Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Mails: Pulis, bottles, League Cup thoughts
Keep your thoughts coming to theeditor@football365.com…
On the horrible news from South America
Devastating news to come out of South America overnight as a plane carrying Chapecoense crashed __with very few survivors. They were due to play in the final of the Copa Sudamericana, against Colombian team Atletico Nacional on Wednesday.
Chapecoense are an extraordinary club. They were in the fourth tier 2009 and only made the top flight two years ago. These guys make Bournemouth and Leicester look lazy. Making the final of the second tier continental competition in South America is a hell of an achievement.
Kind of puts club rivalries into a bit of perspective. I thought I was going to write more but I am not a good enough writer. Hopefully someone else will.
Micki Attridge
Being charged for kicking a bottle really is a bit much
Even though I find it very funny, I’m beginning to think Mourinho’s charge and sending off is slightly unfair.
Player kicks ball away in anger: Yellow card
Manager kicks ball away in anger: Red card
Is this a double standard? Or are managers just expected to live up to a higher standard? Or would the new FA rules mean players would get sent off for this too?
Or does the FA have some reverence towards bottles that I am unaware of? Anyone help?
Mike, LFC, Dubai
Trying to be balanced on Jose
I realize I’m attempting to do the impossible, but here’s a shot at a balanced view of José Mourinho’s tenure at Manchester United so far.
At the moment the evidence suggests that Mourinho is no longer a great manager, meaning someone who can transform a side and lead it to championships. Although United have been nowhere near a disaster, they seem a long way from challenging for a title. Compare what Pep Guardiola and Antonio Conte have done in a short time, and Jürgen Klopp in a bit longer. Despite their huge buying power and considerable expenditures in the summer, United aren’t in the race and don’t seem likely to get there.
But to some degree Mourinho’s current position is bad luck. In his early prime, when he first took over Chelsea, the situation was difficult but promising: there was a great manager in the league, but only one. Mourinho bested Ferguson the first two years, then couldn’t keep it up. But considering the high level of the opposition, he did very well. Then, when he came back to Chelsea, he was quite lucky: although he was in decline, there were no great managers to oppose him. Although he didn’t quite pull it off in the first year, he squeezed out a title in the second, even as the side faded in the stretch.
In the short time since he left Chelsea, however, things have changed dramatically. The league now has two undisputed world-class managers in Guardiola and Klopp, plus a manager who is looking very much world-class in Conte. There is simply no way he can compete __with them, backed as they are by huge money in two cases and decent money in the other. There’s also an excellent manager, Mauricio Pochettino, who now has had time and some money to build a side. Plus you can add the one holdover – and this is going to hurt the most – Arsène Wenger, who though not up to a title challenge will always be in the mix for the top four.
It’s also fair to say the side have been a bit unlucky on the pitch. I won’t bore you with xG and all that, but the stats are pretty clear that Manchester United are playing better than their results. You don’t need stats to see that Tom Heaton and Darren Randolph have played blinders at Old Trafford. Barring another implosion like Chelsea’s last year, they’re likely to close the gap on fourth place. They’re also starting to play some attractive football, which at least makes their position more palatable.
The bottom line? In this league, at this moment, I’d say Mourinho is a fourth-place manager, in a tough battle with Spurs and Arsenal for that spot. Things could change: he might rediscover some magic this year or next, and/or things could go seriously wrong at one of the contenders. But I’d be very surprised if he challenges for a title while at Manchester United.
Peter G, Pennsylvania, USA
Some Liverpool League Cup thoughts
I was worried (what can I say I am an emotional man) that you wouldn’t get too much interest in the midweek games so a few thoughts on Liverpool’s likely team.
Hope Stewart starts. He is a neat and tidy player but maybe just short of the quality required to be a regular at Liverpool. Hope I am wrong and with increased game time he can prove to be an important cog in the squad.
Gomes should get some minutes. Delighted for him after suffering an awful injury. Bit more competition in the defensive third can’t do any harm.
Mignolet – now that he is categorically number 2 it will be interesting to see how he reacts. If I was him I would probably start putting myself in the shop window with some decent displays when he gets minutes as I can’t see him getting any Prem time now that Karius’ early season jitters have gone.
