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Glamour friendlies a good idea for Manchester United - Van Gaal
By Jack Davies
Oct 3, 2014 22:16:00
The Red Devils are considering the possibility of playing high-profile matches in midweek in order to keep the squad busy and earning money while out of the Champions League
Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal backs plans for the club to play a number of lucrative midweek friendlies during the season.
The matches have been mooted to plug the gap left by United's failure to qualify for European competition, while their early elimination from the League Cup at the hands of MK Dons freed up yet more space on the calendar.
Managing director Richard Arnold revealed recently that the idea was still being looked into but now Van Gaal has lent his own support to the proposal.
"I fully agree," he told the press. "I spoke with [executive vice-chairman] Ed [Woodward] and Richard last week.
"I like to play midweek games against high-level opponents."
United, who host Everton in the Premier League on Sunday, are reportedly set to lose more than €51 million as a result of their non-involvement in the Champions League.
Louis van Gaal says he is completely happy with his defence despite the amount of goals conceded by Manchester United so far this season.
Saturday 4th October 2014
Respected pundits, including Gary Neville and Ruud Gullit, have questioned why Van Gaal did not spend more of his budget on his backline this summer - and a quick glance at the goals conceded column shows why.
After six matches, Crystal Palace are the only side in the top 11 with a worse record than Van Gaal's men, who have conceded nine goals in six games.
Van Gaal insists the likes of Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Jonny Evans and Tyler Blackett are not to blame though.
The United manager says his team have conceded so many goals because they have been giving away possession further up the field and he wants to see that eradicated in the near future.
"We have conceded too many goals," Van Gaal said ahead of Sunday's game against Everton.
"Everyone is writing it's because of the weak defence, but no.
"Our problem is that we lose the ball so easily. And I want that to improve.
"I want my defensive organisation (to be) better but the defence begins in the striker's position.
"All the teams are mostly scoring goals out of counter-attacks against us and free-kicks and corners but not that they make their goals like we do out of building play up."
Van Gaal has also told his star players they must track back more to protect their back four.
"We have a lot of creative players and they need more discipline," he said.
"So we are looking for a balance in attacking football without thinking too much about only attacking but also guarding your defence."
Paddy McNair put in arguably the best defensive performance of the season on his debut last weekend in the 2-1 win over West Ham.
Van Gaal confirmed the 19-year-old will retain his place in the team for Sunday's game against Roberto Martinez's side.
'We still have three central defenders injured so he (McNair) shall play,'' Van Gaal said.
''He is the only player who can play in the right-sided defensive position.
''I chose him last week and he played very good. It's difficult for a player like him to maintain that level - that is his biggest challenge.''
Meanwhile, one of United's former star players, Sir Bobby Charlton, was admitted to hospital on Thursday after complaining of stomach pains.
Charlton, 76, was playing in a pro-am golf tournament at St Andrews in Scotland when he started to feel unwell.
The 1966 World Cup winner initially refused any treatment, but he eventually agreed to allow an ambulance to take him to the Ninewells hospital, 17 miles away in Dundee.
Doctors carried out checks on the former United player and released him soon after.
Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini has warned his defenders they must raise their levels.
Saturday 4th October 2014
The Barclays Premier League champions have kept just one clean sheet in their last eight games, and that came in a 7-0 thrashing of Championship side Sheffield Wednesday in the Capital One Cup.
City have not shut out the opposition in the Premier League since they won 2-0 at Newcastle in their opening match of the season.
Pellegrini said: "I think that we must improve. It's very important to have a clean sheet because if you are always conceding one goal before you score you are playing against time, against the rival, the score, against a lot of things.
"One of the things that we did last year was improving clean sheets.
"We had a second round (of fixtures) with a lot of clean sheets.
"At this moment last year we had conceded more goals, but in the last three games in Premier League we have conceded five goals and that is too much. We drew two games and won one, but it's too much."
Pellegrini admits he is still unsure what his first-choice central defensive pairing should be.
Martin Demichelis was restored alongside influential captain Vincent Kompany for the midweek Champions League draw against Roma after £32million summer signing Eliaquim Mangala had a poor game at Hull last Saturday.
Demichelis and Kompany had started the season together while Mangala built up his match fitness.
Pellegrini said: "I cannot say because it depends on their performance.
"We bought Mangala for an important amount of money because we thought that we needed a centre-back, but I'm very happy with the performance of Martin and Vincent Kompany, also.
"Mangala was not out because he made a mistake against Hull on Saturday.
"We are just starting the season and we must finish in May so we must have a lot of games to play.
