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Even Aguero would struggle in this Manchester United team, says Scholes
By Dom Farrell
Nov 3, 2015 20:25:47
The former Old Trafford midfielder insists negative tactics are behind Wayne Rooney's poor form and believes Louis van Gaal has a "problem" with attacking players
Paul Scholes has defended Wayne Rooney by claiming that Sergio Aguero would struggle to score if he played in the current Manchester United side.
The England captain has been criticised for his form this season having scored just two goals in 10 Premier League appearances but Scholes believes Louis van Gaal's tactics are to blame.
"We talk about Rooney, he's getting all the stick but I don't think anybody would score goals in this team as a centre forward," Scholes told BT Sport . "I think Sergio Aguero would struggle.
"He's getting nothing from midfield, there's no wide players. He's getting no service whatsoever.
"I watched him for the first 20 minutes in the Manchester derby [a 0-0 draw with Manchester City]. He's moving, he’s looking really sharp and the ball is just not coming to him. Eventually you get bored."
The former United midfielder also labelled Van Gaal’s approach as a “boring style of football” and believes the team are being too defensive.
"I want to see United blast teams away with brilliant attacking football, have players with creativity and players who get you on the edge of your seat," he said.
"But it's not happening. What you have been seeing is a team that is brilliantly coached defensively.
"Sometimes you have to be like that against Barcelona, against Bayern Munich - not Crystal Palace, not Middlesbrough at home. United fans need to see something.
"It's very difficult to coach attractive football. I was lucky enough to play with players that you would give a ball to and they could beat five players, ram the ball in the top corner.
"I just don't see that in this team. Whether Van Gaal doesn't give them the confidence to do that, I don't know. It's just a sidewise, possession, boring style of football."
Scholes continued by listing a number of high-profile attacking players to have left Old Trafford under Van Gaal's tenure - citing them as evidence for what he perceives to be an unease with creative talents on the part of the manager.
"You have to say, does he have a problem with forward players - players who can beat people?" he said.
"Look at the players he's let go. Van Persie, Welbeck, Chicharito [Javier Hernandez], Januzaj, Di Maria - I'd love to see these players at the club now.
"I look at the bench on Saturday and there wasn't one centre-forward on the bench.
"He brings Ashley Young on and he brings him on at right-back.
"I thought Ashley Young was one of the best players last year. He can beat a man, puts great crosses into the box.
"He's probably not everyone's favourite player but he tries stuff, he's creative."
Andre Villas-Boas has described Jose Mourinho as a "pioneer" and a "winner" and backed him to come through his current problems at Chelsea.
Mourinho's side are 15th in the Premier League having lost six of their opening 11 games, while the Portuguese's regular run-ins with authority mean he will not be at the Britannia Stadium for the clash with Stoke at the weekend as he serves a one-game stadium ban handed out following his red card at West Ham on October 24.
Villas-Boas knows all about dealing with the pressure at Stamford Bridge having been sacked by Chelsea in March 2012 after less than nine months in the job, but he is backing his countryman to get the club back on the track.
Speaking ahead of Zenit's Champions League game at Lyon on Wednesday, he said: "It's very tough for me to speak about this kind of situation. I've been there before myself. It's a difficult position, when you start to get defeats in a row.
"In order to be able to get through it, you need to get some amazing results. That's the way to get rid of that kind of crisis.
"In my opinion, Jose has the qualities to be able to get through it. He has a lot of experience. He's the reference point in terms of head coaches in Portugal.
"He's the pioneer that led the way for Portuguese head coaches. We speak about someone who has never known something like this before. He's a winner when it comes to football. I think he will get through it."
Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola has revealed that he dreams of taking charge of the reigning Premier League champions at some stage in the future.
The Italian enjoyed a successful spell with Chelsea between 1996 and 2003 before retiring at Cagliari and has since managed West Ham, Watford, Cagliari and Al-Arabi, his current employers.
Nevertheless, he hopes to eventually make a return to take the top job at Stamford Bridge.
