding there are multiple tactical approaches that can work in football.

&quot;Teams (have) success when the manager is convinced to do (things) 100 percent. In all the history, the 1940&rsquo;s, 50&rsquo;s, 60&rsquo;s 70&rsquo;s, (teams won) titles in many, many different ways, there is not one (pattern). That is why football is magnificent because you face teams with long balls, more defensive, more attacking, different ways and that is why it is top.&quot;

The doubt did not last very long -- only 48 hours

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola's commitment to possession football is well established but ahead of Sunday's derby clash with Manchester United, the former Barcelona coach revealed he had once doubted his philosophy - but only for 48 hours. The Spaniard's zeal for passing and possession with intelligent use of space is almost ideological but he said that early in his career he had questioned if it was the right way. Guardiola began his coaching career in 2007 with Barcelona's B team, who played in the lower divisions of the Spanish league and it was there that his commitment to 'total football' was tested. "Yes I had doubts a little bit in the beginning," he told reporters. "I remember the first three games, I won, I draw and I lost, we played in the fourth division on artificial pitches, and they were so small. On the Monday I thought I have to change it because we cannot play (on those pitches)," he said. "Arrived Tuesday and I said we have to change because the pitch is so small. But arrived Wednesday and I said ‘no, I am not going to change’ because the alternative to playing the way I believe didn’t convince me," said Guardiola. The decision to stick by his principles paid off for the Spaniard. "It was so good because at the end of the season, we were champions and promoted and at that moment I said - if we were able to win quite good and play quite good football, if you can do that on small pitch, artificial pitch, then I can do that at a higher level with better pitches, better players," he said with a grin. Guardiola's almost dogmatic belief in the "right way" of playing was questioned last season as City struggled to adjust to the former Barca and Bayern Munich coach's demands. Early days But with City heading into the derby unbeaten in the Premier League and with an eight-point lead over United, Guardiola was comfortable looking back on his early coaching days. "That was an important moment...I was 37 years old, never trained big players and I had to prove myself. That showed me. But at the end it depends on results. "I said many times – the manager has to do what they believe, that is the most important thing. If someone comes to me for advice or comments, always I say, do what you believe. That is the only thing that works," he said. The Catalan said sticking to his guns was not just a wise move in terms of tactics but is an honest and authentic approach. "People who have success in many other aspects in life it is because they believe 100 percent what they do. When it doesn’t work – of course you have to change, but always with something from inside," he said, while conceding there are multiple tactical approaches that can work in football. "Teams (have) success when the manager is convinced to do (things) 100 percent. In all the history, the 1940’s, 50’s, 60’s 70’s, (teams won) titles in many, many different ways, there is not one (pattern). That is why football is magnificent because you face teams with long balls, more defensive, more attacking, different ways and that is why it is top."

Before Manchester derby, Guardiola says he once doubted his philosophy

Valencia kept the pressure on Liga leaders Barcelona by beating Celta Vigo 2-1 on Saturday with a late penalty from Dani Parejo and Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice for the first time in a league game this season as Real Madrid thrashed Sevilla 5-0.

Valencia were looking for a first win in three games to revive their unlikely title bid and took the lead through a header from top scorer Simone Zaza in the 28th minute, the Italian&#39;s 10th league goal of the season.

Iago Aspas stabbed in from close range in the 46th minute to equalise for Celta, who had held Barca to a 2-2 draw last weekend, but Parejo restored Valencia&#39;s lead nine minutes from time with a double stroke of fortune as his disputed penalty went through the hands of goalkeeper Ruben Blanco.

Valencia are second in the standings, moving two points behind Barcelona who have 36 and visit Villarreal on Sunday. Real go third on 31 but Atletico Madrid can go back above Zinedine Zidane&#39;s side when they visit Real Betis on Sunday.

Celta&#39;s players raged against referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero for awarding Valencia the penalty when Jose Gaya went to ground following a challenge by Pablo Hernandez.

&quot;We didn&#39;t drop points today, we had them taken off us by that person (the referee). He robbed us. I hope he doesn&#39;t officiate any more of our games,&quot; said Celta captain Hugo Mallo.

Goalscorer Aspas added: &quot;I think he must have something against Celta, in every game of ours which he has taken charge of, something has gone against us.&quot;

Valencia coach Marcelino, who was back in the dugout following a two-game touchline ban, said: &quot;It was a really exciting game. The result is fair because we scored two legal goals but Celta played very well and if they&#39;d drawn we wouldn&#39;t have been able to complain.&quot;

In Madrid, Real overcame a selection crisis in defence to crush Sevilla with a lethal attacking display, scoring all their goals before halftime.

Real were without Raphael Varane, captain Sergio Ramos, Dani Carvajal and holding midfielder Casemiro but got off to an ideal start when Nacho Fernandez cashed in on a woeful attempted clearance following a corner to score in the third minute.

Ronaldo, who had paraded his joint-record five Ballon d&#39;Or trophies on the Santiago Bernabeu pitch before kick-off, side-footed home a through ball from Marco Asensio to score the second before thumping in the third from the penalty spot.

Toni Kroos scored the most impressive goal of the game by charging forward from his own half and playing a wall pass with Lucas Vazquez before stroking the ball beyond Rico, while 18-year-old Achraf Hakimi notched his first goal for Real to complete another lethal breakaway.

Real coach Zidane was delighted with his side&#39;s performance, especially after last week&#39;s goalless draw at Athletic Bilbao.

&quot;It has been a great day for us, above all because we won and scored a lot and we hadn&#39;t done that much so far this season. It was a very complete game for us and that means a lot to me,&quot; the Frenchman told a news conference.

&quot;We&#39;re growing in every sense and playing better. When you play better you create more chances, we created a lot today and scored five times, for the first time this season (in the league).&quot;

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice for the first time in a league game this season as Real Madrid thrashed Sevilla 5-0.

Valencia kept the pressure on Liga leaders Barcelona by beating Celta Vigo 2-1 on Saturday with a late penalty from Dani Parejo and Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice for the first time in a league game this season as Real Madrid thrashed Sevilla 5-0. Valencia were looking for a first win in three games to revive their unlikely title bid and took the lead through a header from top scorer Simone Zaza in the 28th minute, the Italian's 10th league goal of the season. Iago Aspas stabbed in from close range in the 46th minute to equalise for Celta, who had held Barca to a 2-2 draw last weekend, but Parejo restored Valencia's lead nine minutes from time with a double stroke of fortune as his disputed penalty went through the hands of goalkeeper Ruben Blanco. Valencia are second in the standings, moving two points behind Barcelona who have 36 and visit Villarreal on Sunday. Real go third on 31 but Atletico Madrid can go back above Zinedine Zidane's side when they visit Real Betis on Sunday. Celta's players raged against referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero for awarding Valencia the penalty when Jose Gaya went to ground following a challenge by Pablo Hernandez. "We didn't drop points today, we had them taken off us by that person (the referee). He robbed us. I hope he doesn't officiate any more of our games," said Celta captain Hugo Mallo. Goalscorer Aspas added: "I think he must have something against Celta, in every game of ours which he has taken charge of, something has gone against us." Valencia coach Marcelino, who was back in the dugout following a two-game touchline ban, said: "It was a really exciting game. The result is fair because we scored two legal goals but Celta played very well and if they'd drawn we wouldn't have been able to complain." In Madrid, Real overcame a selection crisis in defence to crush Sevilla with a lethal attacking display, scoring all their goals before halftime. Real were without Raphael Varane, captain Sergio Ramos, Dani Carvajal and holding midfielder Casemiro but got off to an ideal start when Nacho Fernandez cashed in on a woeful attempted clearance following a corner to score in the third minute. Ronaldo, who had paraded his joint-record five Ballon d'Or trophies on the Santiago Bernabeu pitch before kick-off, side-footed home a through ball from Marco Asensio to score the second before thumping in the third from the penalty spot. Toni Kroos scored the most impressive goal of the game by charging forward from his own half and playing a wall pass with Lucas Vazquez before stroking the ball beyond Rico, while 18-year-old Achraf Hakimi notched his first goal for Real to complete another lethal breakaway. Real coach Zidane was delighted with his side's performance, especially after last week's goalless draw at Athletic Bilbao. "It has been a great day for us, above all because we won and scored a lot and we hadn't done that much so far this season. It was a very complete game for us and that means a lot to me," the Frenchman told a news conference. "We're growing in every sense and playing better. When you play better you create more chances, we created a lot today and scored five times, for the first time this season (in the league)."

Football: Ronaldo at the double for Real, Valencia edge out Celta

Paris St Germain shrugged off two consecutive defeats to beat Lille 3-1 in Ligue 1 on Saturday and open a 12-point lead at the top of the standings.

PSG lost in their previous league match against Strasbourg last Saturday, and then came undone against Bayern Munich in the Champions League in midweek.

However, they led through Angel Di Maria&#39;s 28th-minute opener at the Parc des Princes and Javier Pastore doubled their advantage four minutes after the break. Anwar El Ghazi pulled one back for Lille before Kylian Mbappe struck in stoppage time.

Without the suspended Neymar, Mbappe was the catalyst for much of PSG&#39;s better work and it was his cross that allowed Di Maria to break the deadlock with a header.

It was PSG&#39;s only effort on goal in the first half but they added to their lead shortly after halftime when a counter-attack ended with Di Maria teeing up Pastore to score.

Lille were still a threat and El Ghazi capitalised on some mistakes in the home side&#39;s defence to score with three minutes of normal time remaining.

Mbappe sealed the victory for PSG with a lightning-fast run up the field and composed finish into an empty net after Lille goalkeeper Mike Maignan had gone up for a corner.

The result left Lille still waiting for a first victory over the capital club since 1996.

Monaco can cut the gap to nine points later on Saturday if they beat Troyes, while Olympique Lyon and Olympique Marseille can also get to within nine of the leaders on Sunday.

Without the suspended Neymar, Mbappe was the catalyst for much of PSG's better work and it was his cross that allowed Di Maria to break the deadlock with a header.

Paris St Germain shrugged off two consecutive defeats to beat Lille 3-1 in Ligue 1 on Saturday and open a 12-point lead at the top of the standings. PSG lost in their previous league match against Strasbourg last Saturday, and then came undone against Bayern Munich in the Champions League in midweek. However, they led through Angel Di Maria's 28th-minute opener at the Parc des Princes and Javier Pastore doubled their advantage four minutes after the break. Anwar El Ghazi pulled one back for Lille before Kylian Mbappe struck in stoppage time. Without the suspended Neymar, Mbappe was the catalyst for much of PSG's better work and it was his cross that allowed Di Maria to break the deadlock with a header. It was PSG's only effort on goal in the first half but they added to their lead shortly after halftime when a counter-attack ended with Di Maria teeing up Pastore to score. Lille were still a threat and El Ghazi capitalised on some mistakes in the home side's defence to score with three minutes of normal time remaining. Mbappe sealed the victory for PSG with a lightning-fast run up the field and composed finish into an empty net after Lille goalkeeper Mike Maignan had gone up for a corner. The result left Lille still waiting for a first victory over the capital club since 1996. Monaco can cut the gap to nine points later on Saturday if they beat Troyes, while Olympique Lyon and Olympique Marseille can also get to within nine of the leaders on Sunday.

Football: PSG back on track with victory over Lille

Second-half substitute Olivier Giroud rescued Arsenal with a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw at St Mary&#39;s on Sunday after Southampton had looked like holding on for all three points.

The France international, who replaced compatriot Alexandre Lacazette in the 72nd minute of a lively game, scored two minutes from fulltime with a glancing header off an Alexis Sanchez cross.

