The jet-heeled Sadio Mane scored a quick-fire brace as Liverpool revitalised their Premier League campaign with an impressive 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Saturday.

Senegalese flier Mane netted twice in three first-half minutes as Jurgen Klopp&#39;s team claimed a first league win of 2017 at the sixth attempt and ended Spurs&#39; nine-game unbeaten run.

Liverpool moved back into the top four, above Manchester City, who visit Bournemouth on Monday, and Manchester United, who briefly climbed above them after beating Watford 2-0.

Tottenham remain second, but they are now level on points with Arsenal after Alexis Sanchez scored twice to earn Arsene Wenger&#39;s side a much-needed 2-0 victory over Hull City.

Spurs&#39; setback means Chelsea can move 12 points clear at the summit if they win at Burnley on Sunday.

While the title seems destined for Stamford Bridge, the battle for positions below Chelsea could not be more tight, with two points separating Spurs in second and United in sixth.

Liverpool badly missed Mane during his time at the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal and he gave a dazzling display of his qualities with two goals in the first 18 minutes at Anfield.

For the first goal, in the 16th minute, he raced onto Georginio Wijnaldum&#39;s pass before lifting a shot past Hugo Lloris.

Two minutes later he made it 2-0 with his 11th goal of the season, sparking a raid on the Spurs box by robbing Eric Dier and then slamming in after Lloris had saved from Adam Lallana and Roberto Firmino.

At the Emirates Stadium, Sanchez brought the under-fire Wenger some breathing space as Arsenal overcame third-bottom Hull.

The Chilean forward contentiously scored with his hand in the 34th minute and netted a stoppage-time penalty after Sam Clucas had been sent off for handball to take his tally for the campaign to 17 goals.

It got Arsenal back to winning ways following successive defeats by Watford and Chelsea and left them in third place, nine points behind Chelsea.

Wenger dismissed a claim by former Arsenal striker Ian Wright that he had admitted his time at the club was coming to an end.

Gabbiadini double&nbsp;

&quot;I didn&#39;t give any indication about my future,&quot; Wenger told reporters.

&quot;You know I appreciate very much that you want me to rest, absolutely. But I am not ready for that yet.&quot;

United closed to within a point of the Champions League places by beating Watford, Anthony Martial marking his return to the starting XI by scoring and setting up the opener for Juan Mata.

Jose Mourinho&#39;s side have now gone 16 league games unbeaten and while they remain sixth, they are just a point below both Liverpool and City.

&quot;Martial deserves the chance,&quot; Mourinho told the BBC. &quot;He has worked harder than ever in the last two weeks in the way I like: silence, but hard.&quot;

He added: &quot;In the first half the football was fabulous. When I got the job, they were saying at Manchester United you need to play football in a certain way and I agree.&quot;

Seventh-place Everton squandered a chance to close on the teams above them after being held to a 0-0 draw at sixth-bottom Middlesbrough.

Sunderland remain bottom of the table after Southampton&#39;s new Italian striker Manolo Gabbiadini scored a slick brace in a 4-0 win at the Stadium of Light.

Jason Denayer also put through his own goal before Shane Long completed the scoring in added time.

Second-bottom Crystal Palace were also beaten, Joe Allen scoring in the second half to give Stoke City a 1-0 win that saw Mark Hughes&#39;s team climb to ninth.

Gareth McAuley was credited with a stoppage-time equaliser for West Bromwich Albion in a 2-2 draw at West Ham United.

After Nacer Chadli put West Brom ahead in the fifth minute, West Ham hit back through Sofiane Feghouli and Manuel Lanzini, only for McAuley to get a decisive touch to Jonny Evans&#39;s header at the death. 
 
(AFP)

Liverpool moved back into the top four, above Manchester City, who visit Bournemouth on Monday, and Manchester United

The jet-heeled Sadio Mane scored a quick-fire brace as Liverpool revitalised their Premier League campaign with an impressive 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Saturday. Senegalese flier Mane netted twice in three first-half minutes as Jurgen Klopp's team claimed a first league win of 2017 at the sixth attempt and ended Spurs' nine-game unbeaten run. Liverpool moved back into the top four, above Manchester City, who visit Bournemouth on Monday, and Manchester United, who briefly climbed above them after beating Watford 2-0. Tottenham remain second, but they are now level on points with Arsenal after Alexis Sanchez scored twice to earn Arsene Wenger's side a much-needed 2-0 victory over Hull City. Spurs' setback means Chelsea can move 12 points clear at the summit if they win at Burnley on Sunday. While the title seems destined for Stamford Bridge, the battle for positions below Chelsea could not be more tight, with two points separating Spurs in second and United in sixth. Liverpool badly missed Mane during his time at the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal and he gave a dazzling display of his qualities with two goals in the first 18 minutes at Anfield. For the first goal, in the 16th minute, he raced onto Georginio Wijnaldum's pass before lifting a shot past Hugo Lloris. Two minutes later he made it 2-0 with his 11th goal of the season, sparking a raid on the Spurs box by robbing Eric Dier and then slamming in after Lloris had saved from Adam Lallana and Roberto Firmino. At the Emirates Stadium, Sanchez brought the under-fire Wenger some breathing space as Arsenal overcame third-bottom Hull. The Chilean forward contentiously scored with his hand in the 34th minute and netted a stoppage-time penalty after Sam Clucas had been sent off for handball to take his tally for the campaign to 17 goals. It got Arsenal back to winning ways following successive defeats by Watford and Chelsea and left them in third place, nine points behind Chelsea. Wenger dismissed a claim by former Arsenal striker Ian Wright that he had admitted his time at the club was coming to an end. Gabbiadini double "I didn't give any indication about my future," Wenger told reporters. "You know I appreciate very much that you want me to rest, absolutely. But I am not ready for that yet." United closed to within a point of the Champions League places by beating Watford, Anthony Martial marking his return to the starting XI by scoring and setting up the opener for Juan Mata. Jose Mourinho's side have now gone 16 league games unbeaten and while they remain sixth, they are just a point below both Liverpool and City. "Martial deserves the chance," Mourinho told the BBC. "He has worked harder than ever in the last two weeks in the way I like: silence, but hard." He added: "In the first half the football was fabulous. When I got the job, they were saying at Manchester United you need to play football in a certain way and I agree." Seventh-place Everton squandered a chance to close on the teams above them after being held to a 0-0 draw at sixth-bottom Middlesbrough. Sunderland remain bottom of the table after Southampton's new Italian striker Manolo Gabbiadini scored a slick brace in a 4-0 win at the Stadium of Light. Jason Denayer also put through his own goal before Shane Long completed the scoring in added time. Second-bottom Crystal Palace were also beaten, Joe Allen scoring in the second half to give Stoke City a 1-0 win that saw Mark Hughes's team climb to ninth. Gareth McAuley was credited with a stoppage-time equaliser for West Bromwich Albion in a 2-2 draw at West Ham United. After Nacer Chadli put West Brom ahead in the fifth minute, West Ham hit back through Sofiane Feghouli and Manuel Lanzini, only for McAuley to get a decisive touch to Jonny Evans's header at the death. (AFP)

