Norwich City have confirmed Daniel Farke has left the club on the day the Canaries recorded their first win of the Premier League season.

Farke has spent the past four and a half years at Carrow Road, overseeing 208 matches in total.

He won the Championship on two occasions, though Norwich – who were relegated from the top flight in 2019-20 – have started this season poorly in the Premier League.

Farke's position has seemed increasingly precarious, though Norwich then mustered a 2-1 win over Brentford on Saturday.

However, it was not enough for the Austrian to keep his job, with Norwich having made the decision to cut ties heading into the international break.

Sporting director Stuart Webber said: "In continuing to demand the very best for our football club, this decision was not an easy one.

"I know how determined Daniel and his staff were to succeed at this level, but we feel that now is the right time for a change to give ourselves the best opportunity of retaining our Premier League status.

"All at Norwich City should be forever grateful to Daniel and his staff for the significant role they have played in our journey. They helped deliver two Championship titles, many memorable moments and they all fully bought into our philosophy and what it means to be part of this football club.

"It's important that we now look forward. We have 27 league games remaining and a long way to go in the current season. We know we have the ability within our playing squad and staff to start picking up points and climbing the league table."

Prior to Saturday's win at Brentford, Norwich had taken just two points from their previous 20 Premier League matches (D2 L18) and had not scored more than once in any of their past 28 top-flight games. Only Wolves between January 1984 and October 2003 had a longer run of games without scoring more than once in top-flight history (30 in a row).

Norwich still sit bottom on five points after Newcastle United managed to draw with Brighton and Hove Albion. The Canaries have already conceded 26 goals, scoring just five in return.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer remained defiant he can turn around Manchester United's awful form despite the "big step back" of their derby defeat.

The Red Devils were brushed aside 2-0 at Old Trafford by Manchester City on Saturday, Bernardo Silva scoring after Eric Bailly's own goal.

The defeat was United's sixth in their past 12 games in all competitions and their eighth at home in 2021, a number they last endured back in 1989.

They have also gone without a clean sheet in 14 consecutive home matches for the first time since the 1950s, while they have let in 11 at home in the top flight in 2021-22, their worst such return over the first six games of the season since 1976.

It was the manner of United's loss that was particularly damaging, even though the scoreline did not reach the embarrassing levels of the 5-0 loss to Liverpool last month. 

They only had one shot on target throughout and just four touches of the ball in the City box, their fewest in a league match since at least 2008-09.

Solskjaer was granted a reprieve by United bosses after the thrashing by Liverpool and responded by delivering a 3-0 win at Tottenham followed by a Champions League draw with Atalanta, a result secured through a last-gasp Cristiano Ronaldo equaliser.

The United manager accepted the City performance was a major blow after their previous two results but maintained he is committed to arresting his team's slide.

Asked about his belief he can turn things around, Solskjaer said: "Definitely. You're right – [we need to get] back to where we should be. For me, it's back to what we started to look like. We started to look like a proper team, a team that I like to see.

"We've had two, three, four weeks now, a disappointing spell. The performance against Tottenham was good, but it was not what we want to look like, to put it that way. We want to be on the front foot, we want to be more aggressive. Unfortunately, we had to try to get a few results.

"We got a couple of good results, Atalanta and Tottenham, but today was a big step back."

Ronaldo's volley in the 26th minute was the only moment City goalkeeper Ederson was made to work as the visitors assumed total control, making 821 passes to United's 389.

"It's a way of losing that we don't like," said Solskjaer, who appeared to receive less of a positive reception by fans than he did after the Liverpool result. "When you lose a game against a good team, you want to see a better Man United team than that.

"When you concede the first goal as early as we did in an unfortunate way, it makes the game a lot more difficult. We needed to be more front-foot, aggressive. We played against a very good team that made it hard to do that.

"When we had the ball, they pressed us really well and we couldn't get the angles we knew we had to get and the quality we knew we had to get. We never got to the level we need to be at to win against good teams."

Solskjaer now hopes the international break can do his players some good before they return to action at Watford on November 20.

"Players are human beings, and when you lose a game of football, there's no better remedy than winning a game, getting your confidence by winning a game. Hopefully, the ones that go away do that and do well," he said.

"For us, it's all about Watford. We have to come out against Watford like a proper hurt animal. We've got to get back to what we know we can do. It's the only way to approach this and attack this situation.

