Follow live text and radio coverage of three Premier League games, including Liverpool v Chelsea.
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Wednesday, January 31, 2024
Alexander Isak injury: ‘Slight groin issue’ hopefully not serious, says Eddie Howe
Eddie Howe did not sound too concerned about Alexander Isak’s ‘slight groin issue’ after the forward limped out of Newcastle’s win at Aston Villa on Tuesday night.
Two goals from Fabian Schar and an own goal from Alex Moreno put the Magpies 3-0 ahead at Villa Park before a late Ollie Watkins consolation.
It was a fantastic result for Howe and his side, but there was concern over Isak as he was substituted shortly before the half-time break, signalling to the bench that he needed to go off.
Miguel Almiron replaced the Swede and it did not cost Newcastle, but Howe is still waiting to hear the severity of the injury.
The Magpies boss identified it as a ‘slight groin issue’ and while he could not be certain, did not think it was a big problem.
‘We don’t really know. It doesn’t look too serious, looks like a slight groin issue. Fingers crossed we get him back quickly,’ said Howe.
On Isak coming off just before half-time, Howe said: ‘It was a total surprise to me. I didn’t see any incident, he just signalled to me that he had to come off. I was very unsure what had happened, it was out of the blue.
‘I’d like to say it was my decision but it was Alex’s decision [to come off]. He felt he had to come off.
‘We’re hopeful it’s not a serious injury, it doesn’t look too bad but it’s very early to say that. We need a proper diagnosis and then assess from there.’
With the transfer window closing on 1 February, Howe was not about to dive into the market as a result of Isak’s injury, nor is he keen to let anyone go.
Asked of possible departures, he said: ‘I don’t know. I don’t think so at this late stage. I’d be more than happy for the window to shut with no ins and outs.’
MORE : Aston Villa boss Unai Emery responds after Newcastle make approach for Jacob Ramsey
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Tuesday, January 30, 2024
'Why not us?' - Mauritania eye more Afcon history
Mauritania are full of belief as they prepare for their Afcon 2023 last-16 tie thanks to boss Amir Abdou, who is like Jose Mourinho, says defender Lamine Ba.
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Monday, January 29, 2024
Late penalty puts Cape Verde into Afcon quarters
Watch highlights as Cape Verde progress to the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations after a late Ryan Mendes penalty secures a 1-0 victory over Mauritania at Afcon 2023.
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Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool to play each other in pre-season tour of USA
Football fans in the USA are in for a treat this summer with Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool heading stateside to face each other in a pre-season tour.
Chelsea and Manchester City are also slated to go across the pond and are currently in talks to play a friendly fixture.
While we are only halfway through the 2023/24 season, preparations for the 2024/25 campaign are already well underway.
Exact dates and locations for where the Premier League sides will play are yet to be determined but it is known that United will play one game at the Snapdragon stadium in San Diego as part of a sponsorship deal.
The Red Devils beat the Gunners 2-0 in New Jersey last summer at a sold out MetLife stadium, with the ticket sales revenue making it the highest-grossing club soccer game at the venue ever.
Notably, this will be Liverpool’s first pre-season since 2015 without Jurgen Klopp in the dugout after the manager announced his would be leaving Anfield at the end of the current campaign.
These games will not form part of the Premier League Summer Series which was launched last summer and won by Chelsea due to an ongoing dispute over broadcasting rights.
Furthermore, while US fans can get excited to see the likes of United and Arsenal in their own backyard, they likely won’t get the chance again for a few years.
Clubs are targeting the American market this summer as it will be too congested in 2025 and 2026 when the country will host the revamped Club World Cup and the World Cup itself.
Chelsea and City have qualified for the 32-team Club World Cup, though Arsenal could join them if they win the Champions League this season.
For now though, all attention is on the Premier League title race which Liverpool lead by five points from City, Arsenal and Aston Villa.
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Arsenal face London City in League Cup last eight
Holders Arsenal will play second tier London City Lionesses in the Women's League Cup quarter-finals, while Women's Super League champions Chelsea will host Sunderland.
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Sunday, January 28, 2024
Bruno Fernandes left ‘fuming’ by ‘greedy’ Man Utd teammate vs Newport County
Bruno Fernandes was left ‘fuming’ by a ‘greedy’ Manchester United teammate during Saturday’s FA Cup clash against Newport County.
