Javier Hernandez believes he can still improve, and is happy to fight for his place in the Manchester United team after being left out of Sundays win over Liverpool.
The 24-year-old Mexican striker was overlooked for the 2-1 Premier League victory, which may have come as a surprise due to his excellent contribution over United’s busy festive period of fixtures, scoring three times in two starts.
However he has expressed his desire to improve and fight for his place in Sir Alex Ferguson’s side, telling the clubs official website, “I’m not saying I’m the perfect player.”
“I am always looking to improve my game, whether that’s my play outside the box or also inside it.
“I still think there is work for me to do. But the reason I want to improve is so that I can help the team.
“It’s not just that I want to score more goals. It’s a group sport and so I want to do what I can to help the team get the right results every week,” he said.
Hernandez arrived at Old Trafford in 2010 and enjoyed a hugely successful debut season scoring 20 goals in all competitions for the Red Devils.
His second season however wasn’t so spectacular due to a number of injuries and the form of England international Danny Welbeck.
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So far this campaign, he has scored eight league goals in just under seven games worth of football, with Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney being Ferguson’s first choice strike pairing.
West Ham United defender James Collins limped off with what looked to be either a hamstring injury in the 3-1 friendly win against Dagenham & Redbridge on Wednesday night, and Irons fans were quick to react to the news.
With Winston Reid injured and Jose Fonte departing for the Chinese Super League last month, the east London outfit have been left a little short at centre-back in their battle to avoid relegation to the Championship.
They face a crucial clash against the side one place and two points below them in the table – Southampton – at the London Stadium on March 31, and know that if they lose they will drop into the bottom three.
David Moyes’ men may have to play that game without Collins, who the majority of the fans want to get a new deal, now though, with Declan Rice, Cheikhou Kouyate and Aaron Cresswell just some of the players that could slot in alongside Angelo Ogbonna in either a back four or three-man defence.
West Ham supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on the injury blow, and while one described the decision to start Collins in the charity game as “madness”, another simply said “unbelievable!”
Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…
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With one goal in 10 Serie A appearances, it looks likely that Fernando Torres’ Italian adventure may be a brief one. The Spaniard joined the San Siro giants on a two-year loan deal from Chelsea over the summer, with the transfer appearing to be, effectively, a permanent one with his contract at Stamford Bridge set to end in 2016.
Yet Milan are, according to reports, willing to let him go in January, and Chelsea are believed to be willing to sanction a free deal for the 30-year-old.
With Liverpool struggling, could bringing back a player who once wowed the Anfield crowd be wise? Maybe, and here are FIVE reasons why…
Current crop struggling
Daniel Sturridge, Fabio Borini, Rickie Lambert and Mario Balotelli have managed just two Premier League goals between them this season. Shocking! Okay, the former has been out injured since August, but the tally produced by the quartet as a whole is simply awful, leaving Steven Gerrard and Raheem Sterling as the club’s joint top scorers with three league goals apiece.
Torres was hardly prolific in his spell at Chelsea, but he did at least register superior goals to minute ratio than the majority of Liverpool’s marksmen have this term.
Bargain basement
Reports suggest that Milan are willing to offload the Spaniard, with their desire to get rid so strong that a full on loan termination next month is on the cards. By no means an underpaid star, Torres earns £3.1m-per-season, with no form of fee needed, that cost is one that should be within the Reds’ reach, should they decide to push.
Chelsea may not even kick up a fuss, with the possibility of ‘El Nino’ returning to Stamford Bridge not once Jose Mourinho will be keen on after recruiting three new forwards over the summer after losing patience with Torres.
He was happy at Liverpool
There’s a lot to be said for being happy in the workplace. As the old adage goes, a happy worker is a productive worker, and Torres has not looked truly content since his time at Anfield. The once-prolific forward was, arguably, the best all-round striker on the planet through the late 2000s, with his blend of pace, power and composure making him a danger for even the best centre-backs.
Injuries and ‘that fee’ back in 2011 seem to have wrecked his career, but returning to familiar surroundings and a club he knows has great affection for him – even though a fair few Kopites won’t admit it – may be enough to help the 30-year-old enjoy a few more good years.
Will allow Borini to leave
The fact that Liverpool needed to beat Basel on Tuesday night and Borini was left out of the squad is damning. The Italian was Brendan Rodgers’ first signing upon his arrival at Anfield, yet the once Chelsea and Swansea man appears to be massively out of favour on Merseyside, with his decision to reject a deadline day move to Sunderland or QPR seemingly frustrating for his boss.