"Yes, the short answer is I think it's come at a good time for us now. As a group, we've had a difficult spell, come through it, but this was a big step back for us."

Wasteful Premier League leaders Chelsea were inexplicably held to a 1-1 draw at home to Burnley in a game they dominated on Saturday.

The Blues were looking to win five successive league games for the first time under Thomas Tuchel and looked to be on course to do so and at least temporarily move five points clear at the summit when Kai Havertz scored 12 minutes before half-time.

But Chelsea remain without Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner in attack and conspired to miss a host of chances to extend their lead, opening the door for Burnley to respond.

Matej Vydra finished from close range nine minutes after arriving from the bench as Sean Dyche was rewarded for a late show of ambition, having previously looked content to keep the score down.

Struggling Burnley had been on the back foot from the outset and Callum Hudson-Odoi drew a sharp first stop from Nick Pope before crossing for Andreas Christensen to nod narrowly wide, the best of six Chelsea attempts in the opening 10 minutes.

Although the pace slowed a little, the home threat continued to come from the right flank and Reece James, as at Newcastle United last week, forged the breakthrough.

The right-back was not the scorer this time, but his second sublime centre – the first touched on by Charlie Taylor and turned away by Pope – landed on Havertz's head for the opener.

James and Hudson-Odoi were at it again after half-time, teeing up presentable opportunities for Thiago Silva and Havertz respectively. Silva could only make contact with his shoulder and was denied by the post.

Pope stood up long enough to block from Hudson-Odoi in the box, before Ross Barkley blazed over, setting up a nervy finish.

Jay Rodriguez headed wide with Burnley's first effort of note but showed composure to nod across goal for Vydra when he found himself in the same position again, with Chelsea unable to respond in the final 11 minutes.

Roy Keane said he felt sorry for the Manchester United players after their derby defeat to Manchester City as the former captain believes they are simply not good enough.

United were second best in a 2-0 loss to the Premier League champions at Old Trafford, an Eric Bailly own goal and a finish from Bernardo Silva settling the contest before half-time.

It was the Red Devils' first home league match since the 5-0 thrashing by Liverpool but there was little better about this latest result other than the scoreline.

United had only one shot on target throughout, managing only 389 passes to City's 821, as Pep Guardiola's men eased through the contest in second gear.

Former United defender Gary Neville described it as a "calm annihilation" at City's hands, and Keane agreed it was a game that looked easy for the visitors.

"It was so poor. The difference in class, quality and decision-making, basically everything," he said on Sky Sports at half-time, after Bailly had turned into his own net and Silva had converted a Joao Cancelo cross that Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire left.

"I know the old saying is men vs boys, but United are so off it, it's unbelievable. Look at Shaw and De Gea. What chance have you got in this game? I've been cross with these fellas for years.

"I give up on these players. These are international defenders. I can't understand the defending. I give up."

He continued after the match: "Phil Foden mentioned it is a tough place to come. It's not. Ask Everton, ask Aston Villa and Liverpool. Teams have come to Old Trafford and are getting a bit of joy now.

"I know United's away record has been fantastic over the last couple of seasons but ultimately it's what you do at home that gives you that foundation to try and compete and go on and win trophies because United still always have the quality, even away from home. But their home form, the performance and the defending...

"We go back to characters. Scott McTominay, who I know is learning his trade. Fred in midfield. These players are not good enough for Manchester United.

"Defensively, I wasn't shocked when Eric Bailly sliced that into his own net. He's got that in his locker. He's erratic.

"It was so comfortable for Man City. They just toyed with Man United. I'd like to go in hard on the United players, but today I'm feeling sorry for them. I think some of them aren't up to playing for Manchester United, particularly at home.

"When I was at United you judge a player on how they cope with playing in front of 75,000 and you stay in the fight when you're under the cosh.

"But this team doesn't. They just don't have the desire to stay in the fight. This team doesn't have personality. They're trying things and they're a decent group going for lunch, but it's what happens when the referee blows the whistle."

United have now lost eight home games in all competitions in 2021, the most in a calendar year since 1989, while they have gone 14 matches at Old Trafford without a clean sheet for the first time since the 1950s.

They have also taken only eight points from their most recent nine home league games, losing to Liverpool and City without scoring in their previous two. The last time that happened was during the final weeks of David Moyes' tenure in March 2014, when the Red Devils suffered consecutive 3-0 losses to their fiercest rivals.

