Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku believes he deserves ‘a bit more respect’ for his consistent goalscoring record throughout his career.
The 24-year old Belgian international has scored 27 times in 43 appearances for club and country this season, with his goal on Sunday against Chelsea coming as his 22nd in 40 games for United.
Lukaku might have joined Chelsea in the summer instead of United when leaving Everton but he has since claimed that he has no regrets over his switch to United.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has been charged by the English Football Association for “wearing a political message, specifically a yellow ribbon”, but insisted he will keep wearing it even in the face of potential touchline bans.
Two key members of the Catalan independence movement were held without bail after an independence vote in October, which the Madrid government deemed illegal.
Guardiola said in November he wears the ribbon to support those imprisoned politicians in his native Catalonia, which FA determines to be in breach of their kit and advertising regulations.
The charge was then triggered when he again wore it pitchside — he is free to wear it elsewhere — during City’s shock FA Cup loss against Wigan on Monday.
However, the Catalan native proved defiant against the FA, in the wake of the charge leveled against him.
Guardiola continued to wear the ribbon at Wembley on Sunday as City won the League Cup final over Arsenal, and he said that, even if he was banned from the touchline by the FA, he would continue to do so.
Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino says that the Reds could make Porto “suffer” in their Champions League last-16 first-leg tie.
The Merseyside club will play against the Portuguese club at the Estadio do Dragao in Liverpool’s first match in the knockout stages of the competition since 2008-09, after topping their group by scoring 23 goals, a record for an English club and a total surpassed only by Paris St-Germain’s tally of 25.
They were also one of four teams to remain unbeaten in this season’s Champions League group stages, alongside Tottenham Hotspurs, FC Barcelona and Besiktas.
“I don’t know if Porto are going to be afraid but we are going to make their life difficult and make them suffer,” said Firmino, who has scored 20 goals in all competitions, including six in the Champions League.
Midfielder Emre Can is suspended for the tie, although defender Joe Gomez has travelled with the squad after missing the last two matches with a knee injury and £75m record-signing Virgil van Dijk is also set for his first appearance in the competition for the club.
Liverpool manager Klopp insists his side can compete with the continent’s elite after having beaten “Europe’s strongest football team” Manchester City 4-3 in the Premier League in January.