Woodburn/Ejaria – these 2 are really exciting. I would like to see them both start but think King Klopp may need to add a bit of experience to the front line probably at the expense of Woodburn. Anyways they will both get minutes tomorrow and if they can live up to their potential they are future Liverpool stars. Excited for them. The Kop needs to start preparing chants for their new heroes.
Trent AA – our future right back. Learn your trade from Klopp and Clyne and you will have 100s of appearances for the Reds oh and loves a Klopp hug!
H, (Leeds have got a few decent youngsters too but someone else can write about them!)
…Tonight’s quarterfinal may well live up to lively past encounters but I have my doubts. In the last round Klopp rang 11 changes and I can see something similar happening tonight – especially considering the faint whiff of squad thinness permeating out of Melwood since Coutinho joined Lallana on the treatment table. many fans will grumble if this wholesale rotation backfires but I fully support it.
Squad happiness is a highly valued commodity and without European football the cups are the only real opportunity for some fringe members to get a run out and keep them mentally onside. This is particularly true for Klopp’s Liverpool where he quite clearly has a favoured starting XI. It also keeps the players (relatively) match-fit and sharp for if/when they need to fill in. This is also an opportunity to further blood some youngsters from the Academy. A clear pathway from academy to first team is an essential tool in attracting and keeping the brightest talents in Liverpool.
With our lack of European football and teething problems at some of the other ‘big’ clubs this season’s primary aim has to be ensuring a top 4 finish and hopefully a run at the title. An injury in the League Cup for someone like Clyne or Henderson would be a disaster. As such I expect Liverpool to line up with a back 5 of Mignolet, Alexander-Arnold, Lucas, Klavan and Moreno.
Further forward Stewart, Ejaria and Grujic will probably all start in midfield while Ben
Woodburn will be hoping to start alongside Divock Origi further forward.
Despite my Liverpool allegiance, I’ve always had a soft spot for Leeds. This is mainly because of my compatriot, the legend that is Lucas Radebe, but also because of their young, talented (if morally flawed) side that was pushing for Champions League football when I first started watching the Premier League. Gary Monk seems like a nice, earnest chap and I hope Leeds get promotion this season. Perhaps Monk has his sights firmly set on this and is thus likely to rest large swathes of his team too? Hopefully a Leeds fan can fill us in on what to expect in the afternoon mailbox.
Here’s hoping my prediction of an average spectacle is unfounded!
Osric the Brave (personally wouldn’t take 4th now if offered), Cape Town
Somebody call the Pulis
I hadn’t seen this reported or discussed anywhere until seeing the result this morning, but Tony Pulis has been involved in a legal dispute with Crystal Palace over his leaving of the club prior to joining West Brom. The result has now been confirmed that Pulis has lost the case.
The dispute centres around a bonus payment that Pulis was due to receive at the end of August 2014. This bonus would have been for avoiding relegation, and staying in the job until the 31st of August. Instead of waiting to the 31st, Pulis lied about an urgent need for the money, so that Palace paid him early in the month – he then handed in his notice the next day.
At the time the Sam Allardyce was sacked as England manager I thought that he had been stupid and boastful, but never really thought he had actually done anything that bad – he obviously had to be sacked though since he had shown himself to be a liability that the FA couldn’t afford to keep on. This situation with Pulis by contrast, is disgraceful. The greed on display is staggering. For him to mislead Palace the way he did is a terrible abuse of power.
I have always had a respect for Pulis as someone who is very skilled at what they do, and I have never bought into the criticism of his football style (means to an end and all that). I have now lost all respect for the man and hope that this case highlights what an unpleasant character he is.
Ian Towns
…Can we all just take a step back and analyse the pure madness of what happened between self-confessed socialist and man-of-the-people Tony Pulis and Crystal Palace please? It’s beggars belief really:
‒ Pulis was supposed to get a bonus for keeping Palace up of £2m, on the proviso that he remained as manager at 31 August (i.e. for the new season)
‒ Pulis asked for an early payment for the bonus on account of buying “land” for his children
‒ Palace and Pulis are all very happy and say “sure thing, we see no reason to not pay you your bonus a few weeks early” (this is on 13 August)
‒ Pulis received said bonus of £2m and then the very next day decides that he’s had enough and decides to quit (!)
