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Manchester United sent a timely message to leaders Manchester City as they won 4-2 at Watford but Tottenham Hotspur&#39;s Premier League challenge is fading fast after they slumped to a 2-1 defeat at Leicester City on Tuesday.

Ashley Young was on target for the first time in 18 months as he scored twice for second-placed United who led 3-0 at the break before Watford produced a late fightback.

United&#39;s win moves them to 32 points and they are within five points of leaders City who host Southampton on Wednesday.

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Leicester&#39;s Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez turned the clock back two years as they both scored in a first-half display reminiscent of when the Foxes won the title in 2015-16.

Harry Kane replied for Tottenham after the break but the visitors could not prevent a third defeat in five league games which left them in fifth place -- 13 points off top spot.

West Bromwich Albion&#39;s caretaker manager Gary Megson looked set for a morale-boosting victory as his side led Newcastle United 2-0 with goals from Hal Robson-Kanu and Sam Field.

But Newcastle rallied to avoid a fifth straight league defeat with Ciaran Clark halving the deficit and an own goal by West Brom&#39;s Jonny Evans frustrating the hosts who are expected to name a successor to sacked Tony Pulis this week.

The BBC reported after Tuesday&#39;s match that former Newcastle and Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew, 56, was set to be appointed as the new West Brom manager as early as Wednesday.

Basement club Palace drew 0-0 at Brighton &amp; Hove Albion to move level on nine points with second-bottom Swansea City.

Likely challengers

Pep Guardiola&#39;s Manchester City look unstoppable but neighbours United are emerging as their most likely challengers with a derby looming next month.

United have been hamstrung by their poor away form, losing their last two on the road in the league, but they found a cure for travel sickness at a freezing Vicarage Road where manager Jose Mourinho said they could have scored seven or eight goals.

As it was they were hanging on towards the end after Tory Deeney&#39;s converted a 77th minute penalty and Abdoulaye Doucoure stabbed home to make it 3-2 with six minutes left before Jesse Lingard&#39;s superb solo goal sealed the win.

&quot;The second half should have been five or six nil, it was easier to score than the first,&quot; Mourinho said.

&quot;We missed chances. Out of nothing, they got a penalty for 3-1, then it was a different game. We should be smoking cigars but then we&#39;re in trouble.

&quot;It&#39;s important we have three wins in a row, nine points in three matches is good.&quot;

Former Watford winger Young had put United ahead after 19 minutes with a powerful near-post effort, celebrating by cupping his ear to the home faithful who responded with boos.

He topped that with a superb free kick that gave goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes no chance six minutes later.

Anthony Martial made it 3-0 in the 32nd but home substitute Deeney&#39;s spot kick breathed new life into the hosts who began the night seeking a third straight league win of their own.

Needless to say their manager Marco Silva was not inclined to agree with fellow Portuguese Mourinho&#39;s verdict that United could have won by a much larger margin.

&quot;The result is hard to take for us, we didn&#39;t deserve this result,&quot; he said.

United beat Watford 4-2, Tottenham lost 1-2 to Leicester City

Manchester United sent a timely message to leaders Manchester City as they won 4-2 at Watford but Tottenham Hotspur's Premier League challenge is fading fast after they slumped to a 2-1 defeat at Leicester City on Tuesday. Ashley Young was on target for the first time in 18 months as he scored twice for second-placed United who led 3-0 at the break before Watford produced a late fightback. United's win moves them to 32 points and they are within five points of leaders City who host Southampton on Wednesday. United's win moves them to 32 points and they are within five points of leaders City who host Southampton on Wednesday × Leicester's Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez turned the clock back two years as they both scored in a first-half display reminiscent of when the Foxes won the title in 2015-16. Harry Kane replied for Tottenham after the break but the visitors could not prevent a third defeat in five league games which left them in fifth place -- 13 points off top spot. West Bromwich Albion's caretaker manager Gary Megson looked set for a morale-boosting victory as his side led Newcastle United 2-0 with goals from Hal Robson-Kanu and Sam Field. But Newcastle rallied to avoid a fifth straight league defeat with Ciaran Clark halving the deficit and an own goal by West Brom's Jonny Evans frustrating the hosts who are expected to name a successor to sacked Tony Pulis this week. The BBC reported after Tuesday's match that former Newcastle and Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew, 56, was set to be appointed as the new West Brom manager as early as Wednesday. Basement club Palace drew 0-0 at Brighton & Hove Albion to move level on nine points with second-bottom Swansea City. Likely challengers Pep Guardiola's Manchester City look unstoppable but neighbours United are emerging as their most likely challengers with a derby looming next month. United have been hamstrung by their poor away form, losing their last two on the road in the league, but they found a cure for travel sickness at a freezing Vicarage Road where manager Jose Mourinho said they could have scored seven or eight goals. As it was they were hanging on towards the end after Tory Deeney's converted a 77th minute penalty and Abdoulaye Doucoure stabbed home to make it 3-2 with six minutes left before Jesse Lingard's superb solo goal sealed the win. "The second half should have been five or six nil, it was easier to score than the first," Mourinho said. "We missed chances. Out of nothing, they got a penalty for 3-1, then it was a different game. We should be smoking cigars but then we're in trouble. "It's important we have three wins in a row, nine points in three matches is good." Former Watford winger Young had put United ahead after 19 minutes with a powerful near-post effort, celebrating by cupping his ear to the home faithful who responded with boos. He topped that with a superb free kick that gave goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes no chance six minutes later. Anthony Martial made it 3-0 in the 32nd but home substitute Deeney's spot kick breathed new life into the hosts who began the night seeking a third straight league win of their own. Needless to say their manager Marco Silva was not inclined to agree with fellow Portuguese Mourinho's verdict that United could have won by a much larger margin. "The result is hard to take for us, we didn't deserve this result," he said.

EPL: Man United stay in touch, Tottenham stumble again

Lionel Messi has signed a new contract with Barcelona until 2021, the Liga leaders confirmed, ending speculation that the five-times world player of the year could leave the club where he has spent his entire career for free next June.

&quot;FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi signed on Saturday morning a new contract that will keep the Argentine superstar at the Club through the 2020/21 season,&quot; said a statement from Barca, posting a picture of Messi signing the deal alongside president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

&quot;The buyout clause was set at 700 million euros ($835.10 million).&quot;

Messi, 30, agreed the new contract with Barcelona in July but the club did not release the usual photo of the player putting pen to paper, fuelling speculation he could depart in June 2018, when his previous deal ran out, for free.

Messi is Barca&#39;s all-time top scorer with 523 goals in all competitions and has won eight Liga, five King&#39;s Cup and four Champions League titles since making his debut for the Catalan club in 2004, having joined their youth academy in 2000 aged 13.

He leads the scoring charts in La Liga with 12 goals and on Friday picked up the 2017 European Sports Media Golden Shoe for being the top scorer in a domestic league last season with 37 goals.

Barca can extend their lead at the top of La Liga to seven points if they beat second-placed Valencia on Sunday.

&quot;We should have signed this a long time ago and now we have and I&#39;m happy to continue with the club, which is my home,&quot; Messi told Barca&#39;s official television channel.

&quot;My dream was to finish my career at Bar&ccedil;a and we are moving down that path. Our objective is to continue achieving great things, fill the trophy cabinet and keep making history.

&quot;We&#39;ve been lucky enough to have won a great many things and I hope there will be more in the future.&quot;

Barca president Bartomeu hinted that Messi&#39;s buy-out clause had been cranked up from 300 million euros in the agreement in June up to 700 million euros after the club lost Neymar to Paris St Germain in August after the French giants paid the Brazilian international&#39;s clause of 222 million euros.

&quot;It&#39;s a new contract that we have signed today, because although the one we signed in June was up to par with his greatness as a player, the new one is more in line with the current situation in the ever-changing world of football,&quot; Bartomeu said.

&quot;It&#39;s a great contract for the best player in football history. It fills me with pride to see him with us renewing his love for the club.&quot;

Messi is Barca's all-time top scorer with 523 goals in all competitions and has won eight Liga, five King's Cup and four Champions League titles since making his debut for the Catalan club in 2004, having joined their youth academy in 2000 aged 13.

Lionel Messi has signed a new contract with Barcelona until 2021, the Liga leaders confirmed, ending speculation that the five-times world player of the year could leave the club where he has spent his entire career for free next June. "FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi signed on Saturday morning a new contract that will keep the Argentine superstar at the Club through the 2020/21 season," said a statement from Barca, posting a picture of Messi signing the deal alongside president Josep Maria Bartomeu. "The buyout clause was set at 700 million euros ($835.10 million)." Messi, 30, agreed the new contract with Barcelona in July but the club did not release the usual photo of the player putting pen to paper, fuelling speculation he could depart in June 2018, when his previous deal ran out, for free. Messi is Barca's all-time top scorer with 523 goals in all competitions and has won eight Liga, five King's Cup and four Champions League titles since making his debut for the Catalan club in 2004, having joined their youth academy in 2000 aged 13. He leads the scoring charts in La Liga with 12 goals and on Friday picked up the 2017 European Sports Media Golden Shoe for being the top scorer in a domestic league last season with 37 goals. Barca can extend their lead at the top of La Liga to seven points if they beat second-placed Valencia on Sunday. "We should have signed this a long time ago and now we have and I'm happy to continue with the club, which is my home," Messi told Barca's official television channel. "My dream was to finish my career at Barça and we are moving down that path. Our objective is to continue achieving great things, fill the trophy cabinet and keep making history. "We've been lucky enough to have won a great many things and I hope there will be more in the future." Barca president Bartomeu hinted that Messi's buy-out clause had been cranked up from 300 million euros in the agreement in June up to 700 million euros after the club lost Neymar to Paris St Germain in August after the French giants paid the Brazilian international's clause of 222 million euros. "It's a new contract that we have signed today, because although the one we signed in June was up to par with his greatness as a player, the new one is more in line with the current situation in the ever-changing world of football," Bartomeu said. "It's a great contract for the best player in football history. It fills me with pride to see him with us renewing his love for the club."

Football: Messi signs new contract with  Barcelona until 2021

An Italian court sentenced former AC Milan and Brazil forward Robinho in absentia to nine years in prison on Thursday (November 23) after convicting him of taking part in a gang rape of an Albanian woman in 2013.

A Milan court ruled that Robinho and five other Brazilians assaulted the woman, who was 22 at the time, after plying her with alcohol in a discotheque. The whereabouts of Robinho&#39;s five companions is not known, so their trial has been put on hold.

Robinho, 33, who currently plays with Atletico Mineiro in Brazil, pleaded not guilty via his lawyer and never appeared at any of the court hearings in northern Italy.

&quot;We would like to clarify that he has already defended himself against the accusations, affirming that he did not participate in the episode,&quot; said a statement posted on Robinho&#39;s Instagram feed. &quot;All legal measures are being taken.&quot;

Robinho has a right to two appeals and Italy would only seek extradition once this legal process is exhausted, a legal source said. However, Brazil does not allow for the extradition of its own citizens, meaning he would only risk arrest and deportation if he was stopped in a third country.

The Milan court ordered the victim receive 60,000 euros ($71,000) as compensation for her suffering.

Robinho has won 100 caps for Brazil, scoring 28 goals.

Robinho, 33, who currently plays with Atletico Mineiro in Brazil, pleaded not guilty via his lawyer and never appeared at any of the court hearings in northern Italy.

An Italian court sentenced former AC Milan and Brazil forward Robinho in absentia to nine years in prison on Thursday (November 23) after convicting him of taking part in a gang rape of an Albanian woman in 2013. A Milan court ruled that Robinho and five other Brazilians assaulted the woman, who was 22 at the time, after plying her with alcohol in a discotheque. The whereabouts of Robinho's five companions is not known, so their trial has been put on hold. Robinho, 33, who currently plays with Atletico Mineiro in Brazil, pleaded not guilty via his lawyer and never appeared at any of the court hearings in northern Italy. "We would like to clarify that he has already defended himself against the accusations, affirming that he did not participate in the episode," said a statement posted on Robinho's Instagram feed. "All legal measures are being taken." Robinho has a right to two appeals and Italy would only seek extradition once this legal process is exhausted, a legal source said. However, Brazil does not allow for the extradition of its own citizens, meaning he would only risk arrest and deportation if he was stopped in a third country. The Milan court ordered the victim receive 60,000 euros ($71,000) as compensation for her suffering. Robinho has won 100 caps for Brazil, scoring 28 goals.

