Manchester City put pressure on Arsenal in the Premier League title race with a convincing 4-1 win against Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium.
Defending champions City were without the injured Erling Haaland but goals from Julian Alvarez, Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Jack Grealish saw them emphatically respond to Mohamed Salah s early opener.
The win closed the gap at the top to five points ahead of Arsenal s game against Leeds United later on Saturday as City clinched their fourth league win in a row.
It was the latest blow to Liverpool s hopes of clinching a top-four spot, with Jurgen Klopp s men staying five points behind Newcastle United in fifth and seven behind Tottenham in fourth.
53 – Kevin De Bruyne s goal after 53 seconds is the earliest L…
Mauricio Pochettino claimed it is easier for new players to settle at Manchester City than at Chelsea due to the huge upheaval at Stamford Bridge during the last 18 months.
Eight of the 11 that started Chelsea’s 4-1 win at Pochettino’s former side Tottenham on Monday have joined since owner Todd Boehly bought the club in May 2022, with a further nine named amongst the substitutes.
Only three of the side that began Chelsea’s 1-0 victory over City in the 2021 Champions League final are still at the club – Reece James, Ben Chilwell and Thiago Silva – whilst all 12 of the substitutes from the game in Porto have departed, along with manager Thomas Tuchel.
The following injury update has been provided ahead of .
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC)
B…
Spain boss Luis de la Fuente believes La Roja have received the toughest draw for the group stage of Euro 2024, having been handed games against Italy, Croatia and Albania.
As one of five teams with the best records across the qualification groups, Spain joined hosts Germany, as well as England, France, Portugal and Belgium in pot one for Saturday s draw in Hamburg.
That did not stop them being handed a tough set of opponents, however, with reigning champions Italy and 2022 World Cup bronze medallists Croatia joining La Roja and Albania in Group B.
Spain are the only team to win back-to-back editions of the Euros, triumphing in 2008 and 2012, and excluding penalty shoot-outs, they have only lost two of their last 22 matches at the Euros, winning 13 and drawing se…
It says something about England manager Sarina Wiegman that even her own players have to remind themselves that their boss is a mere mortal.
One of the most memorable moments of this World Cup came when, on the eve of the Lionesses’ final group stage match against China, midfielder Georgia Stanway relayed an anecdote about meeting members of Wiegman’s family in Australia that concluded with the quip, “Sometimes you don’t realise your head coach is actually human.”
it would be easy to look at the 53-year-old’s incredible record and insist she must be some kind of superhero from Planet Football who six years ago arrived on Earth with the mission of conquering as many major competitions as possible, beginning when she steered the Netherlands – her actual place…
Veteran and iconic Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon could play on after the 2018 World Cup, according to his agent.
Buffon celebrated his 39th birthday last month and the Italy international out of contract at the end of next season has shown no signs of slowing down.
A seven-time Serie A winner in Turin, Buffon will be 40 when the World Cup takes place in Russia next year but Silvano Martina believes his client is still good enough to continue.
He wants to reach 2018 and the tournament in Russia, Martina told Rai Sport.
Considering his spirit, his current form and the love he has for this sport, it s very possible he could continue playing after the World Cup.
When Buffon does eventually call time on his career, AC Milan s teenage sensati…
Scotland host Norway in their final Euro 2024 qualifier on Sunday night.
Steve Clarke’s side have already booked their place in Germany next summer after winning five of their first seven Group A games.
Here are some of the key talking points ahead of the game at Hampden.
Scotland now inspiring their rivals
For much of their 23-year absence from major tournaments between France 98 and the Euros in 2021, Scotland would look to other nations for inspiration. Now the shoe is on the other foot.
Norway – whose last major tournament appearance was at Euro 2000 – find themselves in a similar predicament to the one the Scots freed themselves from a few years ago.
As the Scots prepare for a second consecutive visit to the Euros and Norway’s barren…
Sergio Ramos accepts his omission from Spain s Euro 2020 squad is for the best as he prepares for a close season of rest .
Real Madrid captain Ramos, Spain s most-capped player with 180, was the standout absentee when Luis Enrique named a 24-man party for the tournament, which begins next month.
The 35-year-old struggled with injury problems throughout 2020-21 and was restricted to 21 appearances for Madrid across all competitions, with only one of those coming since the end of March
Nevertheless, Luis Enrique s decision not to select Ramos caused surprise on Monday, particularly as he did not fill the full allocation of 26 players allowed in expanded Euro 2020 squads, nor find a spot for any other Real Madrid players.
But while there was a degree of shoc…
Lionel Messi hopes team-mate Angel Di Maria can sign off with another goal when Argentina face Colombia in Sunday s Copa America final.
Di Maria announced in November that the tournament in the United States would mark the last time he represents his country, for whom he has earned 144 caps.
The 36-year-old has played a crucial role in La Albiceleste s success in recent years, scoring the winner against Brazil in the 2021 Copa America final, while netting in the 2022 World Cup final victory over France.
Di Maria, who also scored the only goal against Nigeria in the 2008 Olympic final, continues to demonstrate his importance for Lionel Scaloni s side, playing in four of their five games en route to their sixth Copa final in eight editions.
And Messi wants …
Daniel Amartey has signed a new three-and-a-half-year contract at Leicester City, the club have confirmed.
The 23-year-old Ghana international signed from Copenhagen in January 2016 and made five top-flight appearances as Leicester completed an unlikely Premier League title triumph.
Amartey, who is currently sidelined with an ankle injury sustained against West Ham in October, was previously contracted until June 2020.
I am very happy to sign this contract at Leicester City. I am a simple and easy guy. I work hard and I focus, he told LCFC TV.
By God s grace, my recovery is getting better. I was playing well and then I got this injury, but I have to be strong when I come back.
Personally, I am happy because last season I didn t get much playing…
Lionel Messi expects a difficult test against Chile as Argentina look to maintain their unbeaten start at the 2024 Copa America.
Argentina play their penultimate Group A match at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on Wednesday against La Roja, having beaten Canada on matchday 1.
The Albiceleste impressed in their opener against the Canucks, registering 19 shots on goal, surpassing the combined total of 18 shots taken by Chile and Peru in the other Group A meeting.
Messi, who broke the Copa America appearance record during that match, expressed the importance of their victory in the opening game but knows his side are in for a competitive encounter with Ricardo Gareca s side.
“Yeah, we ve always known how tough the opening game is. The most import…