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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ͚Π˜ ͺ͸͚Î
GLOBAL SOCCER
Aguero scored the winner in Liverpool versus Man City last meeting
Liverpool Host Man City in Title Decider Ă’Ă? ĂœĂ?Ă—Ă“Ă?Ăœ Ă?Ă‹Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă? Ă—Ă‹ĂŁ Ă”Ă&#x;Ă?Ăž ĂŒĂ? Ă™Ă˜Ă–ĂŁ ͚͸ ĂĄĂ?Ă?Ă•Ă? Ă™Ă–ĂŽËœ ĂŒĂ&#x;Ăž Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ“Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ă–ĂœĂ?Ă‹ĂŽĂŁ ĂšĂ™Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÙ Ă‹ ĂžĂĄĂ™Ě‹Ă’Ă™ĂœĂ?Ă? ĂœĂ‹Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? ÞÓÞÖĂ? Ă—Ă‹ĂŁ Ă?Ă Ă?Ă˜ ĂŒĂ? ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă“ĂŽĂ?ĂŽ Ă™Ă˜ Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁ ĂĄĂ’Ă?Ă˜ Ă“Ă Ă?ĂœĂšĂ™Ă™Ă– ĂĄĂ?Ă–Ă?Ù×Ă? Ă‹Ă˜Ă?Ă’Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ?Ăœ ÓÞã ÞÙ Ă˜Ă?Ă“Ă?Ă–ĂŽË› ÙÞÒ ĂžĂ?Ă‹Ă—Ă? Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂŽĂ?ĂŽ Ă‹ Ă–Ă‹Ă?Ăž Ă—Ă“Ă˜Ă&#x;ĂžĂ? Ă‘Ă‹Ă?Ăš ÞÙ ĂĄĂ“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ Ă–Ă‹Ă?Ăž Ă—Ă‹ĂžĂ?Ă’Ă?Ă?Ëœ åÓÞÒ Ă’Ă? Ă?ĂŽĂ? Ă—Ă‹Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ‹Ă“Ă˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ Ă?Ă“Ă˘Ě‹ĂšĂ™Ă“Ă˜Ăž Ă–Ă?Ă‹ĂŽ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹ Ă Ă“Ă?ĂžĂ™ĂœĂŁ Ùà Ă?Ăœ Ă’Ă? ÓÞÓäĂ?Ă˜Ă? ĂžĂ™Ă—Ă™ĂœĂœĂ™ĂĄ Ă—Ă‹ĂŁ Ă”Ă&#x;Ă?Ăž Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă˜Ă?Ă“Ă?Ă–ĂŽ Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă?ĂŒĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ? Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă“ĂœĂ?Ăž ÞÓÞÖĂ? Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă? ÞÒĂ? ĂœĂ?Ă—Ă“Ă?Ăœ Ă?Ă‹Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă? Ă?ĂœĂ‹Ë› ÙåĂ?Ă Ă?ĂœËœ Ă“Ăž ĂĄĂ™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ ĂŒĂ? Ă‘Ă‹Ă—Ă?Ě‹Ă™Ă˜ Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă™Ă? Ă‹ ĂĄĂ“Ă˜ Ă™Ăœ Ă‹ ĂŽĂœĂ‹ĂĄ Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă?Ăš Ă&#x;Ă‹ĂœĂŽĂ“Ă™Ă–Ă‹ËŞĂ? Ă?Ă“ĂŽĂ?
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iverpool and Manchester City can now turn attention to the Premier League after both teams were involved in the UEFA Champions League where they both top their groups and are in good stead to booking a place to the knockout stage. Liverpool top the table with 31 points and are closely trailed by Manchester City with 25 points, and will be hoping to reduce the gap to three points with a win, while the host would be looking to further widen the gap with a home victory. Anfield has not been a good hunting ground for the Citizens and indeed their manager-Pep Guardiola. His best since arriving England is last season goalless draw in which City lost a last minute penalty. Both managers have started the mind games with Guardiola first kicked off
proceedings by labeling Liverpool forward, Sadio Mane as a ‘diver’ following the Reds last minute 2-1 win against Aston Villa last Saturday, in which the Senegalese attacker scored the final goal but was booked for simulation earlier on in the match. Jurgen Klopp, in turn, rejected the criticism of Mane and questioned how a manager would find time post-match to know about such details and the result of another game. The German then aimed his own dig at City by claiming he would “not mention tactical fouls� in his response to Guardiola’s comments during a pre-match press conference ahead of Genk. “I couldn’t really believe it to be honest and then I saw it,� the Liverpool manager said. “I am not sure if Pep spoke in that moment about Sadio or the team – both is not
too nice to be honest. I am not too sure if I want to put oil on the fire. I am not interested in these kind of things. And I promise not to mention tactical fouls. That is maybe already too much.� Manchester City talisman Sergio Aguero would however not mind putting oil to the fire when he said the club still regard Manchester United as their biggest rivals in the Premier League compared to Liverpool. “It may be the clasico for television, but for us, the clasico, it’s the match against United,� the Argentina international told France Football. The defending champions have been plague by injury with Captain David Silva joining Oleksandr Zinchenko, Aymeric Laporte and Leroy Sane on the sidelines City may have been handed a major injury boost on Tuesday morning ahead of their clash against Liverpool this weekend,
with midfielder Rodri spotted at training, although the Spaniard did not partake in the full session. Rodri has missed the last three games with a hamstring problem, however it now appears as though the midfielder is set to make a return to Pep Guardiola’s side in the coming games. The midfielder did not take part in the full session, however did briefly appear for what was described as a ‘kick about‘ and a brief ‘stretch‘. Former Arsenal Manager, Arsene Wenger indeed attest to the fact that injury to key players may cost City on Sunday. Wenger believes the absence of Laporte could hand Liverpool a major advantage in their title clash with City on Sunday. Klopp’s side are currently leading the way as they are six points ahead of City and have not yet lost a game. Meanwhile, Guardiola’s men have suffered two defeats