Deschamps: Brazil are up there with the best

Euro-2008 semi-finalists Turkey beat Chile 1-0 in a hard-fought match that will raise their spirits before they start their campaign next month for a berth in the 2010 World Cup.

Halil Altintop scored the winning goal in the 74th minute as the Turks finally organized themselves against the Chileans who stretched their rival s defence with fast attacks led by striker Humberto Souza.

The result was a sigh of relief for Turkey coach Fatih Terim who was facing his first real test after his team made it to its first European championship semifinal this summer in Austria and Switzerland.

Although hit by a recent spate of injuries, Turkey took the field with the backbone of the team that played in the Euro 2008, with Semih Senturk and captain Tuncay Sanli leading th…

Verdict: Draw/Manchester United

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Manchester United are in a desperate need of a quick return to winning ways following the midweek Wembley disappointment and Jose Mourinho’s charges get back into Premier League action with a point to prove against out-of-form Huddersfield.

Manchester United

Red Devils lost their trident and were rather toothless against Tottenham who properly dismantled them at Wembley on Wednesday. Having conceded the third-fastest goal in the Premier League history – courtesy of Cristian Eriksen who put the ball in the back of the net after only 11 seconds – Manchester United failed to recover and ended up suffering their first defeat since December.

Alexis Sanchez was handed his first start as a Ma…

Manchester United enjoyed record shirt sales in January thanks to the arrival of Alexis Sanchez, after suffering a £21.1million half-year loss at the end of 2017.

The club s latest financial results, which were released on Thursday, show a four per cent revenue increase to £163.9m, giving them an adjusted projected revenue of £585m for 2018.

The loss in the latter part of last year was down to changes in corporate tax rates in the United States, which were passed by Donald Trump s administration.

As a result, the current quarter expense includes a non-cash tax accounting write off of £48.8million, United said in their official release.

Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward said: Our solid business model has allowed us to invest in the future of the clu…

Daryl Janmaat has vowed to impress coach Louis van Gaal and earn recall for Netherlands FIFA World Cup quarter-final against Costa Rica.

The Feyenoord defender appeared to be the first-choice option after starting all three Group B games as the Dutch claimed top spot ahead of Chile, Australia and Spain.

However, the 24-year-old was not involved in the victory over Mexico in the second round as Van Gaal preferred Paul Verhaegh at full-back.

But Janmaat, who confessed to his surprise at being dropped, hopes to convince Van Gaal to restore him to the starting line-up in Salvador.

It (being dropped) was a blow that I did not see coming, Janmaat is quoted as saying in AD. But you cannot dwell on it too long.

I will continue to train continue to trai…

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has singled out goalkeeper David Gea for special praise following an impressive season to date.

De Gea, 22, endured a difficult start to his Old Trafford career following a 17.8 million-pound move from Atletico Madrid in 2011, with inconsistent displays leading to speculation over his future as the club s first-choice shot-stopper.

However, as the club s defensive problems earlier this season diminished the Spaniard s form also improved and Ferguson believes the player will only continue to get better.

(The defence) have all improved, Ferguson said.

The concentration has become better and the importance of the games has helped that.

But David de Gea has developed and matured as the season has gone on. Onc…

Germany coach Joachim Loew has made it clear to rebel midfielder Torsten Frings in a face-to-face meeting on Tuesday he must prove himself if he wants to win back his place to face England next month.

The 31-year-old midfielder part of the teams that reached both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2008 finals where they lost to Brazil and Spain respectively was bitterly disappointed after Loew dropped him from the national side last month for the first time in his career as he sat on the bench for the World Cup qualifier wins against Russia and Wales.

In the wake of Loew s decision, Germany captain Michael Ballack accused Loew of not showing his senior players enough respect and loyalty, while Frings backed his skipper live on German television and said he should not have be…

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson hopes the unsavoury off-field scenes that marred last season s Champions League final in Paris will represent a watershed moment in the treatment of football fans.

Henderson started as Liverpool fell to a 1-0 defeat to Real Madrid at the Stade de France in May, a loss that ended their hopes of adding to an EFL Cup and FA Cup double.

However, the match was overshadowed by violent scenes as supporters were targeted with pepper spray and tear gas outside the stadium, leading both clubs to call for an investigation.

While authorities originally blamed English fans use of fake tickets for the disruption, both interior minister Gerald Darmanin and Paris police chief Didier Lallement have since apologised for those claims.

UEF…

Jerome Boateng has denied suggestions there was any lingering resentment towards Robert Lewandowski ahead of their meeting at Euro 2016 on Thursday.

The Bayern Munich team-mates had a much-publicised bust-up in training in May 2015 when Boateng took exception to a strong Lewandowski challenge with then club coach Pep Guardiola sending them both back to the changing rooms.

The pair have come into direct contact since, in September 2015 as Germany beat Poland 3-1 in qualifying, and Boateng, speaking ahead of their Group C clash at the Stade de France, insists the matter is now resolved.

He said: That s the way it is in football. If you play against people, it is normal that sometimes you tangle with each other.

I am a defender and he s a top striker. We …

Verdict: France to Win

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France host Colombia for a high-profile international friendly in the run up to the World Cup in Russia this summer. Les Bleus are in excellent form, losing just once in their past 10 games, while the visitors will be looking to end their struggles. The 2016 European Championship finalists will be the favourites ahead of this clash, but the Colombia squad is by no means lacking in talent.

France 

Didier Dechamps’ side experienced heartbreak on home soil during the 2016 European Championships, losing in extra time to Portugal in the final of the competition. France were a much-fancied team with a number of top quality players and it was little surprise that they made it to the final, though they did have…

Former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez was surprised that he was not approached about the vacant manager s position at Anfield.

The 53-year-old, who guided Liverpool to both FA Cup and Champions League success, also believes his appointment would have been well received by the Liverpool faithful.

It was strange not to be approached, he told the Irish Independent.

We know the club, the players, the Academy and we have even more experience now the fans were positive about the idea.

Benitez left the Merseyside club by mutual consent during the summer of 2010 after they finished seventh, missing out on a Champions League place.

But despite the sour manner in which his time at Anfield ended, Benitez was quick to point out what he achieved during h…