‒ Palace then try to claw back some of the money, and Pulis states that the reason for the change was a “Heated Player’s Meeting” (HPM ©) that coincidentally happened immediately after his receipt of said bonus
‒ The date he claims the meeting happened turns out to be a lie, despite getting 3 other players to back him up
‒ The Judge orders him to pay £3.7m (lol) back to Palace for “deceit”
Aside from the hilarity of a man getting his comeuppance, it leads to a few questions:
‒ Surely Pulis has been earning millions and millions of pounds for many years now as a top flight manager, can he really be that desperate to up his bank account?
‒ More than anything, how on earth did he ever think he’d get away with it?!
‒ [Please insert a gif of Cesc Fabregas shushing Tony Pulis here]
Sandeep (Please please please let HPM become a thing), London
And more on Palace’s immediate future
Reports are emerging today that one Premier League manager has been suffering from singed bum hairs, because Tony Pulis’s pants were on fire. He lost his appeal against a tribunal decision ordering him to pay Crystal Palace back the money he received as a bonus for keeping the club in the Premier League. Judge Sir Michael Burton described Pulis’s standards of conduct as “shown to be disgraceful”, after the original tribunal panel found he had made two fraudulent misrepresentations (over his commitment to the club, and his reasons for needing the payment brought forward). I have a few thoughts:
*As Crystal Palace fan, it’s been a while since we had any sort of victory, so this is excellent news.
*Now Pulis has been found to have acted in a fraudulent manner, will he be subject to FA or Premier League punishment?
*Conspiracy theory time: will it be a case of two birds with one stone, where Pulis’s money goes straight to Alan Pardew?
Dominic Fifield in the Guardian reported last night that Steve Parish would be speaking to Pardew today, with the chairman wanting evidence of a clear plan, and the timing cannot just be coincidental.
*The leading candidates to replace Pardew, according to Fifield, are Sam Allardyce, Roy Hodgson and Roberto Mancini. Allardyce would appear to be the favourite, but I’m not sure whether it would be ironic or hypocritical to appoint a man who lost his last job over, shall we say, being a bit silly with money. If any club is ever going to break his “never been relegated” record, it will be Palace.
Hodgson, on the other hand, did get Fulham out of a Lawrie Sanchez-shaped hole some years ago, and had made good progress with WBA before he took the England job (I think he took them to 10th). He also fits in with Palace’s desire to employ people with connections to the club, as the ex-Malmo boss came through the Glaziers’ youth system (it was before 1973, that was their nickname).
The third candidate is something of a wildcard, although one of Mancini’s best friends and former assistant managers is Palace legend Attilio Lombardo (currently at Torino). He’s clearly the most glamourous option of the three, but this doesn’t automatically make him the best option.
Of course, they could just give it Giggsy ‘til the end of the season.
*Earlier this year (approximately 25 March), someone wrote a piece on the F365 Welcome Guest strand (that needs to come back, not for me though) about how Crystal Palace’s history of doing the right thing – that is, being principled and attempting to have morals – has ultimately hindered the club more than it has helped. Can’t help wondering if something similar will happen this time around too.
Ed Quoththeraven
BOOM
Regarding the Pulis court case:
You’d think he’d have a better defence…
Jay, NY
A message to Pardew
The list of teams that have scored more Premier League goals than Crystal Palace this season: Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City, Arsenal….. that is all.
League position 17. Five straight defeats.
Still think defending is not your style Alan? Wipe that cheese-eating grin off ya Milkybar Kid face, get the cones out and start doing some defensive drills. Ya schmuck.
Pedro, Cambridge
F365 guilty of reverse xenophobia
Is reverse xenophobia at all possible? Is it possible to be too desperate to be seen as open minded that you become close minded to people from your own culture? There are fewer things certain than F365 hammering a white working class English manager whilst defending a foreign one. The difference in Tim Sherwood and Remi Garde’s treatment springs to mind and the desperation to stick it to Pardew has been there for years.
