Sports

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

Best Odds:

Bookmakers:

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…

France coach Didier Deschamps has dubbed Brazil one of the best teams in the world ahead of the sides meeting on Sunday.

The two teams will clash in a friendly at Porto Alegre as Brazil ready themselves for a return to competitive action in the FIFA Confederations Cup.

When asked what makes Luiz Felipe Scolari s side so great, Deschamps said: There is a new generation of players, full of talent.

Maybe they don t have as much international experience as previous generations before them but they are preparing for it. Today Brazil are one of the best teams in the world.

Brazil have won just one in their last six games, while France have suffered defeat in three of their last four outings in 2013.

France have played 13 fixtures against Brazil, and hav…

Pep Guardiola would love to be in the position of Arsenal in the Premier League title race, saying Manchester City s experience counts for nothing as they look to catch the Gunners.

City have won the Premier League in four of the last five seasons, but Mikel Arteta s Arsenal side have enjoyed a brilliant campaign to give them a great chance of winning their first league title since the 2003-04 Invincibles side.

The Citizens are playing catch-up with the Gunners holding an eight-point lead at the summit, and though City have a game in hand, Guardiola acknowledged his side s vast experience of winning titles may not be enough to overhaul the deficit.

I would love to be in the position of Arsenal, Guardiola told reporters. I d prefer to be Arsenal in the Premier Le…

Manchester City s 4-1 victory over Liverpool on Saturday showed they can cope without Erling Haaland, believes Kevin De Bruyne.

The forward, who leads the Premier League charts with 28 goals this term, missed out on his side s clash with the Reds through injury.

Despite his absence, Pep Guardiola s hosts still ran rampant at the Etihad Stadium to keep up the pressure on Arsenal in the title race.

For De Bruyne, victory reinforced the suggestion City can cope without their first-choice frontman, with the Belgian pointing to Argentina s World Cup winner Julian Alvarez as a handy understudy.

Erling is an unbelievable player, but we ve been winning loads of games in the last eight years that I ve been here, he told City s website.

He s an additional…