BENFICA TO FACE MAN UTD IN THE 2ND LEG

BENFICA SET TO TRASH MAN UTD IN THE 2ND LEG, OF THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 

Manchester United made it three Group A wins out of three at SL Benfica on matchday three and could wrap up a place in the round of 16 when the teams reconvene at Old Trafford.

Marcus Rashford scored the only goal in Lisbon, giving United a nine-point cushion over their opponents and keeping José Mourinho's team three points clear at the top of the section.

United will qualify if they win and PFC CSKA Moskva fail to beat second-placed FC Basel 1893 in the other matchday four game, or if United draw and CSKA lose.

Bottom side Benfica, who have lost all three matches, will be unable to finish in the top two if they lose and Basel avoid defeat, or if Benfica draw and Basel win.

MATCH BACKGROUND

United are unbeaten in their 12 games at home to Portuguese visitors (W9 D3). The most recent encounter was a 3-2 victory over SC Braga in the 2012/13 group stage.

United were 4-1 winners at CSKA Moskva on matchday two, having overcome Basel 3-0 at Old Trafford in their first Group A fixture.

The Red Devils are unbeaten in 19 European home matches (W15 D4), going back to a 2-1 home loss to Real Madrid CF in the 2012/13 UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg. The 1-1 draw with RC Celta de Vigo in last season's UEFA Europa League semi-final second leg (2-1 aggregate) halted a six-game winning home run.

This is United's fifth European fixture this term, which started with the 2-1 loss to Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup in Skopje on 8 August. That ended United's 11-match unbeaten streak (W8 D3) since a 2-1 reversal at Fenerbahçe SK on matchday four of last season's UEFA Europa League. The defeat in Istanbul had been their fifth in nine European games.

The Madrid loss is United's only reverse in their last 15 European matches, home and away (W11 D3).

This is United's 21st campaign in the UEFA Champions League group stage, and only four times have they failed to make the next round. Two of those eliminations came in their last four participations; the English club finished third in their section in both 2011/12 and 2015/16, their last appearance.

United completed a clean sweep of European trophies with victory in last season's UEFA Europa League. The win against AFC Ajax in Stockholm added to their European Cup triumphs of 1968, 1999 and 2008 and their 1991 European Cup Winners' Cup success

Benfica

Benfica have suffered their biggest UEFA Champions League defeat in going down 5-0 at Basel on matchday two.

Benfica have played 35 games against English clubs in UEFA competition; their record is W11 D6 L18 (W4 D2 L10 in England). In addition to their 1968 European Cup final defeat by United, they also lost the 2013 UEFA Europa League final in Amsterdam, 2-1 to Chelsea FC.

The Eagles' last trip to England was a 3-1 win away to Tottenham Hotspur FC in the 2013/14 UEFA Europa League round of 16 first leg, setting up a 5-3 aggregate triumph.

Portuguese double winners in 2016/17, Benfica are in the UEFA Champions League group stage for the 13th time – and the eighth season running.

The Lisbon outfit got to the quarter-finals in 2015/16 and again progressed from the group stage last year, losing 4-1 on aggregate to Borussia Dortmund in the round of 16.

Beaten 2-1 at home by PFC CSKA Moskva on matchday one, Benfica have won only one of their last seven European matches, home and away – the 1-0 victory against Dortmund in last season's round of 16 first leg – and have lost the last four.

The matchday three defeat was the first time Benfica have lost four successive European games; they had suffered three straight defeats on four previous occasions.

Having gone down 4-0 in Dortmund in last spring's last 16, Benfica have won only three of their last 14 away fixtures in Europe, losing seven. They picked up four points on their travels in last season's group st utd

Man utd have been undefeated in their last five-teen(15) game at home and has only draw three and benfica have lost four match in a row

               

ROMA READY FOR BATTLE AGAINST CHELSEA

ROMA READY TAKE DOWN  Chelsea  BY chance

Roma earned a creditable draw at Stamford Bridge last time out and now have the chance to overtake Chelsea at the top of Group C when the teams meet again.

AS Roma left Stamford Bridge with a point after their matchday three trip to Chelsea FC and the Italian side can overtake their English opponents with victory at the Stadio Olimpico – although the visitors could also book their place in the knockout rounds.

• The 3-3 draw in west London has left Chelsea top of Group C with seven points, two ahead of the Giallorossi. Antonio Conte's Blues also hold a five-point cushion over third-placed Club Atlético de Madrid, and would therefore qualify for the round of 16 should they claim only their second win away to Serie A opposition.

