Already the reigning kings of Europe, Liverpool will go for global glory when they face Brazilian side Flamengo in the final of the 2019 Club World Cup on Saturday (12:30 p.m. ET) in Doha, Qatar.
[ MORE: Klopp: “So many strange things happened” in CWC semifinal win ]
Jurgen Klopp‘s side advanced to the final on Roberto Firmino’s stoppage-time winner to defeat Mexican side Monterrey in Wednesday’s semifinal. Naby Keita opened the scoring in the 12th minute, but Rogelio Funes Mori drew the CONCACAF Champions League winners level just two minutes, and Liverpool were in for a tough fight the rest of the way.
Monterrey out-shot Liverpool 16 to 12 (8 to 6 on target) and nearly became the first side to defeat the UEFA Champions League winner since 2012, when fellow Brazilian side Corinthians topped Chelsea in the final.
The Reds were were without superstar defender Virgil Van Dijk (illness) on short notice, forcing Klopp to drop Jordan Henderson back to center back alongside Joe Gomez. At this point, it is unknown whether or not Van Dijk will be recovered to feature in the final.
Klopp described it as a thoroughly “strange” game. Given the absence of Van Dijk and the chaotic nature of the game up until Firmino’s late winner, Klopp said after the game, “I was afraid of extra time, to be honest.”
[ MORE: Solskjaer, Rashford excited for Manchester Derby in League Cup semis ]
While the Club World Cup is clearly a secondary competition for Liverpool this season, James Milner was clear about one thing after Wednesday’s great escape: they are far from satisfied with having won one trophy — it’s dynasty or bust.
“It was important to get that first trophy on the board. We were unfortunate not to win in a few finals but you see how the team has moved on. Like I said before, we don’t want to be remembered as the team who won one trophy once. You want to be a part of a group where you forget which year you won one trophy.”
Flamengo advanced with a 3-1 victory over Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal. After falling behind in the first 20 minute, Flamengo stormed back with a trio of second-half goals.
Matchweek 18 of the Premier League season is swimming in storylines, even with the league leaders in Qatar battling for the Club World Cup.
We could see a change in the Top Four for the first time since Chelsea climbed into fourth with a defeat of Burnley.
Jose Mourinho aims for Top Four against 2x former employers [STREAM]
- Tottenham Hotspur v. Chelsea, Sunday (Watch live, 11:30 a.m. ET on NBCSN)
The Mourinho bump has been very real for Spurs, and imagine the joy he’d get from getting his club back into the Top Four by beating old pals Chelsea. Spurs have lost their last two meetings with the Blues, though both were at Stamford Bridge.
If Mourinho gets the job done, he’ll sink his longtime star midfielder Frank Lampard into his deepest hole as Chelsea boss. The Blues have dropped points in four of five league outings. Lampard’s being asked a lot more about who he’ll buy in January than how well the kids have developed under his watch.
Two versus three in Manchester [STREAM]
- Man City v. Leicester City, Saturday (Watch live, 12:30 p.m. ET on NBC)
The visitors are coming off their first dropped points in nine outings across all competitions, and have a 4-point cushion on the third-place hosts. That’s not going to scare Pep Guardiola and the Etihad Stadium set, who is coming off a clean sheet of Arsenal, its first since October in any competition. To do the same to Leicester City would be very impressive, and a win would boost City to within a point of second.
With Top Four rivals squaring off, can Solksjaer’s Red Devils avoid a sting? [STREAM]
- Watford v. Manchester United, Sunday (Watch live, 9 a.m. ET on NBCSN)
Since an Oct. 6 loss to Newcastle, Manchester United has played 15 matches and lost just twice. One of those came in Kazakhstan with a bunch of kids. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer‘s men start the festive season with a 9W-4D-2L mark in their last 15, and a trip to Vicarage Road shouldn’t be an issue, yeah? With Chelsea facing Spurs, United could finish alone in fifth or within a win of the Top Four.
Toffees look to continue upswing when wobbly Gunners visit [STREAM]
- Everton v. Arsenal, Saturday (Watch live, 7:30 a.m. ET Saturday on NBCSN)
Arsenal has been as bad as its been in ages, and Mikel Arteta saw that first hand when his Man City popped the Gunners 3-0 last weekend. He’s probably going to be in charge of the Gunners one week later, though surely watching from the stands if in the stadium.
The Gunners will go up against a group of players who bothered to respond when their manager was fired earlier this season. Duncan Ferguson is still in charge of Everton as the pursuit of Carlo Ancelotti continues, and another win would give him a nearly unparalleled interim tenure.
