Manchester United caretaker manager Michael Carrick still has not spoken to Ralf Rangnick about the team despite the German's appointment as interim boss being confirmed on Monday.

United announced at the start of the week that an agreement had been reached with Rangnick over a relationship that is set to span two and a half years.

Initially, Rangnick will take charge until the end of the season before moving into a consultancy role.

Rangnick has previously shaped German clubs such as Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig from top to bottom, with his future advisory position at Old Trafford suggesting United are planning an overhaul of their football operations, which have long appeared outdated compared to their rivals.

But the 63-year-old's start at the club has been delayed due to work permit issues – according to reports, Rangnick does not been the criteria for an automatic visa because he has only coached one season out of the past five.

While United are not thought to be concerned about the outcome, the situation is hardly helpful to the playing and coaching staff who are awaiting Rangnick's arrival.

It was suggested at the weekend that United's apparent greater pressing intensity in the 1-1 draw with Chelsea may have been influenced by Rangnick – Carrick denied that was the case at the time, and ahead of Thursday's visit of Arsenal, the caretaker manager claimed they have still not spoken to each other.

"It's pretty much as it was because of the process and work permit, we've not been able to [talk to each other]," Carrick told reporters on Wednesday.

"We've carried on as we have done. It's worked well for last two games and hopefully it does tomorrow.

"Literally, I've nothing to update you on other than the process of the visa is ongoing and going through now, so I'm in this position as I was for Chelsea and Villarreal, getting the boys ready for the game."

Carrick caused something of a stir by leaving Cristiano Ronaldo out of his starting XI at Stamford Bridge, instead opting to use him from the bench.

Despite it appearing a shock from the outside, Carrick insists it was not considered a big deal in the United dressing room.

"Those decisions get blown up a lot bigger than they are in the club," he continued. "Decisions are made for a lot of different reasons.

"Of course, some things are bigger news than others, that's how it is. I didn't see it a major decision; it certainly wasn't in the group.

"We got on with it, the game went well to an extent and it wasn't a drama at all."

Carrick's two games in charge have resulted in a 2-0 win at Villarreal in the Champions League and the stalemate against Premier League leaders Chelsea.

One player whose performances have caught the eye in those games is Fred, the much-maligned Brazilian midfielder who had frequently appeared out of his depth under Solskjaer.

Across the past two games, Fred has at least seven more recoveries (19) than any other United player, he ranks highest for possession won in each third of the pitch and his six interceptions is double that of any of his team-mates – suffice to say, Carrick has been impressed.

He said: "I think it gets overlooked – first choice for Brazil in a good Brazil team shows how far Fred's come since he came to the club, and how much he's improved.

"I really like him. One of the biggest things is his attitude and desire to be a key player, desperate to put himself out there and play games.

"He twisted his ankle against Villarreal in the first half and it would've been enough to force other players off – to carry on when it's swollen and sore is hard but he carried on then bounced into the game and there was no way he was going to miss the next game.

"That mentality is infectious. I think he's improved an awful lot, Fred. He brings a great energy to the team and he's improving.

"He's played a little higher up the pitch than before because we tweaked a couple of things for both games and he's done ever so well.

"The regains, and especially for Cristiano's goal against Villarreal, epitomises that and he almost did it when he intercepted from [Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard] Mendy. He brings an awful lot to the team and I like him an awful lot."

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has called new Manchester United interim boss Ralf Rangnick "one of the top coaches" ahead of the Gunners' trip to Old Trafford on Thursday.

Rangnick was announced on Monday as the man who will take charge of the Red Devils for the remainder of the season.

He will take over from Michael Carrick, who had stepped up temporarily after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer departed.

However, Rangnick is still waiting for a work visa and is set to miss the clash against Arsenal, with Carrick to carry on at the helm for a third game.

The 63-year-old has taken on a number of roles at football clubs in his career, including head coach and director of football, and will step into an advisory role at United when the season concludes.

Arteta spoke of his admiration for Rangnick, highlighting the "radical changes" the German has made at clubs such as RB Leipzig and, most recently, Lokomotiv Moscow.

"[Rangnick] has been one of the top coaches in every involvement he has had in the game, not only in coaching," Arteta said. 

"He’s made some radical changes in some areas and he’s a really interesting person in the footballing world, and a really interesting appointment for the club."

Arteta also revealed that the uncertainty surrounding who would be in the dugout for United on Thursday had made preparing for the trip to Manchester difficult, pointing out the quality of the Red Devils' squad.

"They are a team, a squad that is one of the most talented in the league," Arteta continued. 

"It is very difficult tactically because you don’t know how they are going to prepare the game, the options that they can play, the formation they can [use] so it’s focused more on ourselves, on what we have to do and make sure the team is prepared to go there and beat them.

"We try to gather information [on Rangnick] to understand more what to expect.

"We didn't know if he was going to be sitting on the bench or if he was taking training sessions, so in terms of the preparations, it was a little bit trickier than usual because you don't really know the influence that the new coach is going to have."