Liverpool 2-0 Tottenham;  Arsenal, Manchester United rise

Tottenham Hotspur kept up the pressure on the Premier League&#39;s top four after coming from behind to beat 10-man Southampton 4-1 thanks to two goals from Dele Alli and one apiece by Harry Kane and Son Heung-min on Wednesday.

Alli cancelled out Virgil Van Dijk&#39;s second-minute opener before Kane fired Tottenham ahead and missed a penalty after Southampton winger Nathan Redmond hacked down Alli and was sent off.

England midfielder Alli produced a superb individual performance and stressed it was crucial that Spurs kept their composure after falling behind.

&quot;It&#39;s never nice to concede a goal that early in the game and it was important that we didn&#39;t lose our heads and didn&#39;t panic,&quot; he told Sky Sports.

&quot;We stuck to the game plan and after we put the first one away it was a good game. We knew it wasn&#39;t going to be an easy game, they are a great team and have some fantastic players.&quot;

Kane was expecting a tough match against Southampton.

&quot;We have come here and scored four in a comfortable win. We&#39;ve got another game in a few days and we&#39;ve got to focus on that,&quot; he said.

Spurs, who stayed fifth in the table with 36 points from 18 matches, one behind arch-rivals Arsenal and three adrift of third-placed Manchester City, visit 10th-placed Watford on Sunday.

Southampton, who are eighth with 24 points, are at home to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

The Saints had Tottenham on the ropes in the opening 15 minutes as Van Dijk headed in a James Ward-Prowse free kick before Redmond shot just wide of the far post.

But the tide turned after Alli rose to head home a deflected Moussa Sissoko cross from the left and Kane fired the visitors in front with a thumping header from a corner.

The England striker then blazed his spot-kick over the bar after Redmond was dismissed for hauling down Alli, but the home side were punished again for throwing caution to the wind in the closing stages.

Substitute Son rounded off a swift break for Tottenham&#39;s third in the 85th minute and Alli put the icing on the cake two minutes later with an equally superb finish into the bottom left corner after neat footwork.

(Reuters)

Alli cancelled out Virgil Van Dijk's second-minute opener before Kane fired Tottenham ahead and then missed a penalty

Tottenham Hotspur kept up the pressure on the Premier League's top four after coming from behind to beat 10-man Southampton 4-1 thanks to two goals from Dele Alli and one apiece by Harry Kane and Son Heung-min on Wednesday. Alli cancelled out Virgil Van Dijk's second-minute opener before Kane fired Tottenham ahead and missed a penalty after Southampton winger Nathan Redmond hacked down Alli and was sent off. England midfielder Alli produced a superb individual performance and stressed it was crucial that Spurs kept their composure after falling behind. "It's never nice to concede a goal that early in the game and it was important that we didn't lose our heads and didn't panic," he told Sky Sports. "We stuck to the game plan and after we put the first one away it was a good game. We knew it wasn't going to be an easy game, they are a great team and have some fantastic players." Kane was expecting a tough match against Southampton. "We have come here and scored four in a comfortable win. We've got another game in a few days and we've got to focus on that," he said. Spurs, who stayed fifth in the table with 36 points from 18 matches, one behind arch-rivals Arsenal and three adrift of third-placed Manchester City, visit 10th-placed Watford on Sunday. Southampton, who are eighth with 24 points, are at home to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday. The Saints had Tottenham on the ropes in the opening 15 minutes as Van Dijk headed in a James Ward-Prowse free kick before Redmond shot just wide of the far post. But the tide turned after Alli rose to head home a deflected Moussa Sissoko cross from the left and Kane fired the visitors in front with a thumping header from a corner. The England striker then blazed his spot-kick over the bar after Redmond was dismissed for hauling down Alli, but the home side were punished again for throwing caution to the wind in the closing stages. Substitute Son rounded off a swift break for Tottenham's third in the 85th minute and Alli put the icing on the cake two minutes later with an equally superb finish into the bottom left corner after neat footwork. (Reuters)

EPL: Alli double helps Spurs sink 10-man Southampton

An 81st-minute Gareth McAuley goal prevented Liverpool from provisionally going top in the Premier League as they defeated West Bromwich Albion 2-1 on Saturday.