Loser at Villa Park spends Christmas in the bottom three [STREAM]
- Aston Villa v. Southampton, Saturday (Watch live, 10 a.m. ET on NBC Sports Gold)
Eleven goals of differential is the margin separating the hosts from the visitors’ place in the relegation zone. Starting the festive fixtures with a move clear of danger sure would be nice, wouldn’t it?
Follow @NicholasMendolaThe brazen public showings of racism in football are down to one thing, according to longtime Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure.
“Fans, people, now are more stupid than before.”
[ MORE: Premier League schedule ]
Toure poke out Thursday, saying he’s approached FIFA about combatting the problem. He played for Chinese Super League side Qingdao Huanghai this season, scoring twice with three assists in 14 matches.
He’s says it’s going to be a long road to the erasure of such heinous incidents. Despite the commonplace nature of racism, Toure says the incidents don’t fail to stun him.
“Of course it is shocking because we are in 2019. In 2020, 2025 we have the kids coming through – what are we going to do? You can’t continue like that.”
The incidents have been many:
- A Burnley fan was investigated for alleged abuse of Spurs’ Heung-min Son.
- Brescia’s Mario Balotelli has suffered abuse multiple times.
- A Man City fan was caught abusing Manchester United mid Fred.
- Paul Pogba was abused by his own club’s fans after missing a penalty kick.
- Lazio fans chanted racial abuse at Chelsea loanee Tiemoue Bakayoko.
We could go on.
It doesn’t help that Serie A attempted to combat increasing incidents in Italy by using monkeys in its anti-racism campaign. That came after all 20 clubs in the league united to call racism “a serious problem.”
Follow @NicholasMendolaBelgium finishes the year in the No. 1 slot on FIFA’s rankings, something the Red Devils will hope is a harbinger of what’s to come at EURO 2020.
France, Brazil, England, and Uruguay finish second through fifth.
The United States men’s national team finishes the year at No. 22, up three spots from 2018. It’s their highest year-end finish since 2013 (14th) and one spot ahead of their all-time average spot.
The Yanks are ranked 39th by EloRatings, generally considered to be a fairer approximation of strength.
[ RELATED: Grading the USMNT’s 2019 ]
FIFA’s December release sees very few changes, and minimal ones at that. South Korea moves up a spot to 40th, South Africa up one to 71st, and Bolivia nudges its way into the Top 75.
China sinks to 76th, while only one nations moves more than a single spot. Hong Kong dips two to No. 141,
The new rankings again show which CONCACAF nations are on track to participate in the Hex.
El Salvador pulls into sixth place amongst CONCACAF teams with only six months to go until the rankings decide which six teams qualify for the Hex.
Mexico holds tight at 11, while the USMNT sits 22nd. Costa Rica, Jamaica, and Honduras would join El Salvador to round out the Hex if it started today. That would leave Canada, Curacao, Panama, Haiti, and Trinidad and Tobago playing in the second group of World Cup qualifying.
The winner of that group would play in the playoff against the fourth-place team from the Hex, with the winner of that match playing an interconfederation playoffs for a spot in Qatar 2022.
Follow @NicholasMendolaLook: It’s Thursday, there’s no action on the pitches of the Premier League until Saturday, and two of the only teams to never be relegated from the top flight are hiring new coaches.
And, incredibly, one of those clubs has been linked with bringing Zlatan Ibrahimovic back to England, and we’re not sure we could be more tickled by a rumor.
So let’s have fun.
[ MORE: Premier League schedule ]
Zlatan Ibrahimovic! The big Swede is still without a new team despite links to AC Milan, and a Thursday report says he may retire if the Milanese side won’t pay his requested wages.
Tancredi Palmieri, though, says Ibrahimovic could head for Goodison Park.
Zlatan is not as mobile as he once was, and he’s certainly not at the peak of his powers, but we’ll be darned if he wouldn’t make for an intriguing signing.
Mou and Zlatan returning in the same season? Bonkers!
Zlatan is a pure finisher. While we cannot guarantee chemistry, the idea of Richarlison combining with the Swedish megastar in a front two or three is a big ask of any group of backs.
He’s two years removed from scoring 28 goals and 10 assists in 46 matches for Manchester United. Since then, he’s tortured MLS to the tune of 53 goals and 15 assists in 58 matches.
Yes there are both physical and figurative oceans between MLS and the Premier League, but goodness the possibilities. It’s difficult to believe he wouldn’t score a hatful of goals, and it wouldn’t hurt big Dominic Calvert-Lewin to learn from Ibra.
Instead of daydreaming that Ancelotti could convince Kalidou Koulibaly or Dries Mertens to trade hues of blue, think Zlatan to Goodison. There could even be an FA Cup at the end of it. Would you bet against two trophy collectors in Ibra and Ancelotti?
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