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praised Gunners defender Gabriel Magalhaes for his "character" after he fought off a baseball bat-wielding robber at his home.

The 23-year-old centre-back was followed home by two robbers who attempted to steal his car, watch and phone back in August. He tussled with one assailant, who amid the scuffle dropped his hat, from which DNA evidence led to a conviction last month.

Gabriel missed the opening three Premier League games of the season with a knee injury but has played the full 90 minutes in each of the subsequent 10, with Arsenal winning seven and drawing two of those fixtures.

Arteta, speaking ahead of Arsenal's game against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Thursday, commended Gabriel for his response.

"Obviously it is not a nice thing to go through when you have family involved and they are trying to access your house," Arteta said. "Gabi showed a lot of character, you see the reaction he had straight away. Credit to the boy. After that he was fine.

"Obviously, he was shocked, there were a few things he wanted to change in his life to try to prevent those things happening and the club gave him all the support that was needed to try to forget about the situation, learn from it and move on."

Arteta will be hoping left-sided central defender Gabriel can help Arsenal repeat their Old Trafford heroics from last season – when the Gunners won 1-0 – as part of a solid defensive unit that has conceded just eight goals in the 10 league games he has played in this season.

However, the identity of the left-back playing next to him is less certain, with Nuno Tavares seemingly having displaced first-choice Kieran Tierney in the role for the time being as the pair compete for minutes – a problem Arteta is glad to have.

"Last year when we had an issue with Kieran, when he was out for a while, we had to invent and play players in that position, and that's something that obviously we want to eradicate as much as possible," Arteta explained. 

"And that's why we made the decision that we made in the summer, to try to fill the gaps that we have and make the team stronger. It's only about that.

"Kieran hasn't played in a lot of games because he was still injured and in others, because once Nuno played and played well, I think he deserved the chance to continue playing.

"[Starting Tierney on the bench against Newcastle United] was a tricky one and after what happened at Anfield and some individual errors that we had, we have to be very careful with the messages that we send to our players.

"I encourage my players to play with courage, to take risks, to make decisions and to be on the front foot and when they do that, if for any reason things don't go our way or somebody makes a mistake, that's when you have to show trust in the player because you want to build confidence and resilience.

"It’s not only for the player that's playing, it's also for the player that's not playing to understand that part of that decision is to support and in their case, if it happens to them, I will do exactly the same thing.

"It's something that we have to build and with young players even more, because if not, they can get very confused. I have full confidence in him."

Trent Alexander-Arnold has never experienced a more intense Premier League title race than the one this season despite only being 13 games into 2021-22.

Chelsea lead defending champions Manchester City by one point, with third-placed Liverpool just two off Thomas Tuchel's Champions League winners.

All three teams will be in action on Wednesday, with Chelsea at Watford and Manchester City visiting Aston Villa, while the Reds make the short trip to Everton for the Merseyside derby.

Liverpool may be unbeaten in their last 10 top-flight visits to Goodison Park, but Alexander-Arnold appreciates his side cannot afford to relinquish ground on the top two.

Asked whether he had experienced a more competitive title race, the right-back told Liverpool's website: "No, I wouldn't say so. It is intense. It's going to be a good season, I think everyone has got that feel for it. 

"The way the table is looking now as well, going into the Christmas period, it's as tight as it comes really: three teams, it's probably something we haven't seen over the last few years. It's going to be intense and we know that any slip-ups will be costly."

Everton won the last Premier League meeting between the local rivals, though the Toffees have not won back-to-back Merseyside derbies since 1984-85 and have come under fire recently after slipping to 14th with just 15 points.

Alexander-Arnold recognises Rafael Benitez's side will be looking for a response, but he believes Liverpool's dangerous frontline will be all Everton are thinking about ahead of the clash.

"They'll be looking to bounce back, they suffered a defeat that they probably won't be too happy with on the weekend, so they will probably have a little bit more motivation to bounce back and want to do it in front of the home fans," he added.

"But that's football, every team has those little bits of motivation – we are a top, top team so every team wants to beat us. 

"But I'm also sure they will be worried about what we can do going the other way. 

"The form that the front three are in at the minute is frightening; goals and the way they are contributing and linking up together, and the way the team is gelling at the minute is looking very good for us and I'm sure they will be watching our analysis with a little bit of fear in them."

Indeed, Jurgen Klopp's team have scored at least twice in their past 17 games across all competitions, the joint-longest such run in history by an English top-flight side.

The Reds have been inspired by Mohamed Salah's 11-goal haul in the league so far, while the Egypt international has managed a goal or an assist in each of his last six Premier League away games – no Liverpool player has ever managed that in seven successive matches on the road.

But Alexander-Arnold believes it is the group dynamic that is ensuring Liverpool keep pace with the early leaders.

