IP addresses are NOT logged in this forum so there's no point asking. Please note that this forum is full of homophobes, racists, lunatics, schizophrenics & absolute nut jobs with a smattering of geniuses, Chinese chauvinists, Moderate Muslims and last but not least a couple of "know-it-alls" constantly sprouting their dubious wisdom. If you believe that content generated by unsavory characters might cause you offense PLEASE LEAVE NOW! Sammyboy Admin and Staff are not responsible for your hurt feelings should you choose to read any of the content here. The OTHER forum is HERE so please stop asking.
Chelsea will slip up, they are not a winning machine - Pellegrini
By Tom Davis
Mar 23, 2015 10:08:00
The Chilean expects the Premier League leaders to drop points between now and the end of the season and says the champions can still retain their title
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini insists Chelsea are not a "winning machine" and says his side can still claim the Premier League title.
City bounced back from defeats to Barcelona and Burnley with a 3-0 win over 10-man West Brom on Saturday to give their title hopes a boost.
Chelsea remain six points clear, though, having played a game less, after beating Hull City 3-2 on Sunday, but Pellegrini believes they will drop points before the season ends.
“I don’t think they’re a winning machine all the time,” said Pellegrini. “I’m sure from now until the end of the season every team will drop points, so it’s important to return to our normal performance and win our games.
“After that we’ll see what happens with Chelsea. Maybe we can win all the games and maybe we can retain the title. The important thing is they must feel pressure.
“If you don’t win, it’s easy for them. We depend now just on these last eight games to at least finish in the same position we are now.”
Mark Halsey: Gerrard deserved red, but so did Skrtel and Jones
Mar 23, 2015 08:00:00
REFEREE'S COLUMN: The Liverpool centre-back may face FA action over his stamp on David De Gea, while Phil Jones should have been dismissed for a foul on Jordan Henderson
By Mark Halsey of You-Are-The-Ref.com
Steven Gerrard can have no complaints with his sending off. He admitted his error and apologised after the match but perhaps the situation could have been avoided.
Moments before Gerrard’s stamp on Ander Herrera, play could have been stopped following the Liverpool captain’s tough tackle on Juan Mata. If Martin Atkinson awarded a free-kick to Manchester United for the reckless challenge, it might have diffused Gerrard’s frustrations and would’ve certainly prevented the follow-up incident with Herrera.
But credit must go to Stephen Child after television replays showed the assistant clearly describing Gerrard’s actions to the referee. I’m not convinced that Atkinson would have seen the stamp and the assistant’s intervention meant that the correct decision was made.
And it could get even worse for Liverpool as Martin Skrtel may face retrospective action for his stamp on David De Gea.
Firstly, if Atkinson had seen the incident during the game, there’s no doubt that Skrtel would have been sent off.
Atkinson will now receive a phone call from the Football Association on Monday morning and he will be asked whether he saw Skrtel’s stamp. If he admits he didn’t and confirms he would have sent Skrtel off, the Liverpool defender will face a violent conduct charge and, most likely, a three-game ban.
Another player also fortunate to escape a red card at Anfield was Phil Jones, who only received a caution for a tackle on Jordan Henderson that was reckless, used excessive force and endangered the player’s safety.
Liverpool versus Manchester United at Anfield always throws up key incidents for referees. Atkinson, who handled the game well overall, got two decisions spot on - Gerrard’s red card and the penalty in the second half - and while he may not have seen Skrtel’s stamp, I’m surprised Jones remained on the pitch.
MISTAKEN IDENTITY STRIKES AGAIN
For a Premier League referee, it’s about being switched on from the first minute until the full-time whistle - and Neil Swarbrick’s lapse in concentration cost him at the Etihad Stadium.
The referee had an excellent view of Craig Dawson’s foul on Wilfried Bony but here’s where Swarbrick went wrong and ended up sending off Gareth McAuley.
In the build-up to the incident, the referee would’ve been thinking ‘if he brings him down, that’s a foul and a red card’. So as soon as the foul is committed, the referee should’ve run straight to Dawson with his red card out and the West Brom defender would’ve gone straight off.
Swarbrick’s error was that he didn’t immediately react to the situation. He diverted from his path and then he started to take his time and think. That’s when confusion set in, he took too long, lost his focus, and that’s what led to the error.
