After a goalless first leg in Spain, it is Sevilla FC that stunned, rather shocked the Jose Mourinho-led Manchester United at their home ground to advance to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Wissam Ben Yedder, the first substitute of the game for Sevilla, created history by inspiring the team in reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time in sixty years.

Ben Yedder blasted the first goal in 74th minute to give a 1-0 lead to the team by hitting a beautiful grounded shot in the right corner.

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????????&nbsp;Fiesta at Old Trafford! ????????????<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCL</a> <a href="https://t.co/I9B2g93qzr">pic.twitter.com/I9B2g93qzr</a>
&mdash; UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChampionsLeague/status/973685148599406593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Mourinho responded by throwing on Anthony Martial and Juan Mata, but their attacking edge was needed far earlier as Ben Yedder soon stretched the lead to solidify the victory in just after 2 minutes. The second goal was actually a poor defence by Manchester players when Ben Yedder&#39;s header baffled the United&#39;s goalkeeper De Gea.

Ben Yedder was substituted by Luis Muriel in the 72nd minute and made the difference for Sevilla.

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Sevilla hero Wissam Ben Yedder has scored 8 goals in 7 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCL</a> games this season. ???????????? <a href="https://t.co/vhBJozoGh1">pic.twitter.com/vhBJozoGh1</a>
&mdash; UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChampionsLeague/status/973676470626344962?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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For Manchester, Romelu Lukaku tried to salvage the pride at Old Trafford by heading a magnificent goal in the 84th minute and grabbed a consolation for Jose Mourinho&#39;s under-par side but the 1-2 aggregate ousted The Red Devils from the 2018 Champions league.

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A disappointing night for Manchester United...<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCL</a> <a href="https://t.co/wEvzDDLMl2">pic.twitter.com/wEvzDDLMl2</a>
&mdash; UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChampionsLeague/status/973677324632776706?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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In a basic, boring and&nbsp;dull first half&nbsp;both the sides were creating chances but the intent of netting was lacking.&nbsp;

Manchester was close to taking a 1-0 lead but the sharp cut was dejected Sevilla goalkeeper, Sergio Rico.

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If ANYTHING pushed us to history at Old Trafford it&#39;s you ???? 
 
THANK YOU SEVILLISTAS ❤️❤️❤️ <a href="https://t.co/Gz5rqZkKl2">pic.twitter.com/Gz5rqZkKl2</a>
&mdash; Sevilla FC (@SevillaFC_ENG) <a href="https://twitter.com/SevillaFC_ENG/status/973676567527329794?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Though Sevilla had more chances than United and they completely outplayed Manchester United in the first half.

Manchester United have now failed to reach the quarter-finals for five straight years.

&nbsp;

Sevilla reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time in sixty years; The Jose Mourinho-led Manchester United crashed out

After a goalless first leg in Spain, it is Sevilla FC that stunned, rather shocked the Jose Mourinho-led Manchester United at their home ground to advance to the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Wissam Ben Yedder, the first substitute of the game for Sevilla, created history by inspiring the team in reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time in sixty years. Ben Yedder blasted the first goal in 74th minute to give a 1-0 lead to the team by hitting a beautiful grounded shot in the right corner. ???????? Fiesta at Old Trafford! ????????????#UCL pic.twitter.com/I9B2g93qzr — UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 13, 2018 × Mourinho responded by throwing on Anthony Martial and Juan Mata, but their attacking edge was needed far earlier as Ben Yedder soon stretched the lead to solidify the victory in just after 2 minutes. The second goal was actually a poor defence by Manchester players when Ben Yedder's header baffled the United's goalkeeper De Gea. Ben Yedder was substituted by Luis Muriel in the 72nd minute and made the difference for Sevilla. Sevilla hero Wissam Ben Yedder has scored 8 goals in 7 #UCL games this season. ???????????? pic.twitter.com/vhBJozoGh1 — UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 13, 2018 × For Manchester, Romelu Lukaku tried to salvage the pride at Old Trafford by heading a magnificent goal in the 84th minute and grabbed a consolation for Jose Mourinho's under-par side but the 1-2 aggregate ousted The Red Devils from the 2018 Champions league. A disappointing night for Manchester United...#UCL pic.twitter.com/wEvzDDLMl2 — UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 13, 2018 × In a basic, boring and dull first half both the sides were creating chances but the intent of netting was lacking. Manchester was close to taking a 1-0 lead but the sharp cut was dejected Sevilla goalkeeper, Sergio Rico. If ANYTHING pushed us to history at Old Trafford it's you ???? THANK YOU SEVILLISTAS ❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/Gz5rqZkKl2 — Sevilla FC (@SevillaFC_ENG) March 13, 2018 × Though Sevilla had more chances than United and they completely outplayed Manchester United in the first half. Manchester United have now failed to reach the quarter-finals for five straight years.

Champions League: Sevilla create history, boot out Manchester United

The Jose Mourinho-led Manchester United crashed out of the Champions League as Wissam Ben Yedder, the star striker of Sevilla, created history by inspiring the team in reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time in sixty years.

After a goalless first leg in Spain, it was&nbsp;Sevilla FC that stunned, rather shocked the Jose Mourinho-led Manchester United at their home ground to advance to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

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Jose Mourinho post match press conference... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mansev?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#mansev</a> <a href="https://t.co/v8vjPI3nmg">pic.twitter.com/v8vjPI3nmg</a>
&mdash; Mister Skillz ???????? (@ennyade66) <a href="https://twitter.com/ennyade66/status/973684001239158786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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After the match, Jose Mourinho said, &quot;I don&#39;t want to make a drama of it, we don&#39;t have time for that. We have a match on Saturday.&quot;

&quot;We don&#39;t have time to be sad for more than 24 hours&quot;

He also said, &quot;That&#39;s not the end of the world. I sat in this chair twice in the Champions League and I knocked out Manchester United at home at Old Trafford.&quot;

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????????&nbsp;Fiesta at Old Trafford! ????????????<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCL</a> <a href="https://t.co/I9B2g93qzr">pic.twitter.com/I9B2g93qzr</a>
&mdash; UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChampionsLeague/status/973685148599406593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Manchester United have now failed to reach the quarter-finals for five straight years.

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A disappointing night for Manchester United...<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCL</a> <a href="https://t.co/wEvzDDLMl2">pic.twitter.com/wEvzDDLMl2</a>
&mdash; UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChampionsLeague/status/973677324632776706?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

After a goalless first leg in Spain, it is Sevilla FC that stunned, rather shocked the Jose Mourinho-led Manchester United at their home ground to advance to the quarter-finals of the Champions League

The Jose Mourinho-led Manchester United crashed out of the Champions League as Wissam Ben Yedder, the star striker of Sevilla, created history by inspiring the team in reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time in sixty years. After a goalless first leg in Spain, it was Sevilla FC that stunned, rather shocked the Jose Mourinho-led Manchester United at their home ground to advance to the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Jose Mourinho post match press conference... #mansev pic.twitter.com/v8vjPI3nmg — Mister Skillz ???????? (@ennyade66) March 13, 2018 × After the match, Jose Mourinho said, "I don't want to make a drama of it, we don't have time for that. We have a match on Saturday." "We don't have time to be sad for more than 24 hours" He also said, "That's not the end of the world. I sat in this chair twice in the Champions League and I knocked out Manchester United at home at Old Trafford." ???????? Fiesta at Old Trafford! ????????????#UCL pic.twitter.com/I9B2g93qzr — UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 13, 2018 × Manchester United have now failed to reach the quarter-finals for five straight years. A disappointing night for Manchester United...#UCL pic.twitter.com/wEvzDDLMl2 — UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 13, 2018 ×

'That's not end of world', says Manchester United coach Jose Mourinho

The Red Devils from Britain are set to face The White and Reds of Spain!

The Jose Mourinho-led Manchester United will meet Sevilla FC to carry forward the first leg clash which was tied 0-0 at the final whistle. United will welcome Sevilla to Old Trafford on Tuesday night/ Wednesday morning&nbsp;for the decisive second leg of the last-16. The match will start at 1:15 am IST early Wednesday morning.

The winner of the game will enter the quarter-finals. Sevilla FC has a chance to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time in sixty years.

On the other hand, If Manchester United losses then it will be Michael Carrick&#39;s last match in Champions League, as he announced his retirement.

Sevilla&#39;s Italian coach Vincenzo Montella said, &quot;This will be a game&nbsp;where it will be very complicated on the pitch.&quot;

&quot;We are up against a great opponent with great players, a great manager and a club with great history. We know we&#39;ll have to give our all and take the small moments in the game which fall our way to change the game. We are ready to do all of this, he further added&quot;

Manchester United:

The Red Devils manager has confirmed that Anthony Martial is fit to return as he was absent for previous two games.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba were seen training on Monday which is a good news for Manchester United.

Manchester will enter the game with a high as they have won three consecutive wins in the Premier League. They came from behind and leapfrogged Chelsea and Crystal Palace to reach the spot two.

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Good to see <a href="https://twitter.com/AnthonyMartial?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AnthonyMartial</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/Ibra_official?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Ibra_Official</a> in training ahead of tomorrow&rsquo;s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCL</a> return leg. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MUFC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MUFC</a> <a href="https://t.co/L0Mi4oLdJ6">pic.twitter.com/L0Mi4oLdJ6</a>
&mdash; Manchester United (@ManUtd) <a href="https://twitter.com/ManUtd/status/973255602628526086?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Sevilla FC:

Currently, Sevilla is standing at number fifth position in LaLiga and are eleven points behind number four seated Valencia, hence, their hope of finishing as top four are very less.

Sevilla recently, shared a video on Twitter that says, &quot;We have already done incredible things&hellip;.Why not again?&quot;

Though, Sevilla is also not letting this go easily as they have one advantage of not losing any of the three fixtures they have played against English opposition this season.

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We have already done incredible things&hellip;.Why not again? ???????? 
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/vamosmisevilla?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#vamosmisevilla</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCL</a> <a href="https://t.co/HHpqvGAlqX">pic.twitter.com/HHpqvGAlqX</a>
&mdash; Sevilla FC (@SevillaFC_ENG) <a href="https://twitter.com/SevillaFC_ENG/status/973306059833204736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The Jose Mourinho-led Manchester United tied 0-0 with Sevilla FC in the first leg. The second leg will be played at Old Trafford

The Red Devils from Britain are set to face The White and Reds of Spain! The Jose Mourinho-led Manchester United will meet Sevilla FC to carry forward the first leg clash which was tied 0-0 at the final whistle. United will welcome Sevilla to Old Trafford on Tuesday night/ Wednesday morning for the decisive second leg of the last-16. The match will start at 1:15 am IST early Wednesday morning. The winner of the game will enter the quarter-finals. Sevilla FC has a chance to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time in sixty years. On the other hand, If Manchester United losses then it will be Michael Carrick's last match in Champions League, as he announced his retirement. Sevilla's Italian coach Vincenzo Montella said, "This will be a game where it will be very complicated on the pitch." "We are up against a great opponent with great players, a great manager and a club with great history. We know we'll have to give our all and take the small moments in the game which fall our way to change the game. We are ready to do all of this, he further added" Manchester United: The Red Devils manager has confirmed that Anthony Martial is fit to return as he was absent for previous two games. Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba were seen training on Monday which is a good news for Manchester United. Manchester will enter the game with a high as they have won three consecutive wins in the Premier League. They came from behind and leapfrogged Chelsea and Crystal Palace to reach the spot two. Good to see @AnthonyMartial and @Ibra_Official in training ahead of tomorrow’s #UCL return leg. #MUFC pic.twitter.com/L0Mi4oLdJ6 — Manchester United (@ManUtd) March 12, 2018 × Sevilla FC: Currently, Sevilla is standing at number fifth position in LaLiga and are eleven points behind number four seated Valencia, hence, their hope of finishing as top four are very less. Sevilla recently, shared a video on Twitter that says, "We have already done incredible things….Why not again?" Though, Sevilla is also not letting this go easily as they have one advantage of not losing any of the three fixtures they have played against English opposition this season. We have already done incredible things….Why not again? ???????? #vamosmisevilla #UCL pic.twitter.com/HHpqvGAlqX — Sevilla FC (@SevillaFC_ENG) March 12, 2018 ×

Champions League match preview: Manchester United take on Sevilla

Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick confirmed on Monday he will bring an end to his illustrious career at the end of the current season at the age of 36.

Carrick has won 18 trophies in 12 years at United, including five Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2008.

However, he has featured in just four games this season having had a procedure to treat an irregular heart rhythm detected in a League Cup game against Burton Albion in September.

&quot;There comes a time when, you like it or you don&#39;t like it, your body tells you it&#39;s time to stop playing football and that&#39;s pretty much where I&#39;m at,&quot; Carrick said on Monday.

&quot;It&#39;s fine, it&#39;s something you&#39;ve got to accept so that is where I&#39;m at.&quot;

Carrick is, though, expected to remain at United as part of Jose Mourinho&#39;s coaching staff next season.