"I think it's part of modern-day football, that rotation, and more 'squad' rather than just a team," he continued. "Injuries come, especially at this time of year they're very frequent, so it's important to have a strong squad. 

"I think we've got that, we've got players contributing with goals and assists and clean sheets. So it's vital to have that within the squad and whether you are starting or coming on, that you've got that confidence that you can contribute to the win."

Manchester United's search for a new permanent manager continues, with Mauricio Pochettino the favourite.

Ralf Rangnick has been appointed on an interim basis until the end of the season, though Michael Carrick is set to preside over a third game as caretaker manager on Thursday.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked last month after a poor run of results at the end of a trophy-less tenure.

 

TOP STORY – MANCINI EMERGES AS SHOCK MAN UTD CONTENDER

Former Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has emerged as a contender for the vacant Man Utd managerial role, claims The Telegraph.

The current Italy head coach, who led the Azzurri to the Euro 2020 title, is under "careful consideration" by United chiefs, according to the report.

Mancini is contracted with Italy until 2026 on a lucrative deal but may potentially be available to take over from Rangnick pending Italy's World Cup qualification play-offs in March.

 

ROUND-UP

Milan want to sign Arsenal forward Alexandre Lacazette as soon as possible and will make a move for him in January rather than wait for him to become a free agent at the season's end, according to Sport Italia journalist Rudy Galetti.

Man Utd have been offered the opportunity to sign Brazil attacking midfielder Philippe Coutinho by Barcelona, reports Sport.

- Sport also claims Barcelona have a "total agreement" to sign Man City's Spanish forward Ferran Torres, although they want the English champions to lower their asking price of £60million.

Ajax are looking to do a deal with Tottenham to sign Dutch forward Steven Bergwijn on loan, according to De Telegraaf.

- Calciomercato claims Juventus have pulled out of the race to sign Monaco's Aurelien Tchouameni, with Chelsea leading the contenders.

Thomas Tuchel is adamant Romelu Lukaku will make a significant impact for Chelsea upon his return from injury, but insists the Blues must be patient with the striker.

Club-record signing Lukaku has netted four goals in 12 appearances since returning from Inter for a second spell at Stamford Bridge.

But, the Belgium international has missed the past month with an ankle injury.

He returned as a late substitute in the weekend draw with former club Manchester United, and could start against Watford on Wednesday.

Tuchel has no doubt of the quality that Lukaku will contribute to the Blues' cause when fully back up to speed.

But the head coach insists that for now, patience with the 28-year-old is a virtue.

"We showed with him and we showed without him that we're capable of scoring and capable of winning," Tuchel said.

"I think it's a process of adapting in both ways; the team will adapt to him and he will adapt to the team.

"The most important thing is that he becomes fit and gains fitness and a physical level that he can start for us. The rest, I'm pretty sure will take care of itself.

"I'm absolutely convinced and have zero doubts that he will have a huge impact on our team once he's back.

"He's pushing every single day and pushing everybody to try to be out on the pitch again. He tries to convince us that he's ready to start. 

"We gave him some minutes [against Man United], which helps him psychologically and this is very important, but he is determined and trains on a very high level. 

"Once we have the opinion that he's fully fit, I think he's ready to go and contribute what he can, which is a lot.

"We still believe that he can make the difference for us but at the same time, we will be patient."

Tuchel is also hopeful it is only a matter of time before Andreas Christensen signs a new deal with the club.

The defender, whose contract is set to expire at the end of the season, has made 13 appearances for the Blues in all competitions this term.

"We think we can have good news about Andreas," Tuchel added. 

"I understood the club wants the same, the player wants the same, the coach wants the same – to stay – and that’s why we need the commitment and can continue.

"We've been waiting a long time now for confirmation. 

"He tells us that he loves Chelsea, that he wants to stay and play a big part. He is a big part of a big club. I think he's a perfect fit and I hope that he's not done yet here. 

"He can still develop and be a big, big player. We want the commitment and hopefully, we get it."

Thomas Tuchel is adamant Romelu Lukaku will make a significant impact for Chelsea upon his return from injury, but insists the Blues must be patient with the striker.

Club-record signing Lukaku has netted four goals in 12 appearances since returning from Inter for a second spell at Stamford Bridge.

But, the Belgium international has missed the past month with an ankle injury.

He returned as a late substitute in the weekend draw with former club Manchester United, and could start against Watford on Wednesday.

Tuchel has no doubt of the quality that Lukaku will contribute to the Blues' cause when fully back up to speed.

But the head coach insists that for now, patience with the 28-year-old is a virtue.

"We showed with him and we showed without him that we're capable of scoring and capable of winning," Tuchel said.

"I think it's a process of adapting in both ways; the team will adapt to him and he will adapt to the team.

"The most important thing is that he becomes fit and gains fitness and a physical level that he can start for us. The rest, I'm pretty sure will take care of itself.

"I'm absolutely convinced and have zero doubts that he will have a huge impact on our team once he's back.

