Category: Football (Soccer)

Only this week Eddie Howe warned that even after nine straight wins Newcastle were not “quite fixed”. Bournemouth, a brilliant counterattacking side, duly seized the opportunity to prove their old manager right as Justin Kluivert’s fabulous hat-trick suggested they are credible candidates for European qualification.

While this failure to secure a record-breaking 10th successive victory confirmed Howe’s assertion that the internal problems that derailed the early part of Newcastle’s season are not fully mended, the visitors subdued Alexander Isak. The Sweden striker’s hopes of scoring for a ninth Premier League game in a row were extinguished on an afternoon when he managed one, anodyne, shot on target.

It took a while for the goals to come, especially at the Gtech

Brentford 0-0 Liverpool. The league leaders have started brightly, with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Cody Gakpo probing down the wings. An early half-chance for Mohamed Salah is blocked and cleared.

It’s 3pm, and whistles sound all across the land! I defy you to play this just the once.

Justin Kluivert scored his second hat-trick of the season as the injury-ravaged visitors ended Newcastle’s winning streak in surprisingly emphatic style

• Read Louise Taylor’s match report from St James’ Park

At his pre-match conference yesterday, Bournemouth’s manager was asked if he considers Newcastle to be genuine title contenders. “It’s a big question,” he said. “They are not so far from Arsenal, for example, and Arsenal definitely are title challengers.

“Probably you need to ask Eddie the question. They are playing so, so well that it makes you ask me these questions. They are beating everyone, also they’ve done it in a run of games that was not easy: they beat Arsenal, [Manchester] United and Tottenham in this period. They’ve performed better than them but I’m not brave enough to say it [that they are title contenders].”

The reunion at Manchester United with his former Sporting coach is prospering despite the odd setback

It is always a relief in a new job to see a familiar face and it was no different for Ruben Amorim when he reacquainted himself with the former Sporting midfielder Manuel Ugarte at Manchester United. Both are new to the club and success at Old Trafford could hinge on how well the two perform as they “suffer” together.

After United secured a hard-fought and morale-boosting draw at the leaders Liverpool and went on to beat Arsenal on penalties in the FA Cup, there was a sense of optimism that a key problem had a solution. Then the midfield pairing of Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo was overrun by rock-bottom Southampton and Amorim was left to ponder how he can achieve his goals with the squad he inherited.

Leaders Liverpool are away at Brentford on Saturday while Ipswich host Manchester City on Sunday

Saturday 12.30pm TNT Sports 1 Venue St James’ Park

• Case related to new stadium interest payments
• Moyes keen to recruit Charlie Adam as set-piece coach

Everton will face no further action for breaching profitability and sustainability rules up to 2023 after the Premier League discontinued its complaint over interest payments related to the club’s new stadium.

Everton were docked 10 points last season for a PSR breach up to 2022, reduced to six points on appeal, plus another two points for admitting a £16.6m overspend up to 2023. However, the club and the Premier League remained in dispute over part of the 2023 charge connected to interest payments on loans taken out for the construction of Everton’s new stadium at Bramley-Moore dock.

Newcastle chase a perfect 10, Chelsea seek a reliable No 9 and Southampton just want to get beyond six

If Arsenal’s books for the January window look closed, a meeting with Aston Villa casts forward thoughts to summer business. During Wednesday’s north London derby it was not difficult to wonder how much greater the margin of victory might have been with either Ollie Watkins or Jhon Durán leading the Gunners frontline. If Martin Zubimendi is an expected summer arrival, adding to an already packed midfield, where does a forward come in? Gabriel Jesus’s knee injury delays his possible sale while increasing the need for reinforcements. Villa have been busy, with Donyell Malen coming in from Dortmund and Jaden Philogene sold to Ipswich. Monchi, Villa’s president of football operations, has never been shy of selling players to bring in further talent. Watkins, who is 29, was on the mark at Everton for his first goal of 2025. Duran, 21, unused at Goodison after suspension, may be Arsenal’s next-best option to the imperious, and probably far too expensive, Alexander Isak. John Brewin

Panicky, amateurish and dicing with defeat against Southampton, who are bottom and had failed to win away in the Premier League: Manchester United flirted with the crimson embarrassment of a reverse they would long be reminded of.

But, enter the game-winner, Amad Diallo, with a stunning 12-minute hat-trick. His third strike came in added time – into an open goal – his second on the stroke of the 90 – a fine finish of Christian Eriksen’s chip – and followed the winger’s mazy run and equalising stab just minutes before. All from a refusal to lose.

United flirted with embarrassment against the Premier League’s bottom side before Amad Diallo stepped up late on to fire a glorious 12-minute hat-trick

2 min: Diallo embarks on the first positive run of the evening, down the inside-right channel. The crowd get excited … then Diallo slaps a wayward pass meant for Bruno Fernandes on the touchline out for a throw. Onwards and upwards.

United get the ball rolling. Saints are kicking towards the Stretford End in this first half.