The class thing in my opinion repeatedly shows itself on here. Ironically an example is John Nich’s (a working lass northerner) defence of Bob Bradley, a man who in fairness clearly does deserve a fair crack in the premier league after 20 successful years in football management.
Apparently part of the reason he’s deserving of a job is American football is more middle class and therefore more intelligent, this to me seems a rather snobby dismissal of working class people’s intellectual capacities in Britain.
Rob, Guangzhou
(MC – It’s not that we’re desperate to be seen as open-minded though, it’s that we’re open-minded. Honest. And we’re not ‘hammering a white working class manager’, we’re hammering managers falsely vaunted in certain circles and with big ideas of themselves).
Mourinho conduct ‘upsetting’ United players – report
Jose Mourinho’s behaviour as Manchester United manager is ‘upsetting people at the club’.
Mourinho has endured a difficult start to life as United boss since being appointed in May.
The club are currently sixth in the Premier League table, 11 points behind leaders Chelsea and __with pressure mounting.
The Portuguese has courted controversy throughout the season for his touchline antics, and was handed another FA charge on Monday evening.
According to the Daily Mail, his conduct is alienating players and officials at Old Trafford. A club source said:
“There’s a fine line between madness and genius,’ one club source said. “People react differently to pressure and he’s obsessive about winning.
“Everyone thinks he can live up to his reputation as the Special One but the pressure he is putting himself under needs a release. After all, it’s just kicking a water bottle.
“But there’s no doubt it’s upset the applecart because he courts controversy in a way others haven’t here. It upsets people at the club because they’re not used to it.
“The culture is not what he expected of a big club.”
Chris Wheeler’s report adds that Mourinho is ‘distancing himself’ from players behind the scenes. He writes:
‘People at United’s training ground talk about an obsessive man totally absorbed by his problems who will ‘smile at you one minute and blank you the next’.
‘Some describe Mourinho as having a split personality and appearing to be at odds __with himself. Players and staff not involved with the first team are practically ignored, with his assistant Rui Faria left to keep up morale.
‘There have been stories of Mourinho distancing himself from the players in training or using a side entrance at Carrington to avoid mingling with them in the canteen.’
Giroud expresses sympathy for fallen Arsenal teammate
Olivier Giroud has expressed sympathy for injured Arsenal teammate Mathieu Debuchy.
Debuchy was handed his first Arsenal start in over a year against Bournemouth on Sunday, __with the Gunners eventually emerging as 3-1 victors.
The Frenchman lasted just 16 minutes however, as an injury forced an abrupt end to his return.
The 31-year-old has endured a difficult past few seasons at the Emirates Stadium, having lost his starting place at right-back to Hector Bellerin.
Debuchy joined the Gunners in summer 2014, and started the campaign as a first-team regular.
However, another injury forced him onto the sidelines, __with Hector Bellerin impressing sufficiently to permanently replace him.
He has made just 23 appearances in all competitions since joining the club, and Giroud feels for his compatriot.
“I’m sad for him. On top of him being a player that I like a lot, he’s also a great guy,” he told SFR Sport.
“I hope he comes back quickly and stronger than before, but it’s true it’s starting to become a lot for him.”
Ramires: Villas-Boas (not Mourinho) my best manager
Ramires says that his favourite manager in football has been Andre Villas-Boas at Chelsea.
Brazilian midfielder Ramires spent six years at Stamford Bridge after joining in 2010, winning a Premier League title, an FA Cup, a Champions League trophy and a Europa League.
He worked under six managers at the club, ranging from Carlo Ancelotti to Jose Mourinho.
But Ramires says that Villas-Boas, who was boss from June 2011 to March 2012, was the best he worked under.
“I had the pleasure of working __with great coaches during my career, but I identified most __with Andre Villas-Boas,” he told Goal.
“We got along really well and it was great to work with him, he’s a guy of enormous ability and intelligence.”
Ramires added, of Mourinho: “I always had a very good relationship with him, so much so that the things became complicated for me at the club when he left.
“I remember he wanted to count on me since he was at Real Madrid and it was a pleasure to work together with him. Mourinho’s CV speaks for itself. He has won many important titles and proved that he is one of the best at what he does.
