411,563 fans, 32 goals, one hat-trick and not a goalless draw in sight.
The Premiership returned from its summer break over the weekend with ten lively games that will hopefully set the tone for the season ahead. The entertaining start saw Chelsea romp to a 4-0 victory over Portsmouth, while Manchester United could only draw with Newcastle at Old Trafford. New boys Hull City came from behind to beat Fulham 2-1, although fellow promoted sides Stoke City lost 3-1 to Bolton and West Brom got beaten 1-0 by Arsenal. Liverpool were thankful for a late Fernando Torres goal to secure a 1-0 win at Sunderland as were Blackburn, who beat Everton 3-2. Perennial underachievers Tottenham Hotspur again flatted to deceive, going down 2-1 to Middlesbrough while West Ham triumphed over Wigan by …
After a busy close-season in the transfer market, Manchester United are looking to mount a concerted Premier League title challenge as they bid to return to the summit of English football.
Under Louis van Gaal last season, United repaired some of the damage done during the ill-fated David Moyes era, achieving a top-four finish to qualify for the UEFA Champions League.
However, they were still a long way behind champions Chelsea, who won the title by eight points ahead of Manchester City and finished 17 better off than United.
Van Gaal has laid down a marker in the transfer window, though, with the arrivals of Memphis Depay, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin a signal of the Dutchman s intent.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have added goalkeeper Asmir Be…
Leicester City and Manchester United have agreed a reported £80million deal for the transfer of defender Harry Maguire, Foxes manager Brendan Rodgers has confirmed.
Maguire, 26, has been the subject of transfer speculation since the 2018-19 campaign concluded, with United and Manchester City said to have been leading the race.
But with City reportedly ruling themselves out a while ago, United have had a clean run and look to have finally got their man despite Leicester holding out for a massive fee which is expected to see Maguire become the world s most expensive defender.
Speaking after Leicester s 2-1 friendly win over Atalanta, Rodgers confirmed an agreement has been reached between the clubs following negotiations.
Rodgers told Sky Sports: Until it …
Thierry Henry considered ending his international career following the furore that surrounded his handball against Ireland in the World Cup playoff in Paris last Wednesday.
Speaking to L Equipe newspaper, the Barcelona striker said that he felt abandoned and alone in the days after the game which saw the French qualify for South Africa on the back of a goal set up by Henry s sleight of hand.
Asked if he had considered calling time on his international career Henry replied: Oh yes. On Friday when everything had gone too far.
I was really upset, and not for the first time. After the World Cup in 2006, I considered that but it was too early.
After Euro 2008 also but it was not the right moment. There was a new generation who needed me. It just wasn t poss…
The United States, fresh off a runner-up showing in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, will take an expanded roster into their first game of the CONCACAF Golf Cup on Saturday.
The US opens defence of the Gold Cup title begins with a game against Granada on Saturday at Qwest Field.
They will also face Honduras on July 8 and Haiti on July 11 in Washington, D.C. and Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Head coach Bob Bradley named his 23-man roster June 25 but that has since been expanded to 30 players.
The roster include a mix of Confederations Cup team members and players from North America s Major League Soccer.
Brian Ching and Michael Parkhurst are included this year and were also on the team that won the 2007 Gold Cup title.
The American are tryin…
have been linked with a host of goalkeepers even before the mistakes Loris Karius made in the Champions League final, but since then it s been a pure frenzy. The list of possible targets has been going longer every day, but the only keeper whose links with the Merseysiders has never been disputed is AS Roma s Alisson Becker.
It has been reported that Roma s asking price was deemed too steep and that Liverpool had informed Alisson s entourage not to expect a bid. The deal seemed dead as the likes of and more recently Chelsea took over as favourites for his services. Real seem to have cooled their interest and turned their attention towards Thibaut Courtois, which would open the door for Alisson at Chelsea.
However, now claim Anfield is the Brazil international s prefe…
Southampton manager Alan Pardew insists he wants local rivals Portsmouth to emerge unscathed from the cash crisis that threatens their existence.
Pardew s League One outfit host Portsmouth in an FA Cup fifth round tie on Saturday that offers the beleaguered Premier League team a welcome chance to concentrate on playing matters rather than their perilous financial situation.
Portsmouth, who won the FA Cup in 2008, were given a seven-day stay of execution from a winding-up order this week but the future of the Fratton Park club remains far from secure.
It is a situation all too familiar to many at Southampton as they were hours from going out of business last year after falling into administration following relegation from the Championship.
Under new owner…
Sunderland will have to pay upwards of £10m if they are to have any chance of securing the services of Leicester City forward Leonardo Ulloa, .
The Argentina international has fallen down the pecking order at the King Power Stadium following the arrival of record signing Islam Slimani, with all of his seven league appearances so far coming as a substitute.
He played in all but nine matches last season, scoring six goals as the Foxes defied the odds to clinch the Premier League title.
In total, he has played for the East Midlands’ outfit eighty-four times, scoring nineteen goals since signing from Brighton and Hove Albion in the summer of 2014.
Sunderland won for the first time in the league this season after beating Bournemouth last time out and …
Paul Pogba will be in demand when his contract expires after this season.
While several big clubs are in the mix, one has reportedly taken the lead.
The Santiago Bernabeu could be Pogba s next home.
TOP STORY REAL MADRID WANT POGBA
Real Madrid are confident they can land Paul Pogba on a free transfer after this season, Mundo Deportivo reports.
The interest apparently is mutual, as the report says Pogba would favour a move to Los Blancos over interest from Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus.
The deal might not be so easy to close if Manchester United decide to sell Pogba during the January window, but he remains a top target for Madrid either way.
Pogba acaba contrato en 2022 y crecen los rumores sobre su llegada al Rea…
Mirko Vucinic will train away from Juventus squad this week ahead of an anticipated exit from the club, according to his agent.
The Montenegro international has made only six starts for the Italian champions this season, with the likes of Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente preferred as attacking options by coach Antonio Conte.
Former Roma striker Vucinic has been linked with a move to Arsenal and his representative Alessandro Lucci confirmed an exit is looking likely.
Vucinic spoke with Conte and they have agreed he will train apart in these last days of the transfer market because he is involved in some possible negotiations, Lucci told Sky Sport Italia.
But I want to say that Mirko has never asked to be sold.
Vucinic moved to Juventus Stadium in 2011 a…