Roberto De Zerbi
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Roberto De Zerbi’s message to Brighton before Wembley FA Cup Semifinal against Manchester United #BHAFC

April 22, 2023
The Seagulls are preparing for an FA Cup semi-final against a Manchester United side beaten 3-0 at Sevilla last night. Head coach De Zerbi was told his side had been made favourites to reach the final in some quarters. He said: “We are excited to play the semi-final, to play in Wembley but we are focused only on the game. “We want to play respecting our own quality, our style, and with emotion because these are good things feel. “Emotion, because football is emotion first of all, but we have to be clear and relaxed to find the right to win the game. “If we want to progress (as a team), if we want to improve in mentality, we have to play naturally. We have to not suffer to the pressure, or maybe we have to love the pressure. “We must get used to feeling this pressure. Because to play this type of game, it has to be an honour not a problem. But I have no doubt. “We are ready to play a great game. In terms of mentality, we are growing, and I think we can show our quality.”
christian eriksen
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Christian Eriksen gives Manchester United setback warning to Brighton before FA Cup SemiFinal #MUFC

April 21, 2023
The Red Devils were reeling after their 3-0 defeat by Sevilla in the Europa League on Thursday. They go into their FA Cup date with Albion missing defenders Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire. But they pride themselves on responding to setbacks this season and expect a big reaction against the Seagulls. Eriksen said: “We had a few of the bigger setbacks this season but in the end, we can see where we are. “I mean, we were in a quarter-final in the Europa League after everything else and now in the semi-finals of the FA Cup. “So we can still be proud of where we are but obviously we want to achieve more. Sunday’s now where we can prove our point.” Asked if playing such a huge game is the best thing to get over Thursday’s humbling, Eriksen said: “Yeah, I think so. “I mean, it’s definitely going to change our feelings towards the next game. “Whoever we’re going to play after this, we want to show that we’re better than what we did today, want to give something back to the fans, and to the club. “It’s a big disappointment but there’s a new focus in three days’ time, and that’s another very big game so I’m sure we’ll be up for that as well.” United’s hammering in Spain ranks alongside the 4-0 defeat at Brentford and 7-0 hammering at Liverpool as lowpoints of the campaign. They followed the defeat by Bees, which itself came after losing at home to Albion, by beating Liverpool 2-1. United have not lost consecutive matches since then, a trend Albion must halt if they are to get to the final. The seven-goal Anfield nightmare was followed by a 4-1 win over Real Betis. There was also a bad experience this term at Manchester City, where the 6-3 margin of defeat flattered them. They bounced back from that game by winning at Omonia Nicosia and Everton in quick succession. United will look to those results to boost them for Sunday, as well as the return in Seville of Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw as half-time substitutes. United boss Erik ten Hag said: “I think we showed in the past we can quickly bounce back. “We did it between games many times this season but what we have to learn is to start games better, with more desire, more composure on the ball and when you get the setback you have to deal with it and carry on.” United’s Europa League exit will be compounded if they put in a similar performance on Sunday. Ten Hag’s side lost at home to the Seagulls in his first game in charge and knows he has a big job to lift them for Wembley. He said: “I already started. We lift them and we have to pick them up. “But also we have to face that we let ourselves down, we let the fans down and if you want to win trophies, if you want to be successful, you need other character.”
Gary O’Neil
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- AFC Bournemouth’s Gary O’Neil on West Ham and their European achievements #AFCB #WHUFC

