David Moyes backs Manchester United’s Ashley Young over diving row

David Moyes has already spoken to Ashley Young about diving this season (Picture: PA) Manchester United manager David Moyes has backed Ashley Young after the midfielder was accused of diving to win a penalty in his side’s 0-0 draw with Real Sociedad.
Young went to ground under what appeared to be a soft challenge from Sociedad’s Markel Bergara on Tuesday night and although Robin van Persie missed the resulting spot kick, Young was widely criticised for his actions.
It’s not the first time this season the England international has been chastised by fans for earning soft decisions, with Moyes even saying he would speak to Young following United’s win over Crystal Palace in September.
But on this occasion Moyes has backed his player, insisting if anyone should be criticised it’s the officials.
‘The referee was two yards away from it. If anything you should be more talking about the referee than the player,’ said the Scot.
MORE: Wenger v Moyes head-to-head

Ashley Young has been widely criticised for his actions (Picture: AP)

‘He also refereed the Champions League final so you are expecting him to be as qualified as anybody.
‘The question should be ‘did the referee get the decision right or not’? For me, where I was, I definitely thought it was a penalty.’
Moyes appears to have changed his tune having admitted after Tuesday’s match he thought the penalty decision was strange.
But it seems United are now all pulling in the same direction with Sunday’s crucial Premier League match against Arsenal on the horizon.

Why Liverpool should change formation and reinstate Victor Moses for Fulham clash

Will the Reds be celebrating on Saturday at Anfield? (Picture: Getty) Liverpool host Fulham at Anfield on Saturday looking to recover from their 2-0 defeat to Arsenal last week and manager Brendan Rodgers has an almost fully fit squad to choose from – a rare luxury.
The return of Philippe Coutinho in particular is a huge bonus for the Northern Irishman, while fullbacks / wingbacks Glen Johnson and Jose Enrique are available – although the latter may not be fit enough to start after a small operation has seen him miss the last three matches.
Only long-term injury casualties Iago Aspas and Sebastian Coates are out for Rodgers’ side; which leaves him with more than one selection headache.
To begin with, the boss must decide whether to continue with three at the back or return to a 4-2-3-1 shape – which would, of course, alter the balance of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge in attack.
Assuming 3-4-1-2 is indeed continued with, Rodgers may opt to bring Coutinho into the number 10 role behind Suarez and Sturridge, moving Jordan Henderson to right wingback and playing Johnson from the left, thus dropping the ineffective Aly Cissokho and youngster Jon Flanagan.

The magician is back for LFC.  [AFP/Getty Images]

There are other selection dilemmas for the boss, too. Does vice-captain Daniel Agger return to the side after missing the last six matches since changing to three at the back? If so, which of Kolo Toure, Martin Skrtel or Mamadou Sakho would drop out? In midfield, Steven Gerrard and Lucas Leiva have looked tired and were overrun by Arsenal’s mobile and dynamic midfield last week, therefore should Rodgers bring Joe Allen – who returned to fitness late last month – into the side to add some vital control to the play?
I’d prefer that Rodgers changed to 4-2-3-1 – and bring in Victor Moses, whose pace and direct play adds another dimension in the final third, on the left side of the three. Coutinho and Suarez would then occupy the two other positions behind Sturridge, interchanging and pulling defenders out of position.
This is a Fulham side who, as noted by this excellent analysis, have the lowest number of shots on goal and concede more shots on goal in away games than any other Premier League side. An attacking quartet of Moses, Coutinho, Suarez and Sturridge should ensure a repeat of last season’s 4-0 defeat for the Cottagers.
One thing that Liverpool have been good at under Rodgers is recovering from defeats, and with another international break after this weekend it’s vital they do so against Martin Jol’s side and continue their early season momentum as we enter the crucial, often season-defining, winter months.
Especially because next up is the small case of the Merseyside derby. With Everton at Crystal Palace this weekend the Toffees could find themselves above their neighbours should Liverpool not match their result.