Expect West Brom to appeal and McAuley will get that sending off withdrawn.
It’ll be interesting to see whether Swarbrick will be dropped but sidelining him isn’t the right way to go. He should be given another match straight away in order to get he mistake out of his system.
Referees have a similar mentality to players, they don’t want to hide away after a poor performance, they want to use the next game to put things right and put on a good display.
OLIVER SHOWS HIS CLASS
Michael Oliver’s impressive resurgence from a woeful performance in the League Cup semi-final at Stamford Bridge continues.
Earlier this month, Oliver excelled at Old Trafford in the electric FA Cup quarter-final between Manchester United and Arsenal, and in a fixture that had an impact on the Premier League title race, the 30-year-old put in a commanding display as Chelsea edged past Hull City at the KC Stadium.
Oliver stamped his authority on the match, gained the respect of the players with his accurate recognition of fouls, and the fact that we only saw two yellow cards in 90 minutes - both of which were fully deserved for Gary Cahill and Nemanja Matic - was a testament to his superb management of the game.
Rodgers: Liverpool can still qualify for Champions League
By Harry West
Mar 23, 2015 09:23:00
The Reds boss has urged his side to bounce back from the setback of suffering defeat to Manchester United on Sunday
Brendan Rodgers admits Liverpool's target of Champions League qualification is a 'big challenge' after Sunday's 2-1 defeat to Manchester United, but maintains belief in his side's chances.
The loss at Anfield - which saw Steven Gerrard sent off for a stamp on Ander Herrera just 38 seconds after coming on as a half-time substitute - leaves Liverpool five points behind fourth-placed United.
Liverpool's next outing comes at Arsenal after the international break and, despite admitting Sunday's loss was a setback, Rodgers maintains his side can finish in the top four.
"It's a big challenge, but when I looked at the 10 games that were remaining it was always going to be difficult to win all 10 of them," he told reporters.
"We'd hoped it wouldn't be in this game against a rival but it's still very much possible."
Since a 3-0 defeat to United in December, Rodgers' side picked up 33 points from an unbeaten 13 games to give themselves a chance of a top-four finish and a return to the Champions League next season.
He is now urging his players to repeat that feat as the season comes to a close.
Rodgers continued: "It's five points the difference between us and them, we've now got to recover and use this as the same springboard as we did in the last game.
"We went on an incredible run that's at least given us the opportunity and the chance. We'll go away now and look to get a victory in our next game."
While Steven Gerrard stole the headlines, his coach hailed his goals in the 2-1 win at Anfield as United move five points clear of their rivals in the race for fourth place
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal was full of praise for Juan Mata after his double secured a 2-1 win over Liverpool on Sunday.
Mata opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a cool finish from Herrera's pass and doubled the lead in the 59th minute with a sensational scissor-kick, before Daniel Sturridge pulled one back 10 minutes later.
Mata's double would have grabbed the headlines on another day but the Spaniard was overshadowed by Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard's dismissal for a stamp on Ander Herrera just 38 seconds after coming on at half-time.
Van Gaal was delighted to see the attacking midfielder bury two goals, insisting that, even though he does not always pick him, the former Chelsea man always plays well.
"Juan Mata was very good. He has always played well with me in my opinion," he told Sky Sports. "But sometimes you also need balance in your team and you have to select other players.
"Now he has played very well and did this position very well.
"We played very well in the first half. Maybe as good as against Spurs but in second half we didn't play very well.
"Like always, when you play against 10 men you forget to press. We had unnecessary ball losses and we brought Liverpool into the game. Most of the players were thinking 'maybe someone else can do it'.
"We kept the ball and created a lot of possibilities, not big chances, but a lot of possibilities to score. I said whoever could beat the pressure shall win.
"It's an amazing result for the fans. We now have a gap from positions five, six and seven, which is very important."
The Liverpool defender appeared to plant his foot on the Spaniard's leg in the closing stages of the club's 2-1 defeat at Anfield but is to appeal his punishment
By Liam Twomey
Martin Skrtel is contesting a Football Association charge of violent conduct for allegedly stamping on David De Gea during Liverpool's 2-1 defeat to Manchester United on Sunday.
The Slovakian faces a three-match ban if found guilty but maintains that his clash with De Gea during injury time at Anfield was accidental.
Referee Martin Atkinson missed the incident but the FA charged Skrtel on Monday after reviewing TV footage, and a final decision is expected on Wednesday.
