Month: December 2024

LONDON: Jamie Carragher has hit out at Liverpool fans on social media who criticised him for praising Chelsea’s Cole Palmer.

The centre-back played exclusively for Liverpool throughout his 17-year career, scoring five goals in 739 appearances for the club.

He often captained Liverpool in the absence of Steven Gerrard and lifted the European Champions League trophy in 2005, as well as two FA Cups and three League Cups.

Carragher is a well-known sports pundit on Sky Sports and was on duty during Chelsea’s 4-3 win at Spurs last Sunday.

But the 46-year-old was criticised by his former club’s fans when he said Palmer was the best player in the Premier League over the past 18 months, with many criticising his statement for forgetting to mention Reds star Mohamed Salah.

However, Carragher responded to the criticism on social media by asking those who disagreed with him to watch the full recording of his statement.

“He took the penalty and was involved in (Enzo) Fernandez’s goal, three or four players around him. That’s what great players do – you’re terrified when he gets the ball.

“I liked him last season and he’s started well this season. A few weeks ago I said, if you look at the last 18 months at Chelsea, I don’t think there’s a player in the Premier League who has performed better than him.

“And he’s not playing for the best team. They look like one of the best teams in the league right now.

“Before Chelsea had great players in attack like (Giafranco) Zola and (Eden) Hazard, I think he has done more than Zola in these 18 months.

“If he manages to lead Chelsea to the title this season or in the next two or three seasons, I believe he will be the club’s greatest player.

“He’s a very special player and not just in the Premier League, but Europe and the world,” said Carragher.

MANCHESTER, England: Nottingham Forest inflicted Manchester United’s second consecutive defeat in the English Premier League early this morning, defeating Ruben Amorim’s men 3-2 at Old Trafford.

United striker Rasmus Hojlund cancelled out Nikola Milenkovic’s early goal but Morgan Gibbs-White and Chris Wood put the visitors ahead and they held on to that advantage after Bruno Fernandes closed the gap.

Forest’s first win at Old Trafford since 1994 lifted them to fifth in the league table but United are stranded in 13th.

Amorim has made a positive start to his career as United manager after replacing Erik ten Hag, who was sacked last month, drawing once and winning two of his first three matches.

But he warned “a storm is coming” for the troubled club, who are enduring their worst start to the season.

Reality is now starting to set in after a 2-0 defeat at Arsenal in midweek followed by a defeat early this morning at home.

“It was a difficult game in a difficult moment but we have to keep going,” a disappointed Amorim told the BBC.

“It’s been a long journey. We’ve improved in a number of ways. We need to win games to help us improve as a team.

“We are at the beginning of something big because we are focusing on every detail. We already know it is a big task so we have to keep going.”

The former Sporting Lisbon boss must have been disappointed with the way the goal was conceded.

Corners proved difficult for Arsenal to stop and Milenkovic headed in Elliot Anderson’s corner in the second minute after soaring high past Lisandro Martinez.

United came back and equalised in the 18th minute with Hojlund heading in after Alejandro Garnacho’s attempt from Manuel Ugarte’s pass was blocked by Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels.

But Forest once again started brilliantly in the second half.

Fernandes lost the ball to Callum Hudson-Odoi and he found Gibbs-White, whose flicked shot from 20 yards out went past goalkeeper Andre Onana.

New Zealand international Wood met Gibbs-White’s cross in the 54th minute with a header that went over the line as Matthijs de Ligt, Onana and Martinez all failed to save the situation.

United hit back after the hour mark when Amad Diallo showed great skill as he raced down the right wing before feeding Fernandes, who beat Sels from the edge of the box.

LIVERPOOL: Pep Guardiola calmly responded to the boos of Liverpool fans during Manchester City’s defeat at Anfield.

Arne Slot’s side beat the defending Premier League champions 2-0 and extended the gap on City, who slipped to fifth, to 11 points – thanks to goals from Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah.

Liverpool fans taunted Guardiola by chanting “you’ll be sacked in the morning” towards the end of the game.

The City manager, however, simply responded with a six-finger gesture – the number of Premier League trophies he has won over the past seven seasons.

Guardiola once again showed the same gesture when applauding the City supporters after the match.

The defeat at Anfield continued City’s poor record which has now lost six of their last seven games.

“We didn’t have pre-season and then injuries, but we are aware of that and we have to deal with it. We competed but didn’t create many chances.

“We don’t have the strength in midfield at the moment and they are stronger in the ball, so need to work harder when we get the ball.

“I sit here as a manager and defend what we have done before, the result of their efforts. I want to continue with them and embrace them.

“We have to change this result and when the time is right we will. The whole stadium wants me to be sacked, it started in Brighton! Maybe they were right based on the previous results. I didn’t expect it at Anfield.

“They didn’t do it when it was 1-0, but after 2-0. Maybe they should sing it in the past.

“I didn’t expect it from Liverpool fans but that’s okay. It’s part of the game and I understand it. We went through a lot of great fights together. I respect them,” said Guardiola.