Liverpool player James Milner admits he expected Manchester City striker Erling Haaland to join Leeds United.
The pair faced-off yesterday as the Reds defeated Leeds.
Milner told Viaplay afterwards: “I can confirm that he said he would sign for Leeds a few years ago when we played against him (when Haaland was in Red Bull Salzburg).
“He obviously lied, so it’s disappointing.”
The pair did catch up yesterday: “We had a little chat, yes.”
The Premier League encounter between Leeds United and leaders Arsenal was delayed by 40 minutes following a power outage at Elland Road.
Bukayo Saka scored the winning goal in the first half by punishing Rodrigo’s loose pass, exchanging passes with Martin Odegaard before smashing in high at the near post.
Centre referee, Chris Kavanagh had earlier stopped the match inside 23 seconds because of another technical issues which disrupted communication with the video assistant referee (VAR) officials, while goalline technology was down too.
There was drama in stoppage time when the referee sent off Arsenal’s Gabriel for kicking out at Leeds striker Patrick Bamford and awarded the hosts a penalty, but both decisions were overturned after Kavanagh reviewed the incident on the pitchside monitor.
Leeds initially had an opportunity to level scores from the penalty spot but Bamford’s penalty aimed for the sky.
Manchester City star Kalvin Phillips has said there was no chance he was going to join Manchester United.
Phillips joined City from boyhood club Leeds United this summer in a deal worth £45m.
United were strongly linked with the England midfielder, but he was never going to join Leeds’ biggest rival.
“No, there was never any chance of me going there,” Phillips told The Sun.
“You know my loyalty to Leeds, my family as well, they’re all Leeds fans.
“I was honoured by United wanting me, such a big team – one of the biggest teams in the world.
“But no, I had to stay loyal to Leeds and choose to go to the other side of Manchester.”
Asked if it was unusual to take such a stance, he said: “I don’t know, it’s just the way I am, the way I think and the way I’ll always be.
“I want to be loyal to the people who’ve given me the biggest opportunity in the world.
“Leeds were the first team to sign me, I made sure that was one of the main things I’d do.”
Leeds winger Raphinha has found an agreement on personal terms with Barcelona.
The Brazilian right-sided flyer is hoping to complete a move to a big club this summer.
According to Sport, Raphinha has agreed on a five-year contract with the Catalan giants.
However, Leeds are not in the mood to sell Raphinha on the cheap.
He has a contract until 2024, which means any move this summer would be on their terms.
Marcelo Bielsa addressed the Leeds United squad this morning after Sunday’s sacking.
The Daily Mail says the 66-year old gathered the squad together at around 9.15am to bid farewell after his sacking on Sunday.
He wanted to talk to them as a group rather than on a more emotionally-charged individual basis.
Despite strain telling on some relationships after a draining run of results, Bielsa is still viewed with huge respect within the dressing room for the work he has done and the coaching he has imbued in his players.
He is due to head back to Argentina after saying his farewells and will be replaced by 48-year old American Jesse Marsch once his work permit is cleared.
Bielsa departs after a poor run of form, with just one point gained from the last 18 on offer, and with the side in 16th, two points above the Premier League relegation zone and in serious danger of going down.
His 140-match tenure marks him as the second-longest serving manager, behind Simon Grayson (169), since David O’Leary’s stint at the turn of the millennium.
Moreover, his record of 74 wins, 24 draws and 42 losses leaves him with a win percentage of 52.86 – the second-highest in history among Leeds managers with more than five games – narrowly behind legendary figure Don Revie (53.24).
Newcastle earned a massive victory at Leeds in their fight to avoid relegation thanks to Jonjo Shelvey’s 20-yard free-kick.
Eddie Howe’s side had only won once all season prior to this energetic and tempestuous encounter where both sides struggled to make the most of first-half chances.
But after Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka saved Dan James’ point-blank shot and Illan Meslier palmed Shelvey’s volley away, the visitors finally found a breakthrough.
The 75th-minute goal came from a brilliant run by substitute Javier Manquillo, who was brought down on the edge of the box.
Shelvey stepped up and fired past Meslier, who perhaps should have done better, given the ball went in on his side of the goal.
Leeds had earlier wasted a great chance through Jack Harrison, whose goal-bound shot was well-blocked by Fabian Schar.
It proved a turning point as Newcastle held on, despite dropping 21 points from winning positions already this season.
After Norwich’s win over Watford, Howe’s side failed to exit the bottom three, but such a victory could prove transformative to their relegation hopes ahead of a two-week break where the team will travel to Saudi Arabia for a training trip.
For Leeds, it ended successive league victories and they paid for their profligacy in the absence of injured striker Patrick Bamford.
BBC
Arsenal consolidated their position in the Premier League’s top four with a 4-1 rout of Leeds in the only Premier League match on Saturday to survive a wave of coronavirus postponements.
Two goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka’s deflected strike put the Gunners 3-0 up before half-time.
Raphinha’s penalty pulled a goal back, but Emile Smith Rowe rounded off a miserable week for Leeds after their 7-0 thrashing at Manchester City on Tuesday.