Erik Lamela’s Sheriff awakening could prove pivotal for Tottenham

Erik Lamela finally appears to have found form at Spurs (Picture: Reuters) Sheriff Tiraspol at the Lane. We win, we qualify but we haven’t quite cemented top place.
Was it a great game? No. Was it a particularly satisfying performance? No. Well yes. Sort of. Depends what you expected before the game kicked off.
Every home game I expect this is the one where Spurs explode with swaggering bullish uber-aggressive football and smash the opposing side to bits. Except we don’t play like that.
We retain a ridiculously high rate of possession, playing the ball among ourselves all over the pitch aside from the opposition penalty area. It’s Spurs but it isn’t.
But then that’s been the story of our season and I’m now bored of having to repeat the same political party line about ‘gelling’ and ‘settling’. Not because I’ve lost faith or don’t believe it, but because the reality is we are waiting on players to awaken.
Slowly but surely, I’ll accept the not so sexy football for now as long as we continue to win and never look like struggling. Which has been us all season long.
What this game will be remembered for (more so than Jermain Defoe beating Martin Chivers European goal-scoring record) is Erik Lamela smiling. Smiling because he scored, but more importantly smiling because he performed admirably in a game that was crying out for a little bit of something extra.
Spurs lined up strongly, as per usual, even with all the changes and rested players. The most pivotal cosmetic on the starting eleven was the offensive midfield trio of Lamela, Eriksen and Sigurdsson. Footballers. Intelligent with deft control and the ability to craft and create but also to combine. Pass, move, inter-change. That sort of thing. We’ve lacked imagination up front. Sadly the first half was relatively unimaginative.

Erik Lamela could provide Spurs with a much-needed spark (Picture: AP)

It wasn’t until the second half when the threesome began to switch positionally, which allowed for more space for that spark we desperately needed to transcend from fantasy to reality. You can have all the possession in the world but it means very little if you’re stuck outside the box scratching your head. Yes, it feels so far removed from instinctive play at times that I don’t even have to dramatise my description.
When it flowed, it was far better. Andre Villas-Boas making the change that finally got us going. Our Argentine record signing full of determination and embracing some luck with a failed 1-2, finished coolly for the 1-0.
Lamela, now believing he was Ricky Villa, then waltzed through the Sheriff defence with silk touches until he was fouled and awarded a penalty. Which JD thumped into the roof of the net.
All smiles. Confidence, such a powerful instrumental tool.
Spurs far better overall. Quick precise passing movement. Does wonders in the final third. Sheriff scored. Brad might have done better. Spurs defence static. The finish from Isa acrobatic. Didn’t matter. Another win. No clean sheet but a massive night for Erik. His awakening.

Manchester United v Arsenal: The best of both ahead of the crunch clash

Arsene Wenger and David Moyes will face off again (Picture: Getty) With in-form Arsenal facing perhaps their most daunting trip of the season so far to Manchester United on Sunday, Metro looks at the players who have excelled for both giants this season in a combined XI.
Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal)
While David De Gea has been a much more assured presence in United’s goal than he has been in recent seasons, Szczesny’s quiet transformation into the commanding shot-stopper that Wenger believed he would always become gives him the edge.
Bacary Sagna (Arsenal)
United’s lack of recognised first-choice right-back makes the impressive Frenchman a shoe-in for this position.
Per Mertesacker (Arsenal)
The towering German has formed one of the meanest central defensive partnerships in the league with Koscielny this season, which is enough to see the ever dependable Nemanja Vidic out of the side.

Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker have been crucial this season (Picture: Getty)

Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal)
Rash at times, but his pace and fearlessness has proved to be the perfect complement to Mertesacker.
Patrice Evra (Manchester United)
Marked for replacement at the start of the season by Moyes, but the veteran Frenchman has shown his class and consistency, and gets a place narrowly ahead of the ever-improving Kieran Gibbs.
Antonio Valencia (Manchester United)
Provides United’s most dangerous outlet down the right flank, and with Theo Walcott having missed a chunk of the season, the Ecuadorian nabs his place in the side.
Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal)
Revelation of the season. Player of the season, so far. The Welshman’s all-action displays and eye for goal have been the key to the Gunners’ rise to the league summit.

Wayne Rooney has prove himself again to United fans (Picture: Getty)

Mesut Ozil (Arsenal)
Creativity and class rolled into one. His arrival has lifted all around him at the Emirates, and ironically the one type of player who United are desperately lacking.
Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
Brushed off a summer of uncertainty to bulldoze his way back to being United’s main man with some inspired performances.
Robin van Persie (Manchester United)
May have been overshadowed by Rooney so far this season, but the Dutchman’s touch of class and killer instinct still makes him of of the league’s most lethal strikers.
Olivier Giroud (Arsenal)
Really settled into his role as Arsenal’s main man up top and has rewarded Wenger’s faith in him with vital goals and superb link up play which has allowed the likes of Ramsey and Ozil to shine.

