Enzo Maresca speaks out on Chelsea’s Cole Palmer dependency

Enzo Maresca speaks out on Chelsea’s Cole Palmer dependency

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has insisted that his side are becoming less and less reliant upon star midfielder Cole Palmer. The Blues have leaned upon the talented attacking midfielder since he arrived from Manchester City in the summer of 2023 for a bargain sum of £45m. Palmer has either scored or created an unrivalled 48…

Sir Jim Ratcliffe sends huge warning about 'mediocre' Man Utd

Sir Jim Ratcliffe sends huge warning about ‘mediocre’ Man Utd

Manchester United minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe has warned that there will be more “difficult and unpopular decisions” to come for a team which he labelled “mediocre”. The British billionaire paid £1.25bn for a 27.7% stake in the historic club at the end of last year. While this fee was considerably above market value, Ratcliffe…

Player ratings as Bellingham & Mbappe score in comfortable victory

Player ratings as Bellingham & Mbappe score in comfortable victory

Real Madrid returned to winning ways on Saturday evening, easing to a 3-0 victory away to Girona to close the gap behind Barcelona at La Liga’s summit. Both sides came into the contest wounded by midweek defeats. While Real Madrid were beaten in the league by Athletic Club, Girona’s premature Copa del Rey campaign was…

Match report and talking points as Los Blancos return to winning ways

Match report and talking points as Los Blancos return to winning ways

Goals from Jude Bellingham, Arda Guler and Kylian Mbappe afforded Real Madrid a convincing 3-0 victory on their Saturday night trip to Girona. The defending Spanish champions were outmuscled and outplayed while losing to Athletic Club in midweek, yet had the match of Girona at the Montilivi. Bellingham was particularly impressive, opening the scoring before…

Tottenham vs Chelsea: Preview, predictions and lineups

Tottenham vs Chelsea: Preview, predictions and lineups

Chelsea make the journey across London on Sunday as they lock horns with rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League. The Blues scored four on their last trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Nicolas Jackson’s hat-trick downing nine-man Spurs. That was their fourth victory in their last five away visits in this fixture and…

Tottenham predicted lineup vs Chelsea

Tottenham predicted lineup vs Chelsea

Ange Postecoglou requires an enormous performance from his players on Sunday when Tottenham Hotspur host Chelsea in the Premier League. The Australian had a heated exchange with travelling Tottenham fans on Thursday evening following a tame 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth, with pressure rising on the Spurs boss after another run of disappointing performances and results….

Amorim close to knowing preferred Manchester United starting XI

Amorim close to knowing preferred Manchester United starting XI

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim says he is close to knowing what his preferred starting XI is at the club. The Red Devils have had a mixed start under the former Sporting boss, losing against Arsenal and drawing to Ipswich but beating Everton and Bodo/Glimt. Amorim has rotated his squad heavily during the games,…

‘We want to be the kings of everything’ – Mikel Arteta

‘We want to be the kings of everything’ – Mikel Arteta

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says he is keen for his side to be “the kings of everything” after their set-pieces were highlighted against Manchester United. The Gunners scored from two corners against the Red Devils and have been dominant in the air all season. It has led to the North London club being branded as…

Ronaldo and Benzema share hug in tunnel before Saudi giants meet

Ronaldo and Benzema share hug in tunnel before Saudi giants meet

Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema took the armbands and shared a hug in the tunnel on their returns to their sides’ starting line-ups for the showdown between title hopefuls Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League at Jeddah’s King Abdullah Sports City on Friday. 2022 Ballon d’Or winner Benzema has scored 10 times in…

Emery delivers high praise for Martin ahead of Villa Park showdown

Emery delivers high praise for Martin ahead of Villa Park showdown

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has expressed his admiration for Southampton head coach Russell Martin. The Saints travel to Villa Park on Saturday with the aim of upsetting the hosts and moving off the bottom of the table. It will not be easy for the South Coast side, who were trounced 5-1 by Chelsea in…

Vardy ‘won’t ever lose’ timing, says Van Nistelrooy… as striker carries on two years longer than boss

Vardy ‘won’t ever lose’ timing, says Van Nistelrooy… as striker carries on two years longer than boss

New Leicester City manager Ruud van Nistelrooy wants Jamie Vardy to score in 12 games in a row after the Foxes striker netted the first goal of his tenure after two minutes of his first match in charge. Van Nistelrooy’s side will attempt to build on their 3-1 win at home to West Ham on…

Luis Enrique

‘We will not lose faith’, says Luis Enrique – but manager ‘does not have magic formula’

Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique said his players are facing intense negativity but “must continue to think positive” after drawing 0-0 at Auxerre. The French leaders dominated but dropped points for the third consecutive game following their 1-1 draw at home to second-bottom Nantes on November 30 and 1-0 defeat at Bayern Munich in the…

Liverpool loanee Doak dismisses ‘playground’ talk after Championship draw

Liverpool loanee Doak dismisses ‘playground’ talk after Championship draw

On-loan Liverpool midfielder Ben Doak was reluctant to talk up his performance after impressing again in Middlesbrough’s 1-1 draw at Burnley to deny their opponents the Championship summit. The 19-year-old, who became the youngest Scottish player to appear in the Premier League when he made his top-flight debut for the Reds in December 2022, agreed…

When will postponed game take place? Latest on rescheduled fixture date

When will postponed game take place? Latest on rescheduled fixture date

The first game of the Premier League weekend was postponed on Saturday when Everton’s visit from Liverpool was called off. The match will be the final Merseyside derby at Everton’s Goodison Park, which hosted the first edition of the fixture 130 years ago. Liverpool started the weekend seven points clear of Arsenal and Chelsea at…

The Elland Road stadium of Leeds United Football Club

Championship games go ahead despite Storm Darragh wind warning

Despite a raft of postponements across the Premier League and EFL on Saturday, Leeds United had the chance to move top of the Championship with a home game against Derby County that survived Storm Darragh and wind warnings in the UK. The Whites trailed leaders Sheffield United by three points before kick-off and had a…

Full list of games off amid Storm Darragh wind warning

Full list of games off amid Storm Darragh wind warning

The Merseyside derby between Everton and Liverpool at Goodison Park was the most high-profile early match to be called off on Saturday. Weather warnings were issued across the UK, affecting sporting events as Storm Darragh hit the country with dangerously high winds. In the Championship, Watford’s trip to Cardiff City and Plymouth Argyle’s visit from…