Am Not Considering Exit - Isco

Real Madrid star Isco insists he is not looking to leave the Spanish Giant in January despite failing to win into starting eleven under new coach Santiago Solari.

Isco last started a LaLiga match in the 5-1 Clasico humiliation by Barcelona on October 28, Julen Lopetegui's final game in charge.

Since then, Isco has made Madrid's starting XI just twice; the 6-1 Copa del Rey thrashing of minnows Melilla and a shock 3-0 home defeat to CSKA Moscow in the Champions League.

Solari has consistently insisted he has no problem with Isco and continues to rate him highly.

Still, the situation has unsurprisingly led to speculation suggesting the player will seek a move if things do not improve soon, though he has dismissed such reports in the media.

"I'm not thinking about leaving in the winter market," the Spain international told Deportes Cuatro on Sunday.

"I'm very happy, my goal is to win many titles at Real Madrid."

Madrid are next in action against Villarreal on Thursday as LaLiga resumes following a mid-season break.

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Solskjaer Does Not Want Lukaku Playing 'Target Man' Role

Manchester United interim Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hinted Romelu Lukaku will not play in a "target man" role as long as he is in charge.

Lukaku endured a difficult first half of the season, struggling for form and fitness after claiming he had been negatively impacted by building up too much muscle during the World Cup.

The 25-year-old striker was granted compassionate leave over Christmas and, as such, is further behind than the majority of his team-mates with respect to match sharpness.

But, in Sunday's 4-1 hammering of Bournemouth, Lukaku came on as a second-half substitute for the impressive Marcus Rashford and scored United's final goal, beating Asmir Begovic after latching on to Paul Pogba's pass.

It was the first time Lukaku had featured since former boss Jose Mourinho with whom the Belgian was said to have a close bond was replaced by Solskjaer, and the new man at the helm is excited by the prospect of the former Everton man being fully fit.

"At times he's a good target man, but if you tell him to be a target man he'll never face the goal," Solskjaer told reporters. "Today [Sunday] he was side-on and he's got the attributes of a top, top striker.

"We need to work on his fitness, but I'm delighted. Even though he was half a yard offside [for his goal], it was a good finish."

Bournemouth lost their goalscorer and defender Nathan Ake to injury late in the game, but manager Eddie Howe was unsure about the severity of the suspected hamstring issue.

"I don't know the latest on Nathan Ake," Howe said. "I'll need to speak to him and the medical team, but it looked like a hamstring complaint."

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Van Dijk Lauds Trio, Moh Salah, Firmino And Mane

Anfield star Virgil van Dijk has heaped praises on "scary" attacking trio Moh Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane as the Reds top the Premier League table.

Salah, Firmino and Mane combined to lead high-flying Liverpool to a 5-1 demolition of Arsenal at Anfield on Saturday.

Firmino scored a hat-trick, while Salah and Mane were also on target as centre-back Van Dijk lauded the deadly trio ahead of Thursday's trip to second-placed Manchester City.

"We were almost perfect. We conceded the goal. That was the only thing," said Van Dijk. "But it was an important win. We have finished 2018 now pretty well, and hopefully we can keep that going.

"Confidence is definitely here, but it can change over a couple of games. We won't get carried away. We need to keep doing what we have been doing. There will be setbacks, as there always is in life, but it's how you react and so far we have been doing pretty well.

"At the beginning of the season, people were saying they [the front three] didn't click. They're fantastic. You see in this game as well and they can be undefendable. It's scary — and I'm happy to see that."

Liverpool hold a seven-point lead as they make the trip to reigning champions City, who ended a run of back-to-back defeats against Southampton on Sunday.

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Lloris Determines To Win Silverware With Tottenham

Tottenham Marshall and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is determined to end the club's wait for silverware this season.

Spurs have impressed under manager Mauricio Pochettino, however, Tottenham are without a trophy since winning the 2008 EFL Cup.

Tottenham are third in the Premier League this season and nine points behind leaders Liverpool, while Spurs are in the Champions League last 16 and EFL Cup semi-finals against Chelsea.

A World Cup winner with France at Russia 2018, Lloris said: "This [winning silverware] is what we work for.

"We know we are in the Premier League and there are a lot of contenders, big teams, big players, and that is why we are excited to be here.

"We are in the most competitive country, so we keep working with the same mentality and do our best.

"We have shown in the past that Tottenham is very competitive and we are reducing the gap with the best."

Following their shock 3-1 loss at home to Wolves, Tottenham will face Cardiff City on Tuesday.

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Manchester United Need To Entertain Fans

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has reinterated that Manchester United have to entertain their fans as he showered praises on the team following their third successive victory.

Another entertaining game at Old Trafford, where Solskjaer's in-form United outclassed Bournemouth 4-1 on Sunday.

Paul Pogba scored twice and Marcus Rashford also starred as Solskjaer secured a third straight consecutive win since occupying Jose Mourinho seat in a caretaker position until the end of the season.

The Red devils sit sixth in the standings and have have gannered 12 goals and conceded three since club favourite Solskjaer returned to Manchester from Molde to fill the void left by Mourinho.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, the 45-year-old Norwegian who has brought attacking football back to the Theatre of Dreams said:
"You know, it's quite a few years since I was here but this is how it was.

"I've just gone about the job as I thought or as I experienced it when I was here as a player and as a young coach.

"We want to go attacking. We have been at home two games now and the crowd, we have to entertain them. We've got good players. I love working with good players. I love working with good people. They are good people the players. They want to learn, they want to improve.

"I just want to do my bit for the months I am here."

United, who are within three points of fifth-placed Arsenal, travel to Newcastle United on Wednesday.

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