Football Blog (Page 146)

[ad_1] If the average football fan was asked to name the assistant coaches of the top six teams in the Premier League, chances are they would get nowhere near naming all six. Liverpool assistant coach, Pep Lijnders, is a slight exception though. He has been seen on the touchline without manager Jurgen Klopp there on multiple occasions, and that means he has a higher and more visible profile than others in a similar role. It has tended to be Carabao Cup games in which Lijnders have been given more responsibility by Klopp than most assistance coaches get. Here is a look at the situation. ManyRead More →

[ad_1] Everyone loves the FA Cup, right? While the gap between the haves and have-nots has grown in football in recent years, it is a tournament that still manages to consistently throw up surprising results. With the third round getting underway very soon, it will now be all fans of English football that can look forward to some thrilling games and some brilliant days out along the way. With such a busy calendar for everyone this season thanks to the World Cup break, it stands to reason that there could be even more surprising results than normal. The current holders of the FA Cup areRead More →

[ad_1] Chelsea midfielder Jorginho says he is happy at Stamford Bridge and would like to extend his contract with the club – but insists he is not thinking about his future for the time being, despite his contract expiring in the summer. Jorginho signed for Chelsea in 2018 as the first signing of then-Blues manager Maurizio Sarri, with the pair having previously worked together at Napoli. Though Sarri lasted only one season at the club and Jorginho’s role as a deep-lying playmaker was heavily scrutinised upon his move to England, the midfielder has been able to adapt his game and continue to play a keyRead More →

[ad_1] CF Montreal have bolstered their backline with the signing of full-back Aaron Herrera in a trade with Real Salt Lake. The Canadian side have paid RSL $500k in General Allocation Money (GAM) split over the next two seasons, a 2023 international roster spot, and their first-round pick in the MLS SuperDraft for Herrera’s services. Should a certain future transfer figure be met, RSL will also receive a sell-on percentage. “We are very pleased with Aaron’s arrival at the club. He is a player who will contribute with his quality on the field, but also with his experience in the league,” CF Montreal vice presidentRead More →

[ad_1] Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has refused to give a detailed update on Jadon Sancho. The winger has struggled to find form following his move to Old Trafford from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2021. Sancho has recently been training in the Netherlands in an attempt to improve his conditioning and sharpness ahead of the return of club season. Ten Hag revealed ahead of United’s Carabao Cup tie with Burnley that Sancho is currently unavailable for selection, and was quizzed about the 22-year-old on Sky Sports following a 2-0 win on Wednesday evening. Watch 90min Talks on YouTube as Ashleigh Wilmot hosts Rachel andRead More →

[ad_1] The full quarter final lineup for the 2022/23 Champions League was confirmed on Wednesday following the penultimate evening of group stage action. Lyon’s draw with Juventus ensured they joined Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, PSG, Wolfsburg and Roma in the knockout stages. Lyon secured their safe passage through to the quarter finals at the expense of Juventus, after the pair drew 0-0 at the Groupama Stadium. Only victory would have been enough for the Italian champions to progress to the knockout stages. Top spot in Group C however went to Arsenal thanks to an emphatic 9-1 win in Zurich. A Frida Mannum hat-trick, bracesRead More →

[ad_1] Manchester United delivered a final parting goodbye to Cristiano Ronaldo in their matchday programme for the Carabao Cup clash with Burnley on Wednesday night. The Red Devils parted ways with the Portugal international in late November after he criticised the club in a high profile interview with Piers Morgan. The cup game against Burnley was United’s first official match following Ronaldo’s exit and the occasion was marked with a reminder of how the relationship ended. “Cristiano Ronaldo left the club by mutual agreement last month,” the programme notes read. “The Portuguese superstar scored 145 goals across two spells and 436 appearances, and helped usRead More →

[ad_1] A Frida Maanum hat-trick helped Arsenal comfortably ensure they progressed to the Champions League quarter finals as group winners with a 9-1 win over Zurich in their final group stage fixture on Wednesday evening. The Gunners had already sealed their safe passage to the knockout stages last week against Lyon, and knew a victory in Switzerland would be enough to top the group. Arsenal did just that – and then some. A Frida Mannum hat-trick, braces from Stina Blackstenius brace and Caitlin Foord and goals from Kim Little and Mana Iwabuchi saw the Gunners to an emphatic victory, topping their group ahead of EuropeanRead More →

[ad_1] Following a thrilling month of sensational football and unconfined excitement, it’s very much time to welcome back club matters. Manchester United have very little time to prepare before they resume action, with most of their World Cup-involved players featuring in the latter rounds – and one even going the whole way with champions Argentina. With a Carabao Cup fixture to come on 21 December before their return to the Premier League, we can expect a few big names to take their time in getting back into the swing of things. So, when could the Red Devils’ World Cup stars return? The contingent of ErikRead More →

[ad_1] Top spot in Champions League Group A will be decided at Stamford Bridge on Thursday evening, as first place Chelsea host a PSG side hot on their heels. Both teams are already assured of their quarter final place, and the Blues are currently three points clear of PSG following a 1-0 win in Paris in October. Top spot will be Chelsea’s if they avoid defeat – and they can even lose 1-0 and still win the group by virtue of goal difference. For PSG, only winning and scoring at least twice will see them leapfrog Chelsea and progress as group winners, leaving a tantalisinglyRead More →