EPL
Pochettino sends message to Todd Boehly after Blues’ win over Aston Villa
Mauricio Pochettino praised his Chelsea team following their surprising 3-1 victory over Aston Villa in the FA Cup fourth round. The win came after the Blues and Pochettino faced significant pressure following a disappointing 4-2 defeat to Wolves.
Despite this, Chelsea delivered a superb performance against an in-form Aston Villa side, who had recently secured a 5-0 win against Sheffield United. Conor Gallagher, Nicolas Jackson, and Enzo Fernandez scored to give Chelsea a commanding 3-0 lead before Moussa Diaby scored a late consolation goal for Aston Villa.
After the game, Pochettino spoke to ITV and commended his team, describing their performance as their strongest display of the season.
“I think so (it was the best performance),’ he said. ‘We were talking in the dressing room about the feelings with the players. One of the best, maybe the best performance of the season.
“It has arrived in a very good moment for us and I’m so happy with the performance .
“The way we played pleased me the most. We are a young team and you know always it’s about being solid and consistent and that is most difficult thing in a young team.
“Today I was so pleased because we were talking a lot in last few months in the way we needed to create and win.
“Before the game, the perception was that the team was in the middle all together, ready to compete and fight and go. Always it is about energy and attitude and today I have seen the talent is there.
“To come here today, against the second best team at home in the league, Villa are doing a fantastic season… but playing the way we did… it’s not the result (that most pleases me), it’s the way we played and showed our quality.”
Following the 4-2 defeat to Wolves, Mauricio Pochettino faced considerable scrutiny, especially after a 4-1 loss to Liverpool earlier in the week.
These results contributed to Chelsea’s 10 league losses this season, leading them to drop to 11th place in the table.
Pochettino acknowledged the challenges his team is encountering but highlighted Wednesday’s performance as an indication of their potential.
“Of course it’s difficult but we are talking about expectations. We are talking about the most young team on the Premier League with expectations so high and it’s normal sometimes players feel pressure to play and perform and to win.
“It’s not easy to manage all of these things. I was talking yesterday that there are too many things like a coaching staff we are dealing with and it’s difficult to explain that to the people.
“But with this performance it makes us very pleased. All the people that believed from the beginning now we can feel it is true.
“The trust from the players and belief from players in us is there. 200%. The performance pleased me the most and is why I am so optimistic.’
He continued: “I know people are not patient and in a club like Chelsea you have to win and people don’t want to hear circumstances and excuses.
“But we are no longer that Chelsea. This is a new project, these things can happen and the people need to believe and if they believe fantastic and if not, you know what will happen.”
Real Madrid’s pursuit of Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies has been reinvigorated after a series of developments that suggest the Canadian defender’s future remains undecided. While Bayern had recently shown confidence in retaining Davies, Real Madrid has been given fresh hope of securing his signature.
Davies is unlikely to commit to any decision before January, allowing Real Madrid time to prepare an official contract offer.
According to Christian Falk via The Daily Briefing, Davies’ agent, Nedal Huoseh, was supposed to meet with Bayern officials in Munich.
However, the meeting was shifted to a virtual call, and Bayern’s Director of Football, Max Eberl, did not attend, reportedly frustrating Huoseh. This isn’t the first instance of strained relations between Bayern and Davies’ representative.
The next set of negotiations is now expected to happen in January. Although Bayern remains hopeful that Davies will sign a contract extension, Huoseh has scheduled meetings with both Manchester United and Real Madrid to review their offers.
Real Madrid’s current proposal is similar to Bayern’s, which could give Manchester United an edge if they table a significantly better offer. Despite Bayern’s push for a swift resolution, it appears the situation will extend into the new year.
Mo Salah has been named the Premier League Player of the Month for November, solidifying his status as one of the league’s top performers.
The Liverpool star outshone rivals Matheus Cunha, Bruno Fernandes, Ryan Gravenberch, Martin Ødegaard, João Pedro, Bukayo Saka, and Yoane Wissa to clinch the award.
In November, Salah played a crucial role in Liverpool’s success, contributing to five of the team’s seven goals through either scoring or assisting.
His contributions helped the Reds secure victories in all three matches, keeping them at the top of the Premier League table.
This marks the sixth time in his career that Salah has claimed the Player of the Month honor.
He now stands alongside football icons Steven Gerrard and Cristiano Ronaldo in the all-time rankings. Salah is just one award away from matching the joint record of seven, currently held by Harry Kane and Sergio Agüero.
William Saliba has significantly boosted Arsenal by committing his future to the club. The French defender has been pivotal to Mikel Arteta’s squad since cementing his place in the starting lineup during the 2022-23 season.
At just 23 years old, Saliba has already surpassed 100 appearances for the Gunners and has featured in 13 Premier League matches this season as Arsenal chase the title.
His standout performances have reportedly attracted interest from Real Madrid, with the Spanish giants identifying him as a key transfer target.
Despite the speculation, Saliba, who is under contract until 2027, made it clear that he feels “at home” at Arsenal and has no intention of leaving.
When asked about his future, he told The Mirror: “Yeah, of course, I feel at home. I signed for the club five years ago, but this is only my third season, and I’m enjoying everything — the players, the staff, and the fans. I feel at home, so of course, why not?”
Saliba’s consistent form has earned him a spot in the PFA Team of the Year for the past two seasons.
His defensive contributions have been crucial to Arsenal’s success, helping the team maintain the second-best defensive record in the league with just 14 goals conceded in 14 games. Only league leaders Liverpool have a better record, with 11 goals conceded.
Even though Arsenal trail Liverpool by seven points, Saliba remains confident that the gap can be closed. “Everything is possible,” he said. “The season is very long, and we’ve experienced that in the past two years. We just have to focus on ourselves. It’s still only December, so a lot of things can happen.”
Saliba was instrumental in Arsenal’s recent 2-0 win over Manchester United, scoring a crucial second goal that helped narrow the gap to Liverpool.
The Gunners now aim to build on that momentum when they face Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday, seeking to avenge last season’s defeat at the same venue.
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