“With us he was always a calm guy, but on the pitch and in training he demands a lot of us, which I do not see as being a problem. It was in this way of working that he became what he is today.
Klopp reveals Liverpool transfer plans for January
Jurgen Klopp is open to signing players during the January transfer window to help improve his squad.
The Reds are currently second in the Premier League table after an impressive start, losing just one of their first 13 games.
An injury to Philippe Coutinho has threatened to derail their title bid however, __with the Brazilian expected to miss at least six weeks of action.
A move for Borussia Dortmund winger and long-term target Christian Pulisic has been mooted, and Klopp says that he is open to signing players if the situation suits.
“It’s not to make a transfer, it’s only if we think the team needs another player, the squad needs another player,” he told Liverpool’s official website. “Then I think we will do it. If not, then not.
“We have a few hours’ training a day, but I’m absolutely much longer here than for training.
“So in all this time we do different things and a few of these things is to watch the market, watch what happens around, scouting, look at players, promising players from leagues you cannot watch too often. That’s what we do all the time.
“That doesn’t mean we can take one, but only to be informed, to know about development and strength, whatever. That’s what we do. That’s preparation for a situation which could – could – be in the next transfer window.
“I thought before about it, but it doesn’t mean that we do it. We have to think about it all the time to prepare the situation. We have already prepared the summer, that’s how it is. We spoke about a camp, we organised a camp for the summer and all that stuff.
“Of course, transfers will be done or not. If we have another few injuries or not, we will see. Maybe a few young lads now take the chance because of injuries of other players, so then we don’t think about it anymore.”
Herrera insists: We are better than every opponent
Ander Herrera claims Manchester United are overdue a run of victories.
United have made their worst start to a league campaign for 17 years after collecting just 20 points from their opening 13 matches.
Sunday’s frustrating 1-1 draw __with West Ham at Old Trafford was a fourth consecutive home league stalemate, a sequence United have not endured the like of since 1980.
But __with Hammers goalkeeper Darren Randolph a clear man of the match after making a series of outstanding saves, and after similar experiences against other opponents, midfielder Herrera is convinced United are doing little wrong.
The Spaniard said: “I don’t know what to say. At the moment, luck is completely against us. We are playing very good and we deserve eight more points than we have.”
Asked if he felt United were close to getting on a winning run, the 27-year-old said: “Yes. We feel it because we are better than every opponent.
“I don’t know when the luck will change, but it’s not even luck – it’s just (what is) fair. We are looking for fair.
“We are looking to score maybe half of the chances we create and we will win 4-1 every game.”
Herrera sees the number of opportunities United are creating as a clear positive. Sunday’s game was overshadowed by the sending off of manager Jose Mourinho for a second time this season – something which has triggered a Football Association charge – but on the field United had 17 goal attempts to the Hammers’ six.
Herrera said: “The best player of Burnley was the keeper, the best player of Stoke was the keeper, the best player of Arsenal was Petr Cech, the best player of West Ham was Randolph.
“We are doing something good and we have to take good things from it.
“We play intense, we win the second balls, we create chances, we move the ball, we control the game, we have more possession than the opponents, we shoot on goal.
“I remember last season everyone said, ‘shoot, shoot, shoot’, and now we shoot I don’t know how many times each game but we are not scoring.
“It’s unbelievable that we don’t have six or eight points more than we have but hopefully the luck will turn in our favour.”
Petit ‘surprised’ Arsenal club legends are elsewhere
Emmanuel Petit admits he is “surprised” that more former players are not among the Arsenal coaching staff.
Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry, each integral members of the Gunners side which adorned the Premier League since the turn of the millennium, have all sought employment elsewhere at the start of their coaching careers.
Bergkamp is assistant manager at Ajax, Vieira is current manager of New York City FC in MLS, and Henry is a coach for Roberto Martinez’s Belgium.
Henry is the only one of the trio who spent part of his early years in coaching __with Arsenal, but he only ever worked __with the club on a part-time basis.
Petit, who played for the Gunners from 1997 to 2000, has expressed his surprise that none of them are working under Arsene Wenger at the Emirates Stadium.
