Month: November 2024

There are several ways in which promoted teams can approach their first transfer window in the Premier League.

One method is the path well worn by Norwich City, a more conservative approach to recruitment aiming to consolidate the squad that gained promotion and add in one or two fresh faces on cheaper deals or loans. For the Canaries, it has resulted in them becoming the proverbial yo-yo club; too good for the Championship, but not quite good enough to stay up.

Bournemouth, much to the apparent chagrin of former head coach Scott Parker, seem to have taken that approach this season. It remains to be seen how that will play out. 

There is a middle ground, the route taken by Leeds United in 2020, where five to 10 additions of quality, from across the contine…

Best odds: 8/15

Bookmaker:

The hectic festive schedule in the Premier League is in full swing this weekend and next week, with two full rounds being played in the next six days, between now and the turn of the year, that is. In one of the four matches scheduled for Sunday, Liverpool will be hosting West Bromwich Albion at Anfield.

Liverpool

It has been a season of mixed feelings, not to mention perceptions and opinions, when it comes to the reigning Premier League champions. From the highest of highs to the lowest of lows we ve seen it all from Liverpool since the start of term. They were able to hammer Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, hold off Manchester City at the Etihad, crush Atalanta in Bergamo, beat Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield and pummel Crystal Palace into …

Rennes came from two goals down to beat Paris Saint-Germain on penalties after a 2-2 draw in the Coupe de France final.

Kylian Mbappe was sent off in extra time before Christopher Nkunku missed the crucial effort from the spot to deny PSG a fifth triumph in a row in the competition, putting further pressure on head coach Thomas Tuchel.

The Ligue 1 champions had led 2-0 after just 21 minutes thanks to stunning goals from Dani Alves and Neymar, making his first start since returning from the foot injury suffered in January.

A Presnel Kimpembe own goal and a header from Mexer dragged Rennes back into the contest, though, and it was Julien Stephan s men who held their nerve in the shoot-out to win the trophy for the first time since 1971.

Alves took a dreadf…

Manchester United first-team coach Kieran McKenna has been appointed manager of League One outfit Ipswich Town.

McKenna – who was part of Jose Mourinho s staff at Old Trafford, where he was also a prominent member of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer s team – has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract as Paul Cook s successor.

Promoted from his role as Under-18s coach by former United boss Mourinho before working with Solskjaer and more recently interim manager Ralf Rangnick, McKenna will be joined by Red Devils coach Martyn Pert as his assistant.

It has been a great honour to work for Manchester United for the last five years. When I arrived as Under-18s lead coach in 2016, I had the privilege to work within a world-leading youth development system, coaching excellent …

Lucas Hernandez said he is feeling 100 per cent after making his long-awaited debut in Bayern Munich s 23-0 win over local side FC Rottach-Egern.

Bayern prised World Cup-winning France international Hernandez from Atletico Madrid in an €80million deal that was announced in March.

Hernandez missed pre-season fixtures against Arsenal, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Fenerbahce, Tottenham and Borussia Dortmund after his 2018-19 campaign was cut short due to knee surgery.

But fans got their first glimpse of Hernandez in action as Bayern crushed Rottach-Egern at their training camp in Tegernsee on Thursday.

Schlusspfiff am Tegernsee. 

— FC Bayern München (@FCBayern)

After coming off the bench for the second half, Hernandez said: I feel very well…

The German Football Association (DFB) should ask Philipp Lahm to help solve the problems brought about by a miserable World Cup showing, says Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

Germany suffered a humiliating group-stage exit in Russia after defeats to Mexico and South Korea, becoming the third defending champions in a row to suffer such a fate after Italy in 2010 and Spain in 2014.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Rummenigge, who won 95 caps in a 10-year career with the national team said: The DFB is really only full of amateurs.

I am not convinced that there are the right approaches in place [to deal with crisis], but it does not surprise me either.

I think Philipp Lahm is a perfect match for the DFB. It might be an interesting solution to install Philipp Lahm as …

Pep Guardiola conceded he is surprised by the gap between Manchester City and Manchester United since he took charge at the Etihad Stadium.

City and United – who meet in this season s first Manchester derby on Saturday finished fourth and fifth respectively in 2015-16, separated only by goal difference after amassing 66 points apiece.

Guardiola s arrival at the same time as Jose Mourinho took charge at Old Trafford for the subsequent campaign was expected to herald an unforgettable new chapter in a century-old local squabble, while adding to the enmity the two elite tacticians built up when at Barcelona and Real Madrid.

It did not quite pan out that way, with Mourinho s EFL Cup and Europa League triumphs in 2016-17 proving to be a false dawn at United.

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Alexis Sanchez says leaving Manchester United for Inter has allowed him to fall in love with football again.

Sanchez scored only three Premier League goals in 32 appearances after signing for United from Arsenal in 2018.

The Chile international saw his unhappy spell at Old Trafford come to an end when he was allowed to join Inter on a season-long loan.

He made his first start for the club in Saturday s 3-1 Serie A win at Sampdoria, scoring his maiden Nerazzurri goal before being dismissed for two quickfire bookings before half-time.

Sanchez has reunited with ex-United striker Romelu Lukaku at San Siro and he feels coach Antonio Conte s desire has helped him to settle in Milan.

It was a bit like falling in love with football again, Sanchez told UE…

Market: Ross County win

Odds: 1/2 @

Looking to extend on their League Cup romp in midweek, Ross County will travel to the Meadowbank Stadium on Wednesday night when they meet Edinburgh City.

Starting with the hosts, eventually left disappointed last season as they missed out on a top-four finish, Edinburgh certainly signed off the 2022/23 campaign in the midst of a real struggle. Including a 4-1 drumming at the hands of Airdrieonians on the final weekend, the Citizens remarkably recorded just a single win from any of their last nine straight League One appearances. Really gaining a reputation for their defensive issues, Alan Maybury’s men have also failed to find any kind of stability this summer. Including an action-packed 4-2 defeat against Hibernian in a fr…

Challenging for the Premier League title may bring back painful memories for Liverpool after their failed attempts in 2009 and 2014, but Jurgen Klopp wants the Reds to embrace the battle this season.

Liverpool s most recent attempts to claim the crown for the first time since 1990 have both ended in disappointment, as they finished runners-up behind Manchester United and City respectively.

As the current campaign enters the second half, the Reds sit level with Tottenham in second place, seven points adrift of leaders Chelsea.

But rather than being worried about another missed opportunity, Klopp wants his side to relish the challenge and enjoy the remainder of the season.

The only thing I want is that, as a club, we really enjoy this situation because…