MLS Red Bulls ink new deal with Angel

Mikel Arteta believes Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang s first open-play Premier League goal since the opening day of the season could dramatically change their season.

Arsenal could only draw 1-1 with Southampton at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, but Arteta focused on the positives as the Gunners showed character when reduced to 10 men once again following the second-half dismissal of Gabriel Magalhaes.

It was their seventh sending off since Arteta s first game in charge on Boxing Day last year, four more red cards than any other team in that period.

Gabriel s two yellow cards in quick succession came at a time when Arsenal appeared to be growing in confidence, having seen Aubameyang cancel out Theo Walcott s first-half goal early in the second period.

Ulti…

Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho knows his finishing must improve if he is to take his game to the next level.

The Brazilian has been in outstanding form this season, but has only found the back of the net five times in all competitions.

Coutinho has scored 13 goals in 92 games since joining the Merseyside club from Inter in January 2013 and the 22-year-old is determined to improve that record.

He told Liverpool s official website: I think I still have to improve.

I have not improved yet. I scored a few goals last month but I need to improve.

I have this ambition, this objective of improving finishing. In the position I play, I need to score goals to help the team and create plays. Therefore I must improve my goalscoring skills.

…

Atletico Nacional overhauled Libertad and Estudiantes to claim top spot in Copa Libertadores Group Seven on Thursday, while Boca Juniors stayed perfect in Uruguay.

Nacional won 1-0 at Estudiantes thanks to Yulian Mejia s deflected strike in a vital Group Seven encounter to claim pole position in the standings with one matchday remaining.

The victory took Nacional to eight points, level with Libertad but ahead on goals scored, while Estudiantes (seven) dropped to third, three points clear of Barcelona.

Libertad had to come from behind at home to secure a 1-1 draw with Barcelona.

Nacional entered Thursday s match in Argentina having lost their past two games in the Colombian Primera A but managed to hold out against Estudiantes.

The hosts finished t…

French goalkeeper Sebastien Frey said he is fed up with playing second fiddle to Italy s number one stopper Gianluigi Buffon in an interview published in the Gazzetta dello Sport on Saturday.

Frey s Fiorentina travel to Buffon s Juventus in Saturday s late Serie A match with much at stake for both sides.

Juve are just three points behind leaders Inter Milan and could take over top spot, for 24 hours at least, with a victory.

La Viola, meanwhile, are challenging for a top four finish and Champions League qualification for the second year in a row but their hopes have been hit by two straight defeats.

Frey is regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in Serie A but once again Buffon scooped the top goalkeeper award for 2008 in the Italian football Oscars, so…

Casemiro believed his time at Real Madrid was coming to a natural end as the midfielder shot down suggestions his move to Manchester United is is financially driven.

The 30-year-old will complete his transfer from LaLiga champions Madrid to the Premier League this week after he was handed a hero s farewell at Santiago Bernabeu.

Casemiro makes the switch to Old Trafford in a transfer thought to be in the region of £60million (€70m), as United splash the cash in the wake of a dismal start to Erik ten Hag s tenure.

It will see Casemiro switch from a team out to defend their Champions League title to one that might be struggling to make Europe by the end of the season.

But he is relishing the challenge, and believes it was the right moment to call tim…

Dani Alves has revealed he has nerves and butterflies as he prepares to finally make his Olympics debut at the age of 38.

Sao Paulo defender Alves has 118 caps and four trophies for the senior Brazil team but has never previously played at the Games.

He is one of the over-age players for the Selecao in Tokyo and it is an opportunity he is relishing and even apprehensive about despite his illustrious career at club and international level.

Brazil are among the favourites to win the men s competition along with Spain and France.

They open their campaign against Germany in Group D on Thursday.

As it is my first time, the feeling is even more special, said Alves, who will captain the team.

Despite the fact I have great experiences in the pa…

Jose Mourinho insists Mohamed Salah s departure from Chelsea in 2016 was the club s choice, not his.

Salah has been in sensational form since joining Liverpool for an initial £36.9million (€42m) from Roma in June, scoring 43 goals in all competitions to help the Reds to the Champions League semi-finals and earn the PFA Players Player of the Year award.

The Egyptian winger made just 19 appearances for Chelsea during two and a half years on their books, spending spells on loan at Fiorentina and Roma before joining the latter permanently in August 2016.

Mourinho, who is now in charge of Manchester United, claims it was Chelsea s decision to let Salah go, suggesting the former Basel man was not ready to make his mark on the Premier League at that point.

I…

Schalke have suspended Max Meyer for the rest of the season after the midfielder criticised the club s hierarchy in an unauthorised interview.

Already certain to be leaving when his contract expires at the end of the campaign, the 22-year-old midfielder accused the Bundesliga side of bullying him.

Speaking to Bild, Meyer also revealed sporting director Christian Heidel is the reason behind his impending departure.

Schalke denied the allegation in a statement, while also confirming the player will no longer participate in first-team training or feature for the club , bringing his career at Veltins-Arena to a premature end.

We can t tolerate such statements and such behaviour, Heidel said.

We re upset more by his accusations of bullying, which we …

West Ham boss Slaven Bilic is already under-pressure after the Hammers poor start to the campaign

West Ham United welcome newly-promoted Middlesbrough to the Olympic Stadium on Saturday afternoon in the Premier League, and are desperate for a result after a woeful start to the new season.

So much was expected under manager Slaven Bilic this campaign after the Londoners secured Europa League football in 2015/16, but United are currently embroiled in a relegation battle.

With next opponents Middlesbrough also struggling in recent weeks, can West Ham finally arrest the slide?

West Ham’s porous defence needs addressing

West Ham’s biggest problem this season has been their defence. The Londoners have conceded more goals than any other side, and ha…

Schalke have confirmed Leroy Sane is in Manchester ahead of an expected transfer to Manchester City in a deal believed to be worth £45 million.

Sane has informed Schalke of his desire to leave the club and reports on Sunday claimed he had arrived in the United Kingdom for a medical ahead of an impending switch to City.

The Bundesliga club tweeted on Monday to say Sane is indeed in Manchester and not travelling with the squad to Austria for a pre-season training camp.

Leroy is currently in Manchester and will not be travelling with to the training camp.

— FC Schalke 04 (@s04_en)

The 20-year-old attacking midfielder came through the ranks at Schalke, making his debut in 2014 before establishing himself as a key member of the first tea…