April 21, 2023
Hammers face Belgian side Gent in the Europa Conference League quarter-finals this evening (kick-off 8pm), with the tie delicately poised after West Ham were held to a 1-1 draw away on the continent last week. David Moyes rested numerous players for the trip to Belgium with a view of playing a stronger team in their clash with league leaders Arsenal, the decision paying off as the Hammers came from 2-0 behind to draw 2-2 with the Gunners on Sunday. Cherries host West Ham on Sunday at the Vitality Stadium, with kick-off at 2pm. Discussing West Ham’s game with Gent, O’Neil shared: “It’s a home game for them, it's a chance for them to win a big game in front of their fans. "They had a good performance in front of their home fans on Sunday, against Arsenal. “They've got world class players that are used to playing in big games. “This will be a big game for them come Sunday, so I'll be very surprised if West Ham turn up here anything less than 100 per cent full throttle, ready to go because it's obviously a very important game for them as well as it is us. “So I don't see us having any advantage over that. "I think our real focus is on arriving on Sunday in the best shape we can possibly be and try and ask West Ham as many questions as possible.”
#PLStories- Aston Villa’s Unai Emery admits they showed respect against AFC Bournemouth despite being safe #AVFC
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Aston Villa’s Unai Emery admits they showed respect against AFC Bournemouth despite being safe #AVFC

March 17, 2023
After an iffy start to the campaign under previous boss Steven Gerrard, former Arsenal boss Emery has steered the Birmingham-based outfit away from the foot of the table, positioning them in a far more comfortable 10th place. With 11 points and six teams separating themselves from the relegation zone, Villa are one of a few teams in the Premier League safe from the drop but a distance away from the battle for Europe. In recent weeks Gary O’Neil has changed his backline to deal with the threat of Manchester City and Arsenal, operating with a three-man central defence, before reverting to the more familiar back four in the win over Liverpool last time out. Discussing Cherries, Emery shared: “It will be a very difficult match, because they are in a good moment. They focus on getting away from the bottom. “It will be a big challenge for us. “They are changing their shape; sometimes playing with four, sometimes with five. Their best performance is playing 4-4-2. “We have to respect them. We have to know their shape and that if something is changing, how to defend against them and to attack them. “Individually, we have to know their characteristics as players. Their shapes with the ball and without the ball. “They now have confidence and we have to adapt to them but impose our idea as well. We have to fight the duels being winners. That is the challenge tomorrow.”  
Gary O’Neil
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- AFC Bournemouth’s Gary O’Neil admits Manchester City “Ask a lot of questions” during premier league games #AFCB #MCFC

February 25, 2023
Defending Premier League Champions City visit the south coast chasing a third successive top-flight title whilst also fighting for further glory in the FA Cup and Champions League.   Pep Guardiola’s men trail Arsenal by two points in the battle for the Premier League, with Mikel Arteta’s Gunners also boasting a game in hand. Cherries have never beaten Manchester City, losing their last 11 Premier League games to the Cityzens. Discussing the test, O’Neil told the Daily Echo: “They ask you a lot of questions, tactically, Man City. “So they'll test how far you want to come in on things, test if you're brave enough to come out. If you do, they'll try and exploit the space you leave. “They ask you an awful lot of questions. Physically, they ask you questions. Generally, all their players are quick and strong as well. So, yeah, they are the biggest threat you can face in this country in my opinion.” With a trip to league leaders Arsenal on the horizon, O’Neil quipped: “Obviously, Arsenal going very well as well. We get to try that one next week! “But, yeah, (City) ask a lot of questions.” Wary of the threat Cherries’ upcoming opponents pose, O’Neil believes his side are ready to face the challenge of City. “The boys are well prepped, they're in a good place,” he continued. “I have full belief in them with the game coming tomorrow that they're going to go out and give it a real good go, and hopefully we can take a positive result.”  Despite grabbing 32 goals in 32 games across all competitions, Erling Haaland has scored just once in his last six City appearances. This has led to speculation that the Norwegian international is not a natural fit to City’s possession-based style, an assertion O’Neil does not agree with. Asked about this theory, Cherries’ boss replied: “No, I think his goals record is fantastic. “I think they're still a threat from so many different areas of the pitch that they can hurt you with the ball, they can hurt you by being direct and behind. “Good set plays, they can play round you or they can play over you. “So, yeah, it's still a very good side and most of the metrics, they're the best side in the league. “So, yeah, now I feel like they'll feel like come to the end of the season, everyone will see them pretty much where you expect them to be.”