Arsenal&nbsp;manager Arsene Wenger expressed his relief after his side&#39;s Europa League success at AC Milan on Thursday by describing it as an important win after a nightmare week.

&quot;I am happy with the spirit and response we gave,&quot; said the Frenchman after a 2-0 victory at San Siro in the last 16 first leg tie ended a run of four successive defeats.

&ldquo;We were not in a position to take risks, but we could not be too cautious as you lose fluidity. We defended with resilience until the end,&quot; he said.

&quot;When you are knocked down like a boxer, you don&rsquo;t have time to react and you are only halfway up, but you have to respond. Your pride and desire to show quality has to come through in the game.

&quot;It is an important win of course after we had a nightmare week,&quot; added Wenger, whose side came to Milan after losing to Premier League leaders Manchester City -- who also beat them in last month&#39;s League Cup final -- and Brighton &amp; Hove Albion.

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Arsenal&#39;s Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil described the win in Milan as &quot;our best away performance for some time&quot;, while Aaron Ramsey, scorer of the second goal, called it a &quot;great response.&quot;

Arsenal&nbsp;are 13 points adrift of the Champions League places in the Premier League and are pinning their hopes on winning the Europa League to qualify for Europe&#39;s elite club competition.

Not surprisingly, Milan coach Gennaro Gattuso was far from happy after seeing his team&#39;s 13-match unbeaten run end.

&quot;We made too many mistakes,&quot; he said. &quot;We never played as a compact team and they deserved the win.

&quot;Every time they attacked, they could have scored. Playing at this level is something new for our lads but there were too many mistakes,&quot; he added.

However, the famously fiery coach refused to throw in the towel in the tie.

&quot;In football, you never say never,&quot; he said. &quot;We&#39;ll go to London to try and win, we&#39;re not going on an excursion. This is Milan and there is a shirt we have to respect.&quot;

&nbsp;

It is an important win of course after we had a nightmare week: Arsene Wenger

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger expressed his relief after his side's Europa League success at AC Milan on Thursday by describing it as an important win after a nightmare week. "I am happy with the spirit and response we gave," said the Frenchman after a 2-0 victory at San Siro in the last 16 first leg tie ended a run of four successive defeats. “We were not in a position to take risks, but we could not be too cautious as you lose fluidity. We defended with resilience until the end," he said. "When you are knocked down like a boxer, you don’t have time to react and you are only halfway up, but you have to respond. Your pride and desire to show quality has to come through in the game. "It is an important win of course after we had a nightmare week," added Wenger, whose side came to Milan after losing to Premier League leaders Manchester City -- who also beat them in last month's League Cup final -- and Brighton & Hove Albion. Squad ????#WeAreTheArsenal pic.twitter.com/6WwNDnCaq3 — Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) March 9, 2018 × Arsenal's Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil described the win in Milan as "our best away performance for some time", while Aaron Ramsey, scorer of the second goal, called it a "great response." Arsenal are 13 points adrift of the Champions League places in the Premier League and are pinning their hopes on winning the Europa League to qualify for Europe's elite club competition. Not surprisingly, Milan coach Gennaro Gattuso was far from happy after seeing his team's 13-match unbeaten run end. "We made too many mistakes," he said. "We never played as a compact team and they deserved the win. "Every time they attacked, they could have scored. Playing at this level is something new for our lads but there were too many mistakes," he added. However, the famously fiery coach refused to throw in the towel in the tie. "In football, you never say never," he said. "We'll go to London to try and win, we're not going on an excursion. This is Milan and there is a shirt we have to respect."

Arsenal beat AC Milan to register much-awaited victory

Real Madrid showed their collective strength in a clinical 2-1 win over Paris St Germain to reach the quarter-finals as the hosts slumped to another early Champions League exit on Tuesday.

Zinedine Zidane&#39;s side prevailed at the Parc des Princes with goals by Cristiano Ronaldo and Casimero for a 5-2 aggregate win as they were barely threatened in the last 16 return leg.

&quot;Tactically we played the right way. We believe in what we&#39;re doing,&quot; Real coach Zidane told a news conference.

&quot;Maybe tonight they weren&#39;t so good, but it&#39;s also because we played well. Obviously it became harder for them when we scored the second goal.&rdquo;

PSG finished the game with 10 men after Marco Verratti was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 66th minute, but Real had done the job already.

&quot;It&#39;s true that Madrid deserved to go through. I think in the important moments of the game, they were better,&quot; PSG&#39;s Spanish coach Unai Emery told a news conference.

The defeat came a year after PSG went out at the same stage after losing 6-1 at Barcelona, having won the first leg 4-0.

&quot;I think they controlled 60 percent of the game and we didn&#39;t do enough with the 40 percent we had,&quot; he added.

&quot;Losing to Real Madrid itself isn&#39;t a disappointment, but being knocked out in the last 16 is.&quot;

PSG were in control in the first half, dominating in midfield, but without their Brazilian talisman Neymar, who is recovering from ankle surgery, they were toothless up front.

&quot;Perhaps the first half was the key. In the last 20 minutes of the first half we were better,&quot; said Emery.

&quot;I think over there we had the chance, it was 50-50, but we didn&#39;t take advantage of that,&quot; he added, referring to PSG&#39;s 3-1 defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Zinedine Zidane's side prevailed at the Parc des Princes with goals by Cristiano Ronaldo and Casimero for a 5-2 aggregate win as they were barely threatened in the last 16 return leg.

Real Madrid showed their collective strength in a clinical 2-1 win over Paris St Germain to reach the quarter-finals as the hosts slumped to another early Champions League exit on Tuesday. Zinedine Zidane's side prevailed at the Parc des Princes with goals by Cristiano Ronaldo and Casimero for a 5-2 aggregate win as they were barely threatened in the last 16 return leg. "Tactically we played the right way. We believe in what we're doing," Real coach Zidane told a news conference. "Maybe tonight they weren't so good, but it's also because we played well. Obviously it became harder for them when we scored the second goal.” PSG finished the game with 10 men after Marco Verratti was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 66th minute, but Real had done the job already. "It's true that Madrid deserved to go through. I think in the important moments of the game, they were better," PSG's Spanish coach Unai Emery told a news conference. The defeat came a year after PSG went out at the same stage after losing 6-1 at Barcelona, having won the first leg 4-0. "I think they controlled 60 percent of the game and we didn't do enough with the 40 percent we had," he added. "Losing to Real Madrid itself isn't a disappointment, but being knocked out in the last 16 is." PSG were in control in the first half, dominating in midfield, but without their Brazilian talisman Neymar, who is recovering from ankle surgery, they were toothless up front. "Perhaps the first half was the key. In the last 20 minutes of the first half we were better," said Emery. "I think over there we had the chance, it was 50-50, but we didn't take advantage of that," he added, referring to PSG's 3-1 defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Football: Real Madrid on song as PSG falter again in Champions League

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As the Lankan government announced a 10-day emergency after Muslim, Buddhist riots in Kandy, the UN has announced it will send its political chief Jeffrey Feltman to the riot-hit region. &quot;We are obviously concerned over reports of the ongoing communal violence and we welcome the government&#39;s commitment to addressing the tensions and achieve reconciliation,&quot; UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

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As speculation about whether US president Donald Trump had an encounter with porn star Stormy Daniels makes rounds, the adult actress has decided to file a lawsuit against Trump alleging that he never signed a &quot;hush agreement&quot; to keep quiet about their rumoured affair, reports said on Tuesday.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/will-choose-wisely-says-trump-after-economic-adviser-cohns-resignation-34938">&#39;Will choose wisely!&#39;, says Trump after economic adviser Cohn&#39;s resignation</a>

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday tweeted that he will be making a decision soon on the appointment of new Chief Economic Advisor. &quot;Will be making a decision soon on the appointment of new Chief Economic Advisor. Many people wanting the job - will choose wisely!,&#39;&#39; Trump tweeted.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/air-india-to-operate-all-women-crew-flights-to-celebrate-international-womens-day-34944">Air India to operate all-women crew flights to celebrate International Women&#39;s Day</a>

The national carrier Air India will operate flights with an all-women crew to New York, Frankfurt, Singapore and various other destinations to commemorate International Women&#39;s Day on March 8. The national carrier on Tuesday said it has planned several flights, domestic and international, operated only by its women employees.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/football-real-on-song-as-psg-falter-again-in-champions-league-34934">Football: Real Madrid on </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/football-real-on-song-as-psg-falter-again-in-champions-league-34934">song</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/football-real-on-song-as-psg-falter-again-in-champions-league-34934"> as PSG falter again in Champions League</a>

Real Madrid showed their collective strength in a clinical 2-1 win over Paris St Germain to reach the quarter-finals as the hosts slumped to another early Champions League exit on Tuesday. Zinedine Zidane&#39;s side prevailed at the Parc des Princes with goals by Cristiano Ronaldo and Casimero for a 5-2 aggregate win as they were barely threatened in the last 16 return leg.

Emergency in Kandy: Top UN official to visit Sri Lanka, expected to visit riot-hit area As the Lankan government announced a 10-day emergency after Muslim, Buddhist riots in Kandy, the UN has announced it will send its political chief Jeffrey Feltman to the riot-hit region. "We are obviously concerned over reports of the ongoing communal violence and we welcome the government's commitment to addressing the tensions and achieve reconciliation," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. Pornstar Stormy Daniels files lawsuit against Trump over 'hush agreement' As speculation about whether US president Donald Trump had an encounter with porn star Stormy Daniels makes rounds, the adult actress has decided to file a lawsuit against Trump alleging that he never signed a "hush agreement" to keep quiet about their rumoured affair, reports said on Tuesday. 'Will choose wisely!', says Trump after economic adviser Cohn's resignation US President Donald Trump on Wednesday tweeted that he will be making a decision soon on the appointment of new Chief Economic Advisor. "Will be making a decision soon on the appointment of new Chief Economic Advisor. Many people wanting the job - will choose wisely!,'' Trump tweeted. Air India to operate all-women crew flights to celebrate International Women's Day The national carrier Air India will operate flights with an all-women crew to New York, Frankfurt, Singapore and various other destinations to commemorate International Women's Day on March 8. The national carrier on Tuesday said it has planned several flights, domestic and international, operated only by its women employees. Football: Real Madrid on song as PSG falter again in Champions League Real Madrid showed their collective strength in a clinical 2-1 win over Paris St Germain to reach the quarter-finals as the hosts slumped to another early Champions League exit on Tuesday. Zinedine Zidane's side prevailed at the Parc des Princes with goals by Cristiano Ronaldo and Casimero for a 5-2 aggregate win as they were barely threatened in the last 16 return leg.

WION Morning News Brief, March 7, 2018

Liverpool reached the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in nine years on Tuesday, with a 0-0 second leg draw at Anfield earning them a 5-0 aggregate win over Porto, and manager Juergen Klopp said the club were back where they belong.

The last time the five times European champions reached this stage of Europe&#39;s elite club competition was in 2009 when they went out to Chelsea in a dramatic 7-5 aggregate defeat.

&quot;It feels good to be honest, feels really good. I cannot feel like people who waited so long for it, but it feels good,&quot; said Klopp, who made clear that he expected more.

&quot;Last eight is cool. (But) we&#39;re not a little bit satisfied to be honest. I think it was time that we showed up again,&quot; he said.

Klopp, who took his previous club Borussia Dortmund to the Champions League final in 2012, losing to Bayern Munich, said reaching the last eight highlighted the progress at Anfield.

&quot;There is a good development in Liverpool at the moment, it is a nice moment, but if you don&rsquo;t show up in a competition like the Champions League then no-one realises it,&quot; he said.

&quot;So I am happy for all the people involved that we made that step. It&#39;s done, it&#39;s good and now let&#39;s go and carry on.&quot;

Klopp is in his third season at the Merseyside club and said this year&#39;s progress in Europe was about in line with his expectations for the team&#39;s improvement.

&quot;I never had a time schedule in my mind. I don&rsquo;t want to make it smaller than it is but, on the other hand, I don&rsquo;t want to make it bigger than it is.

&quot;This year we belong there to be honest, it should not be a big surprise and the next round will be very difficult, there are seven other very good teams involved, so maybe five or four are from England, it doesn&#39;t make it easier to be honest.

&quot;But I think we will have a chance for sure to go to the semis, that is of course the target. I think we are in time.&quot;

Porto manager Sergio Conceicao feels Liverpool, who last won the Champions League in 2005, have what it takes to go all the way again.

&quot;Liverpool are definitely one of the teams that can win this year, they are really strong and everyone knows that,&quot; said the former Portugal winger.

The last time the five times European champions reached this stage of Europe's elite club competition was in 2009 when they went out to Chelsea in a dramatic 7-5 aggregate defeat.

Liverpool reached the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in nine years on Tuesday, with a 0-0 second leg draw at Anfield earning them a 5-0 aggregate win over Porto, and manager Juergen Klopp said the club were back where they belong. The last time the five times European champions reached this stage of Europe's elite club competition was in 2009 when they went out to Chelsea in a dramatic 7-5 aggregate defeat. "It feels good to be honest, feels really good. I cannot feel like people who waited so long for it, but it feels good," said Klopp, who made clear that he expected more. "Last eight is cool. (But) we're not a little bit satisfied to be honest. I think it was time that we showed up again," he said. Klopp, who took his previous club Borussia Dortmund to the Champions League final in 2012, losing to Bayern Munich, said reaching the last eight highlighted the progress at Anfield. "There is a good development in Liverpool at the moment, it is a nice moment, but if you don’t show up in a competition like the Champions League then no-one realises it," he said. "So I am happy for all the people involved that we made that step. It's done, it's good and now let's go and carry on." Klopp is in his third season at the Merseyside club and said this year's progress in Europe was about in line with his expectations for the team's improvement. "I never had a time schedule in my mind. I don’t want to make it smaller than it is but, on the other hand, I don’t want to make it bigger than it is. "This year we belong there to be honest, it should not be a big surprise and the next round will be very difficult, there are seven other very good teams involved, so maybe five or four are from England, it doesn't make it easier to be honest. "But I think we will have a chance for sure to go to the semis, that is of course the target. I think we are in time." Porto manager Sergio Conceicao feels Liverpool, who last won the Champions League in 2005, have what it takes to go all the way again. "Liverpool are definitely one of the teams that can win this year, they are really strong and everyone knows that," said the former Portugal winger.

Football: Liverpool are back where they belong, says Klopp after Champions League quarter-finals spot

Football is a game of uncertainties, it is not justified to predict the performance of any team and pass the judgement regarding the final result of the game.

The second leg of Champion&#39;s Trophy is starting from today with one of the most crucial face-offs when a Spanish giant will fight with French leaders.

Defending champion Real Madrid will enter the game with a high because they have already taken a 3-1 lead against Paris Saint Germain in the first leg and the aggregate after including today&#39;s score will act as an decider that which team will proceed further.

Paris Saint Germain needs to create chances and the presure of&nbsp;Neymar&#39;s absence must not affect the team&#39;s performance

PSG has the potential and might dribble the comeback and display a shocker in forfeiting the first-leg deficit against Real Madrid. Yes, chances are there!

PSG are up against it, all the more so with Neymar, the world&#39;s most expensive player missing as he recovers in Brazil following a foot operation.

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Paris​ have lost just one of their last 46 European home games ???? 
 
Are they strong enough to see off Madrid? 
 
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LoveitLiveit?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LoveitLiveit</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCL</a> <a href="https://t.co/7GUOWzYqwA">pic.twitter.com/7GUOWzYqwA</a>
&mdash; UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChampionsLeague/status/971064594671329280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Brazil&#39;s Paris St Germain forward Neymar has had a successful operation on his injured foot and ankle.

He was operated on Saturday at the Mater Dei Hospital in Belo Horizonte and currently on post-op rehabilitation. Neymar&#39;s absence is a major important implication in today&#39; match.

Out of contract at the end of this season, Emery is relying on big performances from players like Thiago Silva and Angel Di Maria, who were both left out in the first leg.

Kylian Mbappe is looking good at the moment with some outstanding assists in the previous matches.

Real has the confidence and Charged up and Marcelo&#39;s return is a plus point

Cristiano Ronaldo had scored twice as Real Madrid came from behind to stun Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 in the first leg of their heavyweight Champions League to inspire the team to victory at the Santiago Bernabeu. The team has travelled to Paris to play the match at Parc des Princes. A memorable stadium when Di Stefano lifted the club&#39;s first continental crown.&nbsp;

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???? Ronaldo doing what he does! 
 
Which one of your friends is always trying tricks like <a href="https://twitter.com/Cristiano?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Cristiano</a>? ????<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCL</a> <a href="https://t.co/XGpD9tj3C0">pic.twitter.com/XGpD9tj3C0</a>
&mdash; UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChampionsLeague/status/971020904598827010?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Captain Sergio Ramos said, &quot;The Champions League means a lot to us,&quot;

&quot;They have a lot of offensive power, but we have our weapons and we&#39;re going to try to do damage in Paris,&quot; he further added.

Marcelo has returned from injury and he is a big advantage for the team.

This clash takes on huge importance for Zinedine Zidane&rsquo;s Real, who have had an unusually poor domestic campaign and faced many criticisms for the same even his future as Real coach was doubtful.

As far as the final result is concerned, Real Madrid definitely has an intent of winning the game but PSG&#39;s attacking is equally great and might register a comeback and draw the aggregate.

&nbsp;

PSG has the potential and might dribble the comeback and display a shocker in forfeiting the first-leg deficit against Real Madrid. Yes, chances are there!

