data-mm-id=”_hxikruv4o”>The Los Angeles Rams made a loud statement last night by handling the New Orleans Saints in a game that may ultimately decide an NFC Wild Card spot. After starting 3-6, Matthew Stafford & Co. have snapped into a different gear and won five of their last six games — and the only defeat came in overtime at Baltimore. As a Detroit Lions fan, I am petrified of any potential playoff matchup but as one of those weird Detroit Rams sickos, sort of excited about the possibility of a certain underrated quarterback capturing his second Super Bowl ring and securing a place in Canton. Because the Rams may very well be the second-best team in the NFC. No one saw that coming a few weeks ago but not seeing their danger now would be willing indifference. Part of that resurgence has been running back Kyren Williams, who has arguably been as good as anyone in the NFL since October. He continued is breakout season by rushing for 104 yards and finding the end zone last night. If you want to critique him for anything, it'd be leaving the poor Rams mascot hanging when they went for a leaping chest-bump. Someone shoulder bump the Rams mascot the man just wants to be a part of the team 😔 https://t.co/7rn9jm8B8f— Ty (@tyvanduyn) December 22, 2023Whoever was in that custom played it off extremely well. And they got to met Shohei Ohtani, so the night was still, on aggregate, extremely awesome. Shohei Ohtani with a Rams jersey and the mascot. He is creating so much buzz on the sideline. pic.twitter.com/MYqc4hBkVD— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) December 22, 2023It must be so hard for mascots to know if a player who just scored wants to celebrate with them or not. Talk about a lot of pressure for a split-second decision. I guess if there's a positive it's that no one will ever see their actual face so there are no real stakes. When in doubt, I say go for it because the risk seems totally worth it.
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Prediction: Match to end in 0-0 draw
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Club Atletico Huracan and Club Atletico Velez Sarsfield will lock horns with each other in the 2023 Argentine Primera Division this coming weekend. The match between Sebastián Battaglia’s side and Sebastián Méndez’s team will be held at Tomás A. Ducó in Buenos Aires and is scheduled to kick off at 9:30pm UK time on Sunday.
Club Atletico Huracan
Club Atletico Huracan are a well-known club who have been successful in the past. Huracan have clinched the Primera Division title as many as five times, although their last came way back in 1983.
Sebastián Battaglia’s side are second from bottom in the 2023 Argentine Primera Division table at the moment. Huracan have picked up 22 po…
Marco Veratti is set to leave Paris Saint-Germain and join Al-Arabi in the Qatari Stars League, according to Fabrizio Romano. A verbal agreement over the transfer has apparently been reached, and the Italian midfielder is scheduled to travel to Doha in the next 24 hours to complete the move. The Ligue 1 champions will receive a fee of €45 million for his services.
Veratti joined PSG from Pescara in 2012 for €12 million, and over his 11-year spell in the French capital, the 55-cap Italy international made a total of 416 appearances for the club in all competitions, finding the back of the opposition net on 11 occasions and providing 47 assists for his teammates. He also helped PSG win nine Ligue 1 titles in that time, along with six French Cups and as many French League Cups…
Darren Eales has switched Atlanta United for Newcastle United to join as chief executive officer as the Magpies continue to assemble their boardroom staff.
Newcastle managed to convince Dan Ashworth to leave Brighton and Hove Albion to become their sporting director in May, seven months after their controversial Saudi-backed takeover.
Ashworth will now be joined by Eales, who he worked alongside at West Brom between 2006 and 2010, with the 49-year-old leaving MLS side Atlanta, where he was president and chief executive officer (CEO).
Eales heads to Tyneside with sizeable boardroom experience, having been named the MLS Executive of the Year on two occasions and the World Football Summit Executive of the Year in 2019.
Newcastle United is both a giant of a …
Mikel Arteta is confident new signing Riccardo Calafiori will improve Arsenal this season to end their 10-year wait for a Premier League title.
Calafiori, who joined the Gunners from Bologna in a reported £42million move, made his Arsenal debut in their 2-0 win over Lyon at the Emirates on Sunday.