"My dream, let us say my ambition, is to be Chelsea manager some day in the future," Zola told Sky Sports.
"However, I realise that I need to improve as a manager if I want to get there. And I am working hard to achieve my goal. Qatar is helping me a lot in this regard.
"I try to make my side play football in the way I want to see the game played. I have made a small start with Al-Arabi and I am confident the results will be seen in the near future."
Chelsea have been in disappointing form this season and sit 15th in the Premier League table having lost six of their opening 11 games.
Zola, however, has little doubt they will overcome their recent difficulties under the guidance of Jose Mourinho.
"The club has it in them to turn around their fortunes. A good result in the Champions League game against Dynamo Kiev followed by a couple of league wins will do the trick," he added.
"There is not one compelling reason for the poor start to the season. The poor form of key offensive players Eden Hazard and Diego Costa has not helped.
"Defensively as well the team dropped the standards set last year so the players have lost confidence as a group and this has led to poor results."
John Terry is happy to be criticised over his Chelsea performances, as long as it doesn't come from Robbie Savage.
Jose Mourinho's side have failed to win any of their previous four games in all competitions and sit 15th in the Premier League table following six defeats in 11 fixtures so far.
The Chelsea captain has been criticised for his displays, with television pundit Savage tweeting "it could be the beginning of the end for Terry" following his half-time substitution in the defeat to Manchester City earlier this season.
The 34-year-old admitted he is happy to be questioned by decorated former players such as Rio Ferdinand, Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville, but blasted Savage, suggesting he was not successful enough to castigate him.
"It's a case of, for me, we are where we are as a group. I've come under criticism, individually, from certain players who I've looked up to," Terry said.
"I take it on the chin from Rio, Carra [Carragher], Neville. [From] the best in the game, I take it in. When certain other people speak, maybe I don't listen.
"When players who haven't had a career come for people who've achieved what I achieved – Robbie Savage being one. He's dug me out a couple of times.
"You take it as a footballer, as an individual. I'll take it from people like Rio, Carragher and Neville. From others? No."
Chelsea host Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League on Wednesday, requiring a win to move into the top two.
Chelsea striker Radamel Falcao is to miss "a few weeks" of action with an unspecified muscular injury, manager Jose Mourinho confirmed.
Falcao has found playing time hard to come by since joining Chelsea on a season-long loan from Monaco July.
Mourinho was asked whether Falcao would get more minutes and become an important player over the coming weeks at Stamford Bridge at a news conference ahead of Chelsea's Group G Champions League clash against Dynamo Kiev.
But the Portuguese stated that the striker, who suffered a serious knee injury while playing for Monaco in January 2014, is set for a short spell on the sidelines.
"Falcao had an important injury," Mourinho said. "Not so important as the ones he had previously.
"But he had an important muscular injury and will be out for a few weeks so there is no point speaking about him."
Falcao has made 11 appearances for Chelsea in all competitions this season, scoring one goal.
Fabregas denies leading Chelsea revolt against Mourinho
3 November 2015
Cesc Fabregas has denied he is at the centre of a player revolt against under-fire Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.
A reporter for the BBC claimed last week that a member of the first team had stated he would "rather lose than win" while the Portuguese remains in charge at Stamford Bridge.
Reports on Tuesday indicated that Fabregas, who was dropped from the Chelsea starting XI for the 3-1 defeat to Liverpool on Saturday, was the player orchestrating the opposition against Mourinho, but the former Barcelona midfielder has insisted the accusations are untrue.
Writing on his official Twitter account, he stated: "I would like to clarify that contrary to a few reports form some online websites, I am extremely happy at Chelsea and have an excellent relationship with the manager.
"There may be certain individuals from the outside trying to destabilise this club but I strongly believe that we will bounce back and come good again."
Former Chelsea star Frank Lampard has already dismissed the idea that some players would consider performing badly in order to accelerate Mourinho's departure.
"It's nonsense if it [players trying to lose] is happening. I don't believe it is. I don't think players at the top level can down tools," he said on Sky Sports.
