Wednesday, 27 November 2013

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Football news, match reports and fixtures | theguardian.com

Charlton Athletic 2-0 Doncaster Rovers | Championship match report

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 03:13 PM PST

Chris Powell admitted his Charlton side made the most of their second chance when they won the rearranged match with Doncaster 2-0.

Rovers felt aggrieved when the original fixture was abandoned in August, with them leading 3-1, due to a torrential downpour. And they were left feeling distinctly under the weather again after goals from Dale Stephens and Simon Church consigned them to defeat in the rematch.

Powell said: "It was a deserved win, a brave, committed performance under some pressure. We knew it was our game in hand and we all knew what happened in abandoned game – so we needed to make most of it.

"We didn't perform in the abandoned game but that was a watershed moment, if you pardon the pun. There have been a number of games since and both teams knew this one was their game in hand so everybody knew what the three points meant."

The Addicks had already missed a host of chances, with Church firing wide from six yards inside two minutes and Yann Kermorgant rattling a post, before Stephens opened the scoring with a memorable goal.

Doncaster headed a Cameron Stewart cross out of their penalty area only for Stephens to volley it straight back into the top corner from 20 yards.

And Church made amends for his earlier miss when he ran on to Johnnie Jackson's through-ball and rolled it in off a post with an hour gone.

"We should have scored in the first minute but it needed an outstanding goal to break the deadlock," added Powell. "It was a great finish by Dale and I'm really pleased for him, he's been playing well. But we needed that second goal and it was a composed finish. I'm glad Churchy got the goal as he could have had a hat-trick."

Doncaster's manager Paul Dickov refused to dwell on the original postponement, but he was not happy with his team's performance.

Rovers failed to test the Charlton keeper Ben Alnwick, who was thrown in for his debut after Ben Hamer was injured in the warm-up.

"It's chalk and cheese," said Dickov. "We had six players missing from the abandoned game. "But take nothing away from Charlton, they looked half a yard sharper than us.

"It grated at the time maybe but I can't let it now. I'm not going to make excuses, we should have done better than we did. In the majority of games this season we have competed well, but not tonight. We didn't match their desire and Charlton wanted it more than us."


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Villas-Boas on brink of losing Tottenham Hotspur job

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 02:30 PM PST

• Coach's suitability questioned after Manchester City defeat
• Spurs' hierarchy losing patience after £110.5m summer spend

André Villas-Boas is clinging to his job at Tottenham Hotspur after Sunday's 6-0 hammering at Manchester City prompted the north London club's hierarchy to question whether he remains the manager to establish them in the Premier League's top four.

The Portuguese was cut to evens by bookmakers on Tuesday to be the league's next managerial casualty, with the City result being considered not as an isolated blot but as the most worrying sign of a malaise.

Villas-Boas, who takes his team to Tromso for a Europa League match on Thursday, desperately needs a good result at home to Manchester United on Sunday as he battles a clutch of problems. Those include the perception inside the club that he has sought to blame everybody bar himself for the recent difficulties, from the White Hart Lane crowd and the Tottenham medics to members of the first-team squad. Villas-Boas said that the City loss ought to have provoked shame in the players, which went down badly in the dressing room.

The embarrassment at the Etihad Stadium was keenly felt by the club's chairman, Daniel Levy, and the owner, Joe Lewis, who had initially been angry after the 3-0 home defeat by West Ham United on 6 October and Villas-Boas's hard-luck-story when he read of the defeat.

There had been disappointment at the early-season loss at Arsenal and, the weekend before West Ham, the manner in which Chelsea had reeled Tottenham in to earn a 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane. But West Ham represented the beginning of what has become an intense examination of Villas-Boas's suitability to fulfil Tottenham's ambitions.

The club did not sanction a summer outlay of £110.5m on seven players (including three club-record fees) for a team that would lose at home to West Ham. And, if the ultimate measure of a man is where he stands at times of challenge and controversy, then Tottenham feel Villas-Boas has not distinguished himself.

He took the bold, and possibly foolish, decision after the 1-0 win over Hull City on 27 October to chide the White Hart Lane crowd for how they had created a "very tense, difficult atmosphere". Villas-Boas said it was "like it drags the ball into our goal, instead of the opponent's goal", and added that "this is something that is felt within the squad. It's a feeling that invades us in fixtures like this".

The Tottenham fans are no different to any other London crowd in that they grumble when things are not great and they have only reacted to the football they have seen from their team, which has been cloaked in caution. Spurs have scored nine league goals in 12 matches this season (three of them penalties) and it is not only the supporters, who demand an exciting style, who have become frustrated.

The board has not enjoyed many home matches this season and some of the players have wanted to see Villas-Boas switch from his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation to play with two strikers. Villas-Boas orders his wide midfielders to work hard defensively and so the team have often struggled to commit men in front of the ball.

Villas-Boas reacted surprisingly to the Hugo Lloris controversy, after the goalkeeper had suffered a head injury in the 0-0 draw at Everton on 3 November and played on. When Tottenham's medical staff said that Lloris was unfit to play in the home defeat to Newcastle United a week later, Villas-Boas made it clear that this was their decision rather than his, saying that Lloris had been "clinically and medically" ready to play.

He called for the club to present a member of the medical department before the press to offer a full explanation, which did not happen, and the effect was to make Villas-Boas look isolated and at odds with the doctors.

His comments after the City defeat were badly received in the dressing room and it reinforced the impression that Villas-Boas might be happy to talk up the collective when results are good but he will revert to blaming others in times of adversity.

The criticism from the dressing room is that his highly scientific approach overlooks the human dimension, which is ironic, given that is one of his buzz phrases. The players, technically, ought to have been ashamed after City but, on a human level, would that soundbite not have been better kept behind closed doors? Other managers might have accepted the blame in public, albeit as a diversionary tactic.

Villas-Boas has struggled to manage the transition since the sale of Gareth Bale and the influx, for a second successive summer, of a host of new faces. Some of the existing players have been bumped down the pecking order, which has led to gripes.

Mousa Dembélé, for example, is no longer a first choice after the arrival of Paulinho and Christian Eriksen; Sandro fears that he is behind Etienne Capoue, albeit the Frenchman has been injured and with no left-back having been signed to replace Benoît Assou-Ekotto (on loan at Queens Park Rangers), whose face did not fit, Jan Vertonghen, arguably the club's best centre-half, has been forced to deputise in the position.