&quot;It&#39;s kind of been sorted,&quot; added Carrick. &quot;We&#39;re still talking about it to be honest so there is nothing to totally confirm yet but it&#39;s looking likely.&quot;

&nbsp;

'There comes a time when, you like it or you don't like it, your body tells you it's time to stop playing football and that's pretty much where I'm at,' said Michael Carrick

Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick confirmed on Monday he will bring an end to his illustrious career at the end of the current season at the age of 36. Carrick has won 18 trophies in 12 years at United, including five Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2008. However, he has featured in just four games this season having had a procedure to treat an irregular heart rhythm detected in a League Cup game against Burton Albion in September. "There comes a time when, you like it or you don't like it, your body tells you it's time to stop playing football and that's pretty much where I'm at," Carrick said on Monday. "It's fine, it's something you've got to accept so that is where I'm at." Carrick is, though, expected to remain at United as part of Jose Mourinho's coaching staff next season. "It's kind of been sorted," added Carrick. "We're still talking about it to be honest so there is nothing to totally confirm yet but it's looking likely."

Michael Carrick to retire at end of the season

&quot;Perfect result. I wouldn&#39;t go so far as saying it was a perfect performance.&quot;

&quot;In the first half, the game gave us the opportunity to be direct, fast and score goals, more than we did. We were worth the win,&quot; United manager Jose Mourinho said after registering a 2-1 victory against arch-rivals Liverpool.

The reason behind &quot;perfect performance&quot; could be the secret notes that Mourinho was making during the first half of the match.

Yes, secret notes!!! The Portuguese manager of the &quot;red devils&quot; was spotted scribbling something in his notebook.

The language was so difficult to comprehend that now the Twitterati are coming up with all possible decoding tools to understand what Jose Mourinho was actually writing.

Here are some twitter reactions:

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Mourinho&lsquo;s note taking is paying dividend...<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MUNLIV?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MUNLIV</a> <a href="https://t.co/oMTB3zJ2yF">pic.twitter.com/oMTB3zJ2yF</a>
&mdash; ONSIDEVIEW.COM (@theonsideview) <a href="https://twitter.com/theonsideview/status/972461237606010881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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???? Mourinho&#39;s notes reveal all <a href="https://t.co/QaCEMZIT9p">pic.twitter.com/QaCEMZIT9p</a>
&mdash; CaughtOffside (@caughtoffside) <a href="https://twitter.com/caughtoffside/status/972468081971916800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Jose Mourinho&rsquo;s notes ???? what does it say? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/munliv?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#munliv</a> <a href="https://t.co/Qk76LWqhfm">pic.twitter.com/Qk76LWqhfm</a>
&mdash; 433 Formation (@433FormationX) <a href="https://twitter.com/433FormationX/status/972453020725211136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Jose Mourinho taking notes from the game against Liverpool yesterday hahaha <a href="https://t.co/qXllul3cL2">pic.twitter.com/qXllul3cL2</a>
&mdash; Reece (@_RH67) <a href="https://twitter.com/_RH67/status/972653155342221312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Mourinho taking notes like <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MUNLIV?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MUNLIV</a> <a href="https://t.co/eYEahRIptY">pic.twitter.com/eYEahRIptY</a>
&mdash; ???? (@wowfulls_) <a href="https://twitter.com/wowfulls_/status/972455329257672705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Marcus Rashford scored twice as Manchester United beat their arch-rivals Liverpool 2-1 on Saturday to consolidate second place in the Premier League table.

With runaway leaders, Manchester City on course for a third Premier League title, second place is the best the chasing pack can hope for and United moved five points ahead of Liverpool.

&nbsp;

The Portuguese manager of the "red devils" was spotted scribbling something in his notebook

"Perfect result. I wouldn't go so far as saying it was a perfect performance." "In the first half, the game gave us the opportunity to be direct, fast and score goals, more than we did. We were worth the win," United manager Jose Mourinho said after registering a 2-1 victory against arch-rivals Liverpool. The reason behind "perfect performance" could be the secret notes that Mourinho was making during the first half of the match. Yes, secret notes!!! The Portuguese manager of the "red devils" was spotted scribbling something in his notebook. The language was so difficult to comprehend that now the Twitterati are coming up with all possible decoding tools to understand what Jose Mourinho was actually writing. Here are some twitter reactions: Mourinho‘s note taking is paying dividend...#MUNLIV pic.twitter.com/oMTB3zJ2yF — ONSIDEVIEW.COM (@theonsideview) March 10, 2018 × ???? Mourinho's notes reveal all pic.twitter.com/QaCEMZIT9p — CaughtOffside (@caughtoffside) March 10, 2018 × Jose Mourinho’s notes ???? what does it say? #munliv pic.twitter.com/Qk76LWqhfm — 433 Formation (@433FormationX) March 10, 2018 × Jose Mourinho taking notes from the game against Liverpool yesterday hahaha pic.twitter.com/qXllul3cL2 — Reece (@_RH67) March 11, 2018 × Mourinho taking notes like #MUNLIV pic.twitter.com/eYEahRIptY — ???? (@wowfulls_) March 10, 2018 × Marcus Rashford scored twice as Manchester United beat their arch-rivals Liverpool 2-1 on Saturday to consolidate second place in the Premier League table. With runaway leaders, Manchester City on course for a third Premier League title, second place is the best the chasing pack can hope for and United moved five points ahead of Liverpool.

Jose Mourinho's 'secret notes' goes viral

Marcus Rashford scored twice as Manchester United beat their arch-rivals Liverpool 2-1 on Saturday to consolidate second place in the Premier League table.

With runaway leaders, Manchester City on course for a third Premier League title, second place is the best the chasing pack can hope for and United moved five points ahead of Liverpool.

United stifled Liverpool&#39;s exhilarating attack early on and raced into a two-goal lead with 24 minutes on the clock after a double from Rashford.

Eric Bailly&#39;s bizarre own goal gave Liverpool hope in the second half, but United held on for the first victory over their North West rivals since January 2016.

&quot;Perfect result. I wouldn&#39;t go so far as saying it was a perfect performance. In the first half, the game gave us the opportunity to be direct, fast and score goals, more than we did. We were worth the win,&quot; United manager Jose Mourinho said.

It was an important afternoon at the bottom of the table too, with West Ham United slipping to a damaging 3-0 home defeat by Burnley to leave them three points above the relegation zone.

There were unsavoury scenes at London Stadium where pitch invasions and mass protests in the stands forced owners David Sullivan and David Gold to leave the director&#39;s box, with police brought in to restore order.

&quot;We want the supporters behind us, since I&#39;ve been here they&#39;ve been really good. But you can&#39;t cross the line and come on the pitch,&quot; West Ham manager David Moyes said.

Matters on the pitch added to the vitriolic mood, with Ashley Barnes and a Chris Wood double steering Burnley to a second win in a week, closing the gap on sixth-placed Arsenal, who host Watford on Sunday, to two points.

Rashford Double

Much of the pre-match talk centred around how United were going to cope with Liverpool&#39;s in-form front three of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and the league&#39;s joint-top scorer Mohamed Salah.

However, even without the injured Paul Pogba, it was United who started on the front foot, adopting a more direct style with Romelu Lukaku the target and the Belgium striker was influential in both Rashford goals.

Rashford&#39;s double - on his first Premier League start since Boxing Day - proved decisive, as Liverpool couldn&#39;t add to the Bailly own goal as they slipped to a first defeat in eight games in all competitions.

&quot;It didn&#39;t go our way because of the two goals we conceded,&quot; Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said.

&quot;We have to defend these situations better. You can always lose a header or tackle with (Romelu) Lukaku but you need to close the gap in behind.&quot;

In the North East, Newcastle United secured a 3-0 victory over Southampton to move five points clear of the bottom three, piling the pressure on Saints boss Mauricio Pellegrino.

Two goals from Kenedy, on loan from Chelsea, and a Matt Ritchie strike were enough for a second successive Premier League home win for Rafael Benitez&#39;s side.

West Bromwich Albion&#39;s woes continued as they slipped to a 4-1 home defeat by Leicester City. Salomon Rondon gave West Brom the lead at The Hawthorns, but four Leicester goals without reply ensured West Brom stayed bottom, eight points from safety.

Swansea City, who had Jordan Ayew sent off in the 11th minute, held Huddersfield Town to a 0-0 draw at the John Smith&#39;s Stadium while Wayne Rooney&#39;s penalty miss mattered little as Everton beat Brighton and Hove Albion 2-0 at Goodison Park.

Marcus Rashford scored twice as Manchester United beat their arch-rivals Liverpool 2-1 on Saturday to consolidate second place in the Premier League table

Marcus Rashford scored twice as Manchester United beat their arch-rivals Liverpool 2-1 on Saturday to consolidate second place in the Premier League table. With runaway leaders, Manchester City on course for a third Premier League title, second place is the best the chasing pack can hope for and United moved five points ahead of Liverpool. United stifled Liverpool's exhilarating attack early on and raced into a two-goal lead with 24 minutes on the clock after a double from Rashford. Eric Bailly's bizarre own goal gave Liverpool hope in the second half, but United held on for the first victory over their North West rivals since January 2016. "Perfect result. I wouldn't go so far as saying it was a perfect performance. In the first half, the game gave us the opportunity to be direct, fast and score goals, more than we did. We were worth the win," United manager Jose Mourinho said. It was an important afternoon at the bottom of the table too, with West Ham United slipping to a damaging 3-0 home defeat by Burnley to leave them three points above the relegation zone. There were unsavoury scenes at London Stadium where pitch invasions and mass protests in the stands forced owners David Sullivan and David Gold to leave the director's box, with police brought in to restore order. "We want the supporters behind us, since I've been here they've been really good. But you can't cross the line and come on the pitch," West Ham manager David Moyes said. Matters on the pitch added to the vitriolic mood, with Ashley Barnes and a Chris Wood double steering Burnley to a second win in a week, closing the gap on sixth-placed Arsenal, who host Watford on Sunday, to two points. Rashford Double Much of the pre-match talk centred around how United were going to cope with Liverpool's in-form front three of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and the league's joint-top scorer Mohamed Salah. However, even without the injured Paul Pogba, it was United who started on the front foot, adopting a more direct style with Romelu Lukaku the target and the Belgium striker was influential in both Rashford goals. Rashford's double - on his first Premier League start since Boxing Day - proved decisive, as Liverpool couldn't add to the Bailly own goal as they slipped to a first defeat in eight games in all competitions. "It didn't go our way because of the two goals we conceded," Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said. "We have to defend these situations better. You can always lose a header or tackle with (Romelu) Lukaku but you need to close the gap in behind." In the North East, Newcastle United secured a 3-0 victory over Southampton to move five points clear of the bottom three, piling the pressure on Saints boss Mauricio Pellegrino. Two goals from Kenedy, on loan from Chelsea, and a Matt Ritchie strike were enough for a second successive Premier League home win for Rafael Benitez's side. West Bromwich Albion's woes continued as they slipped to a 4-1 home defeat by Leicester City. Salomon Rondon gave West Brom the lead at The Hawthorns, but four Leicester goals without reply ensured West Brom stayed bottom, eight points from safety. Swansea City, who had Jordan Ayew sent off in the 11th minute, held Huddersfield Town to a 0-0 draw at the John Smith's Stadium while Wayne Rooney's penalty miss mattered little as Everton beat Brighton and Hove Albion 2-0 at Goodison Park.

Rashford shines as Man United sink Liverpool

Jose Mourinho admits he has not got the best out of Alexis Sanchez since his January transfer because the former Arsenal forward moved to Manchester United at the &quot;wrong&quot; time.

Sanchez was signed in a swap deal that reportedly made him the Premier League&#39;s best-paid player but the Chile international has scored just one goal in eight United appearances, well below his career strike rate.

Mourinho, whose team take on Liverpool at Old Trafford on Saturday, believes it will be next season before the 29-year-old shows his best form.

&quot;What is wrong is that he came at the worst moment of the season, in the winter market,&quot; said the Manchester United boss. &quot;That&#39;s why I don&#39;t like the winter market very much.

&quot;I think this was a chance that we didn&#39;t want to lose and we made. But we don&#39;t believe a lot in the winter market.

&quot;And for sure next season will be better for him. But of course he is learning how to play with us and we are learning how to get the best out of him.&quot;

Pundits have suggested integrating Sanchez in mid-season has had an adverse effect on the form of teammates, in particular midfielder Paul Pogba.

But despite the obvious teething problems, Mourinho does not see Sanchez as a weakness in the United team.

&quot;No. That&#39;s something that we can develop and we&#39;re going to develop with time, with experience and living these experiences together,&quot; said the manager.&nbsp;

&quot;I don&#39;t consider that a weakness, I consider that a huge potential to be developed.

&quot;He&#39;s fit and if he is trying too hard, that&#39;s great. He is not afraid to take responsibilities, not afraid to try things.&quot;

Sanchez&#39;s eight appearances have included two defeats, at Tottenham and Newcastle, which all but ended United&#39;s lingering hopes of challenging Manchester City for the Premier League title.

Sanchez happy

But despite an underwhelming start to Sanchez&#39;s United career, Mourinho said the player remains happy.

&quot;He&#39;s fine,&quot; said the United boss. &quot;He&#39;s happy that the team is getting results -- lately he was unhappy when we lost matches with him but he&#39;s a guy with great maturity and attitude and we couldn&#39;t be happier.&quot;

United&#39;s eagerly awaited league encounter with rivals Liverpool comes with both clubs chasing second spot behind champions-elect City.

