Premier League preview part one: Pep Guardiola factor gives Manchester City the edge over Manchester United and Chelsea in fascinating battle of top bosses August 9, 2016 Only six clubs can win the Premier League title this season – and there are three obvious choices in Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City – but there is no runaway favourite in my eyes. United may have signed four players who will walk straight into their first XI, yet they still need a pattern [...]
Southampton sponsor Virgin Media to subsidise tickets for away fans at St Mary’s August 9, 2016 Tickets for football fans visiting Southampton this season will cost no more than £20, after the Football Supporters' Federation (FSF) collaborated with Saints sponsor Virgin Media to subsidise tickets. Virgin Media, who believe that "football fans should be at the heart of the game", are supporting the FSF's 'Twenty's Plenty' campaign, an attempt to counteract the increasingly expensive ticket [...]
Premier League preview part two: Leicester will be rivalling West Ham not the title challengers, and Hull look doomed to be whipping boys August 9, 2016 The Premier League has stepped up a level this year and the beauty of it is that the extra broadcast millions have helped raise the standard from the bottom up. There are still divides though, and I see the top-flight as three mini-leagues: the top six, teams just behind them with an eye on snatching fifth [...]
West Ham complete signing of Swansea forward Andre Ayew for £20.5m August 8, 2016 West Ham have completed the signing of forward Andre Ayew from fellow Premier League side Swansea City for £20.5m on a four-year deal. The 26-year-old joined Swansea on a free transfer from Marseille in June 2015 and scored 12 goals during his debut Premier League season with the Welsh side. “The club have a lot [...]
A probe into Premier League broadcast rights has been dropped August 8, 2016 A major probe into the rights to air Premier League football on UK television has been dropped by the regulator. The two-year probe has been drawn to a close after Ofcom decided there was enough progress being made on making more games available to watch while football fans seemed largely happy. The investigation was first launched [...]
Friendly round-up: Arsenal and Chelsea both suffer defensive injuries a week before start of Premier League season August 7, 2016 Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger’s defensive crisis deepened a week before his side’s opening Premier League fixture as centre-half Gabriel was stretchered off during today's 3-2 friendly victory over Manchester City in Gothenburg. Wenger is short of defensive reserves after a knee injury ruled World Cup winner Per Mertesacker out for up to five months and Laurent [...]
Leicester City 1, Manchester United 2: Jose Mourinho backs Paul Pogba to complete his Old Trafford jigsaw after green light given for world record transfer August 7, 2016 Conundrum-solving Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has backed midfielder Paul Pogba to prove the final piece of his Old Trafford jigsaw after the Old Trafford club beat Leicester to lift the FA Community Shield yesterday. Summer signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic emerged as the match-winner inside the final 10 minutes, handing Mourinho his first piece of United [...]
Ladbrokes calls time on giant football odds after Leicester City Premier League win August 7, 2016 Ladbrokes has called time on giant football odds after Leicester City’s Premier League win slapped the bookmaker with a multi-million pound payout earlier this year. Odds for Leicester City had been 5,000/1 when the league kicked off and cost Ladbrokes £3m when the underdog outsider team won. Fellow bookmaker William Hill said its costs had been [...]
Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez tells his players to calm down and work harder following defeat to Fulham in Championship opener August 5, 2016 A disappointed Rafael Benitez told his Newcastle players to calm down and get to work following a 1-0 defeat to Fulham in the Magpies' first Championship fixture in six years. Newcastle's campaign to win promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt got off to a faltering start after they failed to cancel out a first [...]
Slavisa Jokanovic heralds “different ambience” of new-look Fulham after Matt Smith header earns 1-0 victory over Newcastle in Championship opener August 5, 2016 Fulham shrugged off the departure of Ross McCormack in spectacular style by beating Championship favourites Newcastle 1-0 in the season curtain raiser at Craven Cottage. Matt Smith's header from a corner moments before half time was enough to give a new-look Fulham cause for optimism ahead of the new season, while Rafael Benitez's Newcastle will be left to reflect [...]