More game time goal as Cahill ditches City
chance. It’s the truth, eh? No stories of Lacazette, David Silva. All the truth.”
Wenger ruled Lacazette out of Arsenal’s meeting with United due to a groin injury, only for the French striker to play the 90 minutes and score his side’s goal.
Mourinho joked Arsenal’s medical team had performed SOCCEROOS great Tim Cahill has negotiated an exit from A-League side Melbourne City as he seeks the perfect preparation for next year’s World Cup.
Yesterday – his birthday – Cahill and City tore up his playing deal, allowing the striker to find a club to give him the game time he craves ahead of Russia 2018.
But whether Cahill has enhanced or diminished his prospects of starring at a fourth tournament remains to be seen.
Cahill has effectively put his country — and his own ambitions to join an elite three-man group including Pele as a scorer at four tournaments — ahead of City by walking out on the club.
The veteran went public with his demand for more playing time in the aftermath an “amazing” feat by turning Lacazette “from a no to a complete 90 minutes”.
Silva, meanwhile, has been left out of City’s squad for its game at Shakhtar Donetsk overnight due to an unspecified injury, with Guardiola saying he does not know if the Spaniard will be fit for Sunday’s trip to Old Trafford. of Australia’s 3-1 win Honduras that sealed Socceroos’ place in Russia.
Cahill has started just one A-League game for City this season, in which he injured his ankle ahead of the Honduras playoff. over the
One player unlikely to feature for United against City is left-back Luke Shaw, who has been frozen out by Mourinho but produced an enterprising display on his return to the starting XI against CSKA.
“Very positive performance, especially with the ball going forward,” Mourinho said.
“Really dangerous, creating
Showdown talks between Cahill and club coach Warren Joyce failed to resolve the situation — leading to the Socceroos’ record goalscorer packing his bags.
“Qualifying for the World Cup has been a great a lot, great intensity in his game. No surprise that in minute 80 he’s feeling the consequences of that intensity.
“He’s been deserving that opportunity for a long time and he’s going to get more because the performance was really positive.”
United fell behind when Vitinho’s shot from Mario Fer- adventure, and it would be a massive honour to represent my country in Russia. That will be my focus in the coming months,” Cahill said in a statement.
Cahill has yet to announce his next destination but will spend at least the next month without the ability to play competitively, given the closed international transfer window.
His departure statement suggests his time in Australia is up. At 38, he is unlikely to return to Europe.
Leagues in the United States and China – where he has previously played – are in off-season, as are Japan and South Korea.
A more likely destination could be the UAE. The Arabian Gulf League’s transfer window opens next week, with a brief break before the resumption of matches in early January. nandes’s cut-back struck teammate Alan Dzagoev on its way into the net.
Dzagoev appeared to be in an offside position, but the goal was allowed to stand.
United turned the game around with two goals in two minutes from Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford to progress as Group A winner. PA
“Playing in the domestic league in Australia was always an important career goal for me, and my experience here has been fulfilling from start to finish,” Cahill said.
He scored the only goal in the 2016 FFA Cup final, capturing the first trophy for City’s senior men’s team.
Cahill’s departure comes amid major ructions at the ALeague club.
Joyce has overlooked several players, including Cahill, in his desire to chart a new course for the club – which has struggled for on and off-field success in eight seasons in the league.
Joyce said City would be weaker without Cahill.
“I have appreciated the contribution he has made both on and off the field and the dedication he has shown in training,” he said. AAP