“You’re often surprised by the career choice of some players after they have stopped playing,” Petit told SFR Sport.
“I spoke to Vieira a few months before he left for MLS, there were representatives of Manchester City there, and I said that I was very surprised that Manchester City would offer a player who is so closely identified with Arsenal a job at their youth academy, like Arteta with Guardiola.
“I think Arsenal have missed a trick there, because there are other emblematic players who have left: Bergkamp is at Ajax, Thierry is with Belgium.”
Gareth Southgate the right man for England, says West Ham's Michail Antonio
Gareth Southgate is the right man for the England job because of his special relationship __with the players, according to Michail Antonio.
Antonio was included in Southgate's first England squad for games against Malta and Slovenia in October and the West Ham midfielder was impressed __with the interim boss.
Southgate has completed a formal interview with the Football Association's five-man panel and could be confirmed as permanent manager this week.
The 46-year-old spent three and a half years with England U21s and oversaw two wins and two draws from his four matches in temporary charge.
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"I feel he does look like the right man for the job," Antonio said. "He's young enough to bond with the boys and he's got a relationship with quite a few of the boys through the U21s.
"We haven't had that for the last few years, someone who is young, who has actually got a relationship with the boys before he's met them so he knows what to do with them, and it shows because he's doing well.
"The 2-2 draw with Spain, people say it's a friendly and they didn't turn it on, but Spain are still a quality team."
Some have questioned Southgate's experience in motivating top players but Antonio insists the former Middlesbrough manager has all the right attributes.
"I'd say he's a great tactician," Antonio said. "He wants us to play and the way he trusts the players, he believes the boys can do it, that they are good enough to do it.
Zaha switches allegiance
Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha has swapped England for the Ivory Coast
"To play for England you have to be quality so it's just about working out the kinks and making the players believe in themselves and have the confidence to play.
"He knows all the players. You can't be around players and not know what makes them tick. That's the difference between him and other managers.
Antonio has scored six goals this season and believes that if he keeps his form then more England caps will come, and said he would have the faith of Southgate.
"I've only spoken to him the one time I wasn't in the squad," Antonio said.
"He just said I wasn't in it, that players were back from injury but that if anyone got injured he wouldn't hesitate to give me a call.
"I know it's about working hard and playing well enough in the Premier League that it makes it difficult not to choose me."
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Las Palmas 3-1 Athletic Bilbao: Home side move into La Liga top 10
Las Palmas edged into La Liga's top 10 as they secured another positive result at their island fortress, this time a 3-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao.
Kevin-Prince Boateng gave the Canary Islanders a 40th-minute lead and Momo added a second five minutes into the second period.
The dismissal of Athletic's star forward Aritz Aduriz appeared to have killed off the visitors, but a Raul Garcia penalty __with 11 minutes left gave the visitors hope.
But the result was put beyond doubt in the final seconds of normal time as Jonathan Viera scored a sublime breakaway third to extend Las Palmas' unbeaten home record in LaLiga this season to seven matches.
The visitors had a strong penalty claim waved away in the fifth minute when Boateng lost possession and Benat Etxebarria released Aduriz on goal, but he failed to get a shot away as he was bundled to the ground by David Garcia.
The hosts recovered from that scare to forge ahead after a typically intricate passing move __with five minutes of the half to go.
Tana's pass out wide was chased down by full-back Michel, whose low cross from the right was stabbed home by Boateng at close range.
Substitute Momo made it 2-0 when Tana's pass found him in space and he advanced into the left-hand side of the box and beat Kepa with a calm finish.
Aduriz was sent off with 15 minutes to go, with the second yellow shown for dissent as he complained about the first. Garcia pulled one back with a penalty after Michel was penalised for handball, despite the ball appearing to strike his shoulder.
The visitors came close to an equaliser as first Gorka Elustondo and then Inigo Lekue were denied in quick succession by goalkeeper Javi Varas and defender Vicente Gomez respectively.
Athletic committed bodies forward and were hit on the break in the dying seconds. Marko Livaja's exquisite ball sent Viera clear on Kepa and he beat the goalkeeper with a beautifully-weighted chip.