Southampton had made Arsenal sweat until then with Charlie Austin grabbing a fourth goal from his last three league starts with a third-minute shot past Petr Cech after being fed through by Dusan Tadic.

It was the 17th time Giroud has scored as a substitute for Arsenal, equalling Norwegian Ole Gunnar Solskjaer&#39;s record with Manchester United for most goals scored off the bench for a single club.

If the draw remained a lost opportunity for the Gunners, the goal at least staved off a second successive league defeat after a stinging 3-1 loss to Manchester United at the Emirates last weekend.

&quot;Last week had an influence on today&#39;s game,&quot; Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, whose side played in the Europa League on Thursday, told Sky Sports television.

&quot;They wanted to start strong but it took us time to get into the game again,&quot; added the manager, who criticised the amount of time-wasting in the match.

&quot;I think he (Giroud) has come back into a very good shape, he&#39;s shown that today again. He&#39;s mentally extremely strong as well. It&#39;s a remarkable achievement what he has done again today.&quot;

Arsenal moved up to fifth place, behind Liverpool on goal difference, but 14 adrift of leaders Manchester City who were playing Manchester United later in the day.

Southampton moved up to 10th, ahead of Huddersfield Town and Everton, who were playing the Merseyside derby at Liverpool.

&quot;We started really well, got the goal. Should have got the second really,&quot; said Austin, who had a low shot from the right well saved by Cech minutes after scoring.

&quot;Against Arsenal, you give them one chance and the big man&#39;s come on and scored. It&#39;s just one of those things...we take away a point from here but we should have taken all three.&quot;

Austin also hit the post with another effort in the eighth minute with the Arsenal defence in disarray but the linesman flagging for offside.

Arsenal worked their way back, picking up the tempo as Southampton were forced on the defensive but without giving home goalkeeper Fraser Forster much to worry about.

Southampton were still dangerous against the run of play, however, with Spanish defensive midfielder Oriol Romeu firing in a long-range shot that smacked the crossbar in the 62nd.

Arsenal took off defender Per Mertesacker shortly afterwards, bringing on Danny Welbeck to add firepower, but Southampton could still feel unlucky not to increase their advantage.

Ryan Bertrand had a golden opportunity when he shook off Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny, but lofted the ball high over Cech, while Austin saw another opportunity trickle past the post.

Giroud came on as a second-half substitute, the equaliser came late

Second-half substitute Olivier Giroud rescued Arsenal with a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw at St Mary's on Sunday after Southampton had looked like holding on for all three points. The France international, who replaced compatriot Alexandre Lacazette in the 72nd minute of a lively game, scored two minutes from fulltime with a glancing header off an Alexis Sanchez cross. Southampton had made Arsenal sweat until then with Charlie Austin grabbing a fourth goal from his last three league starts with a third-minute shot past Petr Cech after being fed through by Dusan Tadic. It was the 17th time Giroud has scored as a substitute for Arsenal, equalling Norwegian Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's record with Manchester United for most goals scored off the bench for a single club. If the draw remained a lost opportunity for the Gunners, the goal at least staved off a second successive league defeat after a stinging 3-1 loss to Manchester United at the Emirates last weekend. "Last week had an influence on today's game," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, whose side played in the Europa League on Thursday, told Sky Sports television. "They wanted to start strong but it took us time to get into the game again," added the manager, who criticised the amount of time-wasting in the match. "I think he (Giroud) has come back into a very good shape, he's shown that today again. He's mentally extremely strong as well. It's a remarkable achievement what he has done again today." Arsenal moved up to fifth place, behind Liverpool on goal difference, but 14 adrift of leaders Manchester City who were playing Manchester United later in the day. Southampton moved up to 10th, ahead of Huddersfield Town and Everton, who were playing the Merseyside derby at Liverpool. "We started really well, got the goal. Should have got the second really," said Austin, who had a low shot from the right well saved by Cech minutes after scoring. "Against Arsenal, you give them one chance and the big man's come on and scored. It's just one of those things...we take away a point from here but we should have taken all three." Austin also hit the post with another effort in the eighth minute with the Arsenal defence in disarray but the linesman flagging for offside. Arsenal worked their way back, picking up the tempo as Southampton were forced on the defensive but without giving home goalkeeper Fraser Forster much to worry about. Southampton were still dangerous against the run of play, however, with Spanish defensive midfielder Oriol Romeu firing in a long-range shot that smacked the crossbar in the 62nd. Arsenal took off defender Per Mertesacker shortly afterwards, bringing on Danny Welbeck to add firepower, but Southampton could still feel unlucky not to increase their advantage. Ryan Bertrand had a golden opportunity when he shook off Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny, but lofted the ball high over Cech, while Austin saw another opportunity trickle past the post.

Giroud to the rescue as Arsenal draw 1-1 at Southampton

Everton captain Wayne Rooney scored for the first time in a Merseyside derby on Sunday with a late penalty to take an unlikely point in a 1-1 draw against Liverpool at Anfield.

With the snow swirling, Rooney sent the 77th-minute spot kick straight down the middle after Dominic Calvert-Lewin went down following a push in the back by Croatian defender Dejan Lovren.

Mohamed Salah had earlier fired Liverpool ahead with a 42nd-minute stunner that sent the Egyptian clear of Tottenham Hotspur&#39;s England striker Harry Kane as the league&#39;s top marksman with 13 goals this season.

Liverpool stayed fourth with 30 points, 13 adrift of leaders Manchester City who were playing later at second-placed Manchester United. Chelsea are third on 32 with Sam Allardyce&#39;s Everton moving up to 10th.

With the snow swirling, Rooney sent the 77th-minute spot kick straight down the middle

Everton captain Wayne Rooney scored for the first time in a Merseyside derby on Sunday with a late penalty to take an unlikely point in a 1-1 draw against Liverpool at Anfield. With the snow swirling, Rooney sent the 77th-minute spot kick straight down the middle after Dominic Calvert-Lewin went down following a push in the back by Croatian defender Dejan Lovren. Mohamed Salah had earlier fired Liverpool ahead with a 42nd-minute stunner that sent the Egyptian clear of Tottenham Hotspur's England striker Harry Kane as the league's top marksman with 13 goals this season. Liverpool stayed fourth with 30 points, 13 adrift of leaders Manchester City who were playing later at second-placed Manchester United. Chelsea are third on 32 with Sam Allardyce's Everton moving up to 10th.

Rooney scores from the spot, Merseyside derby ends 1-1

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp sprang a surprise as he left Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino on the bench for Sunday&#39;s Merseyside derby against Everton.

Coutinho and Firmino, who have scored nine Premier League goals between them this season, were shock omissions from the starting line-up at Anfield.

In total, Klopp made six changes from Liverpool&#39;s midweek Champions League thrashing of Spartak Moscow.&nbsp;

There are rare starts for forward Dominic Solanke, midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and defender Andrew Robertson, while Jordan Henderson also returned to the team.

&quot;Dom&#39;s good enough. There are a lot of English players on the pitch today so they know about the importance of the derby, for sure,&quot; Klopp said.

&quot;Dom is a footballer from head to toe, he is all around a really proper professional.

&quot;It&#39;s a part of the season where you have to make the changes when you can make the changes.

&quot;I think all the Champions League sides, or Europa League sides, made a lot of changes in midweek.

&quot;Their games, maybe they were not as important as ours was. We had to go through a very intense game.&quot;

Coutinho and Firmino, who have scored nine Premier League goals between them this season, were shock omissions

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp sprang a surprise as he left Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino on the bench for Sunday's Merseyside derby against Everton. Coutinho and Firmino, who have scored nine Premier League goals between them this season, were shock omissions from the starting line-up at Anfield. In total, Klopp made six changes from Liverpool's midweek Champions League thrashing of Spartak Moscow. There are rare starts for forward Dominic Solanke, midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and defender Andrew Robertson, while Jordan Henderson also returned to the team. "Dom's good enough. There are a lot of English players on the pitch today so they know about the importance of the derby, for sure," Klopp said. "Dom is a footballer from head to toe, he is all around a really proper professional. "It's a part of the season where you have to make the changes when you can make the changes. "I think all the Champions League sides, or Europa League sides, made a lot of changes in midweek. "Their games, maybe they were not as important as ours was. We had to go through a very intense game."

Merseyside derby: Klopp leaves Coutinho, Firmino on the bench

Fabian Delph and Ashley Young are not two names that, at the start of this season, would have been high on many lists of key players for the Manchester derby but with the wide areas likely to be a major battleground in Sunday&#39;s Premier League clash their roles will be vital.

Delph, a midfielder throughout his career, was forced into left-wingback duty when first choice Benjamin Mendy suffered a knee ligament injury in September and the 28-year-old has handled the new position with aplomb.

Young, who has been converted to fullback duty after making his name as a winger, has made the United left-back slot his own with impressive performances this season earning him a recall to the England squad at the age of 32 after a four-year absence.

With Antonio Valencia on the right flank, United have been able to develop a counter-attacking style down the flanks, allied to their attacking wide players such as Anthony Martial.

City&#39;s formation is similar, with Kyle Walker advancing with pace down the right, in alliance with Raheem Sterling, while Delph provides wide support to Leroy Sane on the opposite side.

Pep Guardiola&#39;s side often push their fullbacks so far forward that is questionable whether they can be considered defenders in any real sense.

The Spanish coach is aware that against United&#39;s counter-attack his team will need to be alert to the spaces in the wide areas that Jose Mourinho&#39;s side will look to exploit.

&quot;You have to defend these areas, definitely. With fullbacks, attacking midfielders or holding midfielders or wingers, you have to close that space,&quot; said Guardiola.

&quot;The teams from Jose Mourinho -- Chelsea, Real Madrid and here, they are the masters of that. When you lose the ball they are going to immediately counter-attack with Lukaku or make movements behind our full backs with Martial, (Marcus) Rashford or (Jesse) Lingard.

&quot;You know if you are not well organised they punish you in one action and win the game,&quot; he said.

&quot;They have the potential to run 30 metres and create problems. That space beside our centre-backs and behind our fullbacks is the space we have to be careful about, definitely,&quot; he added.

Guardiola, though, is not ready to sacrifice the attacking potency of Walker, a close-season signing from Tottenham.

&quot;It depends on the players and if you have the energy of Kyle Walker, you have to attack with him,&quot; said Guardiola.

League leaders Manchester City take on second-placed Manchester United tonight at 10 pm

Fabian Delph and Ashley Young are not two names that, at the start of this season, would have been high on many lists of key players for the Manchester derby but with the wide areas likely to be a major battleground in Sunday's Premier League clash their roles will be vital. Delph, a midfielder throughout his career, was forced into left-wingback duty when first choice Benjamin Mendy suffered a knee ligament injury in September and the 28-year-old has handled the new position with aplomb. Young, who has been converted to fullback duty after making his name as a winger, has made the United left-back slot his own with impressive performances this season earning him a recall to the England squad at the age of 32 after a four-year absence. With Antonio Valencia on the right flank, United have been able to develop a counter-attacking style down the flanks, allied to their attacking wide players such as Anthony Martial. City's formation is similar, with Kyle Walker advancing with pace down the right, in alliance with Raheem Sterling, while Delph provides wide support to Leroy Sane on the opposite side. Pep Guardiola's side often push their fullbacks so far forward that is questionable whether they can be considered defenders in any real sense. The Spanish coach is aware that against United's counter-attack his team will need to be alert to the spaces in the wide areas that Jose Mourinho's side will look to exploit. "You have to defend these areas, definitely. With fullbacks, attacking midfielders or holding midfielders or wingers, you have to close that space," said Guardiola. "The teams from Jose Mourinho -- Chelsea, Real Madrid and here, they are the masters of that. When you lose the ball they are going to immediately counter-attack with Lukaku or make movements behind our full backs with Martial, (Marcus) Rashford or (Jesse) Lingard. "You know if you are not well organised they punish you in one action and win the game," he said. "They have the potential to run 30 metres and create problems. That space beside our centre-backs and behind our fullbacks is the space we have to be careful about, definitely," he added. Guardiola, though, is not ready to sacrifice the attacking potency of Walker, a close-season signing from Tottenham. "It depends on the players and if you have the energy of Kyle Walker, you have to attack with him," said Guardiola.

