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Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia insists he has no axe to grind with Jens Lehmann following the former Germany international’s return to the club.

An injury crisis has led to manager Arsene Wenger coaxing Lehmann out of retirement on a month-to-month contract. But the two were known to not see eye-to-eye before Lehmann left for Vfb Stuttgart in 2008.

Almunia famously said that Lehmann “hates” him – something the current Gunners number one now chooses to forget – which made Wenger’s decision to bring back the German all the more surprising.

The pressure is mounting on Almunia after another high-profile error led to West Brom’s second goal in the 2-2 draw at the Hawthorns on Saturday – which means Lehmann could even find himself thrust into first-team action after the international break.

Almunia told the Sunday Express: “There are no problems. There is respect between us. We have keepers out injured. Jens was one of the best keepers in the world and has returned to give his best.”

When asked about his previous comment about their relationship, he added: “I don’t remember saying that. When he left Arsenal we spoke and he left on good terms. We have a good relationship. He’s here to compete with me and it’s a challenge. But I’ve always tried to help the team.”

However, in an interview with the Guardian in 2008, Almunia said: “I like to treat everyone with respect and I see everyone as equals. I treat people the way I would like to be treated myself. To have someone here who hates me is just amazing. I know he hates me.”

Wenger would not be drawn on the goalkeeping situation when asked after the draw with West Brom: “I do not want to go too much into individual criticism. The players involved in that second goal know what it was about and what was good was the reaction the whole team has shown and their fighting spirit.”

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Gerard Houllier says his Aston Villa players are “worried” about the team’s current form but insists he will get the points he needs to steer the club to safety.

The fans at Villa Park chanted for Houllier to be sacked during the 1-0 defeat to Wolves on Saturday and they now sit just one point above the relegation zone.

Villa have won just one of their last six games in the Premier League and Houllier accepts there is a “nervousness” about the side at present, but he says he is convinced he will steer the team clear of trouble.

“We need ten points [to be safe] and we will get them,” he said. “I am confident about that. Everyone is concerned about the fact we are going through a tough period.

“We are all worried. The players are worried and that is part of the nervousness we showed at times against Wolves.

“I didn’t feel the team was as free as it used to be. The first goal played a part and affected the morale and confidence of the team. We know we have some players who are suspended or injured and at some stage they will come back.”

He added: “We have quality players and I think we will [survive]. I am convinced we have everything it takes.

“It will be a fight but ‘game on’. I would love to have something different to aim at but that’s what it is. Let’s be realistic. I am not a dreamer, by far.

“We have quality in the team but at the moment it looks as if it is an unlucky period. We hope that will stop very quickly. At Bolton last weekend, we should have won. There are a few games we should have won.”

Houllier has urged the Villa fans to support the team as he looks to turn around the current run of form and he added: “Just reassure the fans, I know what I am doing. The fans call for your head but this is what happens when you don’t get the results. You have to live with that.”

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Liverpool owner John W Henry has praised Kenny Dalglish’s work at Anfield but reiterated that he was not prepared to discuss his long-term future at the club.

Dalglish has seen Liverpool exit the FA Cup and Europa League since taking charge until the end of the season following Roy Hodgson’s departure, but their league form has improved and the 2-0 win at Sunderland on Sunday keeps their faint hopes of returning to Europe next season alive.

“He has done very well,” Henry said in the Daily Mirror. “It’s all very positive. Someone was saying that people weren’t happy here, but I think since that person left people are happier.”

On Dalglish’s future, he added: “What is going on in that regard is private. It is something called the Liverpool way and you do these things behind closed doors. I am not going to talk about these things.”

Henry accepted that – with a four-point gap to make up on Tottenham having played an extra game – it will be difficult for Liverpool to qualify for the Europa League but feels they still have a chance.

“We will have to have a lot of days like [the victory at Sunderland] to do that,” he said. “Tottenham are in fifth and they look very good so we will have to play extraordinarily well, and we will have to win when they come to Anfield to have a shot at that, but we will do our best.”