Brazil footballer given 9-year prison term for rape

Sevilla&#39;s Argentine coach Eduardo Berizzo has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, the club confirmed on Wednesday, just hours after his side staged a remarkable comeback against Liverpool in the Champions League.

&quot;The medical services of Sevilla FC can inform that the coach of the first team, Eduardo Berizzo, has been diagnosed with an adenocarcinoma of the prostate,&quot; the club said in a statement.

&quot;Further tests will determine which steps to follow regarding his treatment.

&quot;Sevilla FC wants to show their full support to the coach right now and wishes him a speedy recovery.&quot;

Berizzo, 48, made no statement on his health when speaking to media after the Spanish side came from 3-0 down at half-time to draw 3-3 against the five-time European champions.

A former center-back for River Plate, Marseille, and Celta Vigo among others, Berizzo is in his first season as Sevilla boss after three successful years in charge of Celta.

Several Sevilla players had hailed Berizzo&#39;s powers of motivation to orchestrate their second-half fightback.

&quot;We had to come out with a different attitude for the fans and for the boss, he made us play like that,&quot; said Argentine international Ever Banega.

&quot;He turned the situation around in the second-half.&quot;

Sevilla came from 3-0 down at half-time to draw 3-3 against Liverpool in their Champions League match early Wednesday morning

Sevilla's Argentine coach Eduardo Berizzo has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, the club confirmed on Wednesday, just hours after his side staged a remarkable comeback against Liverpool in the Champions League. "The medical services of Sevilla FC can inform that the coach of the first team, Eduardo Berizzo, has been diagnosed with an adenocarcinoma of the prostate," the club said in a statement. "Further tests will determine which steps to follow regarding his treatment. "Sevilla FC wants to show their full support to the coach right now and wishes him a speedy recovery." Berizzo, 48, made no statement on his health when speaking to media after the Spanish side came from 3-0 down at half-time to draw 3-3 against the five-time European champions. A former center-back for River Plate, Marseille, and Celta Vigo among others, Berizzo is in his first season as Sevilla boss after three successful years in charge of Celta. Several Sevilla players had hailed Berizzo's powers of motivation to orchestrate their second-half fightback. "We had to come out with a different attitude for the fans and for the boss, he made us play like that," said Argentine international Ever Banega. "He turned the situation around in the second-half."

Hours after Sevilla comeback, coach Eduardo Berizzo diagnosed with cancer

Dani Carvajal could be banned for the Real Madrid&#39;s Champions League last 16 first leg after UEFA opened disciplinary proceedings against the right-back for &quot;receiving a yellow card on purpose&quot; during Tuesday&#39;s 6-0 rout of APOEL Nicosia.

The Spanish international picked up his third booking of the group stage, to trigger an automatic one-match ban, for time wasting in the 90th minute in Cyprus.

However, he will be hit with an extra game ban if found guilty of breaking article 15 of UEFA&#39;s disciplinary regulations when his case is heard on December 7.

Madrid has already secured their place in the last 16 behind Tottenham Hotspur in Group H with nothing riding on their final group game at home to Borussia Dortmund on December 6.

It is not the first time Madrid have been reprimanded by UEFA for provoking suspensions in the Champions League.

In 2010 Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos were charged for getting sent off in the final stages of a 4-0 win at Ajax to miss a meaningless match against Auxerre.

On that occasion, the pair escaped an extra ban but were fined 20,000 euros each and coach Jose Mourinho was handed a two-match suspended ban for orchestrating their dismissals.

UEFA opened disciplinary proceedings against the right-back for 'receiving a yellow card on purpose' during Tuesday's 6-0 rout of APOEL Nicosia

Dani Carvajal could be banned for the Real Madrid's Champions League last 16 first leg after UEFA opened disciplinary proceedings against the right-back for "receiving a yellow card on purpose" during Tuesday's 6-0 rout of APOEL Nicosia. The Spanish international picked up his third booking of the group stage, to trigger an automatic one-match ban, for time wasting in the 90th minute in Cyprus. However, he will be hit with an extra game ban if found guilty of breaking article 15 of UEFA's disciplinary regulations when his case is heard on December 7. Madrid has already secured their place in the last 16 behind Tottenham Hotspur in Group H with nothing riding on their final group game at home to Borussia Dortmund on December 6. It is not the first time Madrid have been reprimanded by UEFA for provoking suspensions in the Champions League. In 2010 Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos were charged for getting sent off in the final stages of a 4-0 win at Ajax to miss a meaningless match against Auxerre. On that occasion, the pair escaped an extra ban but were fined 20,000 euros each and coach Jose Mourinho was handed a two-match suspended ban for orchestrating their dismissals.

Champions League: Real's Carvajal charged by UEFA for 'deliberate booking'

English teams are not being given enough time to recover from Champions League games and the Premier League should review the way the fixture schedule is drawn up, Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has said.

Chelsea are second in their Champions League group and face Qarabag in Azerbaijan later on Wednesday seeking to book their spot in the last 16. They are then scheduled to face Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday.

Conte suggested the congested schedule is one of the reasons English sides have failed to reach the Champions League final in recent years. Chelsea were the last English club to reach the final when they beat Bayern Munich in the 2011/12 season.

&quot;It will be very difficult for us to recover,&quot; Conte told reporters on Tuesday. &quot;Whoever prepared the fixtures for the league must pay great attention.&quot;

&quot;I&#39;d like to underline I&#39;m talking for all the teams who are playing in the Champions League, not just for Chelsea. At this moment, England needs to try to understand this problem and change something.&quot;

Conte said Chelsea were in the same situation in September when they travelled to Atletico Madrid on Sept. 27 and hosted Manchester City three days later.

&quot;For a lot of time, there hasn&#39;t been an English team playing a final in the Champions League. Why is this? The teams are very strong, and every team has the possibility to go through to the Champions League final,&quot; he added.

Chelsea are nine points behind league leaders Manchester City and a point behind second-placed United.

Chelsea take on Qarabag in Azerbaijan Wednesday night

English teams are not being given enough time to recover from Champions League games and the Premier League should review the way the fixture schedule is drawn up, Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has said. Chelsea are second in their Champions League group and face Qarabag in Azerbaijan later on Wednesday seeking to book their spot in the last 16. They are then scheduled to face Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday. Conte suggested the congested schedule is one of the reasons English sides have failed to reach the Champions League final in recent years. Chelsea were the last English club to reach the final when they beat Bayern Munich in the 2011/12 season. "It will be very difficult for us to recover," Conte told reporters on Tuesday. "Whoever prepared the fixtures for the league must pay great attention." "I'd like to underline I'm talking for all the teams who are playing in the Champions League, not just for Chelsea. At this moment, England needs to try to understand this problem and change something." Conte said Chelsea were in the same situation in September when they travelled to Atletico Madrid on Sept. 27 and hosted Manchester City three days later. "For a lot of time, there hasn't been an English team playing a final in the Champions League. Why is this? The teams are very strong, and every team has the possibility to go through to the Champions League final," he added. Chelsea are nine points behind league leaders Manchester City and a point behind second-placed United.

Champions League: Chelsea's Conte says not getting time to recover, EPL should rethink fixtures

Liverpool has overcome the instability that contributed to their inconsistent start to the season, manager Juergen Klopp said ahead of Tuesday&#39;s Champions League clash at Sevilla.

A victory in Spain will guarantee Group E leaders Liverpool passage into the knockout stage and Klopp&#39;s side head into the game high on confidence after three successive victories in the Premier League.

&quot;It&#39;s getting really exciting and decisive -- and that&#39;s really cool,&quot; Klopp said. &quot;We&#39;ve had 12 (league) games this season, that&#39;s not even a third of the season, so we have to learn from our experiences and build on our performances.

&quot;That&#39;s what we did in the last few weeks and now what we have to do in the next few weeks... to get points you need to play stable football and that&#39;s what we were lacking. Now it looks much more stable and that was really important for us.&quot;

Liverpool&#39;s blistering form in front of goal has stemmed from the understanding between Philippe Coutinho, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah with the attacking foursome limiting striker Daniel Sturridge&#39;s game time.

However, Klopp said the England international will have a part to play as the season wears on and he was not thinking of selling him in the January transfer window.

&quot;I can imagine a player with his quality is not happy that he is not starting all the time,&quot; Klopp added. &quot;The situation with the player is completely okay. We are in November and need all our players -- even if he feels a little different.

&quot;There is around one-and-a-half months before the window opens and I don&#39;t think about things like this. There are so many games before then and I need all of them (players).&quot;

Klopp will be without defender Joel Matip on Tuesday and hopes he will recover from a thigh strain in time for the visit of Chelsea on Saturday.

Liverpool, who were held to a 2-2 draw by the Spanish side in their opening clash in Europe in September and followed that up with a 1-1 draw at Spartak Moscow, thrashed Maribor 7-0 and 3-0 in their next two games to top Group E.

Liverpool take on Sevilla early Wednesday morning at 1.15 am India Standard Time

Liverpool has overcome the instability that contributed to their inconsistent start to the season, manager Juergen Klopp said ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash at Sevilla. A victory in Spain will guarantee Group E leaders Liverpool passage into the knockout stage and Klopp's side head into the game high on confidence after three successive victories in the Premier League. "It's getting really exciting and decisive -- and that's really cool," Klopp said. "We've had 12 (league) games this season, that's not even a third of the season, so we have to learn from our experiences and build on our performances. "That's what we did in the last few weeks and now what we have to do in the next few weeks... to get points you need to play stable football and that's what we were lacking. Now it looks much more stable and that was really important for us." Liverpool's blistering form in front of goal has stemmed from the understanding between Philippe Coutinho, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah with the attacking foursome limiting striker Daniel Sturridge's game time. However, Klopp said the England international will have a part to play as the season wears on and he was not thinking of selling him in the January transfer window. "I can imagine a player with his quality is not happy that he is not starting all the time," Klopp added. "The situation with the player is completely okay. We are in November and need all our players -- even if he feels a little different. "There is around one-and-a-half months before the window opens and I don't think about things like this. There are so many games before then and I need all of them (players)." Klopp will be without defender Joel Matip on Tuesday and hopes he will recover from a thigh strain in time for the visit of Chelsea on Saturday. Liverpool, who were held to a 2-2 draw by the Spanish side in their opening clash in Europe in September and followed that up with a 1-1 draw at Spartak Moscow, thrashed Maribor 7-0 and 3-0 in their next two games to top Group E.

Champions League: Klopp says Liverpool have overcome early instability

Tottenham Hotspur must quickly get over the disappointment of the Premier League defeat at Arsenal by getting a morale-boosting victory at Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday, manager Mauricio Pochettino has said.

Spurs&#39; loss at the Emirates on Saturday dropped them to fourth in the table, 11 points behind league leaders Manchester City, and extended their woeful away record against fellow top-six teams to one win in 17 games.

Tottenham, who are top of their Champions League group, have already sealed progression to the knockout stages and Pochettino believes their penultimate group match against a struggling Dortmund is the perfect opportunity to get a much-needed win.

&quot;Now we have to keep going and get ready for Borussia Dortmund. Okay, we&#39;re already in the next stage of the competition but we want to win and try to change the feeling we have from the weekend,&quot; Pochettino told the club&#39;s website. (www.tottenhamhotspur.com)

&quot;It&#39;s always important to compete and to be focused on the next game and when you lose, it&#39;s important to play as soon as possible to change that feeling.&quot;

Tottenham playmaker Christian Eriksen echoed his manager&#39;s words and says the Dortmund game allows Spurs&#39; players to show their true capabilities after an underwhelming outing against Arsenal.

&quot;It&#39;s probably good that we have a game so quickly after the derby and you can have a bit of revenge -- you can show the world that you are a better than what you saw on Saturday,&quot; Eriksen told reporters.

Tottenham was favored to win the north London derby and was criticised on multiple fronts after the poor showing but Pochettino has welcomed the increased expectations saying it showed the club&#39;s improvement during his reign.

&quot;The expectation now is that we win the Champions League and Premier League and I am happy with the pressure and the criticism,&quot; Pochettino added.