"The first responsibility we all had as players: when you go out on the pitch, if you're downing tools on the pitch, the only one who looks stupid is yourself."
'There is no chance Mourinho will leave Chelsea' - Jorge Mendes
Nov 5, 2015 10:30:00
The Chelsea manager's agent says the club won't sack him because they would be unable to find a better coach and is adamant the entire squad are behind him
Jose Mourinho's agent, Jorge Mendes, has ruled out the Portuguese leaving Chelsea despite their poor start to the season.
Mourinho's position at Stamford Bridge has come under scrutiny following the club's disastrous start to the season, which has seen them lose six of their first 11 Premier League games.
However, Mendes is confident Mourinho, who is now in his second spell with the Blues, can turn things around and believes no manager in the world is capable of filling his shoes.
"He doesn't need to prove anything to anybody," he told BBC Sport.
"He knows what to do. Many people are saying these things but there is no chance [he will leave]. He will solve the problem. He is the best."
Mourinho eased the pressure on his shoulders by overseeing a 2-1 win against Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League on Wednesday night when supporters chanted his name.
The Blues now have a good chance of qualifying for the knockout stage, but face Stoke City on Saturday with question marks still hanging over his future.
However, Mendes pointed to the success Mourinho has had at every club he has managed and says it is ludicrous to question his ability after his first real taste of adversity as a coach.
He said: "At FC Porto he won the Europa League, the league, the Champions League. He won everything.
"After that, in Chelsea he was amazing. After 50 years he won the league and everyone was very happy with him.
"At Inter Milan, nobody expected Inter could win the Champions League - no way. Even the quarter-finals seemed quite impossible.
"At Real Madrid against the best team in the world he still won the league. He is special.
"The reaction from the supporters tells you everything. They like him.
"Everyone, players, coaches, you have good moments and bad moments. It is impossible to find someone like him to solve the problem."
The Chelsea manager was hit with the punishment after claiming that referees were afraid to give his side a penalty in the 3-1 loss to Southampton in October
Jose Mourinho's appeal against his suspended stadium ban has been rejected by the Football Association, the governing body has confirmed.
Mourinho was hit with a suspended ban, as well as a £50,000 fine, after he embarked on a seven-minute rant following Chelsea's 3-1 loss to Southampton in October, claiming that referees were "scared" to give decisions to his side.
Should the Portuguese again break rule E3 of the FA's code of conduct he will trigger his suspension, and he has repeatedly refused to elaborate on refereeing decisions following his punishment.
"An Appeal Board has dismissed the appeal from Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho in relation to a decision made by an Independent Regulatory Commission," read a statement.
"At the original commission hearing, Mr Mourinho was given a suspended one-match stadium ban and fined £50,000 after he admitted a breach of FA Rules in relation to post-match media comments made following the game against Southampton on Saturday 3 October 2015.
"The Appeal Board has upheld the original sanction and therefore it remains that Mr Mourinho’s suspended stadium ban will be immediately invoked should he be found by an Independent Regulatory Commission to have committed a further breach of FA Rule E3 for any comment or statement to or through the media before 13 October 2016."
Mourinho faces a separate charge of misconduct after he was sent off in the 2-1 defeat to West Ham and, as such, will be banned from the touchline for this weekend's clash with Stoke City.
Watford head coach Quique Sanchez Flores has not ruled out a potential move for free agent Emmanuel Adebayor.
The former Arsenal and Real Madrid striker is still without a club after being released by Tottenham in September, having failed to make an appearance for Mauricio Pochettino's side in 2015-16.
Watford have impressed since gaining promotion to the Premier League, losing only three of their first 11 league games to sit 11th in the table, with Nigerian striker Odion Ighalo scoring seven times.
And even though captain Troy Deeney expressed reservations when asked this week about the prospect of Adebayor playing at Vicarage Road, Flores has hinted he is keen on the prospect of adding the 31-year-old to his striking options.
"I know Adebayor - I know him very well," said the former Atletico Madrid boss.
