This season’s Premier League title race was always going to be predictable. There seemed very little possibility of any other side apart from champions Manchester City or last seasons runners-up getting close to the title.
The start of the season has only reinforced that belief. The pair are way ahead of every other team, maybe not points-wise, but quality-wise. However, Liverpool have won all their games and find themselves five points clear of the Citizens ahead of this weekend’s action. Cannot afford to slip-up at Goodison
Even at this early stage of the Premier League campaign, there is a feeling that every slip-up by either City or Liverpool could be decisive at the end of the campaign. Pep Guardiola’s team have already drawn 2-2 with Tottenham and suffered a shock 3-2 defeat at Norwich.
This weekend City travel to Merseyside to face Liverpool’s arch-rivals, Everton. In reality, the Toffees do not seem to be any sort of form to threaten the visitors on Saturday evening. You almost feel like City cannot afford to slip-up.
Marco Silva’s side did get the better of Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United at Goodison Park towards the end of the season. However, that was when their tails were up and the confidence was flowing.
At the moment, the atmosphere at Everton is less optimistic. Between terrible displays and baffling decisions by boss Silva, the Toffees only look a danger to themselves.
City cannot afford complacency though. The Citizens slipped-up against Norwich, so they will need to produce a professional performance. Liverpool do not look like slipping up
I hate to say it, but Liverpool do not look like slipping up at the minute. They have won their last 15 league matches and it is difficult to see who is going to take points off them this season.
With the gap already five points, the two games between City and the Reds are likely to hold massive importance. Liverpool will no doubt have a dip in form at some stage during the season, most teams do.
At some stage, their luck will run out and they will drop points. That is when City need to stay consistent, just as they did last season to pip the Merseysider’s to the title by a point.
It is unheard in the modern era for a team to win all their league games in the English top-flight. It seems unlikely that will happen with any team. If Jurgen Klopp’s team did do achieve that record then it would be unreal. City big favourites to win at Everton
Manchester City have bounced back from that shock 3-2 defeat at Norwich in style. In their last league match, the Citizens hammered Watford 8-0 at the Etihad Stadium. The game on Saturday is likely to be less comfortable for Guardiola’s team, even if Silva’s side are not in great form. City are currently big favourites at odds of 3/10 to record a third straight win over the Toffees in all competitions. It would be a brave man to bet against them picking up maximum points. Everton fans will be hoping that their team produces something that loosely resembles that of a Premier League team, even they are facing one of the best club teams in the world.
Manchester City now seem more determined than ever to retain their title and the Citizens are still title favourites. A win at Everton may well just stop them slipping further behind last seasons runners-up in the league, but they need to build some momentum to prevent any more Norwich results.
Manchester City cut the gap at the top of the Premier League table to five points as they won 3-1 in a pulsating match against Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday evening.
Gabriel Jesus gave City the lead mid-way through the first half as he polished off a stunning cross from Kevin De Bruyne. The hosts managed to draw level though as they exposed City’s defensive problems to power through, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin nodding home Seamus Coleman’s effort from extremely close range.
The champions were frustrated throughout the majority of the game but Riyad Mahrez got them back on track as he fired a low free-kick past Jordan Pickford to reclaim the lead with 20 minutes remaining. Everton really gave Manchester City a severe test but the points were sealed late on by Sterling. Injury problems for Everton
Mahrez had the first real shot in anger of the match as he cut inside and tested Jordan Pickford with a low drive. The hosts were then forced into an early change as Theo Walcott had to be withdrawn through injury and was replaced by Alex Iwobi.
Pep Guardiola’s troops should really have taken the lead but Ilkay Gundogan passed up a wonderful opportunity. Mahrez whipped in an excellent cross to the unmarked German but he somehow cannoned the ball off of the crossbar from only a few yards out. Sparkling De Bruyne the architect once again
It was only a matter of time before the champions edged ahead though and their goal really was a thing of beauty. Mahrez, who put in a thrilling showing all evening, skipped away from Lucas Digne on the right flank and picked out De Bruyne. The Belgian sent in an absolutely stunning cross that dropped onto the head of Jesus who finished with a brilliant diving header.
Mahrez then had a great opportunity to double the lead but struck his shot straight at Jordan Pickford. Everton roar back
Despite all of the Manchester City chances, Everton managed to level. Iwobi was tenacious as he carried the ball towards goal and managed to out-muscle Fernandinho to prod the ball through to Coleman. The Irish defender sweetly lifted the ball over Ederson and just as it was about to trickle over the line, Calvert-Lewin dived in just to make sure.
The game resumed at a really positive tempo as both sides searched out a second goal. Richarlison went close from Gylfi Sigurdsson’s cross but directed it wide. Yerry Mina did go one better as he got on the end of the free-kick but a great reaction save from Ederson kept the scores level.
Sterling probably was guilty of the worst miss though as a beautiful slide-rule ball from Mahrez saw Sterling played through one-on-one. Uncharacteristically, he somehow shot wide. Mahrez sprinkles magic at Goodison
The champions were really struggling to click in attack throughout the game but one man seized responsibility and that was Mahrez. Stepping over a free-kick with just 20 minutes remaining, the Algerian arrowed the ball into the bottom corner to put City in control once again.
Marco Silva’s Toffees did continue to create chances though and Calvert-Lewin could have had a second but was this time denied by Ederson. The Brazilian was then also quick to react as Mina got free from a corner and tipped away his header from the bottom corner. Sterling finally sinks Everton
Just as the hosts were pushing for what would have been a deserved equaliser, Sterling wrapped the match up. Substitute Sergio Aguero shot at Pickford, only for the ball to fall at the feet of his substitute. He then stayed concentrated to send the ball high into the net, with it ricocheting down onto the goal-line and marginally over the line to finally seal a hard-fought win.