&quot;It means people expect more of us. We know very well we have improved in every single aspect.&quot;

Tottenham, who are top of their Champions League group, have already sealed progression to the knockout stages

Tottenham Hotspur must quickly get over the disappointment of the Premier League defeat at Arsenal by getting a morale-boosting victory at Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday, manager Mauricio Pochettino has said. Spurs' loss at the Emirates on Saturday dropped them to fourth in the table, 11 points behind league leaders Manchester City, and extended their woeful away record against fellow top-six teams to one win in 17 games. Tottenham, who are top of their Champions League group, have already sealed progression to the knockout stages and Pochettino believes their penultimate group match against a struggling Dortmund is the perfect opportunity to get a much-needed win. "Now we have to keep going and get ready for Borussia Dortmund. Okay, we're already in the next stage of the competition but we want to win and try to change the feeling we have from the weekend," Pochettino told the club's website. (www.tottenhamhotspur.com) "It's always important to compete and to be focused on the next game and when you lose, it's important to play as soon as possible to change that feeling." Tottenham playmaker Christian Eriksen echoed his manager's words and says the Dortmund game allows Spurs' players to show their true capabilities after an underwhelming outing against Arsenal. "It's probably good that we have a game so quickly after the derby and you can have a bit of revenge -- you can show the world that you are a better than what you saw on Saturday," Eriksen told reporters. Tottenham was favored to win the north London derby and was criticised on multiple fronts after the poor showing but Pochettino has welcomed the increased expectations saying it showed the club's improvement during his reign. "The expectation now is that we win the Champions League and Premier League and I am happy with the pressure and the criticism," Pochettino added. "It means people expect more of us. We know very well we have improved in every single aspect."

Champions League: Tottenham Hotspur must beat Dortmund to get over Arsenal loss, says manager

Real Madrid and Atletico each slipped 10 points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona after an intense Madrid derby finished goalless and the Catalans picked up an 11th victory in 12 games by winning 3-0 at Leganes.

Atletico forward Angel Correa wasted a glorious chance to open the scoring in the first derby at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium when he was through on goal in the third minute, while Toni Kroos missed Real&#39;s clearest opportunity.

Raphael Varane rescued Real by heading away Kevin Gameiro&#39;s chipped shot in the second half. At the other end, Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak made two late saves to thwart Cristiano Ronaldo and Kroos as Real finished stronger in the first league derby to finish 0-0 in more than 12 years.

Barca striker Luis Suarez snapped a goal drought spanning five games by scoring twice in his side&#39;s 3-0 win at Leganes, while substitute Paulinho poked in the third goal in stoppage time.

Barca lead the standings on 34 points from 12 games, seven clear of Valencia who visit Espanyol on Sunday, while Real are third on 24, level on points with Atletico in fourth. Sevilla are fifth after coming from behind to beat Celta Vigo 2-1 at home.

The intense rivalry between Real and Atletico could be felt throughout the game, with Correa booting a ball at Karim Benzema&#39;s face when the French striker was on the floor or when Stefan Savic cynically hauled down Kroos.

Towards the end of the first half Lucas Hernandez kicked Sergio Ramos in the face as the captain tried to land a diving header, an incident which could have led to a Real penalty and saw Ramos taken off with a fractured nose.

Atletico fans booed Antoine Griezmann off the pitch when he was substituted following a lifeless performance from the France striker, who has not scored for his club since Sept. 27.

Real coach Zinedine Zidane said his side deserved more from the game, the fifth occasion in which they have dropped points this season.

&quot;Sometimes the ball doesn&#39;t want to go in. I can&#39;t explain why,&quot; he told reporters.

&quot;The good thing about tonight is we played well. Of course, we&#39;re struggling to score, but we know we will. We need to stay positive, which we are. We need to keep on working because this is football and things change very quickly and I&#39;m sure we&#39;ll be fighting for the title until the end.&quot;

Atletico coach Diego Simeone said: &quot;We were playing against the best team in the world. We played as we wanted to, we could have lost this game but we also could have won it.&quot;

SPURNED CHANCES

Earlier at Leganes, Barca striker Suarez reaped the benefits of two weeks rest after being left out of Uruguay&#39;s internationals and pounced from close range to give Barca the lead in the 28th minute, after Leganes goalkeeper Ivan Cuellar failed to hold a shot from Paco Alcacer.

Leganes offered Barca little space going forward and strikers Nordin Amrabat and Alexander Szymanowski both spurned chances to score before the break, the latter being denied by the left hand of an outstretched Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

&quot;Perhaps the result implies we dominated the game more than we actually did,&quot; Barca coach Ernesto Valverde told reporters.

Suarez doubled Ernesto Valverde&#39;s side&#39;s lead on the hour by sliding to send another rebound beyond the hapless Cuellar while Brazilian Paulinho struck his fourth goal of the season.

There was one negative for Barca, however, as defender Gerard Pique picked up a fifth yellow card of the season and is suspended for next week&#39;s top-of-the-table clash at Valencia.

Atletico forward Angel Correa wasted a glorious chance to open the scoring in the first derby at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium when he was through on goal in the third minute, while Toni Kroos missed Real's clearest opportunity.

Real Madrid and Atletico each slipped 10 points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona after an intense Madrid derby finished goalless and the Catalans picked up an 11th victory in 12 games by winning 3-0 at Leganes. Atletico forward Angel Correa wasted a glorious chance to open the scoring in the first derby at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium when he was through on goal in the third minute, while Toni Kroos missed Real's clearest opportunity. Raphael Varane rescued Real by heading away Kevin Gameiro's chipped shot in the second half. At the other end, Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak made two late saves to thwart Cristiano Ronaldo and Kroos as Real finished stronger in the first league derby to finish 0-0 in more than 12 years. Barca striker Luis Suarez snapped a goal drought spanning five games by scoring twice in his side's 3-0 win at Leganes, while substitute Paulinho poked in the third goal in stoppage time. Barca lead the standings on 34 points from 12 games, seven clear of Valencia who visit Espanyol on Sunday, while Real are third on 24, level on points with Atletico in fourth. Sevilla are fifth after coming from behind to beat Celta Vigo 2-1 at home. The intense rivalry between Real and Atletico could be felt throughout the game, with Correa booting a ball at Karim Benzema's face when the French striker was on the floor or when Stefan Savic cynically hauled down Kroos. Towards the end of the first half Lucas Hernandez kicked Sergio Ramos in the face as the captain tried to land a diving header, an incident which could have led to a Real penalty and saw Ramos taken off with a fractured nose. Atletico fans booed Antoine Griezmann off the pitch when he was substituted following a lifeless performance from the France striker, who has not scored for his club since Sept. 27. Real coach Zinedine Zidane said his side deserved more from the game, the fifth occasion in which they have dropped points this season. "Sometimes the ball doesn't want to go in. I can't explain why," he told reporters. "The good thing about tonight is we played well. Of course, we're struggling to score, but we know we will. We need to stay positive, which we are. We need to keep on working because this is football and things change very quickly and I'm sure we'll be fighting for the title until the end." Atletico coach Diego Simeone said: "We were playing against the best team in the world. We played as we wanted to, we could have lost this game but we also could have won it." SPURNED CHANCES Earlier at Leganes, Barca striker Suarez reaped the benefits of two weeks rest after being left out of Uruguay's internationals and pounced from close range to give Barca the lead in the 28th minute, after Leganes goalkeeper Ivan Cuellar failed to hold a shot from Paco Alcacer. Leganes offered Barca little space going forward and strikers Nordin Amrabat and Alexander Szymanowski both spurned chances to score before the break, the latter being denied by the left hand of an outstretched Marc-Andre ter Stegen. "Perhaps the result implies we dominated the game more than we actually did," Barca coach Ernesto Valverde told reporters. Suarez doubled Ernesto Valverde's side's lead on the hour by sliding to send another rebound beyond the hapless Cuellar while Brazilian Paulinho struck his fourth goal of the season. There was one negative for Barca, however, as defender Gerard Pique picked up a fifth yellow card of the season and is suspended for next week's top-of-the-table clash at Valencia.

Football: Suarez inspires Barca, Real and Atletico in derby stalemate

Italy coach Gian Piero Ventura was sacked on Wednesday as he paid the almost inevitable price for their failure to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in 60 years.

The Italian federation (FIGC) initially issued a statement saying that Ventura was &quot;no longer&quot; the coach without clarifying whether he had been sacked or resigned. An FIGC source, however, told Reuters that the 69-year-old had been fired.

The four-times world champions were held to a 0-0 draw at home by Sweden in the second leg of their European playoff on Monday, losing 1-0 on aggregate, and will miss the finals for the first time since 1958.

Unusually in Italy, the federation did not thank Ventura for his services, nor wish him well for the future.

FIGC president Carlo Tavecchio later told reporters that he had spoken to Ventura and &quot;told him we no longer had need of his services, so as of today, Italy does not have a coach.&quot;

Many Italian newspapers also called for the resignation of Tavecchio following the World Cup fiasco, but in Wednesday&#39;s statement, the FIGC said he had declined to quit.

Instead, Tavecchio said he had called a meeting for Monday to discuss the future. &quot;We have thought about some important coaches as next manager,&quot; he said.

Ventura replaced Antonio Conte following Euro 2016 and was initially given a two-year contract. In August, it was extended until the Euro 2020 tournament because the FIGC said it was happy with the team&#39;s progress.

On announcing Ventura&#39;s appointment, Tavecchio had described him as a &quot;master of football&quot;.

Ventura has never won a major title or coached top-tier teams such as AC Milan, Inter Milan or Juventus. He spent much of his career in the lower divisions, but enjoyed a long, steady career and had a reputation for nurturing young talent.

He also gained widespread respect following a five-year spell with Torino when he led them out of Serie B and to several decent finishes in the middle and upper half of Serie A.

Italy finished second in their European qualifying group behind Spain, forcing them into a playoff against Sweden for a place in Russia.

Ventura was in charge for 17 games with 10 wins, four draws and three defeats.

Apart from 1958, the only other occasion Italy missed the World Cup was the inaugural tournament in 1930 when, like many other European teams, they did not enter because of the difficulties of travelling to Uruguay.

The four-times world champions were held to a 0-0 draw at home by Sweden in the second leg of their European playoff on Monday, losing 1-0 on aggregate, and will miss the finals for the first time since 1958.

Italy coach Gian Piero Ventura was sacked on Wednesday as he paid the almost inevitable price for their failure to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in 60 years. The Italian federation (FIGC) initially issued a statement saying that Ventura was "no longer" the coach without clarifying whether he had been sacked or resigned. An FIGC source, however, told Reuters that the 69-year-old had been fired. The four-times world champions were held to a 0-0 draw at home by Sweden in the second leg of their European playoff on Monday, losing 1-0 on aggregate, and will miss the finals for the first time since 1958. Unusually in Italy, the federation did not thank Ventura for his services, nor wish him well for the future. FIGC president Carlo Tavecchio later told reporters that he had spoken to Ventura and "told him we no longer had need of his services, so as of today, Italy does not have a coach." Many Italian newspapers also called for the resignation of Tavecchio following the World Cup fiasco, but in Wednesday's statement, the FIGC said he had declined to quit. Instead, Tavecchio said he had called a meeting for Monday to discuss the future. "We have thought about some important coaches as next manager," he said. Ventura replaced Antonio Conte following Euro 2016 and was initially given a two-year contract. In August, it was extended until the Euro 2020 tournament because the FIGC said it was happy with the team's progress. On announcing Ventura's appointment, Tavecchio had described him as a "master of football". Ventura has never won a major title or coached top-tier teams such as AC Milan, Inter Milan or Juventus. He spent much of his career in the lower divisions, but enjoyed a long, steady career and had a reputation for nurturing young talent. He also gained widespread respect following a five-year spell with Torino when he led them out of Serie B and to several decent finishes in the middle and upper half of Serie A. Italy finished second in their European qualifying group behind Spain, forcing them into a playoff against Sweden for a place in Russia. Ventura was in charge for 17 games with 10 wins, four draws and three defeats. Apart from 1958, the only other occasion Italy missed the World Cup was the inaugural tournament in 1930 when, like many other European teams, they did not enter because of the difficulties of travelling to Uruguay.