The 22-year-old impressed on his first outing for his new club, replacing Oleksandr Zinchenko just after the hour mark for his first minutes since Euro 2024.
Arsenal have improved defensively during Arteta s tenure, boasting the best record for goals conceded in the Premier League last season (29).
And while Calafiori offers another solid option at the back for Arteta to call upon, the Spaniard is confident he will also improve his side going forward.
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Sean Dyche is demanding maximum effort as the minimum requirement from Everton when they host already relegated Sheffield United this weekend.
Despite another nervy season at Goodison Park, during which they were deducted six points following a breach of Profitability and Sustainability Rules, the Toffees have secured their top-flight status for another year at least.
Everton are enjoying a strong end to the campaign with last weekend s 1-1 draw at Luton Town extending their unbeaten run to four matches, and Dyche is not expecting his players to rest on their laurels.
I want us to perform and at least give everything, as we did at Luton, he said.
You can’t always guarantee you are brilliant. But you can guarantee you give everything, and that was on …
Oscar Bobb has described his Manchester City and Norway team-mate Erling Haaland as an inspiration.
Haaland got the only goal as City edged out Brentford 1-0 on Tuesday night in a match that saw emerging talent Bobb, 20, make his first Premier League start.
It was Haaland’s 17th goal of the season despite missing two months of the campaign with a foot injury, and took him to 53 in 55 league appearances since joining City in the summer of 2022. A goal against the Bees meant he has scored against all 21 Premier League opponents he has faced.
— Manchester City (@ManCity)
“What he’s achieved is crazy, right?” Bobb said. “He’s only three years older than me, same country, everything. Yes, he’s an inspiration.”
Asked if he w…
Florian Wirtz will stay at Bayer Leverkusen next season despite interest from Europe s elite clubs, says Die Werkself s managing director Simon Rolfes.
Wirtz has been in irresistible form throughout Xabi Alonso s first full season at the BayArena, which could yet end with an unbeaten treble.
Leverkusen won 28 of their 34 games as they became the first team to go unbeaten through a Bundesliga campaign, and they face a pair of finals this week – against Atalanta in the Europa League and Kaiserslautern in the DFB-Pokal.
Wirtz was named Bundesliga Player of the Year earlier this week, having scored 11 goals and provided 11 assists throughout the campaign. He has also been involved in eight goals (four goals, four assists) and created 28 chances from open play in th…
Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie has joined Leeds United on an initial loan deal.
The versatile United States international signed for Juve in 2020, again making a temporary move from Schalke prior to the switch becoming permanent.
McKennie played 70 Serie A matches for the Bianconeri, including 15 this season, but the embattled giants had appeared open to letting him depart even before Paul Pogba returned to fitness, appearing on the bench on Sunday.
That stunning 2-0 home defeat to Monza played out without McKennie, who was expected to join Leeds.
The Elland Road club are coached by fellow American Jesse Marsch and feature McKennie s international team-mates Tyler Adams – the USMNT captain – and Brenden Aaronson.
McKennie s transfer was c…
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Looking to book their FA Cup quarter-final ticket on Tuesday night, Leicester will welcome Championship outfit Blackburn to the King Power.
Leicester
Starting with the hosts, while Leicester might have opened February enjoying what was a welcomed boost, the Foxes have come crashing back down to earth over the past. Last seen over the weekend getting hit with a 1-0 loss at home against title contenders Arsenal, Brendan Rodgers side have now suffered back-to-back Premier League defeats. Holding just a three-point buffer over slipping into the relegation zone and with some growing pressure once again on the one-time Liverpool boss, Leicester should be glad to turn their attention back to FA Cup duties on Tuesday night. However, despite be…
Iker Muniain has signed a new contract, committing his future to Athletic Bilbao through to 2024.
The 25-year-old missed much of last season due to injury but has featured in 11 LaLiga games this term, although Athletic are hovering dangerously close to the relegation zone.
Muniain has shown fine form, though, contributing four goals, including finding the net in Athletic s 1-1 home draw against Real Madrid in September.
The versatile forward, who has spent his whole career at Athletic, won his sole Spain cap in 2012.
The club confirmed Muniain s new deal does not include any release clause.
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