"Of course players not in a good performance cannot play, but it's important to make a good rotation, it's important to decide tactical things.
"For that game I decided that it was better to play Demichelis, who was also playing very well.
"It was not linked with what happened against Hull and I think he (Mangala) will be a very good defender for us during the whole year."
Pellegrini also has strong competition for places in midfield.
Yaya Toure and Fernandinho were the first-choice pairing last season but this term Pellegrini has the extra options of Fernando and Frank Lampard.
Fernando impressed in the opening weeks of the season before suffering injury while former England international Lampard, signed on a six-month deal from sister club New York City, has shone of late.
Pellegrini said: "I have four very good midfielders because we have to play around 60 games during the whole year.
"We'll see which midfielders are in the best moment to play each game. That's never a problem when you have good players, it's a problem when you don't have good players."
Pellegrini will be without the bulk of his squad next week as they head out on international duty.
Fitness concerns over Liverpool's England striker Daniel Sturridge have reignited the club-versus-country debate this week but Pellegrini has no complaints about the situation.
The Chilean said: "Of course you have concerns about that but you can do nothing.
"If I am in charge or managing a national squad, I (would) hope that all the managers will help me. I think it's our duty to help all the other managers.
"If not, you cannot have World Cup, you cannot have European Championships. It's an obligation for us to do it."
When City's players return to club training, they will do so not at their familiar Carrington base, but at the new £200million City Football Academy.
The state-of-the-art complex adjacent to the Etihad Stadium will start opening in stages from next week.
Pellegrini said: "It is unbelievable. I have been in another important training ground at Real Madrid, but this one I think is the best I have seen."
Aston Villa 0-2 Manchester City: Yaya Toure & Aguero break hosts' resistance The Ivory Coast international broke the deadlock with a fine individual strike before the Argentine secured the three points for Manuel Pellegrini's side
Lallana and Henderson ease the pressure... but size of Liverpool rebuild cannot be ignored Brendan Rodgers left Mario Balotelli on the bench and saw his side secure a 2-1 win over West Brom - but he will know better than anyone that there is plenty of work still to do
Leicester 2-2 Burnley: Visitors end goal drought with dramatic late equaliser Sean Dyche's side tripled their goal tally for the season against the fellow newly promoted side, twice coming from behind to halt an impressive Foxes outfit
Hull City 2-0 Crystal Palace: Jelavic & Diame end Warnock's unbeaten run Two second-half goals gave the Tigers a much-needed victory and handed a first defeat to the Palace boss since returning for a second spell at the club
Sunderland 3-1 Stoke City: Fletcher double kickstarts Black Cats' campaign Two goals from the Scottish striker and another from Connor Wickham saw Gus Poyet's men grab their first three points of the season
Swansea City 2-2 Newcastle United: Cisse rescues point for under-pressure Pardew The visitors twice came from behind at the Liberty Stadium but managed to grab a vital point thanks to another double from their Senegal striker
Liverpool 2-1 West Brom: Henderson seals much-needed win Adam Lallana had given Brendan Rodgers's struggling side the lead with his first goal for the club, before Saido Berahino equalised from the penalty spot shortly after the break
Last season's runners-up recorded just their third win of the season against West Brom on Saturday but the manager is encouraged by his squad work-rate in the 2-1 victory
Brendan Rodgers feels his Liverpool side still have much to improve upon if they are to come close to matching last season's achievements after beating West Brom on Saturday.
Goals from Adam Lallana and Jordan Henderson saw the Reds beat Alan Irvine's side 2-1, just their third victory of the Premier League season.
Rodgers is encouraged by Liverpool's improvements against West Brom after showing determination to regain their lead and seal the three points after Saido Berahino's penalty had levelled the score after Lallana's opener, and the manager hopes to have a fully fit squad following the international break.
"Performance-wise, we've still got a way to go," he told reporters. "The speed of our game, movement in our game [and] intensity in our game is still developing and improving.
"I'd rather have that now and get better and better as the season goes on, but whilst searching, it is important to find a way to win.
"The players have got remarkable character. It was a very important win for us today, hopefully we'll come back from the international break to what we were at Tottenham with a full squad to pick from."
Rodgers was delighted to see Henderson cap an impressive performance with the decisive goal, citing the former Sunderland man's newfound freedom to break on as crucial.
"We gave him more licence [to get forward]," Rodgers said.
"He's the one player in the country who can dominate the game without the football with his running capacity and his great physicality and today was about getting him forward that bit more.
"That running allows him to offer the combination with Adam for the first goal and the second he arrives in the box and finishes really, really well. It was a big performance from him today.