Serie A round-up: Inter Milan beat 10-man Fiorentina
Inter Milan held on to beat 10-man Fiorentina 4-2 and hand boss Stefano Pioli his first win since taking charge.
Four days after throwing away a two-goal lead to lose to Hapoel Be'er Sheva and exit the Europa League, Inter were almost pegged back in Serie A despite leading 3-0 after 19 minutes.
Marcelo Brozovic, Antonio Candreva and Mauro Icardi all scored early for the hosts but Nikola Kalinic pulled one back and, after Gonzalo's controversial dismissal in first-half stoppage time, Josip Ilicic got another. But Icardi struck in stoppage time to inflict a first defeat in seven league games on Fiorentina.
Gregoire Defrel's stunning equaliser snapped Sassuolo's losing streak and handed Napoli's Scudetto hopes another blow. Defrel's late volley cancelled out Lorenzo Insigne's opener as Napoli were held to a 1-1 draw - their third stalemate in a row at the Stadio San Paolo in all competitions.
Insigne cut in from the left before letting fly __with a deflected strike that beat Andrea Consigli and gave the hosts a deserved 42nd-minute lead. But Sassuolo improved after the break and ended a run of four straight league defeats when Marcello Gazzola's fine cross from the right was brilliantly dispatched on the volley by Defrel from near the penalty spot.
Michail Antonio challenges West Ham to find their consistency
Michail Antonio is confident West Ham can recover from their poor start to the season and has challenged the Hammers to find their consistency in the Premier League.
West Ham were in contention for a place in the Champions League last season before ultimately finishing in seventh spot, four points behind fourth-placed Manchester City.
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But Slaven Bilic's side have struggled to find any consistency this campaign and sit in 16th, just a point above the relegation zone, after winning just three of their opening 13 matches.
West Ham have however claimed two victories against Accrington and Chelsea in the EFL Cup and, ahead of Wednesday's quarter-final tie against Manchester United, live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 7.30pm, Antonio says he wants to see the same level of performance in the Premier League.
Man Utd vs West Ham
November 30, 2016, 7:30pm
Live on
"I don't feel that we should be down there, but because of the performances that we have had and the mistakes we've been making, that's why we are down there," the winger, 26, told Sky Sports News HQ.
"But as a team and the players that we have, it's just not right. Luckily, this season, everybody is beating everybody and the bad run of form that we've had so far, we're still in and around it.
"If we win a couple of games, we could easily be ninth or 10th, it's just one of those things where we've got to concentrate on our own game and make sure we've put all of our mistakes behind us now.
"It's just about getting that consistency in the Premier League. As a player you have to be consistent and as a team you have got to be consistent to be up and around the big boys.
"Hopefully we've now put everything behind us, we find our shape, we find our bond and now we can push on and get up the league."
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EFL Cup quarter-final wins for Man Utd and Arsenal, says Charlie Nicholas
Charlie Nicholas gives us his predictions for the EFL Cup quarter-finals, __with Liverpool v Leeds and Manchester United v West Ham live on Sky Sports 1 HD.
The Soccer Saturday pundit is expecting home advantage to result in an semi-final line-up consisting of Premier League teams, despite Sky Bet Championship leaders Newcastle being rated favourites for their trip to Hull City.
Here is what Charlie is backing in his Sky Bet tips...
Liverpool v Leeds United (Tuesday, live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 7.30pm)
Liverpool will make changes, regardless of the forced one in terms of Philippe Coutinho. Daniel Sturridge looks like he'll miss out so Divock Origi will get the chance he has earned, while they've also got the likes of Lucas Leiva to come in.
The Reds can't make many changes defensively, though, which will be a positive thing for them here given they've finally put together a couple of clean sheets.
You must applaud what Garry Monk has done at Leeds. I'm not sure stability is the right word, because I don't think that's possible at Leeds, but he's been able to bed in some young players like Kalvin Phillips and still get results.
It will be a big crowd and I would imagine the atmosphere will prevent any sort of complacency from the hosts here.