A suspension would rule Skrtel out of Liverpool's Premier League clashes with Arsenal and Newcastle, as well as the club's FA Cup quarter-final replay against Blackburn Rovers on April 8.
When questioned by Sky Sports about the incident immediately after the match, Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers replied: "The ball was played through but it probably looks worse in slow motion.
"It looks like he is trying to get a nick on the ball, to get a toe on it the ball went into the goalkeeper's hands. Martin is not that type of player, he was just a fraction out."
The midfielder reveals he considered his future at the Gunners and is hoping discussions with the club can resolve whether he leaves in the summer
Tomas Rosicky has admitted he wanted to leave Arsenal in the January transfer window and feels he could still depart in the summer.
The Czech Republic international did not start a Premier League match until December 26, though he has since gone onto play a more prominent role under Arsene Wenger in 2015.
And the 34-year-old midfielder revealed he grew frustrated at life in north London and held talks with the club regarding his future before eventually remaining at the Emirates Stadium.
"We’d talked about me leaving in previous meetings back in September and October, but then the market closed and I couldn't do anything," he told iSport.cz.
"When you've not played a single game and the market then opens, it's obviously a very live issue. Then you start to think about whether it is not time to leave. It was no exception for me, it was very vivid.
"Since the new year things have started to improve, we started to play better football, and what's more I am playing. Compared to the first six months, it's much better. We'll see how it goes on."
Despite gaining more first team opportunities, the former Borussia Dortmund star has not ruled out leaving the Gunners at the end of the season.
"The rest of the season runs very fast, then I will solve it. Arsenal is still an option for next season, but they have everything in their hands. When I get back from the international team meeting, we will begin to deal with it.
"There are two options open to me. At the moment I’m in a situation where I make the decision."
Jose Mourinho's side edged past Hull City on Sunday to restore their six-point lead over Manchester City as they head into the international break
John Terry believes Chelsea’s "immense character" will be pivotal in their race for the Premier League title.
Jose Mourinho’s side head into the international break six points clear of Manchester City and have a game in hand over the Premier League champions.
Chelsea edged to a 3-2 victory over Hull City on Sunday and Terry believes the response after drawing at home to Burnley and Southampton, and being dumped out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain, proves the team’s title credentials.
“Showing the character is what we have been about for years and this season too. I’m delighted for us to come back and win the game,” said Terry.
“When you set the standard so high as we have done from the word go, then start dropping points at home and go out of the Champions League, once again it comes back down to character.
“It’s immense in the dressing room, there is an awful lot of experience in there. It will serve the younger lads well, too.
“It was an important three points at Hull going into the international break. For everyone to dwell over that for two weeks was massive.
“We showed great character. The importance of the win showed on the players’ faces and manager’s afterwards.
“It’s exciting. Everyone won on the Saturday, we had to come to Hull and win before the international break - it was huge.
“There is still an awful long way to go. We have Stoke at home and QPR away next, which is always a tough one for us.
“Hopefully everyone will come back fit after the international break and go again. It’s important we get back to winning at the Bridge because it’s something we haven’t done for a few weeks.”
Wenger: It's tempting to scream at Arsenal players sometimes
By Chris Davie
Mar 24, 2015 07:47:00
The Gunners boss has given an insight into his motivational approach and admits he is wary of showing too much aggression towards his players
Arsene Wenger admits he is occasionally "very tempted" to shout and scream at his Arsenal players but that he mostly controls himself.
The Gunners remain in a strong position to secure a place in next season’s Champions League as they currently sit third in the Premier League with a six-point cushion over fifth-placed Liverpool.
And while they were surprisingly eliminated by Monaco at the last-16 stage in the Champions League, the club are favourites to retain their FA Cup trophy.
When asked about motivation techniques, Wenger is wary of showing too much aggression and believes that singling out players for criticism is not always the right method.
“I don’t like to shout at players after a game because you can do too much damage after the match. It is true that sometimes it is very tempting though,” Wenger told Arsenal's official magazine.
“But sometimes I’ve gone overboard after games, so most of the time I really try to control myself because I go red in the face and think to myself: ‘The damage is big, don’t do more.’
“Sometimes you can say to an individual player: ‘It’s your fault that we conceded a goal on a cross.’ But then later you look at the time and it turns out it was not his fault at all.
