Schlupp’s backing injury-hit Palace
THE DAYS
Nicolas is a very, very good player. Sometimes we come from a different league and it takes time to adapt, off the pitch and on.”
Pepe could be on the bench again as Ljungberg takes charge at the Emirates for the first time against Brighton tonight.
Arsenal have failed to win any of their last eight games in all competitions and have not recorded a clean sheet in two months.
Having shipped an average of two goals per game in that time, tightening the defence against the Seagulls is Ljungberg’s priority. “It would be great if we had a few more training sessions to keep working on things,” he said.
“That’s going to be a theme, working on defending for a long time. We have a lot of quality but that’s one thing we need to fix ASAP.”
Ljungberg, a fan favourite during his nine years at Arsenal, is also aware his team need to regain the backing of the crowd.
The atmosphere turned sour towards the end of Emery’s reign and thousands stayed away from his final game, a Europa League defeat against Eintracht Frankfurt.
“When it comes to the Emirates, the fans want us to win games and play good football,” Ljungberg added.
“The only way to get a good atmosphere in the stadium is to do that, whether it’s with me or someone else as coach.”
ARSENAL (probable): Leno; Bellerin, Chambers, Luiz, Kolasinac; Xhaka, Guendouzi; Ozil, Willock, Aubameyang; Lacazette.
BRIGHTON (probable): Ryan; Webster, Dunk, Burn; Montoya, Stephens, Propper, Bernardo; Alzate, Maupay, Connolly.
CRYSTAL PALACE match-winner Jeffrey Schlupp says the squad can cope despite a defensive injury crisis following Tuesday’s 1-0 victory over Bournemouth.
The utility man fired home with 14 minutes left after coming on to replace injured left-back
Patrick van Aanholt to give Roy Hodgson’s 10 men a Premier League win after Mamadou Sakho’s dismissal.
But the main issue for the Eagles is who to play in defence at Watford on Saturday.
Sakho will be banned after his 19th-minute red card and Gary Cahill (knee) and Scott Dann (ankle)
FORMER Macclesfield boss Sol Campbell wants the League Two club to be wound up because debts have not been paid.
Judge Catherine
Addy was told that Macclesfield bosses owed a “very large” amount of tax as well as more than £180,000 to Campbell, above. Tax officials have are not 100 per cent fit, so midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate may have to do a job again, having impressed at Selhurst.
Asked if the squad can overcome injuries, Schlupp, below, said: “Definitely. Cheikhou did an unbelievable job for us and he has played in that position before.
“With myself having to drop in at left-back, I have played there many a time, so you do what you have to do.”
Van Aanholt has a hamstring problem but Palace manager Hodgson would not rule out Cahill and Dann being fit to face Watford, though only the former seems likely to recover in time. asked for the club to close and Campbell, now manager at Southend, backed that move, lawyers told Judge Addy at a hearing in the Insolvency and Companies Court in London. Macclesfield will get time to clear debts and the case will be reconsidered on December 18.
ON THIS DATE IN SPORTING HISTORY
1863: The first rules of association football were published in Bell’s Life.
1908: Sunderland scored eight goals in the last 28 minutes – five in the last eight – to win their First Division North-east derby against Newcastle 9-1. 1928: England beat Australia by a record 675 runs in the Brisbane Test. The tourists made 521 and 342-8 declared and Australia totalled 122 and 66.
1960: Southampton’s Derek Reeves became the first to score five goals in the League Cup, in a 5-4 win over Leeds that lasted two hours, 40 minutes due to floodlight failures. 2006: Shane Warne took 4-49 as England lost the second Test in Adelaide by six wickets. 2009: Amir Khan kept his WBA light-welterweight title by beating Dmitriy Salita in 76 seconds.