Serge Gnabry scored four goals as Bayern Munich ripped apart an insipid Tottenham Hotspur side 7-2 in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday evening.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men had the perfect start as Heung-Min Son beat Manuel Neuer in only the 12th minute of the match but that was as good as it got. Joshua Kimmich drove home a great drive from outside of the penalty area before Robert Lewandowksi showed typically clinical instincts to then seize the lead for the visitors just before the break with a fantastic finish.
Two quickfire strikes from Gnabry in the second-half on his return to North London saw Bayern pull clear before the hosts reduced the deficit as Harry Kane scored from the penalty spot following a foul on Danny Rose.
Just as they had some hope, the game really was ripped away from them as Gnabry sealed his quadruple with two late strikes that sandwiched another from Lewandowski on a sobering night for Tottenham. Son strikes for Tottenham early on
Despite the emphatic scoreline, it was quite an open start to the match and former Arsenal man Gnabry had Bayern’s first effort at goal as he tested Hugo Lloris with a thunderous drive. Son should also have opened the scoring but could not beat Neuer from close range.
The South-Korean forward did eventually have his goal though as Moussa Sissoko picked off a sloppy pass and played his teammate through. Son stayed composed to drive the ball underneath Neuer and into the bottom corner. Kimmich replies for Bayern
Spurs were not ahead for very long as a poor clearance from the home side fell to Kimmich outside of the penalty area. The versatile defender had plenty of time to shift the ball onto his favoured side and fire a swerving strike into the bottom corner of the Spurs net that left Lloris sprawling.
Lewandowski then completed the turnaround just before the break and was both the creator and finisher. The Polish forward produced a fantastic bit of skill to flick the ball over his defender and advance into the penalty area. His cross was cut out and Corentin Tolisso fell in the penalty area but the referee was uninterested. Lewandowski picked the ball up once again, spun well and clinically struck into the bottom corner. Gnabry seals win for German champions
Following half-time, it only looked as though one side would win the match and that was Bayern. Former Gunner Gnabry, who was brilliant all evening long, notched the third as he skipped away from Serge Aurier on the right-flank, drifted inside and speared the ball into the bottom corner.
He was on the scoresheet once again a minute later as Bayern flooded the midfield and nicked the ball. The 24-year-old picked up the ball and finished confidently with a low shot into the far corner that nestled into the net via the post.
Tottenham did get a lifeline in the game though as Kingsley Coman was somewhat unlucky to have a penalty awarded against him for a slight kick on Rose. Kane predictably was the man to step up and he placed the ball beyond the reach of Neuer into the bottom corner. Hat-trick for former Gunner silences Spurs
The hope did not last long though as the unplayable Gnabry sealed his treble in the final throws of the game. Latching onto a long-ball, he raced away from Aurier and took the ball into the penalty area before rolling it under Lloris.
Just as the Bavarians struck two quickfire strikes at the start of the second-half, they did it right at the end too. A delectable touch from Philippe Coutinho found Lewandowski in space once again and he arrowed a clinical finish into the bottom corner.
There was even still time for Gnabry to get yet another one as Spurs absolutely capitulated. He was gifted far too much space on the edge of the penalty area and belted the ball past Lloris to seal an emphatic victory for Bayern and an embarrassing evening for Tottenham.
Two of European football’s juggernauts, Barcelona and Inter Milan, were always going to go head to head in their UEFA Champions League group – but few could’ve anticipated the entertaining chess match that we actually got. In the end, Barca came from behind and put Inter to the sword with an efficient 2-1 victory to get three points on the board. Knocking at the door
With 33 Champions League games unbeaten at home few were anticipating anything other than the status quo from the home side, but within two minutes, the system was shocked. Lautaro Martinez, who many believe is on the wishlist of the Spanish giants, gave Inter the lead. He then went close to adding a second within the early stages, but ter Stegen was able to keep him at bay.
History looked like it was on the verge of being made because if Barca had failed to register a win, it would’ve marked the first time that neither they or Real had won after two games in the UCL. As the minutes ticked by there was an anticipation that their momentum was gradually building, and within 15 minutes of the second half beginning, they had drawn themselves level with Luis Suarez finishing off a delightful move with a great volley to set up a blockbuster final half hour. Finding success
Then, with just over five minutes remaining, Lionel Messi played the ball into the path of Suarez again who was able to touch it past his countryman and smash in what proved to be the winner. From the perspective of importance, it’s clear for everyone to see that this could easily be a defining moment in the season of both Barca and Inter, who are expected to be playing for the crown all the way through until the latter stages of this year’s competition.
The attention of Barcelona fans will now turn towards this Sunday when they host Sevilla, in a game that they cannot really afford to lose in the race to retain their La Liga title. On the very same evening Inter Milan will be back in action, as they attempt to prove themselves once and for all against reigning Italian champions Juventus at the San Siro.
The Championship lead changed hands once again midweek, with Swansea City back at the top after coming from behind to win at Charlton Athletic.
The Addicks went in front inside two minutes thanks to Jonathan Leko, though goals from Yan Dhanda and Andre Ayew secured a sixth win of the season for Steve Cooper’s side.
Leeds United are in second after they too got their sixth victory of the campaign, edging past fellow high-flyers West Bromwich Albion – Egzijan Alioski with the only goal of the game, that sees the Baggies slip down to third. Unbeaten
Nottingham Forest extended their unbeaten run to nine league games after drawing one-all at Ewood Park – Joe Lolley giving the Reds a share of the spoils after equalising a minute after Adam Armstrong had put the hosts ahead.
Sabri Lamouchi’s side’s unbeaten run is only matched by Bristol City, who themselves drew 1-1 with Brentford though it is Fulham and Preston North End who complete the top six, with the Cottagers putting four past Reading at the Madejski Stadium.
