Category: Sports

Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho cannot see his side slipping below local rivals Everton by the end of the season as the teams gear up for a Premier League Merseyside derby on Saturday.

Everton, currently three places behind their fourth-placed city rivals in the league table, can cut the gap to just three points with a victory at Anfield.

Coutinho, who is away on international duty with Brazil, said he was concentrating only on Liverpool’s progress.

“I don’t think about (Everton’s form) or worry about that,” Coutinho told the reporters. “We will be ready. The derby is a very special match for everyone, the fans and the players.”

Liverpool are unbeaten in Merseyside encounters since 2010 but will face a Ronald Koeman side that have picked up 23 of 30 points since the turn of the year.

Coutinho acknowledged Everton’s recent progress and said it would mean a lot more to the fans if Liverpool could find a way to win the derby.

“We know what it means… this time it is even more because Everton have improved so much in recent weeks,” he added.

“We know it won’t be easy but we know we have to win, for our fans, for our morale and for everybody.”

Liverpool have lost just one out of their 14 league games at Anfield this season, scoring 36 goals and conceding 13 in the process.

Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa has seen a beehive of activity since Monday as football leaders arrive ahead of the much anticipated Caf elections to be conducted on Thursday at the AU Headquarters.

Caf President Issa Hayatou arrived on Monday having flown directly from Lusaka where he attended the just concluded U20 Afcon won by Zambia.

Hayatou’s challenger in the upcoming elections Ahmad Ahmad of Madagascar has also arrived and intimated that he was ready for the big day.

“I am happy I am finally in Addis Ababa we have waited for this moment and we want to conclude the elections on Thursday so that Africa can revert back to football.I am hoping for good tidings as I have campaigned efficiently “Ahmad who is Madagascar FA president told supersport.com at the delegates hotel in Sheraton.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino is also expected to arrive on Tuesday accompanied by the Secretary General Fatma Samoura.

Caf has lined up a raft of activities that coincide with their 60th celebrations which will include a documentary and discussion forum on different issues.

Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil will miss Tuesday’s Champions League last-16 second leg against Bayern Munich after illness, Gunners boss Arsene Wenger said.

Ozil was absent from Arsenal’s 3-1 defeat at Liverpool on Saturday and although the German star has returned to training, Wenger doesn’t believe he is ready to face Bayern.

Losing the World Cup winner for the Emirates Stadium showdown is another blow for Arsenal, who face the daunting task of having to overturn a 5-1 deficit from the first leg.

“Ozil is not in the squad. He was sick and he was out the whole of last week,” Wenger said.

“He had only one session yesterday. I don’t think he is ready physically to be in the squad.

“He should be ready for the weekend (for the FA Cup quarterfinal against Lincoln).”