Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester United kicked off their respective FA Cup campaigns against each other at the Molineux on Saturday, which means one of them had to say farewell to the possibility of winning the trophy straight away. A contest between these two, at full strength, would have been easy to predict once upon a time. After all, it is a clash between a team that is an occasional Premier League feature against one of the most successful clubs in the history of English football.
However, things are very different these days. The days of Sir Alex Ferguson s Manchester United are long gone, and current boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is just the latest name on the list of those who have tried (and failed) to pick up where the legendary Scotsman left off when he retired in…
Timo Werner is not lacking in confidence despite his Chelsea goal drought, according to head coach Thomas Tuchel.
Werner arrived at Stamford Bridge with a reputation as a prolific goalscorer following his move from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig
But the Germany international has scored just four times in 20 Premier League appearances, with his blank in Sunday s 2-0 win over Burnley stretching his barren run to 12 top-flight games.
The 24-year-old managed three shots on target against the Clarets – more than any other player – and had more touches inside the opposition penalty area (nine) than anyone else.
Despite another scoreless outing, Tuchel has no doubts over Werner s self-belief.
He is totally into it, he gives everything, Tuchel explaine…
Gareth Southgate admitted he was left a bit fed up by the finale of England s opening World Cup match, despite his side running out comfortable 6-2 victors over Iran.
A brace for Bukayo Saka, plus goals for Jude Bellingham, Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish, saw the Three Lions kick off Qatar 2022 in style at Khalifa International Stadium.
But despite matching their biggest single-match haul in a World Cup game, set four years ago in a 6-1 win over Panama at Russia 2018, their manager was still left frustrated by their double concession.
Mehdi Taremi s double, the second of which came from a controversial VAR penalty, denied England a record winning margin, and Southgate acknowledged it added a sour note to his side s otherwise superb performance…
Lothar Matthaus has declared Joachim Low must pack his suitcase and leave his post if Germany fail at the delayed Euro 2020 finals.
Long-serving national coach Low has faced criticism in the wake of the 6-0 defeat to Spain in the Nations League.
Results and performances had been sketchy in the months leading up to November s humiliation in Seville which brought the team s form into sharp focus.
Matthaus, who captained West Germany to 1990 World Cup glory, is now among Germany s leading football pundits and believes Low should not be the only figure to pay the price if Die Mannschaft fail at the European Championship.
Speaking to the Suddeutsche Zeitung, Matthaus said: If the European Championship does not go as we would like and as we can expect in view …
Mesut Ozil has ruled out coming out of international retirement after completing a dream move to Fenerbahce.
Midfielder Ozil joined the Istanbul giants last Sunday after seven-and-a-half years with Arsenal.
The 32-year-old playmaker fell out of favour at the London club and reached an agreement for an early termination of his contract, which was due to expire at the end of this season.
Ozil is relishing the opportunity to reignite his career in the Super Lig, but has no interest in making a Germany comeback after calling time on playing for his country in 2018.
He said during a press conference on Wednesday: If I go on a road, I will never come back. So I will not play in the German national team anymore. I wish them success.
The former Real Ma…
Lionel Messi has paid for Paris Saint-Germain s obsession with winning the Champions League, suggests Ander Herrera.
Messi moved to Parc des Princes in 2021 from Barcelona, and helped PSG to a Ligue 1 success in his first season.
PSG are on the brink of retaining their crown, though Messi s future at the club is far from certain.
Messi has been unable to drag PSG closer to their ultimate goal – winning the Champions League. Earlier in May, Messi was targeted by sections of the club s fanbase after he was suspended for taking an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia.
Herrera, who played with Messi last season, sees the PSG s dogmatic pursuit of European glory as the main issue.
I was admiring Leo before [I knew] him, and after knowing him, I admire…
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Celta Vigo are set to play host to Sevilla at the Estadio Balaidos on Friday evening within the 15th round of the season in the Spanish La Liga. The match is a very important one for both sides, as they struggle to achieve the same goal to avoid relegation.
Celta Vigo
Celta were in a similar situation in 2019/20, when they finished 17th and avoided the drop by a single point. In the two seasons that followed, they were relatively safe throughout and ended them around the middle of the table. This time, however, it seems it will be another scramble.
As things stand at the moment, Carlos Carvalhal s team is in 17th place again, with only 12 points from the 14 matches they ve played so far. Espanyol are directly above with the s…
Czech players know a thing or two about unforgettable Euros goals.
In 1976, Czechoslovakia became European Champions after Antonin Panenka unveiled his audacious dinked penalty – imitations of which still bear his name to this day.
Karel Poborsky s sensational scoop sunk Portugal as the Czech Republic charted an unlikely course to the final of Euro 96.
Such heroics secured Poborsky a dream move to Manchester United and a handful of Premier League clubs have reportedly had their attention piqued by Patrik Schick s exploits at Euro 2020.
Schick s sensational goal from halfway, part of a brace in the 2-0 win over Scotland at Hampden Park, will remain one of this tournament s enduring moments, but it was no flash in the pan.
The Bayer Leverkusen str…
Mikel Arteta is not enjoying battling Pep Guardiola for honours, describing the challenge he faces in taking on someone he considers a close friend.
Arteta spent three and a half years as Guardiola s assistant at Manchester City before taking the manager s job at Arsenal.
After finishing eighth, eighth and fifth in the Premier League in his first three seasons in charge at Emirates Stadium, only now has Arteta put together a team capable of matching City.
Arsenal are five points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand over Guardiola s second-placed side.
Seeing City suffer is not easy for Arteta, however, given his attachment to his former boss.
Ahead of an FA Cup tie between the two sides, their first meeting this season, Arteta said: I…
Kidderminster earned a point at home to Woking in their first Vanarama National League match since 2016.
Harriers won promotion last season in remarkable fashion following a run of nine successive wins and they marked their return to the higher level with a creditable goalless draw against a Woking side that finished fourth last term.
The best chances of the first half at Aggborough came towards the end of the period, with Rhys Browne firing just wide for the visitors before Woking goalkeeper Will Jaaskelainen denied Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain with a fine save.
Jaaskelainen also did well on the hour mark as Harriers threatened again and, after Woking had gone close through Robbie Willmott and Scott Cuthbert, the promoted side almost snatched victory when Ashley…