liverpool without steven gertad "unimaginable" says jordan handerson

Jordan Henderson and Rickie Lambert have both appealed to captain Steven Gerrard to sign a new contract and stay at Liverpool.
Vice-captain Henderson says Gerrard leaving Anfield is "unimaginable," while striker Lambert called him "Mr Liverpool."
Manager Brendan Rodgers revealed on Monday that the 34-year-old has been offered a deal to remain at Anfield beyond the end of this season.

But Gerrard, whose current contract expires next June, is thinking over his options before deciding whether to sign.

The midfielder is likely to be used more sparingly if he does stay, as Rodgers has indicated that he wants to reduce his captain's workload in order to get the best out of him.
Gerrard, a Liverpool first-team player since 1998, is considering whether that arrangement would suit him.

The former England captain was to the bench for last Saturday's 1-0 win over Stoke, before being restored to the starting line-up for Tuesday's 3-1 win at Leicester, in which he scored.
 Jordan Henderson can't even imagine what Liverpool would be like without Steven Gerrard.
Henderson told the Liverpool Echo: "Every single member of the squad hope he stays for many years to come.
"Steven knows his own mind and what he wants to do. It is down to him, the club and his representatives to sort it out.
"He is huge for us and we need to keep him for as long as we can.
"Liverpool without Steven Gerrard is unimaginable. Nobody wants to lose him -- I'm sure the club feel that way as well."
Lambert, a boyhood Liverpool fan who joined the club from Southampton in June, also wants Gerrard to stay.

The striker said: "I think I am speaking for everyone involved in Liverpool that we are desperate to keep Stevie.
"It's clear that it's his decision and the club's decision but I think he needs to stay at Liverpool for the rest of his life -- that's just my opinion.
"Stevie is his own man but he is Mr Liverpool so it's up to the club to sort out, nothing to do with me."

Manchester City now in form to fight for title, Manuel Pellegrini says

Manchester City now in form to fight for title, Manuel Pellegrini says

Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini believes his side have rediscovered their title-winning form after Sergio Aguero inspired a 4-1 win over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.



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The Argentinian striker scored his side's first and fourth goals while other strikes from Stevan Jovetic and Pablo Zabaleta saw the visitors hit back from the shock of conceding an early opener to Connor Wickham.
City's win came straight after bouncing back to form with an equally comprehensive win at Southampton on Saturday and Pellegrini is convinced his side's early season struggles may now be over.
"I think we are returning to the performances we had last season," Pellegrini said. "I think if we continue playing this way of course we will fight for the title, but I think three or four other teams will also be there."

Another masterful performance from Aguero drew qualified praise from Pellegrini, who was keen to stress the team effort which enabled his side to end their run of four consecutive 1-0 defeats at the Stadium of Light.
Sergio Aguero helped Manchester City end their long drought at the Stadium of Light.
Pellegrini said: "He is an important player but it is not just Sergio Aguero -- we play in a way that it is very useful for him to score but it is important for him not just to think about scoring but to play for the team.
"There are a lot of good strikers but I said before the last game that I am sure he is one of the best five players in the world because he is not just scoring, he is playing very well."

Manchester City now in form to fight for title, Manuel Pellegrini says

Manchester City now in form to fight for title, Manuel Pellegrini says

Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini believes his side have rediscovered their title-winning form after Sergio Aguero inspired a 4-1 win over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.



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The Argentinian striker scored his side's first and fourth goals while other strikes from Stevan Jovetic and Pablo Zabaleta saw the visitors hit back from the shock of conceding an early opener to Connor Wickham.
City's win came straight after bouncing back to form with an equally comprehensive win at Southampton on Saturday and Pellegrini is convinced his side's early season struggles may now be over.
"I think we are returning to the performances we had last season," Pellegrini said. "I think if we continue playing this way of course we will fight for the title, but I think three or four other teams will also be there."