Football is a game of uncertainties, it is not justified to predict the performance of any team and pass the judgement regarding the final result of the game. The second leg of Champion's Trophy is starting from today with one of the most crucial face-offs when a Spanish giant will fight with French leaders. Defending champion Real Madrid will enter the game with a high because they have already taken a 3-1 lead against Paris Saint Germain in the first leg and the aggregate after including today's score will act as an decider that which team will proceed further. Paris Saint Germain needs to create chances and the presure of Neymar's absence must not affect the team's performance PSG has the potential and might dribble the comeback and display a shocker in forfeiting the first-leg deficit against Real Madrid. Yes, chances are there! PSG are up against it, all the more so with Neymar, the world's most expensive player missing as he recovers in Brazil following a foot operation. Paris have lost just one of their last 46 European home games ???? Are they strong enough to see off Madrid? #LoveitLiveit #UCL pic.twitter.com/7GUOWzYqwA — UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 6, 2018 × Brazil's Paris St Germain forward Neymar has had a successful operation on his injured foot and ankle. He was operated on Saturday at the Mater Dei Hospital in Belo Horizonte and currently on post-op rehabilitation. Neymar's absence is a major important implication in today' match. Out of contract at the end of this season, Emery is relying on big performances from players like Thiago Silva and Angel Di Maria, who were both left out in the first leg. Kylian Mbappe is looking good at the moment with some outstanding assists in the previous matches. Real has the confidence and Charged up and Marcelo's return is a plus point Cristiano Ronaldo had scored twice as Real Madrid came from behind to stun Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 in the first leg of their heavyweight Champions League to inspire the team to victory at the Santiago Bernabeu. The team has travelled to Paris to play the match at Parc des Princes. A memorable stadium when Di Stefano lifted the club's first continental crown. ???? Ronaldo doing what he does! Which one of your friends is always trying tricks like @Cristiano? ????#UCL pic.twitter.com/XGpD9tj3C0 — UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 6, 2018 × Captain Sergio Ramos said, "The Champions League means a lot to us," "They have a lot of offensive power, but we have our weapons and we're going to try to do damage in Paris," he further added. Marcelo has returned from injury and he is a big advantage for the team. This clash takes on huge importance for Zinedine Zidane’s Real, who have had an unusually poor domestic campaign and faced many criticisms for the same even his future as Real coach was doubtful. As far as the final result is concerned, Real Madrid definitely has an intent of winning the game but PSG's attacking is equally great and might register a comeback and draw the aggregate.

Champions League: Neymar's absence, Marcelo's return favour Real against PSG

Jose Mourinho revealed his expletive-filled half-time rant inspired Manchester United&#39;s dramatic 3-2 win over Crystal Palace.

Mourinho&#39;s side fought back from two goals down at Selhurst Park to snatch the points thanks to Nemanja Matic&#39;s blistering long-range strike in stoppage-time.

United trailed to goals from Andros Townsend and Patrick van Aanholt before Chris Smalling gave the visitors a lifeline.

Romelu Lukaku equalised with 14 minutes remaining, setting the stage for Serbia midfielder Matic to notch his first goal for United since his move from Chelsea last year.

Mourinho admitted he was furious with his players&#39; lethargic first-half performance and he tore into them while demanding they show more tactical discipline.

&quot;I cannot tell you half of the things I told my team at half-time because there would be lots of bleeping on television,&quot; Mourinho said.

&quot;There were a few strong words relating to their attitude and the intensity of the game.&nbsp;

&quot;What I can say was all about the tactical positioning. That second goal was a goal to show kids in academies around the country, to show that top players can concede silly goals.&nbsp;

&quot;David De Gea had to do better. He is the best, no doubt, but he had to do better.&nbsp;

&quot;But the intensity and character was fantastic. We got a bit of luck in the last minute but it was deserved.&nbsp;

&quot;The urgency in that last half hour was huge.&quot;&nbsp;

It was the first time United had come from 2-0 down to win a Premier League game since December 2013 at Hull.&nbsp;

After hitting back from a goal down to beat Chelsea last weekend, Mourinho insisted this was another demonstration that United have the spirit and desire to overcome perilous predicaments.&nbsp;

- Keep the faith -

&quot;We were losing to Chelsea last week, then we were losing away from home against a Palace team that needs points,&quot; he said.

&quot;It&#39;s very hard but we kept faith and belief.

&quot;I always believe we can win. I will be like that until my last day.&nbsp;

&quot;Some days more than others but after Smalling&#39;s goal, I always thought it was possible.&nbsp;

&quot;Matic scored amazing goals like this when he was with me at Chelsea, at Goodison Park, against Benfica.&quot;

United&#39;s stirring revival moved them back above Liverpool into second place in the Premier League.&nbsp;

They trail runaway leaders Manchester City by 16 points, but Mourinho is more concerned with securing the top four finish that guarantees qualification for next season&#39;s Champions League.&nbsp;

&quot;We want to finish second, but it is huge pressure for us to finish in the top four. Now we have a little pillow,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

Palace remain in the relegation zone, one point from safety, but Eagles boss Roy Hodgson urged his players not to let the heartbreaking defeat influence their fight for survival.&nbsp;

&quot;We took the game to Manchester United. If we had drawn the game - I don&#39;t think anyone, Jose included - would have said it was a scandal,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

&quot;We once again go away with no points and, like the game against Tottenham, I thought we deserved something.&nbsp;

&quot;But you always know the quality they possess and the strength and depth they have. They can cause problems.&nbsp;

&quot;Where we are in the table doesn&#39;t enter my mind. It would have been nice to have two more points, but we still would have been very much in a relegation battle.&nbsp;

&quot;It could well go down to the wire.&quot;

Mourinho's side fought back from two goals down at Selhurst Park to snatch the points thanks to Nemanja Matic's blistering long-range strike in stoppage-time

Jose Mourinho revealed his expletive-filled half-time rant inspired Manchester United's dramatic 3-2 win over Crystal Palace. Mourinho's side fought back from two goals down at Selhurst Park to snatch the points thanks to Nemanja Matic's blistering long-range strike in stoppage-time. United trailed to goals from Andros Townsend and Patrick van Aanholt before Chris Smalling gave the visitors a lifeline. Romelu Lukaku equalised with 14 minutes remaining, setting the stage for Serbia midfielder Matic to notch his first goal for United since his move from Chelsea last year. Mourinho admitted he was furious with his players' lethargic first-half performance and he tore into them while demanding they show more tactical discipline. "I cannot tell you half of the things I told my team at half-time because there would be lots of bleeping on television," Mourinho said. "There were a few strong words relating to their attitude and the intensity of the game. "What I can say was all about the tactical positioning. That second goal was a goal to show kids in academies around the country, to show that top players can concede silly goals. "David De Gea had to do better. He is the best, no doubt, but he had to do better. "But the intensity and character was fantastic. We got a bit of luck in the last minute but it was deserved. "The urgency in that last half hour was huge." It was the first time United had come from 2-0 down to win a Premier League game since December 2013 at Hull. After hitting back from a goal down to beat Chelsea last weekend, Mourinho insisted this was another demonstration that United have the spirit and desire to overcome perilous predicaments. - Keep the faith - "We were losing to Chelsea last week, then we were losing away from home against a Palace team that needs points," he said. "It's very hard but we kept faith and belief. "I always believe we can win. I will be like that until my last day. "Some days more than others but after Smalling's goal, I always thought it was possible. "Matic scored amazing goals like this when he was with me at Chelsea, at Goodison Park, against Benfica." United's stirring revival moved them back above Liverpool into second place in the Premier League. They trail runaway leaders Manchester City by 16 points, but Mourinho is more concerned with securing the top four finish that guarantees qualification for next season's Champions League. "We want to finish second, but it is huge pressure for us to finish in the top four. Now we have a little pillow," he said. Palace remain in the relegation zone, one point from safety, but Eagles boss Roy Hodgson urged his players not to let the heartbreaking defeat influence their fight for survival. "We took the game to Manchester United. If we had drawn the game - I don't think anyone, Jose included - would have said it was a scandal," he said. "We once again go away with no points and, like the game against Tottenham, I thought we deserved something. "But you always know the quality they possess and the strength and depth they have. They can cause problems. "Where we are in the table doesn't enter my mind. It would have been nice to have two more points, but we still would have been very much in a relegation battle. "It could well go down to the wire."

Jose Mourinho hails 'luck' for dramatic win over Crystal Palace

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic said Monday he was worried about the impact of the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/croatian-footballer-luka-modric-charged-with-false-testimony-34523"> false testimony</a> charges against captain Luka Modric on his performance less than four months before the World Cup.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/croatian-footballer-luka-modric-charged-with-false-testimony-34523">Croatian prosecutors</a> charged the Real Madrid midfielder last week with giving false evidence during the multi-million-euro <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/croatian-footballer-luka-modric-charged-with-false-testimony-34523">corruption trial</a> of former Dinamo Zagreb boss Zdravko Mamic in Croatia.

The offence carries a maximum penalty of up to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/croatian-footballer-luka-modric-charged-with-false-testimony-34523">five years in jail</a>.

&quot;I cannot interfere in what is going on but it certainly worries me,&quot; Dalic told reporters when asked whether he feared the charges could affect Modric&#39;s performance.

&quot;But knowing Luka and his character... I belive that he will stoically endure all this.

&quot;For me it is more important that he recovers from his current injury and that he plays,&quot; Dalic said.

He was speaking as he presented a 29-strong list of players for friendlies with Peru and Mexico to be played in the United States this month as part of preparations for the World Cup.

Modric&#39;s indictment has yet to be approved by a court and the 32-year-old is currently not threatened with arrest.

Mamic is accused, along with three other people, of abuse of power and graft that cost Dinamo, the former Croatian champions, more than 15 million euros ($18.4 million), and the state 1.5 million euros.

Cash was allegedly embezzled through fictitious deals related to player transfers. Modric testified last June over the details of his 2008 transfer from Dinamo to Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur.

From there he joined Real Madrid in 2012.

Modric has shaken off a thigh injury and travelled with the Madrid squad to France for Tuesday&#39;s second-leg last-16 tie against Paris Saint-Germain.

He is considered the biggest star Croatia have had since 1998 when they surprised the football world by reaching the World Cup semi-finals before losing to eventual winners France.

Croatia plays in the World Cup Group D along with Argentina, Iceland and Nigeria.

&nbsp;

Croatian prosecutors charged the Real Madrid midfielder last week with giving false evidence during the multi-million-euro corruption trial of former Dinamo Zagreb boss Zdravko Mamic in Croatia

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic said Monday he was worried about the impact of the false testimony charges against captain Luka Modric on his performance less than four months before the World Cup. Croatian prosecutors charged the Real Madrid midfielder last week with giving false evidence during the multi-million-euro corruption trial of former Dinamo Zagreb boss Zdravko Mamic in Croatia. The offence carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in jail. "I cannot interfere in what is going on but it certainly worries me," Dalic told reporters when asked whether he feared the charges could affect Modric's performance. "But knowing Luka and his character... I belive that he will stoically endure all this. "For me it is more important that he recovers from his current injury and that he plays," Dalic said. He was speaking as he presented a 29-strong list of players for friendlies with Peru and Mexico to be played in the United States this month as part of preparations for the World Cup. Modric's indictment has yet to be approved by a court and the 32-year-old is currently not threatened with arrest. Mamic is accused, along with three other people, of abuse of power and graft that cost Dinamo, the former Croatian champions, more than 15 million euros ($18.4 million), and the state 1.5 million euros. Cash was allegedly embezzled through fictitious deals related to player transfers. Modric testified last June over the details of his 2008 transfer from Dinamo to Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. From there he joined Real Madrid in 2012. Modric has shaken off a thigh injury and travelled with the Madrid squad to France for Tuesday's second-leg last-16 tie against Paris Saint-Germain. He is considered the biggest star Croatia have had since 1998 when they surprised the football world by reaching the World Cup semi-finals before losing to eventual winners France. Croatia plays in the World Cup Group D along with Argentina, Iceland and Nigeria.

Croatia coach worried over Modric charges

FC Barcelona defeated the visitors Atletico Madrid by 1-0 at their home ground&nbsp;Camp Nou on Sunday. Both the teams are neck-to-neck and are racing to be at number one spot at the Spanish League table. Barca has maintained a modest lead throughout the season but in the previous matches, Atletico displayed a splendid performance to cut the gap between them and the table leaders.

FC Barcelona was five points ahead of second-ranked Atletico Madrid which further extended to eight as marvellous Messi netted in the 26th minute by clearing a free-kick and hitting a swinging banana shot into the top right corner and gave a 1-0 lead. It was Messi&#39;s 600th career goal from 25 yards out.

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???? Another landmark for Leo <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Messi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Messi</a>! 
➡️ <a href="https://t.co/2M3jsXs79U">https://t.co/2M3jsXs79U</a> <a href="https://t.co/kqLEVeAVBY">pic.twitter.com/kqLEVeAVBY</a>
&mdash; FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/970392218602233856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Messi&#39;s goal gave Barcelona a 1-0 win against second-place Atletico Madrid and widened the gap over their closest rivals to eight points with 11 games remaining.

Besides Barca fans and followers, the coach Ernesto Valverde is also very happy after the vital win against Atletico. In the post-match presentation, he said, &quot;(Lionel) Messi there is just one in the world.&quot;

&quot;I don&#39;t know what would have happened (if he would not be playing for Barcelona), but what is the reason to think about that if he is playing with us?&quot;&nbsp;

He also focused on further matches and hoped the team would compete well in such important and crucial games and said, &quot;We have made a step forward, but it is not definitive.&quot;

Before the match, Atletico coach Diego Simeone had hailed&nbsp;Griezmann saying, &quot;Antoine is an extraordinary footballer and when he is at his level like this, he is one of the best, and it is clear that in his present position he is in the perfect place.&quot;

But Atletico striker Antoine Griezmann, who came in with seven goals in two games, was largely anonymous.

&nbsp;

Messi's goal gave Barcelona a 1-0 win against second-place Atletico Madrid and widened the gap over their closest rivals to eight points with 11 games remaining

FC Barcelona defeated the visitors Atletico Madrid by 1-0 at their home ground Camp Nou on Sunday. Both the teams are neck-to-neck and are racing to be at number one spot at the Spanish League table. Barca has maintained a modest lead throughout the season but in the previous matches, Atletico displayed a splendid performance to cut the gap between them and the table leaders. FC Barcelona was five points ahead of second-ranked Atletico Madrid which further extended to eight as marvellous Messi netted in the 26th minute by clearing a free-kick and hitting a swinging banana shot into the top right corner and gave a 1-0 lead. It was Messi's 600th career goal from 25 yards out. ???? Another landmark for Leo #Messi! ➡️ https://t.co/2M3jsXs79U pic.twitter.com/kqLEVeAVBY — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 4, 2018 × Messi's goal gave Barcelona a 1-0 win against second-place Atletico Madrid and widened the gap over their closest rivals to eight points with 11 games remaining. Besides Barca fans and followers, the coach Ernesto Valverde is also very happy after the vital win against Atletico. In the post-match presentation, he said, "(Lionel) Messi there is just one in the world." "I don't know what would have happened (if he would not be playing for Barcelona), but what is the reason to think about that if he is playing with us?" He also focused on further matches and hoped the team would compete well in such important and crucial games and said, "We have made a step forward, but it is not definitive." Before the match, Atletico coach Diego Simeone had hailed Griezmann saying, "Antoine is an extraordinary footballer and when he is at his level like this, he is one of the best, and it is clear that in his present position he is in the perfect place." But Atletico striker Antoine Griezmann, who came in with seven goals in two games, was largely anonymous.

Messi just one in the world: FCB coach Ernesto Valverde

<big>WION&#39;S pick of the week</big>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/opinion-todays-virat-kohli-bears-resemblance-of-sachin-during-1998-33950">Opinion: Today&#39;s Virat Kohli bears </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/opinion-todays-virat-kohli-bears-resemblance-of-sachin-during-1998-33950">resemblance</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/opinion-todays-virat-kohli-bears-resemblance-of-sachin-during-1998-33950"> </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/opinion-todays-virat-kohli-bears-resemblance-of-sachin-during-1998-33950">of</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/opinion-todays-virat-kohli-bears-resemblance-of-sachin-during-1998-33950"> Sachin during 1998</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/opinion-why-ipl-franchises-are-adamant-about-hiring-foreign-rather-than-indian-coaches-34310">Opinion: Why IPL franchises are adamant about hiring foreign rather than Indian coaches</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-pak-boys-yorkers-impresses-wasim-akram-video-goes-viral-34502">Watch: &#39;Who is this boy,&#39; asks Wasim Akram, </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-pak-boys-yorkers-impresses-wasim-akram-video-goes-viral-34502">video</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-pak-boys-yorkers-impresses-wasim-akram-video-goes-viral-34502"> goes viral</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/forget-sachin-stats-say-current-rate-virat-kohli-will-slam-more-than-130-tons-707">Forget Sachin, stats say @ current rate Virat Kohli will slam more than 130 tons</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/usain-bolt-to-clash-robbie-williams-at-old-trafford-for-football-match-34215">Now, Usain Bolt to clash against Robbie Williams in football</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/17-year-old-sensational-footballing-talent-from-brazil-8887">17-year-old sensational footballing talent from Brazil</a>

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Watch out for the young footballing diamond from Brazil soccer mines, 17-year-old Vinicius Junior (Twitter)
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&nbsp;

<big>HIGHLIGHTS</big>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/south-korea-brings-curtain-down-on-peace-games-34040">South Korea brings </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/south-korea-brings-curtain-down-on-peace-games-34040">curtain</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/south-korea-brings-curtain-down-on-peace-games-34040"> down on &#39;Peace Games&#39;</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/pyeongchang-olympics-2018-highlights-of-closing-ceremony-8642">Pyeongchang Olympics 2018: Highlights of </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/pyeongchang-olympics-2018-highlights-of-closing-ceremony-8642">closin</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/pyeongchang-olympics-2018-highlights-of-closing-ceremony-8642">g&nbsp;ceremony</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/pyeongchang-winter-olympics-2018-marks-glitzy-and-glorious-ending-34110">Watch: Pyeongchang Winter Olympics ends with fireworks; Norway, Germany finish on top</a>

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South Korea brought the curtain down on its &quot;Peace Games&quot; on Sunday (February 25), with winter sports athletes dancing and singing together at a vibrant closing ceremony. (AP,Reuters)
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&nbsp;

<big>RIP LEGENDS</big>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/british-athletics-great-roger-bannister-dies-aged-88-34637">Roger Bannister, the first person to run a mile in under four minutes, dies at 88</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/fiorentina-captain-astori-dies-suddenly-club-says-34631">Davide Astori: Fiorentina captain and Italy international dies at the age of 31</a>

&nbsp;