The Red Devils took an early 2-0 lead in their fourth-round clash against the League Two side thanks to goals from Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo.
United could have put the game to bed and gone 3-0 up on 19 minutes but Alejandro Garnacho struck the crossbar.
The Argentine should have passed across goal to either Fernandes or Rasmus Hojlund for a simple tap-in but instead decided to go for glory.
After Garnacho’s effort cannoned off the bar, Fernandes and Hojlund appeared to turn their backs on him in disgust.
Danny Murphy, on commentary duties for the BBC, said: ‘Fernandes is fuming and I think he’s right.
‘If Garnacho squares that then Fernandes has a tap-in and the game is done. It’s a bit greedy.
‘If Garnacho squares it, it’s a goal, 3-0, and it’s game over. 10 minutes later, it’s game on [after Newport scored to make it 2-1].’
Meanwhile, Murphy singled out United defender Luke Shaw for praise in the clash at Rodney Parade.
‘I always think Man Utd look a better side when Shaw is in the team,’ Murphy added. ‘He’s good defensively, calm on the ball and gets forward well. They have missed him.’
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Woodrow overcomes suspected broken hand to net Luton winner
Substitute Cauley Woodrow scores in the final seconds to secure a dramatic victory for Luton at Everton in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
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Laboured Newcastle beat Fulham to advance in FA Cup
Newcastle book their place in the fifth round of the FA Cup with a laboured victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage.
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Saturday, January 27, 2024
'Facing Manchester United has always been a dream'
Preview followed by live coverage of Sunday's FA Cup fourth-round tie between Newport County and Manchester United.
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Jack Wilshere picks out Arsenal prospect as ‘great example’ to Under-18s teammates
Arsenal Under-18s head coach Jack Wilshere has hailed Michal Rosiak as an example to his teammates for the dedication he puts in to practicing free-kicks.
The 18-year-old scored his fourth free-kick of the season in a 4-0 win over Leicester for Wilshere’s side on Saturday, while Osman Kamara scored twice and Chido Obi-Martin also netted.
Wilshere had praise for Polish midfielder Rosiak’s work on the training field, which is clearly paying off in matches.
‘He’s a great example to the players because he practices and practices,’ said the former England midfielder.
‘Of course, there are other sides to the game you can practice but he puts in serious dedication to his craft of taking free-kicks.
‘He actually tried a bit of a different technique today but it was unsavable. A great goal.’
Kamara also earned some praise from his manager after his two goals against the Foxes, with Wilshere saying: ‘It’s been tough for him at times this year because teams are doubling up on him and he’s got to find new ways to beat his man.
‘The goals today gave him confidence and I was happy with his performance today.’
Wilshere and his side were under some pressure after a 7-1 thrashing at the hands of Liverpool in the FA Youth Cup last week and he was pleased with their response.
‘We needed to show character after last week. It was tough for the team as it’s probably the first time the players have experienced bad press, and negativity and you need character to overcome it,’ he said.
‘You need to get back to the drawing board, turn up to training and play games even harder. I asked them to show personality by being confident and getting on the ball.
‘There was a lot of personality all over the pitch today so I’m very happy with that.’
MORE : Gary Lineker says Chelsea and Manchester United target Victor Osimhen should join Arsenal
MORE : Brighton to beat Arsenal to signing of £30,000,000 Championship midfielder
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Friday, January 26, 2024
Meet Altay Bayndir – The Man Utd summer signing finally set to get his chance to impress in place of Andre Onana
If it feels like Altay Bayindir has faced a long, drawn-out wait for his Manchester United debut, that’s probably because he has.
The Turkish goalkeeper, who joined from Fenerbahce for just £4.7million, has sat on the sidelines while Andre Onana – United’s other summer signing – played 29 consecutive games in all competitions.
But with Cameroon scraping through to the Africa Cup of Nations knockout stages, Bayindir will, at last, get his chance to make his first appearance against Newport County in the FA Cup fourth round.
Erik ten Hag is the last of the Premier League clubs to rotate his goalkeepers this season. That should not be seen as a slight against Bayindir’s qualities, perhaps, more so, an acceptance of the fervent backing the Dutch boss has given Onana.