Pochettino optimistic Harry Kane

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino optimistic Harry Kane will be fit to face Real Madrid

Muricio Pochettino is optimistic Harry Kane will be fit enough to play some part in Wednesday's Champions League clash with Real Madrid.Kane has been forced to sit out Tottenham's last two matches after picking up a hamstring strain in the 4-1 Premier League win over Liverpool at Wembley.
Asked about the England striker's potential availability for the midweek visit of Real, Pochettino said: "With the doctors and the player, we will take the best decision for everyone
MACTH FACT
Tottenham• Dele Alli is available after completing a three-match ban.• Tottenham's 3-2 League Cup defeat by West Ham United FC on 25 October ended their 11-game unbeaten run (W8 D3).• Tottenham ended a ten-game winless run against Liverpool FC with a 4-1 home victory against the Merseyside club on 22 October, Harry Kane scoring twice.• Kane has scored 17 goals in his last 13 outings for club and country.• Kane was ruled out of Saturday's 1-0 loss at Manchester United with what the club called "a minor strain to the left hamstring".• Tottenham have lost on each of their last four visits to Manchester United without scoring.• Kane is on the 30-man shortlist for the Ballon d'Or. The winner will be announced on 6 December.• Danny Rose made his first appearance for Tottenham since January when he came on as an 80th-minute substitute at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.• Victor Wanyama (knee) has not played since the game against Chelsea FC on 20 August while Mousa Dembélé (ankle, hip) returned against West Ham after five weeks out and also came off the bench at Old Trafford.

Real Madrid

• Madrid slipped eight points behind Liga leaders Barcelona after a surprise 2-1 loss at Girona FC on Sunday, a defeat which ended their seven-match unbeaten run in all competitions (W6 D1).

• The Girona reverse also halted Madrid's run of nine successive away wins in all competitions (seven this season, two in 2016/17, excluding last season's UEFA Champions League final success, which is counted as a neutral fixture).

• Madrid won 2-0 at CF Fuenlabrada in the Copa del Rey round of 32 first leg on Thursday 26 October.

• Having spent his first two seasons at Madrid on loan (Real Zaragoza in 2015/16, Eintracht Frankfurt in 2016/17), defender Jesús Vallejo made his club debut against Fuenlabrada, but was sent off in the 89th minute.

• Marco Asensio's penalty against Fuenlabrada was his sixth goal of the season for the club in all competitions, and his second in as many games.

• With three goals, he is their joint top scorer in the Liga this season along with Isco, who opened the scoring in Sunday's Girona defeat.

• Cristiano Ronaldo has scored just the one Liga goal this term, but has hit five in the UEFA Champions League.

Girona show Madrid what they are made up

Girona 2-1 Real Madrid: Stuani and Portu goals sink champions

La Liga newcomers Girona stunned Real Madrid by coming from behind to defeat the European champions 2-1 at the Estadio Montilivi on Sunday afternoon.

Cristhian Stuani and Portu struck quickfire goals in the second half to wipe out Real's first-half lead given to them by Isco, as Girona wrote themselves into history in their first-ever league meeting against the champions.

Girona had twice struck the post in the first half through Portu and Pablo Maffeo as they more than matched their illustrious opponents, with Real limited to half chances for Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.

Zinedine Zidane's team are now eight points behind Barcelona, as Girona rise to 11th.

Girona's improbable comeback began in the 54th minute, Pere Pons picking up possession in midfield and dancing past Sergio Ramos to tee up Stuani, who glided into the box and slid the ball past Casilla.

Leicester show Everton The boss

Leicester City 2 Everton 0: David Unsworth's big audition goes wrong as Demarai Gray impresses

This was a Gray day for the grey man as Claude Puel achieved his first victory in his first game in charge of Leicester City – and Demarai Gray, making only his second Premier League start of the season, was outstanding as a hapless Everton, in their insipid second kit, were overwhelmed and left in the relegation zone and in a relegation battle.

It was the kind of first half that will inflict serious damage on David Unsworth’s chances of becoming Everton’s next permanent manager  with the caretaker due to meet chairman Bill Kenwright – who was at the King Power Stadium – and majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri this week to discuss his future. If he has one.

The former defender – and current Under-23 coach – started here with a naive 4-4-2 formation, with two wingers, three of his back four with a combined age of 100, and watched helplessly as they were then simply ripped apart by the pace of Gray and Jamie Vardy, who received a standing ovation when he was eventually substituted.