"I love players with character, with talent, with hunger and soul. So if he [Adebayor] is in this case, he would be perfect.
"But I don't want names at this moment. The most important thing is that good players want to come to Watford. This is good news. So we would welcome all good players.
"I don't like to talk about players who don't belong to the Watford team. At the moment I am focused on the players who are at the training ground."
Watford travel to face in-form Leicester City on Saturday.
Everton manager Roberto Martinez says there is no chance of Kevin Mirallas leaving the club in January, despite a frustrating season so far.
The 28-year-old attacker has been linked with a Goodison Park exit after starting only one Premier League game to date in 2015-16, with suggestions the Belgium international is unsettled and wants more regular action to boost his chances of playing at Euro 2016.
Martinez, though, has rejected reports of a rift with Mirallas and expects him to thrive in the latter stages of the season after injuries and a suspension slowed down his start to the campaign.
"It couldn't be further from the truth," said Martinez when asked about claims Mirallas was unhappy. "Kevin has been a very important player while I have been at the football club.
"The start of the season has been challenging for him individually as he has had a couple of injuries. Then he had the sending off [against Swansea City], so he wasn't available for three games.
"The way he has been working in training has been very impressive. He has improved as a footballer and it is important for us that Kevin is fresher now going into the second half of the season and we will get the benefit of that.
"Kevin Mirallas is a very important player for Everton - he knows that - and all he wants now is to get important playing time, because the start of the season has been quite frustrating for him."
Martinez also revealed he had no big plans for signings in the January transfer window, as he prefers to make major squad alterations in the close-season.
He continued: "We have got such a strong squad - the focus for us is to see how good we can be with the squad we have now.
"We have enough time in the summer to see if we can bring players into the football club. All we want is to be as good as we can with the players we have, that I'm delighted with.
"It will be very important for us to make sure the window that is going to open in the winter is to just give a bit more normality, to make sure the squad gets reaffirmed, looking at the younger groups more than the first-team level to make sure that we get a clear 10-month competition out of this squad.
"It will be the summer when we reassess where we are and where we should go. I wouldn't look at the winter as a moment to make significant changes."
Everton's Bryan Oviedo is set for two to three weeks on the sidelines because of a hamstring injury.
The Costa Rica international was forced off 25 minutes into Everton's 6-2 win over Sunderland last Sunday and had a scan on Tuesday to determine the extent of the problem.
And Oviedo, who suffered a double leg break in January 2014 before sustaining a hamstring injury upon his return in February this year and then suffering a broken metatarsal two months later, is in line for another brief lay-off.
"Bryan Oviedo picked up a hamstring problem that will keep him two or three weeks out of action," Everton coach Roberto Martinez said in his pre-match media conference ahead of Saturday's game with West Ham.
"We hope we can have him back for the Aston Villa game [on November 21]. If not then maybe the Bournemouth game [a week later]."
Jose Mourinho is the man to solve the ongoing malaise at Chelsea, his agent Jorge Mendes has insisted.
Mourinho has come in for widespread criticism following a dismal start to the season, which has seen Chelsea take just 11 points from as many games in the defence of their Premier League title.
The Portuguese has continually courted controversy amid Chelsea's poor runand was handed a one-match stadium ban alongside a £40,000 fine for his behaviour in last month's 2-1 defeat at West Ham, a game in which he was sent to the stands.
Wednesday's 2-1 Champions League win over Dynamo Kiev provided welcome respite for Mourinho and Mendes dismissed talk of an impending departure from Chelsea, telling BBC Sport: "He doesn't need to prove anything to anybody.
"He knows what to do. Many people are saying these things but there is no chance [he will leave]. He will solve the problem. He is the best.
"At FC Porto he won the Europa League, the league, the Champions League. He [Mourinho] won everything.
"After that, in Chelsea he was amazing. After 50 years he won the league and everyone was very happy with him.
"At Inter Milan, nobody expected Inter could win the Champions League - no way. Even the quarter-finals seemed quite impossible.