But Bayindir’s time has now arrived, affording him an opportunity he could scarcely have dreamt of when he made his senior debut aged just 17 in Turkey’s third division.
Rapid Rise
Having left home at 15, Bayindir moved to Turkey’s capital, Ankara. Third-tier Ankaragücü was where he landed but he soon began to make his mark.
Having been in the academy for three years, he was thrust into the limelight at 17 to make his debut, quickly going on to become club captain a year later.
As Ankaragücü managed back-to-back promotions to reach the Super Lig, Turkey’s biggest clubs soon came calling. A move to Fenerbahce soon arrived in 2019 where he quickly displaced Harun Tekin to become first-choice keeper.
Ahead of his second season, and still aged just 20, Bayindir would become one of the team’s captains. A senior international debut followed at the end of that season, with Bayindir cementing his status as one of the club’s rising prospects.
A rocky patch
How then, does one of Turkey’s brightest keeping prospects, depart a little more than two years after their international debut for a measly fee of £4.7m?
Injuries played their part – both to his shoulder and hernia – so too did a subsequent loss of form. Bayindir continued to be a mainstay in Fenerbahce’s side but this a fanbase tired of waiting having last lifted the Turkish league title back in 2014.
Bayindir’s form also saw him struggle to pin down a regular starting berth in the national squad and when the opportunity arrived for the now 25-year-old to move to the Premier League, albeit as a number two, it was a move thought best for both parties.
Waiting game
At United, Bayindir has been made to wait.
‘Altay is getting used to the Premier League, which is tough when you’re coming from Turkey,’ Ten Hag said last November. ‘We are very pleased with his progress. He’s doing very well. He has to be patient, but if he works well, he will get his chance and then he has to take it.’
But he has put that time to good use. He has reportedly brought in a personal dietician and performance coach to improve on his strength while working to become fluent in English and better communicate with his teammates.
Bayindir may not have expected his maiden appearance for the Red Devils to come at Rodney Parade, the 8,700-seater stadium of League Two Newport County but he must be ready to take his opportunity.
He could go on to start Premier League games against Wolves and West Ham should Onana’s Cameroon reach the AFCON quarter-finals. In that case, Bayindir will then have a real opportunity to stake his claim.
MORE : Former Arsenal chief criticises Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag for ‘no-brainer’ mistake
MORE : Erik ten Hag admits Manchester United want new striker but cannot sign one this month
MORE : Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag reacts to Jurgen Klopp’s shock Liverpool exit announcement
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Bebe stars in best Afcon group stage goals
Watch the best goals from the Africa Cup of Nations 2023 group stages, featuring ex-Manchester United player Bebe's 40-yard free-kick for Cape Verde.
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Thursday, January 25, 2024
Former Man Utd and Chelsea star Nemanja Matic set to join Alexandre Lacazette and Dejan Lovren at Lyon
Former Manchester United and Chelsea star Nemanja Matic is set to join Lyon in the January transfer window with the French club in a relegation fight.
He will link up with ex-Arsenal forward Alexandre Lacazette and former Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren as the trio attempt to stop Lyon slipping out of Ligue 1.
Lyon are among the biggest and most successful clubs in France but have endured a horrific 2023-24 campaign and are currently 16th in the top-flight.
Should they finish the season in 16th, Lyon would be forced into a relegation playoff and if they drop any lower they will be automatically dumped into Ligue 2.
According to widespread reports, Lyon are soon to announce the arrival of Matic, with the club having reached a deal with both the player and his current club.
Matic will leave fellow French side Stade Rennes to join Lyon, where he moved in the summer after a spell with Jose Mourinho’s Roma.
The 35-year-old has spent the majority of his career in the Premier League with 189 appearances for United and 154 for Chelsea.
He had two spells at Stamford Bridge from 2009 to 2011 and 2014 to 2017 while he spent five years at Old Trafford before leaving England in 2022.
One of his new teammates will be 32-year-old Lacazette, who moved to Lyon two years ago following his five-year stint at Arsenal.
Lovern, who made 185 appearances for Liverpool between 2014 and 2020, will also welcome Matic after the 34-year-old Croatian moved to Lyon last year.