“Then as a manager after that you have to say to the player: ‘Sorry I was wrong’. It’s better when you say something that you are sure about it.”
FA chief Greg Dyke: Premier League could end up overrun by foreigners
By Chris Davie
Mar 23, 2015 21:29:00
The 67-year-old has outlined plans to increase the number of home-grown players in squads and believes the emergence of Harry Kane is a fine example of breakthrough English talent
The Football Association chairman Greg Dyke fears the Premier League is in danger of being completely overrun by overseas players and is aiming to push through stricter rules in order to promote English talent.
One of the new proposals is to increase the minimum number of home-grown players in a Premier League club's 25-man squad from eight to 12.
The FA chairman also wants players to be registered with a club from the age of 15 in order to qualify as home-grown. The rules currently state that a player can be classed as home-grown if they have been registered with a team for three years before their 21st birthday.
And with the new £5.1 billion (€7 billion) television deal, Dyke believes Premier League clubs will continue to overlook the possibility of promoting English players to their first-team.
“This is the second time in three years there’s been no Premier League side in the last eight of the Champions League, so it’s not working that well,” said Dyke.
“It’s working well as a league and it’s a great league to watch but my fear for the future of English football is that the Premier League ends up being owned by foreigners, managed by foreigners and played by foreigners.
“All of the historical evidence shows that every time the television income goes up, so do the number of foreign players playing in our game.”
The FA chairman has used Harry Kane’s emergence at Tottenham as an example for Premier League clubs to nurture their home-grown talent.
"We have to do this by negotiation with the different leagues and with the clubs - we have to convince them that this makes sense for English football," said Dyke.
"And we are helped by Harry Kane in truth - we are helped by seeing a young kid come into the Spurs team and become the top scorer in English football.
"How many other Harry Kanes are around in the youth teams of Premier League clubs?
“It was almost by chance that Tim Sherwood became manager at Tottenham for a time and put him in the side - otherwise he would still be out on loan at Millwall or somewhere else."
The Argentine midfielder criticises the club for not looking after him properly during his battle with cancer but is still keen to stay at St James's Park after his return
Jonas Gutierrez hopes to remain at Newcastle but says that he will never forgive the club for the way in which he was treated during his recovery from testicular cancer.
The Argentine midfielder revealed that he was told to find a new club after returning to St James's Park following surgery.
Gutierrez told Canal+: "I returned mid-November and, at the beginning to mid-December, the manager said I should find myself another club, that it was best.
"It is clear that [the Newcastle directors] look after the club's interests but I think, in a situation like that, you need to consider other things, even more if you see I had been playing for five years before having this problem. I was always playing."
The 31-year-old, whose contract with the Magpies expires this summer, insists that he is eager to extend his stay after seven years and nearly 200 appearances at the club.
"I won't be able to forgive the way I've been treated. I understood the team at that time and that I needed to fight to return to the pitch," he remarked.
"I think at times like that, you should look after the individual, the player."
The former Argentina international, who returned to first-team action at the end of February, also detailed how he paid for his own medical bills.
"I never asked for anything. I paid for it because, for me, the most important thing was my health," he continued.
"If they thought it was OK to do it that way, then it's OK. I never asked for anything and that's it. I wasn't interested."
The Liverpool centre-back faces three weeks on the sidelines after red card appeal for stamping on Manchester United's David de Gea is turned down by the Football Association.
Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel has lost his appeal against a three-match suspension from the Football Association.
The centre-back had denied a charge of violent conduct after his clash with Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea late in the Reds' 2-1 Premier League defeat on Sunday.
However, an independent FA disciplinary panel has upheld the charge and Skrtel will now miss Premier League games against Arsenal and Newcastle as well as Liverpool's FA Cup quarter-final replay against Blackburn Rovers.
With the Slovakia international suspended, Brendan Rodgers could look to bring in Kolo Toure to start against his former club, whilst Steven Gerrard will also be suspended for the Reds' trip to the Emirates Stadium after his red card against United.
Earlier on Wednesday, Skrtel appeared to react to the ban with an Instagram post in which he seemed to imply that those involved in the decision were clowns.
The 27-year-old was carried off just 14 minutes into Southampton's Premier League win over Burnley and has undergone successful knee surgery
Fraser Forster will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing successful surgery on his left knee, Southampton have confirmed.
