ToBeCandidUpdate™

Kelechi Iheanacho’s second half strike for Manchester City in the 3-0 win over Hull City in a Premier League game on December 26 was significant for many reasons. First, it gave City the needed momentum and ‘breathing space’ to finally overpower a plucky Hull City side that looked more than capable of coming back into the game. More poignantly, from a statistician’s perspective, it meant Iheanacho has now achieved what no one has ever done in Premier League history. According to SuperSport.com, that goal at the KCOM Stadium makes the Super Eagles attacker the player with the best goals-to-minutes ratio of any other in the League’s history. Iheanacho is now the most prolific footballer in Premier League history. The former Golden Eaglet is now scoring a goal every 96 minutes in the Premier League – the best goal ratio for any player with 10 or more in the league’s history. His accomplishment means he dwarfs stellar and storied names like Sergio Aguero, Thierry Henry, Crist...

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola insisted nothing has changed in his stormy relationship with Yaya Toure although he welcomed the Ivory Coast international’s apology for controversial statements issued by the player’s agent. The City manager was talking on Friday just hours after Toure issued an apology over his dispute with the Spaniard as he attempted to bring an end to an impasse that has seen him left out of the team since the opening weeks of the season. Toure’s agent Dimitri Seluk had originally created the problem by criticising Guardiola for his treatment of Toure and other City stars. But while Guardiola has accepted the apology and Toure is available for selection for the Premier League leaders’ clash with Middlesbrough on Saturday, his hopes of a recall look slim given several in-form players are currently ahead of him in the pecking order at City. “I spoke with Yaya this morning and of course it is a private conversation so I know what happened, what he said,...

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero believes he is improving as a player under Pep Guardiola’s tutelage this season, and says he was not angry after being left on the bench in Barcelona a fortnight ago. Aguero was named as a substitute for tactical reasons at Camp Nou but started against the same opposition on Tuesday and played a starring role as City won 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium. Guardiola has often spoke of Aguero’s need to improve in various different areas of his game but praised the striker’s performance against the Catalans as “awesome”. It had been reported that the forward took exception to the manager’s decision to leave him out of the starting line-up at Camp Nou a fortnight ago, but he says he never had any issues. “No, I’m never angry,” he said. “I respect every manager’s decision. He said it was a tactical thing and I obviously respect that. When I went onto the pitch I tried to give my best and then train hard to be ready for the next game. But no one was in...

Jose Mourinho insists Wayne Rooney is “going nowhere” despite continuing speculation about the Manchester United captain’s future. For this first time since bursting onto the scene so remarkably at the age of 16 with Everton, the forward faces a serious fight to get into the starting lineup. Prior to missing the last two matches with a calf complaint, Rooney had started five of seven games for club and country as a substitute. The England skipper, who turned 31 on Monday, is in a period of transition and heightened speculation, with it reported this week that Mourinho had told Rooney he needs to move if he wants regular first-team football. The United boss said that was “not true at all” and underlined his desire to keep him at Old Trafford for the foreseeable future. “I don’t know,” Mourinho said when asked how long Rooney can play on. “With [his age being] 31, I know he can. “I know he can, I know he’s a top player, I know he can play at the top level. “I cannot make ...

Pep Guardiola has reassured Sergio Aguero that he has a future at Manchester City. Aguero has been through a tricky October, with his early-season run of goalscoring form grinding to a halt and his place in City’s starting line-up called into question. Guardiola dropped the forward to the bench for recent games against Everton and Barcelona, although he did start Sunday’s 1-1 Premier League draw at home to Southampton — a result that left City top of the table on goal difference. The manager seemed to suggest last Friday that Aguero was free to leave the club if he wanted to, saying that “when he decides to leave City, it will be his decision”. However, Guardiola –- whose side visit Manchester United in the fourth round of the EFL Cup on Wednesday -– has insisted the Argentina international remains a significant part of his plans. “Sergio played really well in the last games,” Guardiola said Tuesday. “I am so happy with Sergio and hopefully he can stay for a long time. “W...

Manchester United defender Eric Bailly says he hopes to return to action “before two months.” Bailly, who has impressed at Old Trafford since his summer move from Villarreal, limped off after 52 minutes of Sunday’s defeat to Chelsea with a knee injury, and manager Jose Mourinho said “I am afraid he is badly injured.” But on Tuesday, Bailly thanked fans for their support on social media and said that he was aiming for a return around the holiday fixtures. He wrote on Instagram: “I wanted to thank you for all the messages of support that I received since the injury! I hope to be able to play again for United and The Elephants before 2 months, God willing.” The Ivory Coast international will be in a fitness race to be selected for the 2017 African Nations Cup in Gabon, where Les Elephants begin their campaign on Jan. 16.

Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola face off for the second time this season when Manchester United entertain holders Manchester City in the English League Cup fourth round on Wednesday. Guardiola’s City took the spoils when he and Mourinho resumed hostilities in September, winning 2-1 at Old Trafford through goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Kelechi Iheanacho. But City have gone off the boil since, Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Southampton leaving them without a win in five games, while United crashed to a crushing 4-0 defeat at Mourinho’s former club Chelsea. Asked whether the identity of his side’s League Cup opponents would help motivate his hurting players, Mourinho told MUTV: “I would prefer to play in the Premier League. “It’s a bad feeling in the Premier League. With the combination of results, the gap to the top is six points. We’ve had a very difficult period of matches. “We are really, really sad, but again this is not for kids. This is for men and tomorrow (Monday) we have to...