Preston had to settle for a point against Middlesbrough, who needed an own goal to stop them from succumbing to a third straight defeat. Low
Boro have won just two league games from ten under Jonathan Woodgate, and they way things are going they are heading to their lowest league finish in thirty years – when they finished twenty-first in the second tier.
Having said that, the bookmakers still have them at just 4/1 to be relegated to the third tier – somewhere they haven’t been since 1987.
The battle at the bottom ended in favour of Huddersfield Town, who beat Stoke City by a goal to nil while Barnsley managed to salvage a point against Derby County, who looked to have earned a good victory after coming from a goal down at Oakwell.
Luton Town and Millwall drew 1-1 at Kenilworth Road while Queens Park Rangers were soundly beaten at Cardiff City, who are now just a point off the top six. Clean
Wigan Athletic kept a third straight home clean sheet in their victory over Birmingham City while there was also a 1-0 home win for Hull City, who beat Sheffield Wednesday – their first league defeat under Garry Monk.
It is once again anybody’s guess who will top the table at the end of matchday eleven, with Cardiff’s trip to West Brom arguably the pick of the fixtures whilst there is a London derby at Craven Cottage in Saturday’s early kick-off, with Fulham taking on Charlton.
Elsewhere, Forest hot Brentford while top play bottom with Stoke City facing a tricky trip to Swansea City.
It seems that Arsenal are now in a catch-22 situation with German playmaker Mesut Ozil. Gunners boss Unai Emery decided to leave Ozil out of the squad for their 4-0 Europa League win over Standard Liege on Thursday night. The Gunners are the favourites to win the competition at odds of 6/1.
In fact, Ozil was not in the squad for Arsenal’s last Premier League game, a 1-1 draw at Manchester United. The former Real Madrid star looks to have no future at the north London, having made just one Premier League appearance this season. Emery has never been a fan
The arrival of Unai Emery as Arsenal boss last summer immediately cast doubts over the Gunners future of the playmaker. He never came across as a player who fitted Emery’s style of play.
At periods of last season, Ozil almost inevitably found himself in and out of the first-team. In fact, last season the German made just 20 Premier League starts for the Gunners, producing five goals and two assists.
It almost felt like boss Emery had to play the former Germany international because of his profile. However, the Spaniard decided he picked players on form and who fitted his system, which was, of course, the right thing to do. Nobody will match Ozil’s wages
The problem that Arsenal have is that Mesut Ozil is on £350,000 per-week. He is the highest-earning player in the history of the club. Yet, he is a luxury player. On his day he can be a very good player, but it seems those days are getting few and far between.
No doubt Arsenal would be willing to allow Ozil to leave in the near future. However, the sticking point will be his wages. Is there really a club out there willing to match the German’s ridiculous wages at Arsenal?
He is no longer good enough for any of Europe’s big clubs. His best option seems to be to hope that a Chinese club will sign him to boost their profile.
Reports suggest that Ozil is happy to stay at Arsenal and collect his wages. This would come as no little to Gunners fans who have watched him in recent years.
His character has been brought into question a number of times during his Arsenal career. Who can blame him for not wanting to take a wage cut? It’s only human nature. However, you would think that he would have enough professional pride to take a small wage cut to actually play football. We might see in the next transfer window. Arsenal doing okay without Ozil
The former Real Madrid star is now surplus to requirements in north London. He is just an expensive bench warmer, if he is fortunate enough to get on the bench. Unai Emery is setting his team up without Ozil because he believes that the German does not fit into his plans. This is a head coach’s job and the Gunners do not need Ozil.
If Emery believed that the playmaker could bring anything to the team, then he would have been in the team. He does not seem to have the sort of character to work his way back into the starting eleven either. From past history, it seems more likely he will sulk instead.
The sooner Mesut Ozil and Arsenal part company the better. The pair have enjoyed a mixed relationship. However, it now seems that it could be the end of the line for Mesut Ozil in north London.
As the games go by and Liverpool’s winning streak in the Premier League continues to extend, there’s a growing worry that a slip-up is waiting right around the next corner for the Reds. Earlier this afternoon, in front of a nervous Anfield crowd, that moment nearly came as Leicester City pushed Jurgen Klopp’s men all the way.
The game marked the return of Brendan Rodgers to Merseyside following Leicester’s strong start to the campaign. From the word go it was clear to see that they weren’t coming just to make up the numbers, and that they were going to battle the league leaders until the very end. Constant danger
Unfortunately for them, Sadio Mane was on the kind of form that has helped him to become one of the most dangerous strikers in the entire division. He was able to put his side into the lead five minutes before half time, easing some of the worries that Liverpool fans would’ve had at that stage.
Alas, Leicester kept plugging away in what was proving to be an incredibly scrappy game, with the hosts wasting a few clear cut chances. With ten minutes remaining they were made to pay as James Maddison’s low strike sent the travelling fans into a state of sheer ecstasy, with Klopp staring down the barrel of dropped points in the league for the first time in a long old while. Late drama
However, there was another twist in the tale as Liverpool were awarded a penalty following poor judgement from Marc Albrighton who wound up bringing Man of the Match Mane down. The pressure of the situation fell to the feet of James Milner, who was able to salvage Liverpool’s winning streak with a top class penalty.
After the international break Liverpool have the chance to punish their old rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford, in what should be a pretty intriguing clash. Leicester’s push for a place in the top six will take them back home to the King Power Stadium where they will face Burnley, and while the Clarets are a strong side, they should be looking at that as a must win.
Inter Milan and Juventus played out an authentic clash of giants this Sunday at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium. The two best sides thus far in the Serie A delivered a thrilling encounter that was decided in the final minutes, as The Old Lady moved into the top spot of the standings. Paulo Dybala and Gonzalo Higuaín scored for Juventus, while Lautaro Martinez did it for Inter Milan.