Needing a two-goal win to move above leaders Arsenal, Liverpool took a 2-0 lead through Sadio Mane and Philippe Coutinho, but McAuley&#39;s strike left them in second place on goal difference.

&quot;I&#39;m really pleased with the performance,&quot; Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp told Sky Sports. &quot;It was unbelievably difficult against West Brom. You have to always concentrate. They are so dangerous at set-pieces. But I think it would have been kind of a joke if we hadn&#39;t won today. It was unbelievable, how we played.&quot;

Klopp made one change to the Liverpool team held 0-0 by United last Monday, with the fit-again Adam Lallana returning to the starting XI at the expense of Daniel Sturridge.

Arsenal had earlier been held to a 0-0 draw by Middlesbrough. Arsenal, 6-0 winners over Ludogorets Razgrad in the Champions League in mid-week, were seeking an eighth successive win in all competitions.

But Middlesbrough came closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half at the Emirates Stadium when Gaston Ramirez curled a 21st-minute free-kick against the post.

Arsenal dominated the second half, but had goalkeeper Petr Cech to thank for ensuring the visitors&#39; counter-attacks came to nought.

Fourth-place Tottenham Hotspur too played out a goalless stalemate at Bournemouth. Both teams hit the woodwork in the early stages, Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris diverting Charlie Daniels&#39;s shot onto the bar and Erik Lamela clipping the post from distance.

Tottenham extended their unbeaten start to the season to nine games. &quot;We had control, but we didn&#39;t create enough chances to score,&quot; said Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino. &quot;I think we need to be pleased in the end because it&#39;s one point more, one clean sheet, but it&#39;s true for us to be contenders we should be winning the games like today.&quot;

Pep Guardiola&#39;s Manchester City can reclaim first place by avoiding defeat at home to Southampton on Sunday, when Jose Mourinho makes his return to Chelsea with Manchester United.

(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Liverpool, which needed a two-goal win to replace leaders Arsenal, missed out on goal difference

An 81st-minute Gareth McAuley goal prevented Liverpool from provisionally going top in the Premier League as they defeated West Bromwich Albion 2-1 on Saturday. Needing a two-goal win to move above leaders Arsenal, Liverpool took a 2-0 lead through Sadio Mane and Philippe Coutinho, but McAuley's strike left them in second place on goal difference. "I'm really pleased with the performance," Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp told Sky Sports. "It was unbelievably difficult against West Brom. You have to always concentrate. They are so dangerous at set-pieces. But I think it would have been kind of a joke if we hadn't won today. It was unbelievable, how we played." Klopp made one change to the Liverpool team held 0-0 by United last Monday, with the fit-again Adam Lallana returning to the starting XI at the expense of Daniel Sturridge. Arsenal had earlier been held to a 0-0 draw by Middlesbrough. Arsenal, 6-0 winners over Ludogorets Razgrad in the Champions League in mid-week, were seeking an eighth successive win in all competitions. But Middlesbrough came closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half at the Emirates Stadium when Gaston Ramirez curled a 21st-minute free-kick against the post. Arsenal dominated the second half, but had goalkeeper Petr Cech to thank for ensuring the visitors' counter-attacks came to nought. Fourth-place Tottenham Hotspur too played out a goalless stalemate at Bournemouth. Both teams hit the woodwork in the early stages, Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris diverting Charlie Daniels's shot onto the bar and Erik Lamela clipping the post from distance. Tottenham extended their unbeaten start to the season to nine games. "We had control, but we didn't create enough chances to score," said Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino. "I think we need to be pleased in the end because it's one point more, one clean sheet, but it's true for us to be contenders we should be winning the games like today." Pep Guardiola's Manchester City can reclaim first place by avoiding defeat at home to Southampton on Sunday, when Jose Mourinho makes his return to Chelsea with Manchester United. (AFP)

English Premier League: Liverpool climb to second spot as Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur misfire

Midfielder Dele Alli has signed a new deal with Tottenham Hotspur which will keep him at the north London club till 2022, the Premier League side said on Monday. 
 
The 20-year-old, who had also signed a contract extension in January, enjoyed an excellent season last campaign, scoring 10 goals and providing 11 assists in 46 matches. 
 
The former Milton Keynes Dons midfielder picked up the Professional Footballers&#39; Association Young Player of the Year award and was also named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year last season. 
 
Ali&#39;s dazzling performances at Spurs also earned the midfielder his England cap last October and he was part of the country&#39;s Euro 2016 squad. 
 
(Reuters)

The former Milton Keynes Dons midfielder picked up the Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year award

Midfielder Dele Alli has signed a new deal with Tottenham Hotspur which will keep him at the north London club till 2022, the Premier League side said on Monday. The 20-year-old, who had also signed a contract extension in January, enjoyed an excellent season last campaign, scoring 10 goals and providing 11 assists in 46 matches. The former Milton Keynes Dons midfielder picked up the Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year award and was also named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year last season. Ali's dazzling performances at Spurs also earned the midfielder his England cap last October and he was part of the country's Euro 2016 squad. (Reuters)

Tottenham midfielder Alli extends contract until 2022

Tottenham Hotspur will unveil Vincent Janssen as their new striker today after a 22 million Euro ($24.46 million) move from AZ Alkmaar, Dutch media said. 
 