Italy national team football coach sacked after World Cup fiasco

Peru became the last side to clinch their place at next year&#39;s World Cup finals when goals in each half from Jefferson Farfan and Christian Ramos gave them a 2-0 win over New Zealand in the second leg of their inter-confederation playoff on Wednesday.

The teams played out a 0-0 draw in the first leg in Wellington on Saturday and although both sides had chances in a tense match in Lima, Peru were more clinical in front of goal.

The Peruvians, who last went to the World Cup finals in 1982, celebrated with abandon when the final whistle went and were guaranteed a day to recover after the government promised a national holiday.

&quot;This is a dream come true and now it is time to celebrate,&quot; Christian Cueva, the gifted left winger who had a hand in creating both goals, told reporters as the players completed a boisterous lap of honour.

&quot;Now we have to keep working and prepare for the finals.&quot;

Peru got their noses in front on 27 minutes when Farfan hammered home a fierce rising shot from just inside the penalty area to complete a sweeping counter-attack.

The home side could have scored more but an early drive from Luis Advincula hit the woodwork and All Whites keeper Stefan Marinovic did well to stop a bending drive from Miguel Trauco and then get a hand to Farfan&#39;s shot from the rebound.

New Zealand brought on Chris Wood at halftime in search of a vital away goal and a series of long balls to the towering Burnley striker managed to put Peru on the back foot in the early stages of the second period.

However, the Kiwis could not make their temporary control of the contest count and Ramos doubled Peru&#39;s lead after 64 minutes when he seized on a loose ball from a corner kick and lashed it into the roof of the net from close range.

The result extended Peru&#39;s unbeaten run to 10 games, their longest such streak in 75 years.

&quot;Mission accomplished, thank you,&quot; Ricardo Gareca, Peru&#39;s Argentine coach said after the game. &quot;We have managed something very important for the country. I am very emotional.&quot;

The South Americans are 10th in the latest FIFA rankings and will go into the second group of seeds when the draw for next year&#39;s tournament takes place in Moscow on Dec. 1.

The teams played out a 0-0 draw in the first leg in Wellington on Saturday and although both sides had chances in a tense match in Lima, Peru were more clinical in front of goal.

Peru became the last side to clinch their place at next year's World Cup finals when goals in each half from Jefferson Farfan and Christian Ramos gave them a 2-0 win over New Zealand in the second leg of their inter-confederation playoff on Wednesday. The teams played out a 0-0 draw in the first leg in Wellington on Saturday and although both sides had chances in a tense match in Lima, Peru were more clinical in front of goal. The Peruvians, who last went to the World Cup finals in 1982, celebrated with abandon when the final whistle went and were guaranteed a day to recover after the government promised a national holiday. "This is a dream come true and now it is time to celebrate," Christian Cueva, the gifted left winger who had a hand in creating both goals, told reporters as the players completed a boisterous lap of honour. "Now we have to keep working and prepare for the finals." Peru got their noses in front on 27 minutes when Farfan hammered home a fierce rising shot from just inside the penalty area to complete a sweeping counter-attack. The home side could have scored more but an early drive from Luis Advincula hit the woodwork and All Whites keeper Stefan Marinovic did well to stop a bending drive from Miguel Trauco and then get a hand to Farfan's shot from the rebound. New Zealand brought on Chris Wood at halftime in search of a vital away goal and a series of long balls to the towering Burnley striker managed to put Peru on the back foot in the early stages of the second period. However, the Kiwis could not make their temporary control of the contest count and Ramos doubled Peru's lead after 64 minutes when he seized on a loose ball from a corner kick and lashed it into the roof of the net from close range. The result extended Peru's unbeaten run to 10 games, their longest such streak in 75 years. "Mission accomplished, thank you," Ricardo Gareca, Peru's Argentine coach said after the game. "We have managed something very important for the country. I am very emotional." The South Americans are 10th in the latest FIFA rankings and will go into the second group of seeds when the draw for next year's tournament takes place in Moscow on Dec. 1.

Football: Peru down New Zealand to complete World Cup lineup

Tenth-ranked Peru qualified with goals from Jefferson Farfan and Christian Ramos in the second leg of their play-off. It is the first time Peru, who finished fifth in South American qualifying, has made it through to the World Cup finals since 1982.

Peru qualify for World Cup finals after beating New Zealand

The only reason anyone recalls this game is because of Ibrahimovic. The striker, then playing for Paris Saint-Germain, scored three goals in the last 12 minutes, bringing his tally for the game to four after he opened the scoring.

Relive Zlatan Ibrahimovic's memorable goal against England five years later

Already through to the main tournament, India played out a 2-2 draw against Myanmar in the return-leg match of the AFC Asian Cup qualifying Group A match here today.

The home side came back twice in the match to hold the visiting side and continue their unbeaten streak in 13 matches.

Myanmar scored through Yan Naing Oo (1st minute) and Kyaw Ko Ko (19th) while Sunil Chhetri (12th; penalty) and Jeje Lalpekhlua (69th) found the target at the Nehru Stadium here.

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India had beaten Myanmar 1-0 in the first leg in Yangon in March through a Chhetri winner.

With today&#39;s draw, India are on the top of the group with 13 points from five matches. Myanmar are placed second with five points from four matches.

India have already qualified for the AFC Asian Cup 2019 in UAE after beating Macau 4-1 in Bangalore last month.

True to captain Chhetri&#39;s words that Myanmar were a tough side, the visitors scored as early as the first minute before the home team defence could settle down.

A quick build up on the left saw Thein Than run down the left flank and send a perfect cross into the box for Yan Naing Oo to head in to put the home team under early pressure.

India&#39;s defence was shaken by the early goal and nearly conceded another two minutes later but Kyaw Ko Ko shot straight to goalie Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.

India took time to settle down and earned a penalty in the 12th minute when Heaing Bo Bo brought down Chhetri inside the box. Chhetri himself took the penalty and made no mistake in finding the net.

Myanmar showed a lot of urgency in their attack and once again took the lead in the 19th minute when Kyaw Ko Ko sent a stiff grounder that beat a diving Gurpreet to find the corner of the net.

India looked dangerous in their counter attacks and had their chances to restore parity but Sandesh Jhingan shot over the bar off a free kick taken by Eugeneson Lyngdoh in the 39th minute.

Chhetri too had a glorious chance to restore parity in the dying minutes of the first half but his angular shot off a Jeje through pass missed the target narrowly.

The second half was fought on equal terms as both the teams made forays but could not penetrate into the rival box. Chhetri once again saw his header going out from close off a cross from the right.

India continued to control the proceedings and finally restored parity in the 69th minute through Jeje.

Lyngdoh, who orchestrated most of the moves from the middle, sent a high lob for Jeje who chested the ball inside the box and essayed a low shot that beat rival keeper to find the far post.

Towards the end, Chhetri again had a glorious chance to score after he was involved in a one-two pass with Udanta Singh but he shot over the bar. PTI

India came back twice in the match to hold Myanmar and extend their unbeaten streak to 13 matches

Already through to the main tournament, India played out a 2-2 draw against Myanmar in the return-leg match of the AFC Asian Cup qualifying Group A match here today. The home side came back twice in the match to hold the visiting side and continue their unbeaten streak in 13 matches. Myanmar scored through Yan Naing Oo (1st minute) and Kyaw Ko Ko (19th) while Sunil Chhetri (12th; penalty) and Jeje Lalpekhlua (69th) found the target at the Nehru Stadium here. India had beaten Myanmar 1-0 in the first leg in Yangon in March through a Chhetri winner × India had beaten Myanmar 1-0 in the first leg in Yangon in March through a Chhetri winner. With today's draw, India are on the top of the group with 13 points from five matches. Myanmar are placed second with five points from four matches. India have already qualified for the AFC Asian Cup 2019 in UAE after beating Macau 4-1 in Bangalore last month. True to captain Chhetri's words that Myanmar were a tough side, the visitors scored as early as the first minute before the home team defence could settle down. A quick build up on the left saw Thein Than run down the left flank and send a perfect cross into the box for Yan Naing Oo to head in to put the home team under early pressure. India's defence was shaken by the early goal and nearly conceded another two minutes later but Kyaw Ko Ko shot straight to goalie Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. India took time to settle down and earned a penalty in the 12th minute when Heaing Bo Bo brought down Chhetri inside the box. Chhetri himself took the penalty and made no mistake in finding the net. Myanmar showed a lot of urgency in their attack and once again took the lead in the 19th minute when Kyaw Ko Ko sent a stiff grounder that beat a diving Gurpreet to find the corner of the net. India looked dangerous in their counter attacks and had their chances to restore parity but Sandesh Jhingan shot over the bar off a free kick taken by Eugeneson Lyngdoh in the 39th minute. Chhetri too had a glorious chance to restore parity in the dying minutes of the first half but his angular shot off a Jeje through pass missed the target narrowly. The second half was fought on equal terms as both the teams made forays but could not penetrate into the rival box. Chhetri once again saw his header going out from close off a cross from the right. India continued to control the proceedings and finally restored parity in the 69th minute through Jeje. Lyngdoh, who orchestrated most of the moves from the middle, sent a high lob for Jeje who chested the ball inside the box and essayed a low shot that beat rival keeper to find the far post. Towards the end, Chhetri again had a glorious chance to score after he was involved in a one-two pass with Udanta Singh but he shot over the bar. PTI

Having already qualified for Asian Cup, India hold Myanmar to 2-2 draw

Sweden are taking nothing for granted as they head to Milan for the second leg of their World Cup playoff against Italy on Monday after Jan Andersson&#39;s players took a 1-0 lead in the tie.

Jakob Johansson&#39;s deflected second-half strike gave Sweden a precious win in a physical first leg on Friday, and their task now is to remain focussed in the return match at the San Siro.

&quot;It&#39;s not a normal qualifier where, when the game is over, you can celebrate the three points. We&#39;re only halfway through this double-header,&quot; midfielder Sebastian Larsson told Reuters.

&quot;We&#39;re fully aware of the task ahead of us, going to Italy with a slender 1-0 lead. To keep a clean sheet was obviously something we really wanted and we&#39;re pleased with that. We re-focus and go again.&quot;

Larsson and his team mates put in an enormous defensive effort to snuff out Italy&#39;s attack, and the midfielder was limping at the end. He says, however, there is no risk of him missing the return.

Larsson, who has played 95 times for his country, but never appeared at a World Cup finals, believes staying grounded will be crucial to Sweden reaching the tournament finals in Russia next year.

&quot;We&#39;re going to stay humble and do everything we can to progress,&quot; he said.

Sweden captain Andreas Granqvist says the Italians will have to be careful about how they approach Monday&#39;s decisive game.

&quot;I don&#39;t think Italy are a team that is just going to attack, because then they know that we will create chances and maybe score a goal in Italy, and then they needs to score three,&quot; he said.

&quot;But of course, they play at home and they will have to be a little bit more attacking.&quot;

Granqvist, who spent two years at Italian club Genoa, laughed when asked about Italy&#39;s complaints about the physical nature of Friday&#39;s clash.

&quot;It&#39;s fantastic,&quot; he said. &quot;As a defender, you have to be really tough, but in a good way. I think the referee kept it good -- of course there were some situations they were angry about, but this is football.&quot;

'It's not a normal qualifier where, when the game is over, you can celebrate the three points. We're only halfway through this double-header,' midfielder Sebastian Larsson said

Sweden are taking nothing for granted as they head to Milan for the second leg of their World Cup playoff against Italy on Monday after Jan Andersson's players took a 1-0 lead in the tie. Jakob Johansson's deflected second-half strike gave Sweden a precious win in a physical first leg on Friday, and their task now is to remain focussed in the return match at the San Siro. "It's not a normal qualifier where, when the game is over, you can celebrate the three points. We're only halfway through this double-header," midfielder Sebastian Larsson told Reuters. "We're fully aware of the task ahead of us, going to Italy with a slender 1-0 lead. To keep a clean sheet was obviously something we really wanted and we're pleased with that. We re-focus and go again." Larsson and his team mates put in an enormous defensive effort to snuff out Italy's attack, and the midfielder was limping at the end. He says, however, there is no risk of him missing the return. Larsson, who has played 95 times for his country, but never appeared at a World Cup finals, believes staying grounded will be crucial to Sweden reaching the tournament finals in Russia next year. "We're going to stay humble and do everything we can to progress," he said. Sweden captain Andreas Granqvist says the Italians will have to be careful about how they approach Monday's decisive game. "I don't think Italy are a team that is just going to attack, because then they know that we will create chances and maybe score a goal in Italy, and then they needs to score three," he said. "But of course, they play at home and they will have to be a little bit more attacking." Granqvist, who spent two years at Italian club Genoa, laughed when asked about Italy's complaints about the physical nature of Friday's clash. "It's fantastic," he said. "As a defender, you have to be really tough, but in a good way. I think the referee kept it good -- of course there were some situations they were angry about, but this is football."