The match started with a decent degree of intensity and the visitors only needed four minutes to score the opener. A long ball from Miralem Pjanic found Dybala, and the Argentina international drilled a shot past Samir Handanovic despite the tight marking from Milan Skriniar.
Inter didn’t rattle and equalized in the 18th minute when Martinez drilled a penalty following a handball from Matthijs de Ligt. There were two more incidents worth highlighting in the first half, though. Star playmaker Stefano Sensi suffered an injury, and that hurt Inter’s chances of posing a threat in the final meters. Sensi has been one of the best players in the Serie A so far, and he offers a great deal of creativity in midfield for the Neroazzurri.
Cristiano Ronaldo put Juventus on top just before the break. However, his goal was ruled out due to an offside position and as a result, the first half ended with a 1-1 draw. Although Juventus were on top given how things happened at the break. Higuain saves the day for The Old Lady
The second half was tighter and there were not many chances on either end of the pitch. Dybala came close to double his tally with a shot from inside the box, but Handanovic reacted well to the attempt. It seemed as if the game was going to end with a 1-1 draw, but Higuain had other plans.
The former Argentina international, who entered the game in the 62nd minute replacing Federico Bernardeschi, found acres of space inside the box on the lone chance he had. Then defeated Handanovic with a composed finish following an assist from Rodrigo Betancur. Inter tried to equalize and had the best chance when Matias Vecino attempted to score, but Wojciech Szczesny came through in the clutch to save the day for Juventus.
With the win, Juventus remain undefeated in league play and moved to the top spot with 19 points (W6, D1). Meanwhile, Inter descended to second play with 18 points (W6, L1). They are also on a two-game losing run across all competitions. It seems the international break couldn’t have come at a better time for Antonio Conte’s men.
As we all know, things have not exactly been going well for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Manchester United or Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham. There has been much discussion about both bosses’ futures at their respective clubs. Ironically, Pochettino moving to Old Trafford may just be ideal for United and Tottenham. Whether the Argentinian would fancy the move is unclear. It would not be great for United boss Solskjaer either. Solskjaer out of his depth as Manchester United boss
It is now clear that the inexperienced Solskjaer is out of his depth at Manchester United. The fact that the playing squad available to him is not great has not helped him. However, it is starting to become obvious that he does not yet have the managerial acumen to move the team forward in the near future.
Of course, he comes across as a great guy. However, that is now enough to have him in charge of Manchester United. Off the pitch, United are one of the biggest brands, but they are a mediocre football team.
To get the best out of a mediocre team, you need a very good coach. Despite his situation at Spurs, Pochettino is a very good coach. He has not been helped by the fact that certain players are still at the club, who obviously want to be elsewhere. For five years, the Argentine got the best out of his team, without spending a fortune on players. Tottenham will not sack Pochettino
Pochettino and Tottenham’s relationship has soured of late. The Argentinian has stayed loyal to the north London club, despite never really getting great backing from the Spurs hierarchy. It was not difficult to tell that he has not been happy at certain points in recent seasons.
Tottenham are obviously not happy with him after some disastrous results of late. However, for all the talk of Pochettino leaving in the near future, they will not sack him. It is quite simply not financially viable.
Chairman Daniel Levy prides himself as a shrewd businessman. If Spurs sacked Pochettino, reportedly the north London club would have to pay £32million to the Argentine and his staff. Levy is highly unlikely to do that and be able to justify the decision to the club’s owners.
It would be handy for Levy and Tottenham if another club came along and decided to appoint Pochettino as their new head coach. Pochettino has been heavily linked with moves to both United and Real Madrid in the past.
With Solskjaer vulnerable at United and Zinedine Zidane reportedly at risk in the Spanish capital due to their Champions League struggles, both jobs may well become available in the near future. Pochettino the favourite to become next United boss
If Solskjaer’s reign as Manchester United boss is set to end then there will be a whole host of bosses interested in the job, in spite of the poor state of the Red Devils playing staff. However, Pochettino is the favourite to become the next Manchester United boss at odds of 2/ 1.
No doubt, the start to the new season has had a negative effect on Pochettino’s reputation. There is no question of his coaching abilities, though. He has proven he can manage a Premier League club at Tottenham and developed a number of players. He also prefers to work with young players, which could work well with United’s currently relatively young squad.
The international break is always a time where speculation emerges about bosses’ futures at clubs. The signs point are that Solskjaer will still be United boss after the international break. Pochettino will not leave Spurs either in the next few weeks. However, if United suffer a big defeat against bitter-rivals Liverpool in their next league outing, then speculation suggests the Norwegian could very well be heading out of the Old Trafford exit door.
With Pochettino’s future at Spurs in doubt, a switch to Manchester really does not look like an unrealistic prospect. It could suit both United and Tottenham. Stranger things have happened. Only time will tell if Pochettino will be the next United boss.
Argentina came from two goals down to draw with Germany in an international friendly on Wednesday evening.
Serge Gnabry took his domestic form onto the international stage in Dortmund as he stabbed home the opener in just the 15th minute. Joachim Low’s men then doubled their advantage through Kai Havertz only seven minutes later. Substitute Lucas Alario pulled one back for Argentina in the second-half with a fantastic header before Lucas Ocampos hit the equaliser with only minutes remaining to earn a draw come the final whistle. Gnabry on the scoresheet once again
Despite a quiet start to the game, Germany took control of the game from their visitors mid-way through the first-half with Julian Brandt almost opening the scoring but he could only shoot straight at Agustín Marchesín.
The goal did eventually come however and Gnabry continued his blistering form as he was picked out by a good cross from Lukas Klostermann. The Bayern Munich man took the ball away from a clutch of defenders and coolly prodded the ball into the net on the spin.
