Football (Soccer) News
Dango Ouattara scored an 89th-minute equaliser as Bournemouth snatched a point in a 2-2 draw with Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Raúl Jiménez scored his sixth Premier League goal of the season before Evanilson struck early in the second half to level. After Harry Wilson scored his second in as many matches, Ouattara came off the bench to force the stalemate in the final minutes.
Continue reading...Nottingham Forest continue their remarkable ascent under Nuno Espírito Santo. A club that was one place above the relegation zone when Nuno took over 12 months ago now sit second in the Premier League table after a comfortable victory over Everton. The Champions League may not be a fanciful dream after all.
The outstanding duo of Chris Wood and Morgan Gibbs-White scored the goals that secured Forest’s fifth win in a row, equalling the club’s Premier League record set in April 1995. A commanding team performance also ensured that, for the first time since 1898/99, Forest have won in the league at both Everton and Liverpool. Sean Dyche’s team had gone six Premier League games unbeaten at Goodison Park prior to Forest’s visit but were a distant second-best throughout.
Continue reading...When Aaron Ramsdale swapped warming the bench at Arsenal for a relegation battle with Southampton, even the England goalkeeper could not have imagined it would be this bad. Another defeat – a 15th in 19 Premier League games – was especially hard to take after Tyler Dibling had given them a surprise lead to end a four-match wait to score a league goal and their first under the new manager, Ivan Juric.
But while Ramsdale was angered by the decision not to disallow Trevoh Chalobah’s equaliser for a push on the Southampton goalkeeper, it was only down to a string of fine saves that the scoreline was respectable as Palace secured a second home victory of the campaign thanks to Eberechi Eze’s brilliant finish. That leaves Oliver Glasner’s side looking much more comfortable after their slow start to the season – while surpassing Derby’s Premier League record low points tally of 11 may be the limit to Juric’s ambitions.
Continue reading...Giacomo Raspadori came off the bench to score the only goal in Napoli’s 1-0 home win over relegation-battling Venezia, a result which moves them to second in the Serie A standings and level on points with leaders Atalanta.
Antonio Conte’s hosts were on the attack from the off, with Filip Stankovic twice denying the home side with close-range saves from Amir Rrahmani and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Venezia began to find a footing in the game, almost taking the lead but Alex Meret pulled off a reflex save with his leg to keep out John Yeboah’s effort.
Continue reading...Leicester had more of the ball, but couldn’t take their chances; the champions took theirs
2 min: The visitors patiently stroke it around awhile. Then suddenly Savinho explodes into life, dribbling down the inside-left channel and entering the box. It’s a fine run, but then he takes a heavy touch and it’s a goal kick.
Manchester City kick off. A clapper-fuelled atmosphere at the King Power.
Continue reading...Atalanta’s 11-match winning streak in Serie A ended with a 1-1 draw at Lazio, but Marco Brescianini’s 88th-minute equaliser kept them top of the table.
Fourth-placed Lazio dominated the first half in Rome and were rewarded in the 27th minute when Nicolò Rovella played a high through ball to Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, who cut inside the box and sent a bouncing volley into the net to break.
Continue reading...Stoke have sacked Narcís Pelach after only 19 games as head coach, the Championship club have announced.
Pelach, who was appointed in September at the age of 36 after replacing Steven Schumacher, won just three of the 18 league games for which he was in charge and departs after a 2-0 Boxing Day defeat at home against Leeds which left Stoke sitting in 19th place in the table, three points clear of the relegation zone.
Continue reading...Arsenal moved into second spot despite an underwhelming display at the Emirates
22 sec: Ipswich are on the front foot immediately. Phillips wins the ball on the edge of the Arsenal box and feeds Davis down the left. Davis whistles a cross through the six-yard box. Any touch from Szmodics would have resulted in a stunning early goal, but he can’t connect. Arsenal breathe again.
Ipswich get the ball rolling. A good few-evening-pints-in atmosphere at the Emirates!
Continue reading...Liverpool came from behind to comfortably beat Leicester and stretch their lead at the top of the table to seven plump, juicy points
Curiously the Guardian’s report on the match against Aldershot mentioned by Tom Gould does not at any stage mention fog or visibility issues. It does criticise “a pitch that did no service to football and … defied all attempts at elegant play”, though.
It’s still very foggy at Anfield. No suggestion the game might be in doubt, but you never know.
Continue reading...Coventry inflicted a 4-0 thrashing on Plymouth, heaping the pressure on Wayne Rooney after his first managerial meeting against his former England teammate Frank Lampard ended in embarrassment.
All of Coventry’s goals came before the break at the CBS Arena to seal a result which leaves Plymouth bottom of the Championship. The hosts raced into the lead after five minutes, when Tatsuhiro Sakamoto was allowed a free header from Ben Sheaf’s cross. Coventry doubled their advantage in the 20th minute after a fine move that saw Ephron Mason-Clark lay the ball off for Josh Eccles to fire home from outside the area.
Continue reading...The visiting captain, Marc Guéhi, branded Crystal Palace’s goalless draw with Bournemouth a “rubbish game” and “boring for the neutral”.
Palace bounced back from Saturday’s 5-1 home hammering at the hands of Arsenal by claiming a creditable point at the Vitality Stadium.
Continue reading...Sandro Tonali has brought Newcastle an abundance of gifts but perhaps foremost among them is the rare ability to slow games down that offers Eddie Howe’s high-intensity team the sort of invaluable control they have so often lacked in recent months.
With Tonali once again imperious at the base of midfield as he ran through his Andrea Pirlo‑esque repertoire of short and long passes, seamless interceptions and all-round superior vision, Newcastle were in front before Aston Villa’s Jhon Durán’s controversial 32nd‑minute sending-off was followed by a 20-man half-time altercation in the tunnel.
Continue reading...Fulham pulled off a famous late win at Chelsea, Newcastle beat Villa and Forest piled the pain on Spurs
Hapless City were fortunate not to lose that at the end.
Savinho has just committed a hilarious mis-kick for City against Everton when apparently attempting a cross. That’s all you need to know.
Continue reading...Manchester City’s plight is their individual kind of deja vu nightmare. Featuring domination, taking the lead, creating numerous chances, the spurning of these, and the pesky foe taking one of their very few to thwart those in blue.
Add to the above a dismal 53rd-minute Erling Haaland penalty miss – greeted with a mischievous wink by Jordan Pickford following his save – and times are ever more trying for Pep Guardiola’s men.
Continue reading...Jordan Pickford saved Erling Haaland’s penalty as Manchester City’s miserable run of form continued
A reminder of the teams
Manchester City (possible 4-3-3) Ortega Moreno; Lewis, Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol; Foden, Kovacic, Bernardo; Savinho, Haaland, Doku.
Substitutes: Carson, Brits, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Simpson-Pusey, Mubama, Alleyne, O’Reilly, McAtee