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Angola striving to prove Afcon critics wrong
Captain Fredy says Angola are growing in confidence as the Palancas Negras write history at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
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Wednesday, January 24, 2024
‘He’s not a kid anymore… he’s a man’ – Paul Ince fires warning to Man Utd star who is struggling with confidence
Paul Ince has warned struggling Manchester United star Marcus Rashford that will not be a starter for England at Euro 2024 unless he makes improvements.
Rashford has earned 59 caps for the Three Lions so far since making his debut in 2016, registering 17 goals in that time for his country.
The 26-year-old represented England at Euro 2016 and was picked by Gareth Southgate for the 2018 World Cup, Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup.
Rashford has largely struggled at club level this term, though, producing just four goals across 20 top-flight games, which could harm his playing time for England.
It is a major drop-off from last season when Rashford registered 17 goals in 35 Premier League matches.
‘Last year, Marcus Rashford would have been a no brainer to start for England in Germany, but I’m not sure what’s happened to him this season,’ Ince told instantcasino.com.
‘He was absolutely flying this time last year and that coincided with Manchester United getting into two cup finals and the top four.
‘The team was playing well too – he was getting chances as a result and putting them away.
‘This year the side has been a lot more inconsistent and Alejandro Garnacho has come in and done a really good job on the left hand side, which is Rashford’s favourite position.
‘There’s probably a lack of confidence at times too – which every player can go through, I went through it a lot – but he’s got to get back to his best.
‘It’s not just about the goals, people think just because he scored against Tottenham that he’s back to his best, but it’s more about his all-round game. It’s about performing week in, week out.
‘Hopefully his performance in the Spurs game will give him a bit of confidence, because would he start for England in the Euros based on current form? Probably not.
‘I hope he does, but I don’t think he will, because you’ve got the likes of Phil Foden and Jack Grealish who can come in and put in a good shift ahead of him.
‘He’s not a kid anymore – he’s a man and he needs to go through these stages to become a better player.
‘I hope that goal against Spurs will give him a little lift so he can go on a little run and get his confidence back.
‘Unless his form picks up, I don’t think he will be starting for England.’
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Robertson set to return for Liverpool in EFL Cup
Preview followed by live coverage of Wednesday's EFL Cup game between Fulham and Liverpool.
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Tuesday, January 23, 2024
Hosts Ivory Coast stunned as Equatorial Guinea hit four
Watch highlights as Equatorial Guinea shock Ivory Coast with a 4-0 win, putting the hosts on the brink of a shock Afcon exit.
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Victor Osimhen reveals transfer decision has been made after Chelsea interest
Napoli striker Victor Osimhen has confirmed he has already made a decision over his future following interest from Chelsea and Arsenal.
The Nigeria international played a key role in Napoli’s Serie A success last season and was rewarded with a new contract in December which includes a release clause worth between €120 million (£102m) and €130m (£111m).
The 25-year-old has attracted interest from Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United over the past year, and has been urged by former Chelsea and Nigeria midfielder John Obi Mikel to make the move to Stamford Bridge.
And Osimhen has now given a major indication that his time at Napoli could be over at the end of the season.
‘The rumour is going around about me linked with the Premier League,’ Osimhen told CBS Sports.
‘Of course, when you’re one of the hottest strikers in the world you expect this type of thing, the EPL it’s one of the biggest and best leagues in the world.
‘For me, I’m with Napoli, signed a new contract and enjoying my time there with the team, at the end of the season I’ve already made up my mind, I already know what I want to do in my career.
‘Since I’ve started, I’ve been the one making my own decisions on everything and it’s working out well for me, even though when I started it didn’t go so well.
‘I already have my plan, I already know the next step I want to take, so for now I just want to finish the season strong.’
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Kudus 'can't explain' late Ghana collapse at Afcon
Mohammed Kudus says he "can't explain" Ghana's damaging late collapse against Mozambique at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
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Monday, January 22, 2024
Brora Rangers v Cove Rangers postponed again
Tuesday's rearranged Scottish Cup tie between Brora Rangers and Cove Rangers is postponed and rescheduled for 30 January.
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Lothar Matthaus slams Bayern Munich’s transfer policy after Eric Dier signing and Kieran Trippier link
Bayern Munich legend Lothar Matthaus has slammed the club’s January transfer dealings after the defending Bundesliga champions were linked with Kieran Tripper following the signing of Eric Dier.