<big>FOOTBALL</big>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/aguero-kompany-silva-inspire-city-to-win-first-trophy-of-guardiola-era-34056">Aguero, Kompany, Silva inspire City to win </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/aguero-kompany-silva-inspire-city-to-win-first-trophy-of-guardiola-era-34056">first</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/aguero-kompany-silva-inspire-city-to-win-first-trophy-of-guardiola-era-34056"> trophy of Guardiola era</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/messi-makes-difference-again-to-beat-atletico-madrid-34655">Messi makes difference again to beat Atletico Madrid</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/no-more-use-of-var-in-champions-league-aleksander-ceferin-34209">Champions League to drop </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/no-more-use-of-var-in-champions-league-aleksander-ceferin-34209">use</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/no-more-use-of-var-in-champions-league-aleksander-ceferin-34209"> of Video Assistant Referee</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/psg-striker-neymar-jr-suffers-metatarsal-fracture-34158">PSG&#39;s Neymar suffers </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/psg-striker-neymar-jr-suffers-metatarsal-fracture-34158">metatarsal</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/psg-striker-neymar-jr-suffers-metatarsal-fracture-34158"> fracture</a>

&nbsp;

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Metatarsal fractures tend to heal within six to eight weeks and the chances of Neymar&#39;s return in the second leg of Champions League is very slim (Twitter,Instagram)
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&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/croatian-footballer-luka-modric-charged-with-false-testimony-34523">Croatian footballer Luka Modric charged with false testimony</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/neymar-operation-of-injured-foot-ankle-went-perfectly-says-brazil-confederation-34583">Neymar&#39;s operation of injured foot &amp; ankle went perfectly, says Brazil confederation</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/mumbai-born-carlos-cordeiro-appointed-president-of-us-soccer-federation-34086">Mumbai-born Carlos Cordeiro is </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/mumbai-born-carlos-cordeiro-appointed-president-of-us-soccer-federation-34086">new</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/mumbai-born-carlos-cordeiro-appointed-president-of-us-soccer-federation-34086"> chief of US Soccer Federation</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/video-assistant-referee-set-for-fifa-world-cup-2018-approval-34531">Video Assistant Referee set for FIFA World Cup approval</a>

&nbsp;

<big>CRICKET</big>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/morne-morkel-announces-retirement-from-all-forms-of-cricket-after-australia-series-34126">Morne Morkel announces retirement from all forms of cricket after Australia series</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2018-r-ashwin-announced-captain-of-kings-xi-punjab-34123">IPL 2018: R Ashwin announced captain of Kings XI Punjab</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/venkatesh-prasad-appointed-as-bowling-coach-of-kings-xi-punjab-34605">Venkatesh Prasad appointed as bowling coach of Kings XI Punjab</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/dinesh-karthik-to-lead-kolkata-knight-riders-in-ipl-2018-34601">Dinesh Karthik to lead Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2018</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-diego-schwartzman-wins-rio-open-34054">Tennis: Diego Schwartzman wins Rio Open</a> 
 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/pv-sindhu-sakshi-malik-prefer-saree-over-trousers-at-commonwealth-games-ceremony-34188">PV Sindhu, Sakshi Malik prefer saree over trousers at Commonwealth Games ceremony</a>

 
<big>TENNIS</big>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/roger-federer-sweeps-top-honours-at-laureus-awards-34316">Roger Federer sweeps top honours at Laureus Awards</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/del-potro-foils-anderson-to-claim-mexican-open-34607">Del Potro foils Anderson to claim Mexican Open</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/golf-phil-mickelson-wins-wgc-mexico-34663">Golf: Phil Mickelson wins WGC Mexico</a>

&nbsp;

<big>SHOOTING</big>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/issf-world-cup-16-year-old-manu-bhaker-grabs-gold-for-india-34676">ISSF World Cup: 16-year-old Manu Bhaker grabs gold for India</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/issf-world-cup-shooter-shahzar-rizvi-grabs-maiden-gold-jitu-rai-and-mehuli-ghosh-settle-for-bronze-34578">ISSF World Cup: Shooter Shahzar Rizvi grabs maiden gold, Jitu Rai and Mehuli Ghosh settle for bronze</a>

&nbsp;

<big>OTHERS</big>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/ioc-has-lifted-olympic-ban-claims-russia-34360">IOC has lifted </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/ioc-has-lifted-olympic-ban-claims-russia-34360">Olympic</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/ioc-has-lifted-olympic-ban-claims-russia-34360"> ban, claims Russia</a>

 
&nbsp;

Weekly compilation of sports and other related news (February 26 to March 4)

WION'S pick of the week Opinion: Today's Virat Kohli bears resemblance of Sachin during 1998 Opinion: Why IPL franchises are adamant about hiring foreign rather than Indian coaches Watch: 'Who is this boy,' asks Wasim Akram, video goes viral Forget Sachin, stats say @ current rate Virat Kohli will slam more than 130 tons Now, Usain Bolt to clash against Robbie Williams in football 17-year-old sensational footballing talent from Brazil Watch out for the young footballing diamond from Brazil soccer mines, 17-year-old Vinicius Junior (Twitter) × HIGHLIGHTS South Korea brings curtain down on 'Peace Games' Pyeongchang Olympics 2018: Highlights of closing ceremony Watch: Pyeongchang Winter Olympics ends with fireworks; Norway, Germany finish on top South Korea brought the curtain down on its "Peace Games" on Sunday (February 25), with winter sports athletes dancing and singing together at a vibrant closing ceremony. (AP,Reuters) × RIP LEGENDS Roger Bannister, the first person to run a mile in under four minutes, dies at 88 Davide Astori: Fiorentina captain and Italy international dies at the age of 31 FOOTBALL Aguero, Kompany, Silva inspire City to win first trophy of Guardiola era Messi makes difference again to beat Atletico Madrid Champions League to drop use of Video Assistant Referee PSG's Neymar suffers metatarsal fracture Metatarsal fractures tend to heal within six to eight weeks and the chances of Neymar's return in the second leg of Champions League is very slim (Twitter,Instagram) × Croatian footballer Luka Modric charged with false testimony Neymar's operation of injured foot & ankle went perfectly, says Brazil confederation Mumbai-born Carlos Cordeiro is new chief of US Soccer Federation Video Assistant Referee set for FIFA World Cup approval CRICKET Morne Morkel announces retirement from all forms of cricket after Australia series IPL 2018: R Ashwin announced captain of Kings XI Punjab Venkatesh Prasad appointed as bowling coach of Kings XI Punjab Dinesh Karthik to lead Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2018 Tennis: Diego Schwartzman wins Rio Open PV Sindhu, Sakshi Malik prefer saree over trousers at Commonwealth Games ceremony TENNIS Roger Federer sweeps top honours at Laureus Awards Del Potro foils Anderson to claim Mexican OpenGolf: Phil Mickelson wins WGC Mexico SHOOTING ISSF World Cup: 16-year-old Manu Bhaker grabs gold for India ISSF World Cup: Shooter Shahzar Rizvi grabs maiden gold, Jitu Rai and Mehuli Ghosh settle for bronze OTHERS IOC has lifted Olympic ban, claims Russia

WION Sports News: Top sports results this week

&quot;I think the pundit has to use the head when you speak tactics because you must have the knowledge to speak about tactics,&quot; said&nbsp;Chelsea manager Antonio Conte while defending&nbsp;the tactics of his team in the Sunday&#39;s match, which they eventually lost by 0-1 against the table leader Manchester City.

Conte defended his cautious approach despite his side failing to register a shot on target as they went down 1-0 to Premier League champions-elect Manchester City.

The Italian&#39;s tactics were lambasted by pundits and Chelsea fans alike as he started without a recognised striker by leaving club-record signing Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud on the bench.

City moved 18 points clear at the top of the table, and 25 ahead of Chelsea in fifth, as Bernardo Silva&#39;s goal 35 seconds into the second half broke the visitors&#39; resistance.

However, Conte claimed it would be &quot;stupid&quot; to open up against the runaway league leaders, citing criticism of Arsenal`s back-to-back 3-0 defeats to City in the League Cup final and Premier League in the past week.

&quot;I&#39;m not so stupid to play against Man City open and lose 3-0 or 4-0,&quot; said Conte.

&quot;If I remember well, Arsenal three days ago played against them and you criticise (Arsene) Wenger because they concede three goals.

Chelsea, though, had no response after going behind as Conte waited until 12 minutes from time to introduce Giroud, whilst Morata wasn`t brought on until the final minute when he replaced Chelsea&#39;s top scorer Eden Hazard.

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Great performance boys! A step closer! ???????????????????????? <a href="https://t.co/pfG1tbk2gB">pic.twitter.com/pfG1tbk2gB</a>
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The Belgian ploughed a lonely furrow as an auxiliary central forward but had no impact on the game before trudging off with his head bowed to make way for Morata.

&quot;I try to wait because the (Morata) substitution was with (Eden) Hazard and you hope until the end that a player like Hazard can invent something in the game,&quot; added Conte.

A fourth defeat in five Premier League games leaves Chelsea&#39;s ambitions of Champions League football next season in serious peril.

Conte&#39;s men now trail Tottenham Hotspur in fourth by five points. 
However, the former Juventus boss insisted it wasn&#39;t his side&#39;s performance at the Etihad that will come back to haunt them if they fail to make the top four.

&quot;We must have a big regret for the defeat against Bournemouth, Watford, (Manchester) United, but I don&#39;t think today because today we played against a team that is showing to be a strong team,&quot; he said.

&quot;Today they showed the difference between them and us in this moment. Twenty-five points is a big gap and I think that we can have a regret for the other games but not for this.&quot;

City boss Pep Guardiola wouldn`t be drawn on Chelsea`s tactics as his side registered 902 passes - the most of any team in a Premier League game for 14 years.

However, he hailed the standards set by his players.

&quot;In all aspects we were better. We make an amazing high pressing, they could not contact with Hazard, Willian or Pedro (Rodriguez).

&quot;We didn&#39;t concede one shot on target, we create enough chances to win, and I think we made an amazing performance because (it) is against Chelsea, the last champion.&quot;

Guardiola admitted even he has been surprised by the extent of City&#39;s dominance this season, but insisted it is to their credit rather than the other contenders falling away.

&quot;To have the distance from five or six contenders: 25 to Chelsea; 33 for Arsenal; United tomorrow (are) going to play; 20 to Tottenham, in March it is a lot.

&quot;I think Tottenham, Liverpool, United even, they make good results but we were so good so far.&quot;

&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Manchester City moved 18 points clear at the top of the table, and 25 ahead of Chelsea in fifth, as Bernardo Silva's goal 35 seconds into the second half broke the visitors' resistance

"I think the pundit has to use the head when you speak tactics because you must have the knowledge to speak about tactics," said Chelsea manager Antonio Conte while defending the tactics of his team in the Sunday's match, which they eventually lost by 0-1 against the table leader Manchester City. Conte defended his cautious approach despite his side failing to register a shot on target as they went down 1-0 to Premier League champions-elect Manchester City. The Italian's tactics were lambasted by pundits and Chelsea fans alike as he started without a recognised striker by leaving club-record signing Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud on the bench. City moved 18 points clear at the top of the table, and 25 ahead of Chelsea in fifth, as Bernardo Silva's goal 35 seconds into the second half broke the visitors' resistance. However, Conte claimed it would be "stupid" to open up against the runaway league leaders, citing criticism of Arsenal`s back-to-back 3-0 defeats to City in the League Cup final and Premier League in the past week. "I'm not so stupid to play against Man City open and lose 3-0 or 4-0," said Conte. "If I remember well, Arsenal three days ago played against them and you criticise (Arsene) Wenger because they concede three goals. Chelsea, though, had no response after going behind as Conte waited until 12 minutes from time to introduce Giroud, whilst Morata wasn`t brought on until the final minute when he replaced Chelsea's top scorer Eden Hazard. Great performance boys! A step closer! ???????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/pfG1tbk2gB — David Silva (@21LVA) March 4, 2018 × The Belgian ploughed a lonely furrow as an auxiliary central forward but had no impact on the game before trudging off with his head bowed to make way for Morata. "I try to wait because the (Morata) substitution was with (Eden) Hazard and you hope until the end that a player like Hazard can invent something in the game," added Conte. A fourth defeat in five Premier League games leaves Chelsea's ambitions of Champions League football next season in serious peril. Conte's men now trail Tottenham Hotspur in fourth by five points. However, the former Juventus boss insisted it wasn't his side's performance at the Etihad that will come back to haunt them if they fail to make the top four. "We must have a big regret for the defeat against Bournemouth, Watford, (Manchester) United, but I don't think today because today we played against a team that is showing to be a strong team," he said. "Today they showed the difference between them and us in this moment. Twenty-five points is a big gap and I think that we can have a regret for the other games but not for this." City boss Pep Guardiola wouldn`t be drawn on Chelsea`s tactics as his side registered 902 passes - the most of any team in a Premier League game for 14 years. However, he hailed the standards set by his players. "In all aspects we were better. We make an amazing high pressing, they could not contact with Hazard, Willian or Pedro (Rodriguez). "We didn't concede one shot on target, we create enough chances to win, and I think we made an amazing performance because (it) is against Chelsea, the last champion." Guardiola admitted even he has been surprised by the extent of City's dominance this season, but insisted it is to their credit rather than the other contenders falling away. "To have the distance from five or six contenders: 25 to Chelsea; 33 for Arsenal; United tomorrow (are) going to play; 20 to Tottenham, in March it is a lot. "I think Tottenham, Liverpool, United even, they make good results but we were so good so far."

Bernardo Silva thrashes Chelsea's 'tactics' to stretch City's lead

Arsene Wenger said Arsenal must recover quickly if they are to avoid suffering a fifth successive defeat when they visit AC Milan in the Europa League this week.

The under-fire Gunners manager accepted winning the competition marks his side&#39;s best hope of returning to the Champions League next season after a 2-1 defeat at Brighton left Arsenal 13 points adrift of the Premier League&#39;s top four.

But Wenger warned the effects of the London club`s recent schedule that included back-to-back 3-0 losses to Manchester City in the League Cup final and the league, had taken their toll on his players.

Wenger gave fatigue as the reason he opted to leave Aaron Ramsey, Hector Bellerin and Danny Welbeck out of his starting line-up at south coast club Brighton&#39;s Amex Stadium and the veteran manager is hoping his decision means he can call on fresh legs at the San Siro.

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&quot;It is important to recover mentally and physically, we are still jaded today, we gave a lot on Thursday night (against Manchester City) and you can see that today,&quot; he said after Sunday`s latest setback.

&quot;We have to continue, first to recover now. We play Sunday, Thursday, Sunday, Sunday... it&#39;s nearly physically impossible to play this number of games.

&quot;The veteran French boss, who took charge at Arsenal in 1996, added: &quot;I left Ramsey out completely of the squad, left him at home, after everything he gave physically. We have to be realistic, we need two teams to collapse to qualify for the Champions League, and I don`t see that happening.

&quot;Two teams to drop so many points is very difficult to imagine. But we have to give our best as long as we can, and the Europa League becomes important.&quot;

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Chris Hughton is only the 3rd manager to beat Arsene Wenger in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PL</a> with three different clubs (after Mark Hughes &amp; Sam Allardyce)<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BHAARS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BHAARS</a> <a href="https://t.co/t5y8caNm4j">pic.twitter.com/t5y8caNm4j</a>
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First-half goals from Brighton`s Lewis Dunk and Glenn Murray put Chris Hughton&#39;s side in control, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang replying for Arsenal.

Wenger admitted his side&#39;s confidence is low after a woeful run that has brought eight defeats since the turn of the year and he said he did not wish to add to that problem by criticising the display against Brighton.

&quot;It&#39;s difficult for me to get into any negative assessment,&quot; he explained. &quot;The team needs more support at the moment. Tough objective judgement as well.&quot;

Wenger, in a somewhat bizarre analogy more befitting the occasional ramblings of compatriot Eric Cantona, the former Manchester United star, added: &quot;When you struggle for confidence, it&#39;s difficult as well when you have just the trousers on... It&#39;s easy to take the trousers off as well, but when you are naked completely you have to try and find a shirt and get dressed properly again.&quot;

Defeat intensified the pressure on Wenger but he insisted he had more immediate concerns.

&quot;At the moment, my future is not my main worry. My worry is to get Arsenal winning football games. Then we&#39;ll see where we go from there. I`ll try and give my best as long as I am here.&quot;

Brighton is now seven points clear of the bottom three and manager Hughton said: &quot;It&#39;s relieved a bit of the pressure of having to get a result. It&#39;s a nice position to be in.

&quot;Hopefully it will create some confidence. This group are working that hard, giving themselves every chance.&quot;

Hughton added: &quot;But we`re all professionals around here and, come tomorrow, our thoughts have to be in the next game -- can we get more points to make it even more comforting?&nbsp;&quot;As soon as you take your foot off the pedal, there are too many good teams around who can knock you down again.&quot;

&nbsp;

The under-fire Gunners manager accepted winning the competition marks his side's best hope of returning to the Champions League next season

Arsene Wenger said Arsenal must recover quickly if they are to avoid suffering a fifth successive defeat when they visit AC Milan in the Europa League this week. The under-fire Gunners manager accepted winning the competition marks his side's best hope of returning to the Champions League next season after a 2-1 defeat at Brighton left Arsenal 13 points adrift of the Premier League's top four. But Wenger warned the effects of the London club`s recent schedule that included back-to-back 3-0 losses to Manchester City in the League Cup final and the league, had taken their toll on his players. Wenger gave fatigue as the reason he opted to leave Aaron Ramsey, Hector Bellerin and Danny Welbeck out of his starting line-up at south coast club Brighton's Amex Stadium and the veteran manager is hoping his decision means he can call on fresh legs at the San Siro. "Couldn't have been placed better"#GoalOfTheDay @OfficialBHAFC pic.twitter.com/n9GHoSmham — Premier League (@premierleague) March 4, 2018 × "It is important to recover mentally and physically, we are still jaded today, we gave a lot on Thursday night (against Manchester City) and you can see that today," he said after Sunday`s latest setback. "We have to continue, first to recover now. We play Sunday, Thursday, Sunday, Sunday... it's nearly physically impossible to play this number of games. "The veteran French boss, who took charge at Arsenal in 1996, added: "I left Ramsey out completely of the squad, left him at home, after everything he gave physically. We have to be realistic, we need two teams to collapse to qualify for the Champions League, and I don`t see that happening. "Two teams to drop so many points is very difficult to imagine. But we have to give our best as long as we can, and the Europa League becomes important." Chris Hughton is only the 3rd manager to beat Arsene Wenger in the #PL with three different clubs (after Mark Hughes & Sam Allardyce)#BHAARS pic.twitter.com/t5y8caNm4j — Premier League (@premierleague) March 4, 2018 × First-half goals from Brighton`s Lewis Dunk and Glenn Murray put Chris Hughton's side in control, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang replying for Arsenal. Wenger admitted his side's confidence is low after a woeful run that has brought eight defeats since the turn of the year and he said he did not wish to add to that problem by criticising the display against Brighton. "It's difficult for me to get into any negative assessment," he explained. "The team needs more support at the moment. Tough objective judgement as well." Wenger, in a somewhat bizarre analogy more befitting the occasional ramblings of compatriot Eric Cantona, the former Manchester United star, added: "When you struggle for confidence, it's difficult as well when you have just the trousers on... It's easy to take the trousers off as well, but when you are naked completely you have to try and find a shirt and get dressed properly again." Defeat intensified the pressure on Wenger but he insisted he had more immediate concerns. "At the moment, my future is not my main worry. My worry is to get Arsenal winning football games. Then we'll see where we go from there. I`ll try and give my best as long as I am here." Brighton is now seven points clear of the bottom three and manager Hughton said: "It's relieved a bit of the pressure of having to get a result. It's a nice position to be in. "Hopefully it will create some confidence. This group are working that hard, giving themselves every chance." Hughton added: "But we`re all professionals around here and, come tomorrow, our thoughts have to be in the next game -- can we get more points to make it even more comforting? "As soon as you take your foot off the pedal, there are too many good teams around who can knock you down again."

