Big mistake to sack Sherwood, says Aston Villa assistant Ray Wilkins

<img alt="Ray Wilkins warns Villa against sacking Tim Sherwood" class="auto-size__target postpone-load--fade-in widge-figure__image" data-src="http://e2.365dm.com/15/06/16-9/20/ray-wilkins-football-sky-sports_3318727.jpg?20150625112007" height="360" src="http://e2.365dm.com/15/06/16-9/20/ray-wilkins-football-sky-sports_3318727.jpg?20150625112007" width="640" /><br /><div itemprop="description">Aston Villa assistant manager Ray Wilkins says it would be a big mistake to sack boss Tim Sherwood.</div>Sherwood has come under increasing pressure after winning just one match this season, an opening-day encounter at Bournemouth.<br />The club signed 13 new players following last season's successful battle against relegation but they again find themselves in the drop zone after claiming just four points from their first eight matches of the season.<br />But Wilkins, who takes his side south to face champions Chelsea this weekend, has warned the club against seeking an alternative despite their poor run.<br />"When you're a Premier League manager you're dreading the season's first sacking, because once the first goes the rest seem to buck up a bit of courage and follow suit," he told talkSPORT.<br />"I think it would be a huge mistake as far as Tim and Aston Villa are concerned. He's an up-and-coming manager, he did extremely well at Tottenham and, let's not forget, it was only six or seven months ago that we were in the FA Cup final and staved off relegation.<br /><div class="article__widge-container article__widge-container--edge"> <figure class="widge-figure"> <div class="widge-figure__body"> <div class="auto-size-16/9"> <img alt="Sherwood 'will get there' insists Wilkins " class="auto-size__target postpone-load--fade-in widge-figure__image" data-src="http://e0.365dm.com/15/09/16-9/20/tim-sherwood-aston-villa-premier-league_3353291.jpg?20150919183705" src="http://e0.365dm.com/15/09/16-9/20/tim-sherwood-aston-villa-premier-league_3353291.jpg?20150919183705" /> </div></div><div class="widge-figure__text"> Sherwood 'will get there' insists Wilkins </div></figure></div>"So we really shouldn't be talking about this type of situation. We'll get there, it's going to be a lot of hard work but we'll get there in the finish."<br />And Wilkins, a former player and assistant manager at Chelsea, is refusing to rule out a positive result at Stamford Bridge with the Blues not much better off in the table having won just two of their opening eight games.<br />"It's very unusual to see Chelsea in this condition and we're going to go there with a positive mindset and try to get the best result we can," he added.<br />"We're under no illusions, it's going to be extremely tough for us but Chelsea are going through a bit of a difficult time at the moment, so it's a good time for us to meet them."<br />

Big mistake to sack Sherwood, says Aston Villa assistant Ray Wilkins

Aston Villa assistant manager Ray Wilkins says it would be a big mistake to sack boss Tim Sherwood. Sherwood has come under increasing press...

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Michel Platini still backed by UEFA despite provisional suspension

<img alt="Michel Platini has been backed by UEFA's members" class="auto-size__target postpone-load--fade-in widge-figure__image" data-src="http://e1.365dm.com/15/05/16-9/20/michel-platini-new_3309056.jpg?20150528144801" height="360" src="http://e1.365dm.com/15/05/16-9/20/michel-platini-new_3309056.jpg?20150528144801" width="640" /><br /><div itemprop="description">UEFA's members backed their suspended president Michel Platini at an emergency meeting in Switzerland.</div>The Frenchman had faced losing the backing of several European football associations in the wake of his £1.3m payment from FIFA president Sepp Blatter as he seeks to become head of world football's governing body.<br />Outgoing FIFA boss Blatter is under criminal investigation over the payment made in 2011, while Platini has also been questioned. They both deny any wrongdoing and have been <a href="http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/10021551/fifa-suspend-sepp-blatter-michel-platini-jerome-valcke">suspended for 90 days pending a disciplinary hearing</a>.<br /> UEFA stated on Thursday evening that Platini had been given an extra 30 days to clear his name and that he would continue to push his FIFA presidential candidacy for February's elections.<br />A UEFA statement said: "We support Michel Platini's right to a due process and a fair trial and to the opportunity to clear his name.<br />"We strongly call on all instances involved in the current process: FIFA's ethics committee, FIFA's appeal committee and ultimately the Court of Arbitration for Sport to work very rapidly to ensure that there is a final decision on the merits of the case by, at the latest, mid-November 2015."<br />Some of Europe's 54 members would have demanded answers and assurances over Platini's conduct in Thursday's two meetings.<br /><div class="article__widge-container article__widge-container--edge"> <figure class="widge-figure"> <div class="widge-figure__body"> <div class="auto-size-16/9"> <img alt="UEFA president Platini is currently suspended" class="auto-size__target postpone-load--fade-in widge-figure__image" data-src="http://e1.365dm.com/15/05/16-9/20/michel-uefa-platini-president-fifa-sepp-blatter_3309082.jpg?20150528155015" src="http://e1.365dm.com/15/05/16-9/20/michel-uefa-platini-president-fifa-sepp-blatter_3309082.jpg?20150528155015" /> </div></div><div class="widge-figure__text"> UEFA president Platini is currently suspended </div></figure></div>No written contract for the payment in question, received by Platini for work undertaken for Blatter, was provided to FIFA's ethics committee.<br />The deadline for nominations for the FIFA presidency is October 26 with elections due to be in February, although there have been reports that a postponement would be discussed at FIFA's emergency meeting on October 20.<br />UEFA's general secretary Gianni Infantino said it was agreed that the FIFA presidential election on February 26 "cannot and should not be delayed".<br />He added on Platini: "We need to have a final decision. The rest is speculation, and condemnation without due process and it is a bit unfair."<br />Infantino also criticised the "leaks" that had come out about the case.<br />He added: "What's really disappointing is all the leaks coming out. It's not fair that you [the media] know before the person who is accused or suspended. It's not what we call fair process or trial, it just pushes a condemnation without a decision and this is not correct."<br />

