PARIS — Neymar went off on a stretcher after twisting his right ankle late in league leader Paris Saint-Germain’s 3-0 victory against Marseille on Sunday. The Brazil striker was taken off with 10 minutes remaining, after going in for a challenge on Marseille defender Bouna Sarr. PSG coach Unai Emery is hopeful that Neymar will […]
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JURGEN KLOPP has targeted England midfielder Lewis Cook in a £20million deal to replace Emre Can.
The Liverpool boss is looking at his option as Can’s contract is expiring and he is set to join Juventus for free.
Liverpool are interested in signing midfielder Lewis Cook from BournemouthGetty Images - Getty
Lewis Cook was captain on England’s U20 World Cup winning side and got a senior call-up in NovemberTimes Newspapers Ltd
And Bournemouth youngster Cook has been watched by Kop scouts during a season where he earned a call-up to Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions squad in November.
Cook, 21, has been a regular for Eddie Howe’s team in their climb away from relegation trouble into mid-table.
Liverpool have tracked his progress since leaving Leeds two seasons ago and continuing his progress on the South Coast.
They have been impressed with him lifting the Under-20 World Cup with England last year in South Korea, the country’s first triumph at a global tournament since 1966.
COOK-ING UP A STORM Lewis Cook is the first England skipper to lift a World Cup trophy since 1966… here is all you need to know about the U20s skipper
Emre Can netted Liverpool’s first against West Ham on Saturday but could be leaving for free in the summerGetty
Jurgen Klopp is a fan of Lewis Cook and has been tracking the midfielder during his spell with BournemouthPA:Press Association
All eyes were on whether England’s talent would get games in the Prem but Cook has established himself at the Vitality Stadium after breaking into the team earlier in the campaign.
And now Klopp will look at a summer swoop to fill the massive gap left by Can in central midfield.
Lewis Cook has been a regular in Bournemouth’s side in their battle against relegationReuters
The Germany international, 24, had not missed a game in two months before sitting out the Champions League win over Porto through suspension.
But with no breakthrough in talks over a new deal at Anfield, Klopp has needed to look at alternatives for next season.
It may have taken two penalty shootouts en route the Carabao Cup final but Pep Guardiola is on the brink of his first trophy in English football.
Alison Bender and Don Hutchison look ahead to Sunday's Carabao Cup final between Arsenal and Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola wants Manchester City to bounce back from their Monday FA Cup loss to Wigan and win the Carabao Cup final against Arsenal on Sunday.
To paraphrase a popular co-commentary cliche: if anything, Manchester City are actually playing too well.
With the Premier League title wrapped up weeks -- if not months -- ago, the genuine brilliance of Pep Guardiola's side has almost been overlooked: there's no tension, no intrigue, no will-they-or-won't-they debates going into the run-in. They win so frequently it's almost become dull, and yet the manner of their football is anything but. Manchester City will win the Premier League this season,...IT’S United v Chelsea on Sunday and that means it’s Mourinho v Conte.
It says something about the form of both Manchester United and Chelsea this season that the most interesting thing about the fixture is their ongoing spat.
Mourinho and Conte trade insults, illustration by LovattoLovatto
Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte in better timesNews Group Newspapers Ltd
It’s been a season where United’s brand of anti-football is gaining rave reviews from precisely nobody.
While Chelsea’s title defence has collapsed meekly against the likes of Bournemouth and Watford.
But it’s the war of words between the Portuguese and the Italian that everyone will have their eye on at Old Trafford on Sunday.
In the meantime, here’s our handy five-point guide to English football’s most riveting rivalry.
1. The war of words begins
Jose Mourinho didn’t like how Antonio Conte celebrated a 4-0 win over UnitedNews Group Newspapers Ltd
It’s October 2016 and new Chelsea boss Antonio Conte celebrates a thumping 4-0 win for Chelsea over United.
He runs up and down the Stamford Bridge touchline in manic fashion, diving into the crowd and generally acting like a berk.
Mourinho isn’t impressed.
As the pair shake hands at the final whistle, he pulls Conte into him.
“You don’t celebrate like that at 4-0, you can do it at 1-0, otherwise it’s humiliating for us.”
Yeah, because you’d never catch Mourinho knee-sliding down the touchline, would you?
2. Jose gets personal
Antonio Conte had a subtle dig at Mourinho for finishing 10th after winning the titleAFP or licensors
In the summer of 2017, Antonio Conte began to prepare his team for the defence of their Premier League title.
