LONDON • 'Tis the season to be jolly and Liverpool certainly have much reason to be jovial given their four-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.
But, with three games coming up in nine days, vice-captain and midfielder James Milner has warned that there is no time for merry-making and urged the Reds to adopt a business-like approach.
Jurgen Klopp's men start the hectic festive period with a Boxing Day home clash with former manager Rafael Benitez's Newcastle - the only team they have not met this season - before taking on Arsenal on Saturday and a potential title decider against City on Jan 3.
"Boxing Day always seems to have a different feel," Milner told liverpoolfc.com. "There are plenty of distractions... But, as players, we have to focus on the job at hand and make sure we're not distracted.
"It is the time of the year for family and you have to make time for that but, when you're training on Christmas Day and then going to the hotel and preparing for the game, your mind has got to be on that.
"We've got a good group of players who have done that very well this year and a lot of players who are very experienced around Christmas time and know what it's about.
"It's a tough time of the year, so it's important we keep the hammer down and keep pushing and keep trying to get those results."
TALL ORDER
It might be a weird game that catches them out, it might not be the obvious one.
I do believe there will be a game where they will get beaten this season.
JERMAINE JENAS, former Spurs midfielder, who does not expect the Reds to go through the league season unbeaten.
The Reds are yet to taste defeat in 18 games this season but former Tottenham midfielder Jermaine Jenas feels that they will not emulate Arsenal's "Invincibles" side of 2003-04.
"It's not unrealistic (for Liverpool to go unbeaten) because of the standards that they've set and the way that they are playing," he told BT Sport. "We felt this about Manchester City last year and they fell just short of it and I feel like the same will probably happen to Liverpool at some point.
"It might be a weird game that catches them out, it might not be the obvious one. I do believe there will be a game where they will get beaten this season."
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson agrees with Jenas that Liverpool will slip up at some stage.
"I don't think Pep Guardiola will be too concerned about a four-point gap with 20 games left to play," said the 71-year-old, who coached the Reds from 2010-2011, after the shock 3-2 win against City.
"One of those is going to be against Liverpool but, even without that game, the chances are that Liverpool will go somewhere and something like this will happen.
"Someone will beat them against the odds, there is a long way to go yet and there will be an upset somewhere along the line."
Defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, who missed the last three games with a twisted ankle, is back in training and could be restored to the starting line-up. Midfielder Naby Keita, who suffered a number of knocks against Wolves before being replaced early in the second half, is also in contention.
Liverpool have scored 39 goals in 18 Premier League games this season and Newcastle midfielder Mohamed Diame has warned the Magpies that they will have to be miserly in defence if they are to get a good result at Anfield.
"We know it will be tough, we know we will run a lot, but we need to be ready," the Senegal international told NUFC TV.
"We're going to start the game at 0-0 and we have to make sure we keep our clean sheet and try to score when we get the chance because in most games, you get at least one or two chances.
"We have to stay strong, stay compact and make sure we are ready for this game. They are a team which has a lot of potential up front with top players, so we need to be strong, keep the shape and keep fighting as we are doing."
THE GUARDIAN
LIVERPOOL V NEWCASTLE
Singtel TV Ch102 & StarHub Ch227, tomorrow, 11pm
Brazilian football fans still behind their team despite rout. 'I'm livid': Airbnb host calls black guest 'monkey' in viral video. Yahoo Lifestyle.
Nigdi: Tempers flare as Metro route gives Nigdi a miss
Watford's Gray strikes to sink Everton, pile pressure on Silva Soccer Football - Premier League - Watford v Everton - Vicarage Road, Watford, Britain - February 9, 2019 Everton's Kurt Zouma reacts
Watford's Andre Gray strikes to sink Everton, pile pressure
From the moment when, through the courtesy of my friend Barrett Wendell, I came first to know Mr. Henry Adams's book, Mont-Saint- Michel and Chartres, I was profoundly convinced that this privately printed, jealously guarded volume should be withdrawn from its hiding-place amongst the bibliographical treasures of collectors and amateurs and given that wide publicity demanded alike by its
NewspaperSG - The Straits Times, 7 December 1979
eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Issue/straitstimes19791207-1
7 December 1979, The Straits Times. Selected indices FINANCIAL TIMES INDUSTRIALS Wednesday 418.6" Tuesday 4313 Week A»o 418.9 DOW JONES AVERAGE INDUSTRIALS Wednesday 838.41 Tuesday 8J4.91 Week ago 830.46 H.K HANG SENG Thursday 778.73 Wednesday 772.12 Week ago 754.08 SYDNEY INDUSTRIALS Thursday 548.58 Wednesday 547.86 Week ago 537.37 ALL ORDINARIES Thursday 893.47 Wednesday 691.38
Football: Pochettino loses his cool as Spurs slump, Huddersfield closer to relegation. Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino remonstrates with referee Mike Dean after the match.
Pochettino Loses His Cool as Spurs Slump, Huddersfield Closer
U.S. businesses optimistic on China growth, bemoan unfair treatment. Reuters. Jan. 29, 2018, 8:31 PM The letter F. An image of a chain link. It symobilizes a website link url.
U.S. businesses optimistic on China growth, bemoan unfair
Football: Double injury blow for Spurs ahead of Liverpool clash Eric Dier sustains an injury during the Euro 2020 qualifier between England and the Czech Republic. PHOTO: EPA-EFE
Double injury blow for Spurs ahead of Liverpool clash | SBS News
Mauricio Pochettino launched a furious rant at referee Mike Dean after Tottenham's Premier League title challenge suffered a crushing blow in a controversial 2-1 defeat against Burnley, while
Pochettino loses his cool as Spurs slump, Huddersfield closer
Football: Singapore Under-22s hold group top seeds North Korea to keep AFC Championship hopes alive Mar 24, 2019, 3:05 pm Football: Sport Singapore enters three-year partnership with Bayern Munich
SportSG inks 3-year partnership with FC Bayern Munich
Spain court acquits former Barcelona president of money laundering Rosell, his wife and four others, were accused of "large-scale money laundering" of close to 20 million euros ($23 million) since 2006, relating to television rights and sponsorship deals in Brazil.
Spain court acquits former FC Barcelona president of money
A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on May 16, 2019, with the headline 'Merlion Cup to return after nine-year hiatus'. Print Edition | Subscribe.
2019 Merlion Cup - Wikipedia
RAHEEM Sterling's hat-trick in Manchester City's 3-1 win over Watford lifted the champions four points clear at the top of the Premier League after Tottenham Hotspur's challenge faltered again with a 2-1 loss at Southampton on Saturday. Manchester City's Raheem Sterling scores their second
Soccer: Manchester City surge clear through Sterling as Spurs
Van Dijk is one of the favourites for the Player of the Year award but revealed he voted for City's Raheem Sterling. Sterling gets Van Dijk's vote for PFA player of the year.
Football: Albirex Niigata still aim to win trophies despite squad overhaul Albirex Niigata head coach Keiji Shigetomi (second from left) is keen to continue with the slick football of predecessor
Football: Albirex Niigata still aim to win trophies despite
0 comments:
Post a Comment