The pressure on manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is only going to increase, and Keane accepted his old team-mate must get more from his players.

"Ole seems to be under pressure since he's walked into the club and that's not going away because people didn't think he was up to it," Keane said.

"The pressure is going to build but the players, I look at Shaw and De Gea, they're international players. They couldn't sniff out danger, these boys are too casual.

"Ole has to take responsibility and I've defended him for one or two years but he's the manager and the staff need to get more out of these players."

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer conceded Saturday's 2-0 defeat to Manchester City highlighted how far United have fallen off the pace, but insisted he had no fears over his future.

The United boss cut a disconsolate figure on touchline at Old Trafford, where Eric Bailly netted an own goal before slack defending and goalkeeping allowed Bernardo Silva to double the visitors' advantage in the first half.

United, beaten 5-0 by Liverpool in their previous home game, offered scant threat after the break as the pressure mounted on Solskjaer.

And the Norwegian admitted the stark disparity between the two sides was evident, with the forthcoming international break offering some respite for the embattled boss.

He told Sky Sports: "At the moment, yes we are [a long way behind the leading teams], but we've got to get back to what we started to look like, and we started to look like a proper team at the end of last season, start of this season. We've got to get back to that.

"I'm sure when we come back, the players will be fresh in their mind after internationals. The demands on me and the players are going to be high, the expectations. We need to get back to what we started to look like for a while, and we've got the players to do that.

"We've been this situation a few times of course, since the last game we played here it has been a very difficult period. We need to be on the front foot more, I can't look at myself and say this is the way I want Manchester United to play."

Asked if he was starting to feel as though he may be on borrowed time, Solskjaer, whose side slipped six points behind City, added: "No, I don't start to do that.

"I have good communications all the time with the club, we're very upfront and honest about the situation.

"I work for Man United and want the best for Man United and while I'm here I'll do what I can to improve this, and that's going back to what we started to look like."

United were second best throughout against Pep Guardiola's side, managing only one shot on target, while the second goal saw an uncharacteristic error from David de Gea, who was beaten at his near post.

"It's very difficult to talk now of course because we started the game off badly, passive of course," said Solskjaer. "When they get the first goal it was always going to be a difficult game anyway.

"Being 1-0 down was hard, David kept us in the game, some good stops, then they scored a goal they always score. [Joao] Cancelo cuts inside, crosses back stick, we know that's going to happen and it shouldn't happen.

"They played well, of course, they don't give you opportunities to win the ball off them, some praise has to go to them as well but we were not at our level, our standard, they need to be raised.

"We still don't trust ourselves with the ball, we still don't pass or find the angles as well as I know we can."

Phil Foden declared he and his Manchester City team-mates "had the game of our lives" after Saturday's straightforward victory over Manchester United.

City eased into a deserved 2-0 lead before half-time at Old Trafford through an Eric Bailly own goal and Bernardo Silva's toe-poke from a tight angle, and that is how the scoreline remained.

While the reigning Premier League champions did not rack up the five goals managed by Liverpool against United two weeks ago, the manner of the loss was just as chastening for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The Red Devils had just four touches in the opposition box – their fewest in a league game since 2008-09 when Opta first began recording such data.

Those four touches were also the fewest by a home team in a Premier League game since Fulham against Arsenal in September 2020.

To further underline City's dominance, they completed 753 passes – the most any team has completed in a Premier League match against United since 2003-04.

Foden feels it was close to a perfect display from his side at Old Trafford as they returned to winning ways in the league on the back of last week's shock home loss to Crystal Palace.

"We had the game of our lives today. Everything went right, with a lot of possession and chances. We dominated from start to finish," he told Sky Sports.

"I'm really pleased. We picked the right moments when in possession to hurt them. We knew we could exploit the space in behind and we picked the right times to do it. 

"My team-mates found me a few times in behind and on another day I could have finished the chances. We got in at half-time and said we had to keep up the possession game and I thought we did that really well.

"It gives us massive confidence going into the international break – it was important to get the win before that. It was very important to get back to winning ways."

City's eight away wins at Old Trafford in the Premier League era is the most of any side in the competition's history.

Pep Guardiola's team toyed with their rivals in the second half, meaning City's manager had no concern that the scoreline did not accurately reflect his side's dominance.