"He's pushing every single day and pushing everybody to try to be out on the pitch again. He tries to convince us that he's ready to start. 

"We gave him some minutes [against Man United], which helps him psychologically and this is very important, but he is determined and trains on a very high level. 

"Once we have the opinion that he's fully fit, I think he's ready to go and contribute what he can, which is a lot.

"We still believe that he can make the difference for us but at the same time, we will be patient."

Tuchel is also hopeful it is only a matter of time before Andreas Christensen signs a new deal with the club.

The defender, whose contract is set to expire at the end of the season, has made 13 appearances for the Blues in all competitions this term.

"We think we can have good news about Andreas," Tuchel added. 

"I understood the club wants the same, the player wants the same, the coach wants the same – to stay – and that’s why we need the commitment and can continue.

"We've been waiting a long time now for confirmation. 

"He tells us that he loves Chelsea, that he wants to stay and play a big part. He is a big part of a big club. I think he's a perfect fit and I hope that he's not done yet here. 

"He can still develop and be a big, big player. We want the commitment and hopefully, we get it."

Liverpool have two reunions with fan favourites coming up in the space of 10 days.

While Steven Gerrard will bring his Aston Villa team to Anfield on December 11, Liverpool first make the short trip to Goodison Park to face the manager under which they enjoyed their best spell of the 21st century prior to Jurgen Klopp's arrival.

Rafael Benitez was a contentious appointment, to say the least, when he replaced Carlo Ancelotti at Everton.

After a strong start to his tenure at Goodison Park, a combination of injuries to key players and questionable tactical decisions have left Benitez under pressure.

Everton are on a seven-match winless run in the league, their worst run since 2016, and a streak of just one victory in 10 matches across all competition. 

It does not look pretty, the mood around each club could hardly be more different, and the last thing Benitez needs is a reunion with a fanbase that once idolised him and may well be singing his name again on Wednesday.

Where did it all go wrong?

Benitez has inherited a mess and Everton's director of football Marcel Brands and majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri must face scrutiny. The Spaniard, however, must ultimately shoulder part of the blame for the current malaise.

Of Everton's Premier League managers, only Howard Kendall (in his ill-fated third spell at the club) and Walter Smith took fewer points than Benitez's tally of 15 across their first 13 league games.

Everton went unbeaten in their three league derbies under Ancelotti, albeit they did suffer a 1-0 loss to very much a second-string Liverpool side in the FA Cup in January 2020.

However, Ancelotti oversaw Everton's first derby victory since October 2010 when the Toffees beat Liverpool 2-0 at Anfield in February, ending a winless run at that ground stretching back to September 1999.

That win at an empty Anfield inflicted a fourth successive home league defeat on Liverpool for the first time since 1923 and left the Merseyside rivals level in the race for Champions League qualification.

Since then, Everton have won just nine of their 27 Premier League outings, losing 11, with Liverpool winning 17 of 26, only suffering three defeats. The Reds have scored 62 goals, 36 more than their city rivals, while only Chelsea's defence is stingier of sides to have been in the top tier for the entirety of that timeframe.

If Evertonians hoped a corner had been turned in February, Klopp's team have proved they are still worlds apart.

Similar derby records... differing approaches

Speaking of Klopp, he has won seven Merseyside derbies since joining Liverpool in 2015, drawing five and suffering that solitary defeat. 

Benitez will be the sixth Everton boss Klopp has faced, and the German holds an impressive record over his Liverpool predecessor, winning four of seven meetings, losing just once, when Napoli beat Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in the 2013-14 Champions League group stage.

Liverpool also won their last three league games against Benitez's Newcastle by an aggregate score of 9-2. 

This game will take Klopp onto the same amount of Merseyside derbies that Benitez managed as Liverpool boss. The former Real Madrid coach oversaw 14 meetings with David Moyes' Everton, winning eight and losing only three times. The Toffees' failures in this fixture have not been limited to the past decade.

Across the last seven matches, Benitez's team rank 17th for possession (39.5 per cent), joint-18th for shots on target (21) and joint-20th for goals (four), albeit they have underperformed their expected goals (xG) value (7.58) – the absence of Dominic Calvert-Lewin has not helped this.

Liverpool, on the other hand, have scored a league-leading 24 times in that time. Their xG of 16.4 also tops the competition, though it does suggest their finishing is above the standard that would be expected based on the quality of the chances.

Their high press has been back at its best, with no team producing more high turnovers (sequences that start in open play and begin 40 metres or less from the opponent's goal) than the Reds' 145. Everton's 78 ranks above only Watford (74) and Tottenham (72).

Another concern for Benitez will be Everton's tally of 101 high turnovers against. This ranks 11th in the league, but an issue for the Toffees all season has been an inability to keep the ball for sustained spells, even if it has been their aim to counter-attack. Their number of sequences of 10+ passes stands at 63 (16th). Liverpool's total is 220, placing them behind only Manchester City (283).