Football World Cup play-offs: 'Humble' Sweden taking nothing for granted against Italy

Beleaguered Italy coach Gian Piero Ventura said his team would try to qualify for the World Cup by &ldquo;playing football&rdquo; after their ill-tempered playoff first leg against Sweden.

The 69-year-old Ventura - the oldest-ever coach in Italy&rsquo;s history -- said it would take him months to listen to all the advice he had received as he bids to overturn Friday&#39;s 1-0 first leg defeat in Stockholm.

That loss left Italy in danger of missing the World Cup for the first time in 60 years and the tension ahead of Monday&#39;s return at the San Siro is palpable.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/humble-sweden-taking-nothing-for-granted-against-italy-24104" target="_blank">Also read:&nbsp;&#39;Humble&#39; Sweden taking nothing for granted against Italy</a>

Italy complained of rough play by Sweden in the first leg, including a challenge which left Leonardo Bonucci with a broken nose, while Sweden were unhappy at their rivals&#39; alleged gamesmanship.

Italy has said that defender Bonucci will play on Monday with a face mask.

&quot;We are Italy and, if we qualify, I would like to be able to say that we did it by playing football,&quot; Ventura told reporters. &quot;I don&#39;t know what sort of game it will be but I hope it will be played in the correct spirit.&quot;

Ventura&#39;s tactics and team selection have been the subject of heated debate.

He ditched his preferred 4-2-4 formation for a 3-5-2 in Friday&#39;s match and Italians are eager to see what he will come up with on Monday and who will replace suspended midfielder Marco Verratti.

&quot;I&#39;ve received so much advice in the last few days that, if I tried to listen to it all, it would take months,&quot; said Ventura.

&quot;I know that&#39;s how it works when you are coach of the national team although I didn&#39;t expect it to be quite like this.&rdquo;

&quot;I can assure you that coaches listen to advice and analyse it, but it is us who decide.&quot; Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon said the team were in a state of &quot;high tension&quot;.

&quot;It&#39;s an important match for us and our history,&quot; said the 39-year-old. &quot;It&#39;s important for football in our country that we qualify for the World Cup.&quot;

&quot;I am approaching this like the eve of an important event. I&#39;m tense, but it&#39;s the right amount of tension.&quot;

To read more:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/could-italy-miss-first-football-world-cup-in-60-years-23877" target="_blank">Could Italy miss first Football World Cup in 60 years?</a>

Italy coach Gian Piero Ventura wants Italy to qualify by 'playing football'

Beleaguered Italy coach Gian Piero Ventura said his team would try to qualify for the World Cup by “playing football” after their ill-tempered playoff first leg against Sweden. The 69-year-old Ventura - the oldest-ever coach in Italy’s history -- said it would take him months to listen to all the advice he had received as he bids to overturn Friday's 1-0 first leg defeat in Stockholm. That loss left Italy in danger of missing the World Cup for the first time in 60 years and the tension ahead of Monday's return at the San Siro is palpable. Also read: 'Humble' Sweden taking nothing for granted against Italy Italy complained of rough play by Sweden in the first leg, including a challenge which left Leonardo Bonucci with a broken nose, while Sweden were unhappy at their rivals' alleged gamesmanship. Italy has said that defender Bonucci will play on Monday with a face mask. "We are Italy and, if we qualify, I would like to be able to say that we did it by playing football," Ventura told reporters. "I don't know what sort of game it will be but I hope it will be played in the correct spirit." Ventura's tactics and team selection have been the subject of heated debate. He ditched his preferred 4-2-4 formation for a 3-5-2 in Friday's match and Italians are eager to see what he will come up with on Monday and who will replace suspended midfielder Marco Verratti. "I've received so much advice in the last few days that, if I tried to listen to it all, it would take months," said Ventura. "I know that's how it works when you are coach of the national team although I didn't expect it to be quite like this.” "I can assure you that coaches listen to advice and analyse it, but it is us who decide." Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon said the team were in a state of "high tension". "It's an important match for us and our history," said the 39-year-old. "It's important for football in our country that we qualify for the World Cup." "I am approaching this like the eve of an important event. I'm tense, but it's the right amount of tension." To read more: Could Italy miss first Football World Cup in 60 years?

One last chance for Italy to qualify for Football World Cup

A second-half goal by Sweden substitute Jakob Johansson was enough to beat Italy 1-0 and put his side in the driving seat after their World Cup playoff first leg on a chilly night.

Italy&#39;s Andrea Belotti sent an early header just wide but after that the visitors showed little ambition, seemingly hoping for a draw to take back to Milan for Monday&#39;s second leg as they battle for a place at next year&#39;s tournament in Russia.

That all changed when Johansson came off the bench to replaced Albin Ekdal in the 57th minute and four minutes later snapped up a flick-on from a throw-in and hammered the ball through a forest of legs where it was deflected into the net.

Matteo Darmian came closest to an equaliser, sending a shot cannoning off a post, but the visiting forward line failed to ignite and Italy are now in danger of missing the World Cup finals for the first time since 1958 in Sweden.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/we-will-make-world-cup-says-italy-football-coach-23957" target="_blank">Also read:&nbsp;We will make World Cup, says Italy football coach</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/could-italy-miss-first-football-world-cup-in-60-years-23877" target="_blank">Also read:&nbsp;</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/could-italy-miss-first-football-world-cup-in-60-years-23877">Could Italy miss first Football World Cup in 60 years?</a>

Italy coach Ventura rues missed chances

Italy manager Gian Piero Ventura was left to rue an early missed chance in a tough, physical encounter on Friday that sees Sweden take a 1-0 lead into the second leg of their World Cup playoff with a goal from substitute Jakob Johansson.

&quot;It could have gone a different way, if we scored first for example such as when (Andrea) Belotti&#39;s header went wide. Now we have 90 minutes left to play,&quot; Ventura told a media conference ahead of the return in Milan on Monday.

&quot;The game was very physical, and we suffered from that. We must improve. Physically we can&#39;t do much, we only have a day and a half, but we have to read the game better next time. We hope the crowd at the San Siro give us the support we need.&quot;

Ventura was visibly angry on the sidelines, gesticulating frequently to his players several times as Italy&#39;s attack failed to find a way through the massed ranks of the Swedish defence.

The 69-year-old coach was still certain his team would qualify for next year&#39;s finals in Russia and not miss out on the tournament for the first time since 1958 in Sweden.

&quot;When I was in the dressing room I saw how angry and frustrated they were. They know they can do better. The game was very physical and that surprised us but we can do better,&quot; said Ventura.

Sweden coach Jan Andersson was pleased with his side&#39;s performance, but said he was well aware that this was just the midway point in the tie.

&quot;We are halfway through this playoff, which is very important to point out. We have talked a lot about bravery and giving ourselves a chance... and I think overall we did that today again,&quot; Andersson told reporters.

&quot;I&#39;m very happy we won the game... but it was the attitude for 90 minutes that helped us,&quot; he said after Johansson scored just past the hour having just come off the bench.

&quot;We&#39;ll do an analysis of the game and make a new gameplan for... Monday. I&#39;m still here tonight - I haven&#39;t gone any further in my mind about the game on Monday.&quot;

Andersson agreed with Ventura about the physicality of the match, but it came as no surprise to the Swedes.

&quot;It was a physical game and we were prepared for it. It was one of the keys to the game, to win the duels. I don&#39;t think we were favoured in any way (by the referee),&quot; he said.

Italy manager Gian Piero Ventura insisted his side would still make it to the World Cup

A second-half goal by Sweden substitute Jakob Johansson was enough to beat Italy 1-0 and put his side in the driving seat after their World Cup playoff first leg on a chilly night. Italy's Andrea Belotti sent an early header just wide but after that the visitors showed little ambition, seemingly hoping for a draw to take back to Milan for Monday's second leg as they battle for a place at next year's tournament in Russia. That all changed when Johansson came off the bench to replaced Albin Ekdal in the 57th minute and four minutes later snapped up a flick-on from a throw-in and hammered the ball through a forest of legs where it was deflected into the net. Matteo Darmian came closest to an equaliser, sending a shot cannoning off a post, but the visiting forward line failed to ignite and Italy are now in danger of missing the World Cup finals for the first time since 1958 in Sweden. Also read: We will make World Cup, says Italy football coach Also read: Could Italy miss first Football World Cup in 60 years? Italy coach Ventura rues missed chances Italy manager Gian Piero Ventura was left to rue an early missed chance in a tough, physical encounter on Friday that sees Sweden take a 1-0 lead into the second leg of their World Cup playoff with a goal from substitute Jakob Johansson. "It could have gone a different way, if we scored first for example such as when (Andrea) Belotti's header went wide. Now we have 90 minutes left to play," Ventura told a media conference ahead of the return in Milan on Monday. "The game was very physical, and we suffered from that. We must improve. Physically we can't do much, we only have a day and a half, but we have to read the game better next time. We hope the crowd at the San Siro give us the support we need." Ventura was visibly angry on the sidelines, gesticulating frequently to his players several times as Italy's attack failed to find a way through the massed ranks of the Swedish defence. The 69-year-old coach was still certain his team would qualify for next year's finals in Russia and not miss out on the tournament for the first time since 1958 in Sweden. "When I was in the dressing room I saw how angry and frustrated they were. They know they can do better. The game was very physical and that surprised us but we can do better," said Ventura. Sweden coach Jan Andersson was pleased with his side's performance, but said he was well aware that this was just the midway point in the tie. "We are halfway through this playoff, which is very important to point out. We have talked a lot about bravery and giving ourselves a chance... and I think overall we did that today again," Andersson told reporters. "I'm very happy we won the game... but it was the attitude for 90 minutes that helped us," he said after Johansson scored just past the hour having just come off the bench. "We'll do an analysis of the game and make a new gameplan for... Monday. I'm still here tonight - I haven't gone any further in my mind about the game on Monday." Andersson agreed with Ventura about the physicality of the match, but it came as no surprise to the Swedes. "It was a physical game and we were prepared for it. It was one of the keys to the game, to win the duels. I don't think we were favoured in any way (by the referee)," he said.

Football World Cup play-offs: Sweden beat Italy 1-0

Filmmaker Kalpana Lajmi, who has been battling kidney cancer, was rushed to a hospital on Tuesday morning after her conditioned worsened.

Known for films like Rudali, Darmiyaan&nbsp;and Daman&nbsp;the 61-year-old filmmaker was taken to a suburban hospital here as she felt extremely weak. 
 
&quot; Tuesday morning my heart rate dropped and I felt uneasy. I am a kidney patient and both my kidneys are not functioning properly,&quot; Kalpana told PTI. 
 
&quot;Monday was my partner&#39;s (Bhupen Hazarika) death anniversary so I went all the way to Vashi (Navi Mumbai) to attend the program. That must have taken a toll on me. So today when I woke up, I felt very weak. I was then taken to the ICU,&quot; she added.

The filmmaker said according to the doctors she would be discharged from the hospital in the next &quot;24 to 48 hours&quot;. 
 
&quot;I was completely bedridden two years ago. But now I am slightly better by the grace of God. I will give myself another year and a half to walk all on my own without any help,&quot; she said. 
Kalpana has been going for dialysis every week and is overwhelmed by the financial support she has received from the film industry. 
 
&quot;They all have helped me, from Aamir Khan, Indian Film &amp; Television Directors&#39; Association, Rohit Shetty, Salman Khan, Karan Johar, Alia Bhatt, Soni Razdan, Neena Gupta. All of them have come forward and helped me during my worst. It is a financially draining and a continuous lifelong process. 
 
