Guus Hiddink is taking the FA Cup very seriously, if his Chelsea line-up for the third round meeting with Scunthorpe United is anything to go by. The Blues have made a handful of changes from the team that beat Crystal Palace, with Asmir Begovic among those to come in, but a front three of Oscar, […]

10 years ago

Swansea were arguably second best in the opening stages of their match against League 2 Oxford United, until their Premier League class showed. Ecuador international Jefferson Montero put the Swans ahead, capping a special team move. It was the winger’s first domestic goal of the season, and what a way to do it. https://twitter.com/therealfanatix/status/686163102879100928 The goal […]

10 years ago

With Louis van Gaal yet to silence his doubters, Manchester United are thought to be still considering their options. And two new men have risen to the top of the club’s wanted list – Mauricio Pochettino and Laurent Blanc. PSG boss Blanc has Old Trafford connections already, having turned out more than 50 times for the club […]

10 years ago

If you’re struggling to translate your Tinder profile into real-life dates, there might be a very simple reason. According to a study, a large number of users are wearing similar outfits in their profiles, making it tough to stand out. More than two in every three men opt for neutral colours, according to the study […]

10 years ago

Mexican druglord Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman has long been one of the most elusive men on the planet. The kingpin was recently recaptured by Mexican authorities, but not before executing another unlikely escape. And now it has emerged that he conducted a secret interview – with Hollywood actor Sean Penn, no less – before being taken […]

10 years ago

Manchester United might have paid a little over the odds for Marouane Fellaini, but that’s no guarantee anyone else will be as stupid. The Belgian was David Moyes’ first big-money signing at Old Trafford – arriving for £27.5m from Everton – and the club want to recoup a fair chunk of that if he leaves […]

10 years ago

Barcelona are wasting no time looking for ways to bolster their squad now that they are allowed to register new players once more. The reigning Spanish champions added a ridiculous 77 players to their books upon the lifting of their two transfer window ban, and now it’s being reported that they will turn to the […]

10 years ago

They’re a top bunch, that Everton lot. Members of the Toffees squad, as well as countless fans, came together to deliver young supporter Noah Cunningham the perfect birthday present. 12-year-old Noah suffers from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a neuromuscular disorder, and his mother asked fellow fans to send birthday cards for the lifelong Everton fan ahead […]

10 years ago

If you had any doubts about Match of the Day being broadcast live, this should put your mind at rest. There were plenty of potential banana skins in the FA Cup third round, not least the one facing Mark Lawrenson when he had to pronounce Steven Pienaar’s surname. We’ve all been there, telling ourselves “Don’t […]

10 years ago

Odion Ighalo wants to move to Manchester United, and the club need a striker. It’s the perfect match, right? Watford’s top scorer is hot property right now after finding the net 14 times in 20 Premier League games – one fewer than joint-top scorers Romelu Lukaku and Jamie Vardy. When you consider the struggles of […]

10 years ago

There are many who have still not forgiven Luis Suarez for racially abusing Patrice Evra in 2011. The Barcelona striker, then a Liverpool player, received an eight-match ban for his comments towards the former Manchester United captain. Suarez’s refusal to issue a direct apology to Evra, and his continued protestations of innocence since the incident, have […]

10 years ago

If Manchester United beat Liverpool on January 17, they might have to send a thank-you letter to the god of hamstrings. Jurgen Klopp is currently without six members of his squad due to the same injury, and the most important absentee – Philippe Coutinho – will miss the Anfield meeting after limping out of the Capital […]

10 years ago

Few footballers divide opinion more than Steven Gerrard. The former Liverpool captain is still revered at Anfield, but fans of other clubs have often found themselves frustrated by his overly ambitious play. Many have tarred Gerrard with the ‘Captain Everything’ brush, suggesting he tries to do things all by himself all too often. They tend to […]

10 years ago

The FIFA world rankings are always to be taken with a pinch of salt, but this should make encouraging reading for England. As we know, Roy Hodgson’s squad will face Wales, Russia and Slovakia in their Euro 2016 group, and are way ahead of their opponents if the rankings are to be trusted. England currently sit […]

10 years ago

We might not have heard the end of the Chris Gayle controversy. The Jamaican cricketer was fined by Big Bash League club Melbourne for asking out reporter Mel McLaughlin live on air, and issued an unconvincing non-apology for his actions. And now it has been reported that the Gayle could be leave the competition altogether, following […]

10 years ago

Plenty of Premier League teams could do with a goalscorer like Odion Ighalo, and there’s a chance the Nigerian could fall right into Man United’s lap. The Watford striker has already scored 14 league goals this season – more than any other Hornets player in Premier League history. But he admits he’s “not sure I […]