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A transfer looks to be the best option for all involved, but Liverpool do need another player in to boost their ranks with Europa League action now a reality.
Knows the Premier League
Having spent seven years in English football, Torres knows what the Premier League is all about. Many foreign imports struggle to adapt to the physical demands and the pure amount of competition, which often makes recruiting from abroad a bit hit and miss. After all, for every Diego Costa, there’s an Alfonso Alves!
Torres knows the game, has proven his abilities in the past and is available for next to nothing. Maybe he is worth a punt.
Tottenham are said to be considering a serious approach for Ajax playmaker Christian Eriksen in the January transfer window, the London Evening Standard understand.
Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas is a huge admirer of the much coveted Denmark international and has been alerted to his possible availability after he declined to sign a new contract in Holland.
The 20-year-old’s contract will expire at the end of next season and the Eredivisie giants are now pondering whether to cash in and sell him now rather than let him run down his current deal and leave on a free transfer.
It’s believed that Eriksen’s future was discussed in the summer while the two clubs finalised Jan Vertonghen’s move to White Hart Lane and, although Ajax were unwilling to let him leave at the time, circumstances have changed with reports suggesting a £20million will be enough to prise him away from the Amsterdam Arena.
Despite a usually frugal approach in the winter window Tottenham are prepared to put their cheque book through its paces in the New Year as Villas-Boas looks to strengthen his squad along with his chances of leading the club back into the Champions League this season and keeping Gareth Bale in North London.
Shakhtar Donetsk striker Willian remains a prominent name on his transfer wish list, but the Portuguese coach may have to wait until the summer as the Ukrainian outfit believe keeping the 24-year-old Brazilian international significantly boosts their chances of winning Europe’s elite club competition.
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Big questions are again being asked of Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United this week after they were unceremoniously dumped out of the UEFA Champions League by the unfancied Sevilla at Old Trafford on Tuesday night.
It was a damaging night for the Portuguese manager’s project of taking the Red Devils back to competing for the big European competition and English Premier League title.
Fans are questioning the long-term direction of the club and are already drawing up their ideal scenarios for the upcoming summer transfer window.
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While supporters want to strengthen a number of positions, they also want to get rid of a few players too, with defender Chris Smalling featuring highly on most lists of those who have to go.
The defender has failed to impress this season and was again lacklustre on Tuesday evening. Fans believe he doesn’t have what it takes to compete at the very elite level and want him to leave the club at the end of the season.
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It is quite clear the best striker in the Premier League so far this season has been Chelsea’s Diego Costa. He has taken to English football like a duck to water ever since joining the Pensioners, scoring nine goals in seven league appearances. No player has had the start he’s had since Argentine Sergio Aguero joined Manchester City in the summer 2011 – and scored eight goals in his first five games.
If Costa is the best striker in the Premier League at the moment, who is the second best striker? Here are FIVE players worthy of this name tag.
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Saido Berahino
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The 21 year old has had a great start to the season with West Brom. The Englishman has scored five goals from seven league appearances and has earned himself a shot at being called up to the senior squad internationally. Berahino has hit 63% of his 21 shots on target, and has on average three shots per game.
Leonardo Ulloa
The Leicester City striker has made an immediate impact after joining the club from Brighton & Hove Albion over the summer for £8m. He has scored five goals from seven games for the Foxes, including two important goals against Manchester United. Leicester came from 3–1 down to win the match 5–3. The Argentine has had 60% of his 12 shots find the target, averaging 1.7 shots per game.
Sergio Aguero
The Argentine would probably be the only player on this list most people expected to be near or at the top of any best striker list. Out of the five listed, Aguero is the most likely player to get anywhere near Costa’s goal tally for Chelsea. So long as the Argentine can stay injury free for the Citizens. He shouldn’t have any problems scoring 20+ goals this season.
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Diafra Sakho
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West Ham’s Diafra Sakho has had a slightly less impressive start, but it’s still been a good one and he’s worth including on this list. The Senegalese striker has scored four goals from five league games, taking on average 2.6 shots per game with a shot accuracy of 60% from 13 shots. Since arriving at the Hammers from FC Metz during last summer for £4.4m, he has scored in every game he has started in.
Graziano Pelle
The 29 year old joined Southampton from Feyenoord for £8.8m last summer and has made former Saints and England International Rickie Lambert feel like a distant memory. The most memorable of his Saints goals so far is an amazing winning goal against QPR back in September, helping his side to a 2-1 victory.