"Here at Old Trafford we always produce a good performance in general since we've been together," he told Sky Sports.

"We have won many times here, much more than at any other stadium. It was a solid performance, a good game and deserved victory. Three more points.

"You have to put the ball in the fridge. A lot of passes, a lot of passes. Except 10 minutes in the middle when I thought we lose stupid balls, really good.

"Not scoring more is okay. I am so demanding, we are so demanding for ourselves but I am very pleased. This is the game we needed."

City ended the game with 67.7 per cent of the possession and had an expected goals value of 1.85, compared to 0.74 for their outclassed opponents.

"United are so dangerous," Guardiola added. "That is why we had a game with a lot of control. If you let them run at Old Trafford it is a little bit like Anfield. They are built for that.

"We played the game we needed today. You have to play quick, to move the ball and do the touches every player need but also try to put the ball in the pocket."

Asked where his side now rank in terms of the favourites to win the title, Guardiola said: "Right now, Chelsea are unstoppable. 

"We know we cannot drop much points to be close to them but against the big six we have performed well.

"The most important thing is we came to Old Trafford and can say these guys played good. This is what I am happy the most about after six years here. We tried to play our game."

David de Gea leapt to his right and tipped Kevin De Bruyne's shot around the post. "Vamos!" he bellowed to team-mates gathered for the Manchester City corner, banging those overworked gloves together.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who had just congratulated the Manchester United goalkeeper on his latest brilliant save, gazed around the penalty area, shaking his head.

The reactions looked different but echoed the same feeling, presumably the one felt by the 70-odd thousand United fans inside Old Trafford. It's the same thing they felt when losing 4-0 at half-time to Liverpool. It's largely the same thing they felt seven years ago, when consecutive home defeats to Liverpool and City sounded the death knell for the David Moyes era.

How much longer can this go on?

It was the 5-0 scoreline that was most damaging about the game last month against Jurgen Klopp's side, and the reason Ole Gunnar Solskjaer came as close as he did to losing his job. The Manchester derby was, in essence, no different; it was a thrashing in all but the scoreboard.

And it will prompt the same question.

The 3-0 win over a miserable Tottenham secured Solskjaer's position for at least another week and saw Antonio Conte, his most obvious and available replacement, head to north London. Yet, as the United manager likes to say, "one swallow doesn't make a summer". He knew there had to be sustained improvement, that wins over Atalanta in the Champions League and Manchester City were vital to show he could arrest a decline that has seen his United become the first to concede in 13 consecutive home matches for the first time since the 1950s.

Instead, United repeated the 'Liverpool Week': a poor Champions League performance salvaged by Ronaldo, and utter embarrassment at the hands of their domestic rivals.

Solskjaer had won four of his first eight meetings with Pep Guardiola, giving him the best win rate of any manager to face the City boss at least five times. He'd also presided over a four-game unbeaten league run against their neighbours, whose recent success relative to United – nine major trophies since the Red Devils last won anything – has seen them go from noisy to ear-splitting. The last time these teams met in front of a full crowd, a muddied Scott McTominay slid across the soaked turf after lobbing Ederson in the final seconds, a striking visual metaphor for Solskjaer's team: imperfect, unpolished, but going somewhere.

In the second half of Sunday's game, after Eric Bailly's senseless own goal and a gift for Bernardo Silva, Solskjaer's tenure entered a perverse kind of scoreline purgatory: would he be safe if it finished 2-0, or 3-0, or 4-0? Was it not bad enough that City could come to Old Trafford and treat it as a training exercise, limiting their opponents to one shot on target?

This is what Solskjaer's United have become: a listing wreck, held together by default. Results are bad, but not quite bad enough; supporters are fed up, but they won't turn on a club legend; the owners fear the risk of change more than the cost of inaction.

"I give up," said former captain Roy Keane on Sky Sports. Solskjaer won't; not after nearly three years in charge. The pedestrian, goalless second half against City will probably count in his favour with the board, too.

But 'only' losing the derby 2-0 cannot ever be acceptable. It certainly isn't what Ronaldo signed up for, and as long as things persist as they are, he'll be shaking his head for many months to come.

Manchester City inflicted another humbling home defeat on bitter rivals Manchester United with a routine 2-0 derby victory in Saturday's Premier League clash.