"He has wonderful physical capacity to run. His size surprises a lot of people, he's got great running ability [and] lovely technique on the ball."
Chelsea 2-0 Arsenal: Hazard & Costa make easy work of lacklustre Gunners The Blues eventually ran out comfortable winners at Stamford Bridge after the Belgian forward won and converted a first-half penalty and Cesc Fabregas inspired their second goal
Tottenham 1-0 Southampton: Eriksen provides Pochettino with perfect Saints reunion The Denmark international combined with Nacer Chadli to score the only goal of the game shortly before half-time as the Saints were largely suppressed at White Hart Lane
Wenger and Mourinho involved in touchline fracas The two managers clashed on the sidelines after Gary Cahill was booked for a foul on Alexis Sanchez, with referee Martin Atkinson warning they could both be sent to the stands
Manchester United 2-1 Everton: Falcao poaches three points for Van Gaal Angel Di Maria put the Red Devils in front in the first half and Leighton Baines had a penalty saved before Steven Naismith's equaliser but the Colombian had final say
The two managers clashed on the sidelines after Gary Cahill was booked for a foul on Alexis Sanchez, with referee Martin Atkinson warning they could both be sent to the stands
Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger have been involved in a touchline fracas during the match between Chelsea and Arsenal at Stamford Bridge.
The two men clashed after Blues defender Gary Cahill was booked for a strong challenge on Alexis Sanchez, with Wenger shoving Mourinho after the Portuguese stepped out of his technical area to complain about the sanction.
An unbalanced Mourinho responded by grasping at his opposite number, and the quarrel continued with a slanging match.
Referee Martin Atkinson was forced to intervene and warned both managers that they would be sent to the stands if there was a repeat of the early flash-point.
Towards half-time, Rui Faria and Steve Bould, assistants at Chelsea and Arsenal respectively, were also involved in an exchange of words as the row continued between both benches.
Mourinho and Wenger have enjoyed a long, sometimes bitter rivalry over the last 10 years.
Last season, Mourinho called his opposite number a "specialist in failure", and in his first spell as Blues boss he claimed the Frenchman was a "voyeur".
An eventful opening period at Stamford Bridge also saw Thibaut Courtois taken off with a head injury following a clash with Alexis, with Petr Cech coming off the bench to replace the Belgian.
Kick-off had already been delayed by 15 minutes after it was claimed security staff needed extra time to remove flares brought to the stadium by Arsenal fans.
'Great' De Gea won the game for Manchester United - Van Gaal
By Matthew Sherry
Oct 5, 2014 16:46:00
Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao scored the goals at Old Trafford but the Spanish goalkeeper's remarkable heroics late in the game held off a recovery from Everton
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal lauded David de Gea after the goalkeeper's late heroics helped his side to cling onto a 2-1 Premier League win over Everton on Sunday.
The Spaniard kept out Leighton Baines's first-half penalty at Old Trafford before producing a string of stunning saves in the dying moments as the Red Devils held on to secure a second successive victory for the first time under Van Gaal.
Radamel Falcao scored the all-important goal, his 62nd-minute strike coming after Steven Naismith had cancelled out Angel Di Maria's opener.
But it was De Gea drawing plaudits from Van Gaal, who told BT Sport: "When you save a penalty and make three magnificent saves in the dying minutes, you are great. We won the game because of that."
Di Maria's performance was impressive, too, with the Argentine continuing his stunning form since joining from Real Madrid in August.
United boss Van Gaal added in his post-match media conference: "When you set up and score goals, what more can you ask?
"When you do that every week - and he does - we have to be very pleased."
Van Gaal knows there is more to come from his players, however, continuing: "I have told the players we are not playing well but we are fourth in the table. What is coming when we play well?"
The Dutchman also confirmed that Luke Shaw is unlikely to add to his ongoing injury problems, suggesting that the left-back - withdrawn after 70 minutes - was suffering from a "dead knee".
The Argentina boss has hailed the 26-year-old as one of the most "relevant" players the Albiceleste have produced in recent years
Gerardo Martino believes Manchester United got a "bargain" in signing Angel Di Maria from Real Madrid for €77 million over the summer.
The 26-year-old was one of Madrid's star men as they lifted the Champions League last season but was surprisingly allowed to leave the Santiago Bernabeu in August.
United paid a club record fee to secure his services, but Argentina boss Martino says the forward is worth every penny.
He said: "I think that the club directors got him on the cheap because he is such a versatile player – he can adapt to any position on the field, on either wing or through the middle. Ángel is one of the most relevant players that Argentina have had in recent years."