Victor Moses believes Jose Mourinho exiled him at Chelsea because “he had his own players” and said he is delighted that new head coach Antonio Conte has given him a second chance to prove himself at Stamford Bridge. Mourinho will return to the home of his former club as Manchester United manager for the first time on Sunday, while in-form Moses is expected to keep his place in the Chelsea starting XI on the right of Conte’s new 3-4-3 formation. It has been a remarkable turnaround in fortunes for Moses, who spent the last three seasons on loan at Liverpool, Stoke City and West Ham respectively, and one the 25-year-old feels is long overdue after being ignored by Mourinho. “He never spoke to me,” Moses told ESPN FC when asked if Mourinho had explained the decision to send him on loan. “I thought in my head, ‘He’s got his own players already’. “I think we chatted a couple of times on the phone — he asked if I was alright at Liverpool [where Moses spent the 2013-14 season on loa...

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has told MUTV that Chelsea are “one of the best teams in the world” ahead of Sunday’s game at Stamford Bridge. Pogba, who scored twice for United in a 4-1 home win over Fenerbahce in the Europa League on Thursday, said he was relishing the chance to face Chelsea despite the fixture coming at the end of a gruelling week that began with Monday’s 0-0 draw at Liverpool. “Those games, playing against Chelsea and Liverpool, I think we play football for that,” Pogba said. “You have to enjoy those games. We will be playing against one of the best teams in the world so we try to win. It’s not going to be easy but that’s football and that’s what we love.” The busy schedule has meant Mourinho has rotated players, with Michael Carrick impressively stepping in as Pogba’s midfield partner against Fenerbahce. The France midfielder said: “A few players haven’t played a lot like [Matteo] Darmian and Michael. We played [against Fenerbahce] like it was th...

Paul Pogba scored twice as Manchester United secured a 4-1 win over Fenerbahce in the Europa League. The £93.25m Frenchman put United ahead with a penalty and scored a spectacular second after Anthony Martial had doubled United's lead with another spot kick. Jesse Lingard struck the hosts' fourth goal early in the second half, with Robin van Persie grabbing Fenerbahce's consolation on his return to Old Trafford. Mourinho was criticised for his defensive tactics in Monday's goalless draw with Liverpool, but United fans were treated to rather more goalmouth entertainment against Fenerbahce. It took them most of the first half to get going, but Pogba's penalty sparked Mourinho's men to life. The Frenchman's second goal and Lingard's strike shortly after half-time were intricately worked and brilliantly executed, and with Juan Mata restored to the starting line-up, some of United's incisive attacking play was a welcome sight after their laboure...

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was happy with Manchester United’s 0-0 draw at Liverpool on Monday, and insists his side remain in the running for the Premier League title. It was a closely-contested game of few chances at Anfield, but David de Gea had to be at his best to deny Emre Can and Philippe Coutinho in the second-half as Liverpool ended the game with 65 per cent possession against a stubborn United side. Ibrahimovic fluffed is lines with United’s best chance, failing to convert Paul Pogba’s cross with a header, but the former Sweden international was content to take a point back to Manchester. “I think it was a good result, after the second half, the chances they had,” Ibrahimovic told Sky Sports. “First half we did what we needed to do. Second half we did it less. It opened up more for them. They had more chances than they did in the first half.” Ibrahimovic remains upbeat about United’s long-term prospects, as Jose Mourinho looks to re-establish the club’s credentials as chall...

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba is yet to show that he is ‘anywhere near’ the level expected of the world’s most expensive footballer, according to Graeme Souness. Jose Mourinho broke the bank to bring the France international back to Old Trafford over the summer – with £89 million required to tempt Juventus into parting with a player they picked up at the end of his initial Red Devils contract in 2012. Pogba blossomed into one of the world’s top talents during his time in Turin, with his efforts rewarded with numerous major honours – including four Serie A titles – and a senior international breakthrough with France. He is, however, yet to scale such heights back in England, with Souness among those to suggest that the 23-year-old’s form is mirroring that of his inconsistent club. Ahead of United’s trip to Anfield on Monday night, the ex-Liverpool man told Sky Sports News: “He may eventually be 100 million pounds worth, but right now I don’t see him anywhere near th...

Manchester United and Liverpool played to rare goalless draw in their heated rivalry as neither side could find a breakthrough at Anfield on Monday night. United keeper David De Gea made a few excellent saves as the matchup ended 0-0 for the first time since September 2005, a run that spanned 27 fixtures between the teams. United started on the front foot but could only manage a few long-range efforts from Zlatan Ibrahimovic in a first half with plenty of hard tackles but few chances at goal. Liverpool started showing signs of life after half an hour when Jordan Henderson sent a long cross toward Roberto Firmino, but the Brazilian’s header was straight at De Gea. The second half began with a near-howler from Liverpool keeper Loris Karius, whose poor pass went straight to Paul Pogba, but the Frenchman’s pass to an offside Ibrahimovic ended the threat. Ibrahimovic then had a clean look at goal in the 55th minute as he met a superb Pogba cross but could not put his header on ta...

Portugal’s Euro 2016 final hero Eder says Cristiano Ronaldo told him he would score the winning goal at the Stade de France.

France head coach Didier Deschamps found it tough to describe the disappointment at losing the Euro 2016 final to Portugal on Sunday.

Portugal recovered from the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo to a knee injury to beat France 1-0 in extra time and win the European Championship.

Carlos Tevez has demanded £250,000 a week to rejoin Premier League side West Ham United from Boca Juniors.

Manchester United are set to pay €42.5 million for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan, according to multiple reports in Germany.

The Football Association has admitted that they could replace Roy Hodgson with a foreign manager.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic will undergo a medical with Manchester United next week ahead of a move to Old Trafford, according to Sky Sports.