Pep Guardiola's side had failed to win any of their previous four league meetings with United but were deservedly two goals ahead at half-time.

Eric Bailly became the first United player to score an own goal against City in the Premier League and Bernardo Silva profited from some terrible defending to squeeze in a second shortly before the interval.

United, beaten 5-0 by Liverpool in their most recent match at Old Trafford, failed to offer any sort of response in the second half as the pressure continues to grow on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

United had kept three successive clean sheets against City in the league but were behind inside seven minutes when Bailly sliced Joao Cancelo's whipped cross from the left into his own net.

Cristiano Ronaldo had a powerful volley kept out by Ederson – United's only on-target attempt of the first half – but only David de Gea kept the scoreline down as City took complete control.

However, after keeping out Gabriel Jesus, Kevin De Bruyne and team-mate Victor Lindelof, De Gea was far too easily beaten by Silva, who ghosted in behind Luke Shaw and turned in Cancelo's cross from a tight angle.

Chances were hard to come by in a far quieter second period, with the visitors going closest to finding the net through a Phil Foden strike that grazed the outside of the post late on.

What does it mean? United lose again at Old Trafford

City may not have managed the five goals Liverpool scored here two weeks ago, but the manner of the victory was just as straightforward and was never in doubt from the moment they scored their second goal.

United have now lost eight matches at Old Trafford in all competitions this calendar year, which is their worst-such record since 1989, and could find themselves 11 points off top spot should Chelsea beat Burnley later on Saturday.

Guardiola's men looked far more like their usual selves on the back of last week's shock 2-0 loss at home to Crystal Palace, meanwhile, as they moved back to within two points of leaders Chelsea, who have that game in hand.

Cancelo runs the show

The attacking left-back played in the cross for Bailly's own goal and sent in a delightful delivery, albeit one that should have been dealt with, for Silva's strike – the Portugal international's third goal in his last four appearances at Old Trafford.

Cancelo had more touches (125) than any player on the field – Lindelof was United's most involved player with 67 – while nobody managed more shots (four) and tackles (four) in what was an impressive all-round display.

United's calamitous defending

From Bailly turning an easy-to-deal-with cross into his own net – one that should never have been allowed to enter the box in the first place – to De Gea and Shaw watching on as Silva turned in a second, United's defending was yet again shambolic.

The Red Devils have now conceded at least once in each of their last 14 home games in all competitions, their longest run without a clean sheet at Old Trafford since a club-record run of 21 between April 1958 and March 1959.

What's next?

United travel to Watford on their return to Premier League action after the international break. City host Everton at the Etihad Stadium on November 21.

Victor Lindelof and Mason Greenwood were recalled to Manchester United's starting line-up for Saturday's Premier League showdown with Manchester City.

Centre-back Lindelof missed Tuesday's 2-2 Champions League draw with Atalanta with a knock sustained in training and was considered doubtful for the Manchester derby.

However, the Sweden international returned for the clash at Old Trafford in place of Raphael Varane, who was injured in that midweek European match and faces a month out.

Lindelof started in a back three alongside Eric Bailly – making just a third start of the season – and Harry Maguire, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer sticking to a 3-5-2 system employed in his side's last two games.

Unlike those previous two matches, there was a place in the starting line-up for Greenwood, who came in for Marcus Rashford. Edinson Cavani was not included in the squad due to injury.

Cristiano Ronaldo led United's attack as expected as he looked to build on a return of three goals in his past five Premier League meetings with City.

Fred was the other change made by Solskjaer from the Atalanta match, the Brazil international replacing Paul Pogba as he continues to serve a domestic suspension.

City also made three changes from their 4-1 win over Club Brugge in the week, with Jack Grealish's exclusion being the big talking point.

The British record signing's place in the starting line-up was taken by Kevin De Bruyne, who was expected to play through the middle of the forward line in the absence of a recognised striker.

Asked to explain the decision, City boss Pep Guardiola told Sky Sports: "We want a left foot on the left side and right foot on right side. That is the reason."

Aymeric Laporte also made way after being sent off in last week's 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace, with Ruben Dias getting the nod at the back alongside John Stones, while Gabriel Jesus came in for the benched Riyad Mahrez.

United were unbeaten in their last four league games against City heading into Saturday's meeting – their longest such run against their fierce rivals since a run of six between 2008 and 2011.