"At Real Madrid against the best team in the world he still won the league. He is special.
"The reaction from the supporters tells you everything. They like him.
"Everyone, players, coaches, you have good moments and bad moments. It is impossible to find someone like him to solve the problem."
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is certain he will not have to make too many changes to bring success to the Anfield club.
Klopp took charge on Merseyside in October following the sacking of Brendan Rodgers and has enjoyed a promising start to his career in England, remaining unbeaten in five games and picking up a Premier League victory at holders Chelsea.
Liverpool take on Russian side Rubin Kazan in the Europa League on Thursday and Klopp believes a squad overhaul is unnecessary, unlike when he took over at former club Borussia Dortmund.
"It is a completely different situation," the German said. "They are all Liverpool players here.
"Decisions that were made in the past were not as bad as maybe some people think. It is not a coincidence they are here.
"When I saw the squad – when on my holiday – I thought 'good job, I can work with this'.
"Yes, we have some injuries but players will come back. It's a good squad. It's even good for those players who can't play in this moment to see how we work."
Klopp is happy with the renewed enthusiasm around the squad, coinciding with the charismatic coach arriving without preconceived opinions on the players.
"Of course it is like this in a positive way where everyone says it's a new chance and all the players feel more important than before," he said.
"That's normal after they've been judged for a few years. Everyone has judged them.
"I asked many people at LFC and they told me about him, him and him. I said 'stop it, I don't want to hear any more’'
"I said I didn't want to hear about my players any more. I wanted to watch and start learning about them.
"They are all nice guys with big skills with big passion - all that we need and now we can work together."
Arsenal v Tottenham: Wenger concerned by derby injury list
6 November 2015 14:47
Arsene Wenger admits Arsenal's growing injury list is becoming a major concern ahead of the north London derby against Tottenham at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
The Gunners suffered a dreadful 5-1 Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich on Wednesday, but sit level on points with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.
Arsenal have a string of first-team players - Hector Bellerin (groin), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (hamstring), Theo Walcott (calf), Aaron Ramsey (hamstring), Jack Wilshere (ankle), Tomas Rosicky (knee) and Danny Welbeck (knee) – currently out of action.
Laurent Koscielny (hip) and Mikel Arteta (foot) will undergo late fitness tests to see if they can be fit to face Spurs, leaving Wenger worried ahead of a crucial period of the season.
"I am very concerned because we are only in November and we have so many players out," said Wenger.
"We go into the Christmas period and I am concerned because we have too many out. I give Koscielny 80 per cent chance [to play Spurs]. He will have a test Saturday morning, so will Mikel Arteta."
Wenger feels it is still premature to properly judge whether his side can win the league, but is happy to be in a position of strength after 11 games.
He added: "It is too early to say [if Arsenal can win the title]. We want to be in the fight and I believe we can but it is too early.
"At Christmas we will see better. Now it is down to consistency and turning up for every game.
"You want to be up there at the top and we are at the moment. After the first game against West Ham [a 2-0 home defeat] it is absolutely remarkable what we have done and we want to stay there.
"I enjoy the derby because I believe you want to play important exciting games in football that have meaning and special emotions."
Tottenham go into the derby on a fine run of form. They sit five points adrift of Arsenal, but have lost just once in the league this term – and that was the opening-day defeat to Manchester United.
Spurs have won five of their last seven league matches and head coach Mauricio Pochettino has been thrilled to see Harry Kane return to goalscoring form after the England striker netted five times in their previous three games in all competitions.
"We never had any doubts about him," said Pochettino.
"Always the top players sometimes have times when they struggle to score. We are very pleased with him, very happy he has started to score again.
"Playing on a Thursday [a 2-1 win against Anderlecht in the Europa League] and then Sunday is not easy but we will be ready to compete and try to win the game, it is the north London derby and we know this is a very important game for us."
Tottenham expect to have Danny Rose fit after a knock and Clinton N'Jie will undergo a late check on a hamstring problem. Nabil Bentaleb and Nacer Chadli are both out with ankle injuries, while Andros Townsend is not likely to play after a clash with the club's fitness coach.