Arsene Wenger wary of Milan as Arsenal try to snap losing run

FC Barcelona won against the visitors Atletico Madrid by 1-0&nbsp;at Camp Nou on Sunday. The match was labelled as &quot;the Grand Final&quot; by some Spanish media houses,&nbsp;as&nbsp;both the teams are neck-to-neck and are&nbsp;racing to be at number spot in the League table.

The game started in the second half when Atletico Madrid displayed enough intent and courage to win the Spanish title race. Otherwise, the first half was entirely dominated by FC Barcelona and&nbsp;Atletico seemed as if they have surrendered in the initial 45 minutes.

Barcelona sent the first warning in the 3rd minute itself by earning a corner, they had put Atletico under immense pressure by claiming 5 corners within 12 minutes, though, none of them was converted. Atletico striker Antoine Griezmann, meanwhile, who came in with seven goals in two games, was largely anonymous.

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Vital win ???? <a href="https://t.co/niHSuzyN5m">pic.twitter.com/niHSuzyN5m</a>
&mdash; FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/970351018536873984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Despite the massive dominance, few of the Barca&#39;s stars were unlucky to some extent, first Luis Suarez as two of his goals were offsides. He thought he had scored a second after half-volleying through Oblak&#39;s legs but was flagged offside before Jose Gimenez applied a crucial block to deflect a Messi shot over.&nbsp;

And Iniesta, who suffered an injury to his right hamstring during and will have more tests tomorrow will provide more insight into his condition. Iniesta now has 10 days to recover before next week&#39;s Champions League second leg against Chelsea.&nbsp;

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[INJURY NEWS] <a href="https://twitter.com/andresiniesta8?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@andresiniesta8</a> has a hamstring injury in his right leg. More tests are needed to find out the extent of the problem <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bar%C3%A7aAtleti?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bar&ccedil;aAtleti</a> <a href="https://t.co/2rhv79AekT">pic.twitter.com/2rhv79AekT</a>
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FC Barcelona was five points ahead of second-ranked Atletico Madrid which extended to eight as marvellous Messi netted in the 26th minute by clearing a free-kick by hitting a swinging banana shot into the top right corner and gave a 1-0 lead. It was Messi&#39;s 600th career goal from a free-kick from 25 yards out.

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???? With that goal Leo <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Messi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Messi</a> reaches 600 as a professional! ???? 
???????? 539 ⚽ 
???????? 61 ⚽ 
???? Congratulations, Leo! ???? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/For%C3%A7aBar%C3%A7a?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#For&ccedil;aBar&ccedil;a</a> <a href="https://t.co/8o7gBNoSaH">pic.twitter.com/8o7gBNoSaH</a>
&mdash; FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/970324755327963136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The second half was bit competitive but the 1-0 lead helped the Catalans to maintain the pressure and the efforts of Atletico Madrid went in vain.

Though they were close to equalizing and almost did also but the goal in the second half was offside, a very close one.

FC Barcelona has earned a crucial 3 points and stand at top of LaLiga charts and continues its unbeaten run.

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???? 
???? <a href="https://twitter.com/LaLiga?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LaLiga</a> 
???????? For&ccedil;a Bar&ccedil;a <a href="https://t.co/riabW56GFS">pic.twitter.com/riabW56GFS</a>
&mdash; FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/970349427528433664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Lionel Messi scored from the 25 yards out and whipped the free-kick beyond the scrambling Oblak and into the top corner

FC Barcelona won against the visitors Atletico Madrid by 1-0 at Camp Nou on Sunday. The match was labelled as "the Grand Final" by some Spanish media houses, as both the teams are neck-to-neck and are racing to be at number spot in the League table. The game started in the second half when Atletico Madrid displayed enough intent and courage to win the Spanish title race. Otherwise, the first half was entirely dominated by FC Barcelona and Atletico seemed as if they have surrendered in the initial 45 minutes. Barcelona sent the first warning in the 3rd minute itself by earning a corner, they had put Atletico under immense pressure by claiming 5 corners within 12 minutes, though, none of them was converted. Atletico striker Antoine Griezmann, meanwhile, who came in with seven goals in two games, was largely anonymous. Vital win ???? pic.twitter.com/niHSuzyN5m — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 4, 2018 × Despite the massive dominance, few of the Barca's stars were unlucky to some extent, first Luis Suarez as two of his goals were offsides. He thought he had scored a second after half-volleying through Oblak's legs but was flagged offside before Jose Gimenez applied a crucial block to deflect a Messi shot over. And Iniesta, who suffered an injury to his right hamstring during and will have more tests tomorrow will provide more insight into his condition. Iniesta now has 10 days to recover before next week's Champions League second leg against Chelsea. [INJURY NEWS] @andresiniesta8 has a hamstring injury in his right leg. More tests are needed to find out the extent of the problem #BarçaAtleti pic.twitter.com/2rhv79AekT — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 4, 2018 × FC Barcelona was five points ahead of second-ranked Atletico Madrid which extended to eight as marvellous Messi netted in the 26th minute by clearing a free-kick by hitting a swinging banana shot into the top right corner and gave a 1-0 lead. It was Messi's 600th career goal from a free-kick from 25 yards out. ???? With that goal Leo #Messi reaches 600 as a professional! ???? ???????? 539 ⚽ ???????? 61 ⚽ ???? Congratulations, Leo! ???? #ForçaBarça pic.twitter.com/8o7gBNoSaH — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 4, 2018 × The second half was bit competitive but the 1-0 lead helped the Catalans to maintain the pressure and the efforts of Atletico Madrid went in vain. Though they were close to equalizing and almost did also but the goal in the second half was offside, a very close one. FC Barcelona has earned a crucial 3 points and stand at top of LaLiga charts and continues its unbeaten run. ???? ???? @LaLiga ???????? Força Barça pic.twitter.com/riabW56GFS — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 4, 2018 ×

Messi makes difference again to beat Atletico Madrid

Tottenham Hotspur apparently affected early in the season by playing home games at Wembley, achieved a sixth straight win there by beating Huddersfield Town 2-0 with a double by Son Heung-min in the Premier League on Saturday.

It was their 17th game unbeaten in all competitions and moved them up to provisional third place, a point ahead of Liverpool, who were playing later at home to Newcastle United.

South Korean Son Heung-min gave Spurs a halftime lead and added the second with a header from Harry Kane&#39;s superb cross before being substituted to an ovation.

&quot;We feel comfortable at Wembley, we enjoy playing here,&quot; Son said after scoring four times this week at the national stadium where Tottenham are playing while they build a new home ground.

Spurs, who did not win in their first three league games there, are a point behind second-placed Manchester United, who play at Crystal Palace on Monday and five ahead of fifth-placed Chelsea, who visit runaway leaders Manchester City on Sunday.

The defeat pushed Huddersfield right back into the relegation mix, only three points above the bottom three, after winning their two previous games.

Swansea City were the big winners at the bottom, moving above five teams to 13th, including West Ham United who they beat 4-1.

The first half was extended by 10 minutes after a bad injury to West Ham&#39;s New Zealand defender Winston Reid and by the interval the visitors were two goals down.

Ki Sung-Yeung scored the first after nine minutes and the unmarked Mike van der Hoon added a second in the 32nd.

Andy King&#39;s goal and Jordan Ayew&#39;s penalty ensured victory before a consolation by Michail Antonio.

West Ham manager David Moyes, whose team travelled seven hours by coach to reach Swansea from London on Friday after their flight was cancelled, was bitterly disappointed with the performance, their worst since he took over in November.

&quot;I&#39;m embarrassed,&quot; he told reporters. &quot;We played so bad. I couldn&#39;t assess it, it was that poor. The fans travelled through the snow to get here and we let them down badly. That was the poorest performance since I came here.&quot;

Victory continued Swansea&#39;s improved form under Portuguese manager Carlos Carvalhal.

Since he joined the club at the end of December with Swansea bottom they have won five league games and lost only two.

Pardew despair

In contrast, West Bromwich Albion&#39;s change of manager in the same month has not paid off.

Alan Pardew&#39;s job appears to be under greater threat than ever after a 1-0 defeat at Watford.

Albion has now won one of 15 league games since Pardew took over at the start of December and are seven points adrift at the bottom of the table.

Watford captain Troy Deeney was sent clear by Will Hughes to score the only goal.

&quot;The players gave me everything today and I cannot ask for more than that,&quot; Pardew said.

&quot;It is tough but it isn&#39;t about me, it about West Brom and it is tough for the fans and the players.&quot;

Stoke City stayed second-bottom but earned a valuable point in a 0-0 draw at Southampton.

Burnley supporters must have despaired when their team went a goal down at home to Everton. Sean Dyche&#39;s team have never won a Premier League game after falling behind.

This time they did, however, celebrating Dyche&#39;s 250th game as manager by winning 2-1 with goals from Ashley Barnes and substitute Chris Wood.

Everton captain Ashley Williams was sent off four minutes from the end for a wild swipe at Barnes.

In Sunday&#39;s other match, Arsene Wenger&#39;s struggling sixth-placed Arsenal visit mid-table Brighton &amp; Hove Albion.

Tottenham Hotspur achieved a sixth straight win there by beating Huddersfield Town 2-0

Tottenham Hotspur apparently affected early in the season by playing home games at Wembley, achieved a sixth straight win there by beating Huddersfield Town 2-0 with a double by Son Heung-min in the Premier League on Saturday. It was their 17th game unbeaten in all competitions and moved them up to provisional third place, a point ahead of Liverpool, who were playing later at home to Newcastle United. South Korean Son Heung-min gave Spurs a halftime lead and added the second with a header from Harry Kane's superb cross before being substituted to an ovation. "We feel comfortable at Wembley, we enjoy playing here," Son said after scoring four times this week at the national stadium where Tottenham are playing while they build a new home ground. Spurs, who did not win in their first three league games there, are a point behind second-placed Manchester United, who play at Crystal Palace on Monday and five ahead of fifth-placed Chelsea, who visit runaway leaders Manchester City on Sunday. The defeat pushed Huddersfield right back into the relegation mix, only three points above the bottom three, after winning their two previous games. Swansea City were the big winners at the bottom, moving above five teams to 13th, including West Ham United who they beat 4-1. The first half was extended by 10 minutes after a bad injury to West Ham's New Zealand defender Winston Reid and by the interval the visitors were two goals down. Ki Sung-Yeung scored the first after nine minutes and the unmarked Mike van der Hoon added a second in the 32nd. Andy King's goal and Jordan Ayew's penalty ensured victory before a consolation by Michail Antonio. West Ham manager David Moyes, whose team travelled seven hours by coach to reach Swansea from London on Friday after their flight was cancelled, was bitterly disappointed with the performance, their worst since he took over in November. "I'm embarrassed," he told reporters. "We played so bad. I couldn't assess it, it was that poor. The fans travelled through the snow to get here and we let them down badly. That was the poorest performance since I came here." Victory continued Swansea's improved form under Portuguese manager Carlos Carvalhal. Since he joined the club at the end of December with Swansea bottom they have won five league games and lost only two. Pardew despair In contrast, West Bromwich Albion's change of manager in the same month has not paid off. Alan Pardew's job appears to be under greater threat than ever after a 1-0 defeat at Watford. Albion has now won one of 15 league games since Pardew took over at the start of December and are seven points adrift at the bottom of the table. Watford captain Troy Deeney was sent clear by Will Hughes to score the only goal. "The players gave me everything today and I cannot ask for more than that," Pardew said. "It is tough but it isn't about me, it about West Brom and it is tough for the fans and the players." Stoke City stayed second-bottom but earned a valuable point in a 0-0 draw at Southampton. Burnley supporters must have despaired when their team went a goal down at home to Everton. Sean Dyche's team have never won a Premier League game after falling behind. This time they did, however, celebrating Dyche's 250th game as manager by winning 2-1 with goals from Ashley Barnes and substitute Chris Wood. Everton captain Ashley Williams was sent off four minutes from the end for a wild swipe at Barnes. In Sunday's other match, Arsene Wenger's struggling sixth-placed Arsenal visit mid-table Brighton & Hove Albion.

EPL: Tottenham win at Wembley again, West Brom sinking fast

Barcelona were held to a 1-1 draw at relegation-fighting Las Palmas on Thursday in an unexpected setback that left them with a five-point lead in La Liga ahead of their top-of-the-table showdown with Atletico Madrid this weekend.

Lionel Messi fired Barca ahead in the 21st minute with a thunderous free-kick into the top corner but third-bottom Las Palmas pulled themselves back into the game with a penalty by Jonathan Calleri three minutes into the second half.

The Argentine forward sidefooted the spot kick into the top corner after stand-in defender Lucas Digne was judged to have handled the ball after it hit the post, the first time Barca have given away a spot kick in the league for over two years.

The Catalans had little fortune with refereeing decisions and their players and coach Ernesto Valverde were furious when Las Palmas goalkeeper Leandro Chichizola was not punished for appearing to handle the ball outside of the area.

Barca have 66 points and lead the table from Atletico, who visit the Nou Camp on Sunday having won their last eight games in all competitions. Barca have drawn four of their last eight. Third-placed Real Madrid have 51 points with Valencia on 50.

Valverde told reporters he still did not know if the penalty had been given for Digne&#39;s handball or a foul and the usually pragmatic coach could not hide his despair at the decision.

&quot;The penalty came as a shock to us because of how it was awarded. We felt that they equalised with an &#39;invisible&#39; penalty, they grew stronger after that and we played in too much of a hurry,&quot; the agitated Valverde said.

&quot;We really wanted to leave here with three points. In the first half we felt we were always creating danger and their players kept on picking up yellow cards. We went ahead in the first half but it was not a big enough margin.&quot;

Las Palmas coach Paco Jemez snapped a miserable run of eight consecutive defeats to Barca from when he was in charge of Rayo Vallecano and said his team were slowly but surely finding their feet in their fight against the drop.

&quot;Right now we sure are playing like a team, we&#39;re able to help each other out and keep fighting until the last minute,&quot; he said. &quot;We&#39;re still not creating as many chances as we are capable of but I&#39;m seeing signs of progress.

&quot;Taking a point against Barca gives us more belief than if it was any old point,&quot; he added. 
&nbsp;

Lionel Messi fired Barca ahead in the 21st minute with a thunderous free-kick into the top corner but third-bottom Las Palmas pulled themselves back into the game with a penalty by Jonathan Calleri three minutes into the second half.

Barcelona were held to a 1-1 draw at relegation-fighting Las Palmas on Thursday in an unexpected setback that left them with a five-point lead in La Liga ahead of their top-of-the-table showdown with Atletico Madrid this weekend. Lionel Messi fired Barca ahead in the 21st minute with a thunderous free-kick into the top corner but third-bottom Las Palmas pulled themselves back into the game with a penalty by Jonathan Calleri three minutes into the second half. The Argentine forward sidefooted the spot kick into the top corner after stand-in defender Lucas Digne was judged to have handled the ball after it hit the post, the first time Barca have given away a spot kick in the league for over two years. The Catalans had little fortune with refereeing decisions and their players and coach Ernesto Valverde were furious when Las Palmas goalkeeper Leandro Chichizola was not punished for appearing to handle the ball outside of the area. Barca have 66 points and lead the table from Atletico, who visit the Nou Camp on Sunday having won their last eight games in all competitions. Barca have drawn four of their last eight. Third-placed Real Madrid have 51 points with Valencia on 50. Valverde told reporters he still did not know if the penalty had been given for Digne's handball or a foul and the usually pragmatic coach could not hide his despair at the decision. "The penalty came as a shock to us because of how it was awarded. We felt that they equalised with an 'invisible' penalty, they grew stronger after that and we played in too much of a hurry," the agitated Valverde said. "We really wanted to leave here with three points. In the first half we felt we were always creating danger and their players kept on picking up yellow cards. We went ahead in the first half but it was not a big enough margin." Las Palmas coach Paco Jemez snapped a miserable run of eight consecutive defeats to Barca from when he was in charge of Rayo Vallecano and said his team were slowly but surely finding their feet in their fight against the drop. "Right now we sure are playing like a team, we're able to help each other out and keep fighting until the last minute," he said. "We're still not creating as many chances as we are capable of but I'm seeing signs of progress. "Taking a point against Barca gives us more belief than if it was any old point," he added.

La Liga: Barcelona lead by five points after draw at Las Palmas

Usain Bolt, the fastest man on earth has finally revealed that which football team he has signed for after announcing his interest to conquer the football field since retiring from sprint racing last year.

Multiple Olympic champion Usain Bolt is a die-hard Manchester United fan but his football debut is not for The Red Devils, it is actually&nbsp;for the &#39;Rest of the World&#39; team in the charity match.

Earlier he had revealed playing football is something that he wants to pursue and since then, the world was waiting for his arrival on the football ground.

