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28 March 2024

Laudrup backs Michu's Spain claims

Published
By AFP

Swansea manager Michael Laudrup believes forward Michu is well worth an international call-up even though Spain manager Vicente del Bosque may have had a wasted journey to Merseyside to watch the Welsh club's 0-0 draw at Everton.

Del Bosque announced before Christmas that Michu, 26, will be included in his squad for the friendly against Uruguay on February 6.

Michu only had one real chance at Goodison Park on Saturday as Swansea, 2-0 winners at Chelsea in the League semi-final first leg on Wednesday, were forced to fight a rearguard action.

The Spaniard almost claimed his 17th goal of the season with an audacious chip that was turned over by Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard, a brief indication of why del Bosque travelled all the way to Liverpool to watch him play.

And Laudrup is certain that Michu, who has 16 goals this season, has already done enough to justify a place in the Spain squad.

"If Del Bosque had called me before, I could have told him this maybe wasn't the best game to see Michu," said Laudrup. "But I know that, just as over here we are watching the Spanish league, over in Spain they are watching the Premier League.

"So Del Bosque knows exactly what Michu has done until now. I think it was just a visit here, he has already made up his mind.

"Once more we are talking about Michu, we are talking about him so often, but he got one good chance and almost scored a goal. Then again, Michu knew today was a day he had to work and that's what he did."

After starting the week with a 2-2 home draw against Arsenal in the FA Cup third round, a point at in-form Everton represented an extremely impressive seven days for Laudrup and his team.

"It's been more than a good week, it's been a great week," said Laudrup. "We have had three very difficult games, three very different games, and I think we have had three good performances.

"To come here and play Everton, in such a difficult away game, after playing midweek at Chelsea, and to get a point that's a great result.

"The last two games, we didn't have the ball as much as we're used to but we still performed so well.

"To come out of here and Stamford Bridge with two cleans sheets says a lot about us at the moment, about our team and the team spirit we have, even after changing some players."

Everton manager David Moyes was relatively disappointed after watching his team fail to score for the first time in 19 Premier League games.

Had Everton won, and results gone their way, they could have moved as high as fourth in the Premier League and while Moyes admits he needs to strengthen his squad in the January transfer window, he fears he will be unable to do so.

"You saw what came on today (off the substitutes' bench) and we're a little bit short," said Moyes.
"It's been like that all season and we've done really well.

"We could do with getting Kevin Mirallas back (from injury), we could have done with a different type of centre forward today and we didn't have it.

"But will we do anything in the window? Probably not. We're looking around but I say every time I'm asked, I'm not expecting too many comings or goings."