Martial rubbishes reports of United exit

Newspaper reported at the weekend that the French hitman was preparing a big money move to PSG after being forced out of Old Trafford by United boss Jose Mourinho.

Martial, however, replied to the gossip on Monday with a tweet, which read: "Don’t listen (to) the papers it's wrong thanks. Come on United."

The rumours came about just days after Mourinho had spoken frankly about the 21-year forward, who was United’s top scorer last season with 17 goals in all competitions.

“He has to perform better than the others who are competing for the same positions (if he wants to start),” Mourinho said.

“His position is one where we have lots of options. Do you want me to leave (Henrikh) Mkhitaryan out? I can’t.

“The players pick themselves. I am just there to analyse what they do and try to be fair with them.”

Martial joined United from Monaco in September 2015 in a deal potentially worth of up to £58m.

He has struggled to cement a place in the first team under Mourinho and has not featured at all in the last three Premier League games.

It’s not the first time Mourinho has spoken out about the player, in December he criticised Martial after the player's agent, Philippe Lamboley, said his client was a target for Sevilla.

"Anthony has to listen to me and not his agent," Mourinho said at the time.

"With Martial, every day I read the newspaper. 'Martial goes to Sevilla', 'Martial goes on loan', 'Martial is not happy'. Martial has to listen to me. He is a player with amazing conditions to be a top player."

Conte's take on Costa, Hazard, and Kante

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has insisted that all is forgiven between him and Diego Costa, while also dishing out praise to N’Golo Kante and Eden Hazard.

Costa clashed with his manager ahead of Chelsea’s win over Leicester City, and was subsequently dropped against the Foxes, but since then he has returned to both the team and his usual goal-scoring form.

"I was clear with him, I spoke to him forcefully and he understood me," Conte told Sky in Italy of the 15-goals-so-far forward. "Now everything is perfect."

Conte also praised Belgian winger Eden Hazard, who is back to his scintillating best and scored a fine solo goal against Arsenal on Saturday, calling him "immensely talented" before focusing on midfielder Kante.

"[Kante] has dependability, we know, but he has quality too," Conte continued. "He even should get better in some parts. He tends to be a horizontally moving player, but needs to learn vertically.

"He's a great kid, always helping out the other players. It was a terrific purchase. His goal against Manchester United was wonderful."

Mkhitaryan relishing newfound freedom

The Armenian netted the Red Devils' first goal at King Power Stadium before assisting in the visitors' third as Juan Mata capped off the victory.

"I felt free, because we really played well," Mkhitaryan told the press after the game. "I had help from everywhere. From the flanks, from behind, from up front with Ibra (Zlatan Ibrahimovic). I felt good, we played football, we knew what we had to do. So I felt very good."

Mkhitaryan had initially struggled at Old Trafford after making the move from Dortmund at the start of the season, but manager Jose Mourinho has explained that it was necessary to 'protect' the player before giving him game time.

"Sometimes the best way to protect the players is to not play them. Mkhi is one of those players. We protect him," the United boss said at a news conference.

"Now you see the magic he does on the pitch, but I also see other things I want to see, and Mkhi is playing really well."

Bobadilla seals victory for Augsburg

Werder Bremen continued their dismal form in the Bundesliga when they went down 3-2 to Augsburg at the WWK Arena on Sunday.Augsburg 3-2 Werder Bremen Selassie opens scoringSchmid gets equaliserKruse restores leadKoo equalisesBobadilla seals victory

Match summary

Werder Bremen were rewarded for their attacking intent in the 26th minute when Theodor Selassie slotted home Robert Bauer's flick-on in the area. The visitors' joy was short-lived as Augsburg drew level two minutes later via an effort from Jonathan Schmid.

Bremen dominated the possession stakes in the second-half and were duly rewarded for their efforts, when they restored their lead in the 65th minute courtesy of Max Kruse's penalty. 

The visitors would end up ruing their missed chances as Ja-Cheol Koo put his side back on level terms in the 79th minute, before Raul Bobadilla stole the show when he netted in the 94th minute.

Full report

The visitors got off to the brighter start in the encounter and almost took the lead in the seventh minute, when Serge Gnabry's left-footed grasscutter went narrowly wide of Marwin Hitz's goal.

Augsburg gradually started to find their feet as the encounter went on and came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock minutes later, but Bobadilla's effort was hit straight at goalkeeper, Felix Wiedwald.

The opening goal of the game fell to Selassie who made no mistake from within the area in the 26th minute after Bauer's flick-on in the area.

Augsburg drew level two minutes later when Bobadilla did well to hold off the attentions of Ulisses Garcia, before flicking a long-ball into the path of Jonathan Schmid who smashed home from close range.

Much of the second-half was marred by numerous petty fouls being committed by Augsburg, who were content with Bremen dominating possession in the first two thirds of the field.

Both sides made a number of substitutions in a bid to take the lead, but struggled to penetrate one another's defence's. 

Bremen restored their lead in the 65th minute, when Gnabry dribbled his way into the area and was adjudged to have been impeded by Martin Hinteregger. Max Kruse stepped up and slotted away the resultant penalty.

Augsburg stepped up their pursuit of the equaliser and were unlucky not be on level terms moments later when Georg Teigl's shot went narrowly wide, however, Koo managed to find the equaliser in the 79th minute against the run of play after latching onto Paul Verhaegh's corner.

Manuel Baum's side almost sealed all three points close to the end of the encounter, but Hinteregger's header was somehow kept out Wiedwald.

Bobadilla proved to be the hero for the home side, when he reacted quickest to a flick from Koo to volley home with virtually the last kick of the game.

Kempes dismissed by Valencia

The 62-year-old World Cup winning Argentine striker, who played for Los Che in two separate spells from 1976-81 and then again from 1982 to 1984, was employed as an ambassador at the club since 2013.

Valencia, who are currently under the guidance of Salvador "Voro" Gonzalez, after going through a number of managers in recent seasons, were completely outplayed by the seventh-placed Eibar.

Goals from Sergi Enrich 28, Adrian (PG 45 3) and Dani Garcia (57) sealed the win, with Kempes critical of the club's performance.

The result left Valencia in 19th place in La Liga with 18 games remaining.

After the game, Kempes wrote on Twitter: "Lamentably this is a team that is utterly lost. There's no style of play, no leadership and very little enthusiasm."

He later posted: "Today I have officially been informed I am no longer the ambassador of Valencia. But my sentiments for the club will not change, and I'll keep giving my opinions when I think things are not right."