Injured Laporte gives City welcome boost

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Aymeric Laporte is close to a return to Manchester City’s line-up as Pep Guardiola hopes to have the influential defender back ahead of schedule.

The 25-year-old centre-back has not played for the defending Premier League champions since injuring knee ligaments on the last day of August.

His absence has been cited as a key reason for City falling so far behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, who hold a 14-point advantage over Guardiola’s team.

City originally expected Laporte to be unavailable until February but he is now back in training, albeit on his own, and Guardiola expects him to join in with the full first team squad within the first fortnight of 2020.

“He (Laporte) is getting better,” said Guardiola on Tuesday.

“He is training alone but already on the pitch and I think, yeah, it is the last part. 

“I think in one week or maybe 10 days he can come back and can start to train with us.”

The City manager would not speculate on a potential return date for Laporte but, with his club competing in three cup competitions, Guardiola is hoping he will be in contention before the end of January.

City still have to negotiate Wednesday’s clash with Everton before facing fourth-tier Port Vale in the FA Cup on Saturday and Manchester United in the League Cup semi-final first leg on Tuesday.

Guardiola admitted the run of games had left him contemplating the risk of more similarly damaging injuries.

“We think about that, yes,” said Guardiola.

“We have five games in 12 days so it is quite similar for the other teams but in this period they have one more day or two more days to recover.

“It is a lot but it is what it is.

“Yes, we take a risk.

“We played 80 minutes with 10 against 11 in a difficult test against Wolves and then after two days we come back and play again.”

City are able to welcome back John Stones and David Silva from injury for the upcoming period.

Guardiola is looking forward to a reunion with his friend Carlo Ancelotti when the Italian’s new club Everton visit the Etihad.

“Everton is Everton, one of the biggest and traditional and historical teams in England, with incredible quality in these players. 

“Carlo is one of the smartest guys he is always able, it doesn’t matter the team he takes, to make them work, so it’s a difficult test for us.”

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City clash will be good barometer of Everton’s progress: Ancelotti

London (AFP) – Manchester City will provide a test of see how genuine Everton’s revival is, Carlo Ancelotti on Tuesday, despite the Premier League champions’ shaky campaign.

Everton coach Ancelotti, 60, has guided Everton to two wins in his first two matches in charge since replacing Marco Silva, who was sacked in early December after they slipped into the bottom three.

However, Ancelotti — one of  only three managers to have won the Champions League three times — says City will provide a more realistic barometer on where Everton stand despite the welcome wins over Burnley and Newcastle.

“Against City this is a fantastic test to see where we are at,” Ancelotti said at his pre-match press conference.

“They are a really strong team but we can have confidence to do our best.

“I think at this moment it is good to have this kind of test.”

Ancelotti, who in his previous stint in England won the domestic double with Chelsea in the 2009/10 campaign, said City remained a formidable opponent even if their defence of the league title has gone awry and trail leaders Liverpool by 14 points.  

“Maybe City aren’t at the same level as last year but they still remain a fantastic team with fantastic players and a fantastic manager,” he said.

“It will be really tough to compete with them, but we need to have the confidence to compete and to be focused on our football.

“We don’t have to look too much to the opponent because they are really strong so it’s better to be focused on our idea of football.”

Ancelotti, a two-time European Cup winner as a player with the outstanding AC Milan side of the late 1980’s and early 90’s, heaped praise on City manager Pep Guardiola, who he replaced as Bayern Munich manager when the Spaniard left to take over City in 2016.

“Pep is a fantastic manager,” said Ancelotti.

“We’ve met some times, not a lot in games, but I have a really good relationship (with him) and a lot of respect for him.

“He is a genius; he’s always tried to do something special on the pitch.”

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Eyes turn to Premier League relegation dogfight

London (AFP) – Liverpool appear to have the Premier League title wrapped up with a 13-point advantage over second-placed Leicester but the fight to avoid relegation looks like being a down to the wire tussle.

Just nine points separates ninth-placed Crystal Palace and third from bottom Aston Villa.