He then played a key role in the hosts’ second as a quick-counter saw them break up the field. Gnabry crossed to Havertz who had time and space to sweep into the net. German dominance
The Germans were extremely comfortable throughout the opening period and twice spurned opportunities to extend their lead as Brandt just failed to get on the end of Joshua Kimmich’s free-kick. Marcel Halstenberg then went even closer as his great free-kick cannoned off of the crossbar.
Argentina did eventually create a chance and it was almost out of nothing as Rodrigo De Paul found space on the edge of the area and also struck the woodwork with a beautiful strike.
The irrepressible Gnabry also almost notched his second just before the break but put his volley just wide of the Argentina goal. Argentina finally get a foothold
The second-half was not as straight-forward for the hosts but former Liverpool man Emre Can should have stretched the lead but saw his low effort saved by Marchesin.
Argentina did eventually get on the scoresheet though and it was substitute Alario that halved the deficit. The Bayer Leverkusen man produced an absolutely brilliant header to dispatch Marcos Acuña’s into the far corner of the Germany net. Ocampos strikes equaliser
Argentina’s performance continued to improve throughout the second period. The momentum swing finally bore fruit for Lionel Sebastián Scaloni’s troops. Another substitute, Ocampos, was the man to draw the visitors level as he was played in by Alario and beat Marc-Andre Ter Stegen at his near post to see the game end all square in Dortmund.
The road to qualification for a major international tournament is always full of twists and turns, and that’s especially true this year as we look ahead to UEFA Euro 2020 next summer. There are plenty of nations up and down the continent that have the potential to qualify with two of them, the Netherlands and Northern Ireland, meeting earlier this evening at De Kuip. International drama
The visitors were able to frustrate the Netherlands which, in many ways, felt like their plan all along. They knew that they needed to try and neutralise the attacking threat of the favourites and they did so pretty masterfully, although, in the process, they also gave up large periods of possession to the hosts.
The first half ended goalless with the Netherlands gradually getting closer and closer towards breaking through, but not quite being able to get themselves over the finish line. It eventually took until the 75th minute for the first goal of the game to come, with Josh Magennis being the man to score it in a shocking turn of events. The Northern Irish had the unlikeliest of leads, and all they needed to do was hold onto it for 15 minutes plus stoppage. Late heartbreak
They were unable to do so, though, with Memphis Depay grabbing the equaliser just five minutes later. The home side were bombarding Northern Ireland’s goal, and eventually, they managed to edge themselves into the lead in injury time as Luuk de Jong hooked the ball over the line. Depay then managed to grab his second of the game, completing one of the craziest 20-minute spells of the year in international football.
With two games remaining it certainly seems like this is the kind of result that is going to decide the immediate qualifying future of both nations, with the Netherlands now being tipped as one of the two clear favourites to go through to the final tournament. Northern Ireland, on the other hand, will almost certainly need to rely on the playoffs if they are to have any hope of reaching Euro 2020, which many fans and pundits believe they deserve.
Zdeněk Ondrášek enjoyed a dream international debut as he inflicted England’s first qualifying defeat in over ten years with a 2-1 win to in Prague on Friday evening.
Harry Kane gave the Three Lions are quickfire lead as he took scored from the penalty spot in just the fifth minute. It only took a few minutes for the hosts to find their equaliser though as Jakub Brabec took advantage from some defensive chaos in the England ranks to net from a corner. The headlines then switched to Ondrasek as he came off the bench to fire the hosts to a memorable win in the closing stages of the match. Perfect start for England but Czech Republic hit back
Despite the result, England were given a brilliant opportunity to open the scoring early on as Raheem Sterling was tripped in the penalty area. Kane took responsibility and stroked the ball straight down the centre of goal.
The hosts could have drawn level very quickly as the fell to Lukáš Masopust and he tested Jordan Pickford with a great effort the looked to be arrowing towards the bottom corner.
Their goal did come though and it was another bit of sloppy defending from England. From a corner, they failed to clear their lines with the ball falling to Brabec. The defender made no mistake as he stabbed the ball home. Poor performance from the Three Lions
Following the hosts’ strike, they seemed to find extra motivation and dominated the opening period and the majority of the chances. Masopust again had another opportunity to score as he was picked out at the back post but dragged his shot horribly wide.
England continued to struggle during the second-half but a good interception from Sevilla goalkeeper Tomáš Vaclík prevented Sterling from advancing any further and seemingly tapping the ball into the net.
Pickford then also made an important save as he tipped over Masopust’s brilliant long-range effort. Hosts score deserved winner
The Czech Republic continued to look the most dangerous as the game wore on. Alex Král was the next to have an opportunity as he raced into the penalty area and aimed for the near post, only for Pickford to leap across his lined and palm the ball away.
They then scored a winning goal that looked like it was coming throughout the second-half. Masopust raced down the left-flank and picked out Ondrasek, who was making his international debut. Afforded the freedom of the penalty area, the FC Dallas forward stayed cool to steer the ball into the bottom corner to secure a fantastic result for the Czech Republic.
Norway got off to a better start in this match, but that was expected considering what was at stake for them. The Scandinavian side needed a win to keep their qualifying chances alive and they came close to score the opening goal in the fifth minute. However, a penalty appeal was denied, and play resumed when the call could have gone either way.
Spain did not look comfortable out there, and the first half overall was quite underwhelming since neither side generated too many scoring chances. The clearer opportunity came for Norway on a header from Joshua King, but Kepa produced a stunning save to keep the game scoreless.