Young and Delph unlikely key men for Manchester derby

Chelsea must beat West Ham United in the Premier League on Saturday to capitalise on points dropped by rivals in Sunday&#39;s Manchester derby, defender Cesar Azpilicueta said.

Champions Chelsea, who are 11 points behind leaders Manchester City, could go level with second-placed Manchester United with a win at West Ham&#39;s London Stadium in the lunchtime kickoff.

&quot;The two (Manchester) teams can&#39;t both take three points, so every time you get an opportunity to get close, you have to take it,&quot; Azpilicueta told Sky Sports.

&quot;We have to be intelligent to look at ourselves and then we&#39;ll see how the opponents will react.&quot;

After a sloppy start to the season, Antonio Conte&#39;s Chelsea have collected six wins in last seven league games, with their only dropped points coming against Liverpool in a 1-1 draw at Anfield last month.

The festive fixture list looks a good chance for Chelsea to collect a healthy points haul as they are set to face opponents outside the top six in their next six league matches.

West Ham are second from bottom and have not won in their last eight league games.

&quot;We have to go game by game in this busy period in December - every three days you are fighting for a big three points. We have to look at ourselves,&quot; Azpilicueta added.

&quot;We will then see where we are in the final weeks of the season, where we could fight for it.&quot;

Chelsea must beat West Ham United in the Premier League on Saturday to capitalise on points dropped by rivals in Sunday's Manchester derby, defender Cesar Azpilicueta said. Champions Chelsea, who are 11 points behind leaders Manchester City, could go level with second-placed Manchester United with a win at West Ham's London Stadium in the lunchtime kickoff. "The two (Manchester) teams can't both take three points, so every time you get an opportunity to get close, you have to take it," Azpilicueta told Sky Sports. "We have to be intelligent to look at ourselves and then we'll see how the opponents will react." After a sloppy start to the season, Antonio Conte's Chelsea have collected six wins in last seven league games, with their only dropped points coming against Liverpool in a 1-1 draw at Anfield last month. The festive fixture list looks a good chance for Chelsea to collect a healthy points haul as they are set to face opponents outside the top six in their next six league matches. West Ham are second from bottom and have not won in their last eight league games. "We have to go game by game in this busy period in December - every three days you are fighting for a big three points. We have to look at ourselves," Azpilicueta added. "We will then see where we are in the final weeks of the season, where we could fight for it."

EPL: Chelsea ready to exploit dropped points in Manchester derby, says Azpilicueta

Chelsea coach Antonio Conte said his side were no longer in the Premier League title race after they lost 1-0 to West Ham United on Saturday, leaving the champions 11 points adrift of runaway leaders Manchester City who play on Sunday.

Marko Arnautovic scored his first goal since he joined West Ham in July after swapping passes with Manuel Lanzini on the edge of the Chelsea penalty area and curling a low shot beyond Thibaut Courtois in the sixth minute of the London derby.

Conte brought on the attack-minded Pedro, Victor Moses and Willian as second-half substitutes but Chelsea failed to break down a West Ham defence that looks much sturdier under new manager David Moyes.

&quot;To lose four games in 16 games, it means you are not in the title race,&quot; Conte said. &quot;My experience of this is if you want to stay in the race for the title, in the first part of the season you can lose once or twice.&quot;

Particularly galling for Conte was the fact that three of the four defeats have come against clubs which would normally be considered relatively easy opposition for Chelsea -- Burnley on the opening day of the season, Crystal Palace and now West Ham.

Chelsea also lost at home to Manchester City, who visit Manchester United on Sunday.

The champions were left to rue some poor finishing against West Ham in the closing stages as Alvaro Morata blazed wide when he finally found some space and Eden Hazard wasted a chance moments later.

Chelsea struggled for much of the match to find a way through a West Ham defence that did not concede a goal for the first time since September.

West Ham manager Moyes praised his side for a &quot;completely disciplined, organised performance&quot; which had revolved around giving Chelsea little room on the ball and catching them on the break through Arnautovic and Michail Antonio.

&quot;The game plan we set up worked, everything we went about we knew how to engage, and we were very close at Manchester City as well,&quot; he said, referring to last Sunday&#39;s 2-1 defeat to the leaders.

Despite the improvement since Moyes replaced Slaven Bilic as coach in November, West Ham remains in the relegation zone.

Chelsea&#39;s Conte said his players looked tired after a mid-week draw in the Champions League with Atletico Madrid and he again hinted at his frustration that his squad of players were not strong enough to challenge for domestic and European honours this season.

The Italian reportedly disagreed with the club&#39;s top officials in the close season about signings for this campaign.

&quot;I think it is better to talk to people in the club and then give my opinion,&quot; he said when asked if he wanted to sign more players in the January transfer window.

Conte added: &quot;The last decision was with the club. I can give my opinion but the decision is of the club.&quot;

Chelsea coach Antonio Conte said his side were no longer in the Premier League title race after they lost 1-0 to West Ham United on Saturday, leaving the champions 11 points adrift of runaway leaders Manchester City who play on Sunday. Marko Arnautovic scored his first goal since he joined West Ham in July after swapping passes with Manuel Lanzini on the edge of the Chelsea penalty area and curling a low shot beyond Thibaut Courtois in the sixth minute of the London derby. Conte brought on the attack-minded Pedro, Victor Moses and Willian as second-half substitutes but Chelsea failed to break down a West Ham defence that looks much sturdier under new manager David Moyes. "To lose four games in 16 games, it means you are not in the title race," Conte said. "My experience of this is if you want to stay in the race for the title, in the first part of the season you can lose once or twice." Particularly galling for Conte was the fact that three of the four defeats have come against clubs which would normally be considered relatively easy opposition for Chelsea -- Burnley on the opening day of the season, Crystal Palace and now West Ham. Chelsea also lost at home to Manchester City, who visit Manchester United on Sunday. The champions were left to rue some poor finishing against West Ham in the closing stages as Alvaro Morata blazed wide when he finally found some space and Eden Hazard wasted a chance moments later. Chelsea struggled for much of the match to find a way through a West Ham defence that did not concede a goal for the first time since September. West Ham manager Moyes praised his side for a "completely disciplined, organised performance" which had revolved around giving Chelsea little room on the ball and catching them on the break through Arnautovic and Michail Antonio. "The game plan we set up worked, everything we went about we knew how to engage, and we were very close at Manchester City as well," he said, referring to last Sunday's 2-1 defeat to the leaders. Despite the improvement since Moyes replaced Slaven Bilic as coach in November, West Ham remains in the relegation zone. Chelsea's Conte said his players looked tired after a mid-week draw in the Champions League with Atletico Madrid and he again hinted at his frustration that his squad of players were not strong enough to challenge for domestic and European honours this season. The Italian reportedly disagreed with the club's top officials in the close season about signings for this campaign. "I think it is better to talk to people in the club and then give my opinion," he said when asked if he wanted to sign more players in the January transfer window. Conte added: "The last decision was with the club. I can give my opinion but the decision is of the club."

EPL: Conte says Chelsea no longer in title race after West Ham defeat

Born and raised in Japan, three North Korean soccer players are expecting to face boos from the home crowd in a match that comes less than two weeks after the latest North Korean test missile splashed into the Sea of Japan.

An Byong Jun, Kim Song Gi and Lee Yong Jick, who play their club soccer for J League division 2 sides, will represent North Korea when they take on Japan in Tokyo on Saturday in the final round of the East Asian Football Championship.

The sporting contest is being held with the world still on edge after the North heightened alarm in South Korea, Japan and the United States by test firing an intercontinental ballistic missile on Nov. 29 that appeared to demonstrate increasing range.

North Korea has test-fired missiles over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido twice earlier this year and has threatened to sink Japan into the sea with a nuclear bomb.

Unsurprisingly, Kim, a 29-year-old central defender, who hails from Hyogo prefecture in western Japan and plays his club soccer for Machida Zelvia in Tokyo, expects a hostile reception from Japanese supporters.

&quot;Bring on the booing,&quot; said Kim. &quot;Being booed actually gets me fired up. I was brought up that way and it doesn&#39;t really bother me.&quot;

He is eager to avenge a one-nil loss when he first played against Japan for North Korea six years ago.

Kim, An and Lee all took up soccer when they were children attending Pyongyang-affiliated schools in Japan and saw playing as a North Korean international as the path to the highest level.

&quot;Soccer was all I thought about when I was a kid and it was my dream to play for North Korea,&quot; Kim said. &quot;My biggest goal now is to go to the World Cup.&quot;

Japanese nationality is inherited through parents, not place of birth, meaning the three players of North Korean descent are considered foreigners and ineligible to play for Japan&#39;s national team.

The players&#39; status as permanent residents in Japan is a throwback to the complex and conflicted relationship between the countries.

Many Koreans were forced to move to Japan during its occupation of the Korean peninsula before and during World War II&nbsp;and suffered discrimination.

They and their descendants are now eligible to become naturalised Japanese citizens, but many are loath to do so because that would involve giving up their Korean nationality and suffering a perceived loss of cultural identity.

There were about 339,000 people with special permanent resident status - mostly those with Korean or Taiwanese ancestry - living in Japan last year, government data shows.

&quot;I&#39;ve never thought of taking Japanese citizenship,&quot; said Kim. &quot;My soul is 100 percent North Korean.&quot;

Lee, a 26-year-old Osaka native playing his first match against Japan, said he wasn&#39;t sure how the fans would react, noting that the team had expected boos when they played in South Korea but received applause instead.

&quot;It&#39;s complicated,&quot; said the Kamatamare Sanuki defender, who switches to midfield for North Korea.

&quot;I hope we&#39;re treated the same as other teams that play against Japan. To be honest I hope we don&#39;t get booed.&quot;

Regarding political tensions, he said that things might seem bad looking only at the news in Japan but that he and his teammates had also seen a good side to North Korea on their trips to Pyongyang, on school trips and for training camp.

An, who will also be playing his first match against Japan, said he was looking forward to playing in his hometown Tokyo and expected a good turnout from ethnic Korean fans.

He said he had a lot of J League friends on the Japanese squad with whom he exchanges text messages and he was looking forward to a good match regardless of international tensions.

&quot;Soccer&#39;s great because teams can play fair and square and those kind of politics don&#39;t matter,&quot; said the 27-year-old Roasso Kumamoto forward.

&quot;All I want to do is go out and represent my country as a soccer player.&quot;

Japan and North Korea last met in 2015, at the East Asia Football Championship in China, where North Korea prevailed 2-1.

This year&#39;s men&#39;s tournament, which also features China and South Korea, runs Dec. 9-16. The women&#39;s tournament, comprising the same countries, is being held Dec. 8-15.