He will lead the &#39;Rest of the World&nbsp;XI&#39; against &#39;Robbie Williams&#39; England&#39; side on Sunday, June 10 at Soccer Aid 2018 Old Trafford.

Soccer Aid, which has raised over &pound;20 million for UNICEF&nbsp;was started in 2006. The event previously featured Diego Maradona, Zinedine Zidane and Peter Schmeichel, along with celebs such as Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson and James McAvoy.

The Jamaican multi-time sprint champion also took to the racing track to greet young fans and show off his trademark &#39;lightning&nbsp;bolt&#39; pose.

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I&#39;ve signed for a football team! Find out which one this Tuesday at 8am GMT ???? <a href="https://t.co/iFTlWxfy7x">pic.twitter.com/iFTlWxfy7x</a>
&mdash; Usain St. Leo Bolt (@usainbolt) <a href="https://twitter.com/usainbolt/status/967821399430705152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Excited to announce that I will be playing in <a href="https://twitter.com/socceraid?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@socceraid</a> for <a href="https://twitter.com/UNICEF_uk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UNICEF_uk</a> 2018 at Old Trafford on Sunday 10th June. Make sure you&#39;re ready <a href="https://twitter.com/robbiewilliams?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@robbiewilliams</a>! ⚽️???? <a href="https://t.co/t2sDB1iLP8">pic.twitter.com/t2sDB1iLP8</a>
&mdash; Usain St. Leo Bolt (@usainbolt) <a href="https://twitter.com/usainbolt/status/968395228855062529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/usainbolt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UsainBolt</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/robbiewilliams?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RobbieWilliams</a> to go head-to-head at Old Trafford this summer... all in the name of charity, of course! 
 
Don&rsquo;t miss <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SoccerAid?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SoccerAid</a> on 10 June: <a href="https://t.co/tRIPE78SvO">https://t.co/tRIPE78SvO</a> <a href="https://t.co/orSpfpLF7E">pic.twitter.com/orSpfpLF7E</a>
&mdash; Manchester United (@ManUtd) <a href="https://twitter.com/ManUtd/status/968396063110557697?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Usain Bolt to play at Old Trafford in 2018 Soccer Aid charity match

Usain Bolt, the fastest man on earth has finally revealed that which football team he has signed for after announcing his interest to conquer the football field since retiring from sprint racing last year. Multiple Olympic champion Usain Bolt is a die-hard Manchester United fan but his football debut is not for The Red Devils, it is actually for the 'Rest of the World' team in the charity match. Earlier he had revealed playing football is something that he wants to pursue and since then, the world was waiting for his arrival on the football ground. He will lead the 'Rest of the World XI' against 'Robbie Williams' England' side on Sunday, June 10 at Soccer Aid 2018 Old Trafford. Soccer Aid, which has raised over £20 million for UNICEF was started in 2006. The event previously featured Diego Maradona, Zinedine Zidane and Peter Schmeichel, along with celebs such as Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson and James McAvoy. The Jamaican multi-time sprint champion also took to the racing track to greet young fans and show off his trademark 'lightning bolt' pose. I've signed for a football team! Find out which one this Tuesday at 8am GMT ???? pic.twitter.com/iFTlWxfy7x — Usain St. Leo Bolt (@usainbolt) February 25, 2018 × Excited to announce that I will be playing in @socceraid for @UNICEF_uk 2018 at Old Trafford on Sunday 10th June. Make sure you're ready @robbiewilliams! ⚽️???? pic.twitter.com/t2sDB1iLP8 — Usain St. Leo Bolt (@usainbolt) February 27, 2018 × .@UsainBolt and @RobbieWilliams to go head-to-head at Old Trafford this summer... all in the name of charity, of course! Don’t miss #SoccerAid on 10 June: https://t.co/tRIPE78SvO pic.twitter.com/orSpfpLF7E — Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 27, 2018 ×

Now, Usain Bolt to clash against Robbie Williams in football

Everything is going against Arsenal in the ongoing season as they sit at spot number 6 of English Premier League table. Also, they are 27 points behind the table leaders, Manchester City. Recently, they suffered a massive 3-0 defeat against the Reds in the finals of Carabao Cup. Arsenal, led by Arsene Wenger has a voodoo of losing in the finals as no manager has lost more League Cup finals than Arsene Wenger (2007, 2011 and 2018). This was the fourth time when the Gunners lost in a final clash. Last season was Wenger&rsquo;s worst at the club. This season is shaping up to be even poorer.

The Gunners, especially coach Wenger is facing criticism from all the corners. Recently, Harsha Bhogle, an Indian cricket commentator, a sports journalist and also an Arsenal fan lashed out at Wenger.

He took to Twitter to troll Arsene Wenger he especially&nbsp;targeted Wenger and mentioned &quot;new manager&quot; in his tweets and in a way supported #WengerOut.

Here is what he has tweeted:

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For a football club that is really a no 5/no 6 club and which, at best, could aspire for no 4, Arsenal gets a lot of media attention. Maybe even more next year when they have to have a new manager.
&mdash; Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) <a href="https://twitter.com/bhogleharsha/status/968030026070454272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Currently that is what they are and emotion rarely covers reality. Yes, great club, no doubt at all about it and hopefully, will go back to where they should be. When a new manager arrives and everyone can offer a genuine thank you to a great manager. <a href="https://t.co/fmy50WC8vL">https://t.co/fmy50WC8vL</a>
&mdash; Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) <a href="https://twitter.com/bhogleharsha/status/968053299080499200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Harsha quoted the tweets as, &quot;For a football club that is really a no 5/no 6 club and which, at best, could aspire for no 4, Arsenal gets a lot of media attention. Maybe even more &nbsp;next year when they have to have a new manager.&quot;

In another tweet, he said, &quot;Currently that is what they are and emotion rarely covers reality. Yes, great club, no doubt at all about it and hopefully, will go back to where they should be. When a new manager arrives and everyone can offer a genuine thank you to a great manager.&quot;

On the contrary, cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin came in Wenger&#39;s defence and said, &quot;Oh no, Arsenal ain&rsquo;t so bad Harsha, all teams go through ups and downs.

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Oh no ????&zwj;♂️ Arsenal ain&rsquo;t so bad Harsha, all teams go through ups and downs.☺️ <a href="https://t.co/DhtaNdKAYi">https://t.co/DhtaNdKAYi</a>
&mdash; Ashwin Ravichandran (@ashwinravi99) <a href="https://twitter.com/ashwinravi99/status/968031593930530816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

An Arsenal fan Harsha Bhogle took to Twitter to troll Arsene Wenger, he mentioned "new manager" in his tweets and in a way supported #WengerOut campaign

Everything is going against Arsenal in the ongoing season as they sit at spot number 6 of English Premier League table. Also, they are 27 points behind the table leaders, Manchester City. Recently, they suffered a massive 3-0 defeat against the Reds in the finals of Carabao Cup. Arsenal, led by Arsene Wenger has a voodoo of losing in the finals as no manager has lost more League Cup finals than Arsene Wenger (2007, 2011 and 2018). This was the fourth time when the Gunners lost in a final clash. Last season was Wenger’s worst at the club. This season is shaping up to be even poorer. The Gunners, especially coach Wenger is facing criticism from all the corners. Recently, Harsha Bhogle, an Indian cricket commentator, a sports journalist and also an Arsenal fan lashed out at Wenger. He took to Twitter to troll Arsene Wenger he especially targeted Wenger and mentioned "new manager" in his tweets and in a way supported #WengerOut. Here is what he has tweeted: For a football club that is really a no 5/no 6 club and which, at best, could aspire for no 4, Arsenal gets a lot of media attention. Maybe even more next year when they have to have a new manager. — Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) February 26, 2018 × Currently that is what they are and emotion rarely covers reality. Yes, great club, no doubt at all about it and hopefully, will go back to where they should be. When a new manager arrives and everyone can offer a genuine thank you to a great manager. https://t.co/fmy50WC8vL — Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) February 26, 2018 × Harsha quoted the tweets as, "For a football club that is really a no 5/no 6 club and which, at best, could aspire for no 4, Arsenal gets a lot of media attention. Maybe even more next year when they have to have a new manager." In another tweet, he said, "Currently that is what they are and emotion rarely covers reality. Yes, great club, no doubt at all about it and hopefully, will go back to where they should be. When a new manager arrives and everyone can offer a genuine thank you to a great manager." On the contrary, cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin came in Wenger's defence and said, "Oh no, Arsenal ain’t so bad Harsha, all teams go through ups and downs. Oh no ????‍♂️ Arsenal ain’t so bad Harsha, all teams go through ups and downs.☺️ https://t.co/DhtaNdKAYi — Ashwin Ravichandran (@ashwinravi99) February 26, 2018 ×

Cricket analyst Harsha Bhogle trolls Arsenal's manager Wenger

French striker Antoine Griezmann hit a hat-trick as Atletico Madrid thrashed Sevilla 5-2 on Sunday to cut the gap on La Liga leaders Barcelona back to seven points.

&quot;I&#39;m very happy with the team&#39;s work, but a little less happy that we conceded two goals,&quot; said Griezmann.

&quot;It&#39;s good that we have several forwards who score goals, but the most important thing is the three points.&quot;

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HIGHLIGHTS ???? 
Did you miss our &lsquo;partidazo&rsquo; in Seville? ⚽????&nbsp;Check out the best plays and <a href="https://twitter.com/AntoGriezmann?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AntoGriezmann</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/diegocosta?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@diegocosta</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/Koke6?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Koke6</a>&rsquo;s goals ????⚪???????? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/A%C3%BApaAtleti?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#A&uacute;paAtleti</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SevillaFCAtleti?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SevillaFCAtleti</a>
&mdash; Atl&eacute;tico de Madrid (@atletienglish) <a href="https://twitter.com/atletienglish/status/967891901864177664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Former Chelsea star Diego Costa grabbed the opener just before the half-hour mark after a farcical mix-up in the Sevilla defence.

Goalkeeper Sergio Rico attempted to play a short ball to Ever Banega standing on the edge of the penalty area.

However, his teammate dallied too long and predator Costa nipped in to steal the ball off the toe of the Argentine before confidently burying the opportunity.&nbsp;

Sevilla had plenty of chances with Colombian striker Luis Muriel seeing Atletico keeper Jan Oblak deny him with a smart save.

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⏱ 92&#39; | 2-5 | There&#39;s the final whistle! ➕3⃣Great win from the lads! ????⚪????<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SevillaFCAtleti?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SevillaFCAtleti</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/A%C3%BApaAtleti?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#A&uacute;paAtleti</a> <a href="https://t.co/Jh3dG3SJR5">pic.twitter.com/Jh3dG3SJR5</a>
&mdash; Atl&eacute;tico de Madrid (@atletienglish) <a href="https://twitter.com/atletienglish/status/967875579960856576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Three minutes from the break, Griezmann scored his first of the night when he danced between three defenders to score with a fierce right-footed drive past Rico.

Griezmann made it 3-0 five minutes into the second half, converting his team&#39;s first La Liga penalty of the season after Costa was brought down by Rico.

Sevilla imploded with Koke making it 4-0 after more suicidal defending before Griezmann completed his hat-trick on 80 minutes, taking his Liga tally to 11 for the season.&nbsp;

The home side salvaged a degree of pride when Pablo Sarabia and Nolito tucked away goals in the last five minutes.

&nbsp;

Former Chelsea star Diego Costa grabbed the opener just before the half-hour mark after a farcical mix-up in the Sevilla defence

French striker Antoine Griezmann hit a hat-trick as Atletico Madrid thrashed Sevilla 5-2 on Sunday to cut the gap on La Liga leaders Barcelona back to seven points. "I'm very happy with the team's work, but a little less happy that we conceded two goals," said Griezmann. "It's good that we have several forwards who score goals, but the most important thing is the three points." HIGHLIGHTS ???? Did you miss our ‘partidazo’ in Seville? ⚽???? Check out the best plays and @AntoGriezmann, @diegocosta and @Koke6’s goals ????⚪???????? #AúpaAtleti #SevillaFCAtleti — Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) February 25, 2018 × Former Chelsea star Diego Costa grabbed the opener just before the half-hour mark after a farcical mix-up in the Sevilla defence. Goalkeeper Sergio Rico attempted to play a short ball to Ever Banega standing on the edge of the penalty area. However, his teammate dallied too long and predator Costa nipped in to steal the ball off the toe of the Argentine before confidently burying the opportunity. Sevilla had plenty of chances with Colombian striker Luis Muriel seeing Atletico keeper Jan Oblak deny him with a smart save. ⏱ 92' | 2-5 | There's the final whistle! ➕3⃣Great win from the lads! ????⚪????#SevillaFCAtleti #AúpaAtleti pic.twitter.com/Jh3dG3SJR5 — Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) February 25, 2018 × Three minutes from the break, Griezmann scored his first of the night when he danced between three defenders to score with a fierce right-footed drive past Rico. Griezmann made it 3-0 five minutes into the second half, converting his team's first La Liga penalty of the season after Costa was brought down by Rico. Sevilla imploded with Koke making it 4-0 after more suicidal defending before Griezmann completed his hat-trick on 80 minutes, taking his Liga tally to 11 for the season. The home side salvaged a degree of pride when Pablo Sarabia and Nolito tucked away goals in the last five minutes.

Griezmann's hat-trick helps Atletico to cut gap on Barcelona

Manchester City won the first trophy of the Pep Guardiola era with three of their veteran players scoring in an emphatic <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/aguero-kompany-silva-inspire-city-to-win-first-trophy-of-guardiola-era-34056">3-0 win against Arenal</a> at Wembley. Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and David Silva were all on the scoresheet as City lifted the trophy for the fifth time. &quot;We&#39;re so happy, and a big congratulations to all of Manchester City, and our fans. This trophy is for Manchester City and not for me,&quot; said City coach Guardiola.

Unsurprisingly, the other team, Arsenal was again overshadowed by the voodoo of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/aguero-kompany-silva-inspire-city-to-win-first-trophy-of-guardiola-era-34056">losing in the finals</a>. No manager has lost more League Cup finals than Arsene Wenger (2007, 2011 and 2018). This was the fourth time when the Gunners lost in a final clash. Arsene Wenger admits Arsenal&#39;s Carabao Cup defeat by Manchester City on Sunday was caused by their own mistakes.&nbsp;Last season was Wenger&rsquo;s worst at the club. This season is shaping up to be even poorer.

In the post-match presentation, Wenger said, &quot;Well done to (Manchester) City. Congratulations to them, they won the trophy, they won the cup and they will go happy home and we will go very <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/aguero-kompany-silva-inspire-city-to-win-first-trophy-of-guardiola-era-34056">disappointed</a>.

&quot;I feel that a little bit everything went against us today and we self-inflicted our punishment because we had an unbelievable chance at nil-nil. We gave them a goal at one-nil,&quot; he added.

Wenger also mentioned, &quot;We were a bit unlucky in the second half even if I think we didn&#39;t start well at all in the second half and we were punished but that second goal is offside.&quot;

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When Wenger complained about added time, the fourth official replied: &#39;Why would you want more time?!&#39; ???? <a href="https://t.co/7n5VL5HF1a">pic.twitter.com/7n5VL5HF1a</a>
&mdash; Goal UK (@GoalUK) <a href="https://twitter.com/GoalUK/status/967909382309560320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2018</a></blockquote>
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He also made an astonishing remark on added injury time and said, &quot;Why would you want more time?&quot;

He asked the team to focus on the next match, &quot;You have to prioritise your next game first before we speak about the Europa League. We will, of course, take the Europa League very seriously but we have to as well win big games because if you want to go far in the Europa League you have to win big games as well if you look at the opponents already in the Europa League many big teams are in there.&quot;

&nbsp;

Manchester City defeated Arsenal by 3-0 to win the first trophy of Guardiola era

Manchester City won the first trophy of the Pep Guardiola era with three of their veteran players scoring in an emphatic 3-0 win against Arenal at Wembley. Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and David Silva were all on the scoresheet as City lifted the trophy for the fifth time. "We're so happy, and a big congratulations to all of Manchester City, and our fans. This trophy is for Manchester City and not for me," said City coach Guardiola. Unsurprisingly, the other team, Arsenal was again overshadowed by the voodoo of losing in the finals. No manager has lost more League Cup finals than Arsene Wenger (2007, 2011 and 2018). This was the fourth time when the Gunners lost in a final clash. Arsene Wenger admits Arsenal's Carabao Cup defeat by Manchester City on Sunday was caused by their own mistakes. Last season was Wenger’s worst at the club. This season is shaping up to be even poorer. In the post-match presentation, Wenger said, "Well done to (Manchester) City. Congratulations to them, they won the trophy, they won the cup and they will go happy home and we will go very disappointed. "I feel that a little bit everything went against us today and we self-inflicted our punishment because we had an unbelievable chance at nil-nil. We gave them a goal at one-nil," he added. Wenger also mentioned, "We were a bit unlucky in the second half even if I think we didn't start well at all in the second half and we were punished but that second goal is offside." When Wenger complained about added time, the fourth official replied: 'Why would you want more time?!' ???? pic.twitter.com/7n5VL5HF1a — Goal UK (@GoalUK) February 25, 2018 × He also made an astonishing remark on added injury time and said, "Why would you want more time?" He asked the team to focus on the next match, "You have to prioritise your next game first before we speak about the Europa League. We will, of course, take the Europa League very seriously but we have to as well win big games because if you want to go far in the Europa League you have to win big games as well if you look at the opponents already in the Europa League many big teams are in there."

'Defeat caused by own mistakes,' says Arsene Wenger after losing to City

Manchester City rolled back the years on Sunday to win the first trophy of the Pep Guardiola era with three of their veteran players scoring in an emphatic 3-0 win against Arsenal at Wembley.

Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and David Silva were all on the scoresheet as City lifted the trophy for the fifth time -- only Liverpool have won it more.

&quot;It&#39;s important,&quot; said Guardiola. &quot;We&#39;re so happy, and a big congratulations to all of Manchester City, and our fans. This trophy is for Manchester City and not for me.

&quot;The first half we were not good, there were a lot of mistakes. In the second half we played with a lot more courage and personality -- we were outstanding.&quot;

City&#39;s first goal, in the first half, came in unlikely circumstances for a side lauded for their slick passing style.

