OUT IF MOVE
enough if Chelsea lose at home to Wolves. United have stuttered in the past fortnight, but Solskjaer is banking on the fearlessness of youth, particularly in-form teenage striker Mason Greenwood, to see them home.
But United will be given a tough time, and former Leicester boss Micky Adams reckons keeper David de Gea should be put under pressure from the start.
The Spain goalkeeper has put in some shaky performances recently, especially against Chelsea in a 3-1 FA Cup semi-final defeat at Wembley last weekend.
Adams, who managed Leicester from 2002-2004, says Brendan Rodgers’ players will be ready to unsettle the beleaguered star.
“Leicester always put pressure on goalkeepers,” he said. “They get the ball forward and aren’t afraid to launch it into the box.
“They will target any keeper that’s having a difficult time and De Gea is no different to anybody.
“But because he’s at Manchester United there’s even more scrutiny, and it’s not helped by how well Dean Henderson has played on loan at Sheffield United.”
United midfielder Bruno Fernandes has been a standout performer since his arrival in January, and Adams added: “Another factor will be making sure Fernandes doesn’t get any time on the ball.
‘‘Give good players time and they hurt you, so they must close him down.’’
FRANK LAMPARD heads into a make-or-break week for Chelsea’s season, insisting: Don’t judge me on a few days.
The Blues’ Champions League ambitions are on the line today as they host Wolves, still needing a point to secure qualification, before facing Arsenal in the FA Cup Final.
Emerge triumphant on both fronts and everyone will be hailing Lampard’s first year in the Stamford Bridge hot-seat a resounding success.
However, miss out on either or both and Lampard is well aware how quickly the knives will be out. He said: “I don’t feel like it absolutely depends on the next week because some things are slightly out of control when it comes to one game.
“When I think of the strides we’ve made, generally, as a team, how we’ve looked to next year and how our summer window may be, hopefully there’ll be really positive things to come.all I’ve done is get us in this
WHO was the best transfer signing of the season? It’s a question forever asked in football, and this season there is only one answer: Bruno Fernandes.
His arrival at Manchester United in the winter window for a fee that could rise to £68million has proved to be an inspired move.
The Portuguese midfielder (above) instantly transformed the club’s campaign, lifting them out of gloom and sparking an unbeaten run until they lost in the FA Cup semifinal last weekend.
His success, you might think, would be vindication of the footballing wisdom that a club must keep on buying new players to improve. It’s hard to say this looking at the 2019-20 season – when so much money was spent to such little positive effect by so many Premier League clubs.
The current value of players, as detailed by the independent website transfermarkt and set against the actual fees paid last summer, is revealing.
Arsenal paid £72m to buy French winger
Nicolas Pepe and, while there have been flashes of talent, he has scored just five goals in 30 league matches. His value is down to £46m.
Spurs also went
French, splashing out
£65m for midfielder
Tanguy Ndombele, who has started in only
12 games and now can’t get in the team.
His worth has also plummeted to £46m.
Manchester City spent £60m to buy full-back Joao Cancelo.
He is a decent player, but has started just
12 games this season.
His value has nearly halved at £32m. That position now. Let’s hope we do get the right results.
“If we do, I’ll certainly be very happy because I’ve given everything I can this year – I’ll let everyone else do the analysing.”
Wolves will finish with their highest points tally of the Premier League era regardless of what happens at Stamford Bridge today. If they win, was a crazy price for a defender, just like the £80m paid by Manchester United for Harry Maguire, now rated at £50m.
Clubs will always pay big money for strikers, like the £45m spent on Sebastien Haller over at West Ham. He has seven goals in 31 matches, three of them back in August just after he arrived.
Haller has posed little sense of threat, his value is down to £32m, while the goals of Michail Antonio have saved the season for the Hammers.
An even less sensible buy was Joelinton, who cost £40m for Newcastle, and after a mere two goals in 37 matches he is now rated at just £18m.
Alex Iwobi cost £35m for Everton. It is an incredible price, and his worth is £22m after one goal in 25 games.
What about the £22m spent by Aston Villa on Wesley, the striker from Brazil?
He had five goals in 21 matches before injury curtailed his season. His value is unchanged --- most likely because he was the correct price in the first place. however, they will seal Europa
League football for the second campaign on the spin.
Boss Nuno Espirito Santo said: “I’m pleased, proud and really thankful for all the commitment of everybody at the club.
“I don’t recall one day – no matter what happened before – when the players didn’t come to the pitch and prepare themselves in the proper way. “They’re always looking for the best for each one of us.this is the foundation for everything.”