Most alarmingly, Villas-Boas has struggled to get the best from the new signings, particularly Erik Lamela who, at nearly £30m from Roma, is the most expensive in Tottenham's history. Given his difficulty in adapting, it was a surprise that Villas-Boas introduced him for his full league debut at City.

Roberto Soldado, the £26m striker from Valencia, has sometimes looked isolated and his impact was always likely to be measured in numbers. He has four league goals, three of them penalties, plus two more in the Europa League qualifier against Dinamo Tbilisi. The hope remains that the new signings will show their true colours once they have acclimatised. The process was never likely to be easy.

Villas-Boas intimated that he turned down Real Madrid and Paris St-Germain over the summer to stay loyal to Spurs and begin a second season at the same club for the first time in his short managerial career. He remains only eight points off the title pace in a congested division but he must urgently address the damaging momentum.

David Hytner

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Ajax 2-1 Barcelona | Champions League Group H match report

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 02:25 PM PST

Ajax kept themselves in contention for progress to the next round of the Champions League after becoming the first side to beat Barcelona this season with a 2-1 triumph on Tuesday.

Thulani Serero and Danny Hoesen scored to give Ajax a surprise half-time lead, but straight after the interval the defender Joel Veltman was sent off for a tackle on Neymar and Xavi Hernández pulled a goal back for Barcelona from the penalty spot. The visitors applied pressure in search of an equaliser but Ajax held out to thunderous applause from a capacity crowd at the Amsterdam ArenA.

Ajax stay third in Group H, one point behind Milan, who they must now beat at San Siro on 11 December if they are to advance to the knockout stages.

Barcelona, who were without the injured Lionel Messi, are two points clear at the top of the group and not yet sure of first place, though they were already through to the knockout phase before Tuesday's game.

Serero ghosted in late for the first goal in the 19th minute, applying the decisive touch to a strong cross from the right from the full-back Ricardo van Rhijn, who just five minutes earlier had made a goal-saving tackle on Neymar.

The South African international's first Champions League goal precipitated a period of sustained pressure from the young Dutch side, culminating in a second goal three minutes from half-time.

A poor clearance from Javier Mascherano saw Ajax set up a chance for Viktor Fischer, whose shot was parried by goalkeeper José Manuel Pinto only for Hoesen to pick up the rebound, go round Carles Puyol and score with the help of a deflection off Gerard Piqué.

But Ajax's lead was halved just two minutes after half-time when Van Rhijn's poor back pass set Neymar away and Veltman tripped him on the edge of the area, conceding a penalty and getting himself sent off.

Xavi converted the spot kick to send Ajax into defensive mode. They held out for the three points, keeping Neymar at bay and ensuring the Brazilian has yet to open his Champions League goalscoring account.

It was Barcelona's first defeat under Gerardo Martino and ended their hopes of a record-equalling longest unbeaten start to a season. The previous time they lost was at home to Bayern Munich in last season's Champions league semi-final.


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Porto 1-1 Austria Vienna | Champions League Group G match report

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 02:25 PM PST

Porto 1-1 Austria Vienna
Martínez 48; Kienast 11

Porto's hopes of reaching the Champions League knockout stages were dealt a major blow when they were held at home by Austria Vienna. Paulo Fonseca's side were made to pay for a slow start as Roman Kienast smashed in Vienna's first goal of the group stage after 11 minutes.

Porto dominated thereafter but only had Jackson Martínez's header shortly after half-time to show for it by the end when they were booed from the pitch by the home fans. That meant they failed to capitalise on second-placed Zenit St Petersburg's earlier 1-1 draw against Atlético Madrid to leave the Portuguese side a point adrift.

With a trip to Atlético to come to round out their campaign, Porto face the prospect of dropping into the Europa League. Vienna had revived their own unlikely hopes of reaching the knockout phase when Kienast punished sloppy defending from Porto full-back Danilo.

His clearance from the touchline into the centre of the pitch found only Kienast in acres of space. The striker had the time to take a couple of touches and size up a right-footed shot from just outside the area which gave Helton no chance of making a save.

Porto almost immediately responded when Martínez sent in a looping header that hit the crossbar and went over. But Vienna then almost raced down the other end and grabbed a second. Only a last-gasp Lucho tackle on Philipp Hosiner denied them.

Hosiner was allowed a free run into the area and after easily beating the first defender to belatedly react to the danger, it took Lucho's desperate challenge to clear as he was about to pull the trigger. The home side's frustrations grew as Vienna's Heinz Lindner then thwarted them with some astute goalkeeping.

When Porto scythed open the Vienna defence with a flowing one-touch move, Lindner was out quickly to save from Steven Defour on the angle. The young Austria keeper was then perfectly placed when Martínez flicked on Lica's dangerous low cross.

Lindner's opposite number Helton was little more than a spectator for the remainder of the half, but Porto were unable to turn one-way possession into an equaliser before the break. Fonseca made an attacking change at half-time with Silvestre Varela replacing Defour. Three minutes later his side were level through Martínez's close-range header.

Josue's corner found its way to the back post where Eliaquim Mangala looped a header back across the face of goal. Martínez outjumped his marker on the line to direct the ball in.

Porto sensed the chance to make a decisive burst but again Lindner was in the way, blocking when Lucho helped on Josue's fizzing centre with his chest. Vienna's only threat was on the break. Kaja Rogulj burst onto a James Holland through-ball but with men in support tried a shot that Maicon blocked well.

Porto began to show signs of panic and after some pin-ball in the away area Martínez and Varela both went for a shot that the substitute eventually saw deflect off a defender and over. Lucho turned over a Josué cross at full-stretch while a Martínez header hit the back-tracking Mangala to take the ball off target and sum up the home side's night.


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Steaua Bucharest 0-0 Schalke | Champions League Group E match report

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 02:22 PM PST

Steaua Bucharest 0-0 Schalke

Schalke face the prospect of missing out on the Champions League knockout stages after being held to a frustrating 0-0 draw at Steaua Bucharest. The result meant the Germans dropped to third in Group E and must now beat visiting Basel in their final game on 11 December to progress to the last 16.

Chelsea, now with nine points, qualified despite losing 1-0 at Basel. Steaua are bottom on three points before their trip to London next month. Chances were limited on a cold night at the National Arena in Bucharest and Schalke were decidedly lukewarm in attack.