The three players will take on Japan in the final round of East Asian Football Championship in Tokyo on Saturday

Born and raised in Japan, three North Korean soccer players are expecting to face boos from the home crowd in a match that comes less than two weeks after the latest North Korean test missile splashed into the Sea of Japan. An Byong Jun, Kim Song Gi and Lee Yong Jick, who play their club soccer for J League division 2 sides, will represent North Korea when they take on Japan in Tokyo on Saturday in the final round of the East Asian Football Championship. The sporting contest is being held with the world still on edge after the North heightened alarm in South Korea, Japan and the United States by test firing an intercontinental ballistic missile on Nov. 29 that appeared to demonstrate increasing range. North Korea has test-fired missiles over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido twice earlier this year and has threatened to sink Japan into the sea with a nuclear bomb. Unsurprisingly, Kim, a 29-year-old central defender, who hails from Hyogo prefecture in western Japan and plays his club soccer for Machida Zelvia in Tokyo, expects a hostile reception from Japanese supporters. "Bring on the booing," said Kim. "Being booed actually gets me fired up. I was brought up that way and it doesn't really bother me." He is eager to avenge a one-nil loss when he first played against Japan for North Korea six years ago. Kim, An and Lee all took up soccer when they were children attending Pyongyang-affiliated schools in Japan and saw playing as a North Korean international as the path to the highest level. "Soccer was all I thought about when I was a kid and it was my dream to play for North Korea," Kim said. "My biggest goal now is to go to the World Cup." Japanese nationality is inherited through parents, not place of birth, meaning the three players of North Korean descent are considered foreigners and ineligible to play for Japan's national team. The players' status as permanent residents in Japan is a throwback to the complex and conflicted relationship between the countries. Many Koreans were forced to move to Japan during its occupation of the Korean peninsula before and during World War II and suffered discrimination. They and their descendants are now eligible to become naturalised Japanese citizens, but many are loath to do so because that would involve giving up their Korean nationality and suffering a perceived loss of cultural identity. There were about 339,000 people with special permanent resident status - mostly those with Korean or Taiwanese ancestry - living in Japan last year, government data shows. "I've never thought of taking Japanese citizenship," said Kim. "My soul is 100 percent North Korean." Lee, a 26-year-old Osaka native playing his first match against Japan, said he wasn't sure how the fans would react, noting that the team had expected boos when they played in South Korea but received applause instead. "It's complicated," said the Kamatamare Sanuki defender, who switches to midfield for North Korea. "I hope we're treated the same as other teams that play against Japan. To be honest I hope we don't get booed." Regarding political tensions, he said that things might seem bad looking only at the news in Japan but that he and his teammates had also seen a good side to North Korea on their trips to Pyongyang, on school trips and for training camp. An, who will also be playing his first match against Japan, said he was looking forward to playing in his hometown Tokyo and expected a good turnout from ethnic Korean fans. He said he had a lot of J League friends on the Japanese squad with whom he exchanges text messages and he was looking forward to a good match regardless of international tensions. "Soccer's great because teams can play fair and square and those kind of politics don't matter," said the 27-year-old Roasso Kumamoto forward. "All I want to do is go out and represent my country as a soccer player." Japan and North Korea last met in 2015, at the East Asia Football Championship in China, where North Korea prevailed 2-1. This year's men's tournament, which also features China and South Korea, runs Dec. 9-16. The women's tournament, comprising the same countries, is being held Dec. 8-15.

Born in Japan, playing for North Korea under shadow of missile crisis

Portugal`s Cristiano Ronaldo was awarded the Ballon d`Or for world player of the year on Thursday for a joint-record fifth time, going level with eternal rival and Barcelona forward Lionel Messi as the player to have won the prize the most times.&nbsp;

The Real Madrid forward won the award, handed out by magazine France Football, for the second consecutive year having led his side to the La Liga title with 25 goals and a successive Champions League crown, netting 12 goals including two in the 4-1 win over Juventus in the final.

Ronaldo collected the trophy in a glitzy ceremony at the Eiffel Tower in the French capital, presented by former France player David Ginola.

&quot;I feel very happy, it`s a fantastic moment in my career,&quot; Ronaldo said upon collecting the award, standing with his mother Maria Dolores and his oldest son Cristiano Jr.

&quot;I`ve waited a long time for this. This has been a stupendous year for me, we won the Champions League and La Liga and on a personal level, I was top scorer in the Champions League.

&quot;Trophies help me win prizes like this and I have to thank my teammates at Madrid and Portugal. They`ve been very important to me.&quot;

Messi came second while Paris St Germain forward Neymar Jr, the most expensive player in the world, came third; veteran Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon finished fourth and Real midfielder Luka Modric came fifth.

Chelsea and France midfielder N`Golo Kante was the highest ranked Premier League player, coming eighth, while Tottenham Hotspur`s Harry Kane, ranked 10th, was the only English player to make it into the top 10.

Ronaldo, who this year also helped the national side qualify for the World Cup in Russia next year, won his first Ballon d`Or in 2008 while with Manchester United and collected it again in 2013, 2014 and 2016.

The 32-year-old was last month named the Best FIFA Men`s Player in the global soccer body`s own awards ceremony.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez joined Ronaldo on stage and paid tribute to the Portuguese, who he said was the best player of all time alongside late Real great Alfredo di Stefano.

&quot;This fifth Ballon d`Or is a great honour and a great achievement for the club and Real Madrid fans around the world. Cristiano is the best player in the world, he represents the values of Real Madrid. Cristiano is the best player in history along with Di Stefano, he is his heir,&quot; Perez said.

The Ballon d`Or was first awarded in 1956 and was partnered with FIFA from 2010 to 2015, until becoming its own entity once again. 
&nbsp;

Ronaldo collected the trophy in a glitzy ceremony at the Eiffel Tower in the French capital, presented by former France player David Ginola.

Portugal`s Cristiano Ronaldo was awarded the Ballon d`Or for world player of the year on Thursday for a joint-record fifth time, going level with eternal rival and Barcelona forward Lionel Messi as the player to have won the prize the most times. The Real Madrid forward won the award, handed out by magazine France Football, for the second consecutive year having led his side to the La Liga title with 25 goals and a successive Champions League crown, netting 12 goals including two in the 4-1 win over Juventus in the final. Ronaldo collected the trophy in a glitzy ceremony at the Eiffel Tower in the French capital, presented by former France player David Ginola. "I feel very happy, it`s a fantastic moment in my career," Ronaldo said upon collecting the award, standing with his mother Maria Dolores and his oldest son Cristiano Jr. "I`ve waited a long time for this. This has been a stupendous year for me, we won the Champions League and La Liga and on a personal level, I was top scorer in the Champions League. "Trophies help me win prizes like this and I have to thank my teammates at Madrid and Portugal. They`ve been very important to me." Messi came second while Paris St Germain forward Neymar Jr, the most expensive player in the world, came third; veteran Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon finished fourth and Real midfielder Luka Modric came fifth. Chelsea and France midfielder N`Golo Kante was the highest ranked Premier League player, coming eighth, while Tottenham Hotspur`s Harry Kane, ranked 10th, was the only English player to make it into the top 10. Ronaldo, who this year also helped the national side qualify for the World Cup in Russia next year, won his first Ballon d`Or in 2008 while with Manchester United and collected it again in 2013, 2014 and 2016. The 32-year-old was last month named the Best FIFA Men`s Player in the global soccer body`s own awards ceremony. Real Madrid president Florentino Perez joined Ronaldo on stage and paid tribute to the Portuguese, who he said was the best player of all time alongside late Real great Alfredo di Stefano. "This fifth Ballon d`Or is a great honour and a great achievement for the club and Real Madrid fans around the world. Cristiano is the best player in the world, he represents the values of Real Madrid. Cristiano is the best player in history along with Di Stefano, he is his heir," Perez said. The Ballon d`Or was first awarded in 1956 and was partnered with FIFA from 2010 to 2015, until becoming its own entity once again.

Ronaldo pips Messi to win Ballon d'Or for joint-record fifth time

The 175th Manchester derby pits a United side unbeaten in 40 home games in all competitions against a City side who have not lost this season in the Premier League.

Pep Guardiola&#39;s City currently lead by eight points from United in the standings, giving the game much more significance than just local pride.

Here are five big issues that will go a long way to determining the outcome of Sunday&#39;s clash at Old Trafford:

Will Mourinho &#39;park the bus&#39; at home?&nbsp;

United manager Jose Mourinho received plenty of criticism for the negative way his team approached rivals Liverpool at Anfield in October&#39;s goalless draw.

But defending in numbers and attacking on the break is also an approach that can work well for United. Relying on the counter-attack certainly paid off handsomely in the 3-1 win at Arsenal last Saturday, even if United keeper David de Gea had to make a string of saves to keep his side in front.

United are at home, but given City&#39;s ability to dominate possession, the game may, tactically at least, be more like an away match for Mourinho&#39;s team.

City have produced more passes than any other team in the league this season while United are ranked seventh in that area and it would be no surprise if Guardiola&#39;s side enjoy most of the ball.

In recent weeks, United have switched to playing with a three-man defence which allows Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young to attack down the flanks - an attacking formation which matches that of City.

But the loss to suspension of central midfielder Paul Pogba may tempt Mourinho into a more defensive line-up in the centre of the field as he looks to counter the influence of City&#39;s key creative midfielder Kevin De Bruyne.

Who will dominate the flanks?

City are great at keeping the ball in the tight spaces in midfield and United, with Serbian enforcer Nemanja Matic expected to be fit, will look to crowd the centre of the park and give De Bruyne and David Silva little room to exploit.

But the key areas are likely to be out wide where City have the speed and skill of Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling allied with the threat from their wing-backs - Kyle Walker on the right and Fabian Delph on the left.

United match-up well in that area - Valencia was brilliant going forward against Arsenal and can work up and down the right tirelessly, while Young on the left has been one of the biggest positive surprises of the campaign so far for Mourinho.

Anthony Martial, or if preferred Marcus Rashford, have a tendency to play much wider than the typical support striker and that might limit Walker&#39;s desire to push forward, lest he leave space behind for United to exploit. If Juan Mata is chosen to replace Pogba, he could offer another wide threat on the right.

Whichever wingers and wing-backs come out on top is going to have a huge impact on the outcome.

Can United stop De Bruyne?

The stats tell the story. No-one has had more touches of the ball this season in the Premier League than the Belgian. De Bruyne also shares, with team mate David Silva, the most assists with eight so far.

Brilliant with both feet and capable of running at a defence from deep and also delivering the killer pass to City&#39;s deadly strike force, De Bruyne has been fundamental to the success of Guardiola&#39;s team.

United have in Matic, however, a player who could certainly do a close-marking job but that would rob Mourinho of the Serb&#39;s overall role of marshalling the midfield and protecting the defence. It could be a job for Ander Herrera or Marouane Fellaini.

Will Lukaku deliver when it matters most?

The former Everton forward scored 11 goals in his first 10 appearances for United but has managed just two in his last 12 and while Zlatan Ibrahimovic is fit, Mourinho is unlikely to drop his main striker for the derby.

The big trouble with Romelu Lukaku is that he has struggled throughout his career when facing the top teams. He failed to score against Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool this year and since 2014/15 he has only scored five goals in 39 games against the &#39;big six&#39;.

The Belgian could put all those doubts to bed with a winner against City. But if he misses chances, Mourinho may well turn to the fit-again Swedish great on his bench.

Pep Guardiola's City currently lead by eight points from United in the standings, giving the game much more significance than just local pride.