Dalglish, like Henry, has been reluctant to discuss his future in public and dismissed recent stories in the press about the contract negotiations.

“I have seen I have asked for four years,” Dalglish said. “Well, I don’t know who I am supposed to have asked. I have seen I was offered two – don’t know where that has come from.

“People ask if I have spoken to the owners and of course I have. I speak to them regularly every week. It is their club, and they are fantastic owners, very supportive. There have been no detailed discussions about next season.

“Until there is something to be said, there is nothing. For me that is not a problem. For me, the club is most important, bar one instance when I left the club last time. There is no pressure on anyone.”

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Bayer Leverkusen moved to within seven points of Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund and strengthened their hold on second place with a comfortable 2-0 win over Schalke.

An Eren Derdiyok strike and a Christoph Metzelder own goal earned the home side the victory to take them five points ahead of third-placed Hannover with seven games remaining.

A last-minute goal from Georg Niedermaier earned Stuttgart a 1-1 draw in their relegation clash with Wolfsburg, who failed to give Felix Magath a winning start to his time in charge.

Magath took the reins two days ago and things looked promising when Grafite scored the opener five minutes before the break.

However, Niedermaier snatched a draw in the final seconds to keep Stuttgart just above the bottom three, two points and two places better off than their opponents.

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Inter Milan took full advantage of AC Milan’s defeat on Saturday as they defeated Lecce 1-0 to move two points behind the leaders.

Giampaolo Pazzini’s match-winner after 52 minutes had a suspicion of handball about it but the hosts just about deserved the three points after an improved second-half display.

In the final game of the weekend, Napoli also piled the pressure onto Milan as their 2-1 win over Cagliari moved them within three points of the leaders.

Edinson Cavani put Napoli ahead with a penalty early in the second half, but Robert Acquafresca equalised soon afterwards. Cavani’s second sealed the win as the fans in the Stadio San Paolo started dreaming about the Scudetto ahead of the Milan derby in the next round of Serie A matches.

Alessandro Del Piero struck a second-half winner to end Juventus‘ four-game losing streak as they defeated lowly Brescia 2-1.

Milos Krasic gave the Turin side a first-half lead, but that was cancelled out by Citadin Eder before the interval. Del Piero would not be denied, though, and struck with 22 minutes remaining, with any hopes of a Brescia comeback then ended by Victor Mareco’s dismissal.

Roma captain Francesco Totti scored twice as the Giallorossi claimed a 2-2 draw at Fiorentina.

Both Totti strikes were equalisers, with the first coming after Adrian Mutu had put the home side ahead in the 21st minute. Alessandro Gamberini then gave Fiorentina a 2-1 lead, and Mutu almost extended the advantage before half-time but was denied by the post.

Totti struck again in the 52nd minute but Roma failed to find the winner as they lost ground this weekend on the top four teams.

Udinese continued their push for a place in the Champions League next season with a 2-0 victory over Catania at the Stadio Friuli. Goals from Gokhan Inler and Antonio Di Natale earned Francesco Guidolin’s side their fourth win in a row and their 10th win in 13 unbeaten matches in 2011.

Parma claimed a crucial 1-0 win in their relegation battle with Sampdoria thanks to Cristian Zaccardo’s second-half winner. Massimo Maccarone missed a late penalty for Sampdoria, who have now won once in their past 12 league games, to continue their miserable late-season form that has left them just three points above the drop zone.

Chievo eased their Serie A relegation fears with a 2-1 triumph at bottom side Bari.

Sergio Pellissier opened the scoring for the visitors in the 38th minute but Bari got back on level terms with a penalty from Abdelkader Ghezzal late in the first half. Davide Moscardelli put the Verona side back in front for good soon after the restart.

Bologna reached the 40-point mark for the season as they played out a 1-1 draw with Genoa that suited both teams. Marco Di Vaio put the hosts ahead after 28 minutes, but they could not hang on to their lead for long as Dario Dainelli levelled two minutes before the break.

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