The biggest highlight on the reminder of the first half was the injury sustained by Havard Nordtveit, who was replaced by Even Hovland. There is no clarity regarding his injury, although he is widely expected to miss Norway’s upcoming match. The first half ended goalless and it seemed neither team had a clear edge over the other. Saul’s goal decides the match for Spain
Things changed drastically in the second half and Spain needed less than two minutes to open the score thanks to Saul. The Atletico Madrid star playmaker netted a beautiful goal from outside the box that went into the left post and out of Rune Jarstein’s reach. Out of nowhere, Spain kept their winning streak alive and moved closer to reach a spot in the 2020 EUROS.
Norway didn’t back down after conceding, though. King had at least two clear chances, but failed to find the target in both. But Spain – who could have added more goals via Fabian Ruiz and Santi Cazorla – did a good job limiting the impact of Martin Odegaard and that reduced Norway’s chances of pulling the upset. But the game wasn’t over yet, and Norway had one more thing to say before the final whistle. King saves the day for Norway
Spain seemed to close things out down the stretch, but Norway evened things up on stoppage time. A penalty call after a foul from Kepa allowed Norway to equalize and King, who was Norway’s biggest threat all game long, slotted the ball into the back of the net with total composure to send the home fans into raptures.
There wasn’t time left and the match ended with a thrilling 1-1 draw. Spain remain at the top of the Qualifiers, but their perfect campaign has come to an end. Meanwhile, Norway remain four points behind the second-placed Sweden. They have their backs against the wall with three games left on the qualifying run.
Haris Seferovic and Edimilson Fernandes both scored to deal a massive blow to the Republic of Ireland’s Euro 2020 qualifying hopes as Switzerland edged past the Republic of Ireland 2-0 in UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying on Tuesday evening.
The Benfica man gave the hosts the lead just after the quarter of an hour mark as he blasted home a low shot from outside of the penalty area. The Swiss were by far the most creative throughout the game and looked like they were going to put a seal on their win late on as a Seamus Coleman handball saw them awarded a spot-kick. However, Ricardo Rodriguez could not beat Darren Randolph.
The Swiss did eventually get their second right at the death as Fernandes found plenty of room at the far post and swept the ball into the net, albeit via a massive deflection off of Shane Duffy. Swiss enjoy positive start
In a match that was initially in doubt due to severely testing conditions, the hosts started the better as Granit Xhaka tested Randolph with a powerful, low effort.
The Middlesbrough stopper could not do anything as Switzerland opened the scoring though. Seferovic lined up his target from the edge of the area and with assistance from the greasy pitch, the ball skimmed into the bottom corner.
Newcastle man Fabian Schar then could have doubled the lead but curled a brilliant shot just wide. Seferovic then could also have doubled his night’s work as he did well to control the ball on his chest in the box but fired some way over the crossbar. Hosts continue to be the better side
The Benfica striker continued to be the hosts’ most dangerous weapon throughout the game. It took a wonderful reaction save from Randolph to once again deny the forward as he leapt from a free-kick and headed powerfully towards the top corner.
Chances continued to come for the hosts and Schar again went close as he connected with Rodriguez’s corner, only to see his headed effort bounce back off of the upright. Coleman sees red yet again
Despite their chances, Vladimir Petković’s men looked to have been given a huge helping hand – in the literal sense. With the ball falling to Breel Embolo at the back post, the striker struck towards goal, only for the ball to slam into the arm of Seamus Coleman. Having already been cautioned in the first-half, the Everton man was given his marching orders and a penalty awarded. Thankfully for the Irish, they were not made to suffer any more as Randolph leapt across his line to halt Rodriguez’s kick.
The match was eventually rubber stamped as with the visitors committing men forwards in an effort to get back into the game, they were caught cold at the break. Former West Ham United midfielder Fernandes collected the ball at the far post and then attempted a cool finish. Duffy tried his hardest to get a block in but was left scrambling as the ball ricocheted off of him and then into the back of the net.
Sergio Ramos did not play on Tuesday against Sweden, but already picked up a milestone during the current international break. By playing against Norway during the Euro 2020 Qualifiers, the Spain captain won his 168th cap for La Roja. With that in mind, he became Spain’s most capped player in history.
Ramos had already equalled Iker Casillas’ previous record of 167 back in September against the Faroe Islands. But Ramos is not planning on stopping there. He already said he wants to become the first player in football history to reach 200 caps with his country. Which players sit ahead of Sergio Ramos in the all-time caps list?
The 33-year-old defender, who has represented Spain in two Euro Championship titles (2008 and 2012) and one World Cup title (2010), is on a good path to make history. He is already a Top 10 all-time player when it comes to international caps and only seven players sit ahead of him. These are Hossam Hassan (Egypt, 170), Bader Al-Mutawa (Kuwait, 173), Ahmed Mubarak (Oman, 174), Gianluigi Buffon (Italy, 176), Claudio Suarez (Mexico, 177), Mohamed Al-Daeyea (Saudi Arabia, 178) and Ahmed Hassan (Egypt, 184).
Ramos is now only eight caps short of the European record held by Buffon, and is 16 adrift of Hassan’s world record of 184. He is the second-most capped defender in football history, tied with Ivan Hurtado (Ecuador) and only trailing Suarez, but both are retired. For what is worth, Ramos ranks third in caps among active players, and first among UEFA-only players. Mubarak and Al-Mutawa sit ahead of him by only six and five caps, respectively.
Ramos, however, did not want to talk too much about the record. He did, however, signaled he would like to keep playing for Spain “for many years”.
“All that is personal is a little secondary,” said Ramos after the game. “I would have happily traded this 168th cap for a victory. It was not the case. But this record is a great reward after so many years and it’s a great source of huge pride. I am emotional every time I put on this shirt. That will not change, and I hope to continue doing so for many years.” So… what are Ramos’ chances of reaching 200 caps with Spain?
Let’s take a short look at Ramos’ prospects of reaching 200 caps with La Furia Roja. If we make a projection of him playing in Spain until the end of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, things could go like this.