Victor Lindelof and Mason Greenwood were recalled to Manchester United's starting line-up for Saturday's Premier League showdown with Manchester City.

Centre-back Lindelof missed Tuesday's 2-2 Champions League draw with Atalanta with a knock sustained in training and was considered doubtful for the Manchester derby.

However, the Sweden international returned for the clash at Old Trafford in place of Raphael Varane, who was injured in that midweek European match and faces a month out.

Lindelof started in a back three alongside Eric Bailly – making just a third start of the season – and Harry Maguire, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer sticking to a 3-5-2 system employed in his side's last two games.

Unlike those previous two matches, there was a place in the starting line-up for Greenwood, who came in for Marcus Rashford. Edinson Cavani was not included in the squad due to injury.

Cristiano Ronaldo led United's attack as expected as he looked to build on a return of three goals in his past five Premier League meetings with City.

Fred was the other change made by Solskjaer from the Atalanta match, the Brazil international replacing Paul Pogba as he continues to serve a domestic suspension.

City also made three changes from their 4-1 win over Club Brugge in the week, with Jack Grealish's exclusion being the big talking point.

The British record signing's place in the starting line-up was taken by Kevin De Bruyne, who was expected to play through the middle of the forward line in the absence of a recognised striker.

Asked to explain the decision, City boss Pep Guardiola told Sky Sports: "We want a left foot on the left side and right foot on right side. That is the reason."

Aymeric Laporte also made way after being sent off in last week's 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace, with Ruben Dias getting the nod at the back alongside John Stones, while Gabriel Jesus came in for the benched Riyad Mahrez.

United were unbeaten in their last four league games against City heading into Saturday's meeting – their longest such run against their fierce rivals since a run of six between 2008 and 2011.

Antonio Rudiger is out of contract with Chelsea after the season. 

The 28-year-old will have several suitors. 

Real Madrid are prepared to make major changes to acquire him.

 

TOP STORY – MADRID PLOT RUDIGER MOVE

Real Madrid are set to make a push for Antonio Rudiger next off-season, reports AS. 

The centre-back wants €12million (£10m) in annual salary but is not likely to get it from Chelsea. 

Carlo Ancelotti would like to bring Rudiger aboard but may need to clear several other salaries to do so.

Among those potentially on the way out according to AS are Gareth Bale, Eden Hazard, Isco and Marcelo. 

 

ROUND-UP

- Juventus will try to lure Axel Witsel from Borussia Dortmund in the next transfer window, says Bild. Witsel will be out of contract after the season. 

- Roma could shore up their defence by adding Nacho from Real Madrid in January, says Calciomercato. 

- Tottenham and other suitors are eyeing 20-year-old Monaco defender Benoit Badiashile, reports Calciomercato.

- Genoa are set to sack head coach Davide Ballardini and appoint Andriy Shevchenko as his replacement, reports Gianluca Di Marzio.

Antonio Conte has no illusions about the challenge he faces in trying to return Tottenham to the top of the table. 

Spurs sit ninth in the Premier League, with five wins and five losses from 10 games this season ahead of Sunday's trip to Goodison Park to face 10th-placed Everton. 

Tottenham have not finished a season atop the top flight since 1991, and Conte acknowledged Friday his side must be ready to earn their ascent. 

"I know that we need to take a bit of time because in the Premier League now there is a gap with at least four teams," Conte said. "But this situation must be an incentive for us to work harder, to try to start to work to close this gap and to start to think that we have to be competitive and then to try to fight for the title.

"At the moment, honestly, I can’t tell you that this team is ready to fight for the title. We have many teams in this moment that are more stable. In football, not as a club because this club I think is super, super stable. But on the pitch, I think we need to work to improve our level and to try to be closer to these teams that are showing to be very, very strong.

"And for this reason, I repeat, I need time but I’m not scared about this because in my life I always work very, very hard to reach the target and to enjoy with the club a title.

"But at the same time, we have to know the reality – we must be focused on the present and to have a vision for the present and also for the future, to be something important together."

Spurs have not hoisted a trophy since winning the League Cup in 2008 but their hopes remain alive in three different cup competitions so far this season. 

Conte's first match in charge was a 3-2 defeat of Vitesse on Thursday in UEFA Europa Conference League play and he hopes to see more along those lines going forward. 