10 years ago

The latest Premier League TV contract means clubs are not as desperate for freebies as they used to be. But with some experienced and talented stalwarts out of contract at the end of the season, that may change. There are a few on the older side, like Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta and Tomas Rosicky, and a […]

10 years ago

If there was ever a story that exemplified the Premier League’s pulling power, it’s this. Italian international Stephan El-Shaarawy is being pursued by Champions League contenders Roma…and Bournemouth. The Milan frontman is poised to return to Italy after an underwhelming loan spell at Monaco, but would be behind the likes of Carlos Bacca, Luiz Adriano and […]

10 years ago

Liverpool have confirmed the arrival of Serbian starlet Marko Grujic, Jurgen Klopp’s first signing as Reds manager. The 19-year-old joins from Red Star Belgrade, where he will return on loan for the rest of the season. Liverpool Football Club are delighted to confirm the signing of Serbia midfielder Marko Grujic. #LFC pic.twitter.com/mPwcWuA9Ti — Liverpool FC […]

10 years ago

Gary Neville has put a Spanish reporter in his place for what seems like a very far-fetched theory. It was claimed in El Pais that the former Manchester United captain was only hired by Valencia as a publicity stunt – a claim which Neville has been quick to shoot down. The Daily Mirror reports that the 40-year-old dismissed […]

10 years ago

Is nothing free from conspiracy theories this days? Barack Obama delivered an emotional speech calling for new (and eminently reasonable) gun control measures in the United States. The idea of the president shedding a tear when recalling the avoidable deaths of American children ought to be regarded as a natural reaction, but somehow there are […]

10 years ago

Premier League relegation battles are often likened to wartime struggles, but the comparison is rarely as vivid as this. But then again, there aren’t too many top-flight board members with the war experience of Aston Villa’s General Charles Krulak. The former US army general served in Vietnam and the first gulf war, so surely a […]

10 years ago

It’s the New Year’s Eve photo that’s got everyone talking, but one of its biggest stars has no recollection of the pose that saw him become the centrepiece. Mike Deveney was pictured in a Titanic-style pose, clutching a beer while lying on the ground in Manchester’s city centre. But not only can he not explain the […]

10 years ago

Pep Guardiola wants to move to the Premier League next season, that much is clear. But whichever club snaps up the world’s most sought-after manager may get a two-for-one deal, with the Bayern Munich boss keen to renew his relationship with Lionel Messi. The pair won two Champions League titles together at Barcelona, in 2009 […]

10 years ago

Nothing says ‘the new FIFA game is on its way’ like a freshly pressed image of Lionel Messi looking threatening. But the Barcelona player might have seen his last video game cover, with reports in France suggesting someone new will take his place for the 2017 version. L’Equipe claim the Argentine – an ambassador for the […]

10 years ago

New Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane is certainly making all the right noises so far. The former World Cup and Champions League winning midfielder has used his first press conference as a senior manager to set his sights on winning “everything”. “We have two that we can win and we’re going to go for it,” the […]

10 years ago

They say bad things come in threes, so this was surely inevitable seeing as Arsenal’s most famous fans include Osama Bin Laden and Piers Morgan. The man, who various outlets suspect of being the newest Brit to appear in ISIS propaganda, has been described as a one-time Gunners supporter who was also into Nirvana as […]

10 years ago

Heading for England

10 years ago

When it comes to Coachella, there’s some good news and some bad news. On the one hand, some huge bands are on the bill, with LCD Soundsystem poised for their first headline slot since calling it a day in 2011 and Guns ‘N’ Roses making a long-awaited return. But the overall line-up is not to […]

10 years ago

What’s more impressive than scoring 1,000 runs in a cricket match? Doing it when you’re just 15 years old. Indian schoolboy Pranav Dhanawade broke a record that had stood since 1899 when he hit the incredible score while batting for his school team in the inter-school Bhandari Cup tournament. The record had stood at 628, set […]

10 years ago

They want Avery pardoned by Barack Obama

10 years ago

Where are you going on holiday this year? Reykjavik? Vancouver? Hull? Hull? Why not. The home of Philip Larkin, Paul Heaton and…erm…Nick Barmby has been named as one of Rough Guides‘ Top 10 Cities to visit in 2016. Describing the year ahead as a ‘practice run’ for Hull’s stint as the UK City of Culture in 2017, […]

10 years ago

Barcelona must have been getting huge transfer withdrawal syndrome in the months during which they were forbidden from registering new players. With the ban on new registrations coming to an end, summer arrivals Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal are now eligible to turn out for the first team. But they aren’t the only new additions […]