Michel Platini still backed by UEFA despite provisional suspension

UEFA's members backed their suspended president Michel Platini at an emergency meeting in Switzerland. The Frenchman had faced losing th...

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Danny Ings out for the season in second setback to new Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp after Joe Gomez is sidelined

<div class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Jurgen Klopp has been handed another hammer blow ahead of his first game as Liverpool manager after Danny Ings was ruled out for the season.</span></div><div class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">The striker, who only made his full England debut on Monday in Lithuania, has torn his anterior cruciate ligament, the same injury that young full back Joe Gomez suffered playing for England’s Under 21s on Tuesday night.</span></div><div class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Klopp confirmed that Gomez will be out for the season at his first weekly press conference at Melwood but it subsequently emerged that Ings, who has arguably been Liverpool’s standout player so far, was facing a similar absence.</span></div><div class="artSplitter mol-img-group"> <div class="mol-img"> <div class="image-wrap" style="cursor: pointer;"><img alt="Liverpool have been dealt another blow after it emerged Danny Ings (centre) would miss the rest of the season" class="blkBorder img-share" height="429" id="i-4eba79b803c8a448" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/10/15/14/2D70EF3600000578-0-image-a-1_1444914925053.jpg" width="634" /><div class="share-pictures-overlay" id="share-pictures-1"> </div><div class="overlay-icon mobile-gallery"><span>+11</span></div></div></div><div class="imageCaption">Liverpool have been dealt another blow after it emerged Danny Ings (centre) would miss the rest of the season</div></div><div class="artSplitter mol-img-group"><div class="splitLeft"><div class="mol-img"> <div class="image-wrap" style="cursor: pointer;"><img alt="The former Burnley front man made his senior debut for England in Monday night's win against Lithuania" class="blkBorder img-share" height="495" id="i-68ac63b1e532cbda" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/10/15/14/2D57B8B300000578-0-image-a-8_1444914984394.jpg" width="306" /><div class="share-pictures-overlay" id="share-pictures-2"> </div><div class="overlay-icon mobile-gallery"><span>+11</span></div></div></div></div><div class="splitRight"><div class="mol-img"> <div class="image-wrap" style="cursor: pointer;"><img alt="Ings had shown great promise since joining in the summer" class="blkBorder img-share" height="495" id="i-5eaccefd522bdd1e" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/10/15/14/2D57ED0400000578-0-image-m-7_1444914976022.jpg" width="306" /><div class="share-pictures-overlay" id="share-pictures-3"> </div><div class="overlay-icon mobile-gallery"><span>+11</span></div></div></div></div><div class="imageCaption">The former Burnley man made his senior debut for England in Monday night's win against Lithuania</div></div><div class="artSplitter mol-img-group"> <div class="mol-img"> <div class="image-wrap" style="cursor: pointer;"><div class="share-pictures-overlay" id="share-pictures-4"> </div><div class="overlay-icon mobile-gallery"><span>+11</span></div></div></div><div class="imageCaption">Joe Gomez has also been ruled out for the season after sustaining a cruciate knee ligament injury</div></div><div class="mol-img-group artSplitter"> <div class="mol-img"> <div class="image-wrap" style="cursor: pointer;"><img alt="Ings was hurt in a challenge during a routine training session at Melwood on Wednesday " class="blkBorder img-share" height="305" id="i-cb35320ceaa69f71" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/10/15/14/2D69153E00000578-0-Ings_was_one_of_the_players_back_in_training_after_returning_fro-a-21_1444915242793.jpg" width="634" /><div class="share-pictures-overlay" id="share-pictures-5"> </div><div class="overlay-icon mobile-gallery"><span>+11</span></div></div></div><div class="imageCaption"> Ings was hurt in a challenge during a routine training session at Melwood on Wednesday </div></div><div class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">It is a devastating setback for Ings. The 23-year-old was taking part in a routine session at Melwood on Wednesday when he was hurt in a challenge. He was taken for scans straight away when the news was confirmed and he will now have surgery next week, as will Gomez.</span></div><div class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">He was a player with whom Klopp was looking forward to working but the injury he sustained in the final minutes against Kazakhstan on Tuesday at the Ricoh Arena means he will now have to wait until next year to do that.</span></div><div class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Gomez was able to hobble down the touchline when he was substituted straight away by England Under 21 boss Gareth Southgate. It was initially hoped the damage he had done was not too severe but the extent of the problem only came to light at Melwood.</span></div>

Danny Ings out for the season in second setback to new Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp after Joe Gomez is sidelined

Jurgen Klopp has been handed another hammer blow ahead of his first game as Liverpool manager after Danny Ings was ruled out for the seaso...

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