And, at the start of a week in which Mourinho is also looking to progress in the Champions League and FA Cup, the United manager believes he and opposite number Jurgen Klopp are at similar stages in terms of developing their clubs.

&quot;They have qualities and they have weaknesses,&quot; he said. &quot;We have qualities, and we have weaknesses.

&quot;And one of my good qualities as coach was always to know my team&#39;s weaknesses very well and sometimes I tried to hide them and sometimes I have to try to compensate them with other things.

&quot;But we are very similar in terms of points in the Premier League. Liverpool have already qualified for the (Champions League) quarter-final and we still have 90 minutes or two hours of a big fight to try to be there.&quot;

Mourinho, whose team take on Liverpool at Old Trafford on Saturday, believes it will be next season before the 29-year-old shows his best form

Jose Mourinho admits he has not got the best out of Alexis Sanchez since his January transfer because the former Arsenal forward moved to Manchester United at the "wrong" time. Sanchez was signed in a swap deal that reportedly made him the Premier League's best-paid player but the Chile international has scored just one goal in eight United appearances, well below his career strike rate. Mourinho, whose team take on Liverpool at Old Trafford on Saturday, believes it will be next season before the 29-year-old shows his best form. "What is wrong is that he came at the worst moment of the season, in the winter market," said the Manchester United boss. "That's why I don't like the winter market very much. "I think this was a chance that we didn't want to lose and we made. But we don't believe a lot in the winter market. "And for sure next season will be better for him. But of course he is learning how to play with us and we are learning how to get the best out of him." Pundits have suggested integrating Sanchez in mid-season has had an adverse effect on the form of teammates, in particular midfielder Paul Pogba. But despite the obvious teething problems, Mourinho does not see Sanchez as a weakness in the United team. "No. That's something that we can develop and we're going to develop with time, with experience and living these experiences together," said the manager. "I don't consider that a weakness, I consider that a huge potential to be developed. "He's fit and if he is trying too hard, that's great. He is not afraid to take responsibilities, not afraid to try things." Sanchez's eight appearances have included two defeats, at Tottenham and Newcastle, which all but ended United's lingering hopes of challenging Manchester City for the Premier League title. Sanchez happy But despite an underwhelming start to Sanchez's United career, Mourinho said the player remains happy. "He's fine," said the United boss. "He's happy that the team is getting results -- lately he was unhappy when we lost matches with him but he's a guy with great maturity and attitude and we couldn't be happier." United's eagerly awaited league encounter with rivals Liverpool comes with both clubs chasing second spot behind champions-elect City. And, at the start of a week in which Mourinho is also looking to progress in the Champions League and FA Cup, the United manager believes he and opposite number Jurgen Klopp are at similar stages in terms of developing their clubs. "They have qualities and they have weaknesses," he said. "We have qualities, and we have weaknesses. "And one of my good qualities as coach was always to know my team's weaknesses very well and sometimes I tried to hide them and sometimes I have to try to compensate them with other things. "But we are very similar in terms of points in the Premier League. Liverpool have already qualified for the (Champions League) quarter-final and we still have 90 minutes or two hours of a big fight to try to be there."

Sanchez transferred to Manchester United at 'wrong' time: Jose Mourinho

Juventus relied on their warrior instincts, according to midfielder Blaise Matuidi, as they stunned Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 to reach the Champions League quarter-finals 4-3 on aggregate at Wembley on Wednesday.

Needing to score twice in the second half, the Italians appeared to be heading out until goals by Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala in the 64th and 67th minutes cancelled out Son Heung-min&#39;s opener for Tottenham, ending a poor run against English clubs in two-legged European ties.

Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea had all beaten Juventus in the knockout phase of the Champions League and they lost to Fulham in the Europa League.

But Massimiliano Allegri&#39;s side are made of sterner stuff, as they have proved by reaching two of the last three Champions League finals and now going on a 21-match unbeaten run in all competitions this season.

&quot;We weren&#39;t in a great position after the 2-2 at home. We knew we could score here, we did that,&quot; 30-year-old Frenchman Matuidi, who missed the first leg, told reporters.

&quot;We were up against a very very good team that has super players and plays good football. They finished top of their group. It was a challenge, one that we faced with heart and a warrior spirit and that made the difference.&quot;

No one typifies that more than 36-year-old Andrea Barzagli, a rugged no-nonsense pillar in a back four with more than 170 Champions League appearances between them.

When Tottenham threw everything at Juve in a desperate late assault to salvage their dream, he along with Giorgio Chiellini, Medhi Benatia and Alex Sandro stood firm in the storm.

Barzagli believes it is their kindred spirit that will make Juve feared quarter-final opponents.

&quot;We can really achieve anything with this great character, we played badly for over one hour and than turned everything around with two great goals,&quot; he said.

&quot;We were also lucky, but I think you deserve luck when you are ready to fight and sacrifice as we did tonight.&quot;

Chiellini said a calmness under pressure had allowed Juve to reach the quarter-final for the third time in their last five appearances in the competition.

&quot;At halftime we told ourselves that we had to remain calm despite suffering so much because our chances would come,&quot; he said.

&quot;Tottenham proved to be a great team, I think they are missing very little in becoming one of the best teams in Europe, maybe some experience.

&quot;A few years ago we were in the same place, and reaching two finals in the last three seasons helped us to better handle these kinds of games.&quot;

Allegri, whose decision to send on fresh legs in the shape of Kwadwo Asamoah and Stephan Lichtsteiner on the hour proved a masterstroke, praised his side&#39;s durability.

&quot;The lads were patient to wait for the right moment to hit them,&quot; he said. &quot;Considering the whole 180 minutes, I think our qualification was deserved.

&quot;In the first half we suffered a lot against a team with great quality. I decided that we needed fresh legs on the flanks, so I put Asamoah and Lichtsteiner in. I&#39;m happy it paid off.&quot;

Juventus relied on their warrior instincts, according to midfielder Blaise Matuidi, as they stunned Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 to reach the Champions League quarter-finals 4-3 on aggregate at Wembley

Juventus relied on their warrior instincts, according to midfielder Blaise Matuidi, as they stunned Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 to reach the Champions League quarter-finals 4-3 on aggregate at Wembley on Wednesday. Needing to score twice in the second half, the Italians appeared to be heading out until goals by Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala in the 64th and 67th minutes cancelled out Son Heung-min's opener for Tottenham, ending a poor run against English clubs in two-legged European ties. Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea had all beaten Juventus in the knockout phase of the Champions League and they lost to Fulham in the Europa League. But Massimiliano Allegri's side are made of sterner stuff, as they have proved by reaching two of the last three Champions League finals and now going on a 21-match unbeaten run in all competitions this season. "We weren't in a great position after the 2-2 at home. We knew we could score here, we did that," 30-year-old Frenchman Matuidi, who missed the first leg, told reporters. "We were up against a very very good team that has super players and plays good football. They finished top of their group. It was a challenge, one that we faced with heart and a warrior spirit and that made the difference." No one typifies that more than 36-year-old Andrea Barzagli, a rugged no-nonsense pillar in a back four with more than 170 Champions League appearances between them. When Tottenham threw everything at Juve in a desperate late assault to salvage their dream, he along with Giorgio Chiellini, Medhi Benatia and Alex Sandro stood firm in the storm. Barzagli believes it is their kindred spirit that will make Juve feared quarter-final opponents. "We can really achieve anything with this great character, we played badly for over one hour and than turned everything around with two great goals," he said. "We were also lucky, but I think you deserve luck when you are ready to fight and sacrifice as we did tonight." Chiellini said a calmness under pressure had allowed Juve to reach the quarter-final for the third time in their last five appearances in the competition. "At halftime we told ourselves that we had to remain calm despite suffering so much because our chances would come," he said. "Tottenham proved to be a great team, I think they are missing very little in becoming one of the best teams in Europe, maybe some experience. "A few years ago we were in the same place, and reaching two finals in the last three seasons helped us to better handle these kinds of games." Allegri, whose decision to send on fresh legs in the shape of Kwadwo Asamoah and Stephan Lichtsteiner on the hour proved a masterstroke, praised his side's durability. "The lads were patient to wait for the right moment to hit them," he said. "Considering the whole 180 minutes, I think our qualification was deserved. "In the first half we suffered a lot against a team with great quality. I decided that we needed fresh legs on the flanks, so I put Asamoah and Lichtsteiner in. I'm happy it paid off."

Champions league: Matuidi praises Juventus's warrior spirit after victory over Spurs

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

Romelu Lukaku broke his barren run against top six Premier League opposition and provided the winner for Jesse Lingard as Manchester United came from behind to beat Chelsea 2-1 at Old Trafford.

Victory against his former club was particularly sweet for Jose Mourinho as he got one over on Chelsea boss Antonio Conte, but more importantly moves United back above Liverpool into second place in the Premier League.

Defeat allied to Tottenham Hotspur`s late win earlier in the day at Crystal Palace sees Chelsea slip to fifth.

The visitors enjoyed the better of the first period but failed to build on Willian`s 32nd minute opener.

Lukaku levelled seven minutes later from close range and then crossed for substitute Lingard to head home as a ruthless United took full advantage of their limited chances.&nbsp;

The spectre of another fiery clash between Mourinho and Conte, who have publicly bickered in recent months, hogged the headlines before kick-off, but there was a peace offering when the pair shook hands before the action got underway.

Mourinho recalled Paul Pogba to his starting XI after dropping the &pound;89 million (100 million euros, $124 million) midfielder for Wednesday`s stalemate at Sevilla in the Champions League.

But it was one of Conte`s two changes from his side`s 1-1 draw with Barcelona in midweek who nearly made an immediate impact.

Alvaro Morata started for the first time in six weeks, but saw his side-footed volley from Marcos Alonso`s driven cross come back off the bar just four minutes in.

Chelsea dominated possession in the opening quarter, but much like they did to Barcelona on Tuesday with limited time on the ball, United restricted them to few other clear-cut chances.

United had offered little going forward themselves until Anthony Martial`s low cross picked out Alexis Sanchez inside the area.

However, the Chilean is still waiting for his first big moment since joining United last month as he poked the ball tamely into the arms of Thibaut Courtois.Moments later, the hosts were caught by a blistering Chelsea counter-attack to open the scoring.

Willian picked up the ball just outside his own area and drove through the United midfield before exchanging passes with Eden Hazard.

The Brazilian then unleashed a shot too powerful even for David de Gea to register his fourth goal in three games.

The lead lasted just seven minutes, though, as for the first time in a United shirt, Lukaku netted against one of their top six rivals -- at the seventh time of asking.

Sanchez fed Martial and his clever reverse pass was slotted home by Lukaku to muted celebrations against his former club.

Lukaku nearly had a spectacular second 22 minutes from time when he caught a Sanchez cross flush with an acrobatic volley, only to be denied by a finger tip save from Courtois.

However, the Belgian did make a decisive contribution when he dropped deep and his in-swinging cross was met by a perfectly timed run by Lingard.

Conte had surprisingly removed Hazard just before conceding and that decision looked all the more puzzling as Chelsea searched in vain for an equaliser.

Willian saw another effort smothered by De Gea at the second attempt at his near post as United held out for just a second win over Chelsea in 15 meetings.

The visitors enjoyed the better of the first period

Romelu Lukaku broke his barren run against top six Premier League opposition and provided the winner for Jesse Lingard as Manchester United came from behind to beat Chelsea 2-1 at Old Trafford. Victory against his former club was particularly sweet for Jose Mourinho as he got one over on Chelsea boss Antonio Conte, but more importantly moves United back above Liverpool into second place in the Premier League. Defeat allied to Tottenham Hotspur`s late win earlier in the day at Crystal Palace sees Chelsea slip to fifth. The visitors enjoyed the better of the first period but failed to build on Willian`s 32nd minute opener. Lukaku levelled seven minutes later from close range and then crossed for substitute Lingard to head home as a ruthless United took full advantage of their limited chances. The spectre of another fiery clash between Mourinho and Conte, who have publicly bickered in recent months, hogged the headlines before kick-off, but there was a peace offering when the pair shook hands before the action got underway. Mourinho recalled Paul Pogba to his starting XI after dropping the £89 million (100 million euros, $124 million) midfielder for Wednesday`s stalemate at Sevilla in the Champions League. But it was one of Conte`s two changes from his side`s 1-1 draw with Barcelona in midweek who nearly made an immediate impact. Alvaro Morata started for the first time in six weeks, but saw his side-footed volley from Marcos Alonso`s driven cross come back off the bar just four minutes in. Chelsea dominated possession in the opening quarter, but much like they did to Barcelona on Tuesday with limited time on the ball, United restricted them to few other clear-cut chances. United had offered little going forward themselves until Anthony Martial`s low cross picked out Alexis Sanchez inside the area. However, the Chilean is still waiting for his first big moment since joining United last month as he poked the ball tamely into the arms of Thibaut Courtois.Moments later, the hosts were caught by a blistering Chelsea counter-attack to open the scoring. Willian picked up the ball just outside his own area and drove through the United midfield before exchanging passes with Eden Hazard. The Brazilian then unleashed a shot too powerful even for David de Gea to register his fourth goal in three games. The lead lasted just seven minutes, though, as for the first time in a United shirt, Lukaku netted against one of their top six rivals -- at the seventh time of asking. Sanchez fed Martial and his clever reverse pass was slotted home by Lukaku to muted celebrations against his former club. Lukaku nearly had a spectacular second 22 minutes from time when he caught a Sanchez cross flush with an acrobatic volley, only to be denied by a finger tip save from Courtois. However, the Belgian did make a decisive contribution when he dropped deep and his in-swinging cross was met by a perfectly timed run by Lingard. Conte had surprisingly removed Hazard just before conceding and that decision looked all the more puzzling as Chelsea searched in vain for an equaliser. Willian saw another effort smothered by De Gea at the second attempt at his near post as United held out for just a second win over Chelsea in 15 meetings.

