Bruno Fernandes scored twice and Edinson Cavani opened his Manchester United account in a 3-1 win at Everton that will ease the pressure on manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
After back-to-back losses to Arsenal and Istanbul Basaksehir, Saturday s Premier League clash at Goodison Park was viewed by some as a must-win match for Solskjaer amid increasing speculation over his future.
Things looked worrying for the Red Devils boss when Bernard put Carlo Ancelotti s side ahead, but Fernandes scored twice before half-time and Cavani struck at the death to deliver three valuable points.
Anthony Martial, back from a three-game domestic suspension, dragged a shot wide from a promising position as United sought a positive start.
The visitors were behind 19 minutes in…
As Manchester United attempt to pick up the pieces from a shocker against Istanbul Basaksehir, so Everton are preparing to pick them apart.
Before United travelled to Istanbul, a glance at their previous 10 away results gave the impression that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had produced a miracle of a team.
Teams typically achieve their better results with the benefits of home comfort, so to string together 10 successive wins on the road looked like a striking achievement.
As it happens, the Old Trafford performances have been frequently humdrum and at times wretched (W4 D3 L3 in their last 10 home games), and there are compelling reasons for the away record being not quite all that, either.
And after a calamitous showing in Europe, it is worth looking at quit…
Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde believes voting for the Ballon d Or should be easy, saying Lionel Messi deserved to win the award.
Messi, 32, is tipped to win a record sixth Ballon d Or in Paris on Monday after enjoying another stellar year.
Valverde, whose team visit Atletico Madrid in LaLiga on Sunday, said voting should be no problem as Messi is the world s best player.
I don t follow these awards galas because they are too long. My vote, well, I guess, is the same as yours, he told a news conference.
I would vote for the best, obviously. Ever year you always vote depending on how the seasons have gone for the players.
But if you have to give it to the best, let s just give it to Messi and the problem is solved.
Ahead of their trip…
Ordinarily, Burnley v Manchester United wouldn t be the sort of match that receives much attention from those without a vested interest in either team.
A somewhat local encounter it may be, Burnley perhaps aren t – with all due respect – the sort of team that attracts swathes of neutrals.
Nevertheless, Tuesday s fixture at Turf Moor holds genuine significance for United as it provides them with the opportunity to go top of the Premier League.
Granted, it may only be January 12 and we aren t quite at the halfway point of the season, but such an opportunity represents real progress.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer s men go into the match – which was postponed at the start of the campaign due to United s run to the Europa League semi-finals – level on points w…
Dusan Vlahovic netted a stoppage-time equaliser as Juventus rescued a 1-1 draw against nine-man Bologna in Turin, though the result still dealt a severe blow to their slender title hopes.
Juve failed to create clear-cut chances during a dismal first-half display before Marko Arnautovic s goal put Bologna ahead.
Yet the match sparked into life in the final stages when Adama Soumaoro and Gary Medel both received red cards amid remarkable scenes.
Juve made their numerical advantage count when Vlahovic nodded in on the line from Alvaro Morata s acrobatic attempt to salvage a point that leaves them eight behind Serie A leaders Milan.
90+4’ | | GOOOOAAALLLLLLL!! LEVELS IT UP! C MONNNN LADS!!!
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— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen)
Paris Saint-Germain have confirmed the departure of Thomas Tuchel midway through his third season with the French champions.
The former Borussia Dortmund boss won two straight Ligue 1 titles and took PSG to the Champions League final last season.
But he has paid the price for a slow start to the 2020-21 season amid reports of problems behind the scenes.
We have used Opta statistics to review Tuchel s reign, with Mauricio Pochettino seemingly poised to replace him.
ON A PAR WITH EMERY
PSG s dominance of Ligue 1 in his first two seasons means Tuchel leaves with a record that looks similar to that of his predecessor Unai Emery.
Tuchel had a record of 2.37 points per game in Ligue 1, which is exactly the same as the mark recorded by Emery…
A tournament which gave players like Sir Bobby Charlton, Pep Guardiola and David Beckham one of their first tastes of international competition is poised for its 83rd edition this week.
The Blue Stars/FIFA Youth Cup was first held in the Swiss city of Zurich in 1939, with FIFA assuming the patronage of the event in 1991 before it took on its current name in 1995.
It welcomes clubs’ under-19 teams from around the world, and since 2018 a women’s tournament runs concurrently with the men’s. This year, Liverpool and Arsenal have been invited to the men’s and women’s tournaments respectively.
Next week, will be one of eight youth women s teams competing at the Blue Stars / FIFA Youth Cup
Arsenal and midfielder speaks about the importance of youth…
Lorenzo Insigne will leave Napoli at the end of the season to join Major League Soccer side Toronto FC.
The 30-year-old has spent his entire career in Naples despite regularly being linked with a move away, but will finally say goodbye to his hometown club when his contract expires in June.
Winger Insigne has signed a four-year deal, which will begin on July 1, after agreeing to move to Toronto as a designated player.
The Italy international has played 412 games for Napoli, scoring 113 goals and registering 88 assists, and was a key part of Roberto Mancini s side that won Euro 2020 last year, scoring two goals in six games
Toronto president Bill Manning said: “This is a historic and exciting day for our club.
Lorenzo is a world-class att…
Senegal hero Sadio Mane has dedicated the side s Africa Cup of Nations triumph to Aliou Cisse who he labelled the most criticized head coach I ve ever seen in my life .
The Liverpool forward went from zero to hero when he netted the decisive spotkick as Senegal defeated Egypt 4-2 in a shootout following a 0-0 draw in Sunday s final where Mane missed a seventh-minute penalty.
Mane s penalty not only clinched Senegal s first-ever continental crown but it was a personal moment of redemption, having missed a decisive spotkick in the 2017 quarter-finals against Cameroon.
But the 29-year-old singled out head coach Cisse, who has 35 caps for Senegal before taking over as head coach in 2015, to dedicate the triumph.
I know that the Senegalese people have suffere…
Sutton boss Matt Gray was left with a sour taste in his mouth after Joel Senior’s dramatic stoppage-time winner for Morecambe in a 3-2 thriller.
The U’s forced their way back into the game after Michael Mellon’s penalty and Adam Mayor’s effort had put Derek Adams’ side two goals to the good at Gander Green Lane.
Harry Smith’s header and Ben Goodliffe’s goal levelled proceedings.
But Senior stole the spoils with his first goal for the club.
“Football is really cruel at times, we didn’t deserve that at all,” said a dejected Gray.
“We were very dominant, it was a really good display full of pressure and energy.
“The first goal was a penalty, I think it looks very soft, but I haven’t seen it back. At the time, I can�…