A long punt upfield from goalkeeper Claudio Bravo was controlled by Sergio Aguero, who coolly lifted the ball over a helpless David Ospina in the Arsenal goal.

Captain Kompany doubled the lead in the second half with just over half an hour to go and Silva put the game out of the reach of Arsene Wenger&#39;s team.&nbsp;

The runaway Premier League leaders will be hoping to use the victory as a springboard to greater glory as the season approaches its final stretch but defeat for Wenger means he has never lifted the League Cup.

Control

On a bitterly cold, clear day in London, City, in their light blue kit, took control early, playing measured football and enjoying the lion&#39;s share of possession against a side who have made Wembley a second home in recent years.

But Arsenal went closest to taking the lead within the first 10 minutes, with new signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang seeing his scuffed shot saved by a sprawling Bravo.

Seconds later Aguero found the side netting after an incisive break from City, who looked short of their fluent best.&nbsp;

But it was Aguero who broke the deadlock, controlling the ball as Arsenal&#39;s defence failed to deal with the danger.

The Argentine striker has scored in each of his past five games in all competitions against Arsenal and this was his 199th goal in City colours.

It was an unusual goal for Guardiola&#39;s team, who have been lauded for their silky passing game this season, which has already seen them hailed as one of the finest sides in Premier League history.

City made a bright start to the second half and captain Kompany was in the right place to steer home Ilkay Gundogan&#39;s shot from the edge of the box after a Kevin De Bruyne corner in the 58th minute.

It was no more than City deserved against a lacklustre Arsenal and the Belgian celebrated wildly in front of his own fans.

Just seven minutes later Arsenal was left with a mountain to climb when Silva smashed the ball past Ospina into the far corner of the net to make it 3-0.

Former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss Guardiola kept faith with reserve goalkeeper Bravo for the Wembley showpiece ahead of first-choice Ederson. Bravo has played in every round of the competition so far.

Wenger also played his number two between the sticks, fielding Ospina ahead of Petr Cech.

A disappointed Wenger bemoaned his side&#39;s failure to take the lead through Aubameyang.

&quot;I felt the game, we had the first good chance, a very easy one that we missed,&quot; he said.

&quot;After that we made a big mistake for their first goal. But we controlled them pretty well in the first half, but they came out in the second half, and we were unlucky because the second goal was offside. But congratulations to Man City, they deserve the win.&quot;

&nbsp;

Manchester City defeats Arsenal to register their first victory of the season

Manchester City rolled back the years on Sunday to win the first trophy of the Pep Guardiola era with three of their veteran players scoring in an emphatic 3-0 win against Arsenal at Wembley. Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and David Silva were all on the scoresheet as City lifted the trophy for the fifth time -- only Liverpool have won it more. "It's important," said Guardiola. "We're so happy, and a big congratulations to all of Manchester City, and our fans. This trophy is for Manchester City and not for me. "The first half we were not good, there were a lot of mistakes. In the second half we played with a lot more courage and personality -- we were outstanding." City's first goal, in the first half, came in unlikely circumstances for a side lauded for their slick passing style. A long punt upfield from goalkeeper Claudio Bravo was controlled by Sergio Aguero, who coolly lifted the ball over a helpless David Ospina in the Arsenal goal. Captain Kompany doubled the lead in the second half with just over half an hour to go and Silva put the game out of the reach of Arsene Wenger's team. The runaway Premier League leaders will be hoping to use the victory as a springboard to greater glory as the season approaches its final stretch but defeat for Wenger means he has never lifted the League Cup. Control On a bitterly cold, clear day in London, City, in their light blue kit, took control early, playing measured football and enjoying the lion's share of possession against a side who have made Wembley a second home in recent years. But Arsenal went closest to taking the lead within the first 10 minutes, with new signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang seeing his scuffed shot saved by a sprawling Bravo. Seconds later Aguero found the side netting after an incisive break from City, who looked short of their fluent best. But it was Aguero who broke the deadlock, controlling the ball as Arsenal's defence failed to deal with the danger. The Argentine striker has scored in each of his past five games in all competitions against Arsenal and this was his 199th goal in City colours. It was an unusual goal for Guardiola's team, who have been lauded for their silky passing game this season, which has already seen them hailed as one of the finest sides in Premier League history. City made a bright start to the second half and captain Kompany was in the right place to steer home Ilkay Gundogan's shot from the edge of the box after a Kevin De Bruyne corner in the 58th minute. It was no more than City deserved against a lacklustre Arsenal and the Belgian celebrated wildly in front of his own fans. Just seven minutes later Arsenal was left with a mountain to climb when Silva smashed the ball past Ospina into the far corner of the net to make it 3-0. Former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss Guardiola kept faith with reserve goalkeeper Bravo for the Wembley showpiece ahead of first-choice Ederson. Bravo has played in every round of the competition so far. Wenger also played his number two between the sticks, fielding Ospina ahead of Petr Cech. A disappointed Wenger bemoaned his side's failure to take the lead through Aubameyang. "I felt the game, we had the first good chance, a very easy one that we missed," he said. "After that we made a big mistake for their first goal. But we controlled them pretty well in the first half, but they came out in the second half, and we were unlucky because the second goal was offside. But congratulations to Man City, they deserve the win."

Aguero, Kompany, Silva inspire City to win first trophy of Guardiola era

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane hailed Cristiano Ronaldo&#39;s gesture when he surrendered the chance for a hat-trick against Alaves. Ronaldo already netted two goals in the match but did not volunteer to take the penalty strike, instead, gave it to teammate Karim Benzema.

In a recent interview, Zizou said, &quot;I was very pleased with the gesture that Cristiano made, it&#39;s very important for me. Football is a team game and that was a nice gesture, offering it to Karim.&quot;

&quot;I&#39;m happy with the result and how we went about our business. We have to keep this up,&quot; he further added.

Had Ronaldo scored from the 89th-minute spot-kick he would also have become only the second player to reach 300 La Liga goals after Lionel Messi - although there is some debate as to whether the Portugal superstar actually reached the milestone with his second goal on Saturday.

Real Madrid, the defending champions, is definitely not having their dream run. Few matches before, even there were speculations that Zinedine Zidane&#39;s future as Real&#39;s coach is doubtful. Though, it is not justified to blame the former French striker completely as there were other reasons as well for Madrid&#39;s poor performance.

Madrid&#39;s football depended a lot on the quality of players they had, rather than a philosophy of play. Now the players are not performing, that is a problem. Benzema has found himself facing increasing criticism and pressure during a season which had seen him net only three league goals before yesterday,s match.

The win means Zidane&#39;s men have now accumulated 18 points from their last seven games, scoring 30 goals in the process, to turn up the pressure on second-placed Atletico Madrid

&nbsp;

Ronaldo already netted two goals in the match but did not volunteer to take the penalty strike, instead, gave it to teammate Karim Benzema

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane hailed Cristiano Ronaldo's gesture when he surrendered the chance for a hat-trick against Alaves. Ronaldo already netted two goals in the match but did not volunteer to take the penalty strike, instead, gave it to teammate Karim Benzema. In a recent interview, Zizou said, "I was very pleased with the gesture that Cristiano made, it's very important for me. Football is a team game and that was a nice gesture, offering it to Karim." "I'm happy with the result and how we went about our business. We have to keep this up," he further added. Had Ronaldo scored from the 89th-minute spot-kick he would also have become only the second player to reach 300 La Liga goals after Lionel Messi - although there is some debate as to whether the Portugal superstar actually reached the milestone with his second goal on Saturday. Real Madrid, the defending champions, is definitely not having their dream run. Few matches before, even there were speculations that Zinedine Zidane's future as Real's coach is doubtful. Though, it is not justified to blame the former French striker completely as there were other reasons as well for Madrid's poor performance. Madrid's football depended a lot on the quality of players they had, rather than a philosophy of play. Now the players are not performing, that is a problem. Benzema has found himself facing increasing criticism and pressure during a season which had seen him net only three league goals before yesterday,s match. The win means Zidane's men have now accumulated 18 points from their last seven games, scoring 30 goals in the process, to turn up the pressure on second-placed Atletico Madrid

Zidane praises Cristiano Ronaldo for kind gesture

Luis Suarez hit a hat-trick and Philippe Coutinho scored a brilliant first league goal for Barcelona as the La Liga leaders thrashed Girona 6-1 on Saturday to open up a 10-point lead at the top of the table.

Lionel Messi continued his return to goalscoring form with a double to reach 30 in all competitions for the season, as Barca extended their advantage over closest title rivals Atletico Madrid, who visit Sevilla on Sunday.

It was the perfect outing for Barcelona after ninth-placed Girona had taken a shock early lead on their first-ever visit to the Camp Nou, as Coutinho, Suarez, Messi and Ousmane Dembele shone on their first start together.

Portu took advantage of hesitation from Barca centre-back Samuel Umtiti to round goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen and slot into an empty net to put Girona ahead in La Liga&#39;s newest Catalan derby.

The hosts took less than two minutes to get back on level terms, though, as Messi collected the ball in midfield before sending Suarez through to score.

Messi&#39;s wizardry put Ernesto Valverde&#39;s side in front on the half-hour mark after Suarez touched down a long pass from Andres Iniesta for the Argentinian.

It looked as though the chance had gone when Messi was forced wide, but the league&#39;s top scorer showed trademark footwork to jink past several defenders before slotting into the bottom corner.

The five-time Ballon d&#39;Or winner was running the show, and he doubled the advantage just seven minutes later with a low free-kick under the wall.

&quot;It always seems that he has done everything and then suddenly, he surprises us again, as with his free kick. It sounds easy but it is not,&quot; said Barca coach Ernesto Valverde.

Having gone five games without a goal before his crucial equaliser in the 1-1 draw at Chelsea in the Champions League in midweek, Messi has scored three in two games.

Barcelona&#39;s fourth goal came on the stroke of half-time with Girona&#39;s defenders left begging for the interval after Messi&#39;s perfectly-weighted pass found Coutinho to square for Suarez to tap in.

The Catalan giants eased off slightly in the second half, but Coutinho got off the mark in the league in style as he cut inside and curled a long-range strike into the far corner.

French winger Dembele played his part too late on as he crossed from the left for Suarez to complete a hat-trick.

After a slow start to the campaign, the Uruguayan forward has now scored 17 goals in his last 14 league matches.

&nbsp;

Lionel Messi continued his return to goalscoring form with a double to reach 30 in all competitions for the season

Luis Suarez hit a hat-trick and Philippe Coutinho scored a brilliant first league goal for Barcelona as the La Liga leaders thrashed Girona 6-1 on Saturday to open up a 10-point lead at the top of the table. Lionel Messi continued his return to goalscoring form with a double to reach 30 in all competitions for the season, as Barca extended their advantage over closest title rivals Atletico Madrid, who visit Sevilla on Sunday. It was the perfect outing for Barcelona after ninth-placed Girona had taken a shock early lead on their first-ever visit to the Camp Nou, as Coutinho, Suarez, Messi and Ousmane Dembele shone on their first start together. Portu took advantage of hesitation from Barca centre-back Samuel Umtiti to round goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen and slot into an empty net to put Girona ahead in La Liga's newest Catalan derby. The hosts took less than two minutes to get back on level terms, though, as Messi collected the ball in midfield before sending Suarez through to score. Messi's wizardry put Ernesto Valverde's side in front on the half-hour mark after Suarez touched down a long pass from Andres Iniesta for the Argentinian. It looked as though the chance had gone when Messi was forced wide, but the league's top scorer showed trademark footwork to jink past several defenders before slotting into the bottom corner. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was running the show, and he doubled the advantage just seven minutes later with a low free-kick under the wall. "It always seems that he has done everything and then suddenly, he surprises us again, as with his free kick. It sounds easy but it is not," said Barca coach Ernesto Valverde. Having gone five games without a goal before his crucial equaliser in the 1-1 draw at Chelsea in the Champions League in midweek, Messi has scored three in two games. Barcelona's fourth goal came on the stroke of half-time with Girona's defenders left begging for the interval after Messi's perfectly-weighted pass found Coutinho to square for Suarez to tap in. The Catalan giants eased off slightly in the second half, but Coutinho got off the mark in the league in style as he cut inside and curled a long-range strike into the far corner. French winger Dembele played his part too late on as he crossed from the left for Suarez to complete a hat-trick. After a slow start to the campaign, the Uruguayan forward has now scored 17 goals in his last 14 league matches.

Suarez hat-trick extends six-goal Barca's La Liga lead

Zizou is already going through a difficult phase as his team is not performing up to the mark and now Gareth Bale&#39;s injury is giving extra tensions to the Frenchman. Bale has been plagued by injuries during his time at Real.&nbsp;Zidane urged that he just wanted to see Bale &quot;100&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;well&quot;.&nbsp;Real Madrid, the defending champions, is definitely not having the dream run. Few matches before, even there were speculations that&nbsp;Zinedine Zidane&#39;s future as Real&#39;s coach is doubtful. Though, it is not justified to blame the former French striker completely as there were other reasons as well for Madrid&#39;s poor performance. Madrid&#39;s football depended a lot on the quality of players they had, rather than a philosophy of play. Now the players are not performing, that is a problem. Karim Benzema, like Ronaldo, has found it hard to score this season in the previous clash of Champions League against Paris-Saint Germain Ronaldo broke the jinx. While Toni Kroos has not been as accurate as usual with his passes in the middle of the pitch.

Currently, Barcelona is at the top of La Liga table and third-placed Real Madrid are still hopeful of catching neighbours Atletico Madrid, who are seven points above them in second.

Zidane rested a number of key players in their 3-1 victory over Leganes in La Liga mid-week, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, but may well play a full-strength side against Alaves on Saturday (24th February), who have won their last three La Liga games.

Bale has been the subject of much recent media speculation, amid reports that Real may try to offload the Wales international this summer.

On the transfer news, Zidane said, &quot;I don&#39;t know, you should ask him. I do the same thing with all the players, including Gareth.

He also mentioned, &quot;He&#39;s doing well in training, he&#39;s committed, but I want to see Gareth 100 per cent well, I don&#39;t want to lose him again.&quot;

&quot;In every player I evaluate their form, how they feel, everything. Many factors are taken into consideration. You ask the question, but there are many things to bear in mind,&quot; Real Madrid&#39;s coach added.

&quot;But I&#39;m sure Gareth will&nbsp; continue to play an important role. He hasn&#39;t played recently because he&acute;s been injured, but he will, like the other players.&quot;

&nbsp;

Bale has been the subject of much recent media speculation, amid reports that Real may try to offload the Wales international this summer

Zizou is already going through a difficult phase as his team is not performing up to the mark and now Gareth Bale's injury is giving extra tensions to the Frenchman. Bale has been plagued by injuries during his time at Real. Zidane urged that he just wanted to see Bale "100 per cent well". Real Madrid, the defending champions, is definitely not having the dream run. Few matches before, even there were speculations that Zinedine Zidane's future as Real's coach is doubtful. Though, it is not justified to blame the former French striker completely as there were other reasons as well for Madrid's poor performance. Madrid's football depended a lot on the quality of players they had, rather than a philosophy of play. Now the players are not performing, that is a problem. Karim Benzema, like Ronaldo, has found it hard to score this season in the previous clash of Champions League against Paris-Saint Germain Ronaldo broke the jinx. While Toni Kroos has not been as accurate as usual with his passes in the middle of the pitch. Currently, Barcelona is at the top of La Liga table and third-placed Real Madrid are still hopeful of catching neighbours Atletico Madrid, who are seven points above them in second. Zidane rested a number of key players in their 3-1 victory over Leganes in La Liga mid-week, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, but may well play a full-strength side against Alaves on Saturday (24th February), who have won their last three La Liga games. Bale has been the subject of much recent media speculation, amid reports that Real may try to offload the Wales international this summer. On the transfer news, Zidane said, "I don't know, you should ask him. I do the same thing with all the players, including Gareth. He also mentioned, "He's doing well in training, he's committed, but I want to see Gareth 100 per cent well, I don't want to lose him again." "In every player I evaluate their form, how they feel, everything. Many factors are taken into consideration. You ask the question, but there are many things to bear in mind," Real Madrid's coach added. "But I'm sure Gareth will continue to play an important role. He hasn't played recently because he´s been injured, but he will, like the other players."

Gareth Bale's injury concerns Zidane

Pep Guardiola is anxious to play down suggestions that winning his first piece of silverware for Manchester City in Sunday&#39;s League Cup final against Arsenal would herald a period of dominance.

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach takes his side to Wembley with the Premier League title virtually in the bag and a place in the Champions League quarter-finals looking certain.

But despite City&#39;s dominance this season, Guardiola will be eager to get his hands on a trophy, even if it would have been fourth on the list of his priorities when the campaign began.

City are clear favourites to beat Arsenal but Arsene Wenger&#39;s men have made a habit of cup success in recent years, winning the FA Cup in three of the past four seasons.

&quot;Not even in Barcelona when we won the first title in the cup did I expect to win 14 titles in four years,&quot; said Guardiola, anxious not to over-burden his players. &quot;I&#39;m more pragmatic.

&quot;I think in football it&#39;s a big mistake to think what might happen in the next three years. It&#39;s a big mistake for our heads, our targets, it makes no sense.

&quot;When people asked in the beginning, about winning four titles (this season), I said of course we&#39;ll try, but the big teams have not been able to do that -- the big Liverpools, the big Uniteds, the big Arsenals, the big Chelseas.&quot;

Defeat for City could lead to a certain feeling of anti-climax at the Etihad as it would follow hot on the heels of their FA Cup exit at the hands of lowly Wigan Athletic -- ending their quest for a historic quadruple.

Shock Jesus return?

Striker Gabriel Jesus could make a shock return at Wembley after being out with a knee injury since the end of December, although there are doubts over Raheem Sterling&#39;s fitness.

Guardiola confirmed second-choice goalkeeper Claudio Bravo will start, having done so in all domestic cup matches this season, but Fabian Delph is suspended after being sent off against Wigan.

The Catalan boss earlier this season questioned the value of the League Cup, saying &quot;you waste a lot of energy&quot; but it could serve as a springboard to further success, as it has done previously for the likes of Jose Mourinho.

Wenger has won the FA Cup a record seven times since he took the helm at Arsenal but has twice been beaten in the final of the League Cup, by Chelsea in 2007 and Birmingham City in 2011.

The French manager was asked at his pre-match press conference what the key was to beating City.

