WAGNER AIMS FOR GAME, SET AND REMATCH
N KLOPP has talks are underway European stars as pect of Champions ootball makes his recruitment drive easier.
CHRISTIAN BENTEKE has been told to forget about trying to make a point when he returns to Liverpool tomorrow.
Crystal Palace boss Sam Allardyce insists the striker (above) has nothing to prove at Anfield – despite enduring a 12-month nightmare at the club.
The Belgium international, 26, was shipped out by Reds boss Jurgen Klopp last summer, just a year after previous manager Brendan Rodgers shelled out £32.5million to sign him from Aston Villa (in action for the Reds, below).
Allardyce said: “It wasn’t a very good experience for him at Anfield. It wasn’t what he wanted or expected. What you have to do is move on.
“It didn’t happen at Liverpool but it certainly happened at Aston Villa, and it’s certainly happening with us at Crystal Palace. “He’s our leading goalscorer, he’s got 12 in a struggling team. Twelve Premier League goals proves how good a centreforward he is.
“It’s a little like Andy Carroll, who was disregarded by Liverpool. We brought him in at West Ham and he has been a major part of their success in staying and moving on in the Premier League.
“Christian can hopefully be that for Crystal Palace.”
As for tomorrow’s game, Allardyce said: “If you go back to one of your old clubs, you always want to show them what they might be missing.
“He will want to do very well, but I don’t want him to lose what he’s been offering the team recently by being overzealous, and trying to do too much to prove how good he is.”
Allardyce is anxious for his side to tie up their Premier League status as quickly as possible so the planning for next season can begin.
He added: “We can’t plan until our status is secured, because we still have the Championship in the back of our minds. We have got six games to save ourselves, and we want to do it as quickly as possible.” HUDDERSFIELD boss David Wagner is out to serve up a treat after declaring today’s clash with Fulham “match point”.
And the German (above) has revealed his aces are extra motivated by their 5-0 reversal at Craven Cottage in October.
Victory for the Terriers will seal a top six place and Wagner is determined that there are no further double faults like last time.
Wagner said: “This is our match point to secure for sure a play-off spot and I think everything is prepared.
“We have to come to our best on Saturday, but I am totally sure that the supporters will be immediately behind us and will create a match-point atmosphere.
“We are aware this is a match point, a match point at home, a match point against Fulham, where I think we have the chance to correct something when we think about the first game which we played against them.
“But Fulham is a tough opponent, everybody knows this is the strongest offence in the division.
“We will hopefully make the right decisions in terms of our squad – starting XI, bench – that we will be able to use our match point.”
This is a big game too for sixth-place Fulham who have just goal difference keeping them above Leeds in seventh.
Boss Slavisa Jokanovic said: “We need to be optimistic, we need to push ourselves, we need to show ambition. The day that we are completely satisfied is going to be a very, very dangerous day for all of us.
“But we are fully confident in this moment and we believe we can win all the games.”