Everton have not win any their last five match in a row and at the third in the last bottom of the English Premier League. Everton have only win two game ,draw two and have lost six game at of ten game played 

THE RETURN OF Ibrahimovic

Zlatan Ibrahimovic on his Manchester United return: 'I'm here to finish what I started'

        He is targeting the match against Arsenal  as his first return debut, staged for 2nd of December 2017

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has returned to Manchester United with Premier League glory on his mind, and says the challenge of coming back from his serious knee injury made it an easy decision.

The 36-year-old former Sweden captain has been out of action since suffering cruciate ligament damage in the Europa League clash with Anderlecht in April.

"I said I will come back to finish what I started," Ibrahimovic, who signed a new one-year deal with United over the summer and is expected to be available before the end of the year, told Sky Sports News

The Flash Season 4 Episode 3

Anthony Joshua still the defending champion

Anthony Joshua beats Carlos Takam by TKO to retain world heavyweight titles – as it happened

Anthony Joshua retained his two heavyweight title belts here last night but this was a far from convincing performance, with many in the Principality Stadium feeling referee Phil Edwards had acted prematurely in stopping obdurate opponent Carlos Takam in the tenth round. 

Joshua had thrown everything at the super-sub with the tank-like physique and granite chin, but he was beginning to tire when Edwards stepped in to bring the fight to a close, much to Takam’s fury. 

At the end of it all the young man who is fast becoming a superstar now has a record which reads: 20 fights, 20 stoppages.

Yet this was far from perfect, and the 28 year old took great risks at times, exposing himself to counter punches which could cost the Briton in fights against the likes of WBC champion Deontay Wilder. He will know he has much to work on. 

There were mitigating circumstances as Joshua had his nose broken in the second round by Takam's forehead, although he had recovered sufficiently by the fourth to ensure his French-Cameroonian opponent had to take a standing count after being knocked down by a left hook. 

The punch opened a nasty cut above Takam’s right eye, and he was twice inspected by the ringside physician before it was all over. 

When it was finished, Joshua addressed the 80,000 crowd, looking forward while paying due respect to his opponent.

"What do you want, UK fans ? Wembley, Cardiff ? Las Vegas ? I just want to keep the sport growing," he said over the microphone, the entire stadium roaring to his every word.

                 I didn't have control of it, it was the ref's decision [to stop the fight]. Respect to Takam. He was like Evander Holyfield, ducking down, popping up.” 

Holyfield was not a bad comparison, and Joshua certainly learnt again from this performance. His ears may still be ringing from the screams of trainer Rob McCracken, who consistently urged his charge to box and not go for the knockout punch.

Takam, his face bloody and cut, was a warrior to the last and he was deeply vexed by the stoppage. 

"I don't know why the referee stopped the match,” he said. “I respect the champion and the UK fans, they are great fans and I am happy to box here. I don't why they stopped it.                 "I want a rematch, I make my preparations with 12 days to fight Anthony. I want a rematch, I want to box him again, I want him, he is a great champion.

Takam’s stock has undoubtedly risen, coming in as he did with just 12 days notice after Cubrat Pulev withdrew after suffering a shoulder injury. 

new boss Claude Puel 'happy to be a fox'

Leicester City new boss Claude Puel 'happy to be a fox'

A new era for Leicester City begins this weekend as Claude Puel takes charge of his first game against Everton.

The Frenchman was appointed this week as the club’s third manager in eight months.

The 56-year-old will greet the City fans for the first time on Sunday when the Toffees visit the King Power Stadium.

Puel met the media yesterday, proclaimed he was “happy to be a fox” and said he would try to get Leicester into the top half of the Premier League.

“This club has a young feel about them,” Puel told a packed press conference.

“They got promoted to the Premier League just a few seasons ago and they have made rapid progress to win the title. We want to keep the identity but bring more consistency.

“This season, we will go step-by-step. We will try and perform on the pitch and have good results and to find our way to the top half of the table.

“This is not a dream, this is a reality. After, we will see if we can do other things in January and February.”

Puel said he was keen to get to know the city and the fans, as well as the players, and learn about Leicester’s history.

“I will take all of the specialities of the city,” said Puel. “Just to say about this, it’s important to have a good feeling with the fans. When I arrive, the club is my colours.

“I think about the badge and I defend the values of the club, of the city. For me, it’s very important.”

One thing Puel will not be changing is the club’s captain, confirming that Wes Morgan will keep the armband.

“Wes is the captain,” said Puel. “It’s important. He is respected by all of the players. But I want two or three captains on

the team also.” Puel confirmed that Pascal Plancque has joined the club as assistant manager alongside Michael Appleton.