&quot;To first of all have a strong belief that we can do it, be well-organised and take every opportunity to go forward and play our offensive game,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

He acknowledged the threat from players such as Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne but said it was difficult to focus on shutting down individuals.

&quot;One of the big strengths of Man City is De Bruyne of course, because he has become a very complete player,&quot; Wenger said.&nbsp;

&quot;He is a modern midfielder for me, he can be decisive in the final third, he works very hard, he is right-footed, left-footed and he is a fighter as well so overall I am not surprised he has done well.

&quot;They have so many players that you have to stop that it is better to focus on the team plan rather than on any individual.&quot;

Alexandre Lacazette is unavailable because of injury and Henrikh Mkhitaryan is ineligible because he played in the competition for Manchester United earlier this season.

Wenger said David Ospina would play in goal at the expense of Petr Cech, continuing his role as the go-to &#39;keeper for cup matches.

He said Mesut Ozil was likely to play and he would make a decision on Aaron Ramsey on Saturday.

&nbsp;

But despite City's dominance this season, Guardiola will be eager to get his hands on a trophy, even if it would have been fourth on the list of his priorities when the campaign began

Pep Guardiola is anxious to play down suggestions that winning his first piece of silverware for Manchester City in Sunday's League Cup final against Arsenal would herald a period of dominance. The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach takes his side to Wembley with the Premier League title virtually in the bag and a place in the Champions League quarter-finals looking certain. But despite City's dominance this season, Guardiola will be eager to get his hands on a trophy, even if it would have been fourth on the list of his priorities when the campaign began. City are clear favourites to beat Arsenal but Arsene Wenger's men have made a habit of cup success in recent years, winning the FA Cup in three of the past four seasons. "Not even in Barcelona when we won the first title in the cup did I expect to win 14 titles in four years," said Guardiola, anxious not to over-burden his players. "I'm more pragmatic. "I think in football it's a big mistake to think what might happen in the next three years. It's a big mistake for our heads, our targets, it makes no sense. "When people asked in the beginning, about winning four titles (this season), I said of course we'll try, but the big teams have not been able to do that -- the big Liverpools, the big Uniteds, the big Arsenals, the big Chelseas." Defeat for City could lead to a certain feeling of anti-climax at the Etihad as it would follow hot on the heels of their FA Cup exit at the hands of lowly Wigan Athletic -- ending their quest for a historic quadruple. Shock Jesus return? Striker Gabriel Jesus could make a shock return at Wembley after being out with a knee injury since the end of December, although there are doubts over Raheem Sterling's fitness. Guardiola confirmed second-choice goalkeeper Claudio Bravo will start, having done so in all domestic cup matches this season, but Fabian Delph is suspended after being sent off against Wigan. The Catalan boss earlier this season questioned the value of the League Cup, saying "you waste a lot of energy" but it could serve as a springboard to further success, as it has done previously for the likes of Jose Mourinho. Wenger has won the FA Cup a record seven times since he took the helm at Arsenal but has twice been beaten in the final of the League Cup, by Chelsea in 2007 and Birmingham City in 2011. The French manager was asked at his pre-match press conference what the key was to beating City. "To first of all have a strong belief that we can do it, be well-organised and take every opportunity to go forward and play our offensive game," he said. He acknowledged the threat from players such as Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne but said it was difficult to focus on shutting down individuals. "One of the big strengths of Man City is De Bruyne of course, because he has become a very complete player," Wenger said. "He is a modern midfielder for me, he can be decisive in the final third, he works very hard, he is right-footed, left-footed and he is a fighter as well so overall I am not surprised he has done well. "They have so many players that you have to stop that it is better to focus on the team plan rather than on any individual." Alexandre Lacazette is unavailable because of injury and Henrikh Mkhitaryan is ineligible because he played in the competition for Manchester United earlier this season. Wenger said David Ospina would play in goal at the expense of Petr Cech, continuing his role as the go-to 'keeper for cup matches. He said Mesut Ozil was likely to play and he would make a decision on Aaron Ramsey on Saturday.

Arsenal stand in way of Pep's first Man City silverware

Mauricio Pochettino, a former Argentine and current&nbsp;manager of Tottenham Hotspur is not making any excuses on the busy schedule, as they will be playing four matches in a stretch of only ten days beginning with the trip to Selhurst Park on Sunday to take on Crystal Palace. Spurs then meet Rochdale on their FA Cup fifth-round replay three days later, before facing Huddersfield Town on Saturday 3rd March, before the second leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie against Juventus at Wembley four days after that.

In an interview, manager Pochettino said, &quot;I think the team is ready. I think that nearly all the players are fit to compete and available to be selected and that&#39;s an advantage and we understand that it&#39;s an advantage.&quot;

&quot;And of course I think we are capable to cope with the busy, busy fixture (list) and nothing to complain about that.&quot;

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Pochettino waxed lyrically about the form of his Belgian midfielder Moussa Dembele who has been attracting rave reviews for his recent performances.

Manager Mauricio Pochettino comparing midfielder Mousa Dembele to Diego Maradona said that some people used my words to describe him as a &quot;genius of football.&quot;

&quot;For me, he&#39;s this type of player that - I think I told you and it&#39;s in the book that says for me, I put him next to Ronaldinho, (Diego) Maradona, (Jay-Jay) Okocha.&quot;

&quot;Players that I had the luck to play with them and I think for me he&#39;s one of the unbelievable talents in the history of football.&quot;

Currently, Tottenham stands at fifth rank in the Premier League table but only four points away from second-placed Manchester United.

They are unbeaten in their last 14 matches in all competitions - their last defeat coming at Manchester City on 16th December.

&nbsp;

Manager Mauricio Pochettino comparing midfielder Mousa Dembele to Diego Maradona said that some people used my words to describe him as a "genius of football"

Mauricio Pochettino, a former Argentine and current manager of Tottenham Hotspur is not making any excuses on the busy schedule, as they will be playing four matches in a stretch of only ten days beginning with the trip to Selhurst Park on Sunday to take on Crystal Palace. Spurs then meet Rochdale on their FA Cup fifth-round replay three days later, before facing Huddersfield Town on Saturday 3rd March, before the second leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie against Juventus at Wembley four days after that. In an interview, manager Pochettino said, "I think the team is ready. I think that nearly all the players are fit to compete and available to be selected and that's an advantage and we understand that it's an advantage." "And of course I think we are capable to cope with the busy, busy fixture (list) and nothing to complain about that." ???? ????️ Mauricio's Minute! ⏱️ ⚽️ @CPFC ???? Roy Hodgson ???? Team news #COYS pic.twitter.com/im0iPrX52v — Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) February 23, 2018 × Pochettino waxed lyrically about the form of his Belgian midfielder Moussa Dembele who has been attracting rave reviews for his recent performances. Manager Mauricio Pochettino comparing midfielder Mousa Dembele to Diego Maradona said that some people used my words to describe him as a "genius of football." "For me, he's this type of player that - I think I told you and it's in the book that says for me, I put him next to Ronaldinho, (Diego) Maradona, (Jay-Jay) Okocha." "Players that I had the luck to play with them and I think for me he's one of the unbelievable talents in the history of football." Currently, Tottenham stands at fifth rank in the Premier League table but only four points away from second-placed Manchester United. They are unbeaten in their last 14 matches in all competitions - their last defeat coming at Manchester City on 16th December.

Moussa Dembele as good as Ronaldinho and Maradona: Mauricio Pochettino

The second Leg of the round of 32 in Europa league concluded with some bittersweet memories. A lot of things happened in the Leg 2 of the round of 32. On one hand, some mediocre clubs&nbsp;fought their ways back and entered last 16 but on the other hand, one Basque <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/europa-league-police-officer-dies-as-violence-mars-bilbao-vs-spartak-clash-33751">police officer died</a>&nbsp;on Thursday as security forces clashed with fans of Russian club Spartak Moscow in the Spanish city of Bilbao. Arsenal, the north London giants survived entry to Leg 2 because of a 4-2 win on aggregate despite 2-1 second-leg defeat by Ostersunds. The Swedish club displayed a quality run and gave a tough fight Arsenal.

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Your <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UEL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UEL</a> round of 16 line-up ???? 
 
???????? Milan 
???????????????????????????? Arsenal 
???????? Athletic 
???????? Atl&eacute;tico 
???????? CSKA Moskva 
???????? Dortmund 
???????? Dynamo Kyiv 
???????? Lazio 
???????? Lokomotiv Moskva 
???????? Lyon 
???????? Marseille 
???????? Plzeň 
???????? Leipzig 
???????? Salzburg 
???????? Sporting CP 
???????? Zenit <a href="https://t.co/4XdIf4eYQ3">pic.twitter.com/4XdIf4eYQ3</a>
&mdash; UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuropaLeague/status/966796933913370626?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Napoli came agonisingly close to pulling off a dramatic Europa League comeback when they won 2-0 at RB Leipzig but went out on away goals at the last 32 stage on Thursday while Arsenal got through despite an embarrassing 2-1 home defeat by Ostersund.

Borussia Dortmund snatched a late goal at Atalanta to progress with a 1-1 draw, while AC Milan and Atletico Madrid, both with a three-goal lead from the away legs, completed the formality of qualifying with 1-0 wins at home on Thursday.

The evening was marred by the death of a policeman in Bilbao after rivals fans fought in the streets before the match between local side Athletic and Spartak Moscow, won 2-1 by the Russian team who still went out 4-3 on aggregate.

Arsenal had a three-goal lead from last week&#39;s win in Sweden but was rattled when Hosam Aiesh and Ken Sema scored twice in two minutes for Ostersund midway through the first half.

The North London side was spared further humiliation, though, after Ronald Mukiibi miscued when trying to clear a cross and defender Sead Kolasinac thumped the ball into the net from close range two minutes into the second half.

Napoli lost 3-1 in last week&#39;s first leg against Leipzig with a performance that embarrassed coach Maurizio Sarri, though he has emphasised that winning Serie A is the priority.

They restored some pride in the return as Piotr Zielinski scored from a rebound in the 33rd minute and Lorenzo Insigne turned in Jose Callejon&#39;s cross with five minutes to go.

That set up a rousing finale and Callejon could even have won the tie in stoppage time but his shot sailed over.

Last gasp Dortmund

Atalanta scored against Dortmund when Rafael Toloi prodded the ball home at the far post after Mattia Caldara flicked on a corner in the 11th minute to make it 3-3 on aggregate.

There were then chances at both ends until Dortmund&#39;s Marcel Schmelzer snapped up the rebound after Etrit Berisha failed to hold a Marco Reus shot, to put the Bundesliga side through.

Lazio striker Ciro Immobile got a hat-trick in a 5-1 win over FCSB, formerly Steaua Bucharest, after a 1-0 first-leg loss.

Russian pair Lokomotiv Moscow and Zenit St Petersburg both won at home in frigid conditions to also progress.

Igor Denisov&#39;s first-half goal gave Lokomotiv a 1-0 win over Nice, completing a 4-2 aggregate victory, while Zenit beat Celtic 3-0 to go through 3-1 with goals from Branislav Ivanovic, Daler Kuzyaev, and Aleksandr Kokorin.

&quot;We dominated the game. We didn&rsquo;t concede any chances until the 70th minute,&quot; said Zenit coach Roberto Mancini after a match which kicked off at a temperature of minus 13 Celsius.

&quot;After 70 minutes we tired a bit but this is normal, but in the end, we deserved to win.&quot;

Atletico Madrid, leading 4-1 from the first leg, completed their tie at home to FC Copenhagen when Kevin Gameiro&#39;s early goal gave them a 1-0 victory and AC Milan beat Ludogorets by the same score with a Fabio Borini goal for a 4-0 aggregate win.

Dynamo Kiev, Sporting, Viktoria Plzen, Olympique Lyonnais, Olympique Marseille and Salzburg also qualified and will go into the hat for the last 16 draw which will be made on Friday.

&nbsp;

Arsenal entered into the last 16 of the Europa League despite a 2-1 second-leg defeat by Ostersunds but the round of 32 ended with a tragic death of a police officer as security forces clashed with fans of Russian club Spartak Moscow

The second Leg of the round of 32 in Europa league concluded with some bittersweet memories. A lot of things happened in the Leg 2 of the round of 32. On one hand, some mediocre clubs fought their ways back and entered last 16 but on the other hand, one Basque police officer died on Thursday as security forces clashed with fans of Russian club Spartak Moscow in the Spanish city of Bilbao. Arsenal, the north London giants survived entry to Leg 2 because of a 4-2 win on aggregate despite 2-1 second-leg defeat by Ostersunds. The Swedish club displayed a quality run and gave a tough fight Arsenal. Your #UEL round of 16 line-up ???? ???????? Milan ???????????????????????????? Arsenal ???????? Athletic ???????? Atlético ???????? CSKA Moskva ???????? Dortmund ???????? Dynamo Kyiv ???????? Lazio ???????? Lokomotiv Moskva ???????? Lyon ???????? Marseille ???????? Plzeň ???????? Leipzig ???????? Salzburg ???????? Sporting CP ???????? Zenit pic.twitter.com/4XdIf4eYQ3 — UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) February 22, 2018 × Napoli came agonisingly close to pulling off a dramatic Europa League comeback when they won 2-0 at RB Leipzig but went out on away goals at the last 32 stage on Thursday while Arsenal got through despite an embarrassing 2-1 home defeat by Ostersund. Borussia Dortmund snatched a late goal at Atalanta to progress with a 1-1 draw, while AC Milan and Atletico Madrid, both with a three-goal lead from the away legs, completed the formality of qualifying with 1-0 wins at home on Thursday. The evening was marred by the death of a policeman in Bilbao after rivals fans fought in the streets before the match between local side Athletic and Spartak Moscow, won 2-1 by the Russian team who still went out 4-3 on aggregate. Arsenal had a three-goal lead from last week's win in Sweden but was rattled when Hosam Aiesh and Ken Sema scored twice in two minutes for Ostersund midway through the first half. The North London side was spared further humiliation, though, after Ronald Mukiibi miscued when trying to clear a cross and defender Sead Kolasinac thumped the ball into the net from close range two minutes into the second half. Napoli lost 3-1 in last week's first leg against Leipzig with a performance that embarrassed coach Maurizio Sarri, though he has emphasised that winning Serie A is the priority. They restored some pride in the return as Piotr Zielinski scored from a rebound in the 33rd minute and Lorenzo Insigne turned in Jose Callejon's cross with five minutes to go. That set up a rousing finale and Callejon could even have won the tie in stoppage time but his shot sailed over. Last gasp Dortmund Atalanta scored against Dortmund when Rafael Toloi prodded the ball home at the far post after Mattia Caldara flicked on a corner in the 11th minute to make it 3-3 on aggregate. There were then chances at both ends until Dortmund's Marcel Schmelzer snapped up the rebound after Etrit Berisha failed to hold a Marco Reus shot, to put the Bundesliga side through. Lazio striker Ciro Immobile got a hat-trick in a 5-1 win over FCSB, formerly Steaua Bucharest, after a 1-0 first-leg loss. Russian pair Lokomotiv Moscow and Zenit St Petersburg both won at home in frigid conditions to also progress. Igor Denisov's first-half goal gave Lokomotiv a 1-0 win over Nice, completing a 4-2 aggregate victory, while Zenit beat Celtic 3-0 to go through 3-1 with goals from Branislav Ivanovic, Daler Kuzyaev, and Aleksandr Kokorin. "We dominated the game. We didn’t concede any chances until the 70th minute," said Zenit coach Roberto Mancini after a match which kicked off at a temperature of minus 13 Celsius. "After 70 minutes we tired a bit but this is normal, but in the end, we deserved to win." Atletico Madrid, leading 4-1 from the first leg, completed their tie at home to FC Copenhagen when Kevin Gameiro's early goal gave them a 1-0 victory and AC Milan beat Ludogorets by the same score with a Fabio Borini goal for a 4-0 aggregate win. Dynamo Kiev, Sporting, Viktoria Plzen, Olympique Lyonnais, Olympique Marseille and Salzburg also qualified and will go into the hat for the last 16 draw which will be made on Friday.

Europa League: Arsenal enters last 16 despite losing in second leg

Third-tier Wigan Athletic lived up to the billing as Manchester City&#39;s bogey team by beating the 10-man Premier League leaders 1-0 in a stunning FA Cup fifth round upset on Monday (February 19).

Will Grigg coolly slotted home the winner in the 79th minute to trigger chants of &#39;Will Grigg&#39;s on fire&#39; around the DW Stadium.

The defeat ended City&#39;s hopes of an unprecedented quadruple of trophies this season.

City played the entire second half with 10 men after midfielder Fabian Delph was sent off in the 45th minute for a late challenge on Max Power.

But on a night of stirring memories for the home fans, whose side beat City in the 2013 FA Cup final and in the quarter-finals a year later, there was always the hint of an upset in the air.

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2013 ✅ 
2014 ✅ 
2018 ✅ 
 
Don&rsquo;t you just love an <a href="https://twitter.com/EmiratesFACup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EmiratesFACup</a> game against Manchester City ????<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wafc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#wafc</a> <a href="https://t.co/aVvNcK93U2">pic.twitter.com/aVvNcK93U2</a>
&mdash; Wigan Athletic (@LaticsOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/LaticsOfficial/status/965740089216090117?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">20 February 2018</a></blockquote>
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79&#39; GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAALLLL!!!! WILL GRIGG!!! ???? 
 
Follow it live ????<a href="https://t.co/R8XiBiTPX2">https://t.co/R8XiBiTPX2</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wafc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#wafc</a> <a href="https://t.co/Itm1gzOXFw">pic.twitter.com/Itm1gzOXFw</a>
&mdash; Wigan Athletic (@LaticsOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/LaticsOfficial/status/965700642638573568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">19 February 2018</a></blockquote>
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That only increased when referee Anthony Taylor, a yellow card already in his hand, reached for the red.

Delph looked stunned, his angry teammates swarming around the official, while manager Pep Guardiola seethed on the touchline.

The Spaniard, already frustrated by his side&#39;s failure to break through the home side&#39;s sturdy defense, had to be kept apart from Wigan manager Paul Cook as they headed down the tunnel at the break.

Guardiola reacted to the setback by bringing on versatile right-back Kyle Walker for winger Leroy Sane at the start of the second half.