Here AFP Sport picks out three pivotal matches in Wednesday’s action:

Arteta needs to get Gunners firing

The old adage ‘too good to go down’ should apply to Arsenal, who have been a fixture in the top tier since 1919/20. However, they are just six points above the drop zone and new boss Mikel Arteta would probably have preferred an easier opponent than Manchester United as he bids to win his first game after a draw and defeat in his opening two matches in charge.

The United attack will be licking their lips at the thought of giving the weak Gunners defence a thorough test with goalkeeper Bernd Leno and defenders Skohdran Mustafi and David Luiz far from reliable. Arteta will want to see more of what his side produced in the opening half hour of the 2-1 defeat by Chelsea if they are to avoid a fifth successive home loss in all competitions — their present run of four is their worst since 1959.

“Individual errors cost you games but I can’t fault the effort, commitment and for putting in place what we practised,” said Arteta.

However, with confidence at a low ebb defeat for Arsenal on Wednesday and victory for third from bottom Aston Villa at Burnley would suck them deeper into the relegation battle.

Hammers pray Moyes delivers in second coming

David Moyes may not be welcomed back universally by West Ham fans but if the 55-year-old saves them from relegation for a second time like he did in the 2017-18 season, before being dispensed with, then all will be forgiven. A home game for the side fourth from bottom against Bournemouth, who are just a point above them in 16th, represents a seemingly ideal first challenge. 

However, their home form has been as woeful as Arsenal’s with four successive defeats — equalling their worst run in the Premier League since November 2005 — and it would not be a surprise to see Moyes energise their attack by selecting both Michail Antonio and Sebastien Haller.

The Cherries have largely escaped attention in their terrible run — just one win in nine — but the pressure may begin to mount on Eddie Howe with a defeat.

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Rooney gets starting nod from Derby boss

London (AFP) – England’s record goalscorer Wayne Rooney will make his debut for second-tier Derby against Barnsley on Thursday, the club’s manager Phillip Cocu confirmed.

Rooney, 34, joined Derby as a player-coach from MLS side DC United but has been ineligible to play for his new side until January.

“If a player with the qualities, career and the experience of Rooney (is available) you have to be very happy and glad he is here,” said Cocu after Monday’s 2-1 home win over Charlton in the Championship.

“He’s fit, he can start but he will need a few games. Expectation will be high when he starts playing but we have to give him a few games to build up his minutes and get in the team.

“So maybe not perfect from the start but it’s important he will get in the team as soon as possible so we get a certain shape in our team.”

Rooney’s debut can’t come soon enough for Derby.

Their win on Monday moved them into 17th place in English football’s second-tier.

However, they are still nine points shy of the play-off spots and 21 behind the two automatic promotion places.

On Monday, teenage midfielder Jason Knight scored his first goals in professional football to give Derby the three points, ending a run of seven games without a win.

Victory came despite the Rams playing most of the match a man down after Krystian Bielik was sent off for a crude challenge on Conor Gallagher. 

Knight put Derby ahead in the 10th minute at Pride Park when he forced the ball in at the back post only for Bielik to see red soon afterwards. 

But 10-man Derby still doubled their lead 13 minutes from time when Knight scored his second following a cross from Max Bird.

Charlton ensured a nervous finish for the home side when the south London club pulled a goal back seven minutes from time thanks to Lyle Taylor’s successful penalty, awarded after Curtis Davies brought down Gallagher in the box.

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Colombia footballer Quintero wants answers to mystery of missing father

Bogota (AFP) – Colombian international footballer Juan Fernando Quintero on Monday demanded answers from the country’s new army chief over the fate of his father who went missing almost 25 years ago.

“I don’t want to take advantage of the new General of the Army (Enrique) Zapateiro…. taking office, but I hope to be able to start a dialogue very soon and find out what happened,” Quintero, who plays for Argentine club side River Plate, wrote on Twitter where he has 1.6 million followers.

“I have the right as a son to know what happened to my father because I have suffered and I have seen my family suffering from psychological problems,” added Quintero, who was only two when his father Jaime disappeared in 1995.

General Zapateiro, who was a captain in the unit in which Jaime Quintero served, was cleared of any wrongdoing by the courts in 2001.

