Cristiano Ronaldo wins fifth Ballon d’Or to equal Lionel Messi’s tally December 7, 2017 Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo toasted a year of extraordinary success with the Spanish club after he drew level with rival Lionel Messi by receiving a fifth Ballon d’Or. Ronaldo, 32, retained the award for the world’s best player after he beat Barcelona star Messi into second place in the poll of leading journalists organised by [...]
Champions League last 16: Who could Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester City face in the next round? December 7, 2017 For the first time in history, there will be five teams from a single country in the last 16 of the Champions League after Premier League sides reversed years of underwhelming results by collectively booking their place in the knock-out rounds. Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham all progressed as winners of their group, [...]
Trevor Steven: Elite managers like Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte have restored English clubs’ fear factor in the Champions League December 5, 2017 During their dominant years of the 1970s and ‘80s there was an intimidating quality about English teams; even the top clubs on the Continent wanted to avoid them. With the Premier League’s finest flourishing in the Champions League again this season, that fear factor is starting to return. Their renewed success is down to an [...]
Liverpool draw Everton in FA Cup third round as holders Arsenal head to Forest December 4, 2017 Merseyside will do battle on FA Cup third round weekend after seven-time winners Liverpool were pitched at home to Everton in Monday’s draw. It will be the first all-Merseyside clash in the competition since the 2012 semi-final, which Liverpool won 2-1 courtesy of a late strike from £35m club-record signing Andy Carroll after Luis Suarez [...]
Crystal Palace reveal £100m Selhurst Park transformation plans ushering in “new era” for the club December 4, 2017 Premier League strugglers Crystal Palace today released plans for a massive revamp of their Selhurst Park stadium. Costing between £75m and £100m, the club want to hike home capacity from 26,000 to more than 34,000 and wrap the ground in glass – paying homage to the historic original Crystal Palace exhibition venue. A new stand [...]
Manchester City 2, West Ham United 1: City are the new kings of Fergie time, insists Pep Guardiola December 3, 2017 Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola insists his side are the new custodians of ‘Fergie time’ after conjuring another late winner during their Premier League victory over struggling West Ham. For the last three games Raheem Sterling had assumed the role of match-winner but on this occasion it was stand-in skipper David Silva who completed City’s [...]
Raheem Sterling’s quantum leap: Why Man City man’s superhero season should encourage Tottenham’s Dele Alli and Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford November 30, 2017 Raheem Sterling’s late winners against Feyenoord, Huddersfield and Southampton in Manchester City’s last three games have underlined his remarkable evolution this season from talented but erratic forward to the elite team’s go-to man in the clutch. It’s been quite a jump. If Sterling was the star in a superhero movie then the 2017-18 season would [...]
Manchester City 2, Southampton 1: Pep Guardiola lavishes praise on Premier League leaders after last-gasp victory November 29, 2017 Euphoric Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola lavished praise on his side after Raheem Sterling’s last-gasp winner ensured the Premier League leaders overcame Southampton and maintained their eight-point cushion at the summit. For the third game in succession former Liverpool forward Sterling netted a late clincher, this time in the 96th minute, as City sealed a [...]
Everton 4, West Ham United 1: Wayne Rooney savours memorable strike as Toffees heap misery on struggling Hammers November 29, 2017 Everton skipper Wayne Rooney savoured a memorable strike from his own half as the Toffees prepared for life under Sam Allardyce with a morale-boosting Premier League victory over struggling West Ham. With former England boss Allardyce, who is set to be confirmed as Ronald Koeman’s permanent successor, watching from the stands, Rooney notched his first [...]
Qarabag 0, Chelsea 4: Willian double sees Blues cruise into last 16 and ease Antonio Conte fixture congestion fears November 22, 2017 Qarabag 0, Chelsea 4 Chelsea manager Antonio Conte admitted his relief after victory over 10-man Qarabag confirmed the Blues’ place in the Champions League knockout stage and eased his fixture scheduling concerns. Two sumptuous goals from forward Willian and penalties converted by Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas in Baku ensured their progress from Group C [...]