Could possession obsessed Gus Poyet restrict Manchester City’s chances against Sunderland?

Gus Poyet is trying to introduce a new breed of football at the Stadium of Light (Picture: PA)

Games in the Premier League don’t come much tougher than Manchester City at this present moment.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side have blown their recent opposition out of the water and have managed a staggering fourteen goals in their last three competitive fixtures, conceding just twice.
However, despite the daunting prospect of Pellegrini’s swashbuckling side rocking up at the Stadium of Light on Sunday afternoon, Gus Poyet has remained upbeat and positive in the lead up to the game and, following Wednesday’s cup win over Southampton, you can understand why.
While I was not especially blown away by the game in midweek, which at times resembled more of a training exercise and didn’t really offer much to get pulses racing, there were certainly positive signs for Poyet that his vision for the future was beginning to take root.
Much was made of Gus Poyet’s football philosophy which he painstakingly implemented during his stint at Brighton to much success.
However there were concerns and doubts over whether the current crop of players at his disposal here on Wearside were capable of playing such a patient and possession obsessed tactic.
Wednesday night quelled any such concerns as even John O’Shea was able to suppress his usual desire to punt an aimless ball forward and instead take more care and attention over ball retention and protecting possession.
This was the first real time that Sunderland fans had been able to see Poyet’s preferred system in full swing for an entire ninety minutes and it worked a treat to be honest. Players such as Ki Sung-Yeung and Jack Colback were instrumental to the tactic’s success, spreading the play around nicely in the middle of the park.

Sunderland have looked more impressive in possession under Gus Poyet (Picture: AP)

Another key factor to the success of Poyet’s philosophy was the manner in which his squad relentlessly pinned Southampton back, high up the field when the Saints were in possession of the football.
Manchester City are obviously an exceptionally talented squad with an embarrassment of riches in each and every position and to have any real chance of coming away with anything from the game Sunderland need to restrict the amount of possession they concede to Pellegrini’s side. This is where Poyet’s new tactic could well be key.
Previously Sunderland never really seemed to give much care or attention to possession. We were more than happy at times to cut out the midfield, punting balls to our forward line in the hope that something would either stick or happen. Obviously, as results have clearly indicated, this is not a recipe for success either in the short term or certainly the long term.
We have to be realistic here and expect that there will be the occasions when Manchester City are able to carve us to shreds, they simply have the players that are capable of tearing any defence to bits. However, if we can protect the ball more than we have previously in the Premier League in recent memory then we may just keep the score respectable.

See The Weirdest Wedding Cake Ever

 

Every couple dreams of having a killer wedding. These two set their sights on a killer wedding cake.

Texas newlyweds David and Natalie Sideserf decided to take the phrase “Till death do us part” to a whole new level by crafting a custom cake to give the line its due.

The result was a hyperrealistic cake depicting both of their heads, severed and bleeding on the floor. Their glazed-over, lifeless eyes stare both into the afterlife and at wedding attendees.

“It was perfect for us,” she said.

The guests, however, were a bit harder to win over. “I didn’t tell anybody about it, so it made it really interesting to see people’s reactions,” Natalie told ABC News. “Everybody was shocked and loved it.”

“My grandma did look twice, but in the end she said she appreciated the detail and how realistic it was,” she added.

Cute cat ‘mocks’ Manchester United’s Ashley Young by showing off diving antics

Ashley the cat likes a cheeky tumble (Picture: YouTube)

Manchester United winger Ashley Young hit the headlines with his diving exploits this week – and it appears his antics are starting to influence others.
Indeed, the animal world seems to be keeping track of Young’s behaviour, with Ashley the cat now showing off his diving talent.
The feline has taken to tumbling under minimal contact in order to get attention, in a direct attempt to copy Young.
The proof/spoof was displayed on YouTube, with user MrFlyingPigHD showing Ashley the cat in action at home.
The video has already racked up nearly 25,000 views, with the 15-year-old cat proving popular among the online community.
It appears you can teach an old cat new tricks…

Luis Suarez as happy as ever at Liverpool, says Brendan Rodgers

Luis Suarez has been on top form for Liverpool this season (Picture: Reuters)