Ralf Faehrmann, deputising for the injured Timo Hildebrand in goal for Schalke, was barely tested before the interval but he did well to parry a fine Federico Piovaccari volley on the half-hour. Steaua needed to win to retain any chance of reaching the last 16.

The home team replaced the ineffective midfielder Ionut Neagu with the centre-back Fernando Varela at half-time and they began the second half brightly. Steaua enjoyed more possession and Faehrmann had to produce an excellent save to deny Lukasz Szukala's effort 16 minutes after the interval.

At the other end Jermaine Jones missed the target with a firm header from a corner. The USA international will miss the last match against Basel after being booked 15 minutes from time.

Steaua went close again in the closing stages through Cristian Tanase's delightful free kick, and Nicolae Stanciu missed a good opportunity following a quick counter-attack.


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Ajax fan seriously injured in fall celebrating goal against Barcelona

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 02:19 PM PST

• Supporter reportedly fell 10m on to dust track around pitch
• Medical staff arrived in helicopter before fan taken to hospital

An Ajax fan was seriously injured after falling from the stands at the Amsterdam ArenA as he celebrated a goal in Tuesday's Champions League game against Barcelona.

He fell some 10 metres on to the dust track around the pitch after Danny Hoesen scored just before half-time to put Ajax 2-0 ahead in their Group H match, which ended 2-1.

The unidentified supporter was treated by medical staff, who arrived in a trauma helicopter at half-time and staff of two ambulances, which collided with each other as they departed the track. One took the fan to hospital, reports added.


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Basel 1-0 Chelsea

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 02:13 PM PST

• The best images from St Jakob Park

The scowl worn by José Mourinho as he stared out from his technical area said it all. Chelsea remain on edge in this competition, an opportunity to win the group passed up wastefully with a display so anaemic and sloppy as to defy belief at times. Basel claimed a deserved success to complete a double and, over the two fixtures, have appeared by far the better side. Inconsistency still blights Mourinho's fledgling project.

Progress was still secured courtesy of Schalke's goalless draw in Bucharest, but there is work still to be done to claim first position.

This performance seemed all the more feeble in the wake of the Portuguese's pre-match rhetoric proclaiming the weeks ahead as a period "only the brave can survive", not to mention the savagely cropped hair-cut which had suggested a manager meaning business.

Instead, his team heaved to contain eager hosts through the first period and, just as the point they required was close, they caved in at the last. Mohamed Salah's goal, clipped over Petr Cech, was cruel on the outstanding goalkeeper, but not on Chelsea as a collective.

At the other end, the visitors made hardly any impression at all. The blank drawn in front of goal was only a second in 25 Champions League games, the last of which had been that traumatic 3-0 defeat at Juventus a year ago from which Roberto Di Matteo, a European Cup winner six months previously, never recovered.

This squad had returned to Gatwick in the small hours after that loss in Italy for the manager to suffer the sack as the Europa League beckoned. That competition has been avoided, though not in the manner Chelsea had hoped.

If recent form had suggested this occasion would offer the 2012 winners an opportunity to avenge the unlikely defeat suffered to Basel at Stamford Bridge earlier in the campaign, then the reality was distinctly more awkward.

The visitors have been untouchable in this competition since that loss, but they had frozen initially here as the temperature plummeted: the impetus was all Swiss. Their midfielder, Fabian Frei, had spoken in the build-up of Chelsea having "underestimated us in the first game, but this time it will be completely different because they'll want to show how big their team are".

And yet, as the Premier League side surrendered possession far too readily and the hosts poured at them at pace, all those warnings from the loss back in September appeared to have gone unheeded.

Basel are a slick and impressive side when allowed to muster upbeat rhythm. They hustled and bustled through central midfield, where Chelsea had been dominant at West Ham on Saturday evening, and fed their free-flowing wingers and full-backs.

Salah, so menacing when terrorising Ashley Cole in the first group game, appeared fully recovered from a recent illness as he sprinted into space beyond César Azpilicueta, the right-back Kay Voser forever emerging in support. On the opposite flank, Valentin Stocker was a nuisance in combination with Taulant Xhaka. Had Cech not been inspired in the visitors' goal, his team might have been buried long before the break.

As it was they remained intact, if wheezing at the ferocity of Basel's attack, while José Mourinho paced his technical area in clear disgust. Cech was outstanding, the goalkeeper conjuring saves that must deflate the most thick-skinned of forwards. His best was from Salah, pushing away a shot as he tumbled to the floor and the ball reared up from the turf. The tip behind was outstanding improvisation but merely maintained the excellence already offered to deny Frei, Xhaka and Salah from distance.

When Cech was beaten, John Mikel Obi cleared Ivan Ivanov's toe-poke from the goal-line. Each missed opportunity prompted an agonised reaction from a home support increasingly fearing the worst. On this evidence, it was mystifying to consider that Basel had been unable to beat Steaua Bucharest, the group's whipping boys, home or away.

Chelsea had their own issues to address. Theirs had been a lacklustre display void of any real threat in attack or coherence in midfield. They lost Samuel Eto'o before the break, the striker having turned his ankle in an innocuous incident to depart on a stretcher in some discomfort, with Mourinho heading down the tunnel soon afterwards as the half-time whistle approached, no doubt preparing the ear-bashing required to rouse his players from their sloppiness.

There had been none of the zest from Upton Park, and little of the incision needed to unsettle a Basel back-line marshalled impressively by Fabian Schär.

At least Mourinho could call upon Fernando Torres once again after a recent groin injury with Eden Hazard also flung on before the hour-mark in the hope that he might provide a spark. The Belgian did provide some drive down the left, linking up with the Spanish forward and the full-back Azpilicueta.

And yet, as the game drifted beyound the hour-mark, Chelsea had come no closer than Frank Lampard's scuffed free-kick which scuttled through a cluttered six-yard box and was easily cleared by Ivanov.

Instead, the real threat remained Basel's. Serey Die had already come close to supplying a winner when Salah was sent scurrying beyond Ivanovic and into space, the forward lifting his finish over the advancing Cech to supply the hosts' deserved winner.

Dominic Fifield

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Borussia Dortmund 3-1 Napoli | Champions League Group F Match Report

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 02:12 PM PST

Borussia Dortmund, last season's runners-up, beat Napoli 3-1 with a stellar offensive performance to earn a lifeline and stay in the hunt for a knockout stage spot.