However, relatives have continued to push for answers over the disappearance.

Jaime Quintero went missing in 1995 while carrying out his military service at an army base in Carepa, in the north-east of the country.

According to his family, Zapateiro ordered Jaime Quintero to travel to Medellin after an alleged altercation between the two men over bouts of indiscipline, but he never arrived at his destination.

“There is no proof of the responsibility of the captain commander… Eduardo Enrique Zapateiro Altamiranda, now the designated commander of the army, nor against any member of the national army,” said the army in a statement posted on its website.

In Colombia, 83,000 people disappeared in more than 50 years of civil war, according to the National Center for Historical Memory — nearly three times more than under dictatorships in Argentina, Brazil and Chile in the second part of the 20th century.

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Moreno happy to be ‘number one’ at Monaco after Spain split

Monaco (AFP) – Robert Moreno was unveiled as the new coach of Monaco on Monday, admitting his bitter bust-up with Spain boss Luis Enrique had paved the way for him to become “number one”.

Moreno, 42, takes over at 2004 European and 2017 French champions Monaco after Leonardo Jardim was sacked for the second time.

However, he arrives at the Ligue 1 outfit having been accused of “disloyalty” by Enrique.

Moreno was previously Spain assistant coach but was promoted to the top job after Enrique resigned to take care of his nine-year-old daughter Xana, who died in August of cancer.

“I had nine extraordinary years at his side,” said Moreno on Monday.

“But that is all in the past. Today is my presentation as Monaco coach. I have coached since I was 14 and obtained my UEFA licence at 25. 

“I always wanted to become the number one. This is the start of that stage,” added Moreno who guided Spain through qualifying for Euro 2020 in the absence of Enrique.

He arrives at the Russian-backed principality club with the team in seventh place in Ligue 1 and 17 points behind leaders and defending champions PSG.

Jardim, who took Monaco to the league title in 2017, was fired at the weekend, just over a year since he was previously sent packing.

Moreno said he had been considering a range of offers since his acrimonious November departure from the Spanish national team.

“The Monaco project had the best guarantees and conditions,” he said after signing a deal until June 2022.

“I knew that I wanted to work at a high level and I wanted a project that matched this desire. Coming here means growing as a coach and a person.”

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Ibrahimovic set for AC Milan presentation on January 3

Milan (AFP) – Swedish star Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be officially presented as an AC Milan player on January 3, the Italian club confirmed on Monday.

Ibrahimovic returns to the side on a six-month deal, promising to help rescue the struggling Serie A outfit’s season.

The 38-year-old will undergo his medical on Thursday, January 2 and will hold his first press conference the following day.

“AC Milan announces that Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s press conference is scheduled for Friday January 3rd at Casa Milan at 10 am.” (0900GMT),” they said in a statement.

The six-month deal is reported to be worth around 3.5 million euros ($3.9 million) plus bonuses, with the option of a further year.

It will mark the Swede’s second stint with Milan, seven years after he left for Paris Saint-Germain. 

He played for the Rossoneri from 2010-2012 scoring 56 goals in 85 appearances and helped the club win their 18th and last league title in 2011.

One of the most successful clubs in the world, AC Milan are 11th in the table just seven points above relegation. 

“I’m coming back to a club I hugely respect and to the city of Milan I love,” the former Sweden forward said after the announcement of his return.

“I’ll fight together with my teammates to change the course of this season. I will do everything to make it happen.”

Milan have come up short in their attacking options with just 16 goals in 17 games so far this term.

Ibrahimovic left Los Angeles Galaxy last month after a two-year stay having scored 52 goals in 56 games, allowing to sign with another side for free.

He had previously won three league titles with Inter Milan, and two with Juventus, which were revoked following the match-fixing scandal.

Milan’s first game after the winter break will be at home against Sampdoria on January 6.

Ibrahimovic started his career at Malmo in his native Sweden. 

He went on to play for Ajax, Juventus, Inter, Barcelona, Milan, PSG and Manchester United, winning trophies with all these clubs but never the Champions League.

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