Philippe Coutinho has lauded compatriot Roberto Firmino as integral to the way Liverpool play under Jurgen Klopp.

The Reds are firmly in the hunt for Champions League qualification after the Brazilian duo scored a goal apiece to secure a 2-1 come-from-behind win at Stoke City on Saturday.

Having both started on the bench, the pair underlined their importance to the team with second-half strikes and Coutinho heaped praise on his team-mate.

Roberto is a clever player. He makes those diagonal runs that are so important to our play at Liverpool, Coutinho told the official Liverpool FC magazine.

He s always available to receive the ball on his own up there and, even if he doesn t get a chance on goal for himself, he helps to create opportunities for us. …

Trent Sainsbury insists Champions League qualification is the goal for Inter as the Italian giants look to re-join Europe s elite.

It has been a whirlwind fortnight for Sainsbury and the Australia international defender has arrived in Milan with Inter vying for a spot in the Champions League, having not featured in the competition since 2012.

Inter s struggles were evident under former boss Frank de Boer, but with Stefano Pioli at the helm, the 18-time Italian champions find themselves fifth in Serie A, eight points adrift of third-placed Roma, who occupy the Champions League play-off berth.

Speaking exclusively to Omnisport, Sainsbury said: A massive club like Inter are always looking for silverware and Champions League spots.

It s always on the agenda…

Alberto Aquilani, who played for Italy as well as clubs including Roma, Liverpool, Juventus and Fiorentina, has retired.

The 34-year-old midfielder is hanging up his boots after leaving Las Palmas at the end of the 2017-18 season.

Aquilani, who flopped in an ill-fated Premier League spell at Anfield, played 38 times for Italy and will not seek another club after a year out of the game.

After a period of reflection, I think the time has come to hang the shoes on that nail that we all hate, he wrote on Instagram.  But there is a time for everything. 

And now the time has come to take new paths, different for everyday aspects, but at the same time attractive as new challenges. 

I took some time to understand what was the best choice. But de…

Frank Lampard is officially back at Chelsea and the new head coach could bring about a culture change.

The prevailing belief is that Lampard s return will see the Blues numerous academy talents belatedly get an opportunity in the first team in the 2018-19 season.

Chelsea are facing a transfer ban and the arrival of Jody Morris their former youth coach as Lampard s assistant means there is in-depth knowledge on several previously unheralded youngsters.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi had to stay patient before enjoying breakout campaigns under Maurizio Sarri, but who will Lampard and Morris turn to?

We take a look at the young men most likely to be in the mix for a Chelsea chance.

REECE JAMES

Right-back James is just 19…

Tottenham are set to have James Maddison fit for Saturday’s trip to Bournemouth, but head coach Ange Postecoglou has fired a warning to the players on the fringes of his bloated squad.

Maddison trained for the first time this week on Friday after he sat out a number of sessions with a sore ankle sustained during last weekend’s impressive 2-0 win over Manchester United.

Spurs have handed minutes to 18 members of their squad during the opening two Premier League games of the season but face a busy final week of the summer transfer window, with outgoings a priority for the club.

Offers will be listened to for former captain Hugo Lloris, Djed Spence, Eric Dier, Japhet Tanganga, Sergio Reguilon and Tanguy Ndombele while Davinson Sanchez, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and …

Rodri’s late winner clinched Manchester City a hard-fought 2-1 win at Sheffield United and lifted them top of the Premier League.

The City midfielder crashed home a shot from inside the area less than three minutes after Blades substitute Jayden Bogle had cancelled out Erling Haaland’s second-half header with an 85th-minute equaliser.

It was a breathless finish to a game City had dominated – Haaland missed a first-half penalty – but Rodri’s strike finally ended the Blades’ brave resistance and sealed absent manager Pep Guardiola’s 200th win in the English top flight.

1-2

— Manchester City (@ManCity)

With City assistant coach Juanma Lillo in charge of the visitors’ dugout as Guardiola recovers from back surgery in Barcelona, i…

Troyes have parted company with head coach Jean-Marc Furlan by mutual consent.

Following promotion back to Ligue 1 last season, Troyes, who are 10 points adrift at the foot of the table, have taken just five points from 16 games and were beaten 3-0 by second-bottom Toulouse on Wednesday.

The decision ends Furlan s second spell in charge of the club. He took over in 2010 having previously been at the helm from 2004 to 2007.

Troyes visit local rivals Reims in the Derby de Champagne on Saturday.

…

Darren Ferguson will not be leaving Peterborough United following their relegation to League One, club owner Darragh MacAnthony has said.

Peterborough were sent down from the Championship on the final day of the season by Mile Jedinak s 89th-minute goal for Crystal Palace, condemning them to a 3-2 defeat, when a point would have secured their safety.
Reports had suggested that Ferguson could move to Wolves, who have also dropped out of the Championship this season, costing Dean Saunders his job at Molineux.
But despite the rumoured interest from elsewhere, Irishman MacAnthony remains confident that the Scot will look to remain at London Road and guide the club to promotion out of League One next season, a feat he has twice managed in 2009 and 2011.

MacAnthony tweeted…

Lawrie McKinna does not expect the influx of Australian players in China to slow any time soon.

The affluence of Chinese football has dominated world headlines, but Lawrie McKinna s experience as a coach in the Chinese Super League was a far cry from the modern landscape.

McKinna arrived at Chengdu Blades, who have since been relegated from the top flight, in 2011.

The club were known for having the lowest operating budget in the league just $5million which was just about enough to bring in fellow Australians Jonas Salley, Brendon Santalab and Adam Kwasnik.

In excess of 30 Australians have played in the CSL with eight currently plying their trade in the Far East, headlined by all-time top Socceroos scorer Tim Cahill (Hangzhou Greentown) and fellow interna…

Real Madrid will feel no additional pressure as they attempt to retain the Champions League for the first time in the modern era, says head coach Zinedine Zidane.

Former Galactico Zidane revived Madrid s fortunes after replacing Rafael Benitez last season, leading them to an 11th European Cup in Milan and winning LaLiga this term their first domestic crown since 2012. 

Juventus await in Cardiff this year in a battle between the domestic champions of Italy and Spain.

Gianluigi Buffon, Massimiliano Allegri and Dani Alves each pegged Madrid as favourites when facing the media on Friday, but Zidane does not believe either side can be perceived as dominant.

There s not any pressure, Zidane told a news conference. I think Real Madrid knows how to feed from pr…