DAILY MIRROR 17.08.2019
(^4) mirror.co.uk/sport/football
DM1ST
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Amex Stadium: 3pm
BRIGHTON v WEST HAM
PELL: CAN
THE REAL
HAMMERS
STAND UP?
BY DARREN LEWIS
MANUEL PELLEGRINI has
promised fans they will see
the real West Ham for the
rest of the season.
The Hammers boss
(above) takes his side to
Brighton today bidding to
bounce back from last
Saturday’s 5-0 demolition
at the hands of champions
Manchester City.
He saw enough in his
team’s first-half
performance to remain
optimistic that his
new-look squad can
still impress.
“I hope we are
going to see the
real West Ham in
every game.” said
Pellegrini. “We
showed the real
West Ham against City for
45 minutes.
“We had 48 per cent
possession. Mistakes cost
us and in the second half
we didn’t play as well.
“We have to be
consistent over 90 minutes
no matter who we play.”
West Ham’s record
signing, £45million striker
Sebastien Haller (circle),
and winger Felipe Anderson
are doubts after receiving
some heavy challenges
against City last weekend,
so Pellegrini could place his
faith in £8m former Basel
striker Albian Ajeti.
The Hammers boss said:
“He’s working well, he’s
working hard, and I think he
will have a lot of
opportunities soon.
“Maybe it’s better for him
to know a little bit more
about the Premier League
but he’s a player who in
every training session is
showing what he can do.”
West Ham have lost both
their previous Premier
League visits to the Amex
and haven’t beaten
Brighton since the Seagulls
were promoted two years
ago. In addition,
Brighton were
impressive 3-0
winners at
Watford last
week under Chris
Hughton’s
successor, Graham
Potter. The victory was an
instant return on the
£70million the Seagulls
spent during the summer.
Former City boss
Pellegrini added: “I think all
the teams have enough
money to buy good players.
“All 20 teams in the
Premier League have very
good players, that’s why
anyone can beat anyone.
Brighton and other teams
have the same possibility of
having a successful season.
“They started very well.
They are playing with a
different style, but I think
what Hughton did was also
very good.”
hope he does well. He’s a
top player and I’m
delighted to see how he’s
progressed, so it will be
good to see him.
“Of course we’re
disappointed he’s
not with us as
he’s a top
player. He’s
made his
decision. We
move on, and
we’re doing well.”
Albion fans are looking
forward to a different
style of football under
new boss Potter, who
replaced Chris Hughton.
Brighton beat Watford
3-0 last week but face a
Hammers side smarting
from a home thrashing
by Manchester City.
SHANE DUFFY will put
his friendship with
Declan Rice to one side
as Brighton usher in a
new era under Graham
Potter at the Amex.
The Albion
defender (right)
remains close
friends with
West Ham
star Rice, the
midfielder who
defected from the
Republic of Ireland to
represent England.
Duffy insists facing
his old friend for the first
time since then is
nothing to worry about.
“Honestly, there’s no
bad feeling,” he said.
“I’m still close to Declan,
I’ve kept in contact and I
DUFFY: RICE MOVE’S
NOT GOT ME BOILING
s
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were pro
ago
B
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suc
HEAL OR
NO HEAL
Bruce: Can I repair the club?
I’m not Rafa but hopefully I can
give fans a team to be proud of
NORWICH’S Onel Hernandez faces
a battle to play again this year
after a freak knee injury.
The Cuban-born winger tore a
cartilage in a fall at home and could
be out for at least three months.
But boss Daniel Farke says the
26-year-old (left), who played a big
part in helping the Canaries win
promotion, will be sidelined for
longer if tests show he also has
cruciate ligament damage.
“He slipped over at home and fell
on his knee,” said Farke. “We have
to check if there’s something wrong
with his ACL. He is out for three
months, may need surgery.
“Onel is unpredictable and it’s a
huge blow. He would have been
important for us.
“We can’t replace him so we have
to find solutions in a different way.
It’s a big chance for some other
players.”
New signing Josip Drmic is ruled
out of today’s game with hamstring
trouble.
FARKE FEARS FOR CROCK HERNANDEZ
BY IAN MURTAGH
STEVE BRUCE admitted Newcastle is
a fractured and divided club that
needs to be put back together.
And the Magpies boss knows the only
way he can unite a fanbase alienated by
Mike Ashley’s regime and ripped
apart following Rafa Benitez’s
exit is by winning games.
To d a y ’s t r i p t o N o r w i c h
may only be Toon’s second
game of the season but its
importance cannot be
overstated in the wake of
home defeat to Arsenal in
the opening match.
Win at Carrow Road and
Bruce is up and running. Lose
and with trips to Tottenham and
Liverpool looming, he knows all the ingre-
dients are in place for a troubled club to
plummet headlong into a full-blown crisis.
The Geordie had no illusions about the
job he was taking on and the level of
discontent among supporters. And
although Sunday’s boycott (above) was not
an overriding success, he accepts
Newcastle is very much disunited.
“That’s my biggest challenge,” he said.
“Can I try to repair it? Can I try to help in
this situation? The only way I can do that
is to get a few results and give them a team
they enjoy watching. Whether that’s
possible, only time will tell.”
Bruce insists that whenever he comes
across fans the vibes are good. He is also
well aware how popular his predecessor
was and how “together” the club felt with
Benitez in charge.
“Newcastle is at its best when it’s united
and the supporters were right behind Rafa,”
he added. “Given time, I hope it’s the same.
But I’ve said many times, I’m not Rafa and
I’m not many people’s cup of tea.
Hopefully I can give them a
team which, eventually, they
will associate with and
come round.
“I can’t speak for all of
them but those I’ve met
have come up, shaken
my hand and wished me
luck. They accept I’m not
Rafa Benitez but they
want to help me if they
can.”
Newcastle did not win until
November 4 last term. Bruce
knows a similar run would not be
tolerated this time. “I don’t think
I’ll be entitled to that,” he said.
“Ten or 11 games he was
afforded and not a murmur from
the ground. I’ll not have that
luxury so I’d like a win at
Norwich. But I’ve never
had it easy. I’ll work hard,
have a go and won’t be
frightened of anything.”
NORWICH CITY v
NEWCASTLE UTD
Carrow Road, 3pm
WIN THE MOOD
Newcastle lost to Arsenal last
Sunday and he is desperate to
get the Toon fans onside
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