According to a report, the 22-year-old Dutch international has signed a four-year contract with an option for two more years at White Hart Lane and will earn between 10 and 15 million Euros in four years. 
 
AZ agreed the move with the London club last week and personal terms and a medical have now also been completed, the daily De Telegraaf said. 
 
AZ paid 400,000 Euros to Almere City for Janssen&rsquo;s services last year. He had played at the second division team after failing to make the grade at Feyenoord. 
 
Janssen scored for the Netherlands in his second international cap against England at Wembley in March and now has three goals in five appearances. 
 
(Reuters)

Vincent Janssen has signed a four-year contract with an option for two more years at White Hart Lane

Tottenham Hotspur will unveil Vincent Janssen as their new striker today after a 22 million Euro ($24.46 million) move from AZ Alkmaar, Dutch media said. According to a report, the 22-year-old Dutch international has signed a four-year contract with an option for two more years at White Hart Lane and will earn between 10 and 15 million Euros in four years. AZ agreed the move with the London club last week and personal terms and a medical have now also been completed, the daily De Telegraaf said. AZ paid 400,000 Euros to Almere City for Janssen’s services last year. He had played at the second division team after failing to make the grade at Feyenoord. Janssen scored for the Netherlands in his second international cap against England at Wembley in March and now has three goals in five appearances. (Reuters)

Spurs to unveil Janssen as new signing today: report

Erik Lamela&#39;s second-half header rescued a 1-1 draw for Tottenham Hotspur and denied new Everton manager Ronald Koeman a winning start at Goodison Park today. 
 
Lamela equalised in the 59th minute after Everton had claimed a deserved lead through Ross Barkley&#39;s early goal. 
 
Everton had the better of the first half but Mauricio Pochettino&#39;s side came back well after the interval and Argentine midfielder Lamela ensured their pressure paid off. 
 
Only two fine saves late on from debutant Everton goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg denied Spurs an opening day victory as the north Londoners look to emulate last season&#39;s title challenge. 
 
Everton went ahead in just the fifth minute. 
 
Tottenham&#39;s Kenya midfielder Victor Wanyama, signed from Southampton in the close-season, was penalised as he tripped Kevin Mirallas to halt the Belgian&#39;s progress towards goal. 
 
Barkley delivered a free-kick that eluded everyone, including Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris, who delayed his dive anticipating a touch from an Everton head and watched the ball nestle inside his left-hand post. 
 
The goal brought the game to life and Everton might have doubled their lead when makeshift centre forward Gerard Deulofeu skipped past two challenges but saw his shot from the edge of the Spurs box held low down by Lloris. 
 
Everton went close again on 15 minutes when Barkley lofted a free-kick into the penalty area and a looping header by Phil Jagielka forced a scrambling Lloris to push the ball over his crossbar. 
 
The hosts continued to dominate and threatened once more when Deulofeu linked up neatly with Mirallas on 21 minutes but Lloris made a comfortable save at his near post. 
 
Crucial interventions 
 
Stekelenburg had been a spectator early on but the Dutchman displayed solid handling on 28 minutes to hold a Christian Eriksen shot after a rare moment of promise from the visitors. 
 
And there was a further blow for Tottenham 10 minutes before half-time when captain Lloris was forced off by a hamstring injury and replaced by Michel Vorm. 
 
Tottenham began to escape their half more frequently as half-time approached, but they were unable to force Stekelenburg into action. 
 
The hosts ought to have doubled their lead in first-half stoppage-time, when Deulofeu seized on a poor backpass from Danny Rose and raced clear of Jan Vertonghen, but was denied by a smart save from Vorm. 
 
Everton started the second half on the front foot and Tottenham&#39;s Eric Dier had to make two crucial interventions, first to block Deulofeu&#39;s path to goal with a sliding tackle and then to head the resulting corner over his own crossbar. 
 
Pochettino introduced pre-season signing Vincent Janssen to the fray 13 minutes into the second half and the striker created an opening immediately when he drifted out wide, collected possession and crossed for Dele Alli. 
 
But the England midfielder curled a shot well wide from the edge of the area. 
 
There was no stopping Spurs just before the hour-mark, however, as Kyle Walker found room on the right and Lamela got the better of Everton debutant Mason Holgate to head past a helpless Stekelenburg. 
 
That goal rocked Everton, who were forced back for a spell, but they caused a moment of concern for Tottenham when the impressive Idrissa Gueye exchanged passes with substitute Arouna Kone but had his progress halted by Toby Alderweireld. 
 
However, with 10 minutes remaining Everton needed a superb save from Stekelenburg to prevent the visitors taking the lead. 
 
A shot from Rose was blocked by James McCarthy but fell for Janssen, whose crisp strike was clawed away one-handed by his fellow Dutchman at full stretch. 
 
And the keeper made another fine stop moments later to divert a Lamela shot over the crossbar after it deflected off Holgate. 
 