Manchester United beat Chelsea 2-1 in Premier League

David de Gea deflected the attention away from Paul Pogba with another spectacular display of goalkeeping as Manchester United came away from their Champions League last 16, first leg against Sevilla in Spain with a 0-0 draw on Wednesday.

De Gea made two breathtaking saves to deny Steven N`Zonzi and Luis Muriel at the end of the first half at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, denying Sevilla a lead to take to England for next month`s return.

Sevilla were the more likely side, with United offering little going forward despite the presence of Alexis Sanchez, Romelu Lukaku and Juan Mata in their attack.

Lukaku had a late goal disallowed, but United`s was the kind of cautious approach seen time and again in such games by Mourinho`s teams down the years.

Their inability, unwillingness even, to get an away goal leaves the tie wide open ahead of the second leg, with United looking to reach the quarter-finals in their first appearance in the knockout stage of the Champions League since 2014.

&quot;The only moment where we felt relieved was in the last couple of moments of the first half when from a couple of our mistakes in possession they had a couple of good situations and De Gea made good saves,&quot; said Mourinho.

His team managed just one attempt on target to Sevilla`s eight, but Mourinho added: &quot;Apart from that the game was even, but the statistics are what they are.

&quot;I really feel the result reflected what the game was -- you ask me was it a good result, and I say it was not good and not bad.&quot;

Mourinho decided to leave Pogba out of his starting line-up, despite the Frenchman being back in the squad after illness had kept him out of United`s FA Cup win at Huddersfield Town.

Fuelling the speculation of an uneasy relationship between Mourinho and the France midfielder, the United manager chose to select 21-year-old Scott McTominay ahead of Pogba in a midfield three.However, an untimely injury to Ander Herrera meant Pogba was thrown on after just 17 minutes of a first half dominated by the Spanish side.&nbsp;

Sevilla, looking to make it past the last 16 of the Champions League after falling in their three previous appearances at this stage over the last decade, could and should have had a goal to show for their performance.

De Gea made one good early save low down to deny Colombian Muriel, while Jesus Navas, impressive at right-back, fired just wide after latching onto Ever Banega`s cross-field pass.

Stepping up the pressure just before half-time, Joaquin Correa`s shot from a good position was too easy for De Gea, but the Spain `keeper displayed all his class as he kept out headed attempts from N`Zonzi and Muriel from point-blank range, both saves requiring breathtaking reactions.

The importance to United of not letting in a goal was clear -- they had kept eight clean sheets in their 10 matches before heading to Andalusia, with their only defeats in that time coming in the two games in which they had conceded. 
And they were content to leave Spain with a 0-0 draw, continuing to soak up pressure in the second half and relying on Sevilla`s indecision in the final third.

They were also aided by Pablo Sarabia`s inability to find the target from an inviting Muriel cross in the 73rd minute, before Lukaku`s goal was ruled out by French referee Clement Turpin for a handball as he controlled before shooting.

&quot;I am very happy with the character shown by the team,&quot; Sevilla`s Italian coach Vincenzo Montella told Spanish television. &quot;We have to be pleased with the performance. The 0-0 leaves everything open.&quot; 
Whether Mourinho`s team should have been more adventurous will only become clear after the return in Manchester in three weeks. 
 
&nbsp;

De Gea made two breathtaking saves to deny Steven N`Zonzi and Luis Muriel at the end of the first half at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, denying Sevilla a lead to take to England for next month`s return.

David de Gea deflected the attention away from Paul Pogba with another spectacular display of goalkeeping as Manchester United came away from their Champions League last 16, first leg against Sevilla in Spain with a 0-0 draw on Wednesday. De Gea made two breathtaking saves to deny Steven N`Zonzi and Luis Muriel at the end of the first half at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, denying Sevilla a lead to take to England for next month`s return. Sevilla were the more likely side, with United offering little going forward despite the presence of Alexis Sanchez, Romelu Lukaku and Juan Mata in their attack. Lukaku had a late goal disallowed, but United`s was the kind of cautious approach seen time and again in such games by Mourinho`s teams down the years. Their inability, unwillingness even, to get an away goal leaves the tie wide open ahead of the second leg, with United looking to reach the quarter-finals in their first appearance in the knockout stage of the Champions League since 2014. "The only moment where we felt relieved was in the last couple of moments of the first half when from a couple of our mistakes in possession they had a couple of good situations and De Gea made good saves," said Mourinho. His team managed just one attempt on target to Sevilla`s eight, but Mourinho added: "Apart from that the game was even, but the statistics are what they are. "I really feel the result reflected what the game was -- you ask me was it a good result, and I say it was not good and not bad." Mourinho decided to leave Pogba out of his starting line-up, despite the Frenchman being back in the squad after illness had kept him out of United`s FA Cup win at Huddersfield Town. Fuelling the speculation of an uneasy relationship between Mourinho and the France midfielder, the United manager chose to select 21-year-old Scott McTominay ahead of Pogba in a midfield three.However, an untimely injury to Ander Herrera meant Pogba was thrown on after just 17 minutes of a first half dominated by the Spanish side. Sevilla, looking to make it past the last 16 of the Champions League after falling in their three previous appearances at this stage over the last decade, could and should have had a goal to show for their performance. De Gea made one good early save low down to deny Colombian Muriel, while Jesus Navas, impressive at right-back, fired just wide after latching onto Ever Banega`s cross-field pass. Stepping up the pressure just before half-time, Joaquin Correa`s shot from a good position was too easy for De Gea, but the Spain `keeper displayed all his class as he kept out headed attempts from N`Zonzi and Muriel from point-blank range, both saves requiring breathtaking reactions. The importance to United of not letting in a goal was clear -- they had kept eight clean sheets in their 10 matches before heading to Andalusia, with their only defeats in that time coming in the two games in which they had conceded. And they were content to leave Spain with a 0-0 draw, continuing to soak up pressure in the second half and relying on Sevilla`s indecision in the final third. They were also aided by Pablo Sarabia`s inability to find the target from an inviting Muriel cross in the 73rd minute, before Lukaku`s goal was ruled out by French referee Clement Turpin for a handball as he controlled before shooting. "I am very happy with the character shown by the team," Sevilla`s Italian coach Vincenzo Montella told Spanish television. "We have to be pleased with the performance. The 0-0 leaves everything open." Whether Mourinho`s team should have been more adventurous will only become clear after the return in Manchester in three weeks.

Champions League: De Gea stars as Manchester United settle for Sevilla draw

Antonio Conte&#39;s press conference on Thursday was gatecrashed by an Italian comedian who attempted to give the Chelsea boss a Manchester United shirt signed by bitter rival Jose Mourinho.

Conte had already spoken of plans to rotate his team ahead of a demanding schedule in which they next play Barcelona, Manchester United and Manchester City when the comedian from Italia 1 satire Le Iene rose from his seat.

He spoke to Conte in Italian, showed him a video on a tablet -- United manager Mourinho&#39;s name could be heard via the video -- and then presented the shirt to him before it was refused and he was asked to leave.

When Conte saw the shirt he stopped smiling. Mourinho had signed it last month, unaware it featured Conte&#39;s name, when approached by comedians from the same programme in Manchester.

Conte and Mourinho have traded poisonous barbs this season, culminating in the pair saying they felt &quot;contempt&quot; for each other last month.

Conte remains without the injured Tiemoue Bakayoko, David Luiz and Ross Barkley for Friday&#39;s visit of Hull in the FA Cup fifth round and said he was preparing to make changes.

In response to Roy Keane, a one-time opponent with United while Conte played for Juventus, labelling his players &quot;unprofessional&quot;, Conte said: &quot;In every moment I have underlined the commitment of the players.

&quot;In this 18 months, we built a great mentality. In every training session I see great commitment and great behaviour. Under this aspect, I&#39;m very happy.&quot;

Friday&#39;s fixture is Hull&#39;s first since their midfielder Ryan Mason, 26, announced his retirement because of the fractured skull suffered in a challenge with Chelsea&#39;s Gary Cahill last year.

&quot;We are very sad for this bad news,&quot; added Conte, 48. &quot;He showed great strength to recover, to try to play again. It&#39;s a pity because to stop your career at such a young age, it&#39;s a pity.&quot;Prankster hands Conte signed Mourinho shirt 
&nbsp;

When Conte saw the shirt he stopped smiling. Mourinho had signed it last month, unaware it featured Conte's name, when approached by comedians from the same programme in Manchester.

Antonio Conte's press conference on Thursday was gatecrashed by an Italian comedian who attempted to give the Chelsea boss a Manchester United shirt signed by bitter rival Jose Mourinho. Conte had already spoken of plans to rotate his team ahead of a demanding schedule in which they next play Barcelona, Manchester United and Manchester City when the comedian from Italia 1 satire Le Iene rose from his seat. He spoke to Conte in Italian, showed him a video on a tablet -- United manager Mourinho's name could be heard via the video -- and then presented the shirt to him before it was refused and he was asked to leave. When Conte saw the shirt he stopped smiling. Mourinho had signed it last month, unaware it featured Conte's name, when approached by comedians from the same programme in Manchester. Conte and Mourinho have traded poisonous barbs this season, culminating in the pair saying they felt "contempt" for each other last month. Conte remains without the injured Tiemoue Bakayoko, David Luiz and Ross Barkley for Friday's visit of Hull in the FA Cup fifth round and said he was preparing to make changes. In response to Roy Keane, a one-time opponent with United while Conte played for Juventus, labelling his players "unprofessional", Conte said: "In every moment I have underlined the commitment of the players. "In this 18 months, we built a great mentality. In every training session I see great commitment and great behaviour. Under this aspect, I'm very happy." Friday's fixture is Hull's first since their midfielder Ryan Mason, 26, announced his retirement because of the fractured skull suffered in a challenge with Chelsea's Gary Cahill last year. "We are very sad for this bad news," added Conte, 48. "He showed great strength to recover, to try to play again. It's a pity because to stop your career at such a young age, it's a pity."Prankster hands Conte signed Mourinho shirt

Prankster hands Conte signed Mourinho shirt

A superbly taken 54th-minute goal from Anthony Martial gave Manchester United a hard-earned 1-0 win over Burnley at Turf Moor in the Premier League on Saturday.

Romelu Lukaku showed strength and skill as he held off two challenges on the right flank before delivering a perfect cross-field pass to Martial whose powerful shot crashed in off the underside of the bar.

Burnley responded well, though, with Johann Berg Gudmundsson hitting the bar with a free kick and the Clarets put United under plenty of pressure throughout the second half.

Home goalkeeper Nick Pope produced a fine save to deny Martial another goal as second-placed United closed the gap on leaders Manchester City to nine points ahead of their rival&#39;s game against Newcastle United later on Saturday.

It may not have been thrilling, but it was the kind of disciplined performance that United need to keep delivering if they are to be in a position to take advantage of any slip-ups from City.

&quot;You never know,&quot; said defender Phil Jones, when asked if United could make up the gap.

&quot;It is not going to be easy, but you never say never.&quot;

United played a fluid formation with Lukaku as the lone central striker, Nemanja Matic the holding midfielder and then a flexible four of Martial, Paul Pogba, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard.

That produced some attractive passing and movement from Mourinho&#39;s side but not always too much to worry a Burnley defence, marshalled by James Tarkowski and Ben Mee.

Likewise, Burnley enjoyed plenty of possession, especially after Martial&#39;s strike, but did not pose enough of a threat in attack and when Gudmundsson did slip the ball across the face of goal, Tarkowski was unable to connect.

&quot;It was very hard, we played against a brave team, a team that plays with their strength and a team that knows how to get points - that&#39;s why season after season they are in a comfortable position. We were not brilliant, but we were very good,&quot; said Mourinho.

&quot;I prefer to win 4-0 and to sit on the bench and enjoy the game but it is good to see the way the team fought for it,&quot; he added.

Burnley manager Sean Dyche, whose team have now gone seven league games without a win and dropped to eighth on the table, was upbeat about his team&#39;s performance.

&quot;That&#39;s a very good performance and I&#39;m very pleased with the players,&quot; he said.