Di Maria has made a flying start to life at Old Trafford, scoring three goals in his first five games for the club and will be part of the Argentina squad who take on Brazil and Hong Kong over the international break.
The Magpies boss has been under significant pressure in recent weeks following a winless run but says he has taken heart from a number of supportive messages from his peers
Alan Pardew has taken heart from the support he has received following a testing few weeks as Newcastle United manager.
Speculation regarding Pardew's future has been frenzied so far in 2014-15 as a sizeable section of the club's supporters have vented their frustration at a string of poor results.
A run of one victory in their last 15 Premier League games plus a winless start to the new top-flight season has seen the pressure gradually increase on the former Southampton boss.
But Pardew's men showed great spirit to twice come from behind in Saturday's 2-2 draw at Swansea City, although the 53-year-old knows he needs to secure that elusive first league win as soon as possible.
"We've got to get our season going," stressed Pardew. "I've had lots of messages of support from within the game.
"We know the tension isn't going to go away but I think we've got a bit of confidence to lean on going into our next home game [against Leicester City after the international break].
"Hopefully we can win that. I have to just focus on the team and improve the team as best as I can.
"We need to make sure we grind out a win and get some confidence.
"The team gave it everything [at Swansea]. We're a better team than we're showing at the moment."
Manchester City to announce €64m sponsorship bonus
Oct 5, 2014 10:38:00
The Premier League champions will unveil several new commercial deals, while Michael Carrick is expected to extend his Old Trafford contract and Newcastle will consider Eddie Howe
MANCHESTER CITY SET FOR SPONSORSHIP WINDFALL
By Paul Clennam
Manchester City are poised to announce a raft of multi-million pound sponsorship deals in the next few weeks which could be worth as much as €64 million a year.
The Premier League champions are putting the final touches to their €255m City Football Academy training facility, with Manuel Pellegrini's squad set to move in next month.
The club's owners have been in high-level talks with a number of major global companies about attaching their name to sections of the 80-acre state-of-the-art site.
The 7,000-seater Arena name, along with the central performance centre and footbridge, which links it to the Etihad Stadium, are all in the cash pot.
City currently earn around €51m a year through their Etihad sponsorship of the shirts and stadium and hope to at least match that figure with a string of new sponsorship deals.
Japanese car makers Nissan recently formed a lucrative partnership with City and are thought to be one of the companies in the bidding.
City's Abu Dhabi owners were hit with a record €64m fine for breaching Uefa's Financial Fair Play rules this summer, though the club believe they can one day overtake neighbours United when it comes to bringing in commercial revenue.
CARRICK TO EXTEND MANCHESTER UNITED STAY
By Paul Clennam
Michael Carrick is poised to agree a 12-month contract extension to stay with Manchester United.
The midfielder, yet to feature this season due to injury, is out of contract next summer but has a renewal clause option in the most recent deal he signed back in November 2013.
United boss Louis van Gaal is believed to be a big fan of the 33-year-old and will outline his plans for the player in the next few weeks.
Carrick is happy at Old Trafford and both sides expect the option to be activated early in the New Year.
NEWCASTLE BEGIN DRAWING UP MANAGER SHORTLIST
By Graeme Bailey
Despite Newcastle owner Mike Ashley opting not to sack Alan Pardew, it is understood that a list of potential replacements is being worked on.
One shock name being considered is Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe, whose reputation has soared after turning the south coast minnows into Championship challengers.
Howe, one of English football’s most highly regarded young managers, had an underwhelming spell at Burnley before returning to Goldsands Stadium in 2012 and overseeing promotion to the second tier.
Former Manchester United boss David Moyes is also in the frame, although it remains doubtful that the club would look to Hull City's Geordie boss Steve Bruce - who was strongly linked with the club last week.
Tottenham head coach Mauricio Pochettino insisted his side are building for the future after their 1-0 win over his former club Southampton.
Christian Eriksen drove home an effort five minutes before the break at White Hart Lane as Tottenham picked up their first win in five Premier League outings.
And Pochettino, who swapped the English south coast for north London during the close-season, recognised his players' efforts in overcoming an opponent he knows all too well.
"It is an important win," he told BBC Sport. "It was a very tough game. Southampton have unbelievable players.
"We are still improving. I arrived three months ago. It is always difficult to put together a different philosophy in such a short time. It is important to build something for the long term.
"All the players did a great job today and did their best. We deserved the three points."
Despite ending his former employers' seven-match unbeaten run in all competitions, Pochettino stressed that he still held Southampton in high regard.
"I love Southampton and the club," he added. "It was a great period. Southampton will always be special for me in my heart."