The 175th Manchester derby pits a United side unbeaten in 40 home games in all competitions against a City side who have not lost this season in the Premier League. Pep Guardiola's City currently lead by eight points from United in the standings, giving the game much more significance than just local pride. Here are five big issues that will go a long way to determining the outcome of Sunday's clash at Old Trafford: Will Mourinho 'park the bus' at home? United manager Jose Mourinho received plenty of criticism for the negative way his team approached rivals Liverpool at Anfield in October's goalless draw. But defending in numbers and attacking on the break is also an approach that can work well for United. Relying on the counter-attack certainly paid off handsomely in the 3-1 win at Arsenal last Saturday, even if United keeper David de Gea had to make a string of saves to keep his side in front. United are at home, but given City's ability to dominate possession, the game may, tactically at least, be more like an away match for Mourinho's team. City have produced more passes than any other team in the league this season while United are ranked seventh in that area and it would be no surprise if Guardiola's side enjoy most of the ball. In recent weeks, United have switched to playing with a three-man defence which allows Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young to attack down the flanks - an attacking formation which matches that of City. But the loss to suspension of central midfielder Paul Pogba may tempt Mourinho into a more defensive line-up in the centre of the field as he looks to counter the influence of City's key creative midfielder Kevin De Bruyne. Who will dominate the flanks? City are great at keeping the ball in the tight spaces in midfield and United, with Serbian enforcer Nemanja Matic expected to be fit, will look to crowd the centre of the park and give De Bruyne and David Silva little room to exploit. But the key areas are likely to be out wide where City have the speed and skill of Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling allied with the threat from their wing-backs - Kyle Walker on the right and Fabian Delph on the left. United match-up well in that area - Valencia was brilliant going forward against Arsenal and can work up and down the right tirelessly, while Young on the left has been one of the biggest positive surprises of the campaign so far for Mourinho. Anthony Martial, or if preferred Marcus Rashford, have a tendency to play much wider than the typical support striker and that might limit Walker's desire to push forward, lest he leave space behind for United to exploit. If Juan Mata is chosen to replace Pogba, he could offer another wide threat on the right. Whichever wingers and wing-backs come out on top is going to have a huge impact on the outcome. Can United stop De Bruyne? The stats tell the story. No-one has had more touches of the ball this season in the Premier League than the Belgian. De Bruyne also shares, with team mate David Silva, the most assists with eight so far. Brilliant with both feet and capable of running at a defence from deep and also delivering the killer pass to City's deadly strike force, De Bruyne has been fundamental to the success of Guardiola's team. United have in Matic, however, a player who could certainly do a close-marking job but that would rob Mourinho of the Serb's overall role of marshalling the midfield and protecting the defence. It could be a job for Ander Herrera or Marouane Fellaini. Will Lukaku deliver when it matters most? The former Everton forward scored 11 goals in his first 10 appearances for United but has managed just two in his last 12 and while Zlatan Ibrahimovic is fit, Mourinho is unlikely to drop his main striker for the derby. The big trouble with Romelu Lukaku is that he has struggled throughout his career when facing the top teams. He failed to score against Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool this year and since 2014/15 he has only scored five goals in 39 games against the 'big six'. The Belgian could put all those doubts to bed with a winner against City. But if he misses chances, Mourinho may well turn to the fit-again Swedish great on his bench.

Football: Four big questions ahead of the Manchester derby

There have been few Manchester derbies with as much on the line as Sunday&#39;s meeting at Old Trafford of the top two teams in the Premier League -- the most anticipated clash of the campaign so far.

Pep Guardiola&#39;s City have built an eight-point lead following an unbeaten start to the season that has included 13 straight victories - equalling the record for the longest winning run in a single Premier League campaign.

Not to be completely outdone, however, Jose Mourinho&rsquo;s Manchester United have equalled a historic club record by remaining unbeaten at Old Trafford for 40 matches in all competitions.

And with former Barcelona boss Guardiola and ex-Real Madrid manager Mourinho having developed a fierce rivalry during their time together in Spain, Sunday&#39;s meeting promises to be one to savour.

The last team to beat United at home were City in September, 2016 and a repeat performance would leave the club, once derided as &quot;noisy neighbours&quot; by former United boss Alex Ferguson, 11 points clear at the summit.

City have been playing some exhilarating football this campaign with coach Guardiola&#39;s style of play, which served him so well at his previous clubs, bringing the expected rewards after a disappointing lack of consistency last season.

Yet while United have suffered two defeats on the road - to Huddersfield Town and Chelsea - they too have looked like champions at home.

The 40 games unbeaten have included 29 wins and 11 draws with 85 goals scored and just 17 conceded.

This season&#39;s Premier League record at Old Trafford is played seven, won seven - 20 goals for and just one against.

Mourinho, however, will be without his key French midfielder Paul Pogba, who starts a three-match ban following his red card in Saturday&#39;s crucial 3-1 win at Arsenal.

United have produced their best football when they have had Pogba and Serbian anchorman Nemanja Matic on the field together and the former Juventus midfielder will be sorely missed.

Given the gap between the two clubs in the table, it will be intriguing to see if Mourinho maintains his habit of playing defensively against title rivals, a tactic which has been much criticised following the goalless draw at Liverpool in October.

Pogba, however, says United will approach the game in a positive fashion.

&quot;We want to win. We need to win as well. They need to win because they know that we are behind and we are closing and closing,&quot; he said.

&quot;If I didn&#39;t believe that (we can win it), I&#39;d stop playing football now,&quot; he added.

United&#39;s Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic should be fit to feature at some stage in the game but defender Eric Bailly remains sidelined.

Pep Guardiola's City have built an eight-point lead following an unbeaten start to the season that has included 13 straight victories - equalling the record for the longest winning run in a single Premier League campaign.

There have been few Manchester derbies with as much on the line as Sunday's meeting at Old Trafford of the top two teams in the Premier League -- the most anticipated clash of the campaign so far. Pep Guardiola's City have built an eight-point lead following an unbeaten start to the season that has included 13 straight victories - equalling the record for the longest winning run in a single Premier League campaign. Not to be completely outdone, however, Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United have equalled a historic club record by remaining unbeaten at Old Trafford for 40 matches in all competitions. And with former Barcelona boss Guardiola and ex-Real Madrid manager Mourinho having developed a fierce rivalry during their time together in Spain, Sunday's meeting promises to be one to savour. The last team to beat United at home were City in September, 2016 and a repeat performance would leave the club, once derided as "noisy neighbours" by former United boss Alex Ferguson, 11 points clear at the summit. City have been playing some exhilarating football this campaign with coach Guardiola's style of play, which served him so well at his previous clubs, bringing the expected rewards after a disappointing lack of consistency last season. Yet while United have suffered two defeats on the road - to Huddersfield Town and Chelsea - they too have looked like champions at home. The 40 games unbeaten have included 29 wins and 11 draws with 85 goals scored and just 17 conceded. This season's Premier League record at Old Trafford is played seven, won seven - 20 goals for and just one against. Mourinho, however, will be without his key French midfielder Paul Pogba, who starts a three-match ban following his red card in Saturday's crucial 3-1 win at Arsenal. United have produced their best football when they have had Pogba and Serbian anchorman Nemanja Matic on the field together and the former Juventus midfielder will be sorely missed. Given the gap between the two clubs in the table, it will be intriguing to see if Mourinho maintains his habit of playing defensively against title rivals, a tactic which has been much criticised following the goalless draw at Liverpool in October. Pogba, however, says United will approach the game in a positive fashion. "We want to win. We need to win as well. They need to win because they know that we are behind and we are closing and closing," he said. "If I didn't believe that (we can win it), I'd stop playing football now," he added. United's Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic should be fit to feature at some stage in the game but defender Eric Bailly remains sidelined.

Football: Stakes are high in Manchester derby

Chelsea surrendered the top spot in the Champions League Group C when they drew 1-1 at home against Spain`s Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

Chelsea, who had already secured their place in the knockout phase, finished second in the group behind Italy`s AS Roma, while Atletico, finalists in 2014 and 2016, will drop into the Europa League after finishing third.&nbsp;

&quot;Football is about finishing at the end of the day and it`s clear we`ve not done that in the Champions League this year and we have paid the price,&quot; Atletico coach Diego Simeone said.&nbsp;

&quot;It`s not good to be out of the Champions League but there is still a long season ahead and we will be assessed at the end of it.

&quot;It`s not a disaster. It`s a situation that can happen.&quot;

Atletico took the lead in the 56th minute when Saul Niguez headed in at the far post after a flick on by former Chelsea striker Fernando Torres following a corner.

The goal was tough on Chelsea who had created a string of chances while Atletico barely troubled the hosts in the first 45 minutes.&nbsp;

Chelsea`s pressure paid off in the 75th minute when Atletico defender Stefan Savic turned an Eden Hazard cross into his own net, setting up a climactic end to the game as both sides pushed for a winning goal.

Spain striker Alvaro Morata fired at Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak when he looked sure to score and Brazil winger Willian wasted an even better chance when he blazed an effort high and wide in the 82nd minute.

Substitute Michy Batshuayi went close in added time when his angled shot flew just wide of Oblak`s post.

Chelsea`s head coach Antonio Conte was at least content with his side`s attacking intent and creativity looking ahead to the next round.

&quot;We tried to play our game and win. In the first half we tried to push, we created many chances to score and we conceded a goal from a corner,&quot; he said.

&quot;When you play this way and create so much you must be satisfied. Our (next) opponent won`t be happy to play against us.&quot;&nbsp;

Atletico took the lead in the 56th minute when Saul Niguez headed in at the far post after a flick on by former Chelsea striker Fernando Torres following a corner

Chelsea surrendered the top spot in the Champions League Group C when they drew 1-1 at home against Spain`s Atletico Madrid on Tuesday. Chelsea, who had already secured their place in the knockout phase, finished second in the group behind Italy`s AS Roma, while Atletico, finalists in 2014 and 2016, will drop into the Europa League after finishing third. "Football is about finishing at the end of the day and it`s clear we`ve not done that in the Champions League this year and we have paid the price," Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. "It`s not good to be out of the Champions League but there is still a long season ahead and we will be assessed at the end of it. "It`s not a disaster. It`s a situation that can happen." Atletico took the lead in the 56th minute when Saul Niguez headed in at the far post after a flick on by former Chelsea striker Fernando Torres following a corner. The goal was tough on Chelsea who had created a string of chances while Atletico barely troubled the hosts in the first 45 minutes. Chelsea`s pressure paid off in the 75th minute when Atletico defender Stefan Savic turned an Eden Hazard cross into his own net, setting up a climactic end to the game as both sides pushed for a winning goal. Spain striker Alvaro Morata fired at Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak when he looked sure to score and Brazil winger Willian wasted an even better chance when he blazed an effort high and wide in the 82nd minute. Substitute Michy Batshuayi went close in added time when his angled shot flew just wide of Oblak`s post. Chelsea`s head coach Antonio Conte was at least content with his side`s attacking intent and creativity looking ahead to the next round. "We tried to play our game and win. In the first half we tried to push, we created many chances to score and we conceded a goal from a corner," he said. "When you play this way and create so much you must be satisfied. Our (next) opponent won`t be happy to play against us."

Champions League: Chelsea surrender top spot after draw with Atletico

Barcelona scored twice in the second half to beat Sporting Lisbon 2-0 at home on Tuesday, rounding off their unbeaten group stage campaign with a fourth win, while knocking the Portuguese side out of the competition.

With Lionel Messi left on the bench, Paco Alcacer gave Barca the lead in the 59th minute with a glancing header from a corner while former Barca defender Jeremy Mathieu clumsily slid Aleix Vidal`s low cross into his own net in stoppage time.

Barca had already secured their place in the last 16 of the competition as Group D winners before the game, while Sporting needed to win and for Juventus not to beat Olympiakos in order to reach the knockouts for the first time in nine seasons.

Their hopes were quickly dashed when Juan Cuadrado put Juventus ahead in the 15th minute in Athens and Federico Bernardeschi made it 2-0 in the 90th to ensure Sporting dropped into the Europa League whatever happened at the Nou Camp.