&quot;The challenge of the Premier League, that&#39;s why the top six are the top six, is often they can just about hang in there and find a moment of quality, and they do it enough.&quot;

&nbsp;

Burnley manager Sean Dyche, whose team have now gone seven league games without a win and dropped to eighth on the table, was upbeat about his team's performance

A superbly taken 54th-minute goal from Anthony Martial gave Manchester United a hard-earned 1-0 win over Burnley at Turf Moor in the Premier League on Saturday. Romelu Lukaku showed strength and skill as he held off two challenges on the right flank before delivering a perfect cross-field pass to Martial whose powerful shot crashed in off the underside of the bar. Burnley responded well, though, with Johann Berg Gudmundsson hitting the bar with a free kick and the Clarets put United under plenty of pressure throughout the second half. Home goalkeeper Nick Pope produced a fine save to deny Martial another goal as second-placed United closed the gap on leaders Manchester City to nine points ahead of their rival's game against Newcastle United later on Saturday. It may not have been thrilling, but it was the kind of disciplined performance that United need to keep delivering if they are to be in a position to take advantage of any slip-ups from City. "You never know," said defender Phil Jones, when asked if United could make up the gap. "It is not going to be easy, but you never say never." United played a fluid formation with Lukaku as the lone central striker, Nemanja Matic the holding midfielder and then a flexible four of Martial, Paul Pogba, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard. That produced some attractive passing and movement from Mourinho's side but not always too much to worry a Burnley defence, marshalled by James Tarkowski and Ben Mee. Likewise, Burnley enjoyed plenty of possession, especially after Martial's strike, but did not pose enough of a threat in attack and when Gudmundsson did slip the ball across the face of goal, Tarkowski was unable to connect. "It was very hard, we played against a brave team, a team that plays with their strength and a team that knows how to get points - that's why season after season they are in a comfortable position. We were not brilliant, but we were very good," said Mourinho. "I prefer to win 4-0 and to sit on the bench and enjoy the game but it is good to see the way the team fought for it," he added. Burnley manager Sean Dyche, whose team have now gone seven league games without a win and dropped to eighth on the table, was upbeat about his team's performance. "That's a very good performance and I'm very pleased with the players," he said. "The challenge of the Premier League, that's why the top six are the top six, is often they can just about hang in there and find a moment of quality, and they do it enough."

EPL: Anthony Martial strike gives United points at Turf Moor

Manchester United forward Alexis Sanchez pleaded guilty to two counts of tax fraud dating from when he played for Spanish team Barcelona and accepted a 16-month suspended jail sentence, his agent Fernando Felicevich said on Wednesday.

In a statement issued by the Barcelona prosecutor and seen by Reuters, Sanchez was accused of defrauding the Spanish state of a combined 983,000 euros ($1.2 million) in image rights in 2012 and 2013 by using a shell company in Malta and omitting the earnings from tax returns.

The Chilean was given a suspended sentence of eight months for each of those years and fines of 353,000 euros and 237,000 euros respectively.

Spanish law is such that any sentence under two years for a non-violent crime rarely requires a defendant without previous convictions to serve jail time.

Sanchez posted on social media a statement from Felicevich which criticised Spain&#39;s authorities for changing their criteria on tax returns and using the media to publicly shame players.

&quot;Despite proving Alexis did not commit any crime, we felt obliged, on the recommendation of our advisers, to accept the unfair pact offered to us to alleviate the emotional, personal and financial stress that comes from dealing with long and tedious court cases...&quot; the statement said.

&quot;Seeing the huge ordeals that Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi etc have been put through, we came to the conclusion that it was best to accept this unfair deal so that we can move on and stop being the object of media and political pressure.&quot;

A spokesperson for Spain&#39;s tax agency said it could not comment on individual cases but that it uses the same criteria and measures for each taxpayer.

Sanchez, who joined United last month from Arsenal, is the latest in a long line of La Liga players past and present, including Ronaldo, Messi, Marcelo, Pepe and Javier Mascherano to face judicial process for allegedly defrauding the Spanish state.

Sanchez moved to Barcelona from Italian side Udinese in 2011 and joined Arsenal three years later.

Sanchez posted on social media a statement from Felicevich which criticised Spain's authorities for changing their criteria on tax returns and using the media to publicly shame players.

Manchester United forward Alexis Sanchez pleaded guilty to two counts of tax fraud dating from when he played for Spanish team Barcelona and accepted a 16-month suspended jail sentence, his agent Fernando Felicevich said on Wednesday. In a statement issued by the Barcelona prosecutor and seen by Reuters, Sanchez was accused of defrauding the Spanish state of a combined 983,000 euros ($1.2 million) in image rights in 2012 and 2013 by using a shell company in Malta and omitting the earnings from tax returns. The Chilean was given a suspended sentence of eight months for each of those years and fines of 353,000 euros and 237,000 euros respectively. Spanish law is such that any sentence under two years for a non-violent crime rarely requires a defendant without previous convictions to serve jail time. Sanchez posted on social media a statement from Felicevich which criticised Spain's authorities for changing their criteria on tax returns and using the media to publicly shame players. "Despite proving Alexis did not commit any crime, we felt obliged, on the recommendation of our advisers, to accept the unfair pact offered to us to alleviate the emotional, personal and financial stress that comes from dealing with long and tedious court cases..." the statement said. "Seeing the huge ordeals that Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi etc have been put through, we came to the conclusion that it was best to accept this unfair deal so that we can move on and stop being the object of media and political pressure." A spokesperson for Spain's tax agency said it could not comment on individual cases but that it uses the same criteria and measures for each taxpayer. Sanchez, who joined United last month from Arsenal, is the latest in a long line of La Liga players past and present, including Ronaldo, Messi, Marcelo, Pepe and Javier Mascherano to face judicial process for allegedly defrauding the Spanish state. Sanchez moved to Barcelona from Italian side Udinese in 2011 and joined Arsenal three years later.

Football: Sanchez accepts deal to avoid prison over tax fraud

Manchester United have to continue fighting for the Premier League title regardless of the 13-point gap to leaders Manchester City, defender Antonio Valencia said.

United are second on 56 points with 12 games remaining but Valencia said the club cannot lose hope yet, pointing to how their cross-town rivals overcame an eight-point deficit in the final six games to pip them to the title in the 2011-12 season.

&quot;We lost a title when we were eight points ahead and there were only a few games left. Now, we have a lot more games to play and we need to keep fighting,&quot; Valencia told the club`s website (www.manutd.com). &quot;We need to keep going.

&quot;The important thing is to get the three points, playing at home, playing well, and we will carry on with this mentality until the end of the season.&quot;

United bounced back from a 2-0 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur last Wednesday to beat Huddersfield Town 2-0 on Saturday.&nbsp;

&quot;We have shown that we have the quality and conditions to fight until the end of the season,&quot; Valencia added.

United travel to 16th-placed Newcastle United on Sunday.

United bounced back from a 2-0 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur last Wednesday to beat Huddersfield Town 2-0 on Saturday.

Manchester United have to continue fighting for the Premier League title regardless of the 13-point gap to leaders Manchester City, defender Antonio Valencia said. United are second on 56 points with 12 games remaining but Valencia said the club cannot lose hope yet, pointing to how their cross-town rivals overcame an eight-point deficit in the final six games to pip them to the title in the 2011-12 season. "We lost a title when we were eight points ahead and there were only a few games left. Now, we have a lot more games to play and we need to keep fighting," Valencia told the club`s website (www.manutd.com). "We need to keep going. "The important thing is to get the three points, playing at home, playing well, and we will carry on with this mentality until the end of the season." United bounced back from a 2-0 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur last Wednesday to beat Huddersfield Town 2-0 on Saturday. "We have shown that we have the quality and conditions to fight until the end of the season," Valencia added. United travel to 16th-placed Newcastle United on Sunday.

Football: Valencia urges United to stay in hunt for Premier League title

West Ham signed former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra on a free transfer on Wednesday, with the Frenchman set to link up again with former boss David Moyes.

Evra has won multiple league titles and the Champions League in an illustrious career but his spell at Marseille ended abruptly in November after he launched a kung-fu kick at a supporter.&nbsp;

Evra, who joins the Hammers on a contract until the end of June, worked with Hammers manager Moyes during his time at Old Trafford and is looking forward to linking up with his old boss.

&quot;Im really happy to be a Hammer, to be back in the Premier League and I love this game,&quot; said the left-back.

&quot;When you have to make a deal and money is not the issue, the deal could be done in five minutes,&quot; added the Evra in a statement on the club&#39;s website. &quot;The main thing was for me to join West Ham and to help my teammates to win as many games as we can.

&quot;It was the fastest thing I have done in my life, because both parties wanted to work together, so it was very easy to make an agreement.&quot;

West Ham are 12th in the Premier League with 12 matches to play, but are only three points above the teams in 18th and 19th, two of the three relegation places.

Evra&#39;s departure from France came after he lashed out in response to a group of supporters who had come to the pitchside to berate him for what they considered sub-par displays.

The 36-year-old, capped 81 times by France, was hit with a season-long ban that only applies to UEFA club competitions.

Alex Ferguson took the Senegal-born player to Manchester United from Monaco in January 2006, and won five Premier League titles and the Champions League.

After spending his final season at Old Trafford working under Moyes, the defender moved to Italian champions Juventus in 2014 and enjoyed more domestic success before moving back to France in January 2017.

Evra&#39;s career has been dogged by controversy, not all of his making. At the 2010 World Cup in South Africa he led a revolt of the French players against coach Raymond Domenech.

A year later, while playing for United, Evra was the target of a racist insult from then Liverpool striker Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan was banned for eight matches and fined over the incident.

Evra has won multiple league titles and the Champions League in an illustrious career but his spell at Marseille ended abruptly in November after he launched a kung-fu kick at a supporter

West Ham signed former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra on a free transfer on Wednesday, with the Frenchman set to link up again with former boss David Moyes. Evra has won multiple league titles and the Champions League in an illustrious career but his spell at Marseille ended abruptly in November after he launched a kung-fu kick at a supporter. Evra, who joins the Hammers on a contract until the end of June, worked with Hammers manager Moyes during his time at Old Trafford and is looking forward to linking up with his old boss. "Im really happy to be a Hammer, to be back in the Premier League and I love this game," said the left-back. "When you have to make a deal and money is not the issue, the deal could be done in five minutes," added the Evra in a statement on the club's website. "The main thing was for me to join West Ham and to help my teammates to win as many games as we can. "It was the fastest thing I have done in my life, because both parties wanted to work together, so it was very easy to make an agreement." West Ham are 12th in the Premier League with 12 matches to play, but are only three points above the teams in 18th and 19th, two of the three relegation places. Evra's departure from France came after he lashed out in response to a group of supporters who had come to the pitchside to berate him for what they considered sub-par displays. The 36-year-old, capped 81 times by France, was hit with a season-long ban that only applies to UEFA club competitions. Alex Ferguson took the Senegal-born player to Manchester United from Monaco in January 2006, and won five Premier League titles and the Champions League. After spending his final season at Old Trafford working under Moyes, the defender moved to Italian champions Juventus in 2014 and enjoyed more domestic success before moving back to France in January 2017. Evra's career has been dogged by controversy, not all of his making. At the 2010 World Cup in South Africa he led a revolt of the French players against coach Raymond Domenech. A year later, while playing for United, Evra was the target of a racist insult from then Liverpool striker Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan was banned for eight matches and fined over the incident.

Evra, kicked out of Marseille, joins West Ham on free transfer

The&nbsp;Munich&nbsp;air&nbsp;disaster that destroyed the famed &quot;Busby Babes&quot; still resonates for present Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho 60 years after the tragedy he said on Friday.

The&nbsp;crash&nbsp;killed eight of the United team and three backroom staff -- 23 people in all died -- who had won successive league titles and left manager Matt Busby so badly injured he was given the last rites twice.

However, he survived and rebuilt the side leading it 10 years on with an epic European Cup victory.

Though the 60th anniversary of the&nbsp;crash&nbsp;-- United were returning via&nbsp;Munich&nbsp;from Belgrade after seeing off Red Star Belgrade to reach the European Cup semi-finals -- falls on Tuesday a minute&#39;s silence will be held ahead of Saturday&#39;s home Premier League match against Huddersfield.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
We will never forget. <a href="https://t.co/Bjo3QrvnmS">pic.twitter.com/Bjo3QrvnmS</a>
&mdash; Manchester United (@ManUtd) <a href="https://twitter.com/ManUtd/status/959879502330347525?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;This is something that is part of my life, or part of my football culture before I become Manchester United manager and why?&quot; said Mourinho, who sported a&nbsp;Munich&nbsp;pin badge on his eve of match press conference.

&quot;Because it was such a tragedy that it stayed over these last 60 years.&quot;

Mourinho said the way the club had reacted to such a huge loss and rebuilt the side illustrated what was so special about United.

&quot;So as Manchester United manager, obviously it means much more but I think it belongs to every sportsman as one of the biggest tragedies and at the same time is a crucial point in Man United history,&quot; said Mourinho.

&quot;The reaction, the strength, the union after that situation and I think tomorrow is an amazing day to show the respect, to show the passion for the club, respect for them, the families and I think is a day to play well.&quot;

The club is also holding a commemorative service at Old Trafford on Tuesday -- just two of the players who survived are still alive Bobby Charlton and Harry Gregg -- while around 2,000 fans are expected to travel to&nbsp;Munich&nbsp;itself.

