Liverpool handed boost as Philippe Coutinho set for just five to six weeks on sidelines and will not need surgery

 

COUTINHO

Liverpool have been handed a boost after learning star man Philippe Coutinho will only be out of action for five to six weeks.

The verdict has come back on the Brazilian's ankle injury and things are not as bad as first feared. 

Tests have revealed the play-maker will not require surgery, and could be set to return in time for Liverpool's crunch encounter with Manchester United in mid-January.

The upcoming festive and new year period is set to be a challenge for Jurgen Klopp's side, with fixtures against Merseyside neighbours Everton and fellow title contenders Manchester City on the horizon.

Should Coutinho be passed fit before January 15, the Brazilian star could be in contention to make the trip to Old Trafford for the meeting with Jose Mourinho and bitter rivals United.

Eden Hazard believes Chelsea's main rivals in the Premier League title race are Liverpool and Manchester City

 

HAZARD

Eden Hazard expects the title race to boil down to a contest between the three teams at the top of the Premier League.

Hazard's Chelsea are at the summit with just over a third of the season gone, a point clear of Liverpool and Manchester City.

Arsenal are fourth, while the leaders have a seven-point advantage over fifth-placed Tottenham after beating them 2-1 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday and are 11 points clear of Manchester United in sixth.

The top-four made a small break from the pack as Chelsea prepare to go to City on Sunday.

'Man City and Liverpool,' said Hazard, when asked to name the teams to beat. 

'They're both good. If we want to be there at the end we have to finish above them.

'Two months ago we went to Arsenal and we weren't ready - but now we know what we have to do.

'We will give everything and be ready for the game.'

Chelsea have won seven in a row in the Premier League since losing 3-0 at Arsenal in September.

'We don't want to stop now,' said Hazard. 'We want to keep going like this. We want to win every game.

'Everyone is confident. We are winning games, playing well, creating chances. Everyone is involved and that's the key to the success.'

Christian Eriksen fired Spurs into the lead at Chelsea on Saturday but Pedro Rodriguez levelled before half-time and Victor Moses grabbed a winner in the second half. 'We showed great character,' said Hazard. 'From the second half we deserved to win.'

Among City's many threats will be Kevin de Bruyne, who plays with Hazard for Belgium and was once a club-mate at Chelsea, before he was sold to Wolfsburg.

'I know him well, he's a top player,' said Hazard. 'He didn't get his chance here at Chelsea, but did very well in Germany and since he went to City he's been on fire.

'Sometimes you don't get the chance to play, or the system the manager uses isn't right for you, but now he's full of confidence.

'I hope next week he'll have less confidence! It's good for Belgium that two players are fighting for the title in England, but I hope when we go to the national team we don't fight! We're good friends.' 

Jose Mourinho should get a SIX-GAME ban following latest touchline incident, says ex-ref Graham Poll

 

JOSE MOURINHO

 

The former referee believes that the FA should clamp down on the Manchester United manager's lack of respect. 

Bottom of Form

Jose Mourinho should be slapped with a six-match ban following his latest touchline indiscretion reckons Graham Poll.

The Manchester United boss was sent to the stands by referee Jon Moss after lashing out at a water bottle following Paul Pogba's yellow card for diving in the 1-1 draw with West Ham yesterday and ex-ref Poll believes the FA should get tough with the Portuguese.

Earlier this month Mourinho was slapped with a £50,000 fine and a one-match touchline ban following a double charge relating to comments he made about referee Anthony Taylor before the Red Devils 0-0 draw with Liverpool and his confrontation with Mark Clattenburg at half-time during the goalless draw with Burnley that saw him sent to the stands.

And Poll believes that Mourinho's repeated indiscretions show a lack of respect that should be harshly dealt with by the FA. 

"United fans may well say that referees are treating their manager more harshly than others but for far too long his excesses were either ignored or tolerated," Poll writes in the Daily Mail .

"Referees have had enough of the clear lack of respect the Portuguese displays, none more so than Moss, who also dismissed him last season.

"So now referees are doing their jobs it’s time the FA did theirs. A six-game stadium ban might just do the trick."

Mourinho is likely to face a two-match ban following his third FA charge in six weeks, as he oversaw Manchester United's worst start to a season for 27 years.

This latest incident saw him launch a water bottle 20 yards down the touchline with his right foot following the 27th-minute decision to show £89million signing Pogba a yellow card.

Mourinho promptly received his marching orders, with further punishment likely to follow when the FA receive their match report from Moss.

The Red Devils boss refused to fulfil his media duties following the 1-1 draw, leaving assistant Rui Faria to face the press following United's fourth Premier League draw in a row, which leaves them 11 points behind Mourinho's former side Chelsea.

The last time that happened was 1980, while United's haul of 20 points after 13 games is their worst start to a season since the 1989-90 campaign