Premier League football looks set to return with a bang after the international break, as Liverpool host Manchester United in the latest instalment of arguably England s fiercest rivalry in Saturday s early kick-off.
United have been electric so far this season, getting off to a flying start which has seen them average three goals per game and collect 19 points from seven matches it is no surprise they are joint-top with Manchester City.
After the disappointment which came with last season s sixth-placed finish in the league, Jose Mourinho appears to have United on course for a first title challenge since Alex Ferguson hung up his hairdryer in 2013.
By contrast, Liverpool have been erratic. Jurgen Klopp s men often look vibrant going forward, but they have the sa…
Chelsea midfielder Jorginho hailed new signing Kalidou Koulibaly as a real leader as he expressed his delight at being reunited with his former Napoli team-mate at Stamford Bridge.
The Premier League club signed Koulibaly from the Partenopei last week for a reported fee of £33.8million (€40m), with the Senegal captain penning a four-year contract.
Koulibaly made 236 Serie A appearances during a distinguished eight-year spell with Napoli, helping them to three second-placed finishes and one Coppa Italia triumph.
Jorginho starred alongside Koulibaly during the defender s first four seasons in Italy, and the pair are now set to link-up in England.
The Italy international has revealed he discussed such a reunion with Koulibaly on several occasions aft…
Another milestone has fallen in Cristiano Ronaldo s inexorable march to greatness, the Portugal superstar having scored his 400th Real Madrid goal.
Ronaldo notched the landmark strike by netting his side s second against Sevilla on Sunday, as Zinedine Zidane s men sought to boost their hopes of a Champions League and LaLiga double.
A hat-trick during a stellar performance in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid early this month saw the 32-year-old edge closer to the achievement.
Madrid claim Ronaldo had already registered 400 Blancos goals, the club having attributed a 2010 free-kick against Real Sociedad, deflected into the net off Pepe s back, to the Portuguese.
400 Cristiano Ronaldo has scored his 400th goal for…
With over 20 major trophies to his name and nearing the end of an illustrious playing career, 39-year-old Giorgio Chiellini could be forgiven for enjoying the latter part of his career in the heat of Los Angeles.
But the fire for another trophy to add to his cabinet still burns true ahead of Los Angeles FC s MLS Cup showdown with Columbus Crew on Saturday.
It does perhaps not have the pressure of a European Championship final against England at Wembley, or the annual tussles Chiellini s Juventus had with Milan and Inter in Italy in Serie A, but the veteran defender did not come to LA for everything Hollywood brings with it.
Opta s predictive model suggests the final is too close to call, with LAFC and the Crew both given a 34.5 per cent likelihood of coming out o…
Market: Union Berlin draw no bet
Odds: 17/20 @
Looking to claim back-to-back Bundesliga victories on Wednesday night, Union Berlin will make the trip to Werder Bremen.
Starting with the hosts, marking their return to Bundesliga action with a nightmare display over the weekend, Werder Bremen have shown some rather glaring issues on either side of the World Cup break. Eventually getting hit with an infamous 7-1 drumming away at Koln, the River Islanders almost find themselves sat in top-flight limbo. Likewise, along with heading into the festive interval with a 2-1 loss at home against RB Leipzig, Ole Werner s side have lost each of their last three straight Bundesliga showdowns. With that run highlighted by a woeful 6-1 drumming at the hands of defending champion…
Real Betis has officially announced that they have signed defensive midfielder Javi García from Russian club Zenit St. Petersburg for €1.5 million, according to .
García will make his return to his homeland after spending eight years away from Spain, playing in various leagues in Europe since 2009.
The former Real Madrid academy product is known for his tenure in Benfica and Manchester City in which he totaled over 200 appearances for both clubs.
Since then, he has spent the last three years in the Russian Premier League appearing in 108 games and scoring seven goals for Zenit.
Now the 30-year-old will make his way to a that has been fortifying their squad with many transfers in that include Andrés Guardado, Algerian international Ryad Boudebouz an…
Chelsea boss Emma Hayes said Lauren James’ mental health has been affected by the latest racist abuse she has received on social media.
James was booked in Chelsea’s 4-1 Women’s Super League defeat at Arsenal on Sunday after appearing to stamp on Lia Walti and was withdrawn by Hayes soon after.
Chelsea have condemned the online abuse, while Hayes compared the treatment of James to that received by David Beckham after his red card during the 1998 World Cup.
Tomorrow.
— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW)
James was sent off in the World Cup last summer for stamping in England’s last-16 penalty shoot-out win against Nigeria and was handed a two-game ban.
Hayes, whose side face Hacken in a Champions League group game at Stamford Bridge…
Simone Inzaghi hailed the improvements made by Romelu Lukaku after his penalty helped them to a 3-1 win over Udinese.
Lukaku opened the scoring in the 20th minute after Denzel Dumfries was adjudged by the VAR to have been brought down by Walace.
The Belgium international saw his first effort saved by Marco Silvestri, but the goalkeeper was ruled to have strayed off his line and Lukaku made no mistake with his second attempt.
His strike ended a 189-day drought in Serie A for Lukaku, his previous goal coming way back in August against Lecce.
Sandi Lovric levelled for Udinese but a superb Henrikh Mkhitaryan volley and a late Lautaro Martinez goal gave Inter the points.
Lukaku has seen much of his season hindered by a hamstring injury, but Inzaghi is …
Celtic have confirmed the appointment of Neil Lennon as the club s new permanent manager.
Lennon took charge on an interim basis after Brendan Rodgers opted to leave his post to take over at Premier League side Leicester City in February.
Former Celtic midfielder Lennon subsequently steered them to a successful Scottish title defence, as well as completing the treble-treble by beating Hearts in the Scottish Cup final.
Lennon, who was Celtic manager between 2010 and 2014, has been given a 12-month rolling contract.
We are delighted to announce that Neil Lennon has been offered the job as permanent manager and the details will be confirmed in the coming days
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC)
John Kennedy has been appointed as Lennon s…
Liverpool have jolted the transfer market into life by making the first mega-money foray into the January sales with a reported £75million capture of Virgil van Dijk.
A few short months on from failing to land the Dutchman s signature, the Reds have persuaded Van Dijk to join, having parted with a record fee for a defender.
Expensive recruits in defence have become something of a hallmark of this Premier League season, with Manchester City streaking clear at the top after a big-money makeover that focused on defence.
City are well-represented on the list of costly stoppers that Van Dijk now tops, but who else makes the top 10? We took a look.
VIRGIL VAN DIJK Southampton to Liverpool, £75m
Liverpool were warded off Van Dijk in June af…