Lars deal called off
SOUTHEND have scrapped plans to appoint Henrik Larsson as their manager.
The League
One side wanted former Celtic and Barcelona striker Larsson (right), 48, to replace Kevin Bond.
But the deal collapsed when Tommy Johnson, a member of Larsson’s team, took another job.
Shrimpers chairman Ron Martin said: “All discussions have come to an end.” LIVERPOOL should crack open the champagne and toast their first league title in 30 years – despite the season being just eight games old.
That is the claim of Harry Redknapp, who reckons Jurgen Klopp has the Premier League crown already wrapped up.
Klopp’s Champions League holders boast an eight-point lead over Manchester City and are in pole position to end their three-decade wait for a domestic championship.
And having watched City’s bid for a third consecutive title fizzle out with two shock defeats this season, Redknapp expects the trophy to be heading to Merseyside in May.
He said: “Give Liverpool the trophy now. They are eight points clear and playing well. If Manchester City were playing great then maybe not. But they have lost to Wolves at home and they lost at Norwich.
“So they have lost two games that they usually wouldn’t. They haven’t even played the tough games yet, they have got them to come. I can’t see Man City doing it.”
Former Tottenham boss Redknapp (right) believes City boss Pep Guardiola will prioritise the Champions League – a competition he won twice as Barcelona manager but one that has so far eluded him at City.
“I think if they are going to win anything this year, it will be the Champions League,” Redknapp added. “They want to win that. “Liverpool will want to win the Premier League. They’ve won the Champions League. Now they want to win the league. And I think that is what we will see this year.” While the blue half of Manchester bids for top honours, City’s fierce rivals United are enduring the worst start to a Premier League campaign in 30 years. And Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s fallen giants have already been ruled out of the topfour race by Redknapp.
He added: “I can’t see them finishing in the top four, no way. I’ll be honest with you, I watched their Arsenal game the other week and there wasn’t a player on the pitch who would have got in the Man United team of a few years ago.
“Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Teddy Sheringham. They were different class.
“Everyone keeps saying how great the game is nowadays but there wasn’t one player on that pitch who would have got into those teams.”
HARRY REDKNAPP was speaking at a McDonald’s Fun Football Session where he helped deliver the 2,000,000th hour of the Fun Football programme. To sign up for a free session near you head to mcdonalds.co.uk/funfootball throughout 2019, with Luis Enrique’s successor having preferred the Basque.
However, Kepa’s late error in Norway on Saturday – he gave away a penalty in the 1-1 draw – saw De Gea get the nod in Stockholm, although Arrizabalaga came on as sub.
Before his injury, De Gea had been in superb form.
He even did brilliantly to deny Marcus Berg’s header before Emil Forsberg followed up to put Sweden ahead in the 50th minute. Moreno Rodrigo equalised late on to book Spain’s place in the finals.