The Germany international Marco Reus converted a 10th-minute penalty and Jakub Blaszczykowski added another goal on the hour before Napoli's Lorenzo Isigne's 71st-minute strike set up what looked like a nervous finale to the Group F match.

However, Dortmund's substitute Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made sure of the three points with his first Champions League goal seven minutes later to lift Dortmund into second place ahead of Napoli, with both teams on nine points.

Dortmund, who got their first win after three straight defeats in all competitions, including a 3-0 Bundesliga loss to rivals Bayern Munich, visit Marseille in their last group match next month.

Napoli were in no mood to play for a draw, with the coach Rafa Benítez fielding an offensive formation with four players supporting lthe one striker Gonzalo Higuaín.

Dortmund, with their backs to the wall and missing their entire first-choice defence through injury, got off to a perfect start when Reus converted an early spot kick awarded for handball by Raul Albiol.

Robert Lewandowski should have added another five minutes later but his shot, with only the goalkeeper Pepe Reina to beat, sailed narrowly wide.

Reus then tried to beat the Spaniard with a clever free kick but Reina palmed it wide.

Napoli, eager to get their season back on track after two straight league defeats, briefly took the initiative and José Callejon came agonisingly close to an equaliser after a fine run down the right when his shot hit the base of the far post.

But it was Reina who was the busiest, twice more denying the Poland striker Lewandowski as Dortmund desperately looked for a second goal.

Chances continued to fall for Dortmund, who upped the tempo in the second half but again were repeatedly denied by Reina, who is on loan from Liverpool.

He could do nothing, however, when Reus found Blaszczykowski in the box and the Pole slotted in for a two-goal cushion on the hour following a dazzling quick break.

Insigne cut the deficit after a fine pass from Higuaín but Aubameyang's 78th minute goal killed off any Italian hopes.


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Celtic 0-3 Milan

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 02:09 PM PST

Celtic discovered on Tuesday that the failure to convert opportunities, combined with weak defending, is never a useful football combination. Let alone at the very top level. As Milan cantered to victory, Celtic's players displayed the glaring shortcomings they have shown throughout this European campaign.

Milan's success in Glasgow, combined with a win for Ajax over Barcelona, means Celtic will have no European football after Christmas. This was hardly in the script for their manager, Neil Lennon, who started the evening with aspirations of the Champions League's last 16 for the second year in a row. With half an hour to play, Celtic trailed Milan by three goals.

Milan's first win in eight outings will ease the pressure on Massimilano Allegri. His opposite number, Lennon, will have cause to wonder if his team have gone backwards over the past 12 months. Georgios Samaras, who was anonymous when so badly needed by Celtic, epitomised that much.

The blunt reality from now until May is the monotony of Scottish domestic football and the retaining of a league title with no legitimate challenger. Milan, who were inspired by Kaká , can glance towards loftier targets.

Despite regular flashes of promise, Celtic had won only one game from four and scored twice before Milan's visit. The clear, extenuating circumstance for that record was the summer sale of key players – namely Victor Wanyama and Gary Hooper – without adequate replacement.

Yet in Milan, Celtic faced a team in crisis. The Rossoneri have endured a torrid start to their season, a matter not lost on protesting fans after Saturday's home draw with Genoa. Milan also arrived mindful of a Celtic home record which showed only two defeats – both against Barcelona – in 23 Champions League group games.

The opening to this encounter was brilliantly breathless. Earlier, a contingent of Celtic fans had produced a selection of banners depicting William Wallace and Bobby Sands asking, among other things, about "the terrorist or the dreamer". Uefa may well take a dim view of such offerings, if they are deemed political. Those who offered them presumably failed in a day-release request from their time warp.

Derk Boerrigter, handed his first start for Celtic in a Champions League game, should have sent his team in front inside two minutes. Instead the Dutch winger completely miscued his attempt from a Charlie Mulgrew corner.

More blatant wastefulness was to follow. The isolated Beram Kayal presumably could not believe his luck as a Mulgrew shot fell at his feet. Kayal delayed and eventually shanked his attempt.

That, and generous Celtic marking, was soon costly. Kaká was left completely alone from a deep Valter Birsa corner and the Brazilian nodded past the stranded Fraser Forster.

Following another spell of Celtic pressure, the visitors could have doubled their lead. Kaká fed Mario Balotelli, who fired narrowly over. Mulgrew was the next Celtic player to try his luck, nine minutes before the interval, but shot tamely and into the hands of Christian Abbiati.

Just two minutes after the re-start, Celtic's again spurned an excellent chance. Virgil van Dijk was the culprit this time, failing to beat Abbiati from point-blank range after Mulgrew had supplied him with a clever lofted pass which deceived the Milan back line.

Again, Milan dished out immediate retribution from a set play, Christian Zapata scoring from close range after a corner was played right to his feet, at the back post, by the substitute Antonio Nocerino.

Milan, who were without an away win in any competition all season before arriving in Glasgow, were suddenly within the victory which could kick-start their campaign.

The lively Balotelli added some Milan gloss, and in what had become typically straightforward fashion. The former Manchester City striker ran on to a long ball from Riccardo Montolivo, shrugged off the attentions of Efe Ambrose, and slotted past Forster. Celtic, who are hardly accustomed to such scenarios here, were shaken.

Ewan Murray

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Champions League clockwatch – as it happened | Simon Burnton

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 01:57 PM PST

Minute-by-minute report: Basel beat Chelsea, Celtic were soundly beaten by Milan, and Barcelona suffered a rare reverse

Simon Burnton

Basel 1-0 Chelsea

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 01:55 PM PST

Champions League: A late goal from Mohamed Salah meant Chelsea left Switzerland empty handed but went through anyway

Arsenal 2-0 Marseille

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 01:43 PM PST

• The best images from Emirates Stadium

Once again, Arsenal's place in the draw for the Champions League knockout stages feels like an annual part of the fixture calendar. They won this game with something to spare and there is surely too much confidence rippling through this side to believe they will fritter it all away now. Arsène Wenger's team will have made it 14 years in a row if they can avoid a three-goal defeat in their final match against Napoli.

A trip to the whistling, fire-cracking Stadio San Paolo is always a test of nerve but Wenger's men have already outplayed the Italians once. The Premier League leaders did what many people thought was beyond them in their last European excursion, at the home of Borussia Dortmund, and they made light work of overcoming Marseille on a night when the one-sidedness was not reflected by their inability to add to Jack Wilshere's two goals.