(AFP)

Lamela equalised in the 59th minute after Everton had claimed a deserved lead through Ross Barkley's early goal

Erik Lamela's second-half header rescued a 1-1 draw for Tottenham Hotspur and denied new Everton manager Ronald Koeman a winning start at Goodison Park today. Lamela equalised in the 59th minute after Everton had claimed a deserved lead through Ross Barkley's early goal. Everton had the better of the first half but Mauricio Pochettino's side came back well after the interval and Argentine midfielder Lamela ensured their pressure paid off. Only two fine saves late on from debutant Everton goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg denied Spurs an opening day victory as the north Londoners look to emulate last season's title challenge. Everton went ahead in just the fifth minute. Tottenham's Kenya midfielder Victor Wanyama, signed from Southampton in the close-season, was penalised as he tripped Kevin Mirallas to halt the Belgian's progress towards goal. Barkley delivered a free-kick that eluded everyone, including Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris, who delayed his dive anticipating a touch from an Everton head and watched the ball nestle inside his left-hand post. The goal brought the game to life and Everton might have doubled their lead when makeshift centre forward Gerard Deulofeu skipped past two challenges but saw his shot from the edge of the Spurs box held low down by Lloris. Everton went close again on 15 minutes when Barkley lofted a free-kick into the penalty area and a looping header by Phil Jagielka forced a scrambling Lloris to push the ball over his crossbar. The hosts continued to dominate and threatened once more when Deulofeu linked up neatly with Mirallas on 21 minutes but Lloris made a comfortable save at his near post. Crucial interventions Stekelenburg had been a spectator early on but the Dutchman displayed solid handling on 28 minutes to hold a Christian Eriksen shot after a rare moment of promise from the visitors. And there was a further blow for Tottenham 10 minutes before half-time when captain Lloris was forced off by a hamstring injury and replaced by Michel Vorm. Tottenham began to escape their half more frequently as half-time approached, but they were unable to force Stekelenburg into action. The hosts ought to have doubled their lead in first-half stoppage-time, when Deulofeu seized on a poor backpass from Danny Rose and raced clear of Jan Vertonghen, but was denied by a smart save from Vorm. Everton started the second half on the front foot and Tottenham's Eric Dier had to make two crucial interventions, first to block Deulofeu's path to goal with a sliding tackle and then to head the resulting corner over his own crossbar. Pochettino introduced pre-season signing Vincent Janssen to the fray 13 minutes into the second half and the striker created an opening immediately when he drifted out wide, collected possession and crossed for Dele Alli. But the England midfielder curled a shot well wide from the edge of the area. There was no stopping Spurs just before the hour-mark, however, as Kyle Walker found room on the right and Lamela got the better of Everton debutant Mason Holgate to head past a helpless Stekelenburg. That goal rocked Everton, who were forced back for a spell, but they caused a moment of concern for Tottenham when the impressive Idrissa Gueye exchanged passes with substitute Arouna Kone but had his progress halted by Toby Alderweireld. However, with 10 minutes remaining Everton needed a superb save from Stekelenburg to prevent the visitors taking the lead. A shot from Rose was blocked by James McCarthy but fell for Janssen, whose crisp strike was clawed away one-handed by his fellow Dutchman at full stretch. And the keeper made another fine stop moments later to divert a Lamela shot over the crossbar after it deflected off Holgate. (AFP)

Premier League: Spurs hold Everton to 1-1 draw

Juventus have signed Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain from Napoli for 90 million euros ($98.89 million), the third highest transfer fee ever paid. 
 
&quot;I can confirm that the contract has been deposited with the League and the deal has been done,&quot; Napoli spokesman Nicola Lombardi told Reuters on Tuesday, adding that the fee will be paid in two installments. 
 
The Turin-based club triggered the release clause for the 28-year-old, who still had two years to run on his contract, Napoli added later on Tuesday in a statement. 
 
Higuain&#39;s transfer fee is the third highest paid, after Gareth Bale moved to Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur for 100 million euros in 2013 and Cristiano Ronaldo joined the Spaniards from Manchester United for 94 million euros in 2009. 
 
Last season Higuain scored a record 36 Serie A goals in 35 games for Napoli, who finished runners-up as Juventus won a fifth consecutive title. He joined Napoli in 2013 after spending six years at Real. 
 
The news that he was poised to join Juventus caused anguish among Napoli fans, who gathered in Naples city centre on Saturday to tear up pictures of the Argentine and set fire to replicas of his number nine shirt. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Higuain's transfer fee is the third highest fee ever paid, after those of Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo

Juventus have signed Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain from Napoli for 90 million euros ($98.89 million), the third highest transfer fee ever paid. "I can confirm that the contract has been deposited with the League and the deal has been done," Napoli spokesman Nicola Lombardi told Reuters on Tuesday, adding that the fee will be paid in two installments. The Turin-based club triggered the release clause for the 28-year-old, who still had two years to run on his contract, Napoli added later on Tuesday in a statement. Higuain's transfer fee is the third highest paid, after Gareth Bale moved to Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur for 100 million euros in 2013 and Cristiano Ronaldo joined the Spaniards from Manchester United for 94 million euros in 2009. Last season Higuain scored a record 36 Serie A goals in 35 games for Napoli, who finished runners-up as Juventus won a fifth consecutive title. He joined Napoli in 2013 after spending six years at Real. The news that he was poised to join Juventus caused anguish among Napoli fans, who gathered in Naples city centre on Saturday to tear up pictures of the Argentine and set fire to replicas of his number nine shirt. (Reuters)

Juventus sign Argentina striker Higuain from Napoli for 90 million euros

Midfield enforcer Victor Wanyama became the first player from Southampton to join up with former manager Mauricio Pochettino when he signed for Tottenham from their Premier League rivals on Thursday. 
 
The 24-year-old Kenyan international, who Southampton refused to sell to Spurs last year, will cost a reported $13.4 million although with add-ons it could rise to more than $16 million. 
 
Wanyama signed a five-year contract and is Pochettino&#39;s first signing of the close season, as he builds a side not only for the Premier League campaign but also the Champions League after they finished third last term. 
 
Wanyama said in an open letter that he was sad to leave the club that in 2013 gave him the chance to become the first Kenyan to play in the Premier League. 
 