The 27-year-old goalkeeper was carried off after 14 minutes of the Saints' Premier League victory over Burnley last weekend, and went under the knife on Wednesday.
"We can confirm that Fraser Forster underwent successful surgery this afternoon after damaging his left patellar tendon," a statement from Southampton read.
"Forster will be ruled out for the rest of the season. A long-term prediction of when he will return will be made in due course.
"While the news comes as a blow to Southampton and the player himself, the club's medical staff are confident he will make a full recovery.
"In the meantime, the club is focused on ensuring Forster receives the best possible medical care and support in order for him to return to action as soon as possible."
Fellaini: 'Strict' Van Gaal is welcome after nightmare season
By Harry Sherlock
Mar 25, 2015 09:16:00
Manchester United slipped to seventh in the Premier League after winning the trophy in 2012-13, but have enjoyed something of a renaissance under the Dutchman's management
Marouane Fellaini insists Manchester United needed Louis van Gaal’s “very strict” approach after their nightmare season under David Moyes.
United won the Premier League in Sir Alex Ferguson’s final campaign in 2012-13 but slipped to seventh after the former Everton manager replaced the Scot, with Moyes sacked just nine months into his reign.
Fellaini became a pariah during United’s campaign, having been signed for £27.5 million in the summer of 2013, but has grown to be a key player under Van Gaal’s management, and he believes the Dutchman’s no-nonsense style has been good for the club, as they currently sit in fourth place in the Premier League.
“The coach is very strict, but that’s good. We needed such a coach,” Fellaini is quoted as saying by the Daily Mirror.
“Last season, we had a bad season. We even missed European qualification. We needed a coach who would put some players’ feet back on the ground.
“If he says something, you should do it. Otherwise you’ll fly out of it [the team].
“If he has to take you off the pitch when the game hasn’t been going on for more than 30 minutes, he’ll do it. Or during half-time. Fortunately, it hasn’t happened to me yet.”
Fellaini also insists he never doubted his own ability during his hardships under Moyes, and says that Van Gaal has simply given him a platform to thrive.
“He [Van Gaal] told me, ‘Prove yourself and we’ll see’. Now they are counting on me,” he added.
“There were never any real doubts. I was injured at the beginning of the season and then returned. The coach gave me confidence and I proved myself in a few matches.
“After that, I was injured and I got sick. For three weeks I was on antibiotics. It took a while, but now I can finally enjoy things."
Diego Costa: English defences try to kick me out of the game
By George Ankers
Mar 25, 2015 15:44:00
The Chelsea striker says that opponents can get away with more in the Premier League than in Spain as defenders resort to tough tackling to deal with his goal threat
Chelsea striker Diego Costa says that he has had to rise above provocation from Premier League defences.
In his first season at Stamford Bridge, the Spain international has already scored 19 top-flight goals, adapting quickly to the physical challenge of the division.
Costa has been involved in his fair share of scrapes with the opposition, his uncompromising style often drawing criticism, but he argues that defenders give as good as they get.
"They're no less dirty than the defences in Spain but I'm not complaining," he told Marca of his opponents in England. "They go in strongly but the referees won't give it as a foul – in Spain, they would.
"Some try to take me out of the game but, each time, I control myself more and focus on my own game."
Costa netted his 20th goal of the season in all competitions against Hull City on Sunday but will miss Spain’s games against Ukraine and Netherlands after suffering a hamstring injury at the KC Stadium.
Hull City have been fined £30,000 by the Football Association for failing to control their players during a Premier League clash at Leicester City earlier this month.
The FA charged Hull following a flashpoint in the 68th minute of the goalless draw at the King Power Stadium after referee Jon Moss booked Alex Bruce for a challenge on Riyad Mahrez, which prompted an angry reaction from visiting players.
Hull subsequently denied the charge, with Steve Bruce hitting out at Leicester's "whinging" and the manner in which they surrounded his son in what he felt was an attempt to get the defender sent off.
The Hull boss also vowed to "vigorously defend" the action of his players.
However, the Regulatory Commission found the allegations proven and the club was hit with a financial penalty on Friday.
Stoke City manager Mark Hughes has agreed a new deal with the Premier League club until 2018.
The former Manchester City, Blackburn Rovers and Wales boss led Stoke to ninth last season, their highest finish in the Premier League era.