Ramos already has 168 caps. With two games left in the European Championship Qualifiers, three more in the EUROS, six in the 2020/21 UEFA Nations League, 10 more in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers and three more in the World Cup group stage – assuming Spain qualify – then Ramos would reach 192 caps. That is not counting friendlies, as Spain would probably have friendly matches before the World Cup as well.
The chances are there. But Ramos would have to remain injury free while playing at a top level for, at least three more years. The Real Madrid captain would be 36 years old by the time of the 2022 World Cup as well. That’s another thing to consider moving forward.
But the desire to remain competitive is there. And Ramos is the kind of player that would probably be part of the National Team until he desires not to. So don’t be surprised if Ramos ends up being the first player in football history to reach 200 caps. If anyone can do it, it’s him.
According to the Express, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s coaching staff are keen on the Norwegian pursuing a January transfer bid for Leicester’s highly-rated playmaker James Maddison. The former Norwich player has been linked with the Red Devils since the summer. Maddison would be a fantastic signing for United
The current Manchester United team is short of a midfield playmaker at the minute. In fact, in truth, the current squad are short on quality in every position. There is no doubt that James Maddison would be a fantastic signing for the Red Devils.
He would also fit into boss Solskjaer’s mould of signing, as the Norwegian is attempting to build a young and vibrant team. Maddison would be the perfect number ten in a United team that needs some inspiration. The former Norwich star has scored twice and also produced two assists for the Foxes this season. This season is just a continuance of the last campaign when he impressed for the team from the Midlands. Is a move to United a step at the moment?
Despite the fact that Leicester have won the Premier League more recently than United, there is no question that the Red Devils are a bigger club. However, at the moment, Leicester are looking the more likely team to finish in the top-four than the woeful United. Somebody asked would the move be a step sideways in a forum?
At the minute, it would be a step-down. Leicester are looking like a highly capable team under the highly-rated Brendan Rodgers. They also have a good mix of youth and experience. If you asked most fans at the minute whose squad would they rather have, I think the majority would choose Leicester’s over United.
As a neutral, I would certainly favour the Foxes squad over the Red Devils. In terms of teams, of setups Rodgers team just looks better. No doubt United are underperforming and will rise up the table at some point, while the Foxes could drift.
However, the switch from Leicester to Manchester United is no longer giant, which illustrates the contrasting fortunes of the two clubs in recent times. England centre-back Harry Maguire could not resist the lure of Old Trafford last summer.
Maybe he wishes he would have stayed at Leicester now. Will the lure of a move to Manchester be the same for Maddison? Only time will tell. One thing is for sure, the attacking midfielder will certainly not come cheaply, as the Foxes showed with the sale of Maguire they will only sell for a hefty fee. Leicester unlikely to allow Maddison to leave January
It seems highly unlikely that Leicester would allow James Maddison to leave the winter transfer window. It would be impossible to replace him, even if United offered an exorbitant amount of money for Maddison. The youngster is a key player for the Foxes, who are odds of 11/4 to finish in the Premier League this season.
If, and that’s a big if Maddison does want to make the move and the two clubs come to a financial agreement, then the summer would surely be better for a move. However, who knows Leicester may well finish in the top-four, but it looks unlikely that United will, even at this early stage of the season.
It would not be a great move from Maddison to go from a team playing Champions League football to a team not. We do not know what the future holds. What we do know is that Maddison is a very good player and would add a lot to United’s team, while taking away his not inconsiderable ability from the Foxes.
Liverpool’s winning run in the Premier League came to an end on Sunday evening as the Reds battled to a 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Adam Lallana came off the bench to secure a point as he cancelled out Marcus Rashford’s first-half strike as Jurgen Klopp’s men extended the lead at the top of the Premier League table to six points. Rashford gives Red Devils first-half lead
It was a tame opening to the match in Manchester but Liverpool should really have claimed the lead as Sadio Mane raced down the right-flank and picked out Roberto Firmino. Faced with David De Gea, who was an injury doubt before the match, the Brazilian could only produce a weak shot that the United stopper smothered.
Jurgen Klopp’s troops were seemingly made to rue that missed opportunity as United claimed the lead with ten minutes of the first-half remaining. Victor Lindelöf produced a crunching tackle on Divock Origi, that Liverpool protested furiously but play continued with the ball eventually finding its way to Daniel James. He powered down the right-flank and tossed an excellent cross into Rashford. The striker stayed cool to poke it underneath the returning Alisson. Despite VAR checking the foul, the goal stood. VAR controversy mars game yet again
The European champions thought they had equalised though as Mane got beyond Lindelöf and stroked the ball underneath De Gea with a great finish but the goal was ruled out for a handball in the build-up.
Rashford could have compounded their misery in the second-half as he was afforded too much space on the edge of the area but could only shoot marginally wide of the Liverpool goal. Liverpool do get their equaliser
The league leaders were not to be denied however and it was Lallana who was the man to strike the latest blow against Manchester United. Introduced for skipper Jordan Henderson with only ten minutes left on the clock, he ghosted in at the back post to turn Andrew Robertson’s cross into an unguarded net.
They could even have stolen maximum points right at the death as United tired but Alex Oxlaxde-Chamberlain put his effort just wide as both side’s went away with hard-earned and potentially deserved points.
There was always a chance that this could be a potential slip-up for Arsenal against a team as determined and well-oiled as Sheffield United. The Blades were never going to be an easy team to overcome especially at Bramall Lane, and in the end, they managed to live up to the hype as they defeated Arsenal to register a fairly embarrassing defeat on the visitors. Dropping the ball
Unai Emery’s team selection was questioned from the word go, as has been the case for large periods of this season so far. By the time his tenure at the club comes to an end, there’s a very good chance this will be looked back on as a turning point. They were lively at times with Nicolas Pepe going close, but they couldn’t quite break down the stubborn defensive structure of the hosts.