10 years ago

When is a twin not a twin? An American mother gave birth to twin boys just minutes apart, either side of the turn of the year. That means the first to enter this world was born in December 2015, while his brother has a January 2016 birthday, but they’re still clearly twins, right? Right? Not […]

10 years ago

Liverpool fans would likely disagree

10 years ago

Steven Gerrard will don the Liverpool captain’s armband for the first time since leaving the club when he turns out for a legends XI match in Australia. And while the former Reds captain is looking forward to many things about the experience, the prospect of Jamie Carragher’s voice ringing in his ears is not one […]

10 years ago

Arsenal’s pursuit of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has received a boost after Dortmund’s CEO revealed the club isn’t “dependent” on the Gabon striker. Hans-Joachim Watzke added that Dortmund “Do not have as much money as the top stars in the Premier League,” so need to offer players other incentives to stay. Arsenal have been linked with a […]

10 years ago

The undercard for David Haye’s fight with Mark de Mori will feature two talented British welterweights. Shayne Singleton and John O’Donnell will meet in a British title eliminator at the O2 on January 16 before the Hayemaker’s comeback fight. Singleton has a career record of 21-1, while London-based Irishman O’Donnell holds a 30-2 record including […]

10 years ago

Here’s how to avoid extra charges

10 years ago

Manchester United’s hopes of signing Neymar have been reignited by a contract hold-up with the Brazilian’s club Barcelona, according to reports from Europe. French outlet Le 10 Sport claim the Old Trafford club will meet the 23-year-old’s release clause, thought to be £140m, with a genuine hope of convincing the player to leave Spain. It is not the […]

10 years ago

With just 12 points separating 5th from 17th, the Premier League can’t be accused of being uncompetitive. But such a bunched-up table means a few wins – or a run of defeats – can make a big difference. As we prepare to enter the January transfer window, we’ve taken a look at how each of […]

10 years ago

Wayne Rooney’s future is in midfield, according to his former boss David Moyes. But Moyes is convinced the England striker has the goal-getting ability to thrive up front for a little longer before dropping deeper. The Scotsman, who managed Rooney at Everton and Manchester United, was speaking on The Clare Balding Show on BT Sport. “Wayne […]

10 years ago

Things might not have worked out for David Moyes at Old Trafford, but the Scotsman has no regrets about the way he approached the job. The former Manchester United manager lasted less than a year in the hotseat after replacing Sir Alex Ferguson, and feels his approach was the right one for a long-term project. […]

10 years ago

There are a few things that Jurgen Klopp would be well within his rights to blame for his stuttering start at Liverpool. It would be fair for him to blame injuries to key players, or a need to bolster the squad with January reinforcements. But the wind? That’s taking it too far, surely. But it […]

10 years ago

If you were a creative attacking player, why wouldn’t you want your club to bring in one of the world’s most in-form finishers? That seems to be the thinking of Alexis Sanchez, who has reportedly encouraged manager Arsene Wenger to bring Javier Hernandez to Arsenal. Don Balon report that the Chilean thinks Chicharito can complement him […]

10 years ago

Australia’s Twenty20 cricket competition ‘Big Bash League’ has a lot to live up to. The name itself has put the players under pressure to deliver, but when fans are pulling out catches like this the bar is raised that bit higher. Diving catches from fielders are impressive enough, but diving catches over a crowd of […]

10 years ago

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini is keen on a reunion with Isco, according to reports in Spain. The pair worked together when Pellegrini was in charge at Malaga, coming within seconds of a Champions League semi-final in 2013. And according to Spanish outlet Fichajes, City’s chief executive Ferran Soriano has travelled to Spain to hold talks […]

10 years ago

Leicester City missed the chance to go into the new year as Premier League leaders as Manchester City held them to a goalless draw at the King Power Stadium. It was an open game, by no means as boring as some other goalless affairs have been this season, but the relative lack of goalmouth action […]

10 years ago

There’s no respite from the floods and storms gripping the UK this week. Flooding in the north of England caused untold damage already over the Christmas period, and the arrival of Storm Frank will only exacerbate the situation. The sheer scale of the damage has been seen in North Yorkshire, where the ancient Tadcaster Bridge has collapsed […]

10 years ago

Leicester have made some changes as they bid to end 2015 on top of the Premier League. Claudio Ranieri’s team take on fellow title challengers Manchester City at the King Power Stadium looking to bounce back from the 1-0 defeat at Liverpool. Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez were both withdrawn at Anfield and were fitness […]

10 years ago