The recent reports linking Luis Suarez to Atletico Madrid may have appeared surprising at first, but eyebrows would have been raised only briefly once you were reminded that the Spanish side have won two of the last three Europa League/Uefa Cups and are more than likely to be playing Champions League football next season.
Any team looking to raise their profile in Europe, and backed with a large sum of expendable cash, would be looking to players like Suarez. Considering Liverpool’s current position in English football and their chances of Champions League football next season being slim to none, wouldn’t a move to the Vicente Calderon be seen as a step up for the Uruguayan?
Atletico’s reported interest should be taken as seriously as Chelsea’s relentless pursuit of Falcao. Any sale of the Colombian hit man will bring in a profit, even from the 40 million euros they paid Porto for his services last year. And with Atletico’s history of replacing big names with other’s of similar stature (Diego Forlan for Fernando Torres, Radamel Falcao for Sergio Aguero), should a move for Suarez be seen as totally unrealistic?
That’s not to suggest Liverpool will even entertain the idea of moving on their star player. At the moment, it’s hard to think of a more important and influential figure at any other club in the Premier League. Were it not for Suarez, Liverpool would certainly be hovering just above or even in the relegation zone. For that, his price is certainly more than the reported £40 million.
But for most sections of supporters up and down the country, it has become fashionable to boo Suarez. His reputation certainly warrants it, but it seems as though English football has always needed a pantomime villain, from Cristiano Ronaldo to Liverpool’s striker now. The most pleasing aspect for Liverpool, however, is that Suarez has been able to remain productive and at the height of his game even with the constant taunts and boos. You’ve only got to wonder how much more effective the player would be with a stronger cast around him.
The debate as to whether Suarez was a great goal scorer or a scorer of great goals was one which raised the heat in the Soccer Saturday studio. The player has indeed missed a great deal of chances this season, and Liverpool certainly would have been higher up the league table had the player converted a greater percentage of his opportunities in front of goal. Regardless, it shouldn’t take away from what an outstanding player he is and can be when he’s at his most dangerous. Even with a Liverpool side who at times can look lifeless and well below par, Suarez is able to emerge from the disappointment of his surrounding teammates and produce moments of threatening brilliance.
Followers of La Liga would undoubtedly love to see what the Uruguayan can offer in Spain. It’s a league where the high-profile attackers are favoured and protected far more than in England, and there’s no question that his style of play would be a perfect marriage for the greater level of technical quality on offer in Spanish football.
But the question as to whether the player would be driven out of England due to his reputation is one that might not hold much water—at the very least, it shouldn’t be something in the mind of a player who has so far battled well against the sea of hate of English football fans.
Ronaldo was never driven out of England, rather it was a desire to play for Real Madrid which forced Manchester United to part with the forward. For Suarez, maybe similar circumstances could see him swap Anfield for La Liga.
But while his role in English football is important—again, he’s a player who people love to hate—the Premier League should be striving to retain players of his ability. His reputation for diving shouldn’t be one of the primary go-to references whenever something negative needs to be said about the player. This nonsense idea that it’s a ‘continental’ or ‘foreign’ trait needs to be done away with. Look to the many British players who continue to use this act of deception on an almost weekly basis, and try not to use Suarez’s face as a the slogan for all that as wrong with football in this country.
The incident with Patrice Evra is a disappointing knock on an excellent player’s reputation, but it doesn’t hide the fact that almost any club in England would love to have the opportunity of securing his services for a fee similar to what Liverpool paid for him in January of last year.
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From Atletico’s point of view, it only seems natural to go after a player like Suarez; someone who could go some way to replicating the success and goals that Falcao has thus far brought Los Colchoneros. With the money available to them following the hypothetical sale of Falcao (and that’s how it should be seen for now), the Liverpool owners may be only too willing to cash in and bring in a sum that Atletico may be willing to pay.
However, even with Liverpool’s need to climb up to their previous standing in the Premier League, Suarez has shown 100 per cent commitment to the club. When it’s been easy to express a desire to move away, he’s remained loyal to the club and continues to put in performances of the highest standard.
For now, the Premier League should continue to enjoy the footballing side of one of the best imports in recent years. It will, however, be a damn shame if the spite of English football pushes the player out the door. Suarez has kept a cool head thus far, but how many more months of taunts will it take until he finally decides he’s had enough?
Diego Godin has been a pivotal figure in Atletico Madrid’s defence since his move to the club from Villarreal in 2010.
On Saturday, The Spanish Football Podcast tweeted that the centre-back is available for €20m in this window, which has caught the attention of some Liverpool fans.