It was clear he was determined to make a better fist of it then Jose had done in his second spell at Stamford Bridge.
“Two years ago Chelsea finished 10th,” he explained.
“That cannot happen again. We know the difficulty and, for sure, we want to avoid the Mourinho season with Chelsea.”
Jose Mourinho sneered at Antonio Conte’s luscious head of hairGetty Images - Getty
Meanwhile, Mourinho was sharpening his claws and, predictably, took a pot shot at the Italian’s surprisingly luscious head of hair.
MOUR TO COME Jose Mourinho warns Antonio Conte to stop playing the ‘victim’ as feud continues“I could answer in many different ways,” he said, “but I’m not going to lose my hair to speak about Antonio Conte.”
3. Cry, cry and cry againIn October 2017, United defeated Benfica in the Champions League and Mourinho used the press conference to have another pop at Conte.
He might not have referred to him by name, but his intentions were clear.
Jose Mourinho has made it a pastime to aim subtle digs at Antonio ConteBT Sport
“I don’t cry; I think the way to do it is ignore the players who are injured and focus on the players that are available.
“If I want to moan and cry like the others, I can cry for the next five minutes. But I don’t.”
Yeah, not much. Over to you Antonio…
“I think he has to think about his team and start looking at himself, not others.
Antonio Conte always takes the bait when Jose Mourinho takes aim at himEPA
“I think that, a lot of times, Mourinho (likes to concentrate on) what is happening at Chelsea.
“A lot of times, also last season. (He has) to think about his team.”
4. Send in the clownLater that month, Mourinho bristled when his apparent lack of enthusiasm was questioned by the media.
“Because I don’t behave as a clown on the touchline, it means that I lost my passion?” he responded.
Jose Mourinho claimed that he doesn’t behave like a clown on the touchlinePA:Empics Sport
“I prefer to behave the way I am doing it, much more mature, better for my team and myself.
“I don’t think you have to behave like a crazy guy on the touchline to have that passion.”
Needless to say, Mourinho’s comments were seen as another dig at Conte, who took the bait.
“I think he has to see himself in the past – maybe he was speaking about himself in the past.
ConteAFP or licensors
“Maybe, sometimes, I think that someone forgets what’s said in the past, which is his behaviour,” suggested the Blues coach.
“Sometimes I think there is, I don’t know the name, but ‘demenza senile…’ when you forget what you do in the past.”
Oct 2016
Mourinho (reported by Italian TV)
“You don’t celebrate like that at 4-0, you can do it at 1-0, otherwise it’s humiliating for us.”
Nov 2016
Conte
“I find it incredible that someone like him (Victor Moses) has been overlooked.”
Feb 2017
Mourinho
“Chelsea are a very good defensive team”
July 2017
Mourinho
“I’m not going to lose my hair to speak about Antonio Conte”
(Conte has reportedly had three hair transplants)
Oct 2017
Conte
“Mourinho likes to concentrate on what is happening at Chelsea, also last season. He has to think about his team.”
Jan 2018
Mourinho
“I don’t behave as a clown on the touchline”
Jan 2018
Conte
“Sometimes I think there is, I don’t know the name, but demenza senile, when you forget what you do in the past.”
Jan 2018
Mourinho
“What never happened to me, and never will happen, is to be suspended for match-fixing.”
(Conte was banned but later acquitted of failing to report alleged match-fixing)
Jan 2018
Conte
“I consider him a little man.”
Jan 2018
Conte
“You are a fake, you are a fake.”
Later, Conte maintained he had meant to say amnesia, not dementia.
5. Mourinho ups the anteAfter United’s FA Cup win over Derby County, Mourinho took the pair’s feud one step further.
Jose Mourinho took his feud with Antonio Conte one step further referring to Antonio Conte’s match-fixing chargesAFP or licensors
He referred to Conte’s suspension for match-fixing in 2012, charges for which he was later acquitted.
“What never happened to me – and will never happen – is to be suspended for match-fixing,” he shrugged.
“That never happened to me and will never happen.”
The following day, Conte responded.
“I think when there are these types of comments, comments where you try to offend the person and don’t know the truth, then you are a little man,” he said.
Jose Mourinho was called a ‘little man’ by Antonio ConteGetty - Contributor
“In the past he was a little man in many circumstance, he’s a little man in the present and, for sure, he will be a little man in the future.”
For the record, Jose is, indeed, 4cm shorter than Conte.
Exclusive illustration by Lovatto