Harry Kane says Bayern Munich need to use Manchester United’s issues to their advantage as the England skipper looks to shoot down his long-term admirers in the Champions League.
Kane has long been linked with a move to Old Trafford but last month moved to the German giants from boyhood club Tottenham.
He has hit the ground running with four goals in as many domestic games as attention turns to Wednesday’s Champions League opener.
United are the visitors and the England skipper, 30, maintains Bayern always felt like the right choice for his next club.
“To be honest, obviously over the summer I know there were some talks between a few clubs in the background,” Kane said.
“But Bayern was a team I was really excited by so there wasn’t too many other discussions once they came in.
“My focus is on here. Obviously Manchester are a great club, a really big club as well, but I decided to come here and I’m really happy I have.”
Kane joined Bayern in search of silverware that has evaded him for club and country – success that is almost guaranteed with the German behemoths.
Trophies have looked far from certain over the last decade at United, who head to Bavaria in a precarious state after a third defeat in four matches compounded their well-documented off-field issues.
Kane is wary of a potential backlash but acknowledged United have been going through a “bit of a tough spell recently” that they can capitalise on.
“I don’t know about the perfect time (to play them),” he said. “There can be a big response from teams going through a difficult spell but of course we need to use circumstances to our advantage, to go with big confidence at home in front of our fans.
“It is important to start the game on the front foot and really try and put the pressure on the opposition.
“They have some big threats as well, on the counter-attack they have some really quick players, so we need to be wary of that.
“But overall it’s a game we want to try to dominate and try to keep the pressure on and hopefully break them down as the game goes on.”
Thomas Tuchel’s Bayern side are strong favourites to win Wednesday’s match and second only to holders Manchester City in the bookmakers’ odds to lift the trophy, but Kane is focusing on further improvements on a personal and collective level.
“It’s been a good start for me here for sure,” he said. “Whenever there is a big transfer there is a little bit more pressure and expectation.
“Really pleased to score the four goals so far. I still think personally I can play better but I think that will come with getting to know my team-mates more and the system and the way we play.
“There’s definitely room for improvement in my all-round game but it’s always good to score four goals in four games.”
Kane is the all-time top goalscorer of both England and Tottenham, who have started the season well despite their star turn’s exit.
New head coach Ange Postecoglou’s side are unbeaten in the Premier League, with four wins – including one over United – and a draw leaving Spurs second.
“They’ve had a fantastic start,” Kane said. “I’m always keeping an eye on them and I’ll keep an eye on Tottenham for the rest of my life.
“I’m really happy to see the team playing the way they are and to see the fans happy is a great thing.”
Klopp says Salah spat a 'non-story', does not expect forward to push for move
Jurgen Klopp says his bust-up with Mohamed Salah has been resolved and does not believe the Liverpool forward will push to follow him through the exit door at the end of the season.
Klopp and Salah became embroiled in a heated confrontation on the sidelines during Liverpool's 2-2 draw with West Ham last week, as the out-of-form Egyptian waited to come on as a substitute.
The Reds boss played down the incident in his post-match press conference but Salah did the opposite in the mixed zone, telling reporters: "If I speak, there will be fire."
However, Klopp reiterated on Friday that he considers the matter closed, saying: "It is completely resolved. It is no problem.
"If we didn't know each other for that long I don't know how we would deal with it, but we've known each other for that long and we respect each other.
"I think we have the right to deal with these things completely independent of any expectations from the outside. It is a non-story. In general, everyone is in the best possible place.
"If we win the games and score loads of goals, then the situation would not have been exactly like that because Mo would not have been on the bench in the first place."
Last week's incident led to renewed speculation regarding Salah's future at Anfield, with the Egyptian preparing to enter the final 12 months of his contract with the Reds.
Salah, who was the subject of a £150million bid from Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad last year, has scored 17 Premier League goals this season but only three of those have come since New Year's Day.
Before going to the Africa Cup of Nations – where he suffered a hamstring injury – Salah boasted a shot conversion rate of 21.54 per cent in the Premier League for 2023-24, netting with 14 of his 65 attempts. Since returning, he has only converted three of 35 (8.57 per cent).
While Salah's long-term future is none of Klopp's concern, he does not see any signs of the Egypt star pushing for a move.
"You all have to get used to the fact that is not my subject," Klopp added. "Mo, as a player, is incredible and I don't think I should speak about that. Other people will decide that, especially Mo.
"I don't have any signs it will be like that. I just try to prepare the basis for the future."
Liverpool host Tottenham on Sunday, with the Premier League title now surely beyond them as they trail Arsenal by five points and Manchester City – who have a game in hand – by four.
Arteta hoping to make more fond memories as Arsenal host Bournemouth
Mikel Arteta has fond memories of the last time Arsenal faced Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium and believes the never-say-die spirit they showed in that match could prove key in this season's title race.
Arsenal came from 2-0 down to beat Bournemouth 3-2 last March, with Reiss Nelson hitting a 97th-minute winner as the Gunners' supporters began to believe in their title dream.
Arteta's men ultimately came up short in the run-in in 2022-23, but they hold a slender one-point lead over City as they bid to go one better in 2023-24, though City have a game in hand.
Reflecting on the Cherries' last visit to the Emirates, Arteta said the resilience shown on that day has become a key characteristic of his side.
"I have a great memory because the game ended in a really beautiful way and it was one of the highlights of the season, so we know we're going to have to earn it tomorrow," he said.
"It's going to be a really tough match but the team is ready."