Key Opta stats:
- Arsenal have won 13 and lost just two of their last 18 Barclays Premier League games at the Emirates, conceding just nine goals in that run.
- Tottenham have won just one of their last 22 Premier League trips to their north London rivals (W1 D8 L13).
- Mesut Ozil has the most goal assists in Europe's top five leagues this season (9).
- Olivier Giroud has scored in five of his last seven Premier League appearances.
- Petr Cech has the best saves-to-shots ratio of any goalkeeper in the top flight this season (83 per cent) and needs just one clean sheet to equal David James' record of 169 in the Premier League.
- Spurs are on the longest unbeaten run in the Premier League, having not lost a game in the competition since the opening day (10 games – W5 D5 L0).
Aston Villa v Manchester City: Fernando predicts vibrant Villa under Garde
6 November 2015 17:23
Manchester City midfielder Fernando expects to face a fired-up Aston Villa when Remi Garde takes charge of the Premier League's bottom side for the first time.
Leaders City enter the Villa Park clash in high spirits having extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to eight matches with an emphatic 3-1 Champions League win over Sevilla on Tuesday.
Fernando, who struggled during his debut season with Manuel Pellegrini's squad but has found his feet this time around, was a key factor in the victory with a dominant display in the midfield holding role.
The Brazilian believes similar application will be required against lowly Villa, who remain winless in the league since their 1-0 opening-day triumph at AFC Bournemouth.
"Every game in the Premier League is a tough one," Fernando told City's official website.
"Although Aston Villa are at the bottom of the table, we know they are a team that play hard and are capable of playing very well. They are aggressive, they have a new manager, but we have to be focused in order to earn another three points.
"Based on the players they have, we know it will be a hard match and I am sure they will cause us problems, but we are aiming to play the way we know we can and win the game."
Villa boast a significant ex-City contingent, with Micah Richards back from suspension and pushing for a start alongside Joleon Lescott and Scott Sinclair.
"They are great players with a lot of experience and they are doing their best to help their team," Fernando added. "We will catch up with them after the game, but we are going to Villa Park for the win."
Sinclair endured three fruitless seasons on City's books, when he started two Premier League games and was loaned out to West Brom and Villa.
Having made his Villa Park switch permanent, Sinclair warned his team-mates of the ample quality in City's ranks.
"It's going to be difficult because Man City are packed with world-class players," he told Villa's official website.
"We know we'll need to be at our very best against them but we are going into the game feeling positive.
"I'm sure the atmosphere will be great, our fans always get behind us and we just need to try our best to give them something to shout about."
Former Lyon boss Garde must assess midfielder Ashley Westwood, who is nursing a head injury.
City remain without David Silva (ankle), Sergio Aguero, Samir Nasri (hamstring) and Pablo Zabaleta, although Fabian Delph could be set for a feisty reception on his return to the club he left in controversial circumstances over the close season having returned from a hamstring injury.
Key Opta stats:
- Aston Villa have failed to score in five of the last seven league meetings with Manchester City.
- City have won seven and lost one of the last eight Premier League games against Villa.
- City have scored four goals from the 88th minute onwards in their last three top-flight meetings with Villa.
- Remi Garde will only be the sixth different Frenchman to take charge of a Premier League game after Arsene Wenger, Gerard Houllier, Jean Tigana, Jacques Santini and Alain Perrin.
- Yaya Toure has scored all nine penalties he's taken in the Premier League.
Liverpool v Crystal Palace: Pardew insists Klopp already has a top-four team
6 November 2015 18:51
Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew believes his side will meet a Liverpool squad that has the quality to comfortably finish in the Premier League's top four when they head to Anfield on Sunday.
Jurgen Klopp has won three and drawn three in his first six games after replacing the sacked Brendan Rodgers but the Palace boss says the ability in his opposition's squad is already there, before the German conducts any overhaul in the transfer market.