&nbsp;

Mourinho said the way the club had reacted to such a huge loss and rebuilt the side illustrated what was so special about United

The Munich air disaster that destroyed the famed "Busby Babes" still resonates for present Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho 60 years after the tragedy he said on Friday. The crash killed eight of the United team and three backroom staff -- 23 people in all died -- who had won successive league titles and left manager Matt Busby so badly injured he was given the last rites twice. However, he survived and rebuilt the side leading it 10 years on with an epic European Cup victory. Though the 60th anniversary of the crash -- United were returning via Munich from Belgrade after seeing off Red Star Belgrade to reach the European Cup semi-finals -- falls on Tuesday a minute's silence will be held ahead of Saturday's home Premier League match against Huddersfield. We will never forget. pic.twitter.com/Bjo3QrvnmS — Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 3, 2018 × "This is something that is part of my life, or part of my football culture before I become Manchester United manager and why?" said Mourinho, who sported a Munich pin badge on his eve of match press conference. "Because it was such a tragedy that it stayed over these last 60 years." Mourinho said the way the club had reacted to such a huge loss and rebuilt the side illustrated what was so special about United. "So as Manchester United manager, obviously it means much more but I think it belongs to every sportsman as one of the biggest tragedies and at the same time is a crucial point in Man United history," said Mourinho. "The reaction, the strength, the union after that situation and I think tomorrow is an amazing day to show the respect, to show the passion for the club, respect for them, the families and I think is a day to play well." The club is also holding a commemorative service at Old Trafford on Tuesday -- just two of the players who survived are still alive Bobby Charlton and Harry Gregg -- while around 2,000 fans are expected to travel to Munich itself.

Munich air crash left mark on Mourinho

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said his team would not concede defeat in the Premier League title race if they were in the same position as Manchester United.

United manager Jose Mourinho conceded the title to runaway leaders City for the first time on Friday with the 20-times champions running second, 15 points behind City with 13 games left.

Asked ahead of City&#39;s trip to seventh-placed Burnley on Saturday if he would give up on Mourinho&#39;s position, Guardiola said: &quot;No, I don&#39;t think so. That is not going to happen.

&quot;We have shown even in our two defeats this season that we will try until the very end. We play every game to give sense to what we are doing. I know the 15-point distance is quite big at the moment. It&#39;s the same gap from six games ago.

&quot;In football and in sports anything can happen. You are good today but tomorrow you are bad. The most important thing we have done is the focus. In my experience, until everything is done, you have to be prepared for anything to happen.&quot;

City has endured a hectic season having progressed to the Champions League last 16, the FA Cup fifth round and the League Cup final apart from dominating the league and Guardiola said he would rest his players following the Burnley game.

&quot;After the game against Burnley until next Wednesday the players will be resting,&quot; Guardiola added.

&quot;The players can do whatever they want, they can travel or whatever. If they want to go and find some sunshine or stay here in Manchester, they can do what they like. They are free.&quot;

&nbsp;

United manager Jose Mourinho conceded the title to runaway leaders City for the first time on Friday with the 20-times champions running second, 15 points behind City with 13 games left

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said his team would not concede defeat in the Premier League title race if they were in the same position as Manchester United. United manager Jose Mourinho conceded the title to runaway leaders City for the first time on Friday with the 20-times champions running second, 15 points behind City with 13 games left. Asked ahead of City's trip to seventh-placed Burnley on Saturday if he would give up on Mourinho's position, Guardiola said: "No, I don't think so. That is not going to happen. "We have shown even in our two defeats this season that we will try until the very end. We play every game to give sense to what we are doing. I know the 15-point distance is quite big at the moment. It's the same gap from six games ago. "In football and in sports anything can happen. You are good today but tomorrow you are bad. The most important thing we have done is the focus. In my experience, until everything is done, you have to be prepared for anything to happen." City has endured a hectic season having progressed to the Champions League last 16, the FA Cup fifth round and the League Cup final apart from dominating the league and Guardiola said he would rest his players following the Burnley game. "After the game against Burnley until next Wednesday the players will be resting," Guardiola added. "The players can do whatever they want, they can travel or whatever. If they want to go and find some sunshine or stay here in Manchester, they can do what they like. They are free."

'I won't concede title if in Man United's position' says Pep Guardiola

Manchester United put a smile back on Jose Mourinho&#39;s face as fine goals from Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard sealed a 2-0 win over Everton, while Liverpool left it late to snatch a 2-1 victory at Burnley.

Martial started in the absence of the injured Romelu Lukaku and the United forward broke the deadlock in the 57th minute at Goodison Park.

Paul Pogba teed up Martial on the edge of the area and he stroked a sublime finish into the top corner for his ninth goal of the season.

Having struggled towards the end of 2017, United were more commanding in their first match of the new year and Lingard wrapped up the points with a superb solo strike in the 81st minute.

The winger beat several Everton players before curling home from 20 yards for his fourth goal in his last five appearances.

It was a welcome tonic for Mourinho amid reports the United manager is beginning to lose the support of his players after branding them &quot;childish&quot; and &quot;immature&quot; and admitting the squad needs major investment to catch City.

United moved back into second place in the Premier League after ending a frustrating run of three successive draws during the congested Christmas period.

&quot;Our pride, our effort, everything was top class and on top of it we played very well. It wasn&#39;t a performance of tired boys, with the worst possible calendar,&quot; Mourinho said.

&quot;Jesse is more consistent, he is adaptable, he is going in a good direction.&quot;

United are 12 points behind leaders Manchester City, who host Watford on Tuesday, and two points ahead of third placed Chelsea, who play Arsenal tomorrow.

With Philippe Coutinho and Mohamed Salah missing due to thigh and groin injuries respectively and Roberto Firmino left on the bench, Sadio Mane was the lone member of Liverpool&#39;s &#39;Fab Four&#39; to start at rain-lashed Turf Moor.

Senegal winger Mane showed Liverpool can thrive without his star team-mates as he opened the scoring in the 61st minute, hammering home from the edge of the area for his eighth club goal this season.

Burnley equalised with just three minutes left as Sam Vokes flicked on and Johann Gudmundsson pounced to slot home.

But Liverpool&#39;s Dejan Lovren headed on a free-kick four minutes into stoppage-time and Estonia defender Ragnar Klavan poked home from close-range.

Liverpool&#39;s third successive win extended their unbeaten league run to 13 games as they cemented their place in the top four.

&quot;A very difficult game, the weather made it so hard, windy, rainy,&quot; Klopp said.

&quot;This is one of the toughest places to play all season. Did we deserve to win? I don&#39;t care. We got the three points.&quot;

Stoke manager Mark Hughes faced calls for his sacking after a 1-0 home defeat against Newcastle.

Stoke&#39;s latest lacklustre display piled pressure on Hughes, whose gamble of fielding a weakened team in Saturday&#39;s 5-0 thrashing at Chelsea proved an unwise move.

Newcastle took a deserved lead in the 73rd minute when Ayoze Perez stabbed past Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland from close-range.

That triggered chants for Hughes&#39;s dismissal from Stoke fans, with a &#39;Hughes out&#39; banner held aloft in the stands.

Stoke have won once in their last six games and sit two points above the relegation zone.

High standards

Asked if he feared the sack, a defiant Hughes said: &quot;Who else is going to do it?

&quot;In terms of the knowledge of the group and the progress in my time here, I&#39;m the best person to do it.&quot;

Algeria duo Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani inspired Leicester&#39;s 3-0 win over Huddersfield.

Claude Puel&#39;s side took the lead through Mahrez in the 53rd minute, the winger meeting Marc Albrighton&#39;s cross with a well-taken volley for his eighth goal of the season.

With Leicester striker Jamie Vardy sidelined by a groin injury, Islam Slimani who marked only his second league start this season with his first league goal since April -- a chipped finish in the 60th minute.

Albrighton&#39;s 90th minute goal capped a good afternoon for Leicester, who ended a four-match winless run.

Callum Wilson&#39;s second goal in three games earned Bournemouth a 2-2 draw at south coast rivals Brighton.&nbsp;

Manchester United beat Everton 2-0, Liverpool beat Burnley 2-1

Manchester United put a smile back on Jose Mourinho's face as fine goals from Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard sealed a 2-0 win over Everton, while Liverpool left it late to snatch a 2-1 victory at Burnley. Martial started in the absence of the injured Romelu Lukaku and the United forward broke the deadlock in the 57th minute at Goodison Park. Paul Pogba teed up Martial on the edge of the area and he stroked a sublime finish into the top corner for his ninth goal of the season. Having struggled towards the end of 2017, United were more commanding in their first match of the new year and Lingard wrapped up the points with a superb solo strike in the 81st minute. The winger beat several Everton players before curling home from 20 yards for his fourth goal in his last five appearances. It was a welcome tonic for Mourinho amid reports the United manager is beginning to lose the support of his players after branding them "childish" and "immature" and admitting the squad needs major investment to catch City. United moved back into second place in the Premier League after ending a frustrating run of three successive draws during the congested Christmas period. "Our pride, our effort, everything was top class and on top of it we played very well. It wasn't a performance of tired boys, with the worst possible calendar," Mourinho said. "Jesse is more consistent, he is adaptable, he is going in a good direction." United are 12 points behind leaders Manchester City, who host Watford on Tuesday, and two points ahead of third placed Chelsea, who play Arsenal tomorrow. With Philippe Coutinho and Mohamed Salah missing due to thigh and groin injuries respectively and Roberto Firmino left on the bench, Sadio Mane was the lone member of Liverpool's 'Fab Four' to start at rain-lashed Turf Moor. Senegal winger Mane showed Liverpool can thrive without his star team-mates as he opened the scoring in the 61st minute, hammering home from the edge of the area for his eighth club goal this season. Burnley equalised with just three minutes left as Sam Vokes flicked on and Johann Gudmundsson pounced to slot home. But Liverpool's Dejan Lovren headed on a free-kick four minutes into stoppage-time and Estonia defender Ragnar Klavan poked home from close-range. Liverpool's third successive win extended their unbeaten league run to 13 games as they cemented their place in the top four. "A very difficult game, the weather made it so hard, windy, rainy," Klopp said. "This is one of the toughest places to play all season. Did we deserve to win? I don't care. We got the three points." Stoke manager Mark Hughes faced calls for his sacking after a 1-0 home defeat against Newcastle. Stoke's latest lacklustre display piled pressure on Hughes, whose gamble of fielding a weakened team in Saturday's 5-0 thrashing at Chelsea proved an unwise move. Newcastle took a deserved lead in the 73rd minute when Ayoze Perez stabbed past Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland from close-range. That triggered chants for Hughes's dismissal from Stoke fans, with a 'Hughes out' banner held aloft in the stands. Stoke have won once in their last six games and sit two points above the relegation zone. High standards Asked if he feared the sack, a defiant Hughes said: "Who else is going to do it? "In terms of the knowledge of the group and the progress in my time here, I'm the best person to do it." Algeria duo Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani inspired Leicester's 3-0 win over Huddersfield. Claude Puel's side took the lead through Mahrez in the 53rd minute, the winger meeting Marc Albrighton's cross with a well-taken volley for his eighth goal of the season. With Leicester striker Jamie Vardy sidelined by a groin injury, Islam Slimani who marked only his second league start this season with his first league goal since April -- a chipped finish in the 60th minute. Albrighton's 90th minute goal capped a good afternoon for Leicester, who ended a four-match winless run. Callum Wilson's second goal in three games earned Bournemouth a 2-2 draw at south coast rivals Brighton.

EPL roundup: United lift Mourinho, Liverpool leave it late

Jose Mourinho has lambasted former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes after he criticised the manager and key players in his role as a TV pundit.

Scholes singled out Paul Pogba, the club&#39;s record signing, after his anonymous performance in the weekend draw with Southampton.

But the French international was far more impressive in the 2-0 victory at Everton on New Year&#39;s Day, which ended a run of three consecutive United draws and put the Red Devils 12 points behind runaway leaders Manchester City.

The victory allowed Mourinho to launch a remarkable verbal attack on Scholes, one of the storied &quot;Class of 92&quot; who was a key part of some of the greatest successes in United&#39;s history.

&quot;I think the only thing Paul Scholes does is criticise,&quot; said Mourinho. &quot;I don&#39;t think he comments, I think he criticises, which is a different thing.

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&quot;Not every one of us has to be phenomenal like he was as a player. That does not mean that we all have to be phenomenal.&quot;

Scholes accused Pogba of coasting through games and failing to make the sort of impact his &pound;89 million ($120 million) transfer fee demands.

But Mourinho was clearly in the mood to defend his player and claimed that part of Scholes&#39; attitude was fuelled by jealousy.

&quot;Paul tries to do his best all the time,&quot; he said. &quot;Sometimes he plays very well, sometimes he plays well, sometimes he doesn&#39;t play so well.&nbsp;

&quot;It&#39;s not Paul&#39;s fault that he made much more money than Paul Scholes. It&#39;s just the way football is.&nbsp;

&quot;I think Scholes will be in history as a phenomenal player, not as a pundit. I prefer to look at him as a phenomenal player that gave so much to the club that I am proud to represent.&quot;

The United manager, who won at Goodison thanks to superb goals from Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard, both of which were set up by Pogba, also believes that Scholes has a desire to break into management.

The former United player recently claimed that his application for a job managing United&rsquo;s under-23 team was turned down by the club&#39;s management.