"It’s not easy because you have to work every day and you have to breathe winning mentality every day and you don’t invent this, the winning mentality," he said. "It’s impossible to invent. It’s impossible to pay [for]. Because it doesn’t cost money. No money for winning mentality.

"But I think you have to bring the right people into the club. The winning mentality, you must breathe every day. You have to start every day with this type of mentality. You have to start to think about football for many hours of your life to improve results, to win.

"To start to think that OK, I want to win but I know that it means sacrifice, it means to suffer. It means to work very hard.

"And if you start to think in this way, it means that you want to become a winner. Otherwise, you continue to stay at your medium level."

Pep Guardiola says Manchester City do not have the quality to replicate Liverpool's 5-0 victory over Manchester United when they face the Red Devils on Saturday.

Liverpool recorded their biggest ever margin of victory against United in last month's contest thanks to Mohamed Salah's hat-trick and goals from Nany Keita and Diogo Jota.

It also marked the first time United have lost by five or more goals without scoring since February 1955, when going down 5-0 to City.

United have a good recent record against City, however, having gone unbeaten against them in four league meetings – their best run since between 2008 and 2011 (six matches).

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's four wins from eight encounters with Guardiola in all competitions, meanwhile, is the best win rate of any manager to have faced the Catalan coach at least five times (50 per cent).

Guardiola is expected to operate with the same 4-3-3 system used by Liverpool at Old Trafford two weeks ago, but he is not anticipating the same high-scoring outcome against United, who have since reverted from a three-man defence to a back four.

"We cannot play like they did. We do not have the quality to play like how Liverpool played," he told reporters on Friday. "Football is not copy and paste. 

"United made changes, adapted against Tottenham and it worked, but against Atalanta, after the injury to Raphael Varane they changed to a back four. 

"They put on more strikers because they were losing. I know United's style is when they are losing they put on a lot of strikers and when they are winning they put on defenders."

Guardiola, whose side have failed to score in three of their 10 Premier League games this season, added: "If you want to do what Liverpool did then Jurgen Klopp has to come here and then [Sadio] Mane can come and Salah can come. 

"We cannot play how Liverpool play because we have different players, different ways to play. I think if you see the last four, five or six years in the Premier League, the games when Liverpool have played City, we play differently. 

"We are not going to do the same as they do. It would not be wise. We are going to try our way to play because we have completely different players, the quality in a different way. 

"Maybe right now, United would play against Liverpool in a different way, I'm pretty sure about that, and maybe it would not be the result they had at Old Trafford, because everyone learns. 

"The manager learns from the previous game what worked or didn't work, and tries to fix it, that's why we cannot do it, that's normal."

City suffered a shock 2-0 loss at home to Crystal Palace last time out in the Premier League, a result that leaves them five points behind leaders Chelsea with 10 games played.

The reigning English champions have lost three of their last four league clashes with United, as many as in the previous 16, and have failed to score in three successive meetings with them.

Guardiola acknowledged the importance of picking up a positive result on enemy territory this time around if City are to avoid losing further ground in the title race.

"We're going to try to win the game," he said. "We try to do it and afterwards we see what happens.

"I am not thinking about the calendar, how many points we are in front or behind. We know the quality of the contenders, we know how difficult our opponent is. We will just try to play."

Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo will have the hunger to score goals long after calling time on his playing career, says Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola.

The Portugal international has picked up from where he left off since returning for his second spell at United in August, scoring nine goals in 11 appearances.

That includes a dramatic double last time out against Atalanta in the Champions League to make it five goals in four games in the competition, three of those after the 81st minute.

Ronaldo is two goals shy of 800 goals in all competitions for club and country, a milestone he could reach in Saturday's crunch Premier League showdown with City.

Former Sporting CP, Real Madrid and Juventus man Ronaldo has scored three goals in his last five Manchester derbies, the most recent of those coming in May 2009.

Guardiola hailed the 36-year-old's longevity on the eve of the match as City look to end a run of four league games without a win against their fierce rivals.

"He will score goals all his life," Guardiola told Sky Sports. "He will be 75 years old, maybe retired, but he would be at his own barbecue playing a game and he'll score goals.

"Guys like [Lionel] Messi, like him, what they have done in the last decade in world football, scoring goals and goals and goals and helping their team win, speaks for itself."