Welcome to the Emirates, welcome to the unreal: In the footsteps of Wilshere
Oct 6, 2014 13:00:00
A group of aspiring footballers spent quality time with Arsenal after winning a unique skills contest staged by Gatorade
Five emerging football talents have enjoyed an amazing experience with Arsenal after winning Gatorade’s Unreal Around The World contest.
The sports hydration company invited amateur players to enter videos of themselves performing tricks, with the winners being jetted around the globe to visit a string of top clubs.
The quintet – Eduardo Lorenzi Debrito, Kelsey Waller, Mateusz Kaczmarek, Mohammad Heydarpour and Peter Touros – were given the star treatment by the Gunners, with a string of activities organised to give them a taste of life at the top of the game.
They were invited to a press conference hosted by Arsene Wenger before heading for a guided tour of the Emirates Stadium.
After performing tricks in the shadows of Buckingham Palace, they also attended the opening day of the prestigious Emirates Cup competition.
Monaco and Valencia played out a 2-2 draw in the first fixture before Arsenal beat Benfica 5-1. The contest winners watched first-team stars such as Jack Wilshere from the club’s VIP hospitality facilities.
“It was really inspiring to be able to get that close to players who are on a whole different level,” said Mohammad. Mateusz recalled “an amazing day”.
The youngsters were also invited to spend time with Liverpool, Barcelona, AC Milan and Boca Juniors and the USA and Brazil national teams as part of their unreal adventure.
The former Atletico Madrid star was forced off after colliding with Alexis Sanchez but could be selected for Belgium's upcoming Euro 2016 qualifier against Andorra
Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has been given the all clear to link up with the Belgian national team following the head injury that saw him substituted against Arsenal.
The 22-year-old shot-stopper collided with Alexis Sanchez at Stamford Bridge on Sunday and, after initially playing on, was withdrawn when he began to bleed from the ear before being taken to hospital.
He was replaced by Petr Cech for the 32-year-old's first Premier League appearance of the season as the Blues ran out 2-0 winners to maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign.
But the club moved to eradicate fears of a serious injury, and confirmed the former Atletico Madrid star could play for his country against Andorra on Friday.
A statement read: "Chelsea Football Club can confirm Thibaut Courtois went to hospital during our Premier League game against Arsenal yesterday [Sunday] for precautionary tests on a head injury. Those tests came back all clear.
"Thibaut was treated for a minor cut to his ear and was released from hospital last night. He is expected to report for international duty later this week."
Courtois himself, meanwhile, took to Twitter to announce that he was recovering well and was looking forward to making a return sooner rather than later.
Arsene Wenger is unlikely to face any disciplinary action from the Football Association for pushing Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho during a heated touchline bust-up.
Monday 6th October 2014
Wenger confronted Mourinho in the technical area just after a bad foul from Gary Cahill on Alexis Sanchez midway through the first half, the Frenchman afterwards accepting he gave the Chelsea boss a "little" push, but which he defended.
The managers had to be separated at the time by fourth official Jon Moss, before they were called over by referee Martin Atkinson, who gave them both a stern dressing down and warned any further transgressions would see them sent to the stands.
Because the referee dealt with the matter as he saw it during the match, Press Association Sport understands the FA is unlikely to open a disciplinary case, unless the officials' report highlights something extraordinary.
The governing body are, however, expected to write to both clubs following the delayed kick off by some 15 minutes after a flare was left off outside the entrance to the away supporters, which caused turnstiles to be closed so smoke could clear before allowing fans back into the corner of the Shed End.
Arsenal lost the match 2-0, and suffered a first Premier League defeat of the season.
The Gunners are eighth, but just four points behind second-placed Manchester City, although now nine adrift of leaders Chelsea.
It is Arsenal's second worst league start to a season under Wenger.
However, centre-back Per Mertesacker - who was caught out of position as Diego Costa broke away for the late second goal - believes Arsenal can learn from the disappointments of Sunday to push on again after the international break.
"We were much more competitive and we defended much better (than last season), so that is what we can take, but Chelsea were still better and we have to learn quickly," he said.
"At times we were good, but not good enough to score a goal.
"Defensively we made two wrong decisions and we missed the final touch in the last third and the final ball - that was the difference.
"We can take some positives out of this game but there's still something to do.
"We think so (we are in a better place than last season), but we have to prove it."
Arsenal had taken Galatasaray apart 4-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday night with a hat-trick from England forward Danny Welbeck, but did not really cause Chelsea's resolute backline many problems.
Midfielder Jack Wilshere took a heavy touch when played in on goal late in the first half as the ball ran through to the goalkeeper, on what he felt was just one of those days for the Gunners.