And the Welshman, who took over from compatriot Tony Pulis in May 2013, is in the midst of another impressive campaign with the Staffordshire club.
Stoke sit 10th in the table with 42 points and are only a point adrift of Swansea City in eighth.
Hughes told Stoke's official website: "I think it's exciting times for Stoke City; everyone can see there's more progress to be made and we want to see how far we can take the club.
"I came here 18 or so months ago and it's gone as well as I could have hoped - we've certainly kept progressing which is vitally important from my point of view.
"This season has been more difficult than last season due to circumstances, like injuries to key players, but we've still been very competitive and I believe we can do even better next season with a little bit more investment. Let's see how far we can go.
"Continuity is a huge thing in football, certainly in the Premier League, and hopefully the fact I've signed a new contract will give continuity to the club and, more importantly, the players because it helps them when they work with someone for a prolonged spell.
"They know what to expect and know the quality of work they are going to get and that's important moving forward."
Roberto Martinez is optimistic that Romelu Lukaku, Darron Gibson and Arouna Kone could be available for Everton's Premier League clash with Southampton next weekend.
Record signing Lukaku pulled out of the Belgium squad due to a hamstring injury, while a stomach strain prevented midfielder Gibson from featuring for Republic of Ireland.
Fears that Kone was facing another long spell on the sidelines were this week allayed when the striker underwent a scan and Everton boss Martinez hopes all three could take on Ronald Koeman's side at Goodison Park.
He told the club's official website: "Romelu had his scan with the Belgian set-up and he's going to be receiving treatment for the next few days, and we'll see how that evolves.
"It's a bit of a hamstring strain due to the amount of games that we've played and the amount of fatigue we've accumulated in those games.
"We're quite positive because of the way Rom usually reacts to these types of treatments and how fit he is as an individual.
"It's too early to say how long he's going to be out or if he's going to miss any games but he's concentrating on getting back fit to train with the group.
"With Darron, he had a little bit of a stomach strain. He made sure that he finished the game (against QPR last weekend) but he felt it in the last 10-15 minutes. After the game, when his body cooled, he then felt a real difficulty walking and trying to exercise on it.
"He's been receiving treatment and obviously he met with the Irish party, and now we're going to assess him and see how long it will be before he can join the group again.
"In both cases, I don't think they are major injuries but they are injuries that need to be well looked after and we'll see if both players are available or not for the Southampton game."
When asked about Kone's fitness, the Spaniard said: "We were delighted with the results of the scan, which showed first and foremost that Arouna's ankle and knee are really strong,
"In the last two days his joints have practically been back to normal, so we're very confident he could be fully fit for the game against Southampton, although it will be important to see him working with the group and see how he adapts throughout next week."
Everton striker Arouna Kone could be fit to face Southampton on April 4 after scans showed no serious damage to the knee he injured last weekend.
The Ivory Coast international was substituted with 11 minutes to play during Everton's 2-1 win at Loftus Road on Sunday, with manager Roberto Martinez subsequently confirming the forward would undergo tests.
Kone's career at Goodison Park has been blighted by injuries, but it appears his latest knock should not keep him sidelined for long.
"A scan has confirmed that Arouna Kone’s knee injury is not serious," a club statement read.
"The Ivorian striker was injured in the build-up to Everton's winning goal at QPR on Sunday and had to be substituted.
"Roberto Martinez said after that game that the player would undergo a scan and the results have subsequently revealed that Kone has not suffered a serious injury.
"But it is not yet known whether he will be fit for Everton's next game, against Southampton on 4 April."
Martin Skrtel does not feel guilty about his stamp on David de Gea, with the Liverpool defender claiming the contact was an accident.
Skrtel has received a three-match ban following an incident late in Liverpool's 2-1 defeat against Manchester United at Anfield, with the defender making contact with De Gea as the latter went to gather the ball.
The Slovakia international will now miss games against Arsenal, Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United.
However, Skrtel maintains his contact with De Gea was not intentional and insists he does not feel guilty over the ban.
"It feels strange because we appealed against those charges and still I was hit by a three-match ban," Skrtel said via his official website.
"I didn't want to stamp on him. It was an accident and I didn't do it on purpose. I don't feel guilty.
"It was a long ball and he went towards me and I wanted to jump over him. Simple as that."