Luis Suarez is as ‘happy as he has ever been’ at Liverpool according to the club’s boss Brendan Rodgers.
The Uruguayan striker was strongly linked with a move away from Anfield over the summer but, despite the best attempts to sign him by Arsenal, he remained on Merseyside.
And it appears Rodgers’ determination to keep him at the club is paying dividends, with Suarez having netted six goals in as many games for the Reds since returning from his 10-match ban.
‘Looking and speaking to him Luis is as happy as he has ever been,’ says Rodgers.
‘He recognises we have a real genuine chance this year of breaking in there [the top four] this year.
‘Last year was about transition and the second season was about improvement and he has seen that.
MORE: Henderson perfect for World Cup squad, says Rodgers

Luis Suarez (right) has helped guide Liverpool to third in the Premier League (Picture: PA)

‘He had a difficult summer but he has come back and he is more mature and his performance level has been really high.
‘He sees a genuine chance for us to make that (top four). He is happy here.’
Rodgers also took the opportunity to reiterate Liverpool will not be willing to sell their top stars when the transfer window reopens in January, despite reports Real Madrid could be interested in a big-money move for Suarez.
‘From a club perspective, we made a stance last summer, not only for Luis but for every player,’ he added.
‘If we think it is time to sell a player, we will. If not we won’t.’

Jose Mourinho: I don’t want to scare my Chelsea players

Jose Mourinho wants his players to become stronger (Picture: Reuters)

Jose Mourinho insists he doesn’t want to scare his players but admits he expects them to bounce back from defeat to Newcastle when they host West Brom.
Steve Clarke’s Baggies travel to Stamford Bridge tomorrow, having already taken points off both Arsenal and Manchester United this term.
But after the Blues’ surprise 2-0 loss at Newcastle last Saturday, which saw them slip five points behind leaders Arsenal, Mourinho says he wants his players to show more strength to avoid a third league defeat of the campaign.
‘The defeat against Everton was a consequence of what football can be. The defeat against Basel was also a very strange one,’ said the Chelsea boss.
‘Against Newcastle my feeling was not good since the first minute.
‘So for the players I work with for the first time maybe it was the first time they saw me angry.
‘I don’t want to be scary I just want to influence their mentality, make them stronger and more professional. So my objective is not to scare, it’s to make them strong.’
MORE: Lampard: It’ll be difficult for ‘different’ Chelsea to win the league

Chelsea responded well against Schalke (Picture: Getty)

Chelsea followed the loss at St James’ Park with a 3-0 victory over Schalke which saw them gain a three-point cushion in the Champions League group.
And Mourinho said he was pleased his players responded so well.
‘The team’s reaction against Schalke was what I want,’ he added. ‘We didn’t have the best start but the reaction of the team was very good. Every time we lost the ball we had 11 players fighting to regain it.
‘The good thing is there was a reaction. They coped well with the defeat.’
Eden Hazard watched Wednesday’s Group E encounter from the stands, having been dropped after missing training on Monday.
But the Belgian international is back in Mourinho’s plans for tomorrow’s game, with the Blues boss insisting the issue is over and done with.
‘He went to a foreign country when he shouldn’t go and on top of that he lost his passport which didn’t allow him to be back in training, which is obviously unacceptable,’ explained Mourinho.
‘But it’s over, he’s a very good kid, so no problems.’

Arsene Wenger insists Robin van Persie will always be an Arsenal man

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Arsene Wenger insists Robin van Persie is a true Gunner (Picture: Ian Hodgson)

Arsene Wenger has stoked the fire with Manchester United ahead of their meeting this weekend by insisting Robin van Persie will always be a Gunner.
Wenger sold Van Persie to United last summer in a £24million deal, after the Dutchman refused to sign a new contract at the Emirates Stadium.
The Dutchman fired United to the title last season with 26 goals and is already a clear fan favourite, but Wenger says Arsenal are his true love.
‘Of course it’s strange because for me he is an Arsenal man,’ Wenger continued.
MORE: Arsene Wenger insists Arsenal will show their title credentials against United

Van Persie enjoyed many happy seasons at Arsenal (Picture: Getty)

‘I took him when he was a very, very young player. We have gone together through very difficult periods and he became a world-class player and for me he is an Arsenal player.’
Wenger also spilled the beans on Van Persie’s dramatic exit from the club, insisting that it was the influence of United’s assistant manager Rene Meulensteen that made the difference.
‘He had been convinced by the Dutch coach who was at Manchester United – that played a big part,’ Wenger added.
‘It was more the fact that I had the conversations I had with Van Persie that convinced me, it is not the talk with Alex Ferguson that convinced me to sell Robin Van Persie to Man United.
‘It is the head-to-head talks I had with Van Persie many, many times that convinced me that I had to sell him.’
‘Will he reget the move? Only he can answer that.’