Everton had just 22.7 per cent of the ball in their recent 3-0 defeat to Manchester City, allowing 17 shots. It is hard to imagine Wednesday's statistics turning out much differently.

Injuries giving Toffees the blues

Mohamed Salah came seventh in the Ballon d'Or voting but if he continues his current form into 2022 then he could be a shoo-in for next year's award. He has been sensational, scoring 17 times in 18 appearances across all competitions, and also leads the league in assists (eight). 

Salah scores every 92 minutes, on average, while Sadio Mane has bounced back from his struggles last season with seven league goals.

Mane has played in 14 derbies, contributing to seven goals, scoring five himself, while Salah has netted twice across five appearances against Everton.

While Liverpool's talismanic duo head into Wednesday's fixture in fine fettle, Everton are in the midst of an injury crisis that has exposed their weak squad.

Richarlison should return from suspension and Abdoulaye Doucoure played at Brentford, but Calvert-Lewin and Yerry Mina remain out.

Calvert-Lewin has been a huge miss but the influence of Doucoure and Mina should not be understated.

With the pair playing, Everton have won three of six league games, averaging 1.8 goals for and 1.3 goals against, picking up 1.8 points per game. Without at least one of them, Everton have won just one of seven and averaged 1.7 goals against and 0.7 goals for. Their points per game drops to 0.6.

Liverpool's last league win over Everton came on December 4, 2019, a 5-2 thrashing at Anfield marking the end of Marco Silva's tenure.

Eight of Liverpool's last nine top-tier trips to Goodison have finished level but, unless Benitez can pull off an unexpected result, his fate may be similar. 

Arsenal and Liverpool great Ray Kennedy has died at the age of 70.

Kennedy, whose death was announced on Tuesday, was a major figure in English football in the 1970s and 1980s as he won almost every trophy there was to win.

He played an integral role in the Gunners' domestic double-winning 1971 side and scored 71 goals in 212 games before his 1974 move to Merseyside.

At Liverpool, he was transformed from a forward into a midfielder, winning five league titles and three European Cups during a seven-and-a-half-year stay at Anfield.

Though his arrival was overshadowed by the departure of the Reds' greatest manager Bill Shankly, Kennedy managed 393 appearances for Liverpool and scored 72 times.

Later moves to Swansea City, Hartlepool and Cypriot outfit Pezoporikos followed for Kennedy, who also boasted 17 England caps and three international goals.

Health issues ultimately led to Kennedy being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in the mid-1980s.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Liverpool said: "We are mourning legendary former player Ray Kennedy, who has passed away at the age of 70.

"The thoughts of everybody at Liverpool Football Club are with Ray's family and friends at this sad and difficult time."

Arsenal said in a tribute: "For Arsenal fans fortunate enough to have witnessed Ray Kennedy in action, the image will remain of a teenage striking colossus, dominating opposition defences as his goals led the club to one of the game’s greatest achievements and something his name will always be associated with – the double.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Ray’s family and friends."

The Football Association issued its own salute to Kennedy via the England national team Twitter, saying: "We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Ray Kennedy at the age of 70. Ray won 17 caps for the Three Lions between 1976 and 1980, scoring three times. All of our thoughts go out to his family, friends and former clubs."

Liverpool have the class to "walk the game" when they tackle Everton in Wednesday's derby, and former Reds defender Stephen Warnock believes that would pile pressure on Rafael Benitez.

A series of worrying injuries have hampered Everton in recent weeks, and they will be without Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Yerry Mina and Tom Davies for this midweek tussle.

Warnock has sympathy for Benitez, whom he played under at Liverpool, but he feels the big game will only go one way unless Everton can raise their levels.

A run of seven games without a win in the Premier League, their longest such streak since 2016, has seen Everton plummet to 14th in the Premier League going into the midweek round of games.

As a former Liverpool boss, Benitez needed a strong start to earn the affections of those on the blue side of the city, and having seen his team lose their way after promising early signs, he can ill afford a bruising defeat to the Reds.

"Rafa's reign sort of started well, but then it's gone probably horribly wrong for him," Warnock told Stats Perform.

"But you have to look at injuries to key players – Dominic Calvert-Lewin being injured, Richarlison was out for a long time, [Abdoulaye] Doucoure [was] a huge, huge miss in the midfield.

"I look at Ben Godfrey and he's obviously suffered a little bit from long COVID. The effects of that have been tough on him.

"But when you look at Everton, if Everton went into the derby with their strongest team, I think it'd be a competitive game. But if you look at the teams on paper, Liverpool will walk the game, it'll be a comfortable game.

"I think Rafa needs a result in the game, because if he doesn't get then I think the fans could possibly start to turn on him a little bit."

Warnock made his Liverpool breakthrough in the 2004-05 season but missed out on Benitez's teams for the Champions League and League Cup finals in that season.

He considers Benitez a mastermind when it comes to creating a game plan, but not the ideal man for rallying players to the cause.