Ronaldo finished as top scorer in Serie A last season with 29 goals, making him the first player to top the scoring charts in Italy, Spain and England.

That proved to be the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's third and final season with the Bianconeri before rejoining United in a shock transfer at the end of August.

City had been strongly linked with Ronaldo in the days prior to his United return being made official, but Guardiola was unwilling to confirm if his side were indeed in for the forward.

"You have to ask [United]," Guardiola said. "Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] said that he could not imagine him to be here. You have to ask them.

"Do you think both are happy to have each other there? That's what's most important. It's good for the Premier League that he's back. United belongs to Cristiano and Cristiano belongs to United. It's a good fit.

"All that was in the past. Maybe it will be in the present and the future. We'll see."

Ronaldo is expected to start the derby between United and City at Old Trafford, but the Portuguese does not only have positive memories of this fixture.

He is the only player to have been sent off more than once in Premier League meetings between the neighbours, seeing red in January 2006 and in November 2008.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer deserves credit for making "big improvements" at Manchester United as he approaches his three-year anniversary in charge, says Bruno Fernandes.

United manager Solskjaer remains under intense pressure ahead of Saturday's Premier League derby with Manchester City following an underwhelming start to his third full season in charge.

The Red Devils have won just half of their opening 10 Premier League matches, a run that includes a record 5-0 home loss to fierce rivals Liverpool in their most recent match at Old Trafford.

A 2-2 draw with Atalanta in the Champions League in midweek has scarcely lifted the pressure off Solskjaer, who has yet to win any silverware since his appointment in December 2018 on an initial caretaker basis.

But Fernandes – brought to United in January 2020 – insists the players are just as much to blame as their manager for results.

"He brought me to the club, he gave me the chance to play in this amazing club, he made my dream come true," Fernandes told Sky Sports. "He is a great person and everyone knows the human part of him.

"It's normal people get upset because the results don't come, but it's too easy to blame only the coach. We go on the pitch, we should do better.

"We could say the system is not good enough, but we played 4-2-3-1 for three years. We got to some finals, which we didn't win, I understand that, but we got to second place last season and no one was expecting us to have as good a season as we did.

"It was not as good as we want, but it was a good season overall after what everyone was thinking.

"If we didn't drop those points in January, February, we could have been much closer to City. There has been big improvements in the team, big improvement in the club since he arrived, and I think he deserves credit.

"I think he's capable to do more and us as a team are capable to do more. That doesn't depend only on the coach. We have to try to help him because he is trying to help us."

United have 17 points from their opening 10 league games and are eight points adrift of leaders Chelsea. That compares to 19 points at the same stage last season when going on to finish third and 13 after 10 games in 2019-20 when finishing sixth.

"It's not what we want, of course, and we dropped points against Everton, Aston Villa, and Liverpool at home," Fernandes said.

"Last season it was a problem at home, we started the season really well at home to Leeds and Newcastle and in the Champions League too. But we're still dropping points at home and we know that. It's not only the coach's fault."

 

Fernandes was directly involved in 46 goals in all competitions last season – 13 more than next-best Marcus Rashford – and again leads the way among United players this term with his four goals and seven assists.

The most recent of the Portugal international's four goals this term arrived against Newcastle United on September 11, though, and there is a perception that his importance to United is dwindling now that Cristiano Ronaldo is back at the club.

However, Fernandes is creating more chances per 90 minutes this season compared to last season (3.94 to 2.69) and more big chances (0.74 to 0.65), all while playing in a more reserved midfield role.

"The way we played in the last two games, I've played a little deeper,, but it's because we changed system and you have to adapt," Fernandes said. "Everyone was adapting themselves. We have to do what is better for the team.

"I can still do my game wherever I play. I know people are upset because the numbers are going a little bit low – goals are going low, but assists are coming up.

"The importance for people of scoring goals is always better than doing assists or a great game. Last season everyone was like, 'he's scored a lot of goals but he also scores a lot of penalties and he doesn't perform'.

"Now I perform and give a lot of assists and people say 'he's not scoring goals'. There will always be a problem. I'm never happy with myself. I want always to improve and do better."

He added: "The teams know me better and I don't get the space I got in the beginning because I was someone coming from Portugal and most players didn't know who Bruno is.

"Now the space is a little bit short for me, the time is a little bit short, and I have to improve on that to be quick on shooting and passing and everything to make my game work."

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