ARSENE WENGER HAS refused to confirm rumours regarding Alex Sanchez’s new £300,000 (€353,550) per-week contract. Reports claimed that Chile international Sanchez, whose current deal expires at the end of next season, has been offered the biggest deal in Arsenal’s history. The striker has been earning interest from elsewhere, and the reported increase in earnings may…
1. Chelsea to beat Tottenham in a penalty shootout – 10/1 CHELSEA FACE TOTTENHAM in the FA Cup on Saturday evening, as the Premier League’s top two meet for the third time this season. Both sides have won one game apiece when coming up against each other this season, and the sides looked relatively well…
THE COMPETITION IS heating up now. The draw for the Champions League round of 16 took place this morning, with some intriguing two-legged ties on the way in 2020. Defending champions Liverpool have been drawn against Atletico Madrid, while Manchester City will face a tricky battle against Real Madrid in their quest to win the…
THICK BLACK FUMES from smoke bombs engulfed stands at PSV Eindhoven’s crunch home game against Ajax yesterday, interrupting the match and leaving several fans with breathing and eye problems. Dozens of people scattered to take refuge as black smoke billowed through the Philips Stadion, forcing the referee to suspend play five minutes into the second…
LINCOLN CITY MANAGER Michael Appleton has expressed his delight after the League One club completed the signing of Republic of Ireland U21 international Zack Elbouzedi. Lincoln announced the capture of Elbouzedi on a long-term contract this afternoon, having agreed an undisclosed compensation fee with Waterford. The 21-year-old winger joined Waterford for the 2019 League of…
MESUT OZIL WOULD not have been in Arsenal’s squad to face Everton even if he was not carrying a knock, says Freddie Ljungberg, with the World Cup winner once again paying the price for inconsistency. The German playmaker was a notable absentee from the Gunners’ matchday squad for their Premier League trip to Merseyside on…
JOSE MOURINHO praised his players for standing firm against what he described as “monsters in the air,” after Tottenham produced a second-half turnaround to see off Brighton and Hove Albion. After losing 2-0 last time out to London rivals Chelsea, Spurs appeared in danger of suffering a second successive home defeat when they fell behind on St Stephen’s…
PEP GUARDIOLA INDICATED Manchester City are already focusing on next season after accepting there is no longer a title race in the Premier League. Guardiola claimed his 100th league win as City boss yesterday, as goals from Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne secured a 2-0 triumph over resilient Sheffield United. The win took City…
MANCHESTER UNITED BOSS Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has hit back at criticism from Robin van Persie, insisting the Dutchman “doesn’t have a right” to question his methods. Working for BT Sport for United’s 2-0 loss to Arsenal on New Year’s Day, Van Persie questioned Solskjaer’s demeanour in the aftermath of such a disappointing result at Emirates…
1. His first night at senior training, he remembers being rattled by a huge hit from Paddy ‘The Iron Man’ McCormack. Fenning’s instant retaliation was, above all, an act of survival. “At the time, Tullamore lads would have been considered kind of beans and chips men rather than bacon and cabbage,” he chuckles. “So I had…