MY ACCOUNT
LiveScore Daily is here to deliver all the big talking points from the world of football throughout the day. Keep refreshing this page for the latest stories in bite-sized chunks.
Calling the right Toon
Eddie Howe is keen to avoid rotating his side as Newcastle bid to pull further away from the Premier League drop zone.
Toon made a number of signings during the January sales to increase competition for places and battle their way out of the bottom three.
And with five wins and two draws from their last seven outings, the mood on Tyneside has changed dramatically.
Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Southampton, Howe said: “We’ll look to make the right decisions for the team.
“I think with the run we’ve been on I’ve been reluctant to change things because the team had lacked rhythm for a long time, so when you get it you want to try and not disrupt it.
“It doesn’t mean I don’t believe in the players I’m not using — that’s the key thing. I believe in them and I believe they can all play a huge role in the future but I’ve just got to deal with the here and now.
“I think if players come into the team and think that even if they perform they’ll come straight out again, there’s no reward for that performance.
“What you don’t want to do is pick the same team because you’ve won the game but tactically have a problem in the next one.
“You have to be careful not to go blindly into the next match. We’ve picked the same team but we’ve adapted in games because the challenges are different.”
Reds were in third gear
Adam Lallana insists Liverpool could have stepped it up a gear against Inter Milan had they needed to.
The Reds lost 1-0 at Anfield last night but progressed to the Champions League quarter-finals 2-1 on aggregate thanks to their fine display in Milan last month.
And Brighton ace Lallana, who played for the Merseysiders from 2014-2020, was quick to suggest Jurgen Klopp’s men will focus on the bigger picture and not dwell on losing at home.
He said: “It doesn’t feel like a defeat. Liverpool were comfortable throughout, relatively dominant, and they went through.
“To be honest, I can’t believe they haven’t scored.
“Inter played well in pockets but I thought Liverpool played the game in third gear. They saw the job out professionally after Alexis Sanchez was sent off.”
Lautaro Martinez opened the scoring for the visitors in the 61st minute but their hopes of levelling the tie on aggregate were dealt a hammer blow when Sanchez was given his marching orders two minutes later.
Former Reds defender Stephen Warnock added: “This kind of result can heighten the senses and make Liverpool really focus on the job at hand.
“The big thing is they’re still in the competition and have managed to get through without even winning the game.”
Bidding for the Blues
A consortium led by US businessman Todd Boehly and Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss have made an offer to buy Chelsea from Roman Abramovich.
With Abramovich, 55, under pressure to severe his ties with the UK following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Russian billionaire put the Blues up for sale earlier this month.
Boehly, part owner of MLB side the Los Angeles Dodgers, tried to purchase the club for £2.2billion in 2019 and has now launched a second attempt with Wyss.
Fellow US billionaire Josh Harris is also considering bidding.