"Well, I don't think man-management is his biggest strength, if I am being completely honest," said former England international Warnock.

"Rafa is more of a tactical genius, if you like, he understands how to set teams up.

"You've got to understand that that's his strength, but he has to have people in and around him, who are good at man-management, understanding the players what their needs are.

"He's not the type of manager who's going to put an arm around you. He doesn't have that sort of that personality to do that. But if you want someone who's going to sort of be able to take a team forward tactically, then Rafa is your man."

Benitez knows the significance of Wednesday's game and has called on his players to generate a spicy atmosphere, the sort that can allow underdogs to overturn expectations.

In the 1980s, these were the dominant sides in English football, and although Liverpool remain serious silverware contenders, Warnock says the game remains a significant occasion in the city. 

"The Merseyside derby will always be more special to me, purely because I grew up a Liverpool fan. I understand what it means," he said.

"I come from a split household, where myself and my mum are Reds, and my dad and my brother are Blues, and that's the way it is quite a lot around Merseyside.

"But come derby day, it's changed a lot in the last sort of five or 10 years. It has got a little bit more hostile, it used to be a friendly derby, but now that's changed.

"And I love it. I love derby day. I think it's always a special occasion to play in those games, to be up the ground, to take it all in. Yeah, enjoyable games."

Rafael Benitez believes the Goodison Park support will be crucial when Everton host rivals Liverpool in the Merseyside derby.

The Toffees welcome rampant Liverpool having failed to win any of their last seven matches; their joint-third longest such run in the Premier League, and longest since 2016 under Roberto Martinez.

Everton sit 14th in the table having collected just 15 points, with only Howard Kendall (13) and Walter Smith (12) registering fewer than Benitez in their first 13 Premier League games in charge of the club.

The Spaniard, who was Liverpool boss between 2004 and 2010 and guided the Reds to Champions League glory in 2005, has also won only once in 10 league games against sides he has previously managed in the English top-flight, as he aims to guide Everton to a second successive top-flight Merseyside derby win for the first time since 1984-85.

Meanwhile, Liverpool arrive unbeaten in their last 10 away Premier League matches against the Toffees and Jurgen Klopp's side have scored at least twice in each of their last nine league games away from Anfield.

Although the form book does not favour Everton, Benitez insists that anything is possible with the Goodison faithful right behind the team. 

"A derby is a derby, everything can change," he told a news conference. "It depends on the atmosphere, how well we can do, and the connection with the fans. If we can create a good atmosphere, anything can happen.

"A derby is always special. Here, the passion is massive; we know it's really important for everyone. I want to win and do well, for us as a team it's important to bring back the confidence.

"The fans are intelligent, they know we need them. They're crucial and the main thing for us. I think they will realise how important they are for the players

"We have to stay focused, go back to the principle of defending as a unit. After, we try to play the best way possible on the ball, if we have to play counter-attack then do it."

Benitez's pleas may well fall on deaf ears, however. He was a contentious and, in some quarters, unpopular selection with the Everton fanbase, given his Liverpool connections.

Indeed, while a good start to the season allayed some of those concerns, injuries have hit Everton's squad hard and Benitez has so far struggled to fully adapt.

Should they fail to beat Liverpool, it will mean Everton have won just one game in 10 across all competitions, with that run including an EFL Cup exit at Queens Park Rangers and a humiliating 5-2 home defeat to Watford.

Everton will be able to welcome Richarlison back from suspension while Andre Gomes is available for the first time since September, but Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Yerry Mina remain sidelined.

Jack Grealish is finding life at Manchester City tougher than expected but is relishing the opportunity of playing in the Champions League.

Grealish left boyhood club Aston Villa for a British record £100 million fee ahead of the 2021-22 season as he joined Pep Guardiola's already impressive wealth of attacking riches.

The England international has since made his Champions League debut, scoring against RB Leipzig in September, while featuring regularly for City in the Premier League until suffering an injury on international duty with England earlier in November.

Grealish, who might be fit to face his former club on Wednesday, conceded the task of European football, and adapting to his new club, has been far more challenging than expected.

However, he in no way regrets his decision to swap Birmingham for Manchester.

"You only get one shot at your career and it just flies by," Grealish told The Telegraph. "I feel Villa are going towards that [Europe] but I just didn't know how long it was going to take for us. 

"If I hadn't come here, I would have regretted it forever. I remember hearing Michael Owen say the same about Real Madrid.

"You look at most of my England team-mates – I was probably one of the last to play [in the] Champions League. You could probably count two or three who haven't, such as Kalvin Phillips or Sam Johnstone.

"It's the one we all want to win. The manager has come here and won everything else, we're all desperate to win it and I've come here to try and help them.

"I've got so much more to give. I've found it a lot more difficult than I thought I would, adapting to a different manager and team-mates. 

"At first I thought I'd have more of the ball, get more assists and goals but it doesn't work like that at all. I've had nowhere near as much of the ball as I used to get at Villa."