&quot;If Paul one day decides to be a manager I wish that he can be 25 percent as successful as myself,&quot; said Mourinho.&nbsp;

&quot;50 percent of that is 12.5 silverware, 25 percent is around six. If he&#39;s 25 percent, he&#39;ll be quite happy.&quot;

Mourinho did round off his criticism by adding that he believed Scholes was &quot;a phenomenal player&quot; and called him &quot;one of the best I&#39;ve ever seen playing in midfield&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;The prestige of this club is based on people like him, so successful here,&quot; he said.

&#39;Kings of rock and roll&#39; 
Scholes is the latest of the &quot;Class of 92&quot; to have voiced criticism of United under Mourinho, after Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville also made uncomplimentary comments - a point not lost on Mourinho who described them as &quot;the kings of rock and roll.&quot;

He said: &quot;I think the performance was really good so maybe I am lucky this time - and the kings of rock and roll who say I was under-performing last match say, this time, I performed.

&quot;I think they would love to be here. They would love to be at the club and that&#39;s a problem I cannot resolve.&quot;

Giggs was an assistant to previous United manager Louis Van Gaal.

Mourinho also revealed that Romelu Lukaku, who was stretchered off early in the draw with Southampton, did not suffer a concussion and will be available for selection for United&#39;s FA Cup tie with Derby on Friday.

Arsene Wenger made a similar criticism of former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry on Sunday, saying &quot;I don&#39;t listen to what he says&quot; after the Frenchman claimed the Arsenal squad was riven by divisions over the attitude of Chilean star Alexis Sanchez.

Scholes criticised both Mourinho and key players in his role as TV pundit. The former Manchester United played especially singled out Paul Pogba

Jose Mourinho has lambasted former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes after he criticised the manager and key players in his role as a TV pundit. Scholes singled out Paul Pogba, the club's record signing, after his anonymous performance in the weekend draw with Southampton. But the French international was far more impressive in the 2-0 victory at Everton on New Year's Day, which ended a run of three consecutive United draws and put the Red Devils 12 points behind runaway leaders Manchester City. The victory allowed Mourinho to launch a remarkable verbal attack on Scholes, one of the storied "Class of 92" who was a key part of some of the greatest successes in United's history. "I think the only thing Paul Scholes does is criticise," said Mourinho. "I don't think he comments, I think he criticises, which is a different thing. It's not Paul's fault that he made much more money than Paul Scholes. It's just the way football is,' said Mouringo × "Not every one of us has to be phenomenal like he was as a player. That does not mean that we all have to be phenomenal." Scholes accused Pogba of coasting through games and failing to make the sort of impact his £89 million ($120 million) transfer fee demands. But Mourinho was clearly in the mood to defend his player and claimed that part of Scholes' attitude was fuelled by jealousy. "Paul tries to do his best all the time," he said. "Sometimes he plays very well, sometimes he plays well, sometimes he doesn't play so well. "It's not Paul's fault that he made much more money than Paul Scholes. It's just the way football is. "I think Scholes will be in history as a phenomenal player, not as a pundit. I prefer to look at him as a phenomenal player that gave so much to the club that I am proud to represent." The United manager, who won at Goodison thanks to superb goals from Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard, both of which were set up by Pogba, also believes that Scholes has a desire to break into management. The former United player recently claimed that his application for a job managing United’s under-23 team was turned down by the club's management. "If Paul one day decides to be a manager I wish that he can be 25 percent as successful as myself," said Mourinho. "50 percent of that is 12.5 silverware, 25 percent is around six. If he's 25 percent, he'll be quite happy." Mourinho did round off his criticism by adding that he believed Scholes was "a phenomenal player" and called him "one of the best I've ever seen playing in midfield". "The prestige of this club is based on people like him, so successful here," he said. 'Kings of rock and roll' Scholes is the latest of the "Class of 92" to have voiced criticism of United under Mourinho, after Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville also made uncomplimentary comments - a point not lost on Mourinho who described them as "the kings of rock and roll." He said: "I think the performance was really good so maybe I am lucky this time - and the kings of rock and roll who say I was under-performing last match say, this time, I performed. "I think they would love to be here. They would love to be at the club and that's a problem I cannot resolve." Giggs was an assistant to previous United manager Louis Van Gaal. Mourinho also revealed that Romelu Lukaku, who was stretchered off early in the draw with Southampton, did not suffer a concussion and will be available for selection for United's FA Cup tie with Derby on Friday. Arsene Wenger made a similar criticism of former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry on Sunday, saying "I don't listen to what he says" after the Frenchman claimed the Arsenal squad was riven by divisions over the attitude of Chilean star Alexis Sanchez.

Mourinho lashes out at 'critical' Scholes

Pep Guardiola refused to be drawn into a war of words with Jose Mourinho after Manchester City maintained their impressive progress towards the Premier League title.

City stretched their commanding advantage at the top to 15 points over Manchester United as Raheem Sterling sealed a 1-0 win at Newcastle to record an 18th consecutive league victory, one short of Bayern Munich&#39;s current best for Europe&#39;s top five leagues of 19 straight wins.

United manager Mourinho attempted to provoke Guardiola on Tuesday after pointing to their rivals&#39; huge spending power by claiming &quot;City buy full-backs for the price of strikers&quot; and insisting that the &pound;300 million ($402 million) he has spent since taking charge at Old Trafford 18 months ago as &quot;not enough&quot;.

Mourinho paid &pound;93 million to sign France midfielder Paul Pogba, while also recruiting &pound;30 million defender Eric Bailly, and midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan for &pound;26.3 million.&nbsp;

This year, United spent &pound;75 million on striker Romelu Lukaku, as well as &pound;31 million on defender Victor Lindelof and &pound;40 million for midfielder Nemanja Matic.

In comparison, City bought three defenders -- Kyle Walker from Tottenham for an initial &pound;45 million, Benjamin Mendy from Monaco for &pound;52 million and Danilo from Real Madrid for &pound;26.5 million as part of a summer outlay that topped &pound;200 million.

When asked about the comments made by the Portuguese, Guardiola said: &quot;I&#39;m so delighted to be here to speak about what happened on the pitch.&nbsp;

&quot;About what happened with my colleague speaking off the pitch in the press conference, I&#39;m not the right guy. You want to talk about what happened today on the pitch, I will answer.&quot;

City remain on course to win the title in record time after equalling Chelsea&#39;s English top flight record of 11 consecutive away wins.&nbsp;

But Guardiola will await medical updates on Vincent Kompany, after the injury-prone skipper limped off with a recurrence of a long-term calf problem.

City face a minimum of eight games in 34 days in a hectic start to the New Year, and Guardiola added: &quot;Of course we are happy to break records but when we prepare for games we don&#39;t speak about them. Until now, we have found a way to win.

&quot;I saw the schedule in my office the other day and I wanted to escape, because it&#39;s terrible. The games we are going to play, it&#39;s tough.&nbsp;

&quot;We&#39;ve played all these games in December then in January you have the Carabao Cup and FA Cup and then the return of the Champions League in February.&nbsp;

&quot;It will be tough but it will also be tough for our opponents.&quot;&nbsp;

Guardiola&#39;s opposite number Rafa Benitez hit back at criticism of his negative approach after his team slid to a fifth consecutive home defeat, Newcastle&#39;s worst run at St James&#39; Park for 64 years to leave them just a point above the bottom three after one win in their last 11 matches.

Substitute Dwight Gayle almost snatched a dramatic late equaliser to in-part justify the manager&#39;s ultra-cautious approach, and the Spaniard said: &quot;We were in the game until the end and very close to getting a point against a very good team.&quot;

Newcastle face the key visit of relegation rivals Brighton before the turn of the year, and Benitez added: &quot;We have a couple of games in the space of a few days against teams near the bottom of the table and hopefully we&#39;ll have some of our injured players back before then.&quot;

'City buy full-backs for the price of strikers,' Mourinho said

Pep Guardiola refused to be drawn into a war of words with Jose Mourinho after Manchester City maintained their impressive progress towards the Premier League title. City stretched their commanding advantage at the top to 15 points over Manchester United as Raheem Sterling sealed a 1-0 win at Newcastle to record an 18th consecutive league victory, one short of Bayern Munich's current best for Europe's top five leagues of 19 straight wins. United manager Mourinho attempted to provoke Guardiola on Tuesday after pointing to their rivals' huge spending power by claiming "City buy full-backs for the price of strikers" and insisting that the £300 million ($402 million) he has spent since taking charge at Old Trafford 18 months ago as "not enough". Mourinho paid £93 million to sign France midfielder Paul Pogba, while also recruiting £30 million defender Eric Bailly, and midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan for £26.3 million. This year, United spent £75 million on striker Romelu Lukaku, as well as £31 million on defender Victor Lindelof and £40 million for midfielder Nemanja Matic. In comparison, City bought three defenders -- Kyle Walker from Tottenham for an initial £45 million, Benjamin Mendy from Monaco for £52 million and Danilo from Real Madrid for £26.5 million as part of a summer outlay that topped £200 million. When asked about the comments made by the Portuguese, Guardiola said: "I'm so delighted to be here to speak about what happened on the pitch. "About what happened with my colleague speaking off the pitch in the press conference, I'm not the right guy. You want to talk about what happened today on the pitch, I will answer." City remain on course to win the title in record time after equalling Chelsea's English top flight record of 11 consecutive away wins. But Guardiola will await medical updates on Vincent Kompany, after the injury-prone skipper limped off with a recurrence of a long-term calf problem. City face a minimum of eight games in 34 days in a hectic start to the New Year, and Guardiola added: "Of course we are happy to break records but when we prepare for games we don't speak about them. Until now, we have found a way to win. "I saw the schedule in my office the other day and I wanted to escape, because it's terrible. The games we are going to play, it's tough. "We've played all these games in December then in January you have the Carabao Cup and FA Cup and then the return of the Champions League in February. "It will be tough but it will also be tough for our opponents." Guardiola's opposite number Rafa Benitez hit back at criticism of his negative approach after his team slid to a fifth consecutive home defeat, Newcastle's worst run at St James' Park for 64 years to leave them just a point above the bottom three after one win in their last 11 matches. Substitute Dwight Gayle almost snatched a dramatic late equaliser to in-part justify the manager's ultra-cautious approach, and the Spaniard said: "We were in the game until the end and very close to getting a point against a very good team." Newcastle face the key visit of relegation rivals Brighton before the turn of the year, and Benitez added: "We have a couple of games in the space of a few days against teams near the bottom of the table and hopefully we'll have some of our injured players back before then."

Mourinho provokes Guardiola but he does not bite

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists he is not interested in the individual goal tallies of his attacking players because they will all get opportunities to find the net.

Two goals from Roberto Firmino and one each from Philippe Coutinho, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain helped Liverpool to an emphatic 5-0 win over Swansea City at Anfield.

The victory ensured Liverpool remain in the thick of the battle for the Champions League places in fourth spot &ndash; five points behind second-placed Manchester United.

Brazilian duo Coutinho and Firmino were both particularly influential in the Boxing Day win at Anfield.

However, Klopp preferred to extol the virtues of the collective efforts of his players rather than single out individuals.

Klopp said: &ldquo;I am happy for all the boys when they score but I couldn&rsquo;t say how many he has, or how many he has, I don&rsquo;t care.

&ldquo;That is not in my interest. If we play like we play in our good moments then the boys will be in good situations. They will all score.

&ldquo;Sadio Mane didn&rsquo;t play here but he will score if we play like this, if we bring the different players in the different moments in the different situations.

&ldquo;When you see the result is 5-0 that it was an easy game but it wasn&rsquo;t an easy game. It was really hard work, I&rsquo;ve no problem with that.

&ldquo;I&rsquo;m really happy with what we learned from the game. It is a perfect result for us, nobody injured I don&rsquo;t think. Important three points, five goals, clean sheet so it&rsquo;s all good.&rdquo;

Klopp withdrew Firmino in the 68th minute and the German explained that he did so with one eye on a hectic period of games over the festive period even though Firmino, who has scored six in in his last seven games, wanted to remain on the pitch.

&ldquo;You could see he wasn&rsquo;t the happiest in the stadium when I took him off but at least I have to stay reasonable or serious because there are a lot of games to come,&rdquo; Klopp said

&ldquo;I appreciate Roberto&rsquo;s effort and performance always and I am happy that he scored twice but I could not say how many he has scored so far in the season.

&ldquo;I feel he is always involved and always in and around the dangerous situations for the opponents. In the first half he was right full back, he was left full back, he was everywhere. At the end he scored two goals so that&rsquo;s nice, very nice.&rdquo;

Klopp also revealed that captain Jordan Henderson and left-back Alberto Moreno, both absent from the win over Swansea through injury, will miss forthcoming fixtures against Leicester City and Burnley.

Swansea caretaker manager Leon Brittan, who expects to be in charge for their next game with Watford as no managerial appointment is imminent, felt his players were guilty of making fundamental errors at Anfield.

&ldquo;The second half after conceding a goal all belief and confidence drained from the players,&rdquo; he said.