Asked about the importance of finding different ways to win, he added: "It's important at any stage, but now obviously with what is there to win, we know that we're going to have to win games in different ways and that could be one way.
"Hopefully tomorrow it's not like that but if it has to be, then that's welcome."
Andoni Iraola's Bournemouth are eyeing a top-half finish after winning five of their last eight games, and they surpassed their previous record points tally for a Premier League season by reaching 48 with last week's 3-0 thrashing of Brighton and Hove Albion.
Iraola, however, wants more, saying: "It's good news. It's something we were trying to get to in the past few weeks but now we still want more points.
"We have three very difficult games starting with tomorrow, but we are going to keep trying to be competitive in every game."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Arsenal – Kai Havertz
Havertz's first Premier League goal for Arsenal came in their 4-0 win at Bournemouth in the reverse fixture. The German has been involved in 13 goals in his last 11 league games for the Gunners, scoring eight and assisting five.
Bournemouth – Justin Kluivert
Bournemouth's Kluivert has registered as many goal involvements in his last six Premier League games (four – three goals, one assist) as he had in his first 23 in the competition (four goals).
MATCH PREDICTION: ARSENAL WIN
Arsenal have won all six of their home Premier League matches against Bournemouth. The Gunners have only played more home games against Stoke while maintaining a 100 per cent record (10/10).
Arsenal have also won 13 of their 15 Premier League games so far in 2024, dropping points only against City (0-0) and Aston Villa (0-2). However, the Gunners have conceded four goals in their last four league games, as many as in their previous 11 combined.
However, Bournemouth have only picked up five points in 13 Premier League matches against Arsenal (one win, two draws, 10 losses) and have never kept a clean sheet against the Gunners. The Cherries have only played more games against City (14) without recording a shutout.
Bournemouth have won 1-0 at Wolves and 3-0 against Brighton in their last two Premier League games – never before have they won three consecutive top-flight games without conceding.
Arsenal have scored a league-high 85 goals in their 35 Premier League games this season, with their average of 2.4 goals-per-game their highest across a single campaign since 1934-35, when they scored 115 goals in 42 matches (2.7 per game).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Arsenal – 70.2%
Draw – 19.3%
Bournemouth – 10.5%
Guardiola says Man City must prove themselves all over again in title race
Pep Guardiola says Manchester City's players cannot dine out on their past achievements and must prove themselves all over again in their last four games of the Premier League season, starting against Wolves on Saturday.
The title race remains in City's hands despite Arsenal leading the way by a single point, with Guardiola's men possessing a game in hand as they chase a fourth successive crown.
After welcoming Wolves to the Etihad Stadium, they face back-to-back trips to London to take on Fulham and Tottenham, then host West Ham on the final day.
Guardiola says City – who should have Ederson, Ruben Dias and Phil Foden back on Saturday – cannot assume this title rice will go the same way as others.
"We have to prove it tomorrow against Wolves and then in the next games," Guardiola said.
"We know we have to win and get all 12 points, otherwise it will be difficult because Arsenal are so strong and so consistent. It's difficult to drop points.
"It depends on us. It's just tomorrow and then three games in one week, no more complicated than that to analyse.
"I would love to say what we have done in the past is going to happen this season, but nobody knows."
Wolves, meanwhile, are still eyeing a top-half finish after halting a six-game winless run by beating struggling Luton Town 2-1 at Molineux last week, with goals from Hwang Hee-chan and Toti Gomes.
A spate of injuries saw their European hopes slip away, but with Pedro Neto back in full training alongside Hwang and Matheus Cunha, they could start with their first-choice front three for the first time since October.
Boss Gary O'Neil, who will serve a one-match touchline ban on Saturday, said: "To have all the senior players back and the group starting to look stronger again takes me back to October and how we felt at that moment.
"So we're looking forward to seeing them all back together."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Manchester City – Kevin De Bruyne
De Bruyne has started six Premier League matches against Wolves, recording five goals and five assists against them, though nine of those involvements came at Molineux (five goals, four assists).
The Belgian also laid on two assists against Nottingham Forest last week to move to 110 overall in the Premier League – just one behind second-placed Cesc Fabregas in the all-time rankings.
Wolves – Hwang Hee-chan
Hwang scored 10 Premier League goals before the turn of the year, then went exactly four months without a goal due to international duty and injuries before netting against Luton last week.
Both he and Cunha have 11 Premier League goals this season, and there have only been three previous instances of a player netting more for the club in a single campaign – Steven Fletcher in 2011-12 (12) and Raul Jimenez in both 2018-19 (13) and 2019-20 (17).
MATCH PREDICTION – MANCHESTER CITY WIN
Wolves inflicted City's first defeat of the Premier League season back in September, and they now have the chance to complete just their second top-flight double over them since 1960-61, having previously achieved the feat in 2019-20.
However, City are in ominous form, going unbeaten through their last 19 Premier League games (15 wins, four draws).
They have already enjoyed four unbeaten runs of 20 or more matches in the competition – three of them under Guardiola – and could become just the second team to achieve the feat five times (Manchester United have done so seven times).
All five of Wolves' away Premier League wins this term have either been against either teams starting the day in the relegation zone (two) or versus London clubs (three).
They have lost 18 of their 20 Premier League away games against sides starting the day inside the top two, winning the others at Tottenham (in December 2018) and City (October 2019). The champions have no margin for error, and a slip-up from them looks unlikely at this stage.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Manchester City – 71.2%
Wolves – 9.6%
Draw – 19.2%
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