Barca coach Ernesto Valverde made eight changes to the team that had drawn 2-2 with Celta Vigo on Saturday, including picking Thomas Vermaelen in place of injured Samuel Umtiti and starting without Messi for the second European game in a row.

Messi came on moments after Alcacer had broken the deadlock and the Argentine instantly lifted Barca`s tempo. He went close to doubling their lead three times in quick succession, twice missing the target and forcing a save from visiting goalkeeper Rui Patricio.

At the other end Barca`s reserve goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen made an outstanding save to thwart his Dutch international team mate Bas Dost.

Sporting defender Mathieu left Barca after an inconsistent yet trophy-filled three-year spell at Barca but had the home fans chanting his name ironically after he unwittingly knocked in the second goal to seal the victory.&nbsp;

With Lionel Messi left on the bench, Paco Alcacer gave Barca the lead in the 59th minute

Barcelona scored twice in the second half to beat Sporting Lisbon 2-0 at home on Tuesday, rounding off their unbeaten group stage campaign with a fourth win, while knocking the Portuguese side out of the competition. With Lionel Messi left on the bench, Paco Alcacer gave Barca the lead in the 59th minute with a glancing header from a corner while former Barca defender Jeremy Mathieu clumsily slid Aleix Vidal`s low cross into his own net in stoppage time. Barca had already secured their place in the last 16 of the competition as Group D winners before the game, while Sporting needed to win and for Juventus not to beat Olympiakos in order to reach the knockouts for the first time in nine seasons. Their hopes were quickly dashed when Juan Cuadrado put Juventus ahead in the 15th minute in Athens and Federico Bernardeschi made it 2-0 in the 90th to ensure Sporting dropped into the Europa League whatever happened at the Nou Camp. Barca coach Ernesto Valverde made eight changes to the team that had drawn 2-2 with Celta Vigo on Saturday, including picking Thomas Vermaelen in place of injured Samuel Umtiti and starting without Messi for the second European game in a row. Messi came on moments after Alcacer had broken the deadlock and the Argentine instantly lifted Barca`s tempo. He went close to doubling their lead three times in quick succession, twice missing the target and forcing a save from visiting goalkeeper Rui Patricio. At the other end Barca`s reserve goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen made an outstanding save to thwart his Dutch international team mate Bas Dost. Sporting defender Mathieu left Barca after an inconsistent yet trophy-filled three-year spell at Barca but had the home fans chanting his name ironically after he unwittingly knocked in the second goal to seal the victory.

Champions League: Barca end Sporting's hopes with 2-0 win

Bayern Munich ruined Paris St Germain&#39;s perfect Champions League record this season with a 3-1 victory at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday but their rousing win could not stop the French side advancing as Group B winners.

With both teams already qualified for the knockout stages, Corentin Tolisso&#39;s double and another goal from Robert Lewandowski gave Bayern hope of pulling off the improbable win by a four-goal margin that would see them top the group.

Yet PSG, who had thumped Bayern 3-0 in Paris, always looked likely to avoid that indignity in a high-quality contest once Kylian Mbappe scored just after halftime when they were 2-0 down.

The top-of-the-table clash proved far from a &#39;dead rubber&#39;&nbsp;with both sides determined to demonstrate the qualities that make them among the favourites to lift the title this season.

The German champions started hungrily, Lewandowski having time to turn and score in the eighth minute after being played onside by a careless Dani Alves, before Tolisso headed home James Rodriguez&#39;s cross in the 37th minute.

With the home crowd sensing an extraordinary story, Mbappe ruined the script when heading in from Edinson Cavani&#39;s neat chipped cross five minutes after the break.

Still, the French midfielder Tolisso kept the pressure on, finishing clinically in the 69th minute after David Alaba&#39;s storming run and cross down the left flank.

While PSG and Bayern ended on 15 points each, Celtic took third place, guaranteeing Europa League football, despite losing 1-0 at home to Anderlecht, whose second-half winner came from a Jozo Simunovic own goal.

The win represented the Belgian side`s first success of the competition after five straight defeats but Celtic&#39;s previous 3-0 win at Anderlecht ensured they had the better head-to-head record.

The French side still advanced to the last 16 as Group B winners

Bayern Munich ruined Paris St Germain's perfect Champions League record this season with a 3-1 victory at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday but their rousing win could not stop the French side advancing as Group B winners. With both teams already qualified for the knockout stages, Corentin Tolisso's double and another goal from Robert Lewandowski gave Bayern hope of pulling off the improbable win by a four-goal margin that would see them top the group. Yet PSG, who had thumped Bayern 3-0 in Paris, always looked likely to avoid that indignity in a high-quality contest once Kylian Mbappe scored just after halftime when they were 2-0 down. The top-of-the-table clash proved far from a 'dead rubber' with both sides determined to demonstrate the qualities that make them among the favourites to lift the title this season. The German champions started hungrily, Lewandowski having time to turn and score in the eighth minute after being played onside by a careless Dani Alves, before Tolisso headed home James Rodriguez's cross in the 37th minute. With the home crowd sensing an extraordinary story, Mbappe ruined the script when heading in from Edinson Cavani's neat chipped cross five minutes after the break. Still, the French midfielder Tolisso kept the pressure on, finishing clinically in the 69th minute after David Alaba's storming run and cross down the left flank. While PSG and Bayern ended on 15 points each, Celtic took third place, guaranteeing Europa League football, despite losing 1-0 at home to Anderlecht, whose second-half winner came from a Jozo Simunovic own goal. The win represented the Belgian side`s first success of the competition after five straight defeats but Celtic's previous 3-0 win at Anderlecht ensured they had the better head-to-head record.

Champions League: Bayern end PSG's perfect Euro record with 3-1 win

Manchester United reached the Champions League last-16 as Group A winners after coming from behind to beat CSKA Moscow 2-1 at home and finish ahead of Basel who also went through with a 2-0 win at Benfica on Tuesday.

The result left United top of the section on 15 points, three more than second-placed Basel and six ahead of third-placed CSKA who will carry on in the second-tier Europa League after the winter break.

Having missed a string of good chances in the opening period, United fell behind to a freakish Vitinho goal, heavily deflected off Alan Dzagoev, on the stroke of halftime before Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford struck within a minute to turn the match on its head.&nbsp;

Rashford hit the post in the fourth minute and saw a shot from a tight angle saved by CSKA`s busy keeper Igor Akinfeev, who also kept out a Luke Shaw volley as United`s left back enjoyed a fine evening after making his first start since April.

CSKA struck out of the blue as Mario Fernandes broke down the right and set up Vitinho, whose miscued shot struck Dzagoev in the back and bounced into the net.&nbsp;

United piled the pressure after the break and Akinfeev parried another fierce Rashford shot before the home side`s siege finally paid dividends.&nbsp;

Lukaku used his physical strength to steer in the equaliser in the 64th minute, as he got on the end of a probing Paul Pogba pass despite being tugged by CSKA centre back Viktor Vasin.

Rashford got his reward for tireless work less than a minute later, drilling in a sublime Juan Mata chip with a fierce left-footed shot from 13 metres which gave Akinfeev no chance.

Needing to match CSKA`s result to go through, Basel quickly established their grip on a knockout stage berth as Mohamed Elyounoussi headed the Swiss side into an early lead in Lisbon after Michael Lang`s inch-perfect cross.

Another close-range header by striker Dimitri Oberlin doubled Basel`s lead midway through the second half as Benfica finished bottom of the group with zero points from six games.&nbsp;

They came from behind to beat CSKA Moscow

Manchester United reached the Champions League last-16 as Group A winners after coming from behind to beat CSKA Moscow 2-1 at home and finish ahead of Basel who also went through with a 2-0 win at Benfica on Tuesday. The result left United top of the section on 15 points, three more than second-placed Basel and six ahead of third-placed CSKA who will carry on in the second-tier Europa League after the winter break. Having missed a string of good chances in the opening period, United fell behind to a freakish Vitinho goal, heavily deflected off Alan Dzagoev, on the stroke of halftime before Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford struck within a minute to turn the match on its head. Rashford hit the post in the fourth minute and saw a shot from a tight angle saved by CSKA`s busy keeper Igor Akinfeev, who also kept out a Luke Shaw volley as United`s left back enjoyed a fine evening after making his first start since April. CSKA struck out of the blue as Mario Fernandes broke down the right and set up Vitinho, whose miscued shot struck Dzagoev in the back and bounced into the net. United piled the pressure after the break and Akinfeev parried another fierce Rashford shot before the home side`s siege finally paid dividends. Lukaku used his physical strength to steer in the equaliser in the 64th minute, as he got on the end of a probing Paul Pogba pass despite being tugged by CSKA centre back Viktor Vasin. Rashford got his reward for tireless work less than a minute later, drilling in a sublime Juan Mata chip with a fierce left-footed shot from 13 metres which gave Akinfeev no chance. Needing to match CSKA`s result to go through, Basel quickly established their grip on a knockout stage berth as Mohamed Elyounoussi headed the Swiss side into an early lead in Lisbon after Michael Lang`s inch-perfect cross. Another close-range header by striker Dimitri Oberlin doubled Basel`s lead midway through the second half as Benfica finished bottom of the group with zero points from six games.

Champions League: Man United reach last 16 after 2-1 home win over CSKA

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri revealed captain Gianluigi Buffon and midfielder Miralem Pjanic were both in doubt for Tuesday night`s crunch Champions League game against Olympiakos.

Juventus -- runners-up twice in the last three seasons -- head to Athens needing a win to ensure their passage to the knockout phase.&nbsp;

But Gonzalo Higuain will play after scoring the winner against Napoli at the weekend despite a broken hand.

&quot;Higuain will be on the pitch tomorrow because he is doing well both physically and mentally,&quot; said Allegri.&nbsp;

&quot;Tomorrow could be decisive. We are still evaluating Buffon and Pjanic, who is suffering from a muscle strain.&quot;

A draw or even defeat would be sufficient for the six-time defending Serie A champions unless Sporting Lisbon beat Barcelona at the Camp Nou.

&quot;We can`t afford to wait and see what Barcelona`s result will be,&quot; continued Allegri.&nbsp;

&quot;Either we win or we run the risk of exiting the Champions League. Tomorrow (Tuesday), our approach must be spot on. We have to be patient and take our chances to win the game.&quot;

&quot;With (Giorgio) Chiellini out, either (Daniele) Rugani or (Mattia) De Sciglio will play. (Mario) Mandzukic will be available as well.&quot;

Allegri added that it would be an important test for Argentina striker Paulo Dybala &quot;to return to his highest level&quot; and score his first Champions League goal this season to add to his 12 in Serie A.

Centre-back Andrea Barzagli added: &quot;It would be unthinkable for us not to qualify. Tomorrow`s match is essential for us, qualifying for the knockout round is our first objective of the season.