Pardew's side have picked up just a solitary point from their past three league outings, as well as suffering a 5-1 thrashing at Manchester City in the League Cup and Pardew anticipates another tough examination.
"I thought in the summer that they have a top-four squad and that has not changed despite the change in manager," he said.
"They are Liverpool and they should be top four. I think Christian Benteke is a terrific player and Klopp has arrived with great players there.
"Benteke is a different kind of threat to what they have had before and a great signing. There is a higher press under Klopp's management and we know that is coming - we can cope with that.
"But they carry great players and great players can change games - Roberto Firmino did that at Stoke. We have to focus on what they are not good at and defending is an issue at the club so we will look to exploit that.
"We have come up against everyone in form, we are having one of those runs. But our performance against Manchester United, we must take great heart form that because only one team deserved to win it and that was us."
Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet is in confident mood after he did not have a single shot to save in the Europa League win over Rubin Kazan on Thursday, his side's third straight victory in all competitions.
"Three wins in a row have been great for our confidence but we need to look forward," the former Sunderland shot stopper told the Liverpool Echo.
"We need to recover as quickly as we can for the game on Sunday. With all the travelling we don’t have much time.
"After the 3-1 win at Chelsea, the next day we were thinking about what we could improve and that is how we have to look at it again. We need to improve again for what will be a very tough fixture against Crystal Palace."
Klopp will have to make do with a number of key players including Daniel Sturridge (knee), Kolo Toure (hamstring), Jordan Henderson (foot) as well as long-term absentees Joe Gomez, Danny Ings and Jon Flanagan.
Connor Wickham and Marouane Chamakh are both back in training for Palace, although Pardew believes the Anfield game could come too soon for them. Dwight Gayle is also a major doubt having suffered a setback in training.
Eighth-place Liverpool sit four points adrift of the top four and one clear of 10th-place Palace going into the weekend's action.
Key Opta stats:
- Liverpool won five and lost none of the first seven Premier League meetings with Palace, but The Eagles have won three and lost just one of the last five.
- Crystal Palace have scored three goals in each of their last three Barclays Premier League meetings with Liverpool.
- Dwight Gayle has scored four goals in three Premier League appearances against Liverpool.
- Crystal Palace have won nine and lost just four of 13 Premier League away games since Alan Pardew was appointed as boss.
- Liverpool have won just two of their last six Premier League home games (W2 D2 L2).
- Crystal Palace have only scored four goals in their last seven Premier League matches and three of those have been Yohan Cabaye penalties.
- Christian Benteke has scored in the last 15 minutes of the match in three of his last four Premier League appearances for the Reds.
´Wenger is right about you…you are f****** weak´ - FA reveals Mourinho´s referee rant
6 November 2015 18:28
Jose Mourinho branded referee Jonathan Moss "f****** weak" at half-time of Chelsea's defeat to West Ham, adding that Arsene Wenger was right in his assessment of Premier League officials.
Mourinho was sent to the stands for his outburst during Chelsea's 2-1 defeat at Upton Park - his behaviour earning him a one-match stadium ban and a £40,000 fine.
The Portuguese has previously expressed his frustration at being sanctioned by the Football Association (FA) while Wenger escaped punishment for describing officials as "weak and naive" after seeing Gabriel sent off for a tangle with Diego Costa in Arsenal's defeat at Chelsea in September.
The FA has now published referee Moss' report, which reveals Mourinho's foul-mouthed outburst and his actions at the interval.
"When myself and my colleagues left the field of play at half time, as we entered the tunnel area to get to our dressing room, Mr Mourinho the Chelsea manager was waiting for us clearly agitated and began aggressively asking about first-half decisions," Moss wrote.
"Rather than publically speak to him I asked him to step into the entrance of my dressing room escorted by Simon Sutton, the West Ham United Security Manager. Mr Mourinho asked me about a tackle, an offside and a goalline clearance.
"I gave him brief answers to his questions. After this I asked him to leave the dressing room area. He refused. I asked him again. After he refused again I asked Mr Sutton to escort him from the room.