&ldquo;We made a lot of errors, basic mistakes, and you do it against a team of Liverpool&#39;s quality you get punished. We are bottom of the league and confidence is low. It&#39;s unacceptable.&quot; 
&nbsp;

Jurgen Klopp preferred to extol the virtues of the collective efforts of his players rather than single out individuals

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists he is not interested in the individual goal tallies of his attacking players because they will all get opportunities to find the net. Two goals from Roberto Firmino and one each from Philippe Coutinho, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain helped Liverpool to an emphatic 5-0 win over Swansea City at Anfield. The victory ensured Liverpool remain in the thick of the battle for the Champions League places in fourth spot – five points behind second-placed Manchester United. Brazilian duo Coutinho and Firmino were both particularly influential in the Boxing Day win at Anfield. However, Klopp preferred to extol the virtues of the collective efforts of his players rather than single out individuals. Klopp said: “I am happy for all the boys when they score but I couldn’t say how many he has, or how many he has, I don’t care. “That is not in my interest. If we play like we play in our good moments then the boys will be in good situations. They will all score. “Sadio Mane didn’t play here but he will score if we play like this, if we bring the different players in the different moments in the different situations. “When you see the result is 5-0 that it was an easy game but it wasn’t an easy game. It was really hard work, I’ve no problem with that. “I’m really happy with what we learned from the game. It is a perfect result for us, nobody injured I don’t think. Important three points, five goals, clean sheet so it’s all good.” Klopp withdrew Firmino in the 68th minute and the German explained that he did so with one eye on a hectic period of games over the festive period even though Firmino, who has scored six in in his last seven games, wanted to remain on the pitch. “You could see he wasn’t the happiest in the stadium when I took him off but at least I have to stay reasonable or serious because there are a lot of games to come,” Klopp said “I appreciate Roberto’s effort and performance always and I am happy that he scored twice but I could not say how many he has scored so far in the season. “I feel he is always involved and always in and around the dangerous situations for the opponents. In the first half he was right full back, he was left full back, he was everywhere. At the end he scored two goals so that’s nice, very nice.” Klopp also revealed that captain Jordan Henderson and left-back Alberto Moreno, both absent from the win over Swansea through injury, will miss forthcoming fixtures against Leicester City and Burnley. Swansea caretaker manager Leon Brittan, who expects to be in charge for their next game with Watford as no managerial appointment is imminent, felt his players were guilty of making fundamental errors at Anfield. “The second half after conceding a goal all belief and confidence drained from the players,” he said. “We made a lot of errors, basic mistakes, and you do it against a team of Liverpool's quality you get punished. We are bottom of the league and confidence is low. It's unacceptable."

Klopp refuses to be star struck at Liverpool

Antonio Conte insists the battle for a top-four finish is providing Chelsea with all the motivation they need, even if Premier League leaders Manchester City out of reach.

Conte&#39;s side recovered from the disappointment of a pre-Christmas draw at Everton by beating Brighton 2-0 on Tuesday to move within a point of second-placed Manchester United.

With City on a record-breaking run of victories, Blues boss Conte admits there appears to be little chance of closing the gap.

But the Italian insisted last season&#39;s champions are still motivated.

&quot;I think in this league there is a great motivation for all. To try, I repeat, to stay there and to fight until the end,&quot; he said.

&quot;I don&#39;t know if it will win the title. It depends upon Manchester City. They are doing something extraordinary to win every game and draw only once up to now. That means you&#39;re having a fantastic run.

&quot;Otherwise, Chelsea, United, Tottenham, Arsenal and Liverpool would be staying there to fight. We fight for a place in the Champions League next season.

&quot;There are four places for six top teams. Last season, Manchester United and Arsenal finished fifth and sixth, no?. There is this great motivation for me, for the players, and we want to try and improve.

&quot;Our start wasn&#39;t easy this season, for many reasons. But we want to work and improve. There are many competitions.&nbsp;It&#39;s important to face every competition and be very proud to play every game.&quot;

Alvaro Morata headed Chelsea ahead immediately after half-time and Marcos Alonso added the second on the hour at Stamford Bridge.

&quot;Today it was positive to score for Alvaro,&quot; said Conte. &quot;He&#39;s our No9. Against Everton, he didn&#39;t play.&nbsp;Also, Alonso, to score five goals up to now, for a wing-back, is a great achievement.&nbsp;

&quot;But it&#39;s important to continue. Not to stop scoring. We need this alternative from our strikers.&quot;

Conte wants to strengthen his squad in January and expressed his admiration for Bayern Munich midfielder Arturo Vidal after being questioned about reports linking the Chile midfielder with a move to Chelsea.

&quot;I must be honest, it&#39;s not right to talk about a player of another team,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;

&quot;Especially if you try to link this player with us. Arturo is a fantastic player, I have a great respect for Arturo, and we spent many years in Juventus together. I&#39;d always want him with me.&quot;

Brighton manager Chris Hughton also responded to reports claiming Albion have agreed a fee for Celtic striker Moussa Dembele.

&quot;I&#39;ve heard reports. As manager of this football club, I&#39;m quite sure I&#39;d know. There&#39;s been no contact between the two clubs,&quot; he said.

Albion remains close to mid-table our a solid run following last season&#39;s promotion and Hughton added: &quot;I want them to feel proud of where we are and what we&#39;ve achieved so far, but frustrated because we could have done better.

&quot;Would we have been happy at the start of the season to be in the position we are in now? The answer would be yes. But we could have done better.&nbsp;

&quot;If anything, in the second half of the season, it won&#39;t get any easier. It will get harder, if anything.&quot;

Conte's side recovered from the disappointment of a pre-Christmas draw at Everton by beating Brighton 2-0 on Tuesday to move within a point of second-placed Manchester United

Antonio Conte insists the battle for a top-four finish is providing Chelsea with all the motivation they need, even if Premier League leaders Manchester City out of reach. Conte's side recovered from the disappointment of a pre-Christmas draw at Everton by beating Brighton 2-0 on Tuesday to move within a point of second-placed Manchester United. With City on a record-breaking run of victories, Blues boss Conte admits there appears to be little chance of closing the gap. But the Italian insisted last season's champions are still motivated. "I think in this league there is a great motivation for all. To try, I repeat, to stay there and to fight until the end," he said. "I don't know if it will win the title. It depends upon Manchester City. They are doing something extraordinary to win every game and draw only once up to now. That means you're having a fantastic run. "Otherwise, Chelsea, United, Tottenham, Arsenal and Liverpool would be staying there to fight. We fight for a place in the Champions League next season. "There are four places for six top teams. Last season, Manchester United and Arsenal finished fifth and sixth, no?. There is this great motivation for me, for the players, and we want to try and improve. "Our start wasn't easy this season, for many reasons. But we want to work and improve. There are many competitions. It's important to face every competition and be very proud to play every game." Alvaro Morata headed Chelsea ahead immediately after half-time and Marcos Alonso added the second on the hour at Stamford Bridge. "Today it was positive to score for Alvaro," said Conte. "He's our No9. Against Everton, he didn't play. Also, Alonso, to score five goals up to now, for a wing-back, is a great achievement. "But it's important to continue. Not to stop scoring. We need this alternative from our strikers." Conte wants to strengthen his squad in January and expressed his admiration for Bayern Munich midfielder Arturo Vidal after being questioned about reports linking the Chile midfielder with a move to Chelsea. "I must be honest, it's not right to talk about a player of another team,” he said. "Especially if you try to link this player with us. Arturo is a fantastic player, I have a great respect for Arturo, and we spent many years in Juventus together. I'd always want him with me." Brighton manager Chris Hughton also responded to reports claiming Albion have agreed a fee for Celtic striker Moussa Dembele. "I've heard reports. As manager of this football club, I'm quite sure I'd know. There's been no contact between the two clubs," he said. Albion remains close to mid-table our a solid run following last season's promotion and Hughton added: "I want them to feel proud of where we are and what we've achieved so far, but frustrated because we could have done better. "Would we have been happy at the start of the season to be in the position we are in now? The answer would be yes. But we could have done better. "If anything, in the second half of the season, it won't get any easier. It will get harder, if anything."

Chelsea still have plenty to achieve, says Conte

Jose Mourinho slammed his Manchester United stars after they conceded a late equaliser in a 2-2 draw against 10-man Leicester that left them 13 points adrift of leaders Manchester City.&nbsp;United was already trailing in City&#39;s wake, but Harry Maguire&#39;s 94th-minute leveler at the King Power Stadium on Saturday was another hammer blow to their title hopes just hours after their rivals had beaten Bournemouth.

Mourinho&#39;s side had missed several superb chances to move 3-1 ahead and effectively kill off Leicester and the United boss was furious with his players&#39; finishing and the sloppy way they allowed Maguire to equalise.&nbsp;&quot;It is as bad as a defeat&quot;, said Mourinho. &quot;Sometimes you take a point and you say &#39;OK&#39; and you accept it as it was hard to get a positive result.&nbsp;

&quot;That is not the case. It is a game to win easily. It is a big frustration as they are easy goals to score and easy goals to kill the game but not just the goals we missed, also some easy way out to counter-attack where we lost the ball quite easily.&nbsp;&quot;On top of that, in the last couple of minutes, we allow the opposition to throw a few balls into the box, with Christian Fuchs&#39; hands and crosses.

&quot;We couldn&#39;t defend the last cross so I think we were punished by our mistakes in both penalty areas.&nbsp;&quot;There was a lack of maturity. I cannot stop the game and give a team talk&quot;, said Mourinho.&nbsp;

&quot;For the last two minutes, the players had to immediately adapt, to read the game, which they didn&#39;t so we had childish decisions in front of goal and bad decisions as it was not just about the goals we missed, or dribbling or hitting the post. &quot;It was not just about missing chances with an open goal, it was also about decisions. Easy decisions to make in easy transitions to counter-attack&quot;.

Childish decisions

Mourinho admitted he does not know whether all of his players will develop the maturity he needs.&nbsp;&quot;Some players they have childish decisions and time helps them to have the maturity and to decide better but some other players stay with childish decisions until the end of their career&quot;, he said.

&quot;You know it depends on what is inside and the way they learn or they don&#39;t learn&quot;.&nbsp;Leicester fought back despite having substitute Daniel Amartey sent off for two yellow cards in the space of five minutes.&nbsp;Foxes manager Claude Puel said: &quot;He took the second yellow card with naivety. Perhaps the first yellow card was a little harsh, but the second he needed to manage better.&nbsp;

&quot;He&#39;s a young player, he came into the game when there was a little pressure, there was intensity, rhythm, it was a difficult to come into the game.&nbsp;&quot;It was a good game for us against a great team. We started well. It was a fantastic first goal after regaining the possession&quot;, said Puel.

&quot;In the second half, we started well also, with quality. We made some fantastic opportunities to score, just after this, we conceded the free-kick. And just after it was a little harsh with the sending off of Amartey.&nbsp;&quot;It was a difficult scenario. We saw a fantastic spirit, the character of my players. They believed until the end&quot;.

'It is as bad as a defeat,' said Mourinho

Jose Mourinho slammed his Manchester United stars after they conceded a late equaliser in a 2-2 draw against 10-man Leicester that left them 13 points adrift of leaders Manchester City. United was already trailing in City's wake, but Harry Maguire's 94th-minute leveler at the King Power Stadium on Saturday was another hammer blow to their title hopes just hours after their rivals had beaten Bournemouth. Mourinho's side had missed several superb chances to move 3-1 ahead and effectively kill off Leicester and the United boss was furious with his players' finishing and the sloppy way they allowed Maguire to equalise. "It is as bad as a defeat", said Mourinho. "Sometimes you take a point and you say 'OK' and you accept it as it was hard to get a positive result. "That is not the case. It is a game to win easily. It is a big frustration as they are easy goals to score and easy goals to kill the game but not just the goals we missed, also some easy way out to counter-attack where we lost the ball quite easily. "On top of that, in the last couple of minutes, we allow the opposition to throw a few balls into the box, with Christian Fuchs' hands and crosses. "We couldn't defend the last cross so I think we were punished by our mistakes in both penalty areas. "There was a lack of maturity. I cannot stop the game and give a team talk", said Mourinho. "For the last two minutes, the players had to immediately adapt, to read the game, which they didn't so we had childish decisions in front of goal and bad decisions as it was not just about the goals we missed, or dribbling or hitting the post. "It was not just about missing chances with an open goal, it was also about decisions. Easy decisions to make in easy transitions to counter-attack". Childish decisions Mourinho admitted he does not know whether all of his players will develop the maturity he needs. "Some players they have childish decisions and time helps them to have the maturity and to decide better but some other players stay with childish decisions until the end of their career", he said. "You know it depends on what is inside and the way they learn or they don't learn". Leicester fought back despite having substitute Daniel Amartey sent off for two yellow cards in the space of five minutes. Foxes manager Claude Puel said: "He took the second yellow card with naivety. Perhaps the first yellow card was a little harsh, but the second he needed to manage better. "He's a young player, he came into the game when there was a little pressure, there was intensity, rhythm, it was a difficult to come into the game. "It was a good game for us against a great team. We started well. It was a fantastic first goal after regaining the possession", said Puel. "In the second half, we started well also, with quality. We made some fantastic opportunities to score, just after this, we conceded the free-kick. And just after it was a little harsh with the sending off of Amartey. "It was a difficult scenario. We saw a fantastic spirit, the character of my players. They believed until the end".

Mourinho lashes United after Leicester draw

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