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Jurgen Klopp’s defence vastly improved in January when Virgil van Dijk was bought from Southampton.
The Dutchman’s confidence and leadership qualities were hugely needed, and as well as making the back line tighter, he also improved Dejan Lovren’s game.
The Croatian international is likely to continue partnering the 26-year-old next season.
How far will England get in Russia? Tell us now and win any World Cup shirt of your choice.
However, Lovren can be prone to mistakes, which has led some fans to wonder whether or not the club should be looking at buying a new defender.
The subject of Godin was brought up on social media, but not everyone is convinced that the Uruguayan international, who has won five major trophies with Atletico, would be the right fit.
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Some, though, would love the 32-year-old centre-back to arrive at Anfield.
A not-quite-safe-yet West Ham travel to a relegation threatened Swansea on Saturday afternoon in a good ol’ classic Premier League relegation six-pointer.
Both sides are in desperate need of points and neither can arguably afford to lose, but which way will it go?
Our writers have had their say below…
James Beavis
Swansea are a funny team at the moment but they are strong at home having beaten Arsenal and Liverpool at the Liberty Stadium already in 2018.
Carlos Carvalhal’s men will know that they need the three points against West Ham though and will have to attack from the off, and that could give the likes of Marko Arnautovic, Michail Antonio and Manuel Lanzini plenty of space to counter and run in behind the Swansea defence.
Like it did at Huddersfield in January, that attacking threat from the visitors should see them take the three points to move them a step closer to survival.
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John McGinley
Swansea have won their last six games at home in all competitions, including shocks against Liverpool and Arsenal, so there’s no reason to think they won’t have enough to take care of David Moyes’ side in this classic relegation ‘six-pointer’.
With just one win in their last six in all competitions, which includes three defeats in their last three away from home, West Ham are again in a bit of a slump.
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Whatever happens, discontented Hammers fans will find out all about the fight left in David Moyes’ team.
Christy Malyan
Draw. Swansea will be desperate to bounce back after unexpectedly capitulating against Brighton last weekend and Carlos Carvalhal restored the feel-good factor at the Liberty Stadium with a routine win over Sheffield Wednesday in midweek.
The Welsh outfit need points more than the Hammers do, but West Ham boast better quality and if the scores are level leading into the final half hour, both managers will likely take the draw without complaint.
Whenever a manager leaves a football club before the start of the season, it always raises questions about the state and the integrity of said club.
Welshman Tony Pulis left Crystal Palace in August less than 48 hours before the 2014-15 Premier League season began. Questions began to be asked about the state of Crystal Palace football club. The reason Pulis left was due to the failure of Crystal Palace’s attempts to land transfer targets during the summer.
Then began the turmoil. Not only did Palace lose their first two Premier League games of the season, but their new manager search was under fire as well. Malky Mackay had been the favourite to take over at Selhurst Park but as that all went pear shaped after allegations were revealed of him sending sexist, racist and homophobic texts. Those allegations also involved Iain Moody, who resigned from his role of director of sport from Crystal Palace.
After all these setbacks, who ended up being Pulis’ replacement? Neil Warnock, back for a second spell with the club after previously taking charge between 2007 and 2010 before the club went into administration. The day after he was appointed, he brought Wilfred Zaha back to the club on loan from Manchester United, who became a key component in his first game in charge against Newcastle.
In this game at St James’ Park, Palace took the lead twice thanks to a Dwight Gayle goal after 29 seconds and a Jason Puncheon volley later on, but then they had to rely on a Zaha equaliser in stoppage time to finish the game 3-3. The point earned in this game was Palace’s first point of the new season and showed a new kind of fight to stay in this league under Warnock.
Palace were able to create a high number of chances, despite only having 36% possession throughout the game and were strong at finishing when the chances occurred as well. From the 12 shots they had, seven of them were on target, a greater improvement compared to their first two games of the season against Arsenal and West Ham.
However, Palace were still quite aggressive with play and lost possession often and this is an issue Warnock will need to address.
Warnock has attempted to address this issue with the signing of Kevin Doyle and James McArthur on transfer deadline day. The immediate impact of Zaha as well shows Warnock knows what Palace need for the fight to stay in the Premier League.
Warnock’s first home game in charge in the Premier League will come this weekend against Burnley. Hopefully he will have established a playing style he would like to play with this Palace squad, which has more than enough to stay in the Premier League.
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Crystal Palace is still one of the favourites to be relegated from the Premier League this season but I think Warnock is the right man to lead them towards survival.