Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
Eight points adrift of leaders Liverpool and counting, Premier League defending champions Manchester City have been off-the-pace across all competitions this season and their slump in form has been worsened by the long-term absence of Ballon d’Or winner Rodri. As such, they’re open to acquiring midfield acquisitions next month and beyond, with several lucrative names being linked. Continue reading “Missing Rodri and out-of-sorts, City linked with Wirtz, Guimaraes and Zubimendi”
They trailed early for the second time in consecutive weeks and fourth already this campaign, yet Pep Guardiola’s defending champion Manchester City found a way to break Wolves’ hearts with a John Stones stoppage-time winner hours before Liverpool doused Chelsea’s encouraging start despite suffering more injury woes as the Premier League’s pacesetters intensified this weekend. Continue reading “Gutsy 2-1 victories for leaders Liverpool, champs City say it all in early title race”
Having spent two years playing in west London, where he won the FA Cup and Premier League over a decade ago, it should come as no surprise Barcelona sporting director Deco is venturing back to English shores as he’s been linked with approaches for two Chelsea midfield reinforcements this coming summer – even if head coach Hansi Flick is reportedly content with his existing options.
Continue reading “Report: Deco targets former side Chelsea, Barca want midfield bolstered in January”
Spanish reports claim Manchester City are ready to activate the €60m (£50.2m) release clause for Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi in January, while Torino’s Samuele Ricci and Porto’s Alan Varela are among the alternatives being suggested as versatile centre-back John Stones has publicly insisted this past week he can fill in for the Euro 2024 champion after ACL and meniscus surgery.
Continue reading “City search for January addition, many linked after Rodri’s season-ending injury”
Erling Haaland was a late doubt for today’s home fixture against Thomas Frank’s Brentford but declined compassionate leave following the death of close family friend Ivar Eggja this week, producing a brace to break another Premier League record as results elsewhere mean defending champions Manchester City are the division’s only perfect side four games into the season. Continue reading “Erling Haaland breaks Wayne Rooney’s 13-year record after netting Brentford brace”
Kevin de Bruyne’s honesty regarding the ‘incredible money’ on offer in Saudi Arabia has forced the Citizens to prepare contingency plans should their creator-in-chief decide a departure from European football is too lucrative to reject. Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze, who they were linked to last summer, has again emerged as a serious option but will be rather expensive.
Continue reading “Manchester City weigh up Eze approach again as de Bruyne’s future still unclear”
Although the axe appears likely to fall on Erik ten Hag at Manchester United and Frank de Boer had a nightmare spell at Crystal Palace, there’s renewed optimism that Liverpool – led by their data-driven recruitment approach – are targeting the right man in Feyenoord head coach Arne Slot, after the 45-year-old rejected English overtures last term and has since won more silverware. Continue reading “Given his managerial rise, Liverpool’s pursuit of Arne Slot should be no surprise”
Manchester City were tired, leggy and emotionally drained after penalty heartbreak in Madrid three days earlier as their Champions League defence ended, but survived a series of promising goalscoring chances before Bernardo Silva’s 84th-minute winner secured a hard-fought win over Chelsea, punching their ticket back into the FA Cup final for a third time in the last six seasons. Continue reading “Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea: Silva’s late strike sends Citizens back to FA Cup final”
Kevin de Bruyne scored the first and assisted two more as Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City extended their English club-record winning streak to nine in Champions League competition, emerging from their Denmark trip with a comfortable two-goal cushion for next month’s last-16 return leg at Eastlands. Continue reading “Copenhagen 1-3 Manchester City: Decisive de Bruyne inspires comfy first-leg cushion”
Having narrowly beaten Inter Milan last June to complete a historic treble, the Premier League champions’ inconsistent domestic form this term saw many believing they’d crash-and-burn on all fronts this season after Kevin de Bruyne’s injury left star striker Erling Haaland without his creator-in-chief. Both back fit again in an in-form team, Guardiola doesn’t think so – and why would he? Continue reading “Guardiola talks up City belief in retaining Champions League crown, as you’d expect”
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola publicly revealed the belief his side could be in trouble after John Stones’ latest injury setback, during their 3-0 home Champions League group stage win over BSC Young Boys on Tuesday. The 29-year-old England international recently returned to action last month after hip and hamstring issues, but could be sidelined again with a muscular complaint. Continue reading “Guardiola fears another lengthy John Stones absence after Young Boys victory”
An injury doubt only deemed fit enough to play 45 minutes this evening, Gabriel Martinelli picked precisely the right time to score his first goal of the campaign as the Brazilian’s deflected strike deceived Ederson, delivering Arsenal a smash-and-grab home win over reigning Premier League champions Manchester City to send them joint-top with north London rivals Tottenham after eight games.
Continue reading “We know our potential, Martinelli says after deflected late winner against City”
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