&quot;I write to you with a heavy heart to announce that I will be leaving Southampton Football Club,&quot; he said. &quot;As you can imagine it is very emotional for me to say goodbye to the club that gave me the chance to be the first Kenyan to play in Premier League.&quot; 
 
&quot;Firstly, I would like to thank the most important part of every club, the fans. It took a while for me to win you all over but I can truly say that with your support and affection I have grown as a player and a person. I will never forget my time in Southampton Football Club, I will keep the club forever in my heart.&quot; 
 
Wanyama, who made his international debut at only 15-years-old, impressed for the Saints last season as they finished a best-ever sixth in the Premier League. 
 
The Kenyan player, who scored four goals in 85 league appearances and had a year to run on his contract, is the second big loss to Southampton in the past week, after manager Ronald Koeman left to take over at Everton. 
 
Pochettino was the man responsible for bringing Wanyama to Southampton, signing him from Celtic for the 2013-14 campaign, but the Argentine left for the Spurs at the end of that season.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)

The 24-year-old Kenyan international, who Southampton refused to sell to Spurs last year, will cost up to $16 million

Midfield enforcer Victor Wanyama became the first player from Southampton to join up with former manager Mauricio Pochettino when he signed for Tottenham from their Premier League rivals on Thursday. The 24-year-old Kenyan international, who Southampton refused to sell to Spurs last year, will cost a reported $13.4 million although with add-ons it could rise to more than $16 million. Wanyama signed a five-year contract and is Pochettino's first signing of the close season, as he builds a side not only for the Premier League campaign but also the Champions League after they finished third last term. Wanyama said in an open letter that he was sad to leave the club that in 2013 gave him the chance to become the first Kenyan to play in the Premier League. "I write to you with a heavy heart to announce that I will be leaving Southampton Football Club," he said. "As you can imagine it is very emotional for me to say goodbye to the club that gave me the chance to be the first Kenyan to play in Premier League." "Firstly, I would like to thank the most important part of every club, the fans. It took a while for me to win you all over but I can truly say that with your support and affection I have grown as a player and a person. I will never forget my time in Southampton Football Club, I will keep the club forever in my heart." Wanyama, who made his international debut at only 15-years-old, impressed for the Saints last season as they finished a best-ever sixth in the Premier League. The Kenyan player, who scored four goals in 85 league appearances and had a year to run on his contract, is the second big loss to Southampton in the past week, after manager Ronald Koeman left to take over at Everton. Pochettino was the man responsible for bringing Wanyama to Southampton, signing him from Celtic for the 2013-14 campaign, but the Argentine left for the Spurs at the end of that season. (AFP)

Wanyama rejoins old boss Pochettino at Spurs

Manchester United are among several leading English Premier League (EPL) clubs to reject invitations from the Football League to have their academy sides play in the revamped English Football League Trophy. 
 
United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur were missing when the draw for the knockout tournament, which traditionally has just been made up from the 48 clubs involved in English football&#39;s third and fourth tiers, was made today. 
 
But Premier League champions Leicester City have agreed that their academy side will take part, with Chelsea also set to have their fledgling players compete in a tournament amid suggestions that Trophy matches would cause fixture clashes for top-flight academy teams, who already had sufficient matches in a season. 
 
In a bid to give a higher profile to the competition, officials announced in June that 16 &#39;category one&#39; academy outfits had been invited to take part. The new tournament will see 64 teams divided into 16 groups of four, on a north/south regional basis, each group containing one &#39;invited&#39; club. 
 
Then the top two from each group will go forward to a regional knockout round of 32, with the last 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals all open draws ahead of a final at London&#39;s Wembley Stadium on April 2. 
 
(AFP)

Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur were missing when the draw for the knockout tournament was made

Manchester United are among several leading English Premier League (EPL) clubs to reject invitations from the Football League to have their academy sides play in the revamped English Football League Trophy. United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur were missing when the draw for the knockout tournament, which traditionally has just been made up from the 48 clubs involved in English football's third and fourth tiers, was made today. But Premier League champions Leicester City have agreed that their academy side will take part, with Chelsea also set to have their fledgling players compete in a tournament amid suggestions that Trophy matches would cause fixture clashes for top-flight academy teams, who already had sufficient matches in a season. In a bid to give a higher profile to the competition, officials announced in June that 16 'category one' academy outfits had been invited to take part. The new tournament will see 64 teams divided into 16 groups of four, on a north/south regional basis, each group containing one 'invited' club. Then the top two from each group will go forward to a regional knockout round of 32, with the last 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals all open draws ahead of a final at London's Wembley Stadium on April 2. (AFP)

Premier League giants refuse English Football League Trophy invites

Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur have been training on a larger than normal pitch to prepare for Wednesday&#39;s Champions League Group E opener against Monaco at their adopted Wembley Stadium home. 
 
The club have opted to play their European home games at the 90,000-seater national stadium this season as their White Hart Lane ground has a reduced capacity owing to building work on an adjacent new ground. 
 
This is the club&#39;s first match back in the competition after five years. 
 
More than 80,000 tickets have been sold. 
 
Wembley&#39;s pitch is significantly bigger than Tottenham&#39;s usual home turf, a potential problem as Mauricio Pochettino&#39;s players try to stick to their usual high pressing game. 
 
&quot;We feel good at White Hart Lane because it&#39;s our home and we need to feel good at Wembley,&quot; Pochettino, who masterminded Tottenham&#39;s first domestic title challenge for decades last season, said at a news conference. 
 