&quot;We understand the importance of the game and we know that it is not going to be easy for us -- the first match against Olympiakos at home was complicated and now we are playing in their stadium.&nbsp;

&quot;We have to be focused and careful tomorrow because it is a complicated game.&quot;

Juve play a crunch league game against Olympiakos early Wednesday morning

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri revealed captain Gianluigi Buffon and midfielder Miralem Pjanic were both in doubt for Tuesday night`s crunch Champions League game against Olympiakos. Juventus -- runners-up twice in the last three seasons -- head to Athens needing a win to ensure their passage to the knockout phase. But Gonzalo Higuain will play after scoring the winner against Napoli at the weekend despite a broken hand. "Higuain will be on the pitch tomorrow because he is doing well both physically and mentally," said Allegri. "Tomorrow could be decisive. We are still evaluating Buffon and Pjanic, who is suffering from a muscle strain." A draw or even defeat would be sufficient for the six-time defending Serie A champions unless Sporting Lisbon beat Barcelona at the Camp Nou. "We can`t afford to wait and see what Barcelona`s result will be," continued Allegri. "Either we win or we run the risk of exiting the Champions League. Tomorrow (Tuesday), our approach must be spot on. We have to be patient and take our chances to win the game." "With (Giorgio) Chiellini out, either (Daniele) Rugani or (Mattia) De Sciglio will play. (Mario) Mandzukic will be available as well." Allegri added that it would be an important test for Argentina striker Paulo Dybala "to return to his highest level" and score his first Champions League goal this season to add to his 12 in Serie A. Centre-back Andrea Barzagli added: "It would be unthinkable for us not to qualify. Tomorrow`s match is essential for us, qualifying for the knockout round is our first objective of the season. "We understand the importance of the game and we know that it is not going to be easy for us -- the first match against Olympiakos at home was complicated and now we are playing in their stadium. "We have to be focused and careful tomorrow because it is a complicated game."

Buffon, Pjanic doubts for Juventus in Champions League

David Silva scored a late goal as runaway leaders Manchester City won their 13th successive Premier League game and restored their eight-point lead with a 2-1 victory against West Ham United on Sunday.

Silva converted Kevin de Bruyne&#39;s brilliant pass from close range in the 83rd minute as City maintained their blistering form this season.

Nicolas Otamendi had converted substitute Gabriel Jesus&#39;s cross in the 57th minute to equalise after defender Angelo Ogbonna had headed West Ham into the most unlikely lead at the end of a first half in which the hosts dominated.

In winning their 13th successive Premier League match, City equalled the record held by both Arsenal and Chelsea.

&quot;It was difficult, teams seem to come here and get every man behind the ball, not interested in anything but parking the bus,&quot; City midfielder Fabian Delph told Sky Sports.

&quot;But we have players like David Silva in the team, so we knew if we kept going we&#39;d get our chances. We knew we had to be patient, we came out flying in the second half, we tried to explain to the boys we still had time and then we started to relax a bit more and found those spaces.

&quot;We want to win the derby but we are taking it each game at a time.&quot;

After rivals United beat Arsenal 3-1 on Saturday to cut their lead to five points, City needed to win against relegation-threatened West Ham to restore their comfortable lead ahead of next weekend&#39;s trip to Old Trafford.

As expected, City dominated possession but the mass ranks of West Ham defenders frustrated their array of attacking players and disrupted the rhythm of their intricate, threaded passes.

Surprisingly, it was West Ham who came closest to opening the scoring when Michail Antonio stretched to fire a close-range volley over the top.

Not until the 26th minute did goalkeeper Adrian make his first meaningful save, pushing Silva&#39;s deflected shot over the crossbar.

Manuel Lanzini drew a save from Ederson 10 minutes later before out-of-sorts City failed to deal with a corner -- as they did in last weekend&#39;s victory at Huddersfield Town -- with Ogbonna&#39;s downward header evading Ederson.

Otamendi restored parity shortly after the break but, until Silva&#39;s late intervention, it appeared that City&#39;s search for a winner would prove fruitless.

Jesus, Leroy Sane, de Bruyne, Silva and Raheem Sterling all went close as the Hammers defended superbly in their most impressive performance under manager David Moyes.

City have not lost a game since April, and face second-place United next Sunday. West Ham, who have won only twice all season, sit 19th -- three points behind West Bromwich Albion in 17th.

Manchester City beat West Ham 2-1 on Sunday

David Silva scored a late goal as runaway leaders Manchester City won their 13th successive Premier League game and restored their eight-point lead with a 2-1 victory against West Ham United on Sunday. Silva converted Kevin de Bruyne's brilliant pass from close range in the 83rd minute as City maintained their blistering form this season. Nicolas Otamendi had converted substitute Gabriel Jesus's cross in the 57th minute to equalise after defender Angelo Ogbonna had headed West Ham into the most unlikely lead at the end of a first half in which the hosts dominated. In winning their 13th successive Premier League match, City equalled the record held by both Arsenal and Chelsea. "It was difficult, teams seem to come here and get every man behind the ball, not interested in anything but parking the bus," City midfielder Fabian Delph told Sky Sports. "But we have players like David Silva in the team, so we knew if we kept going we'd get our chances. We knew we had to be patient, we came out flying in the second half, we tried to explain to the boys we still had time and then we started to relax a bit more and found those spaces. "We want to win the derby but we are taking it each game at a time." After rivals United beat Arsenal 3-1 on Saturday to cut their lead to five points, City needed to win against relegation-threatened West Ham to restore their comfortable lead ahead of next weekend's trip to Old Trafford. As expected, City dominated possession but the mass ranks of West Ham defenders frustrated their array of attacking players and disrupted the rhythm of their intricate, threaded passes. Surprisingly, it was West Ham who came closest to opening the scoring when Michail Antonio stretched to fire a close-range volley over the top. Not until the 26th minute did goalkeeper Adrian make his first meaningful save, pushing Silva's deflected shot over the crossbar. Manuel Lanzini drew a save from Ederson 10 minutes later before out-of-sorts City failed to deal with a corner -- as they did in last weekend's victory at Huddersfield Town -- with Ogbonna's downward header evading Ederson. Otamendi restored parity shortly after the break but, until Silva's late intervention, it appeared that City's search for a winner would prove fruitless. Jesus, Leroy Sane, de Bruyne, Silva and Raheem Sterling all went close as the Hammers defended superbly in their most impressive performance under manager David Moyes. City have not lost a game since April, and face second-place United next Sunday. West Ham, who have won only twice all season, sit 19th -- three points behind West Bromwich Albion in 17th.

EPL: Late Silva goal extends City's winning run to 13 games

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane tried to hide his disappointment at missing the chance to close to gap on rivals Barcelona at the top of La Liga to six points on Saturday.

Madrid failed to capitalise on Barcelona&#39;s 2-2 draw at home to Celta Vigo earlier in the day as they played out a 0-0 stalemate at Athletic Bilbao to drop points for the sixth time in 14 La Liga games so far this season.

&quot;For me the most important thing is to keep thinking that we are going to have another opportunity throughout the course of the season to cut the gap,&quot; said Zidane.

That opportunity to cut the eight-point gap between the sides is most likely to come when Madrid host Barcelona in three weeks time.

However, Real could go into that match down in fifth in the table as they currently lead Sevilla only on goal difference in fourth and trail Valencia and Atletico Madrid.

Zidane`s men will also be depleted without captain Sergio Ramos, who saw his 24th career red card late on at Sam Mames, Dani Carvajal and Casemiro through suspension when Sevilla visit the Bernabeu next weekend.

And Real will play a game fewer in La Liga than their rivals before the end of the year as they jet off to contest the Club World Cup between the 13th and 16th of December.

&quot;At the moment there are three teams in front of us, but there are still six months left. We are at little behind, but there is a long way to go,&quot; added Zidane.

Zidane had shown his intent to pounce on Barca`s slip-up by naming his strongest available side as Gareth Bale once again missed out through injury.

Without the man from Cardiff, Madrid started with the same line-up that started the Champions League final in the Welsh capital six months ago.

However, Zidane insisted it is merely results and not the level of performance that has changed for Real since they swept Juventus aside to retain the Champions League and beat Barcelona to the La Liga title last season.

&quot;It is the result, nothing more. When I look at the game today, I can`t say we are playing worse,&quot; added the Frenchman.

&quot;What changes things are goals. That day we scored four against Juve and today we couldn`t score.

&quot;Last season we would score goals in the last minute and at the moment that isn`t happening.

&quot;We need to keep going and think that there will be better moments to come.&quot;

Madrid failed to capitalise on Barcelona's 2-2 draw at home to Celta Vigo earlier in the day as they played out a 0-0 stalemate at Athletic Bilbao to drop points for the sixth time in 14 La Liga games so far this season

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane tried to hide his disappointment at missing the chance to close to gap on rivals Barcelona at the top of La Liga to six points on Saturday. Madrid failed to capitalise on Barcelona's 2-2 draw at home to Celta Vigo earlier in the day as they played out a 0-0 stalemate at Athletic Bilbao to drop points for the sixth time in 14 La Liga games so far this season. "For me the most important thing is to keep thinking that we are going to have another opportunity throughout the course of the season to cut the gap," said Zidane. That opportunity to cut the eight-point gap between the sides is most likely to come when Madrid host Barcelona in three weeks time. However, Real could go into that match down in fifth in the table as they currently lead Sevilla only on goal difference in fourth and trail Valencia and Atletico Madrid. Zidane`s men will also be depleted without captain Sergio Ramos, who saw his 24th career red card late on at Sam Mames, Dani Carvajal and Casemiro through suspension when Sevilla visit the Bernabeu next weekend. And Real will play a game fewer in La Liga than their rivals before the end of the year as they jet off to contest the Club World Cup between the 13th and 16th of December. "At the moment there are three teams in front of us, but there are still six months left. We are at little behind, but there is a long way to go," added Zidane. Zidane had shown his intent to pounce on Barca`s slip-up by naming his strongest available side as Gareth Bale once again missed out through injury. Without the man from Cardiff, Madrid started with the same line-up that started the Champions League final in the Welsh capital six months ago. However, Zidane insisted it is merely results and not the level of performance that has changed for Real since they swept Juventus aside to retain the Champions League and beat Barcelona to the La Liga title last season. "It is the result, nothing more. When I look at the game today, I can`t say we are playing worse," added the Frenchman. "What changes things are goals. That day we scored four against Juve and today we couldn`t score. "Last season we would score goals in the last minute and at the moment that isn`t happening. "We need to keep going and think that there will be better moments to come."

Football: Madrid will get more chances to chase Barca says Zidane

Antonio Conte has apologised after the Chelsea manager was sent to the stands for a furious touchline rant during his side&#39;s 1-0 win over Swansea.&nbsp;

Conte was incensed with Swansea&#39;s time-wasting throughout the first half at Stamford Bridge and his frustration boiled over when referee Neil Swarbrick failed to award Chelsea a clear corner.&nbsp;

The Italian&#39;s constant complaining reached a peak with that incident and fourth official Lee Mason responded by telling Swarbrick, who immediately sent Conte to the stands.

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<h5>&#39;It&#39;s right to apologise for what happened during the game. I apologised to both of them&#39;</h5>
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Conte initially retreated to seats behind the Chelsea bench, but he had to watch the second half on television in the home changing room before seeking out Swarbrick and Mason to say sorry.&nbsp;

&quot;It&#39;s right to apologise for what happened during the game. I apologised to both of them,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

&quot;In the first half I saw Swansea was wasting time. I said this a few times to the fourth official.&nbsp;

&quot;I didn&#39;t see anything change. I was frustrated with this situation.&nbsp;

&quot;I tried to tell him again. Then the referee took this decision. For sure I made a mistake. I was frustrated.&nbsp;

&quot;I was a bit animated. For this reason the fourth official lost his patience.&nbsp;

&quot;The fault is mine, not the fourth official.&quot;&nbsp;

Conte could be fined for his first dismissal since his move to Chelsea 18 months ago.&nbsp;

However, he insisted he didn&#39;t swear and unless Swarbrick disagrees in his report to the Football Association, Conte is unlikely to be hit with a touchline ban.&nbsp;

It is five years since Conte last saw red and he admitted being banished from the touchline was a painful experience.&nbsp;

&quot;It&#39;s a pity. I watched the rest of the game on a screen in the changing room,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

&quot;I could see very well but I don&#39;t like to stay in there.&nbsp;

&quot;I suffered in the changing room. You don&#39;t have the possibility to communicate with your players. It&#39;s very tough.&quot;

Great respect 
Conte&#39;s angst was eased by Antonio Rudiger&#39;s headed winner in the second half.&nbsp;

But even then he couldn&#39;t be completely satisfied as leaders Manchester City snatched a late winner themselves against Southampton to remain 11 points clear of third placed Chelsea.&nbsp;

Asked how he felt about City&#39;s superb run, Conte said: &quot;I think Manchester City won another game at the end.&nbsp;

&quot;I have great respect for a team that doesn&#39;t give up until the end.&nbsp;

&quot;If they are able to win many games at the end it means they trust until the end.