The first arrived after 33 seconds, the quickest goal scored by an Englishman in the Champions League, and Wilshere made the game safe midway through the second half. In between, Mesut Özil's penalty was saved and Arsenal racked up more chances than they would probably want to remember. Wilshere now has four goals in his last eight Arsenal appearances while Aaron Ramsey continues to show he is maturing as a player. They will go to Naples in high confidence, knowing a draw would guarantee winning the group and potentially mean avoiding Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich in the next stage. With 12 points already, Wenger described it as "unbelievable" they had not already qualified.

"It is the first time I have seen that in over 150 Champions League games. But it is a reality and we have to finish the job," he said. "It is not an easy situation. It is tricky because you could think: 'OK, we just don't lose big.' That would be a mistake. We need to put it into our heads to play in a positive way and try to win the game. Everything else would be a dangerous gamble."

Of the win, the Arsenal manager added: "We were in control and never really under threat. Maybe we missed the cutting edge to finish the game off early, but we felt so much in control that we just played on thinking the second goal will come. It came a bit late for my taste, but it came."

Marseille were certainly obliging opponents. The fourth-placed team in Ligue 1 had lost all five games in Group F and did not manage a shot on target until the 76th minute. Their manager, Elie Baup, had used this occasion to rest his better players and they could have been on the end of a thrashing had Arsenal been more ruthless. Ramsey, inside the six-yard area, could not take the kind of chance he has been happily finishing off all season and Özil, of all people, was let down by his first touch when the Welshman flicked a clever up-and-under over the visiting defence. That, to put it into context, was all inside the opening 18 minutes.

Özil looked a little disconsolate when he was substituted late on, though he did set up Wilshere's second with a lovely pass off the outside of his left boot. Wilshere had started as a left-footed right-winger, coming in off the flank, but he and Özil both had the licence to roam. Tomas Rosicky was not tied down to one spot either and, with Ramsey breaking forward as well as Olivier Giroud's considerable presence, Marseille were overwhelmed from the moment Bacary Sagna's first touch of the night sent Wilshere running clear. Darting into the penalty area, Wilshere turned inside the next opponent, Lucas Mendes. One touch steadied himself, the next clipped a lovely, curling shot into the top right-hand corner.

The Spanish referee, Antonio Lahoz, had already missed a pretty obvious penalty decision, Mendes yanking Giroud to the floor, by the time he penalised Nicolas N'Koulou's challenge on Ramsey. The contact had actually been marginally outside the penalty area, not that Marseille seemed particularly aggrieved. Yet Özil never looked fully confident. The deception of stuttering his run did not work and Steve Mandanda dived to his right to turn the ball away.

Against a superior team, the miss might have brought a sense of foreboding to this stadium. Arsenal simply set about re-asserting their authority after the break. At times, their crossing was disappointing, with Sagna and Rosicky both putting the ball straight out of play in a matter of minutes. Marseille were so ordinary the home side could get away with these kind of little imperfections before, finally, everyone could relax. Arsenal, applying near-incessant pressure, advanced again. Ramsey played the through-ball to Özil and, running into the penalty area, it was a deft little pass to pick out Wilshere, surging through the middle to continue his improved run of scoring.

Daniel Taylor

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Arsenal v Marseille – as it happened! | Paul Doyle

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 01:35 PM PST

Minute-by-minute report: Jack Wilshere scored either side of half-time to ensure Arsenal took three points against Marseille

Paul Doyle

Manchester United aircraft landing aborted to avoid plane on runway

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 01:04 PM PST

• Incident happened with flight 400 metres above Cologne airport
• Team were arriving for match against Bayer Leverkusen

Manchester United players and staff endured a scare when the plane carrying them to their Champions League game at Bayer Leverkusen aborted its landing at Cologne airport.

The chartered Monarch flight from Manchester was coming into land on Tuesday evening when, at approximately 400 metres above ground, the plane pulled up to avoid another aircraft that was still on the runway.

No one was injured and the pilot apologised to the United contingent, although Rio Ferdinand admitted that nerves had been frayed before they eventually landed.

Ferdinand tweeted: "Landed in Germany...just...I've only just recovered after that choppy landing! #touchedcloth!!"

Andy Hunter

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Robbie Kruse ready to add to Bayer Leverkusen's attacking edge

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 12:55 PM PST

Jack Kerr: An injury to Sidney Sam means the dangerous Socceroo international may start for Leverkusen against Manchester United

Jack Kerr

Champions League: Basel v Chelsea - in pictures

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 12:15 PM PST

Photos of the late goal which sunk Chelsea at Basel, as well as all the other highlights from the match.

Jonny Weeks

Zenit St Petersburg 1-1 Atlético Madrid | Champions League Group G match report

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 12:07 PM PST

A goalkeeping blunder by Atlético Madrid's Thibaut Courtois gave Zenit St Petersburg a qualification lifeline as they fought back to draw their Group G match on Tuesday.

Toby Alderweireld deflected a right-wing cross towards the net in the 74th minute and the Belgian Courtois, on loan from Chelsea, flapped at the ball as it dropped over his head and into the net for a precious equaliser for the Russians.

Zenit are second in the table with six points from five matches, two more than Porto before the Portuguese team's match against the bottom-placed club, Austria Vienna, later on Tuesday.

Leaders Atlético (13 points), who were already through to the knockout stage as group winners, went ahead in the 53rd minute when Adrián López raced clear on the left before slipping the ball under the goalkeeper Yuri Lodygin.


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Moyes welcomes Rooney aggression

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 12:06 PM PST

• Player has rediscovered his hunger and desire, says Moyes
• 'I want Wayne to have fire in his belly'

David Moyes believes Wayne Rooney has rediscovered his hunger and desire at Manchester United and insisted he would never attempt to curb the aggression in the striker's game.

Rooney will shoulder even greater responsibility for United on Wednesday when they face Bayer Leverkusen without the experienced spine of Robin van Persie, Michael Carrick and Nemanja Vidic. The penultimate test in the Champions League group stage comes with Rooney's temperament under scrutiny having kicked Jordon Mutch during United's draw at Cardiff City on Sunday.

The 28-year-old was shown a yellow card by the referee Neil Swarbrick at Cardiff – his last red card for United came in 2009 – where he also scored his eighth goal of the season at club level. Moyes attributes the England international's fine form to a renewed commitment at Old Trafford, and welcomed the occasional show of aggression from the forward.