“We were really lucky to play today with everything that’s happening,” said Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta. “I told the players to enjoy the game and give everything because I don’t know how this will develop.”
Arteta’s own positive case back in March 2020 accelerated the Premier League’s shutdown for three months at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Six of the 10 matches in the English top-flight scheduled for this weekend have been called off due to a surge in cases due to the new Omicron variant of the virus.
A meeting of the 20 Premier League clubs will take place on Monday to decide whether to go ahead with the Boxing Day fixtures next weekend or to halt the season temporarily.
Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa accepts his job is under threat.
Bielsa needs a response from his players against Arsenal after their 7-0 thrashing by Manchester City.
Bielsa said: “I never think it’s good to promise, and the views being transmitted [by pundits] I don’t know how to interpret. After a big defeat, you’re very sensitive but to say that I’ve taken them as far as I can is to say it’s a closed cycle. Is that how you’ve interpreted what the fans want?
“What do you interpret from those pundits that make you ask this question? Why would you ask this question? If those people are saying I’ve taken the team as far as I can, does that mean you think the cycle is over?
“Of course, I’m going to continue fighting until the end of the season. If you listened to what I said before, I feel that upon adversity you always have to fight. Having said that, I will fight until the end of the season without any doubts.
“And I hope that nothing happens that doesn’t allow me to do this. I’m not so vain that I think I can’t be sacked. You think that after suffering a defeat 7-0, you think I can discard the instability?
“Of course, the job of a coach is not stable. I don’t have anything special about me that makes me immune to this characteristic.”
Manchester City tore Leeds apart with an attacking masterclass to increase their lead at the top of the Premier League to four points.
The defending champions were at their scintillating best as they racked up their biggest victory of the season and moved further clear of Liverpool and Chelsea, who both play on Thursday.
In truth, City could have had far more than their seven goals such was their total dominance and the ease they repeatedly ripped through the visitors’ increasingly ragged defence.
Phil Foden opened the scoring after eight minutes, following up after Rodri’s effort was saved – although Stuart Dallas should have done far better with his attempted goal-line clearance.
Foden’s goal was City’s 500th in the Premier League in 207 games under Pep Guardiola, with the Spaniard becoming the quickest manager to reach that landmark – the previous best was Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who took 234 matches.
It only took five minutes more before goal number 501 arrived, with Riyad Mahrez given time to bend in a cross from the right of the area for Jack Grealish to nod home a rare – for him – headed goal.
City did not stop coming forward and Kevin de Bruyne joined the party just after the half-hour mark, firing home from a Rodri pass for his first goal since mid-October.
That made sure of a seventh straight league win for Guardiola’s men but they were in the mood to dish out more punishment against a side that took four points off them last season, and beat them here with 10 men.
The second half had barely started when Mahrez made it 4-0, with a low shot that deflected in off Junior Firpo, before De Bruyne made it five with the best goal of the night, a thunderous strike into the top corner from distance.
John Stones made it six at the second attempt after Aymeric Laporte’s header was saved, and there was no respite for Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier as Nathan Ake headed home City’s seventh from a Foden corner.
Manager Thomas Tuchel said Jorginho has “sacrificed himself” for Chelsea after the midfielder scored two penalties, including a dramatic stoppage-time winner, against Leeds United.
The Italy international’s second penalty after 94 minutes at Stamford Bridge ensured Tuchel’s side remain two points behind leaders Manchester City.
Jorginho played the entire match despite suffering with a back injury.
And Tuchel admitted he was aware the “moment would come when he suffers”.
The midfielder was named Uefa men’s Player of the Year following a 2020-21 season in which he won the European Championship with Italy and the Champions League with his club.
Jorginho’s 56-game 2020-21 campaign ended with Italy’s triumph over England on 11 July and he was back in action for Chelsea in the European Super Cup on 11 August.
The 29-year-old could end this calendar year having played 66 times in total, should he feature in Chelsea’s remaining five matches.
“Jorginho has sacrificed himself for many weeks actually,” said Tuchel. “He played Champions League with us, Euros with Italy, then all the World Cup qualifiers for Italy.
“There was not only physical effort for him, but also it has been mentally very, very demanding.”
The Chelsea boss added: “He had no pre-season then started the Super Cup game, so I knew we would arrive at a point in the season where he would feel his body and not be fully fit.
“But Jorginho is Jorginho and he is fully aware of the situation himself. He sacrifices himself and gives his very best every single day.
“It’s the perfect attitude and it’s a big reward for him today, because it’s not easy to score two penalties in one game.”
Teenage substitute Joe Gelhardt appeared to have earned a late point for Leeds following Jorginho’s first penalty, after Mason Mount had cancelled out Raphinha’s first-half spot-kick.
But Jorginho’s second goal keeps Chelsea, in third, in touch with champions City, who beat Wolves 1-0 earlier on Saturday, and second-placed Liverpool, who beat Aston Villa by the same scoreline.
BBC