Wilshere said on Arsenal Player: "We had periods of possession when it felt like we were on top and we had a few half-chances, but we didn't create a clear-cut opportunity - maybe on another day we would score one of those half-chances and create a few more.
"We had strong periods of possession against a strong defensive unit.
"They play with magic, they brought (John Obi) Mikel on and they were obviously worried about our threat going forward.
"I thought we controlled the game in the second half until the goal, and then once that goes in, we threw everyone forward.
"It was obviously better than last year's result (a 6-0 loss to Chelsea), but at the end of the day we still have the same outcome: no points and a disappointed team."
Tottenham were embarrassed home and away by Manchester City last season, but captain Younes Kaboul is confident there will be no such humbling when the teams meet again in a fortnight.
Monday 6th October 2014
Spurs were ripped apart by eventual champions City last term, with Andre Villas-Boas' side returning from the north west on the back of a 6-0 defeat in November.
Things did not go much better in the return fixture at White Hart Lane, where Manuel Pellegrini's side ran riot 5-1 against a side by this point under the tutorship of Tim Sherwood.
Now it is Mauricio Pochettino's turn to try and overcome City, who lie in wait after the two-week international break.
It is a match Kaboul says Spurs approach without any form of hangover from last season's defeats, with the players looking to right some wrongs at the Etihad Stadium.
"What happened last season was last season," the Frenchman said. "In football the most important thing is the present and we look at the future. We look forward to this game.
"Football is football, you never know what can happen, but mentally and physically we have to be ready for this game."
Tottenham will head into that match buoyed by Sunday's 1-0 win against Pochettino's former side Southampton.
It was the ideal follow-up to last weekend's 1-1 draw at neighbours Arsenal, where Kaboul says they showed the attitude and aptitude required to hurt City.
"We need to produce a similar performance to the one against Arsenal," the Spurs skipper said.
"I know each game is different, but we need to learn from the Arsenal game because it is a big team, we're are going to play a massive team again. We need to be similar but even better.
"Simply they are more of a threat in front [than Arsenal]. They've got a lot of players attacking and they are ready for the fight.
"They are champions of England so we need to produce a big performance there."
Such a performance was lacking in Tottenham's matches last season against the Premier League's biggest names.
As well as shipping 11 goals to City, they conceded nine as Liverpool did the double and suffered a 4-0 defeat at Chelsea - the kind of losses that may actually help Spurs in the long run.
"When you lose, you learn, especially Man City or Man U or Chelsea," Kaboul said. "We look forward to this game.
"We've got two weeks to prepare. It was very important to win today because we've got a two-week break.
"Last time we didn't and it was hard. Today we won and it is very important because before the kick-off we were 12th, now we are sixth. We are very happy."
Saints, by contrast, will return to action in two weeks sat third in the Barclays Premier League.
Defeat at White Hart Lane brought an end to six-matching winning streak in all competitions, although captain Jose Fonte believes the result was harsh.
"It is a very disappointed dressing room," Fonte, this week called-up by Portugal for the first time, said. "This was an important game for us because of what was at stake.
"I thought we did not have the rub of the green, to be honest. We had good chances to score and we didn't manage to take them.
"At this level if you don't take your chances, you run the risk of losing so they had two or three decent chances.
"They were playing at home and in the second half we completely dominated the game. I thought we deserved more than nothing from the game."
Roy Keane and Peter Schmeichel after United's win over South China in 1997. Photo: SCMP
Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane has revealed he once left team-mate Peter Schmeichel with a black eye following a pre-season brawl in Hong Kong, in extracts from his autobiography released on Monday.
In the book, The Second Half, which is published on Thursday, the former Ireland midfielder also lifts the lid on his acrimonious departure from United in 2005 and criticises Rio Ferdinand over his missed drugs test.
Keane says that the alcohol-fuelled fight with former Denmark international Schmeichel, one of United’s greatest ever goalkeepers, occurred during a pre-season trip to Hong Kong in 1998 - but he means 1997, as United did not come to HK in 98.
Roy Keane and Peter Schmeichel - is a bruise visible under his left eye? - after the game. Photo: SCMP
“There’d been a little bit of tension between us over the years, for football reasons,” wrote Keane.
“Peter would come out shouting at players, and I felt sometimes he was playing up to the crowd: ‘Look at me!’
“He was probably doing it for concentration levels, but I felt he did it too often, as if he was telling the crowd: ‘Look what I have to deal with.’