"It's a big part of his game," said the United manager. "He's an aggressive player, he plays with his heart, as well as the skills he's got in abundance. That's a big part of what he is. That's the way he was when he was a boy at Everton with me. A lot of people said that might have been missing from his game last season – it's certainly not missing now. He's got the hunger back and the desire back and he's committed for everything. I'd rather have a Wayne Rooney that way than any other way."

The United manager accepted Rooney may have been fortunate at Cardiff but has no intention of trying to change the player's game at this stage in his career. Moyes added: "I think his form and attitude and temperament have been first-class. I couldn't fault any of them. But there will always be times when players have little bits when they don't always quite go for them, and on that occasion Wayne was probably a little bit fortunate. I don't want him to change. But I still think the referee made the right decision in his call.

"I want Wayne to have fire in his belly. I think he plays better when he's tough and aggressive. I don't want to change Wayne Rooney, that's for sure. I don't want him to be kicking at anybody, but I want him aggressive, challenging and full of running. And I think at the moment we're seeing a really good Wayne Rooney who's in top form and scoring goals as well."

United would qualify for the knockout phase with victory in Germany – as would Sami Hyypia's Leverkusen – while both teams can progress with a draw should Shakhtar Donetsk lose at home to Real Sociedad. "The group is very open and we had a great opportunity to pull away further at Real Sociedad, but we didn't, so we have a big game now," admitted Moyes. "We want to get the job done before the final game but we know we have a tough game."

Van Persie remains sidelined with toe and groin problems, Vidic with concussion, Carrick an achilles problem and United also have Marouane Fellaini suspended due to his late dismissal at Real Sociedad. Phil Jones has been struggling with a groin injury suffered on England duty but has travelled to Germany. "Their team is strong enough to compensate for those losses," said Hyypia, who is keen to avenge a 4-2 defeat at Old Trafford in the opening group game. "We have always played well at home," the Finn added. "It won't be easy for Manchester United and, of course, we really want to win. It's not just an important game for us."

Hyypia has overseen Leverkusen's best start to a Bundesliga season with 10 wins from 13 games and the club can boast eight consecutive home wins in the Champions League group stage, a run that includes their 2004-05 and 2011-12 campaigns. The midfielder Sidney Sam has been a major influence with 11 goals in all competitions but will miss United's visit with a thigh injury suffered against Hertha Berlin on Saturday.

Moyes said: "Sami was a very good player for Liverpool. They had a very good team at the time. He is doing a very good job. They have a very good team in a strong league. It's a European tie away from home and we had a good result at home against Leverkusen but it's important we get a result of sorts to maintain our good position in the group."

Andy Hunter

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Arsenal's Champions League clash with Marseille - in pictures

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 12:02 PM PST

Some great pictures, here, of the highlights from the Arsenal match, including Jack Wilshere's first minute goal and a missed penalty

Tom Jenkins
Jonny Weeks

Fifpro sends delegation to Qatar for 'urgent talks' over Zahir Belounis

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 11:47 AM PST

• Global players' union seeks meeting over 'deplorable situation'
• Kafala system causes 'injustice' for footballers and workers

The global players' union Fifpro is sending a delegation on a four-day visit to Qatar to seek "urgent talks" with the country's football authorities and the organisers of the 2022 World Cup over the "deplorable" situation faced by the French footballer Zahir Belounis.

Belounis, who recently wrote an open letter to the Qatar 2022 ambassadors Zinedine Zidane and Pep Guardiola to highlight the fact he has been "living a nightmare", has repeatedly been told a solution is imminent and he will be allowed to leave but remains trapped in Doha.

He has been in dispute with his former club, al-Jaish, for more than two years over unpaid wages but, even after agreeing to give up his claim to the money, has not been allowed to leave the country under the kafala sponsorship system that ties migrant workers to their employers.

Fifpro has spoken out several times on the issue, most recently after Fifa said it would be unable to help Belounis because he had chosen to report the matter to local courts rather than following its dispute resolution system.

The union said that a delegation led by its board member Mads Oland, together with representatives of the International Trade Union Confederation, would carry the message that "while Fifpro's primary concern must be the players, we will not overlook the tragedy which is currently unfolding in Qatar".

It said it was "seriously concerned by allegations of human rights violations in the construction of World Cup stadia and related infrastructure" that have become a major issue for Fifa and the World Cup organisers since in depth reports by human rights organisations and an investigation by the Guardian into the plight of Nepalese migrant workers highlighted the scale of the problem.

Brendan Schwab, Fifpro's Asia chairman, said: "Fifpro recognises what all parties are doing to try and help Zahir Belounis. Some are visible, others continue to work behind the scenes, but Fifpro appreciates all efforts in this difficult yet important matter."

Fifpro said the kafala system was causing "great injustice" for footballers and all workers in Qatar. Human rights organisations such as Amnesty and Human Rights Watch are cautiously optimistic that Qatar is now engaging on the issue but want to see concrete signs of practical progress such as an end to the exit visa system.

After a meeting with the Emir of Qatar this month, Fifa's president, Sepp Blatter, said it would host an "amazing World Cup" and was "on the right track" with regard to workers' rights. But a week later he met with the ITUC and others in Zurich and Fifa put out a statement in which it said the situation was "unacceptable" and insisted "fair working conditions with a lasting effect must be introduced quickly in Qatar".

Meanwhile, Belounis remains trapped in Qatar with his wife and two young children in a near-empty apartment, despite entreaties from the French embassy to allow him to leave. The Fifpro delegation plans to meet with Belounis, as well as the Qatari football authorities, in a bid to secure his release.

In his letter, Belounis said he hoped that Zidane and Guardiola, as former players and parents themselves, would empathise with his predicament.

"Imagine what I am going through every day in a house that is half empty – because when they promised me that they would give me my exit visa, I sold my furniture – and when I see the look in my daughters' eyes, I feel ashamed, I feel disgusted with myself for inflicting such conditions on them."

The Qatar Football Association has denied Belounis's claims, saying that it had helped him recover unpaid wages when he played for another club in the country but that he had never lodged a complaint about al-Jaish.