Charlie predicts: Liverpool to win 3-1 and Origi to score first (Sky Bet's odds: 20/1)
Liverpool vs Leeds
November 29, 2016, 7:30pm
Live on
Hull City v Newcastle United (Tuesday, 7.45pm)
It does surprise me that Newcastle are favourites to a degree, although given the way Thommo was talking about Hull, they hardly turned the corner by salvaging a draw against West Brom.
The problem for Hull is that they can't really rest anybody, which is worrying for their Premier League survival hopes, but means they have to pretty much go __with their best team here.
They seem to be having the most problems with their midfield, Tom Huddlestone dropped and Ryan Mason hauled off at half-time.
Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez tried to play it clever by leaving out Dwight Gayle among others at the weekend and it backfired, with a troubling loss killing their momentum.
In terms of value, Hull are appealing here as the outsiders in what I see as a tough one to call.
Charlie predicts: Hull to win 2-1 (10/1 with Sky Bet) and Robert Snodgrass to score first (13/2 with Sky Bet)
Manchester United v West Ham United (Wednesday, live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 7.30pm)
Well, West Ham did very well on Sunday and Manchester United continue to be the most unlucky team in the Premier League!
They have a problem at Old Trafford of playing well, but not getting wins, and now the annoyance of Jose Mourinho is clear for everybody to see.
West Ham might need to get Andy Carroll back into the mix as it sounds like Diafra Sakho has picked up another injury. They're running out of bodies.
I think Mourinho will make quite a few changes and I wouldn't be surprised if this went to extra time, but I'm expecting the hosts to edge it.
Charlie predicts: Manchester United to win 2-1 and Jesse Lingard to score first (Sky Bet's odds: 30/1)
Man Utd vs West Ham
November 30, 2016, 7:30pm
Live on
Arsenal v Southampton (Wednesday)
Well this is an awkward one for Arsenal. They were lucky in the league meeting to beat Southampton, who recorded a very good result on Sunday.
I do think the Saints will make changes which will make them weaker, although I'm sure Claude Puel would love a result against his good friend Arsene Wenger.
You look at the players Arsenal can bring in and Aaron Ramsey can come in, Alex Iwobi can come in and Olivier Giroud will also be desperate to earn back his starting berth.
The difference in the quality of players coming in will be decisive for me here and I think Arsenal will be able to end November with a win.
Charlie predicts: Arsenal to win 3-2 (Sky Bet's odds: 22/1) and Giroud to score first (Sky Bet's odds: 7/2)
Ander Herrera says luck is ‘completely against’ Manchester United
Ander Herrera says luck is "completely against" Manchester United and believes his side are overdue a run of victories.
United have made their worst start to a league campaign for 17 years after collecting just 20 points from their opening 13 matches following Sunday's 1-1 draw __with West Ham at Old Trafford, which was their fourth consecutive home league draw.
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Hammers goalkeeper Darren Randolph produced a series of outstanding saves at the weekend with United enduring similarly frustrating experiences against other teams throughout the season, and Herrera says Jose Mourinho's side have been unlucky.
"I don't know what to say," the Spain international said. "At the moment, luck is completely against us. We are playing very good and we deserve eight more points than we have."
Asked if he felt United were close to getting on a winning run, the 27-year-old said: "Yes. We feel it because we are better than every opponent.
Man Utd vs West Ham
November 30, 2016, 7:30pm
Live on
"I don't know when the luck will change, but it's not even luck - it's just [what is] fair. We are looking for fair. We are looking to score maybe half of the chances we create and we will win 4-1 every game."
Herrera sees the number of opportunities United are creating as a clear positive, __with the home side having 17 goal attempts to West Ham's six at the weekend, and says he cannot believe they do not have more points on the board.
"The best player of Burnley was the 'keeper, the best player of Stoke was the 'keeper, the best player of Arsenal was Petr Cech, the best player of West Ham was Randolph," he said. "We are doing something good and we have to take good things from it.
"We play intense, we win the second balls, we create chances, we move the ball, we control the game, we have more possession than the opponents, we shoot on goal.
"I remember last season everyone said, 'shoot, shoot, shoot', and now we shoot I don't know how many times each game but we are not scoring.
"It's unbelievable that we don't have six or eight points more than we have but hopefully the luck will turn in our favour."
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