Bayern have attempted to use the January transfer window to find cover, with key defensive duo Noussair Mazraoui and Kim Min-Jae at the Africa Cup of Nations and Asian Cup respectively.
Tottenham centre-back Dier made a surprise switch to join up with former teammate Harry Kane, while reports have suggested the Bavarian Giants are interested in experienced Newcastle full-back Kieran Trippier.
However, both moves have caught the ire of Matthaus, who criticised the slapdash nature of the decision to go after Trippier.
‘That’s not Bayern Munich for me. Bayern should focus on reinforcement or on young players,’ the former midfielder said, speaking on the Sky90 podcast.
‘Bayern Munich have very good youth players and Christoph Freund [Bayern’s sporting director] is responsible for that. He has a good network.
‘In the summer it was said, “We can let [Benjamin] Pavard and [Josip] Stanisic go and get someone else instead”, and then they didn’t get anyone else.
‘As a result, they’ve got problems at right-back and in the centre. They thought, ‘We’ll manage that’. No, they reacted too late. The team can’t find itself.
‘The difference to Leverkusen: Xabi Alonso had his team together from the start in the summer and was able to train what he wanted for six weeks.’
When asked about Dier’s arrival, Matthaus was equally scathing. ‘Bayern need more depth and reinforcements, but are these players reinforcements? Eric Dier wasn’t necessarily a key player at Tottenham recently,’ he said.
‘I remember Uli Hoeness [Bayern’s former president] once saying that, “We won’t be bringing in any more players who are sitting on the bench at other clubs.” The latest transfer looks different.’
On the pitch, Thomas Tuchel’s side lost further ground on league leaders Bayer Leverkusen at the weekend after they suffered their first home defeat of the season in a 1-0 loss to Werder Bremen.
In the wake of the defeat, Tuchel has taken aim at his players for their performance levels and attitude in training.
MORE : Newcastle respond to Bayern Munich’s shock approach for Kieran Trippier
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Sunday, January 21, 2024
Joe Cole sends transfer message to ‘the face of Chelsea’ Conor Gallagher
Joe Cole has stressed how important Conor Gallagher is to Chelsea, urging him and the club to sort out his future as soon as possible.
Gallagher has been a key part of Mauricio Pochettino’s side this season, playing in all but one of Chelsea’s 27 games so far this season, starting 24 of them.
Moreover, in the absence of Reece James and Ben Chilwell, the midfielder has been captaining the Blues, but his future at Stamford Bridge remains uncertain.
The England international has just 18 months left on his contract and talks over extending his deal have seen little progress.
As such, Chelsea are considering selling Gallagher this January while they can still get a significant fee for him, which would help them balance the books or fund a move for a much-needed centre-forward.
Tottenham have been linked with the 23-year-old, though Pochettino and many pundits have stated they feel the player should stay in west London.
Former Chelsea star Cole has now added his voice to this discourse, sayinng: ‘Conor Gallagher is a crucial one and is the face of the club.
‘He’s a captain in the leadership group, so to take him out of the team now would not be good. If I was advising him, I’d tell him he has a big future at Chelsea.
‘I think what Jordan Henderson was to Liverpool, he can be that for Chelsea.’
Henderson, who recently joined Ajax from Al-Ettifaq, spent 12 years at Anfield, eight of them as Liverpool captain.
Gallagher will next be in action on Tuesday when Chelsea host Middlesbrough in the second-leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final, in what is a must-win game are losing the first-leg 1-0.
‘It’s a must-win game because to get knocked out by a Championship side would bring extra heat that’s not needed at the moment,’ Cole added.
‘It’s mostly important for the progress of the club and to allow Pochettino to keep doing what he is doing, as getting to another cup final would be epic for these players.
Since winning the Champions League, we’ve lost two or three finals and you don’t want to become that team.
‘We’ve got to get there first, and Pochettino must keep reminding people to be patient; we’re the youngest squad in the Premier League, we need to get players fit, they are also young.
‘So we need to trust in him and his good track record of developing young players.’
MORE : Mohamed Salah speaks out for first time since suffering hamstring injury at AFCON
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