&quot;With two pitches (at the training ground) we designed the same dimensions as Wembley. We change between the pitches to keep the grass at a good level. 
 
&quot;We use different pitches on different days during the week. You have more space to play, it&#39;s more difficult for the opponent to press you when (there are) more meters to run, but the same for both.&quot; 
 
Tottenham have won only once in five visits to the new Wembley, while Arsenal&#39;s decision to play Champions League matches at the old venue in the late 1990s backfired as they never managed to turn it into a fortress. 
 
Pochettino is not concerned that advantage will be diminished by playing &#39;away&#39; from home. 
 
&quot;We trust in us,&quot; he said. &quot;We believe in the way we play but we need to adapt our game.&quot; 
 
&quot;We need to go to Wembley and play, behave naturally and not try to find an excuse, that&#39;s never good,&quot; he added. 
 
Dembele has missed the first four games of Tottenham&#39;s Premier League campaign because of a domestic suspension for violent conduct at the end of last season against Chelsea. 
 
Left-back Danny Rose will miss the game though because of a hamstring injury. Welshman Ben Davies will deputise. 
 
 
(WION with inputs from Reuters)

They have opted to play their European home games at Wembley Stadium as their White Hart Lane ground has a reduced capacity

Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur have been training on a larger than normal pitch to prepare for Wednesday's Champions League Group E opener against Monaco at their adopted Wembley Stadium home. The club have opted to play their European home games at the 90,000-seater national stadium this season as their White Hart Lane ground has a reduced capacity owing to building work on an adjacent new ground. This is the club's first match back in the competition after five years. More than 80,000 tickets have been sold. Wembley's pitch is significantly bigger than Tottenham's usual home turf, a potential problem as Mauricio Pochettino's players try to stick to their usual high pressing game. "We feel good at White Hart Lane because it's our home and we need to feel good at Wembley," Pochettino, who masterminded Tottenham's first domestic title challenge for decades last season, said at a news conference. "With two pitches (at the training ground) we designed the same dimensions as Wembley. We change between the pitches to keep the grass at a good level. "We use different pitches on different days during the week. You have more space to play, it's more difficult for the opponent to press you when (there are) more meters to run, but the same for both." Tottenham have won only once in five visits to the new Wembley, while Arsenal's decision to play Champions League matches at the old venue in the late 1990s backfired as they never managed to turn it into a fortress. Pochettino is not concerned that advantage will be diminished by playing 'away' from home. "We trust in us," he said. "We believe in the way we play but we need to adapt our game." "We need to go to Wembley and play, behave naturally and not try to find an excuse, that's never good," he added. Dembele has missed the first four games of Tottenham's Premier League campaign because of a domestic suspension for violent conduct at the end of last season against Chelsea. Left-back Danny Rose will miss the game though because of a hamstring injury. Welshman Ben Davies will deputise. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Pochettino confident Wembley will not snag Tottenham's style

Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri is confident Riyad Mahrez will stay at the club after midfielder N&#39;Golo Kante&#39;s Chelsea move triggered speculation that the influential winger could follow suit. 
 
Leicester have already had to fight off advances from several clubs to keep striker Jamie Vardy and left wing-back Jeffrey Schlupp, and Ranieri was certain of retaining the majority of the Premier League title-winning squad. 
 
Mahrez remains the subject of interest from several clubs, including Spanish champions Barcelona, according to the British media, while Vardy rejected Arsenal and signed a new deal at Leicester last month. 
 
&quot;Only Kante wanted to go, that&#39;s okay. But I understood him, he came from a little team in France and had a fantastic season. I said to him, stay with us and have another year with us, but he wanted to go,&quot; Ranieri told British media. 
 
&quot;Everybody here is happy and yes, he wants to stay. No other players will go away. We will stay together. The football continues without Riyad or without Kante, but Riyad will stay with us for all of the years.&nbsp;It&#39;s important to maintain the group, with the spirit, with the humility. That&#39;s important for me.&quot; 
 
Leicester&#39;s head of recruitment Steve Walsh, who was instrumental in bringing both Mahrez and Kante to the club, has been heavily linked with the director of football role at Everton. 
 
Ranieri has already lost a major part of his backroom staff when highly-rated scout Ben Wrigglesworth went to Arsenal in January and Rob MacKenzie was installed as Tottenham Hotspur&#39;s head of talent identification in February.&nbsp;Leicester will kick off their title defence with a trip to the KC Stadium, where they will face promoted Hull City on August 13. 
 
(Reuters)

Leicester have already had to fight off advances from several clubs to keep striker Jamie Vardy and left wing-back Jeffrey Schlupp

Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri is confident Riyad Mahrez will stay at the club after midfielder N'Golo Kante's Chelsea move triggered speculation that the influential winger could follow suit. Leicester have already had to fight off advances from several clubs to keep striker Jamie Vardy and left wing-back Jeffrey Schlupp, and Ranieri was certain of retaining the majority of the Premier League title-winning squad. Mahrez remains the subject of interest from several clubs, including Spanish champions Barcelona, according to the British media, while Vardy rejected Arsenal and signed a new deal at Leicester last month. "Only Kante wanted to go, that's okay. But I understood him, he came from a little team in France and had a fantastic season. I said to him, stay with us and have another year with us, but he wanted to go," Ranieri told British media. "Everybody here is happy and yes, he wants to stay. No other players will go away. We will stay together. The football continues without Riyad or without Kante, but Riyad will stay with us for all of the years. It's important to maintain the group, with the spirit, with the humility. That's important for me." Leicester's head of recruitment Steve Walsh, who was instrumental in bringing both Mahrez and Kante to the club, has been heavily linked with the director of football role at Everton. Ranieri has already lost a major part of his backroom staff when highly-rated scout Ben Wrigglesworth went to Arsenal in January and Rob MacKenzie was installed as Tottenham Hotspur's head of talent identification in February. Leicester will kick off their title defence with a trip to the KC Stadium, where they will face promoted Hull City on August 13. (Reuters)

Riyad Mahrez will not follow Kante out of Leicester, says Ranieri

A crackdown on behaviour will kick in when the new English season starts with referees instructed to show yellow and red cards to unruly players, the Premier League said on Wednesday. 
 
