EPL
Frank Lampard warns Mauricio Pochettino about Chelsea’s major problems

Frank Lampard has expressed his caution to Mauricio Pochettino regarding the challenges that lie ahead at Chelsea, emphasizing that there is a significant amount of work to be done to restore the club’s standards. Lampard’s remarks come after a disappointing season for Chelsea, culminating in a lackluster 1-1 draw against Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge.
With just one victory in their final 12 games, Chelsea ended the campaign with a mere 44 points, marking their lowest Premier League points tally in history.
As Pochettino prepares to take the reins as Chelsea’s new permanent manager, having recently signed a contract with the club, Lampard has given his endorsement to the appointment. However, he has also expressed his concerns regarding the dwindling competitiveness within the squad.
When asked about Pochettino’s impending arrival, Lampard acknowledged the Argentine’s potential impact but highlighted the pressing need to revive the team’s competitive spirit. Lampard’s tenure at Chelsea witnessed significant challenges and he believes that maintaining high standards in the dressing room is of utmost importance for sustained success.

When asked about Pochettino’s arrival, Lampard said: “I don’t want to get caught on the appointment until the appointment comes. I know you’re going to tell me you all know when it’s coming.
“I’m a big fan of Pochettino as a manager, he’s a very good manager but it’s not about which individual it might be, it’s about getting the right, high-level of manager.
“Pochettino’s history tells you he works with clubs at this sort of level. Then let them get to work with the players to try and create a solid identity in a team that can win more games. Those things are not always overnight things. We have to be careful with expectations a little bit.
“There is a lot of work to be done, that’s my synopsis after six weeks, the basics I keep talking about. Standards sounds a really simple word but it’s so relevant to this club at the minute.
“Standards collectively have dropped, I can be honest about that, particularly as it’s the last game, I might not see some of them that much anymore anyway. The standards for a club like Chelsea have to be at a maximum or you won’t be physically competitive enough. Or you won’t get to play at a high level or a high speed like the Premier League demands.
“If you’re not together in the dressing room, and you’re not vocal in the dressing room driving each other and competitive because I want your place and you want mine and all of those things, any top team has to have that.
“At the minute, when I came in, very quickly I could see that wasn’t there enough. I think that’s something needed and of course a very good manager will help that. But everyone in that needs to take responsibility, players and club alike.”
Champions League
Varane sends warning message to Man Utd’s attackers ahead Champions League game

Raphael Varane has called for Manchester United‘s forwards to display greater efficiency in front of goal to help improve their disappointing start to the season.
United’s recent 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace marked their fifth defeat in the first nine matches of the season, raising questions about the quality of Erik ten Hag‘s squad despite significant investment.
So far this season, United has only managed to score seven goals in seven league games, with Marcus Rashford contributing just one goal himself.
While Varane didn’t single out any specific attackers, he emphasized the importance of their performance at the elite level to drive the team’s success.
“[The Champions League] is about details and you have to be efficient to win the competition,’ the Frenchman added, ahead of Tuesday night’s clash with Galatasaray.
“In the last moments we need more efficiency.
“It is a low number of occasions we concede goals and we need to create a lot to score. That is the reality of the top level.
“You need to be efficient to win trophies. We have the quality in the squad to win competitions. We have to move forward and improve.”
Marcus Rashford has attracted significant attention, especially due to his struggles in Manchester United’s recent defeat to Crystal Palace.
Despite ranking second for the most shots in the Premier League, behind only Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, Rashford has only managed to get six of his 28 attempts on target.
These statistics highlight a need for greater accuracy and effectiveness in Rashford’s finishing, which could significantly impact Manchester United’s goal-scoring capabilities.
EPL
Liverpool could face huge disciplinary fine after VAR controversy

“It’s important to me that people don’t start thinking we have so many red cards so we are a kicking team,” the German told reporters after his side’s loss to Spurs. “We don’t
Liverpool is facing the possibility of a £25,000 disciplinary fine from the FA following their dramatic 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur over the weekend.
The match ended in a last-minute loss for the Reds, culminating in Joel Matip’s unfortunate 96th-minute own goal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Adding to Liverpool’s frustration, the PGMOL later acknowledged a VAR human error that wrongly disallowed Luis Diaz’s goal, further fueling their disappointment.
While the PGMOL chief Howard Webb extended an apology to the club for the disallowed goal after the game, it provides only minimal solace to Liverpool in the wake of their narrow defeat.
The match was marred by several incidents that left club officials feeling aggrieved.
Liverpool’s woes didn’t conclude with the match. Curtis Jones was controversially shown a straight red card in the first half after VAR intervention, and Diogo Jota received two quick-succession bookings leading to his dismissal during the second half.
Additionally, Alexis Mac Allister, Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson, Virgil van Dijk, and assistant manager Peter Krawietz all received cautions.
The FA has a policy of penalizing clubs with more than five bookings in a game, making Liverpool susceptible to a fine.
Typically, a £25,000 fine is imposed when a team accumulates six or more cards during a single match, and Liverpool meets this criterion.
The decision now rests with the FA regarding whether they will take official action. However, considering that most of Liverpool’s cards were a result of officiating errors that shaped the course of the game, it remains to be seen if the FA will hold Liverpool accountable or consider the circumstances that led to their predicament.
EPL
Pochettino sends messages to Chelsea fans over Mudryk effort to adapt

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has expressed his willingness to be patient with Mykhaylo Mudryk, the €100 million winger from Ukraine.
Pochettino emphasized that Mudryk is a highly talented player but highlighted the importance of a gradual transition.
He noted that Mudryk is currently adapting to life in London and with Chelsea, acknowledging the differences in culture.
He said, “Mischa is a very talented player of course. You need to go with him slowly. His culture is very different, but he is trying to be more open, to adapt, to be more involved, on and off the pitch.
“He is doing a massive effort to try to integrate himself and understand better what it means to play in the team.
“It’s not about arriving and performing when you are young,’ added Pochettino.
“It’s about adapting, helping them to settle. Then the most difficult thing is to understand what they need to settle and feel comfortable and express their talent.
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