Owen Gibson

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The Fiver | Mock the grating Dane all you wish but you can't deny his team spirit

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 08:42 AM PST

Click here to have the Fiver sent to your inbox every weekday at 5pm, or if your usual copy has stopped arriving

DENT IT LIKE BENDTNER

Somewhere in Nicklas Bendtner there is a truly great striker. In his head, to be exact. For that is where the best thing to come out of Scandinavia since church-burning metal loons sees himself, as a feared peer of Luis Suárez and Sergio Agüero, rather than the last-resort back-up to Yaya Sanogo and Chuba Akpom. Still, mock the grating Dane all you wish but you can't deny his team spirit, because despite not adding to his 32 minutes of Premier League action this season during Arsenal's victory over Southampton on Saturday, Bendtner felt sufficiently part of the triumph to go out and celebrate it.

Sadly, and all too predictably, things didn't pan out quite as Bendtner planned. For instead of being feted for his subtle involvement in Arsenal's rise to the top of the table, the nominal striker found himself with police explaining his contribution to criminal damage of a Hertfordshire apartment block. Ah the fine margins between success and failure.

"On Saturday night after our win against Southampton I went out with my family and friends for dinner," announced Bendtner today on his Instagram account, as he gave an oddly meticulous introduction to his account of the incident that led to him being issued with a police caution. "After our dinner we all wanted a night swim in my gym so we changed to shorts and brought towels down," he continued in great detail. "As we arrived at the gym my key fob changed the colour from red (locked) to green (open) but the door remained closed. We thought the door was stuck so we tried to open it and …" – at this point the account suddenly becomes less precise, as we are simply told that – "… it caused some damage." Whatever could that "it" refer to? The door itself? A poltergeist? A rarely-used boot at the end of someone's foot? Alas, that information, like Bendtner's greatness, may never be revealed. Still, perhaps for the same reason that he revels in success that he had little or no part in achieving, the Dane apologised and paid for the damage "it" caused.

"I apologise for any inconvenience for my neighbours and I have paid in full," he declared. "We had no part in damaging anything else in the building. The matter is closed with the police and my focus is on [Tuesday night's match [against Marseille]." Yes, it's best he does focus on that because it's a pivotal night in Arsenal's Big Cup campaign and their players could do with all the positive thinking they can get.

LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE TONIGHT

Join Paul Doyle from 7.30pm for MBM coverage of Arsenal 2-0 Marseille, while Simon Burnton will be on Big Cup clockwatch duty.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Obviously that is not something we want to do long term. I said to Pooley at the start of the season that if we have to do it for one game, if it saves us wasting money on a loan keeper for a month, then it makes sense for me to do it" – Burton Albion boss Gary Rowett explains his decision to put keeper Kevin Poole, 50 [#nogag – Fiver Ed], on the bench for tonight's League Two game against Mansfield.

FIVER LETTERS – STILL WITH PRIZES

"Interesting to see the Nicklas Bendtner news with that gym door. Apparently all barn doors in the area remain perfectly intact" – Paul Reaney.

"It's well publicised that there are 1,057 pedants that read the Fiver, but is there a number for the people who have ever genuinely laughed while reading it? If so, can I be the first of that many to thank you for the excellent 'False Nein' gag in yesterday's Fiver. A real slap in the face to those recently writing in about how much time has been wasted looking for the punchline, and also hopefully saving the global economy millions now that they don't have to look any further for it" – Gordon Macleod (and 1,056 others).

"I've just started the first job of my life and now work in an office. Unlike the world of football, newcomers such as myself are not instilled with ridiculous confidence and I am constantly on edge, working in constant fear of making a fool of myself – a feeling I'm sure the Fiver can relate to. So, imagine my horror when, upon reading the punchline of yesterday's Fiver, I let out a short squeal of amusement. Cue bemused and unamused looks from co-workers. Could I politely request that all future funny jokes are sign-posted well in advance to avoid embarrassment on behalf of pathetic, jumpy wrecks? Given the average Fiver reader, I'm sure a significant portion of your readership would appreciate this" – Daniel Thomas.

"I love your treatment of the Bayern-Bild affair … please tell me you haven't sold the movie rights yet? I'll have my people call your people to discuss, but I see Anthony Hopkins as Herr Rummenigge and Javier Bardem as Pep. If you can work in a love interest, I think I can bring in Claire Danes. Not sure who should play Robben, but we can discuss that later. Let's do lunch" – Mike Fichtner.

"Re: the Fiver's cost to the economy (Fiver letters passim): my guess is that it's usually less during 'special' editions ('comedy' screenplay, 'comedy' poems) as devoted pedants can scroll down to the letters section without fear of missing anything funny. As opposed to standard editions, where … oh" – Mike Hall.

• Send your #Humblebra … sorry, letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. And if you've nothing better to do you can also tweet the Fiver. Today's winner of our letter o'the day is: Paul Reaney, who wins a copy of Football Manager 2014, courtesy of the very kind people at Football Manager Towers. We've got more copies to give away this week, so if you haven't been lucky thus far, keep trying.

JOIN GUARDIAN SOULMATES

We keep trying to point out the utter futility of advertising an online dating service "for interesting people" in the Fiver to the naive folk who run Guardian Soulmates, but they still aren't having any of it. So here you go – sign up here to view profiles of the kind of erudite, sociable and friendly romantics who would never dream of going out with you.

BITS AND BOBS

Fifa grand suit Sepp Blatter has condemned the Real Betis fans who apparently directed racist chants at Paulão, one of their own players, after he was sent off in Sunday's Seville derby. "It's time for tougher sanctions," tub-thumped Sepp, as everyone else looked in his direction.

Ever wondered what Tony Pulis was getting up to before he returned to management with Crystal Palace? Wonder no more. "I went to the Crimea and spent a week looking at different things," he tootled. "I saw the field where the charge of the Light Brigade took place. I saw the palace where Churchill and Roosevelt divided the world up after the war."

You've never wondered, have you?

Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini insists there is no chance of Joe Hart being loaned out in January, even if he is not re-established as regular No1 by then. "There is a lot of news about five, six, seven goalkeepers that we want to buy but it's not true," sniffed Pellegrini. "Of course he stays."

Meanwhile, City defender Vincent Kompany is in line for a swifter return than previously expected, following a bout of thigh-gah.

And He will miss Real Madrid's Big Cup game at home to Galatasaray with leg-ouch.

STILL WANT MORE?

Our resident man in the know, Paul Doyle, gets busy on Marseille's man(ager) in the cap, Elie Baup, ahead of his side's Big Cup date with Arsenal.

