LeBron James set to attend first Liverpool game since becoming a minority owner

With the NBA season delayed, the Miami Heat star will be on hand when Liverpool takes on Manchester United this weekend.

LeBron James is set to attend a Liverpool match for the first time since buying a piece of the team when rival Manchester United visits Anfield on Saturday.

The Miami Heat star, who became a minority owner of the club last spring, tweeted Wednesday that he had arrived in England and later confirmed that he would be among the crowd.

"Yeah, I'm going for sure!" James told ESPN The Magazine. "Wouldn't miss this one! Biggest game in the world probably."

James posted on the social network site images from inside Liverpool FC's practice facility and one of a No. 6 Reds jersey with "LeBron" across the back.

With the NBA lockout underway, this may not be the only time James will attend a game this season. The Premier League typically runs concurrent with the NBA schedule, but there are talks that the basketball season may not begin until after Christmas.

USA announces November friendly match with France in Paris

Jurgen Klinsmann will take his team to Paris on November 11

The U.S. national team has announced that it will play a friendly in Paris on November 11 against Les Bleus of France.

"France is traditionally one of the best teams in the world," said U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann. "When you look at their history, the players that have come through their team and what they have accomplished, you have to be impressed. This is an awesome opportunity for our players to play in a stadium that has hosted a World Cup Final, and a great experience for their careers."

Falling on an international fixture date, the Klinsmann and the USA coachin staff will have a full compliment of players to choose from. Following the France match on the 11th, the team announced a further fixture will be decided upon for Nov. 15.

The U.S. and France have only met twice in their history, with the European side taking both matches back in 1979 by a combined 9-0 scoreline.

Taking place at the Stade de France, the match will kickoff at 3 p.m. ET

Pep Guardiola: I understand Bojan Krkic's disappointment with Barcelona

The 40-year-old is aware of his former player's remarks over the way he left the Spanish club and has offered his version of events prior to the summer exit 

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has responded to Roma striker Bojan Krkic who said he would never go back to Camp Nou.

"He [Bojan] did everything to help us. I have good memories of him and I understand his disappointment as I used to play football too," Guardiola told the press. "He is still young and in two years he will be back here. He now has time to show that he can return to this club. I would have liked to have helped him more, but I couldn't. I have to ask whether we did something wrong."

The 21-year-old insisted he would not return to Barca if he was called with an offer from the coach because Guardiola never gave him a chance to shine in last season's Champions League final against Manchester United.

Bojan left the Spanish and European champions two months after their famous 3-1 win at Wembley and joined the Serie A club for an initial 12 million euros following the tension with Guardiola. The coach appeared sympathetic with the Roma forward and has taken note of the frustration still felt by his former starlet.

"If I am still the coach should he return, then I will need convincing he can be a Barcelona player," he continued. "He is young and has a great future, but the success depends on him."

The coach then went on to talk about their Liga clash at home to Racing Santander on Saturday.

"Racing have had 15 days to prepare for this game, we have only had four players [because of the international break]," added Guadriola. "They are a good team and their coach [Hector Cuper] is a maestro, but we must try to play a fresh and sparkling game so we can beat a team who defend very well."

Kickoff against the relegation strugglers is at 3 p.m. ET. 

 

Arsene Wenger’s reply to Bergkamp’s suggestion that van Persie should change position

Earlier this week, Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp told the Daily Mail that Robin van Persie should be utilised in a much deeper role, at Arsenal.  Asked to comment about this during yesterday’s press conference, manager Arsene Wenger explained that the striker is a very versatile player who can play in every position of the pitch, adding that what is important is to pick a formation that suits the team and the qualities of each and every member of the squad.  The Arsenal boss correctly added that van Persie hit 26 goals in 32 games and this should be enough to understand that he is indeed used just where he should be used in his line-up.  But, the Frenchman also added that an open-minded approach is needed in football and that if a player can play in different positions then all the options should be evaluated as in fact van Persie was utilised on the left wing by his former club Feyenoord as a demonstration that he can indeed offer versatile options to the Arsenal offensive department.  On van Persie, Wenger said:      [Dennis Bergkamp believes Robin van Persie is playing in a wrong position?] Of course [I spoke with Robin about his position], it’s on the football pitch.      On the right, on the left, up front, behind the strikers, he can play everywhere, it’s as simple as that.      What is more suited to the team and adjusted to the qualities of the other players, it’s the best.      In this position he has scored 26 goals in 32 games so you cannot say he’s in a bad position because the numbers go against you.      But you have to be open-minded, he can play as well behind the striker or on the right or on the left.      When I bought him he played on the left, winger. At Feyenoord he was educated like that, you know, I put him central because he’s a quality player.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger feels England should take Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney to the Euros.

Rooney has been suspended for three matches by UEFA for kicking out at an opponent in last week's final qualifying game in Montenegro.
Wenger said: "I am not in a position to tell Fabio Capello what he has to do. You ask me my opinion, I give you my opinion that he should go to the European Championship of course.
"You cannot expect your national team to win the European Championship and leave him out just because he misses the qualifying stage. That doesn't work well together. If you expect your team to win you have to take your best player even if he doesn't play the first three games."
Wenger believes critics should not be too hard on Rooney.
Wenger added: "He is a great player. The other day he had a bad reaction. I've seen that from (Zinedine) Zidane and many great players.
"It's sometimes a consequence of the immense pressure they are under, everybody expects them always to do something special.
"On the day he knows that he had not a special day because recently he was exceptional in every single game and on the day he was not in such good form and he was frustrated.
"He shouldn't have done it but you cannot have the commitment of Rooney and as well not expect that in one game he can go a little bit overboard. He is a guy who fights in every single game.