&quot;They are doing something incredible. When you do this sort of situation you must be a bit lucky.&nbsp;

&quot;For us it is important to look at ourselves. We are improving since the start of the season and we have good balance.&nbsp;

&quot;My feeling now is we are better than the start of the season.&quot;&nbsp;

Conte also admitted he doesn&#39;t know if David Luiz&#39;s knee injury will keep him out for a long period after the defender missed the Swansea game.

&quot;I hope to not lose him for a lot of time,&quot; he said.

Swansea remain second bottom as the pressure mounts on boss Paul Clement, whose team are without a win in six league games and haven&#39;t scored in their last four.&nbsp;

&quot;Most disappointing for me is the nature of the goal. We had players with their backs turned, they weren&#39;t in the right position,&quot; Clement groaned.&nbsp;

Clement&#39;s cause wasn&#39;t helped by another poor performance from Renato Sanches, the Portugal midfielder on loan in south Wales from Bayern Munich.&nbsp;

Sanches was hauled off at half-time and Clement admitted his player&#39;s confidence is in tatters.&nbsp;

&quot;He had a poor half. I feel for him,&quot; Clement said.&nbsp;

&quot;I don&#39;t think he&#39;s shown the talent he has this season. He&#39;s struggling for confidence and form.&nbsp;

&quot;I&#39;m behind him but he&#39;s got to start doing the simple things.&quot;

Conte was sent to the stands for a furious touchline rant during his side's 1-0 win over Swansea

Antonio Conte has apologised after the Chelsea manager was sent to the stands for a furious touchline rant during his side's 1-0 win over Swansea. Conte was incensed with Swansea's time-wasting throughout the first half at Stamford Bridge and his frustration boiled over when referee Neil Swarbrick failed to award Chelsea a clear corner. The Italian's constant complaining reached a peak with that incident and fourth official Lee Mason responded by telling Swarbrick, who immediately sent Conte to the stands. 'It's right to apologise for what happened during the game. I apologised to both of them' × Conte initially retreated to seats behind the Chelsea bench, but he had to watch the second half on television in the home changing room before seeking out Swarbrick and Mason to say sorry. "It's right to apologise for what happened during the game. I apologised to both of them," he said. "In the first half I saw Swansea was wasting time. I said this a few times to the fourth official. "I didn't see anything change. I was frustrated with this situation. "I tried to tell him again. Then the referee took this decision. For sure I made a mistake. I was frustrated. "I was a bit animated. For this reason the fourth official lost his patience. "The fault is mine, not the fourth official." Conte could be fined for his first dismissal since his move to Chelsea 18 months ago. However, he insisted he didn't swear and unless Swarbrick disagrees in his report to the Football Association, Conte is unlikely to be hit with a touchline ban. It is five years since Conte last saw red and he admitted being banished from the touchline was a painful experience. "It's a pity. I watched the rest of the game on a screen in the changing room," he said. "I could see very well but I don't like to stay in there. "I suffered in the changing room. You don't have the possibility to communicate with your players. It's very tough." Great respect Conte's angst was eased by Antonio Rudiger's headed winner in the second half. But even then he couldn't be completely satisfied as leaders Manchester City snatched a late winner themselves against Southampton to remain 11 points clear of third placed Chelsea. Asked how he felt about City's superb run, Conte said: "I think Manchester City won another game at the end. "I have great respect for a team that doesn't give up until the end. "If they are able to win many games at the end it means they trust until the end. "They are doing something incredible. When you do this sort of situation you must be a bit lucky. "For us it is important to look at ourselves. We are improving since the start of the season and we have good balance. "My feeling now is we are better than the start of the season." Conte also admitted he doesn't know if David Luiz's knee injury will keep him out for a long period after the defender missed the Swansea game. "I hope to not lose him for a lot of time," he said. Swansea remain second bottom as the pressure mounts on boss Paul Clement, whose team are without a win in six league games and haven't scored in their last four. "Most disappointing for me is the nature of the goal. We had players with their backs turned, they weren't in the right position," Clement groaned. Clement's cause wasn't helped by another poor performance from Renato Sanches, the Portugal midfielder on loan in south Wales from Bayern Munich. Sanches was hauled off at half-time and Clement admitted his player's confidence is in tatters. "He had a poor half. I feel for him," Clement said. "I don't think he's shown the talent he has this season. He's struggling for confidence and form. "I'm behind him but he's got to start doing the simple things."

Chelsea's Conte apologises after ranting at referee

Just when the chasing pack thought the Manchester City juggernaut was suffering a misfire Raheem Sterling scored a stunning stoppage-time winner to give the Premier League leaders a 2-1 victory over Southampton on Wednesday.

With Manchester United having cut the gap to five points and Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool winning, any City stutter would have been cause for celebration. But Pep Guardiola&#39;s side thundered on with a club record 12th successive league victory.

Former Chelsea midfielder Oriol Romeu had cancelled out Kevin De Bruyne&#39;s opener in the 75th minute but six minutes into stoppage time Sterling, for the third match running, snatched City&#39;s winner, this time with a sublime curling shot.

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Manager Antonio Conte was sent to the stands after a verbal meltdown at Stamford Bridge as his Chelsea side laboured to a 1-0 defeat of struggling Swansea City at Stamford Bridge. Antonio Rudiger&#39;s first Premier League goal sealed victory.

&quot;I have apologised because I did the wrong thing,&quot; Conte said of his angry reaction to a fourth official when his side were denied a corner in the first half.

&quot;I have been in to see them after the game. It&#39;s right to speak and apologise with them.&quot;

Arsenal struck three goals in four second-half minutes as they thrashed Huddersfield Town 5-0 with Mesut Ozil scoring one and supplying assists for Olivier Giroud, who scored a brace, and Alexis Sanchez.

Alexandre Lacazette&#39;s early goal had separated the sides before the interval although the French striker went off with a suspected groin injury and will probably miss Saturday&#39;s home clash against Manchester United. Arsenal have won 12 consecutive home matches.

Liverpool moved into fifth place with Mohamed Salah taking his tally for the season to a chart-topping 12 thanks to a double in a 3-0 victory at Stoke City.

After 14 games City have 40 points, with United on 32, Chelsea 29, Arsenal 28 and Liverpool 26.

Heady sixth

Burnley rose to a heady sixth, ahead of a sliding Tottenham Hotspur, as Chris Wood and Robbie Brady scored in a 2-1 victory at Bournemouth - their fourth win in five league games.

&quot;Where we are in the league, everyone will be surprised by that,&quot; Burnley boss Sean Dyche said.

Wayne Rooney scored a hat-trick, the third with a wonder goal from inside his own half, as Everton thrashed West Ham United 4-0 on a horrible return to Goodison Park for David Moyes whose West Ham side remained in the bottom three.

Sam Allardyce, who will be named shortly as Everton&#39;s new manager, watched on from the stands as caretaker boss David Unsworth signed off with a victory that lifted Everton to 13th.

Whatever happens below them, City are looking unstoppable and with 40 points from 14 games and a goal difference of 35 they have recorded the best start in Premier League history.

They were not at their fluent best and Southampton came closest to scoring before the break with Wesley Hoedt striking the woodwork for the visitors.

But Sterling&#39;s effort sparked wild celebrations at the Etihad as the former Liverpool player struck yet another late goal to take his tally for the season to 13.

He has now earned City nine extra points this season with his timely interventions and his latest effort was arguably his best, picking out the top corner with an unstoppable effort.

&quot;Raheem is a match-winner, I am so happy for him. He is special, it was an amazing goal. It is more than important, it is beautiful,&quot; Guardiola, whose side have dropped only two points this season, said.

City are now two wins away from matching Arsenal&#39;s record 14-match winning run in the Premier League.

City beat Southampton 2-1. This was City's 12th successive league victory

Just when the chasing pack thought the Manchester City juggernaut was suffering a misfire Raheem Sterling scored a stunning stoppage-time winner to give the Premier League leaders a 2-1 victory over Southampton on Wednesday. With Manchester United having cut the gap to five points and Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool winning, any City stutter would have been cause for celebration. But Pep Guardiola's side thundered on with a club record 12th successive league victory. Former Chelsea midfielder Oriol Romeu had cancelled out Kevin De Bruyne's opener in the 75th minute but six minutes into stoppage time Sterling, for the third match running, snatched City's winner, this time with a sublime curling shot. Manager Antonio Conte was sent to the stands after a verbal meltdown at Stamford Bridge as his Chelsea side laboured to a 1-0 defeat of struggling Swansea City × Manager Antonio Conte was sent to the stands after a verbal meltdown at Stamford Bridge as his Chelsea side laboured to a 1-0 defeat of struggling Swansea City at Stamford Bridge. Antonio Rudiger's first Premier League goal sealed victory. "I have apologised because I did the wrong thing," Conte said of his angry reaction to a fourth official when his side were denied a corner in the first half. "I have been in to see them after the game. It's right to speak and apologise with them." Arsenal struck three goals in four second-half minutes as they thrashed Huddersfield Town 5-0 with Mesut Ozil scoring one and supplying assists for Olivier Giroud, who scored a brace, and Alexis Sanchez. Alexandre Lacazette's early goal had separated the sides before the interval although the French striker went off with a suspected groin injury and will probably miss Saturday's home clash against Manchester United. Arsenal have won 12 consecutive home matches. Liverpool moved into fifth place with Mohamed Salah taking his tally for the season to a chart-topping 12 thanks to a double in a 3-0 victory at Stoke City. After 14 games City have 40 points, with United on 32, Chelsea 29, Arsenal 28 and Liverpool 26. Heady sixth Burnley rose to a heady sixth, ahead of a sliding Tottenham Hotspur, as Chris Wood and Robbie Brady scored in a 2-1 victory at Bournemouth - their fourth win in five league games. "Where we are in the league, everyone will be surprised by that," Burnley boss Sean Dyche said. Wayne Rooney scored a hat-trick, the third with a wonder goal from inside his own half, as Everton thrashed West Ham United 4-0 on a horrible return to Goodison Park for David Moyes whose West Ham side remained in the bottom three. Sam Allardyce, who will be named shortly as Everton's new manager, watched on from the stands as caretaker boss David Unsworth signed off with a victory that lifted Everton to 13th. Whatever happens below them, City are looking unstoppable and with 40 points from 14 games and a goal difference of 35 they have recorded the best start in Premier League history. They were not at their fluent best and Southampton came closest to scoring before the break with Wesley Hoedt striking the woodwork for the visitors. But Sterling's effort sparked wild celebrations at the Etihad as the former Liverpool player struck yet another late goal to take his tally for the season to 13. He has now earned City nine extra points this season with his timely interventions and his latest effort was arguably his best, picking out the top corner with an unstoppable effort. "Raheem is a match-winner, I am so happy for him. He is special, it was an amazing goal. It is more than important, it is beautiful," Guardiola, whose side have dropped only two points this season, said. City are now two wins away from matching Arsenal's record 14-match winning run in the Premier League.

EPL: League leaders Manchester City win, chasers keep chasing

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