Peter Schmeichel - presumably pre-scrap - throws a ball to a fan in Hong Kong in 1997. Photo: SCMP
“He said, ‘I’ve had enough of you. It’s time we sorted this out.’ So I said, ‘OK,’ and we had a fight. It felt like 10 minutes. There was a lot of noise – Peter’s a big lad.
“I woke up the next morning. I kind of vaguely remembered the fight. My hand was really sore and one of my fingers was bent backwards.”
He added: “Butty [Nicky Butt] had refereed the fight. Anyway, Peter had grabbed me, I’d head-butted him – we’d been fighting for ages.”
According to Keane, Schmeichel explained away his black eye at a subsequent press conference by claiming that one of his team-mates had accidentally elbowed him in training.
Roy Keane watches kids play at Sha Tin in 1997. Photo: SCMP
Keane left United in November 2005 after launching a withering attack on some of his team-mates during an interview with United’s in-house television channel, MUTV, that was never broadcast.
In his book, he says that he learnt of United’s desire for him to leave during a subsequent meeting with then manager Alex Ferguson.
“I said to Ferguson, ‘Can I play for somebody else?’” writes Keane, who is now working as an assistant coach for Aston Villa and the Irish national team.
“And he said, ‘Yeah you can, because we’re tearing up your contract.’ So I thought, ‘All right – I’ll get fixed up.’
Bobby Charlton teaches young players in Hong Kong in 1997. Roy Keane says Charlton could have stopped the fight. Photo: SCMP
“I knew there’d be clubs in for me when the news got out. I said, ‘Yeah, I think we have come to the end.’”
Keane, who eventually joined Celtic before retiring in June 2006, later returned to United to say sorry to Ferguson and his assistant Carlos Queiroz for that infamous MUTV interview, but he now says he regrets the apology.
“Now I kind of wish I hadn’t [apologised]. Afterwards I was thinking, ‘I’m not sure why I f****** apologised.’ I just wanted to do the right thing,” Keane writes.
Keane believes the real reason for his exit was an earlier bust-up with Ferguson and Queiroz, who had accused the midfielder of a lack of loyalty.
“I said, ‘Don’t you f****** talk to me about loyalty, Carlos. You left this club after 12 months a few years ago for the Real Madrid job. Don’t you dare question my loyalty,” Keane writes.
Keane then turned his focus on Ferguson after he stepped in to stop the row.
“You as well gaffer. We need f****** more from you,” Keane claims he said. “We need a bit more, gaffer. We’re slipping behind other teams.”
Keane spent 12 years at United, eight as captain, and won seven Premier League titles, four FA Cups and the 1999 Champions League.
Keane: Ferguson wanted me, not Beckham, to be Manchester United No. 7
By Gill Clark
Oct 7, 2014 14:24:00
The club's former captain says he told his manager to give the shirt to the ex-England captain despite the Scot's insistence that he take it on following Eric Cantona's departure
Roy Keane has revealed that Sir Alex Ferguson wanted him to wear the No.7 shirt at Manchester United and not David Beckham.
The iconic jersey became available at Old Trafford in 1997 when then club captain Eric Cantona left the Red Devils after announcing his retirement from football.
Beckham subsequently took over the shirt, but Keane says Ferguson did not want the midfielder to have it.
"The captaincy is important, but squad numbers can have an importance. At United, '7' was the iconic number," he wrote in his new autobiography, The Second Half.
"When Eric Cantona left there was a debate about who was going to be the next captain. I was quite relaxed about it.
"But there was his number, too - '7'. Bryan Robson had had it before Cantona and, of course, it went back to Georgie Best.
"The manager pulled me into his office and said that he wanted me to wear the '7'. I said, 'No, I'm not that bothered.' And he said, 'I know Becks will f****** want it and I don't want him to have it.'
"I'd had '16' since I'd signed for the club. I was comfortable with '16'. I think it might have kept me on my toes, being outside the '1' to '11'. I didn't think that I was a number '7'.
"I said, 'Give it to Becks.' Becks got it, and it suited him - and Cantona. [Cristiano] Ronaldo had it after Becks."
QPR appoint Les Ferdinand as Head of Football Operations
By Harry Sherlock
Oct 7, 2014 21:08:00
The 47-year-old former striker scored 60 goals in 110 appearances for the Loftus Road side between 1987 and 1995 and has now returned to the club in a new capacity
Queens Park Rangers have appointed legendary former striker Les Ferdinand as Head of Football Operations, the club have announced.
Ferdinand, who left Tottenham’s coaching staff after the departure of Tim Sherwood, will be tasked with providing a link between the boardroom and the pitch.
The 47-year-old spent eight years at the club as a player between 1987 and 1995, scoring 60 goals in 110 appearances, and says he is thrilled to be back.