It took until the half hour mark but we finally got the first goal of the game, with Lys Mousset turning the ball home after a really nice knockdown from Jack O’Connell. From that point on Sheffield United actually continued to play some really nice football, and it wasn’t just a case of them putting every single man behind the ball – as many would’ve anticipated this game would become. A poor showing
Arsenal were actually pretty poor throughout and will be rightly ridiculed for this performance, especially as this was a big missed opportunity with the chance to move back into the top four being missed. Sheffield United, though, will now view a finish in the top half as something that could be achievable, especially if they can go out and bring in a few new faces during the January transfer window.
Wilder’s side will now turn their attention towards a trip to the capital, as they prepare to take on West Ham United in the latest chapter in their rivalry. Arsenal will go head to head with Vitoria SC in the Europa League during the week which will serve as a great opportunity for them to get back to winning ways, with another winnable home game taking place at the Emirates against Crystal Palace at the weekend.
Manchester City are widely considered to be one of the favourites to win the European Cup this seaosn, and it’s not exactly hard to see why. Their squad has a magnificent depth to it, to the point where they are probably capable of beating anyone in world football on their day. While we’re still in the early stage of this year’s Champions League campaign, City are certainly living up to the hype after registering yet another impressive win – this time against Atalanta. Putting them to the sword
They managed to hit five past the Italian side when all was said and done, which to be expected given the trajectory of both clubs in this competition so far this season. However, Pep Guardiola will be the first man to tell you that it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for the reigning Premier League champions was Rodri went off injured and Phil Foden was shown a red card after picking up two yellows.
It was a tense first half hour or so with Atalanta knowing that they needed some kind of a result in order to give themselves hope that they can finish at least third in this group, and they actually managed to take the lead. Ruslan Malinovskyi was able to score from the penalty spot following a poor passage of play from Fernandinho. Strong and efficient
Alas, it didn’t last particularly long, with a brace from the one and only Sergio Aguero turning the game on its head before half time. Atalanta heads dropped after surrendering the lead so quickly, and after the break, they were made to pay as a Raheem Sterling hat-trick within the space of just 11 minutes confirmed that City would be running away with all three points – and rightly so.
City will now turn their attention towards an entertaining home fixture against Aston Villa as they continue to try and chase Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table. Atalanta, on the other hand, will try and continue their strong run of form in Serie A when they host Udinese.
River Plate (Argentina) and Flamengo (Brazil) will collide in the 2019 Copa Libertadores final. For the first time ever, the decisive match will be hosted in a one-legged tie on a neutral venue. After years of two-legged finals, the Copa Libertadores will replicate the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League system. This year, the venue will Estadio Nacional Julio Martinez Pradanos in Santiago, Chile.
First, let’s a dive into the history of both sides in the tournament, as well as their head-to-head record in CONMEBOL competitions. The first thing we must take into account is that both sides already know what it feels to lift South America’s biggest club trophy.
Los Millonarios have won it four times – in 1986, 1996, 2015 and 2017. In fact, River Plate will get the chance to win the Copa Libertadores on back-to-back years for the first time in club history, after their 2018 title where they defeated arch-rival Boca Juniors in Madrid. Meanwhile, Flamengo will go for their second title after lifting the trophy in 1981, when they defeated Chilean side Cobreloa. It is worth noting River have been the most successful side in the decade thus far. They are the only club with multiple trophies from 2010 onwards.
These two sides have history in the past. River edge the all-time competitive H2H record with a W5, D3, L4 record. However, they have played just four times in the Libertadores. In this particular competition, O Rubro Negro are undefeated with two wins and two wins. River Plate’s path to the 2019 Copa Libertadores final
These two teams took completely different routes on their path towards the decisive match. First, let’s take a look at River Plate’s road to Santiago.
Marcelo Gallardo’s men entered directly to the Group Stage and were in Group A, alongside Internacional (Brazil), Palestino (Chile), and Alianza Lima (Peru). They finished in second place with 10 points (W2, D4) and needed a penalty shoot-out to get past Cruzeiro (Brazil) during the Round of 16. They drew 0-0 on both matches, but River won 4-2 on penalties thanks to a stellar performance from Franco Armani between the posts.
River, however, stepped it up a notch in the final two knock-out stages. They defeated Cerro Porteno (Paraguay) with a 3-1 on the aggregate score, and later dispatched Boca Juniors with a 2-1 win on the semi-finals. River won 2-0 at home, but lost 1-0 at La Bombonera. Flamengo’s path to the 2019 Copa Libertadores final
On the other hand, Flamengo were in Group D with Liga de Quito (Ecuador), Penarol (Uruguay) and San Jose Oruro (Bolivia). The first three teams ended with 10 points (W3, D1, L2) but the Brazilian side finished at the top of the standings due to their superior goal differential (+6, against Liga’s +4 and Penarol’s +2). Just like River, they also needed a penalty shoot-out in the knockout stages to get past Ecuador’s Emelec (2-2 on the aggregate score, 4-2 on PKs)
Flamengo faced Brasileirao rivals in both the quarterfinals (Internacional) and semi-finals (Gremio), and finished undefeated in those four games. They defeated Inter 3-1 on the aggregate score, and destroyed Gremio in the final four with a 6-1 on the aggregate score, including a huge 5-0 win at home in the second leg.
Now, Argentina and Brazil will collide once again to see which country will lift the Libertadores trophy. Brazil have won five titles this decade, while Argentina have won three. Atletico Nacional (Colombia) won the remaining one. Furthermore, eight of the nine finals this decade have featured either a Brazilian or an Argentinian team.
