PREMIER LEAGUE

Wenger: 2016-17 season disappointing on all levels

The Arsenal manager admits that this campaign has flattered to deceive, despite an influx of superstar managers like Antonio Conte, Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola

Arsene Wenger believes that the 2016-17 Premier League season has been “disappointing on all levels”

A number of elite managers have come into the English top-flight in recent months, with the likes of Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, Wenger, Antonio Conte and Jurgen Klopp battling for supremacy.

However, Conte’s Chelsea currently lead the league by six points, with their rivals flattering to deceive.

Wenger’s Arsenal are fourth, nine points off the pace, and Wenger admits that the campaign has not lived up to expectations.

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“We are in the middle of a championship with the best managers in the world competing, and it’s been disappointing on all levels,” he told reporters.

“It promised to be an exceptional year but we have not produced the kind of games England is remembered for.

“A Premier League season is always marked by two or three games that are absolutely spectacular and so far we haven’t produced that. I feel there is more to come from this competition than we have produced so far — and I include myself in that.”

Wenger believes that a fear of losing games is the reason for the poor results thus far, but is now hoping that each major club throws caution to the wind in the second half of the campaign.

“We have a responsibility to raise the level of the spectacular,” he added.

“Because there is so much money in the Premier League and every game has become so important, every manager is under pressure not to lose as his first priority.

“All the teams in the Premier League are now top quality — maybe the difference between the favourites and the smaller clubs makes some teams just defend.

“But we have the best managers in the world, I’m sure we’ll see more games when everyone really has to go for it and it’s no longer a case of ‘wait and see’ but ‘go out and make it happen’.”

Arsenal face Crystal Palace on New Year’s Eve.

The Blaugrana have confirmed the news on their Twitter account, with the Brazil superstar set to put pen to pape

Neymar will sign a new Barcelona contract to keep him at the club until June 2021 on Friday.

The Brazil international is ready to officially sign the deal - which was originally agreed in June - the club have announced.

Neymar joined Barca in 2013 and his terms at Camp Nou were due to expire in 2018, but the fresh agreement will see him tied to the Spanish champions for the next five seasons.

The 24-year-old has won two La Liga titles and one Champions League amongst several other honours in his first three campaigns.

FC Barcelona 

✔@FCBarcelona

[CONTRACT NEWS] @neymarjr will sign new contract on Friday that will keep him at the Club until June 2021

6:16 PM - 17 Oct 2016

He was heavily linked with Paris Saint-Germain prior to agreeing the new contract ahead of a 2016-17 season that has seen him score five goals in eight appearances.

"Neymar will make his contract extension official on Friday 21 October at 3.00pm CET at the club offices," read Barca's statement on Monday.

"As the club has already announced, the striker's contract extension with FC Barcelona will tie him to the blaugranes until 30 June 2021."

Prior to the contract becoming official, Neymar is expected to be involved as Barca host former head coach Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City side in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic All Goals 18 for Manchester United HD

The Man Utd attacker was asked what separates the Real Madrid star from Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, and he feels the difference is quite simple

It's tough for most football fans to pick a favourite Ronaldo, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic believes O Fenomeno shades his namesake rivals.

Cristiano Ronaldo has earned his place among the greats, following in the footsteps of the Brazilian icon of the same name at Real Madrid, while the dazzling Barcelona legend Ronaldinho is impossible to ignore.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, however, has pinpointed the differences between the three legends. 

"I think Ronaldo, Il Fenomeno, was the best," he told ESPN Brasil. "For me, it was an example of what football is. Everything he did something that made you think 'wow'. The way he dribbled and the way he ran.

"Ronaldo was natural, he was born to be what he was. It was not something he trained to become. This type of player is not made, he is born. He is unique.

"We [Ronaldinho and Ibrahimovic] played together at AC Milan, but he did not live the best days as before, but I loved it when we played and he was running with his hair messed up, dribbling fast and when he wanted to, he made others look like kids around him.

"As for Cristiano Ronaldo, we did not play together. It is different because it is the result of hard training. It is not natural."

Still in incredible form at 35, Ibrahimovic is far from finished with football and could have a few more years left in him, and even suggested he would consider a move to Brazil. 

"Maybe I should go to Brazil, you never know... (Maybe) I'd enjoy my football there."