&quot;I am thankful to my film fraternity for standing by me in this phase. Especially my mother, my brother and Shyam Benegal for their constant support,&quot; she added.&nbsp;

Italy have lost the first leg of their play-off against Sweden 1-0

Filmmaker Kalpana Lajmi, who has been battling kidney cancer, was rushed to a hospital on Tuesday morning after her conditioned worsened. Known for films like Rudali, Darmiyaan and Daman the 61-year-old filmmaker was taken to a suburban hospital here as she felt extremely weak. " Tuesday morning my heart rate dropped and I felt uneasy. I am a kidney patient and both my kidneys are not functioning properly," Kalpana told PTI. "Monday was my partner's (Bhupen Hazarika) death anniversary so I went all the way to Vashi (Navi Mumbai) to attend the program. That must have taken a toll on me. So today when I woke up, I felt very weak. I was then taken to the ICU," she added. The filmmaker said according to the doctors she would be discharged from the hospital in the next "24 to 48 hours". "I was completely bedridden two years ago. But now I am slightly better by the grace of God. I will give myself another year and a half to walk all on my own without any help," she said. Kalpana has been going for dialysis every week and is overwhelmed by the financial support she has received from the film industry. "They all have helped me, from Aamir Khan, Indian Film & Television Directors' Association, Rohit Shetty, Salman Khan, Karan Johar, Alia Bhatt, Soni Razdan, Neena Gupta. All of them have come forward and helped me during my worst. It is a financially draining and a continuous lifelong process. "I am thankful to my film fraternity for standing by me in this phase. Especially my mother, my brother and Shyam Benegal for their constant support," she added.

We will still make World Cup, says Italy football coach

The last time Italy did not go to the World Cup was in 1958.&nbsp;

A 2-1 defeat to Northern Ireland had done them in that time, which is why Italy heaved a sigh of relief when they found they would not have to play Northern Ireland in the play-offs for the 2018 World Cup.&nbsp;

Italy will instead be playing Sweden. The first of their play-off games is early Saturday morning (1.15 am India time).&nbsp;

But that name too could fill fans of the Azzuri with dread.&nbsp;

Sweden had hosted the 1958 World Cup -- the one the Italians missed out on.&nbsp;

Not that the Italians -- who are famous for getting themselves into difficult situations -- are showing outward signs of worry, as yet.&nbsp;

&quot;We are not taking into consideration the idea of not going to the World Cup,&quot; the BBC reported coach Giampiero Ventura as saying.&nbsp;

News reports however have hinted that Ventura has been out of his depth.

And that he has not been able to fill former coach Antonio Conte&#39;s shoes.&nbsp;

This Italy team, the reports said, has been poor but Conte -- who they said was the star of the team, rather than one of the players -- made them bigger than the sum of their parts.&nbsp;

Italy meanwhile have arrived in Sweden for the first game of their two-legged World Cup play-off against Sweden with doubts about the fitness of striker Simone Zaza, Reuters reported.&nbsp;

Zaza, Reuters said, has a knee injury which is likely to keep him out of Saturday&#39;s match.

&quot;We&#39;ll see how it goes. Zaza has a little problem, if he can&#39;t play tomorrow he can play on Monday,&quot; Ventura said.&nbsp;

The last time Italy did not go to the World Cup was in 1958

The last time Italy did not go to the World Cup was in 1958. A 2-1 defeat to Northern Ireland had done them in that time, which is why Italy heaved a sigh of relief when they found they would not have to play Northern Ireland in the play-offs for the 2018 World Cup. Italy will instead be playing Sweden. The first of their play-off games is early Saturday morning (1.15 am India time). But that name too could fill fans of the Azzuri with dread. Sweden had hosted the 1958 World Cup -- the one the Italians missed out on. Not that the Italians -- who are famous for getting themselves into difficult situations -- are showing outward signs of worry, as yet. "We are not taking into consideration the idea of not going to the World Cup," the BBC reported coach Giampiero Ventura as saying. News reports however have hinted that Ventura has been out of his depth. And that he has not been able to fill former coach Antonio Conte's shoes. This Italy team, the reports said, has been poor but Conte -- who they said was the star of the team, rather than one of the players -- made them bigger than the sum of their parts. Italy meanwhile have arrived in Sweden for the first game of their two-legged World Cup play-off against Sweden with doubts about the fitness of striker Simone Zaza, Reuters reported. Zaza, Reuters said, has a knee injury which is likely to keep him out of Saturday's match. "We'll see how it goes. Zaza has a little problem, if he can't play tomorrow he can play on Monday," Ventura said.

Could Italy miss first Football World Cup in 60 years??

West Ham United have appointed David Moyes as their manager following the sacking of Slaven Bilic, the Premier League club said on Tuesday.

Croatian Bilic was sacked on Monday following a meeting with club officials as West Ham dropped into the relegation zone after a 4-1 home defeat by Liverpool left them with two wins in 11 league games.

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West Ham United can confirm the appointment of David Moyes as the Club&rsquo;s manager. <a href="https://t.co/AIOWnHWn27">pic.twitter.com/AIOWnHWn27</a>
&mdash; West Ham United (@WestHamUtd) <a href="https://twitter.com/WestHamUtd/status/927815408358273030?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&quot;It&#39;s a big job we have in hand now but I&#39;m sure with everybody together we can get the right results between now and the end of the season,&quot; Moyes said in a video on West Ham&#39;s Twitter account.

&ldquo;It feels great to be here,&rdquo; Moyes said. &ldquo;West Ham is a big club. Wherever you go they are known. I&rsquo;ve been really fortunate in that I&rsquo;ve managed some really great clubs, and I have been offered some other opportunities recently.

&ldquo;But I wanted a job that would give me a real good chance [of success]. I wanted a big fanbase, a big club, and West Ham fitted the bill.

&ldquo;I&rsquo;m really just looking forward to getting started because we are now in the season and we have to get up-and-running right away to get the job done.

&ldquo;We are without some players at the moment who are away on international duty but we will get the chance to work with the players who are here this week and I am looking forward to it.&rdquo; 
&nbsp;

?It feels great to be here,? Moyes said. ?West Ham is a big club. Wherever you go they are known. I?ve been really fortunate in that I?ve managed some really great clubs, and I have been offered some other opportunities recently.

West Ham United have appointed David Moyes as their manager following the sacking of Slaven Bilic, the Premier League club said on Tuesday. Croatian Bilic was sacked on Monday following a meeting with club officials as West Ham dropped into the relegation zone after a 4-1 home defeat by Liverpool left them with two wins in 11 league games. West Ham United can confirm the appointment of David Moyes as the Club’s manager. pic.twitter.com/AIOWnHWn27 — West Ham United (@WestHamUtd) November 7, 2017 × "It's a big job we have in hand now but I'm sure with everybody together we can get the right results between now and the end of the season," Moyes said in a video on West Ham's Twitter account. “It feels great to be here,” Moyes said. “West Ham is a big club. Wherever you go they are known. I’ve been really fortunate in that I’ve managed some really great clubs, and I have been offered some other opportunities recently. “But I wanted a job that would give me a real good chance [of success]. I wanted a big fanbase, a big club, and West Ham fitted the bill. “I’m really just looking forward to getting started because we are now in the season and we have to get up-and-running right away to get the job done. “We are without some players at the moment who are away on international duty but we will get the chance to work with the players who are here this week and I am looking forward to it.”

David Moyes named West Ham United manager following Bilic exit

Arsene Wenger says it will be &quot;difficult&quot; for any team to stop Manchester City from winning the Premier League after his Arsenal side lost 3-1 at the Etihad on Sunday - a result which left him fuming at referee Michael Oliver.

Wenger said City&#39;s quality, shown in their club record 15 straight wins in all competitions, makes it hard to imagine any team overtaking them but he also took aim at the officials after his team suffered a disputed penalty and a goal which appeared offside.

The win gave City an eight-point lead over Manchester United ahead of their game at Chelsea later on Sunday and left them 12 points clear of the Gunners.

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<h5>Can anyone stop them? It will be difficult this season, the way they have started the quality they have, but you never know. If, on top of that, they have decisions at home like that, they will be unstoppable,&#39; Wenger told reporters</h5>
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&quot;Can anyone stop them? It will be difficult this season, the way they have started the quality they have, but you never know. If, on top of that, they have decisions at home like that, they will be unstoppable,&quot; Wenger told reporters.

City went 2-0 up five minutes into the second half after referee Oliver ruled that Nacho Monreal had bundled over Raheem Sterling inside the area and Sergio Aguero converted from the spot.

Arsenal players disputed that decision and were also upset that City&#39;s third goal came after a pass from David Silva whom television replays showed was narrowly in an offside position.

&quot;I don&rsquo;t want to take anything away from the quality but it happened at a moment when we were really in the game at 2-1 and it killed the game. It is the second year. We got two offside goals here last year and one this year,&quot; Wenger added.

The Frenchman felt his team had created opportunities and were in the contest until the controversial third goal.

&quot;I felt it was an intense game of quality of both sides. Man City are on a high but I felt we had plenty of dangerous situations and chances,&quot; he said.

&quot;Overall, once again, the referee made the decision again, with a penalty and an offside goal. We are used to it when we come here,&quot; he said.

&quot;I feel they (referees) don&rsquo;t work enough, because it happens every season. It is unacceptable&quot;.

Arsenal lost 3-1 to City at the Etihad on Sunday

Arsene Wenger says it will be "difficult" for any team to stop Manchester City from winning the Premier League after his Arsenal side lost 3-1 at the Etihad on Sunday - a result which left him fuming at referee Michael Oliver. Wenger said City's quality, shown in their club record 15 straight wins in all competitions, makes it hard to imagine any team overtaking them but he also took aim at the officials after his team suffered a disputed penalty and a goal which appeared offside. The win gave City an eight-point lead over Manchester United ahead of their game at Chelsea later on Sunday and left them 12 points clear of the Gunners. Can anyone stop them? It will be difficult this season, the way they have started the quality they have, but you never know. If, on top of that, they have decisions at home like that, they will be unstoppable,' Wenger told reporters × "Can anyone stop them? It will be difficult this season, the way they have started the quality they have, but you never know. If, on top of that, they have decisions at home like that, they will be unstoppable," Wenger told reporters. City went 2-0 up five minutes into the second half after referee Oliver ruled that Nacho Monreal had bundled over Raheem Sterling inside the area and Sergio Aguero converted from the spot. Arsenal players disputed that decision and were also upset that City's third goal came after a pass from David Silva whom television replays showed was narrowly in an offside position. "I don’t want to take anything away from the quality but it happened at a moment when we were really in the game at 2-1 and it killed the game. It is the second year. We got two offside goals here last year and one this year," Wenger added. The Frenchman felt his team had created opportunities and were in the contest until the controversial third goal. "I felt it was an intense game of quality of both sides. Man City are on a high but I felt we had plenty of dangerous situations and chances," he said. "Overall, once again, the referee made the decision again, with a penalty and an offside goal. We are used to it when we come here," he said. "I feel they (referees) don’t work enough, because it happens every season. It is unacceptable".

EPL: Wenger says 'difficult' to see anyone stopping City

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho insisted his side&#39;s Premier League title ambitions were still intact despite a 1-0 loss away to former club Chelsea on Sunday.

Alvaro Morata&#39;s 55th-minute goal at Stamford Bridge was enough to give reigning champions Chelsea victory and leave United eight points behind in-form leaders Manchester City. &nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/epl-wenger-says-difficult-to-see-anyone-stopping-city-23555" target="_blank">Also read: Wenger says &#39;difficult&#39; to see anyone stopping City</a>

&quot;We are second -- not fifth, sixth or seventh or eight,&quot; Mourinho told Sky Sports after his third straight loss at Stamford Bridge since he became United manager.

&quot;We have several teams in a more difficult position than we have. Eight points is eight points.

&quot;We went through a very difficult phase with important matches against Tottenham, Liverpool and Chelsea without important players.&quot;

The Portuguese manager added: &quot;The game was controlled by us and the game was controlled by them. We had chances and they had chances and with the first goal they were able to bring more people to defend.&nbsp;

&quot;We tried to change the direction of our game, we created chances to equalise but we couldn&#39;t.

