Parish: Prudent Palace will spend practically

Lisandro Lopez talks up Lyon stay

Lyon star Lisandro Lopez has reassured club fans by saying that he plans to stay at Gerland for years to come.

With the French giants largely struggling to fulfill their ambitions this season, the Argentine striker is constantly linked with a move away from the club.

However, the player, whose contract at Gerland does not expire for another two years says that he is on the verge of signing a new contract at the club.

“We talked, we agree but nothing is signed. My intention is to stay, but in football you never know,” Lopez .

“There are players who leave after extending, others of whom we think it’s impossible for them to leave.

“Take Toulalan for example. I thought he would play for Lyon until 4…

Schalke defender Christoph Metzelder did not hide his disappointment at Raul s decision to leave the club at the end of the season.

The 34-year-old striker announced on Thursday that he will continue his career outside of Europe after rejecting Schalke s offer to extend his contract.

Metzelder said he believes that the Spaniard s departure is a heavy blow for the club, but insisted that it will open the door for new players to prove their worth.

From day one, others have looked at him with great respect in the dressing room, he told reporters.

Raul will certainly be part of the club s history. He will certainly be missed, not only because of his quality, but also his reputation.

But he will now offer the chance to other players to fill this ga…

Massimiliano Allegri believes Juventus qualifying for the Champions League after being deducted 15 points would be akin to winning three Serie A titles.

Juve have earned 50 points this season, which would be enough to have them second in the table had they not been punished for past financial dealings.

Instead, they are back on 35 points, 12 points outside the Champions League places in seventh.

That remains the Bianconeri s unlikely aim, but Allegri was keen to outline just how difficult their task is ahead of Sunday s game at fifth-placed Roma.

Perhaps my words have been misrepresented, Allegri said. I said that the Champions League chase is an impossible, difficult thing.

That said, the team at the moment has made 50 points. On the field, we …

Ankle surgery has ruled veteran midfielder Brett Emerton out of the Socceroos upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Oman and Japan but Tim Cahill returns to the squad for the first time in nine months.

Emerton had surgery after Sydney FC s A-League campaign but, despite getting some mobility back, is still on crutches and will be unavailable for the two qualifiers in Muscat (June 8) and Brisbane (June 12) as well as the friendly against Denmark on June 2.

Cahill, who has missed significant swathes of international football in the past 12 months due to a variety of knocks and injuries, will be welcomed back for the first time since he came on as a late substitute against Saudi Arabia last September.

Aston Villa defender Chris Herd gets his chance to represent th…

Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold and midfielder Naby Keita could be available for their Premier League fixture with Wolves, according to manager Jurgen Klopp.

Alexander-Arnold has been absent since he picked up a hamstring injury in Liverpool s 1-1 draw with Manchester City last month while Keita was forced off during their 3-0 win over Leicester City with a similar problem.

However, Klopp revealed the pair may be in contention to play some part against Wolves at Anfield on Sunday.

Trent and Naby will do the first steps in training today, Klopp told a media conference on Friday.

There s a chance that Naby and Trent could be in the squad, but if they can play 90 minutes, I don t know.

We had some niggles in the game against Ajax, so we…

Nigel Pearson will lead Watford s survival mission after returning to the Premier League as head coach of the Hornets.

The former Leicester City manager succeeds Quique Sanchez Flores, whose short-lived second spell at Vicarage Road was brought to an end last weekend after a sore defeat to Southampton.

Pearson has signed a contract initially until the end of the season, Watford said on their official website.

The Hornets sit bottom of the Premier League with eight points from 15 matches. Pearson, 56, becomes their third head coach of the campaign, after Javi Gracia and Flores.

Watford chairman and chief executive Scott Duxbury said: Nigel is an impressive coach and comes with all of the experience and success we be
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lieve can have a very positiv…

Former team-mate Jamie Carragher has wished Steven Gerrard well amid reports the Liverpool skipper is set to announce his Anfield departure.

Reports in the British media on Thursday claimed Gerrard will confirm his intention to leave Liveprool when his contract expires in June, with a switch to MLS side LA Galaxy mooted.

Carragher appeared to confirm the news on Twitter, while also giving the move his stamp of approval.

Sad day for Lfc English football with the Gerrard news, I think it s the right decision all things considered, the former defender wrote.

Carragher and Gerrard effectively grew up together having both come up through the junior ranks at Liverpool and playing 15 years together in the senior team before the former retired in 2013.

G…

Tony Pulis feels the task of keeping West Brom in the Premier League is more difficult than doing the same with Crystal Palace last term.

Pulis took over Palace in November 2013 and guided a side that previously appeared relegation certainties to an 11th-place finish in the top flight.

The Welshman left the London club by mutual consent in August last year and has now been tasked with maintaining West Brom s status in the Premier League after assuming the helm from Alan Irvine on New Year s Day.

Former Stoke City boss Pulis takes charge of his first league game as West Brom boss against Hull City on Saturday, and is under no illusions as to the scale of the challenge facing him.

What we need is to get some results and stay in the Premiership, that s th…

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is on the right path towards earning similar hero status at Napoli to that enjoyed by the god of football Diego Maradona, according to his coach Luciano Spalletti.

Kvaratskhelia has shone throughout a campaign in which Napoli appear destined to end their 33-year wait to win the Scudetto.

The Georgian netted his 11th league goal of the season as Napoli overcame Atalanta 2-0 on Saturday, leaving defenders in his wake before firing home as Spalletti s men moved 18 points clear at the Serie A summit.

With Napoli s first title win since the Maradona era drawing closer, Spalletti believes comparisons between Kvaratskhelia and the inspirational Argentine are not without merit.

This victory was the best. Turning the tables in terms of our …

Tottenham fought back to beat Southampton 4-1 and get their 2022-23 campaign off to a winning start, with Dejan Kulusevski proving key.

Antonio Conte elected not to hand starts to his new signings, five of which were on the bench while Richarlison served a one-match suspension, but the old guard proved to be fully capable on Saturday.

James Ward-Prowse volleyed Southampton into an early lead but Spurs hit back before half-time – Ryan Sessegnon and Eric Dier both heading home to turn the tide.

Further gloss was added in the second half, with Mohammed Salisu turning the ball into his own net before Kulusevski capped off a fine individual display with a goal as Spurs eased their way to all three points.

9 Dejan Kulusevski has assisted nine goals in …