He then introduced midfielder Kevin De Bruyne in place of David Silva in the 65th, with the Belgian immediately piling the pressure on Wigan&#39;s defense.

But still, City, 16 points clear at the top of the Premier League, heading for the last eight of the Champions League and looking forward to Sunday&#39;s League Cup final, failed to find a way through despite having most of the possession.

Wigan will now host another Premier League team Southampton in next month&#39;s quarter-finals having now beaten three top-flight sides in their fairytale Cup run.

&nbsp;

Will Grigg coolly slotted home the winner in the 79th minute to trigger chants of 'Will Grigg's on fire' around the DW Stadium

Third-tier Wigan Athletic lived up to the billing as Manchester City's bogey team by beating the 10-man Premier League leaders 1-0 in a stunning FA Cup fifth round upset on Monday (February 19). Will Grigg coolly slotted home the winner in the 79th minute to trigger chants of 'Will Grigg's on fire' around the DW Stadium. The defeat ended City's hopes of an unprecedented quadruple of trophies this season. City played the entire second half with 10 men after midfielder Fabian Delph was sent off in the 45th minute for a late challenge on Max Power. But on a night of stirring memories for the home fans, whose side beat City in the 2013 FA Cup final and in the quarter-finals a year later, there was always the hint of an upset in the air. 2013 ✅ 2014 ✅ 2018 ✅ Don’t you just love an @EmiratesFACup game against Manchester City ????#wafc pic.twitter.com/aVvNcK93U2 — Wigan Athletic (@LaticsOfficial) 20 February 2018 × 79' GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAALLLL!!!! WILL GRIGG!!! ???? Follow it live ????https://t.co/R8XiBiTPX2#wafc pic.twitter.com/Itm1gzOXFw — Wigan Athletic (@LaticsOfficial) 19 February 2018 × That only increased when referee Anthony Taylor, a yellow card already in his hand, reached for the red. Delph looked stunned, his angry teammates swarming around the official, while manager Pep Guardiola seethed on the touchline. The Spaniard, already frustrated by his side's failure to break through the home side's sturdy defense, had to be kept apart from Wigan manager Paul Cook as they headed down the tunnel at the break. Guardiola reacted to the setback by bringing on versatile right-back Kyle Walker for winger Leroy Sane at the start of the second half. He then introduced midfielder Kevin De Bruyne in place of David Silva in the 65th, with the Belgian immediately piling the pressure on Wigan's defense. But still, City, 16 points clear at the top of the Premier League, heading for the last eight of the Champions League and looking forward to Sunday's League Cup final, failed to find a way through despite having most of the possession. Wigan will now host another Premier League team Southampton in next month's quarter-finals having now beaten three top-flight sides in their fairytale Cup run.

FA Cup: Third-tier Wigan Athletic ends Man City's fairytale run

The first leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 between <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-match-preview-of-barcelona-vs-chelsea-33534">FC Barcelona and Chelsea</a> ended with a 1-1 score.

The third time lucky Willian scored a stunner in the second half to give <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/good-to-be-compared-with-messi-eden-hazard-33431">Chelsea 1-0 lead</a>.

In the first half, Willian proved two-time unlucky as he hit side post twice from both the wings, if not, then Chelsea would have leading the game by 3-0 and Willian scoring a hat-trick.

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GOAL!!! 1-0!!! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CHEBAR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CHEBAR</a> <a href="https://t.co/UjIUmhdgrI">pic.twitter.com/UjIUmhdgrI</a>
&mdash; Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChelseaFC/status/966056319827480577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Iniesta&#39;s beautiful assist to Messi equalises the score in the 75the minute to&nbsp;relax&nbsp;the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/here-is-why-philippe-coutinho-is-not-playing-against-chelsea-33539">Barcelona fans</a> and followers.

After the match, Iniesta said, &quot;Chelsea are one of the best teams in Europe and in general we played well. The second leg will also be a tough contest.&quot;

It was not only the mesmerising moment of a reverse pass and accurate hit into the bottom corner of the net also a sloppy piece of defence tackle by Andreas Christensen was the reason.

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&quot;Leo Messi has n̶e̶v̶e̶r̶ scored against Chelsea.&quot; 
&hellip; 
✅ Done. <a href="https://t.co/3NlCQIvLha">pic.twitter.com/3NlCQIvLha</a>
&mdash; FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/966060110073114625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Lionel Messi had a jinx of not scoring against English clubs which he broke today by scoring an equalizer and also his first goal against Chelsea in the last nine matches.

However, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/here-is-why-philippe-coutinho-is-not-playing-against-chelsea-33539">Barca</a> remains unbeaten in 31 La Liga and Champions League games under Ernesto Valverde thanks to a late rally.

The first warning&nbsp;was given by <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/good-to-be-compared-with-messi-eden-hazard-33431">Eden Hazard</a> when he&nbsp;fired just over from 20 yards five minutes in.

The match&nbsp;revolved around Chelsea striker Willian, either he was missing to score or playing exponentially amazing with bleeding nose.

So, a&nbsp;big shout out to Willian&#39;s performance, brilliance and fighting spirit and his ability to score from outside the box off either foot.

The English defending champions must now score when they travel to the Camp Nou on March 14 to have any chance of making the last eight.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-match-preview-of-barcelona-vs-chelsea-33534">Click here</a> to know what was expected of this clash.

&nbsp;

Lionel Messi struck for the first time in nine games against Chelsea to give Barcelona a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Champions League

The first leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 between FC Barcelona and Chelsea ended with a 1-1 score. The third time lucky Willian scored a stunner in the second half to give Chelsea 1-0 lead. In the first half, Willian proved two-time unlucky as he hit side post twice from both the wings, if not, then Chelsea would have leading the game by 3-0 and Willian scoring a hat-trick. GOAL!!! 1-0!!! #CHEBAR pic.twitter.com/UjIUmhdgrI — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 20, 2018 × Iniesta's beautiful assist to Messi equalises the score in the 75the minute to relax the Barcelona fans and followers. After the match, Iniesta said, "Chelsea are one of the best teams in Europe and in general we played well. The second leg will also be a tough contest." It was not only the mesmerising moment of a reverse pass and accurate hit into the bottom corner of the net also a sloppy piece of defence tackle by Andreas Christensen was the reason. "Leo Messi has n̶e̶v̶e̶r̶ scored against Chelsea." … ✅ Done. pic.twitter.com/3NlCQIvLha — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) February 20, 2018 × Lionel Messi had a jinx of not scoring against English clubs which he broke today by scoring an equalizer and also his first goal against Chelsea in the last nine matches. However, Barca remains unbeaten in 31 La Liga and Champions League games under Ernesto Valverde thanks to a late rally. The first warning was given by Eden Hazard when he fired just over from 20 yards five minutes in. The match revolved around Chelsea striker Willian, either he was missing to score or playing exponentially amazing with bleeding nose. So, a big shout out to Willian's performance, brilliance and fighting spirit and his ability to score from outside the box off either foot. The English defending champions must now score when they travel to the Camp Nou on March 14 to have any chance of making the last eight. Click here to know what was expected of this clash.

Champions League: Lionel Messi breaks jinx after scoring against Chelsea

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-match-preview-of-barcelona-vs-chelsea-33534">Barcelona and Chelsea</a> is set ready to face each other in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 on Tuesday night at Stamford Bridge.

Barcelona is currently having arguably one of the best seasons till now and will enter the game with a high.

They have already made it into the final of the Copa del Rey and stands at top of the La Liga table.

Although, both the teams are under pressure but Chelsea is a bit more hustled as the ongoing season is not that good as they had an outstanding run last season.

But here is some good news for Chelsea fans as one of the key&nbsp;players of Barca will not play today.

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⚽️ Starting XI 
???????? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChelseaBar%C3%A7a?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChelseaBar&ccedil;a</a> <a href="https://t.co/XaBBne5N3s">pic.twitter.com/XaBBne5N3s</a>
&mdash; FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/966017351312429066?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Who&nbsp;is missing in the squad list?

Yes, it&#39;s Philippe Coutinho. The reason is Phil being&nbsp;ineligible for the match having previously played for Liverpool in the group stage of the competition before the transfer.

<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">What does the rule say? 
As a rule, a player may not play in a UEFA club competition (UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, excluding UEFA Super Cup) for more than one club in the course of the same season.</div>

&nbsp;

He played an important role in inspiring the Reds to seal a place in the Champions League last 16.

Coutinho will have to watch on from the sidelines as UEFA rules stipulate that a player cannot represent more than one club in the same season in the competition.

&nbsp;

The reason is Coutinho being ineligible for the match having previously played for Liverpool in the group stage of the competition before the transfer

Barcelona and Chelsea is set ready to face each other in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 on Tuesday night at Stamford Bridge. Barcelona is currently having arguably one of the best seasons till now and will enter the game with a high. They have already made it into the final of the Copa del Rey and stands at top of the La Liga table. Although, both the teams are under pressure but Chelsea is a bit more hustled as the ongoing season is not that good as they had an outstanding run last season. But here is some good news for Chelsea fans as one of the key players of Barca will not play today. ⚽️ Starting XI ???????? #ChelseaBarça pic.twitter.com/XaBBne5N3s — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) February 20, 2018 × Who is missing in the squad list? Yes, it's Philippe Coutinho. The reason is Phil being ineligible for the match having previously played for Liverpool in the group stage of the competition before the transfer. What does the rule say? As a rule, a player may not play in a UEFA club competition (UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, excluding UEFA Super Cup) for more than one club in the course of the same season. He played an important role in inspiring the Reds to seal a place in the Champions League last 16. Coutinho will have to watch on from the sidelines as UEFA rules stipulate that a player cannot represent more than one club in the same season in the competition.

Here is why Philippe Coutinho is not playing against Chelsea

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/prankster-hands-conte-signed-mourinho-shirt-33007">Antonio Conte</a>,&nbsp;Chelsea head coach&nbsp;spoke to media on the eve of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg tie against Barcelona.

Chelsea is standing at number four of English Premier League behind Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/good-to-be-compared-with-messi-eden-hazard-33431">Eden Hazard</a> is expected to be recalled to the team after the Belgian international was rested for the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/chelsea-stroll-past-hull-into-fa-cup-quarter-finals-33137">4-0 win over Hull City</a> in the English FA Cup fifth round.

In the interview he was asked about team&#39;s preparation, &quot;I think we start this game as underdog for sure because Barcelona on the paper is favourite to go to the next round.&quot;

&quot;But, for this reason, I think we should be excited to have this challenge. These two games will be very important to understand what is our level in this competition, he added.&quot;

When asked about Barcelona&nbsp;he said, &quot;Barcelona is having a fantastic season. They are top of the league and are in the final in the Cup in Spain and they have the potential to win this Cup, said Chelsea&#39;s head coach.&quot;

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Antonio Conte knows Chelsea have to &quot;suffer&quot; if they want to get past Barcelona <a href="https://t.co/4ut0yqdemo">pic.twitter.com/4ut0yqdemo</a>
&mdash; Goal (@goal) <a href="https://twitter.com/goal/status/965719299825352704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;We know Barcelona&#39;s characteristic. They like to have ball possession. They like to dominate the game,&quot; he talked about Barcelona&#39;s playing tactics.

&quot;In every game, they are able to create many chances to score and for this reason, we must be prepared to suffer,&quot; former Italian midfielder&nbsp;added.

The Italian coach said in his improper English speaking skills, &quot;To suffer without the ball. To be compact. Not to lose our heads during the game and then to try with the ball what we know. What we try during training.&quot;

&quot;For sure we have to pay great attention (to him) but not only Messi. (Luis) Suarez is a fantastic striker. The whole team is very dangerous, he added.&quot;

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'We have to pay great attention but not only Messi. Suarez is a fantastic striker. The whole team is very dangerous,' says Chelsea head coach on the eve of Barce vs Chelsea

Antonio Conte, Chelsea head coach spoke to media on the eve of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg tie against Barcelona. Chelsea is standing at number four of English Premier League behind Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool. Eden Hazard is expected to be recalled to the team after the Belgian international was rested for the 4-0 win over Hull City in the English FA Cup fifth round. In the interview he was asked about team's preparation, "I think we start this game as underdog for sure because Barcelona on the paper is favourite to go to the next round." "But, for this reason, I think we should be excited to have this challenge. These two games will be very important to understand what is our level in this competition, he added." When asked about Barcelona he said, "Barcelona is having a fantastic season. They are top of the league and are in the final in the Cup in Spain and they have the potential to win this Cup, said Chelsea's head coach." Antonio Conte knows Chelsea have to "suffer" if they want to get past Barcelona pic.twitter.com/4ut0yqdemo — Goal (@goal) February 19, 2018 × "We know Barcelona's characteristic. They like to have ball possession. They like to dominate the game," he talked about Barcelona's playing tactics. "In every game, they are able to create many chances to score and for this reason, we must be prepared to suffer," former Italian midfielder added. The Italian coach said in his improper English speaking skills, "To suffer without the ball. To be compact. Not to lose our heads during the game and then to try with the ball what we know. What we try during training." "For sure we have to pay great attention (to him) but not only Messi. (Luis) Suarez is a fantastic striker. The whole team is very dangerous, he added."

'We must be prepared to suffer,' says Antonio Conte

Wigan Athletic defeated Manchester City 1-0 to end City&#39;s dream run.

Pep Guardiola&#39;s quest to win an unprecedented quadruple with Manchester City came to a stunning and controversial end when they fell to a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/fa-cup-third-tier-wigan-athletic-ends-man-citys-fairytale-run-33412">1-0 defeat at third-tier Wigan</a> in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Monday.

Will Grigg netted the ball in the 79th minute to trigger chants of &#39;Will Grigg&#39;s on fire&#39; around the DW Stadium.

The full of drama when Premier League leaders, Manchester City faced a tragic defeat by third-tier Wigan Athletic.

A lot of things happened during the match, as&nbsp;City played the entire second half with 10 men after Fabian Delph was ousted was sent off after showing a red card, Sergio Aguero was confronted by Wigan supporters as they invaded the ground after the match was ended.

Apart from that, frustrated Guardiola involved in a fight with Wigan manager&nbsp;Paul Cook in the tunnel after the match, both of them had a major verbal confrontation.

Watch the video here:

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Pep Guardiola and Paul Cook arguing in the tunnel and Pep charging at the referee before the camera cuts away, Aguero punching a Wigan fan and the ManCity fans attacking the police. 
 
Manchester City, money cannot buy you class. 
 
<a href="https://t.co/8F3HmpmDd6">pic.twitter.com/8F3HmpmDd6</a>
&mdash; Utd (@SimplyUtd) <a href="https://twitter.com/SimplyUtd/status/965726435909488640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">19 February 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Frustrated Guardiola involved in a fight with Wigan manager Paul Cook in the tunnel after the match, both of them had a major verbal confrontation

Wigan Athletic defeated Manchester City 1-0 to end City's dream run. Pep Guardiola's quest to win an unprecedented quadruple with Manchester City came to a stunning and controversial end when they fell to a 1-0 defeat at third-tier Wigan in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Monday. Will Grigg netted the ball in the 79th minute to trigger chants of 'Will Grigg's on fire' around the DW Stadium. The full of drama when Premier League leaders, Manchester City faced a tragic defeat by third-tier Wigan Athletic. A lot of things happened during the match, as City played the entire second half with 10 men after Fabian Delph was ousted was sent off after showing a red card, Sergio Aguero was confronted by Wigan supporters as they invaded the ground after the match was ended. Apart from that, frustrated Guardiola involved in a fight with Wigan manager Paul Cook in the tunnel after the match, both of them had a major verbal confrontation. Watch the video here: Pep Guardiola and Paul Cook arguing in the tunnel and Pep charging at the referee before the camera cuts away, Aguero punching a Wigan fan and the ManCity fans attacking the police. Manchester City, money cannot buy you class. pic.twitter.com/8F3HmpmDd6 — Utd (@SimplyUtd) 19 February 2018 ×

Watch: Pep Guardiola fights with Wigan manager Paul Cook

Brazilian striker and former World Cup winner, Ronaldinho took to his Twitter handle earlier today to share a &quot;big announcement&quot;.

The football sensation shared his post-retirement plans in a video that was tweeted from his official Twitter account.&nbsp;

&quot;I have a big announcement to share with you today,&quot; noted the 37-year-old star.

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Eu tenho um grande an&uacute;ncio para compartilhar com voc&ecirc;s hoje. <a href="https://t.co/dBJSByC5sL">pic.twitter.com/dBJSByC5sL</a>
&mdash; Ronaldinho Ga&uacute;cho (@10Ronaldinho) <a href="https://twitter.com/10Ronaldinho/status/965361091428708352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Ronaldinho thanked his fans for their love and support. He mentioned that after his retirement he will be involved with the football school and in the music industry.

&quot;This year I will hold retirement matches at various places. I will also&nbsp;partner in a big project,&quot; he noted.

The details of his &quot;big project&quot; will be announced soon.&nbsp;

Former Brazilian footballer and ambassador of Spanish club Barcelona, Ronaldinho played as an attacking midfielder for most of his career.&nbsp;

He mostly played for European clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and Milan apart from playing for the national football team of Brazil.&nbsp;

Ronaldinho holds two &#39;FIFA World Player of the Year&#39; awards.&nbsp;

The details of his 'big project' will be announced soon

Brazilian striker and former World Cup winner, Ronaldinho took to his Twitter handle earlier today to share a "big announcement". The football sensation shared his post-retirement plans in a video that was tweeted from his official Twitter account. "I have a big announcement to share with you today," noted the 37-year-old star. Eu tenho um grande anúncio para compartilhar com vocês hoje. pic.twitter.com/dBJSByC5sL — Ronaldinho Gaúcho (@10Ronaldinho) February 18, 2018 × Ronaldinho thanked his fans for their love and support. He mentioned that after his retirement he will be involved with the football school and in the music industry. "This year I will hold retirement matches at various places. I will also partner in a big project," he noted. The details of his "big project" will be announced soon. Former Brazilian footballer and ambassador of Spanish club Barcelona, Ronaldinho played as an attacking midfielder for most of his career. He mostly played for European clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and Milan apart from playing for the national football team of Brazil. Ronaldinho holds two 'FIFA World Player of the Year' awards.

Football sensation Ronaldinho shares post-retirement plans on Twitter

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