&quot;We had chances. If I remember (Romelu) Lukaku shot in the first half and in the last part of the game with the (Marcus) Rashford shot...We had lots of chances to score goals,&quot; Mourinho said.

Victory saw Chelsea move to within nine points of top spot and eased the pressure on the London club&#39;s Italian manager Antonio Conte following a 3-0 loss away to Roma in the Champions League earlier this week.

&quot;It&rsquo;s an important victory,&quot; said Conte. &quot;When you play against Manchester United it&rsquo;s always a massive game. This type of win is important for our confidence. We showed great desire and passion to win this kind of game.

&ldquo;We can win or lose but our spirit must be this. Last season our spirit was in every game -&ndash; we started this season with a lot of problems. We were up and down. This game showed if we want we can.&quot;

Chelsea defender David Luiz was not even on the bench for this match and Conte was coy when asked if the Brazilian, in his second stint with the Blues, still had future with the west London club. &nbsp;

&quot;I don&rsquo;t know,&quot; Conte replied. &quot;He has to work really hard otherwise they are on the bench or in the stand.&rdquo;

Meanwhile Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas, who said the Blues might have won by an even bigger margin, was proud of the team&#39;s resilience.

&quot;It is fantastic to defend well but this is a team full of fantastic players and we need to take advantage of that,&quot; he said. &quot;We played like a big team, defended like a big team and we have to be proud.&quot;

United are eight points behind league leaders Manchester City

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho insisted his side's Premier League title ambitions were still intact despite a 1-0 loss away to former club Chelsea on Sunday. Alvaro Morata's 55th-minute goal at Stamford Bridge was enough to give reigning champions Chelsea victory and leave United eight points behind in-form leaders Manchester City. Also read: Wenger says 'difficult' to see anyone stopping City "We are second -- not fifth, sixth or seventh or eight," Mourinho told Sky Sports after his third straight loss at Stamford Bridge since he became United manager. "We have several teams in a more difficult position than we have. Eight points is eight points. "We went through a very difficult phase with important matches against Tottenham, Liverpool and Chelsea without important players." The Portuguese manager added: "The game was controlled by us and the game was controlled by them. We had chances and they had chances and with the first goal they were able to bring more people to defend. "We tried to change the direction of our game, we created chances to equalise but we couldn't. "We had chances. If I remember (Romelu) Lukaku shot in the first half and in the last part of the game with the (Marcus) Rashford shot...We had lots of chances to score goals," Mourinho said. Victory saw Chelsea move to within nine points of top spot and eased the pressure on the London club's Italian manager Antonio Conte following a 3-0 loss away to Roma in the Champions League earlier this week. "It’s an important victory," said Conte. "When you play against Manchester United it’s always a massive game. This type of win is important for our confidence. We showed great desire and passion to win this kind of game. “We can win or lose but our spirit must be this. Last season our spirit was in every game -– we started this season with a lot of problems. We were up and down. This game showed if we want we can." Chelsea defender David Luiz was not even on the bench for this match and Conte was coy when asked if the Brazilian, in his second stint with the Blues, still had future with the west London club. "I don’t know," Conte replied. "He has to work really hard otherwise they are on the bench or in the stand.” Meanwhile Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas, who said the Blues might have won by an even bigger margin, was proud of the team's resilience. "It is fantastic to defend well but this is a team full of fantastic players and we need to take advantage of that," he said. "We played like a big team, defended like a big team and we have to be proud."

EPL: ManU lose to Chelsea, Mourinho says title ambitions intact

&nbsp;West Ham United have sacked manager Slaven Bilic after they dropped into the relegation zone following Saturday&#39;s 4-1 home defeat by Liverpool, the Premier League club said on Monday.

The Croatian replaced Sam Allardyce in June, 2015 and led West Ham to a seventh-placed finish in his first season. He also oversaw their move to the London Stadium but has won just two out of 11 league games in this campaign.

&quot;West Ham United can confirm that Slaven Bilic has today left his position with the club,&quot; West Ham said in a statement.

Former Everton, Manchester United and Sunderland manager David Moyes, who is currently out of work, has been strongly linked with the position.

West Ham said they &quot;believe a change is now necessary in order for the club to move forward positively and in line with their ambition&quot;.

&quot;The club&rsquo;s search for a new manager to take West Ham United forward is underway and an announcement regarding Bilic&rsquo;s successor is expected to be made over the coming days,&quot; the statement added.

Moyes told BeInSport on Sunday that he was willing to take on the challenge of keeping the Hammers in the Premier League.

&quot;I&#39;ve always said I want to go back into club management. If the right opportunity comes around, I&#39;ll be interested.&quot;

Asked about West Ham before Bilic&#39;s sacking, the 54-year-old, who also had a brief and unsuccessful spell with Real Sociedad in Spain, said: &quot;I am interested but at the moment that vacancy has not become available. I know what Slaven must be going through.&quot;

Bilic, who played as a defender for West Ham, has been under pressure throughout this campaign and although a League Cup win over Tottenham bought him time, a draw at bottom club Crystal Palace and the heavy home loss to Liverpool sealed his fate.

West Ham&#39;s joint chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold praised Bilic for his commitment and integrity.

&quot;The board invested heavily signing the players Slaven believed would complete the squad he needed to push the club back towards the level we had reached in his first season, and we believe we have the players capable of doing that,&quot; they said.

&quot;Sadly, performances and results have not been of the expected standard and, in recent weeks, we have not seen enough indication of the required improvement to give us the encouragement that things would change and we would meet our Premier League aspirations this season.

&quot;We see this as an exciting opportunity to appoint a quality manager to the position to inject fresh ideas, organisation and enthusiasm into a very talented squad,&quot; Gold and Sullivan added.

Bilic&rsquo;s coaching assistants Nikola Jurcevic, Edin Terzic, Julian Dicks and Miljenko Rak have also left the club.

West Ham United, manager Slaven Bilic, relegation zone, Liverpool, Premier League club, London Stadium

West Ham United have sacked manager Slaven Bilic after they dropped into the relegation zone following Saturday's 4-1 home defeat by Liverpool, the Premier League club said on Monday. The Croatian replaced Sam Allardyce in June, 2015 and led West Ham to a seventh-placed finish in his first season. He also oversaw their move to the London Stadium but has won just two out of 11 league games in this campaign. "West Ham United can confirm that Slaven Bilic has today left his position with the club," West Ham said in a statement. Former Everton, Manchester United and Sunderland manager David Moyes, who is currently out of work, has been strongly linked with the position. West Ham said they "believe a change is now necessary in order for the club to move forward positively and in line with their ambition". "The club’s search for a new manager to take West Ham United forward is underway and an announcement regarding Bilic’s successor is expected to be made over the coming days," the statement added. Moyes told BeInSport on Sunday that he was willing to take on the challenge of keeping the Hammers in the Premier League. "I've always said I want to go back into club management. If the right opportunity comes around, I'll be interested." Asked about West Ham before Bilic's sacking, the 54-year-old, who also had a brief and unsuccessful spell with Real Sociedad in Spain, said: "I am interested but at the moment that vacancy has not become available. I know what Slaven must be going through." Bilic, who played as a defender for West Ham, has been under pressure throughout this campaign and although a League Cup win over Tottenham bought him time, a draw at bottom club Crystal Palace and the heavy home loss to Liverpool sealed his fate. West Ham's joint chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold praised Bilic for his commitment and integrity. "The board invested heavily signing the players Slaven believed would complete the squad he needed to push the club back towards the level we had reached in his first season, and we believe we have the players capable of doing that," they said. "Sadly, performances and results have not been of the expected standard and, in recent weeks, we have not seen enough indication of the required improvement to give us the encouragement that things would change and we would meet our Premier League aspirations this season. "We see this as an exciting opportunity to appoint a quality manager to the position to inject fresh ideas, organisation and enthusiasm into a very talented squad," Gold and Sullivan added. Bilic’s coaching assistants Nikola Jurcevic, Edin Terzic, Julian Dicks and Miljenko Rak have also left the club.

West Ham United sack manager Slaven Bilic

&nbsp;Jose Mourinho returns to his old club Chelsea on Sunday with his Manchester United trailing leaders Manchester City by five points and the challenge against the champions will be a major indicator of his team&#39;s ability to close the gap.

When City visited Stamford Bridge at the end of September they delivered a statement performance in their 1-0 win, answering many of the doubts about whether they had the defensive soundness to go with their undoubted attacking flair.

It was a win - and performance - which suggested that City are capable of playing the kind of tight, disciplined tactical performance that had been lacking at times during Pep Guardiola&#39;s first season at the club.

United face some different questions in what is their toughest test yet away from home.

Mourinho&#39;s side were given a gentle start to the season by the fixtures computer with modest opposition for their opening seven games and they took advantage with 21 goals and six wins along with plenty of entertaining football.

But in their first challenge against one of the &#39;big six&#39;, at Liverpool, United went into their shell - clearly under instructions to not allow Juergen Klopp&#39;s side space and to limit their own forward movement.

Debate has raged about whether or not that was an appropriate approach to take at Anfield or whether United should have been more adventurous and tried to exploit the vulnerabilities in Liverpool&#39;s back line.

Mourinho typically dismissed such talk, viewing the draw as a point gained. But a defeat at Huddersfield in his team&#39;s next game added to the sense that United&#39;s early season momentum had been lost.

Last week, though, United came through another test - beating Tottenham 1-0 at Old Trafford and a 2-0 win over Benfica in the Champions League in midweek has helped to dispel any talk of United losing their way.

But the challenge against the champions on Sunday is for United to show that they can replicate the confident and businesslike win that City showed a month ago.

Fragile Chelsea

United won&#39;t want to let City, who host Arsenal on Sunday, open up a seven or eight-point lead and a defeat would allow Chelsea to move within a point of Mourinho&#39;s men.

To get three points from their trip to West London, United need to combine the defensive solidity they showed on Merseyside with the ability to carve open Antonio Conte&#39;s back line.

Judging by Chelsea&#39;s woeful 3-0 loss to Roma at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday, United can have some confidence that it will be fruitful to take the game to Conte&#39;s team.

A repeat of last season&#39;s 4-0 mauling in this fixture certainly looks unlikely and Chelsea&#39;s defence, so solid last season, looks far more fragile.

United will need Romelu Lukaku, who Chelsea wanted to re-sign before his move to Old Trafford in the close-season, to get back to the form he showed before his six-game barren streak.

They will also need his support striker, whether that be Frenchman Anthony Martial or Marcus Rashford, to work closer to him than in the draw with Liverpool where Martial wandered in deep positions leaving the Belgian isolated.

At Anfield, United&#39;s midfield sat deep and rarely advanced in numbers. Whatever permutation Mourinho sends out to do battle on Sunday will need to be braver in committing to forward positions or countering in numbers.

It is a balancing act, of course, as Chelsea possess in Eden Hazard in particular, the means to punish opponents who over-commit.

But City showed that perfect balance and if United want to replicate their rivals, they too will need to show a willingness to do more than just frustrate.

When City visited Stamford Bridge at the end of September they delivered a statement performance in their 1-0 win, answering many of the doubts about whether they had the defensive soundness to go with their undoubted attacking flair.