"At this point Mr Mourinho became very aggressive and animated. He shouted that you f****** referees are weak… Wenger is right about you…you are f****** weak.
"I advised Mr Mourinho not to take his position in the technical area for the second half due to his actions."
Mourinho is also the subject of a suspended stadium ban in relation to post-match media comments made following the loss to Southampton last month - the Chelsea boss having an appeal against the sanction turned down on Thursday.
Manchester United boss urges supporters to get behind the players otherwise playing at Old Trafford could "make it very difficult"
Louis van Gaal has urged disgruntled Manchester United fans to direct their frustrations at him rather than the players, adding that supporters must understand the difficulties of breaking teams down.
Sections of the home support voiced their displeasure at United's lack of attacking play as the hosts eventually claimed a 1-0 win over CSKA Moscow in the Champions League on Tuesday thanks to Wayne Rooney's late header.
It ended a run of three goalless draws, including a League Cup exit on penalties to Middlesbrough, but Van Gaal called on the fans to be more supportive.
"Yes I think supporters have to support the players or they make it difficult for the players to play at Old Trafford," he said.
"Up to now they have been fantastic so I can't complain at the fans. I can only advise the fans to criticise the manager and not players. It's very difficult to play for Manchester Utd with a lot of pressure.
"And when you can taste it in Old Trafford because of all the yelling, it's not good for my players.
"Then it's better to whistle the manager, I can cope with it. I have a lot of experience."
Rooney's header ended his run or four games without a goal in all competitions, also putting him joint second in the club's all-time scorers alongside Denis Law.
Having toiled in front of goal for much of the win at Old Trafford, Van Gaal added: "I think we have attacked for 85 of the 90 minutes so we have given a lot of entertainment and it's depending on when the goals come that [determines whether] everyone is happy.
"When you analyse games, you know it is difficult to disorganise a team defending with 10 people behind ball. You have to take that into account always. Analyse the game.
"Because then we have more difficulties and they are counting on counter-attacks always and also they have players in who are fast and so on. But nevertheless, CSKA tried this tactic and they only created one chance.
"So I'm very happy with our defensive organisation and very happy with the way we attacked because in the end we won a difficult game against a difficult team."
Former Chelsea manager Bobby Campbell has died at the age of 78, the club has announced.
Campbell led Chelsea from 1988 to 1991, guiding them to promotion back to English football's top flight in 1989 before securing fifth place in the old First Division the following season – the Stamford Bridge outfit's highest finish for 19 years.
Chelsea will wear black armbands during their Premier League match at Stoke City on Saturday in Campbell's memory.
The former Blackburn Rovers and Celtic player made his frustrations with the Portuguese boss clear, criticising his behaviour
Former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton has criticised manager Jose Mourinho for behaving "like a big petulant baby" during his side's poor start to the season.
The Stamford Bridge club face Stoke City on Saturday on the back of league losses to West Ham United and Liverpool, which have left them sitting in 15th place in the Premier League after 11 games.
The Portuguese manager has become increasingly critical in his media appearances and received a stadium ban for Saturday's match after launching a tirade at a referee.
And Sutton, who played for Chelsea as well as Blackburn Rovers and Celtic, is tired of Mourinho's histrionics.
"I’ve always been a fan of Mourinho up until this season – I think he’s been charismatic, charming, brilliant for the Premier League,” he said on BBC Radio 5 Live.
“But his behaviour in recent times – he has behaved like a petulant, big baby.
The former Chelsea striker was also critical of Mourinho's attitude following the defeat to Slaven Bilic's West Ham, suggesting that the manager had nothing to complain about with regards to Cesc Fabregas' disallowed strike and Nemanja Matic's dismissal.
"i can understand his frustration, we all can, because the team aren't playing well but the bottom line is that at West Ham he was wrong.
"If he was factually right he would be okay but he was wrong. The goal was offisde. Matic should have gone and he shouldn't have any complaints. And to argue those points is utterly ridiculous."
