Новости за 12.02.2016

Mauricio Pochettino insists Tottenham's crunch clash at Manchester City on Sunday will be important to the title race but not decisive.

Spurs head to Manchester knowing victory would pull them four points clear of Manuel Pellegrini's side in the race at the top of the table.

Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri insists there is no pressure on his team as they continue to pursue a remarkable Premier League title triumph, reports Sky Sports.

The Foxes get another opportunity to enhance their champions credentials on Sunday when they visit third-placed Arsenal as the bookies make Leicester favourite for the title.

The Seattle Sounders have signed regional media rights deals ahead of the new season.

Q13 Fox and JoeTV will remain the regional television home of the team for the 2016 season. The broadcasters achieved a year-on-year viewing increase of 11 per cent on its Sounders coverage in 2015.

Everton defender Bryan Oviedo has inked a new three-and-a-half year contract to June 2019.

"I am really happy to commit my future to Everton because this is a special club and, for me, a second home," he tells the club website.

Newcastle boss Steve McClaren has insisted he would not settle for a point at Chelsea as they attempt to ease themselves further clear of relegation trouble.

A draw at Chelsea would represent a creditable return but head coach McClaren admits his team cannot sit back and try to soak up pressure, so will go for all three points.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp insists patience is required for his rebuilding job at Anfield as the millions coming into the club from the new television deal next season will make little difference, reports Sporting Life.

Klopp has already guided the Reds to the Capital One Cup final against Manchester City later this month but he knows there is plenty more work to do in the longer term.

Bournemouth striker Max Gradel - out since August with a knee injury - resumed training with the Cherries this week, but boss Eddie Howe acknowledged the former Leeds and St Etienne forward still had a way to go before a first-team return.

"He is back and it has been really good to see Max," Howe admitted. "He has been away intermittently and to have a character like him back in the dressing room has been really good because he is infectious.

Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe has played down Benik Afobe's heated exchange with his former club Wolves who accused the striker of not trying before his move to the Premier League.

Howe, speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday's Premier League game against Stoke, said he was not concerned about the row, and was pleased with how the player had settled in.

Stoke boss Mark Hughes is looking to halt a run of four games without a win, having lost their last three Premier League games 3-0, part of a six-match winless run which has also seen them exit both domestic cup competitions.

"We have to be better defensively - and as a team, not only the back four or five," he said. "It is a collective thing. We need to improve all aspects of our defensive play."

Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal says the club do not need to clarify his position as all the reports are purely media speculation with no basis in fact.

Newspaper stories have suggested that Jose Mourinho is taking over at Old Trafford in the summer.

It's an Italian derby to decide the successor of Guus Hiddink on the Chelsea bench: Massimiliano Allegri versus Antonio Conte.

Rumours over the last days suggest the current Juventus head coach is close to agreeing a four-year deal for €4.5 million-a-season with Chelsea. From what I know, even if Massimo is in a very good position and under consideration, Antonio Conte is still in pole position to get the job.

So why are Aymeric Laporte's superstar agents in Manchester?

Superstar, we hear you say? Well, the Athletic Bilbao defender has signed with the newly-launched management firm of Barcelona legends Carles Puyol and Ivan de la Pena. So, if there's one club Laporte will leave Bilbao for, it's going to be Barca, right?

It is still far from perfection, but there are clear signs of improvement at Chelsea.

The thing that I find most pleasing is that the players look so much more motivated under Guus Hiddink than they did under Jose Mourinho. It would appear that Guus has brought a breath of fresh air to the club.

COMMENT: Gary Neville has faced some tough challenges in his career, but turning Valencia's season around and saving himself from a quick exit at Mestalla must surely be the toughest he's ever faced.

The former Manchester United and England defender is up against it and knows that time is of the essence after his seeing his side fail to win any of the nine league matches since he took charge at the beginning of December.

Chelsea legend Frank Lampard is backing Jose Mourinho for the Manchester United job.

Louis van Gaal is under pressure at Old Trafford as United struggle to keep up with the top four and Mourinho told friends over the weekend that he will replace the Dutchman in the summer. Lampard, who worked under Mourinho during the Portuguese manager's two spells at Stamford Bridge, told ITV's This Morning: "I haven't spoken to him much. I spoke to him briefly when he left Chelsea.

Adidas have ripped up their deal with sacked Sunderland winger Adam Johnson.

The Daily Mail says Adidas have terminated their boot sponsorship of Sunderland winger Johnson after he pleaded guilty to child sex offences this week.

PSG striker Ezequiel Lavezzi has agreed a move to China.

The Daily Mail says Lavezzi has agreed a two year salary with Chinese Super League side Hebei Fortune worth £23.5million after tax.

Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal says Leicester City can win the title.

The Foxes have stunned the division's big clubs this season and sit five points clear at the top of the table ahead of their showdown with rivals Arsenal on Sunday.

Manchester United chief Ed Woodward has defended his transfer work.

Pressed by investors over why United languish in fifth place when Leicester City sit top of the Premier League with a team assembled for £22m, Woodward insisted the two clubs are operating in different markets and that he will continue to shop for world-class talent.

Bradford City have signed teenage West Ham midfielder Josh Cullen on a month's loan.

Central midfielder Cullen, 19, made his Premier League debut as a substitute for the Hammers during their 3-0 victory at Liverpool last August.

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has urged one of his main critics, Paul Scholes, to be more positive.

It is no secret that United have at times struggled this season and as a result, van Gaal has had to face constant criticism from the fans as well as the media, including past Red Devils.

Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart has revealed that he rates Lionel Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Messi vs Ronaldo debate has dominated discussions among football fans from all around the world for the last few years but it seems simply impossible to put up an argument to definitively prove to everyone that one player is better than the other.

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has revealed that the high ranking figures in the boardroom at the club have been left very disappointed by the Red Devils' performances this season.

United have endured an indifferent season so far and despite spending extortionate amounts in the transfer window, the Red Devils find themselves with a battle on their hands for a Champions League position.

The Manchester City players are worried about the well-being of outgoing manager Manuel Pellegrini, according to reports from the Daily Mirror.

It was confirmed last month that Pep Guardiola will be replacing Pellegrini as City manager at the end of the season and following the announcement, some of the City players have expressed their desire to give their current boss a fitting farewell by winning a couple of trophies.

Kelechi Iheanacho has revealed that the Manchester City players have already put their devastating defeat against Leicester City last weekend behind them.

City suffered a disappointing 3-1 home defeat at the hands of the high-flying Foxes and the result has proven to be a crushing blow in the Citizens' title aspirations.