Jose Mourinho returns to his old club Chelsea on Sunday with his Manchester United trailing leaders Manchester City by five points and the challenge against the champions will be a major indicator of his team's ability to close the gap. When City visited Stamford Bridge at the end of September they delivered a statement performance in their 1-0 win, answering many of the doubts about whether they had the defensive soundness to go with their undoubted attacking flair. It was a win - and performance - which suggested that City are capable of playing the kind of tight, disciplined tactical performance that had been lacking at times during Pep Guardiola's first season at the club. United face some different questions in what is their toughest test yet away from home. Mourinho's side were given a gentle start to the season by the fixtures computer with modest opposition for their opening seven games and they took advantage with 21 goals and six wins along with plenty of entertaining football. But in their first challenge against one of the 'big six', at Liverpool, United went into their shell - clearly under instructions to not allow Juergen Klopp's side space and to limit their own forward movement. Debate has raged about whether or not that was an appropriate approach to take at Anfield or whether United should have been more adventurous and tried to exploit the vulnerabilities in Liverpool's back line. Mourinho typically dismissed such talk, viewing the draw as a point gained. But a defeat at Huddersfield in his team's next game added to the sense that United's early season momentum had been lost. Last week, though, United came through another test - beating Tottenham 1-0 at Old Trafford and a 2-0 win over Benfica in the Champions League in midweek has helped to dispel any talk of United losing their way. But the challenge against the champions on Sunday is for United to show that they can replicate the confident and businesslike win that City showed a month ago. Fragile Chelsea United won't want to let City, who host Arsenal on Sunday, open up a seven or eight-point lead and a defeat would allow Chelsea to move within a point of Mourinho's men. To get three points from their trip to West London, United need to combine the defensive solidity they showed on Merseyside with the ability to carve open Antonio Conte's back line. Judging by Chelsea's woeful 3-0 loss to Roma at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday, United can have some confidence that it will be fruitful to take the game to Conte's team. A repeat of last season's 4-0 mauling in this fixture certainly looks unlikely and Chelsea's defence, so solid last season, looks far more fragile. United will need Romelu Lukaku, who Chelsea wanted to re-sign before his move to Old Trafford in the close-season, to get back to the form he showed before his six-game barren streak. They will also need his support striker, whether that be Frenchman Anthony Martial or Marcus Rashford, to work closer to him than in the draw with Liverpool where Martial wandered in deep positions leaving the Belgian isolated. At Anfield, United's midfield sat deep and rarely advanced in numbers. Whatever permutation Mourinho sends out to do battle on Sunday will need to be braver in committing to forward positions or countering in numbers. It is a balancing act, of course, as Chelsea possess in Eden Hazard in particular, the means to punish opponents who over-commit. But City showed that perfect balance and if United want to replicate their rivals, they too will need to show a willingness to do more than just frustrate.

Manchester City set the standard for United at Chelsea

Sergio Aguero became Manchester City&#39;s all-time record scorer and was described as &quot;a legend&quot; by coach Pep Guardiola whose side booked their place in the Champions League last 16 with a 4-2 win at Napoli.

The 29-year-old Argentine beat the old mark of 177 set by Eric Brook in the 1930s when he hit City&#39;s third goal in Naples, then promised to give his shirt to his eight-year-old son Benjamin -- the grandson of Argentina and Napoli legend Diego Maradona.

&quot;This shirt is for my son, he texted me to say: &quot;As soon as you score, bring me the shirt&#39;,&quot; said Aguero.

&quot;I am bringing the shirt back to my son. My family called from Argentina, they were watching me.&quot;

Aguero&#39;s son was born from his marriage to Giannina Maradona, the daughter of Diego.

And Aguero achieved his new landmark at the San Paolo Stadium where Maradona made himself a Neapolitan icon between 1984 and 1991, winning two Serie A titles and the UEFA Cup.

&quot;What he (Aguero) has achieved has made him a legend, he&#39;s gone down in history, so I would tell him to enjoy,&quot; said Guardiola.

Aguero paid tribute to his team-mates for his record 178 goals.

&quot;I&#39;m very happy for this moment and happy because the team help support me and the fans.

&quot;I&#39;ll enjoy this moment because it only happens once.

&quot;Napoli are a good team and away always in the Champions League is difficult.&quot;

The Premier League leaders had needed just a point to seal their berth in the knockout rounds for the fifth consecutive year, with two games to go.&nbsp;

But City&#39;s fourth victory out of four in Group F confirmed their progress with 12 points.

Napoli are third, six points behind Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk who beat Dutch outfit Feyenoord 3-1, and are close to elimination from the elite European competition.

Record man&nbsp;

The new benchmark is just another for the man from Buenos Aires who joined City from Atletico Madrid in 2011 for &pound;38 million, scoring two goals and assisting one on his debut against Swansea.

He currently has the best goals-to-minutes ratio in Premier League history -- scoring 107 in 154 Premier League matches at a rate of a goal every 106 minutes.&nbsp;

The 29-year-old Argentine beat the old mark of 177 set by Eric Brook in the 1930s when he hit City's third goal in Naples, then promised to give his shirt to his eight-year-old son Benjamin -- the grandson of Argentina and Napoli legend Diego Maradona.

Sergio Aguero became Manchester City's all-time record scorer and was described as "a legend" by coach Pep Guardiola whose side booked their place in the Champions League last 16 with a 4-2 win at Napoli. The 29-year-old Argentine beat the old mark of 177 set by Eric Brook in the 1930s when he hit City's third goal in Naples, then promised to give his shirt to his eight-year-old son Benjamin -- the grandson of Argentina and Napoli legend Diego Maradona. "This shirt is for my son, he texted me to say: "As soon as you score, bring me the shirt'," said Aguero. "I am bringing the shirt back to my son. My family called from Argentina, they were watching me." Aguero's son was born from his marriage to Giannina Maradona, the daughter of Diego. And Aguero achieved his new landmark at the San Paolo Stadium where Maradona made himself a Neapolitan icon between 1984 and 1991, winning two Serie A titles and the UEFA Cup. "What he (Aguero) has achieved has made him a legend, he's gone down in history, so I would tell him to enjoy," said Guardiola. Aguero paid tribute to his team-mates for his record 178 goals. "I'm very happy for this moment and happy because the team help support me and the fans. "I'll enjoy this moment because it only happens once. "Napoli are a good team and away always in the Champions League is difficult." The Premier League leaders had needed just a point to seal their berth in the knockout rounds for the fifth consecutive year, with two games to go. But City's fourth victory out of four in Group F confirmed their progress with 12 points. Napoli are third, six points behind Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk who beat Dutch outfit Feyenoord 3-1, and are close to elimination from the elite European competition. Record man The new benchmark is just another for the man from Buenos Aires who joined City from Atletico Madrid in 2011 for £38 million, scoring two goals and assisting one on his debut against Swansea. He currently has the best goals-to-minutes ratio in Premier League history -- scoring 107 in 154 Premier League matches at a rate of a goal every 106 minutes.

Football: Aguero's son, Maradona's grandson, proud owner of record shirt

Dele Alli condemned Champions League holders Real Madrid to a horrendous Wembley debut with two goals as Tottenham Hotspur reached the last 16 with a stunning 3-1 victory on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old England midfielder, making his first appearance in this year&#39;s competition after serving a three-game ban, scored either side of halftime on a memorable night for Mauricio Pochettino&#39;s team.

Christian Eriksen was also on target for Tottenham as they proved far superior to end Madrid&#39;s 30-match unbeaten run in Champions League group play.

Cristiano Ronaldo replied for Zinedine Zidane&#39;s side but it was in vain as Tottenham sealed a first win in six attempts against the Spanish champions who will face more criticism after falling eight points behind Barcelona in La Liga.

Tottenham lead Group H with 10 points with Real on seven, followed by Borussia Dortmund and Apoel Nicosia who have two each after a draw in Germany.

&quot;We are starting to believe in our potential and quality,&quot; Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino, whose side failed to negotiate the group phase last year, told reporters.

&quot;This win makes us more visible and is something that everyone around Europe will have noticed.&quot;

Twelve-times champions Real should still qualify but manager Zidane admitted his side were in a rut after the weekend&#39;s defeat at Girona and now a chastening night at Wembley.

&quot;It&#39;s a hard defeat to take but it was against a team who played very well and deserved to win,&quot; he said. &quot;We were not able to come up with a response and we are not happy about it.&quot;

Buoyed by their impressive 1-1 draw in the Bernabeu two weeks ago Tottenham began at a high tempo and dominated the opening 20 minutes against a pensive Madrid.

Harry Kane, declared fit after missing his side&#39;s weekend loss at Manchester United with a hamstring strain, should have done better with an attempted chip over Real keeper Kiko Casilla who was deputising for injured Keylor Navas.

Tottenham right back Kieran Trippier was a constant menace down the right and his first-time volleyed cross caused panic in the Real defence - a portent of things to come for Real.

FORAY FORWARD

The hosts suffered a blow when central defender Toby Alderweireld&#39;s evening was cut short as he pulled up with a hamstring injury after a foray forward.

Moussa Sissoko replaced him with Eric Dier dropping into defence but it did not slow Tottenham&#39;s momentum as they deservedly went ahead five minutes later.

Harry Winks picked out Trippier racing down the right and his volleyed cross found Alli to prod home.

Real responded with Casemiro and Ronaldo testing Hugo Lloris but Tottenham should have increased their lead before halftime when Sissoko mis-kicked in front of goal from another Trippier cut back and Kane&#39;s goalbound shot was blocked by Sergio Ramos.

A single-goal lead looked vulnerable against the defending champions but Tottenham doubled it nine minutes after the break with Alli sending the Wembley crowd into raptures.

The England midfielder was allowed to advance goalwards and his shot deflected off Ramos&#39;s back to completely wrong-foot Casilla.

Real, who had lost only one of their last 22 European fixtures, swarmed forward trying to salvage something but their night took a turn for the worse when Tottenham counter-attacked in devastating fashion in the 65th minute, Alli finding Kane who picked out Eriksen to calmly slot home.

Ronaldo fired home his sixth goal in this year&#39;s competition to set up a frantic last 10 minutes but Tottenham held firm to avenge their quarter-final defeat by Real in 2011.

Tottenham lead Group H with 10 points with Real on seven, followed by Borussia Dortmund and Apoel Nicosia who have two each after a draw in Germany.

Dele Alli condemned Champions League holders Real Madrid to a horrendous Wembley debut with two goals as Tottenham Hotspur reached the last 16 with a stunning 3-1 victory on Wednesday. The 21-year-old England midfielder, making his first appearance in this year's competition after serving a three-game ban, scored either side of halftime on a memorable night for Mauricio Pochettino's team. Christian Eriksen was also on target for Tottenham as they proved far superior to end Madrid's 30-match unbeaten run in Champions League group play. Cristiano Ronaldo replied for Zinedine Zidane's side but it was in vain as Tottenham sealed a first win in six attempts against the Spanish champions who will face more criticism after falling eight points behind Barcelona in La Liga. Tottenham lead Group H with 10 points with Real on seven, followed by Borussia Dortmund and Apoel Nicosia who have two each after a draw in Germany. "We are starting to believe in our potential and quality," Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino, whose side failed to negotiate the group phase last year, told reporters. "This win makes us more visible and is something that everyone around Europe will have noticed." Twelve-times champions Real should still qualify but manager Zidane admitted his side were in a rut after the weekend's defeat at Girona and now a chastening night at Wembley. "It's a hard defeat to take but it was against a team who played very well and deserved to win," he said. "We were not able to come up with a response and we are not happy about it." Buoyed by their impressive 1-1 draw in the Bernabeu two weeks ago Tottenham began at a high tempo and dominated the opening 20 minutes against a pensive Madrid. Harry Kane, declared fit after missing his side's weekend loss at Manchester United with a hamstring strain, should have done better with an attempted chip over Real keeper Kiko Casilla who was deputising for injured Keylor Navas. Tottenham right back Kieran Trippier was a constant menace down the right and his first-time volleyed cross caused panic in the Real defence - a portent of things to come for Real. FORAY FORWARD The hosts suffered a blow when central defender Toby Alderweireld's evening was cut short as he pulled up with a hamstring injury after a foray forward. Moussa Sissoko replaced him with Eric Dier dropping into defence but it did not slow Tottenham's momentum as they deservedly went ahead five minutes later. Harry Winks picked out Trippier racing down the right and his volleyed cross found Alli to prod home. Real responded with Casemiro and Ronaldo testing Hugo Lloris but Tottenham should have increased their lead before halftime when Sissoko mis-kicked in front of goal from another Trippier cut back and Kane's goalbound shot was blocked by Sergio Ramos. A single-goal lead looked vulnerable against the defending champions but Tottenham doubled it nine minutes after the break with Alli sending the Wembley crowd into raptures. The England midfielder was allowed to advance goalwards and his shot deflected off Ramos's back to completely wrong-foot Casilla. Real, who had lost only one of their last 22 European fixtures, swarmed forward trying to salvage something but their night took a turn for the worse when Tottenham counter-attacked in devastating fashion in the 65th minute, Alli finding Kane who picked out Eriksen to calmly slot home. Ronaldo fired home his sixth goal in this year's competition to set up a frantic last 10 minutes but Tottenham held firm to avenge their quarter-final defeat by Real in 2011.

Alli shines as Tottenham Hotspur stun champions Real Madrid

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