"It’s incredible to be back here," he told QPR’s official website.
"This club holds a special place in my heart. Everyone knows what it means to me, so when the opportunity to return here in this role came up I jumped at the opportunity.
"Tony and his fellow shareholders know the passion I have and the experience I’ve gained since retiring will really stand me in good stead for this role.
"There’s nothing I want more than for QPR to be successful in the short, medium and long term and I’m excited about the challenge ahead."
Chairman Tony Fernandes added: "Football has changed considerably in recent years and I firmly believe there is a role at every football club for this kind of position.
"Les is a fantastic QPR man and I know the fans will join me in welcoming him back to a place he has a great fondness for.
"The footballing philosophy and nurturing young talent are high on our agenda and Les’s experience of working with players at all levels, combined with his undoubted passion for the club, will help us build and improve."
Fernandes will hope Ferdinand can improve results on the pitch, with QPR currently languishing bottom of the Premier League table.
Racism in English football 'right in front of your face' - Fifa vice-president
By Peter Staunton
Oct 8, 2014 15:00:00
Jeffrey Webb says that black and ethnic minority coaches are struggling to get interviewed for positions in the UK - something that hints at an institutional problem
Jeffrey Webb, chair of Fifa's anti-discrimination taskforce, says racism is "right in front of your face" amid the current debate about the lack of black and ethnic minority managers in English football.
Only two of England's 92 professional clubs currently employ a black manager - Chris Powell at Huddersfield and Keith Curle at Carlisle.
Gordon Taylor, the Professional Football's Association chair, said last week that such a situation could be deemed as "hidden racism" in the game.
However, Webb - a Fifa vice-president - says there is nothing hidden about it.
"I don't know how it could be hidden," he said at the Leaders Sport Business Summit at Stamford Bridge. "You have 93, 94 clubs (sic) and you have two coaches of colour.
"How many board members do you have? How many board members or club executives in various positions in the FA, in Uefa?
"So it's not hidden.
"It's hidden from a discussion standpoint. No one wants to deal with it. No one wants to deal with it from a real dicussion, no one wants to deal with it from a commercial standpoint."
Webb revealed that he spoke to the former Chelsea assistant manager, Eddie Newton, who was involved in the 2012 Champions League win about the situation.
"Eddie Newton can't even get an interview," he said. "I'm not talking about getting a job. I'm talking about getting an interview.
"That's not hidden. It's right in front of your face."
There have been calls for implementation of a rule similar to the Rooney Rule in the NFL in English football - recently led by former England defender Rio Ferdinand.
The Rooney Rule was introduced to the NFL in 2003 and stipulates that black and minority candidates must be interviewed for coaching and senior operational jobs at NFL franchises.
Webb sees the merit in using the Rooney Rule as a starting point but is calling for wholesale changes in the outlook of English football.
"The Rooney rule has done great," said Webb. It's been tremendous. But in this day and time, in this era, in this century - should we really be having to mandate opportunities for qualified individuals?
"Sadly but the answer is yes.
"It has to come from the clubs. It has to start with the ownership. The fans have to demand the opportunity that there is equality. Unless we have that, don't expect any changes.
"How many American owners are there in English Premier League? I think there's a number of them. Why have certain standards here and then of course in the US, in the NFL leagues, where you live, where you conduct business, you live by a different standard? Why?
"If it's good here it should be good there.
"There's a lack of dialogue. There's no conversation. A big part of the lack of conversation comes from the commercial aspect of the game. Really, you've got to get one or two managers through and be successful, once they get that opportunity that might change the mentality and change the landscape."
Webb has been in charge of Fifa's anti-discrimination since 2013 and admits that the fight against racism has a long way to run. He did however credit Uefa's recent efforts in condemning CSKA Moscow to a stadium ban as a result of their fans' racist behaviour and in banning Carlo Tavecchio, Italian FA president, for six months from all Uefa activity.
"We've created a legislation, we've brought awareness and we've brought dialogue," Webb said.
"Congratulations to Uefa. They made a huge step in recent weeks - from the decisions on the Moscow club [CSKA], the decisions of yesterday with the Italian federation.
"We've been talking a long time about zero tolerance and saying no to racism but it's now time we see action coming forth and that is very refreshing.
"But we have a huge fight on our hands combatting racism."
Webb admitted his concerns about the 2018 World Cup in Russia considering the continuous anti-racism violations but called for education in the run-up to the event.
"There are huge challenge with Russia" he said. "We must commence. It must start with education. It must come from the top down the message that integration is good, there's nothing to fear but it must start and end with education."