Grealish has started in all of his nine appearances in the Premier League for City, who are a point behind leaders Chelsea after 13 games, but, as he explains himself, he is seeing less of the ball as a part of Guardiola's remarkable depth of attackers.

Grealish attempted 4.53 dribbles per 90 minutes in the league for Villa last term, which has reduced to 3.39 with City and this may have translated into his final output.

With Villa, he scored or assisted every 137 minutes, a figure that goes up to 248 this term with just one top-flight goal and two assists to his name.

He managed six goals and 10 assists in 26 appearances last season, creating 3.34 chances per match and shooting 2.06 times. Again, this falls to 3.15 for the former and 1.94 for the latter with the reigning champions.

Grealish also revealed he came close to joining City's neighbours Manchester United in 2020.

"I was really close to going, but nothing happened in the end," he said of the potential United transfer. "We played United in a pre-season game on [the] Saturday and I wasn't supposed to play in a cup game at Burton. 

"But after the United game I said to [Christian] Purslow [Villa's chief executive] and my agent [David Manasseh] 'if I'm not leaving, I'll sign my new contract'.

"I went in with my dog on Tuesday morning, signed the deal, and played later that day. We all agreed on the clause and if any team hit that, it's a win-win because it means I've had an unbelievable season and Villa got £100 million."

Reiterating how difficult it was to move on from his former club, Grealish added: "You can't imagine how hard it was for me to leave.

"I was a bit surprised by some of the backlash when I left. I'd never want a toxic relationship with anyone there. I owe everything to them and I wouldn’t be at City without Villa.

"If I score, I'm not going to be celebrating. At the end of the day, I'm Jack Grealish from Solihull who loves the Villa."

Mohamed Salah was thrilled to emulate "legends in football" by winning the Golden Foot award, as he credited Didier Drogba for motivating him to break Premier League records.

Salah ranked seventh for the Ballon d'Or on Tuesday as Lionel Messi collected his record-extending seventh accolade.

However, the Egypt forward was named the Golden Foot winner on the same day, an award given to standout performers for their athletic achievements – both as individuals and team players – and personality.

The trophy, which was won by Cristiano Ronaldo in 2020 and Luka Modric the year before, is only given to active players aged 28 and above, while players can only claim the title once. The victor also leaves a permanent mould of their footprints on the 'Champions Promenade' on the Monaco seafront.

After triumphing among 10 nominees, which are chosen by a panel of international journalists before an online poll decides the winner, Salah expressed his delight following more individual success.

"It's great to win any award, but this one is special because a lot of legends in football have won it, so it's something special to win," Salah said after winning the award in Monte Carlo.

 

Salah sits top of the English top-flight scoring charts this term with 11 goals to his name, having also become the third-fastest player to 150 Premier League goal involvements with his assist for Diogo Jota in Saturday's 4-0 win over Southampton.

The Liverpool forward achieved the feat in just 171 games, with only Alan Shearer (148) and Thierry Henry (163) reaching the milestone in fewer appearances.

Salah, who now has 108 goals along with 42 assists, also previously surpassed Didier Drogba (104 goals) as the Premier League's top African goalscorer in the competition's history with his hat-trick in the 5-0 rout of Manchester United in October.

Asked about breaking yet another record and overtaking African legend Drogba, the 29-year-old responded: "Well, I'm always trying to find the motivation inside me, just to drive me to give my best. 

"I don't know exactly, but that was one of the motivations to break his record. He of course is a legend. We know each other, he is my friend. So, it was a motivation for me to break his record, which I did."

Liverpool cruised through their Champions League group after just four games and are third in the league, two points behind leaders Chelsea after 13 games.

Having already achieved Premier League success with the Reds in 2019-20 and continental joy with Jurgen Klopp's side the season before, Salah refused to pick which trophy he would prefer to win this term. 

Instead, he wants both.

"Well, I always say that I love always to win the Champions League," he added. The Premier League… I would pick both. I think hopefully we can do both again this season."

While the 29-year-old now dominates English and European football, he initially struggled during his time at Chelsea between 2014-16.

A subsequent move to Fiorentina on loan and then a permanent switch to Roma, following another season on loan there, shaped Salah's career and he appreciates the influence Serie A has had on his career.

"I think it's helped me a lot," he continued when asked about his experiences in Italy.

"When I was in Chelsea, I had to change my football, I had to change to the culture. I felt that I needed to change my football, so I went to Italy. I played good and that helped me to be where I am at the moment."

Pep Guardiola praised Jack Grealish for "starting perfectly" at Manchester City but is unsure if the playmaker will be fit to feature against former club Aston Villa on Wednesday,

Grealish has featured in 15 of City's 21 matches since joining the club from Villa in a £100m British record transfer from Aston Villa in August, starting 13 of those.

The 26-year-old was an unused substitute for the derby win over Manchester United on November 6 and has not played since due to a knock sustained on England duty.