Another masterful performance from Aguero drew qualified praise from Pellegrini, who was keen to stress the team effort which enabled his side to end their run of four consecutive 1-0 defeats at the Stadium of Light.
Sergio Aguero helped Manchester City end their long drought at the Stadium of Light.
Pellegrini said: "He is an important player but it is not just Sergio Aguero -- we play in a way that it is very useful for him to score but it is important for him not just to think about scoring but to play for the team.
"There are a lot of good strikers but I said before the last game that I am sure he is one of the best five players in the world because he is not just scoring, he is playing very well."

chelsea cruise past spurs,man city hit four,arsenal edge southampton

Chelsea kept up the pace at the top of the Premier League with a comprehensive win at home to Spurs, but Man City ensured the gap would stay at six points with a crushing win at Sunderland.

Arsenal needed a late goal to take the points at home to Southampton, and Hull City ended their losing run by claiming a draw at Everton.
Didier Drogba set up Eden Hazard's opener before scoring himself as Chelsea swept aside Tottenham with a 3-0 victory to extend their unbeaten start to the season.
Although Tottenham threatened early on, with Harry Kane heading against the crossbar, Chelsea took control after a Drogba-Hazard one-two created the Belgium midfielder's goal in the 19th minute.

Tottenham gifted Chelsea another goal inside three minutes, with goalkeeper Hugo Lloris' weak clearance allowing Hazard and Oscar to combine to set up Drogba's fifth goal of the season.

Easily coping without suspended top scorer Diego Costa, Chelsea exposed the feeble Tottenham defence again in the 73rd minute when substitute striker Loic Remy sidefooted in the third goal after brushing off Jan Vertonghen.

Manchester City ended a six-year wait for a Premier League win at Sunderland with an impressive 4-1 victory.
The visitors, who had lost their last four games at the Stadium of Light, fell behind in the 19th minute when Pablo Zabaleta's attempted clearance deflected off Connor Wickham and into the net.

But Sergio Aguero levelled two minutes later, rolling the ball through defender Sebastian Coates' legs before unleashing a vicious shot past goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon.
City went ahead in the 39th minute when Aguero found Stevan Jovetic, who netted from inside the area. Zabaleta added a third in the 55th minute when he lifted the ball over Pantilimon, before Aguero hit the fourth in the 71st.

Alexis Sanchez rescued Arsenal again by scoring in the 89th minute to secure a 1-0 win over Southampton.
Sanchez slotted into an empty net after Aaron Ramsey squared the ball across the goal, finally breaking down a Southampton side who had been kept in the game by a series of good saves by Fraser Forster.

It was the Chilean's ninth league goal of the season and kept Arsenal in sixth place, three points behind third-place Southampton.
Arsenal had struggled to create chances until Olivier Giroud came on midway through the second half, and Forster made two great one-handed saves to deny the France striker and Danny Welbeck as the hosts pushed for a winner.

Hull City's run of defeats came to an end as an equaliser from substitute Sone Aluko secured them a 1-1 draw at Everton.
The Toffees appeared very much in control at half-time, going in a goal up thanks to Romelu Lukaku's 34th-minute strike from a Kevin Mirallas cut-back.
But Hull battled back after the break and were level in the 59th minute when Aluko, only just introduced to the action, got past Sylvain Distin and put a nice finish past Tim Howard at his near post.

The Tigers' ex-Everton frontman Nikica Jelavic headed just wide moments later, and the visitors then hung on doggedly for a draw that takes them out of the relegation zone, which they had slipped into on Tuesday night.
Steve Bruce's men are only up a place from 18th to 17th and are clear of the drop zone on goal difference alone, but they will surely take a considerable boost from getting this point on the board after losing their previous four games.



 

Player ratings: Giroud and Sanchez make the difference for Arsenal

Player ratings: Giroud and Sanchez make the difference for Arsenal

For a long time, it looked as if Arsenal would be denied a win by the brilliance of Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster. Yet once again, Alexis Sanchez stepped up to provide the crucial moment for the Gunners in their 1-0 victory Wednesday.
Although Sanchez may be hailed as the hero, the game hinged on the introduction of substitute Olivier Giroud. Perhaps invigorated by the newfound competition for places, the Frenchman created chaos in the Southampton penalty area.