Ever dreamed of seeing Mr O'Roy with a sawn-off shotgun and Martin O'Neill with a pistol boasting a really, really long barrel? Well reader, dreams sometimes come true – here's this week's Gallery.

Teams of the weekend from around Europe's top leagues, from the Sport Network.

Oh, and if it's your thing, you can follow Big Website on Big Social FaceSpace.

SIGN UP TO THE FIVER

Want your very own copy of our free tea-timely(ish) email sent direct to your inbox? Has your regular copy stopped arriving? Click here to sign up.

HONK!

Paul Doyle

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Real Madrid's Carlo Ancelotti talks Galatasary and Cristiano Ronaldo – video

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 08:29 AM PST

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti says he will not underestimate Galatasary's strength ahead of their Champions League fixture on Wednesday

Bayer Leverkusen prepare to face Manchester United in Champions League – video

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 08:28 AM PST

Bayer Leverkusen's forward Stefan Kiessling says his squad is prepared to go head-to-head with Manchester United when they meet again in the Champions League

Sunderland free to play Wes Brown after sending off is rescinded

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 08:17 AM PST

• Gus Poyet says he spoke to referees' overlord Riley
• Sunderland defender free for game at Aston Villa

Wes Brown is free to bolster Sunderland's defence at Aston Villa on Saturday after his red card in a defeat at Stoke City was rescinded by a Football Association panel.

Kevin Friend, the referee who dismissed the centre half for a legitimate tackle on Charlie Adam in the 2-0 defeat by Stoke, is being rested for the next two rounds of Premier League games and Mike Riley, England's refereeing overlord in his capacity as manager of the Professional Game Match officials Board, has discussed the incident with Gus Poyet, Sunderland's manager.

"I have spoken with Mike Riley," said Poyet on learning that Sunderland's appeal against the sending off had been successful. "And while the details of our conversation will remain private, I am satisfied with today's outcome.

"Of course it was hugely frustrating to have Wes sent off but we accept that officials are only human and, like everyone, they can make mistakes. Having the red card rescinded goes some way to rectifying the error and we are delighted to have Wes available for Saturday.

"I would like to express my thanks to the panel for giving the matter their consideration. Naturally we are delighted with their decision, which is fair and just."

Louise Taylor

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Manchester City's Joe Hart will not be loaned out, insists Manuel Pellegrini

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 07:51 AM PST

• England No1 must stay and fight for World Cup spot
• Samir Nasri admits to making mistakes last season

Joe Hart has "no chance" of going out on loan in January even if he is still not re-established as Manchester City's No1, Manuel Pellegrini has stated, with the manager also refusing to say whether a good performance against Viktoria Plzen on Wednesday could force him back into the first team for Sunday's visit of Swansea City.

Pellegrini will select Hart for Wednesday evening's Champions League group match at the Etihad Stadium for the first time in a month, the goalkeeper's last appearance coming in the 2-1 defeat at Chelsea.

The 26-year-old is being recalled as the match is a dead rubber with regard to qualification. City's passage to the knockout phase is sealed, and there is only an outside chance of overhauling Bayern Munich, who lead by three points, to win the group.

As this is a season that ends with the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil the prospect of Hart not playing regular first team football would harm his chances of retaining first choice status with England. Roy Hodgson, England's manager, is keen that he should fight his way back into Pellegrini's plans.

Yet even if Hart nears the winter transfer window still out of favour and feels he needs a temporary move Pellegrini will not countenance this. "There is no chance for Joe Hart to go out from this squad in January," he said. "There is a lot of news about five, six, seven goalkeepers that we want to buy but it's not true. Of course he stays."

Hart has reportedly impressed Pellegrini in training during his time out, so a fine display against Plzen, whom City beat 3-1 in the away game and are bottom with no points, could force a recall for the Swansea game.

"That's a question for next Saturday [the day before the Swansea game]," said the manager. "On Wednesday he will start then the next game we'll talk about who will start playing. The important thing for Joe is he will play on Wednesday and we hope he will have a very good performance."

Samir Nasri has been among City's standout performers following last season's uneven form during which Pellegrini's predecessor, Roberto Mancini, became exasperated with him.

Nasri's issues included a clash with a French journalist following France being knocked out of Euro 2012. Nasri said to the reporter, "You are looking for shit, you are looking for trouble", when asked a question in a mixed zone, also adding "fuck you".

Nasri was troubled enough to refuse to speak about his problems to his parents and agent. But after a summer of soul searching the playmaker decided to turn his approach around.

"I wasn't feeling myself. It was a tough season," he said. "Personally after the Euro championships and the beef with the French journalists, for months I refused to speak to anybody and had a lot of bad press in France and I wasn't involved in the national team. It was a little difficult. In my head I wasn't the same. I didn't play well for City and lost my spot in the squad and at the end of the year, you look at your season and you realise I was not myself.

"I [now] talk to the people - keeping things to yourself is never good. So I talked to the people I love and I decided to smile and be happy and do what I do best. Playing football and that is it."

Asked precisely who he spoke to, Nasri said: "My parents, my agent, that is the people that matter. Even at the time, I refused to speak to them. I didn't want to talk or explain myself. I didn't want to talk about the situation because it was really difficult and it was inside me. So you spend all the time thinking. Sometimes when you do mistakes, you don't want to admit it. That was my biggest mistake.

"As a player, as a person, I grew up a lot. I am not looking for another incident like this to grow up again. But I know my mistakes now and I know what to do to make it right."

At one juncture Mancini stated he wanted to hit Nasri due to frustration with him. "It was just a word. Managers have different ways of working," he said. "Some like to say things in the press to make players react and some like to say things face to face with the player. Some players see things in the press, it touches their ego and they react. Last year, I just wasn't in a good place. Everything he was saying was difficult for me to accept. It wasn't his fault, it was just me because I wasn't in a good place."

Vincent Kompany, who trained with the squad for the first time since the thigh injury he suffered in early October playing against Everton, will not feature against Plzen.

"He started this week working with the whole squad. He is working with the physio. I think next week he will be fit to play. But not on Wednesday," said the manager, who is also without three other first-team squad members. "I think [Stevan] Jovetic, [David] Silva and [Jack] Rodwell need another week or 10 days more to be fit. They will not be involved on Wednesday or at the weekend," the manager added.

Jamie Jackson

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