He returned to training on Monday and will be monitored ahead of Wednesday's clash at Villa Park, where he spent 20 years – seven as a first-team regular – prior to joining City.

Grealish has a lot of work to do in order to repay his hefty price tag, but Guardiola has been pleased with the attacking midfielder's impact thus far when fit and available.

"He has started perfectly," Guardiola said of Grealish at Tuesday's pre-match news conference. 

"It's easy because of our English players and the other guys here are nice people. He's played good but needs more time to settle." 

Grealish has scored two goals and assisted three more this term, while his tally of seven big chances created is the joint-most of any City player alongside Joao Cancelo.

However, the 3.15 chances Grealish has created per 90 minutes in the Premier League this season is down on the 3.34 managed in his final campaign with Villa.

He is also attempting fewer dribbles (3.39 compared to 4.53) for City and is being fouled less frequently (down from 4.53 to 2.66), a sign that he is getting at opponents less.

Guardiola puts down that down to the contrasting styles of City and next opponents Villa.

"If you analyse games, he hasn't played badly. The way we play and our expectations are different to Villa," Guardiola said.

"He did incredibly well at Villa. His commitment to the club to stay and get promoted was amazing. 

"Now he has come back from the international break injured. Hopefully he comes back and step by step finds his form. 

"We have six, seven months ahead of us. I don't think we will have to wait until next season to see the best Jack Grealish – I'm thinking this season."

Providing an update on City's other recent absentees, Guardiola confirmed Kevin De Bruyne has returned a negative coronavirus test but has yet to train.

Phil Foden remains doubtful having trained only once, while Ferran Torres is a long-term absentee and Aymeric Laporte is suspended.

"All the people who have had coronavirus say it drains them and Kevin needs time to show his form," Guardiola said. 

"Phil and Jack are still in the same situation. Maybe tomorrow they can play but not a lot of minutes – we're going to see after they train today.

"The rest, we have just 14 or 15 players. But I trust this squad a lot. If one is out, another comes in.

"December is the toughest month of the year for us and we are in trouble because we have so few players available."

Wednesday's match at Villa Park will be the first managerial encounter between Guardiola and new Villa boss Steven Gerrard.

Guardiola has lost just three of his 64 Premier League games against English managers, coming against Roy Hodgson (December 2018), Frank Lampard (June 2020) and Graham Potter (May 2021).

Gerrard has won his first two Villa games since arriving from Rangers – no manager in the club's history has won their first three matches – and Guardiola is expecting a tough test in the Midlands.

"He's managing in the Premier League, so he is already a good manager," Guardiola said. "I don't believe there's a manager in the Premier League, even the Championship, who isn't good. 

"They can train good players in good clubs to punch for the titles. There are incredible managers in all aspects and maybe they win titles because they are lucky to train a good team.

"I can imagine with a new manager everybody steps forward for training sessions and methodology to convince the manager. 

"They have had two good results against tough teams like Brighton and Crystal Palace. It will be the toughest game possible tomorrow."

Jurgen Klopp has questioned what more Robert Lewandowski could have done to win the Ballon d'Or after the Bayern Munich striker missed out on the award.

Lionel Messi scooped the accolade for a seventh time on Monday, but many felt this would be Lewandowski's time to take the glory.

Klopp benefited from the brilliance of Lewandowski when both men were at Borussia Dortmund, with the Poland international scoring 103 goals before switching to Bayern.

At club level, Lewandowski has scored 53 goals already in 2021, with six assists taking him to 59 goal involvements, the most in Europe's top five leagues.

Messi sits fifth on that list (32 goals, 12 assists) but helped Argentina to win the Copa America, thereby winning one of the few trophies that had eluded him.

That likely tipped the vote his way, with Messi's form since leaving Barcelona to join Paris Saint-Germain in August having so far been sketchy by his mercurial standards.

Asked initially whether he was surprised there were six players who ranked higher than Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, Klopp said: "I was surprised to be honest, but it's not in my hands. If you think he should be higher up, then you'll have to convince your colleagues."

Then Klopp turned his focus to Lewandowski, a player he once described as the best he has ever coached. Lewandowski was second to Messi for the coveted Ballon d'Or, which is voted for by journalists from across the world.

The 33-year-old scored 41 Bundesliga goals last season, breaking a record for the most in the division that was previously held by Gerd Muller.

"I think that you always can give it to Lionel Messi for the career he has and the footballer he is, all these kinds of things, but if you don't give it to Robert Lewandowski this time then it's quite tricky to get it at all," said the Liverpool boss.

"And yes, Mo definitely should have been high up."

 

Lewandowski would also have been a frontrunner in 2020, only for organisers France Football to cancel the awards due to the impact of the COVID-19 enforced break in the football year.

He managed 57 goals involvements (45 goals, 12 assists) in 2020, which was 10 more than Cristiano Ronaldo (41 goals, 6 assists), who had the second-most in the elite leagues, and 12 ahead of Messi (26 goals, 19 assists).

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