The unedifying sight of snarling players berating officials over decisions or hurling abuse has been the scourge of the game and the Premier League, English Football League and Football Association have all clearly had enough. 
 
In a joint directive the three organisations said disrespect towards match officials had to stop. 
 
&quot;We and our clubs have been discussing for some time concerns that certain elements of player behaviour are overstepping the mark -- the mass confrontations, overt displays of dissent and offensive language,&quot; Richard Scudamore, the Premier League&#39;s executive chairman, said on Wednesday. 
 
&quot;We are viewed by millions week in week out -- including lots of young people -- and it is our collective position that these types of behaviour should no longer be tolerated,&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Vigorous discipline clamp down&nbsp; 
 
From the start of this season, players who use offensive language towards officials will be punished with a red card, while aggressive physical contact will also earn an instant sending off. 
 
More yellow cards are likely as referees have been told to book all players who run to officials, stand face to face with them or aggressively invade their personal space. 
 
If a referee is surrounded by multiple players, he is mandated to book at least one of the offenders, and Premier League executive chairman Richard Scudamore insisted there will be no softening of the approach if it leads to a flurry of dismissals early in the season.&nbsp; 
 
The behaviour of coaches and technical staff will also be more strictly controlled. 
 
Repeat offenders 
 
Football League chief executive Richard Harvey said the new directives were not just an idle threat. 
 
&quot;To be clear, this is a set of instructions from the football authorities to referees to take action against certain behaviour that we will not tolerate in our matches,&quot; he said. 
 
Incidents which underlined the need for a new hardline approach include Leicester striker Jamie Vardy abusing referee Jonathan Moss after being controversially sent off for diving against West Ham in April and the series of brawls that marred Tottenhams crucial draw at Chelsea and led to big fines for both clubs. 
 
&quot;That (Chelsea game) wasnt a trigger for this but it underscored a good reason why we needed to get a move on. We are saying this behavioural stuff, which is pretty black and white, isnt acceptable, &#39;&#39; FA chief executive Martin Glenn said.&nbsp; 
 
In the Premier League West Bromwich Albion were the worst offenders last season with 11 yellow cards shown for dissent, according to a survey in the Guardian. 
 
The Premier League will for the first time meet all clubs prior to the season in a bid to ensure the plan is understood and Championship clubs have contributed to a fund that will pay for full-time referees in the second tier. 
 
The Football League season kicks off on Aug. 5 with the Premier League starting a week later. 
 
(AFP, Reuters) 
&nbsp;

The Football Association, the Premier League and the Football League join forces to stamp out aggressive posturing in Premier League

A crackdown on behaviour will kick in when the new English season starts with referees instructed to show yellow and red cards to unruly players, the Premier League said on Wednesday. The unedifying sight of snarling players berating officials over decisions or hurling abuse has been the scourge of the game and the Premier League, English Football League and Football Association have all clearly had enough. In a joint directive the three organisations said disrespect towards match officials had to stop. "We and our clubs have been discussing for some time concerns that certain elements of player behaviour are overstepping the mark -- the mass confrontations, overt displays of dissent and offensive language," Richard Scudamore, the Premier League's executive chairman, said on Wednesday. "We are viewed by millions week in week out -- including lots of young people -- and it is our collective position that these types of behaviour should no longer be tolerated," Vigorous discipline clamp down From the start of this season, players who use offensive language towards officials will be punished with a red card, while aggressive physical contact will also earn an instant sending off. More yellow cards are likely as referees have been told to book all players who run to officials, stand face to face with them or aggressively invade their personal space. If a referee is surrounded by multiple players, he is mandated to book at least one of the offenders, and Premier League executive chairman Richard Scudamore insisted there will be no softening of the approach if it leads to a flurry of dismissals early in the season. The behaviour of coaches and technical staff will also be more strictly controlled. Repeat offenders Football League chief executive Richard Harvey said the new directives were not just an idle threat. "To be clear, this is a set of instructions from the football authorities to referees to take action against certain behaviour that we will not tolerate in our matches," he said. Incidents which underlined the need for a new hardline approach include Leicester striker Jamie Vardy abusing referee Jonathan Moss after being controversially sent off for diving against West Ham in April and the series of brawls that marred Tottenhams crucial draw at Chelsea and led to big fines for both clubs. "That (Chelsea game) wasnt a trigger for this but it underscored a good reason why we needed to get a move on. We are saying this behavioural stuff, which is pretty black and white, isnt acceptable, '' FA chief executive Martin Glenn said. In the Premier League West Bromwich Albion were the worst offenders last season with 11 yellow cards shown for dissent, according to a survey in the Guardian. The Premier League will for the first time meet all clubs prior to the season in a bid to ensure the plan is understood and Championship clubs have contributed to a fund that will pay for full-time referees in the second tier. The Football League season kicks off on Aug. 5 with the Premier League starting a week later. (AFP, Reuters)

Football governing bodies warn unruly Premier League stars