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When Toby Alderweireld was forced off with a hamstring injury, the Saints were forced to play the closing minutes with 10 men and the pressure eventually told.
The win moves Arsenal to within just three points of second-place Southampton and ensures they keep up the pressure on the current top four.
Player Ratings (1-10; 10=best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating):
GK Emiliano Martinez, 7 -- Another very competent night between the sticks for Arsenal's young Argentine goalkeeper. If he was a little slow coming off his line to close down Graziano Pelle in the first half, he did everything else right. His kicking was strong and he claimed crosses confidently.


DF Calum Chambers, 6 -- He was obviously keen to make an impression against his former club and made a number of marauding runs down the right flank. However, his crossing occasionally let him down.


DF Laurent Koscielny, 7 -- Arsenal look so much more comfortable with the Frenchman back in their ranks. His recovery pace and positional awareness gives them added security in defence.


DF Per Mertesacker, 7 -- It's not just Arsenal who look better with Koscielny in the team -- it's Mertesacker too. The big German's flaws are assuaged by his French partner's presence, and Mertesacker seems much more confident as a result.


DF Nacho Monreal, 6 -- Monreal's spell as a centre-back seems to have imbued him with an extra element of physicality in his play, and his tenacious display kept Dusan Tadic and Shane Long at bay.
After 89 minutes of frustration, Arsenal got their winner through Alexis Sanchez.
MF Mathieu Flamini, 6 -- He was tigerish as ever at the base of the Arsenal midfield. However, the Gunners seem to miss the variety of distribution that Mikel Arteta brings the team. Flamini's passing is accurate but rarely ambitious.


MF Aaron Ramsey, 5 -- At present, injuries to Jack Wilshere and Mikel Arteta mean that Arsenal have no choice but to persist with Ramsey. It's a shame, because he looks like a player who could do with a rest. His poor form was summed up by a pass that found row Z rather than a teammate. Perhaps his confidence will be boosted by the fact that he provided the cross to create Arsenal's late winner.


MF Santi Cazorla, 6 -- In the first half, Cazorla's exquisite pass played Danny Welbeck in on goal. However, after that early piece of magic, Cazorla failed to impose himself on this game as he had against Dortmund and West Brom.
FW Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 6 -- His substitution was greeted by boos, and this was Oxlade-Chamberlain's poorest performance in weeks. As with the rest of Arsenal's attacking contingent, his individual trickery regularly failed to come off. Perhaps his rhythm was disrupted by his surprise absence from the team against West Brom.


FW Alexis Sanchez, 6 -- This was his worst display in months, but no matter: This guy is a pure winner, and it was no surprise that he turned home Arsenal's late goal. Because of his remarkable work rate, Alexis guarantees a certain level of performance. However, in this game he rarely rose above that base standard. All too often he tried to do too much on the ball, ending up conceding possession. That will swiftly be forgotten, though...
FW Danny Welbeck, 5 -- He endured a difficult evening that started with a miscued effort from an admittedly narrow angle and, unfortunately, didn't get much better for the England international. He probably thought he'd scored when his header deflected toward goal, only to be denied by a great stop from Forster. In the second half, the Saints keeper repeated the trick to deny a curled effort inside the box.
Substitutes:


FW Olivier Giroud, 8 -- He came on after 65 minutes and made an immediate impact with, first, a thumping volley that stung Forster's hands, and then a sublime flick that created a chance for Welbeck. Giroud was involved in the goal, bringing the ball down in the penalty area and creating the chaos that led to Alexis snatching the win.


FW Lukas Podolski, NR -- Introduced as a substitute for Welbeck, Podolski was quiet besides a late shot that fizzed past the post.