Romelu Lukaku scored twice as Everton beat Leicester City 4-2 in an enthralling Premier League clash to keep their faint hopes of Champions League qualification alive.
An unbelievable first half started with Tom Davies netting after just 30 seconds, the joint-fastest Premier League goal this season.
But goals from Islam Slimani and Marc Albrighton ensured Leicester, who made five changes ahead of their huge Champions League quarter-final away to Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, were ahead by the time the match reached the 10-minute mark.
Everton fought back, though, Lukaku heading in midway through the half to score for a seventh consecutive home league game.
Another aerial effort, this time from Phil Jagielka, had Ronald Koeman s men in front at half time, …
Trophies can be an ego thing – Solskjaer insists United progress will not be defined by Europa Leagu
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes success in the Premier League will be the ultimate barometer of whether Manchester United are back .
The 20-time English champions have not lifted a trophy since Jose Mourinho led them to EFL Cup and Europa League glory in 2016-17.
United are back in Europa League action against Milan at San Siro on Thursday, with a place in the last-16 on the line after a 1-1 draw in last week s home leg.
Solskjaer, who succeeded Mourinho midway through the 2018-19 season, would love to bring silverware back to the club he played for in such decorated fashion.
However, he feels United s position in second place in the Premier League – and as the only team to beat leaders Manchester City in their past 32 matches – stands as the best measu…
Ajax general manager Edwin van der Sar admits the recent outlays on Daley Blind and Dusan Tadic herald a shift in ideology at the renowned Dutch talent factory.
The Eredivisie side landed a coup earlier this month by luring Netherlands international Blind back to the club from Manchester United for a fee potentially rising to €20.5million.
That deal came after they paid an initial €11.4m to sign Serbia winger Tadic from Southampton, while 25-year-old Zakaria Labyad has also joined under head coach Erik ten Hag.
As they attempt to win the league title for the first time since 2014, former United man Van der Sar revealed the club was prepared to increase its investment in experience.
It is a clear, small philosophy change, the ex-Netherlands goalke…
Saudi Arabia are not interested in making friends as they look to erase bad Asian Cup memories from four years ago.
In Qatar in 2011, Saudi Arabia lost all three group matches, conceding eight goals, but they should start Saturday s opening match versus China with some confidence due to their three-game unbeaten run against the Chinese.
The Saudis defeated China 4-1 in a friendly in 2009 and 2-1 in their home qualifier for this year s Asian Cup in February 2013, before the Chinese claimed a scoreless draw in Xi an nine months later.
Saudi Arabia are unlikely to let anyone or anything stand in their way of an improved showing in Australia.
In the lead-up to Saturday s clash in Brisbane, Cosmin Olaroiu s men trained at an unauthorised venue to avoid the med…
There have been a number of reports linking Bournemouth s Jermain Defoe with a move to Nottingham Forest on loan before the end of August, but Eddie Howe has firmly denied any possibility of allowing the striker to leave, according to .
The Cherries manager pointed out that his squad contains no more than four strikers and that there have been some injury issues in that department as well, so he has no intention of allowing anyone to leave at this point. He considers Defoe an important part of his team, and there can be very little doubt the 35-year-old occasional England international will remain a vital source of goals for Bournemouth this season.
This is Defoe s second spell at the Vitality Stadium, the first one being a loan from West Ham back in 2000/01. Apart from…
Barcelona refuse to give up on Marco Verratti despite PSG s brick wall / Image via espnfc.com
La Liga giants are coming off from what has been labelled as an utterly disappointing season.
Crucial Summer
A second-place finish in the Spanish top-flight, semi-final elimination in the Champions League and only Copa del Rey trophy to boast with after the 2016-17 campaign might be good enough of a record for any other Spanish club, but it is an underachievement under the standards set by the Catalan side.
Heading into the new season with the new manager Ernesto Valverde who has replaced Luis Enrique at helm, Barcelona are making ambitious plans for the summer as the Camo Nou club is eyeing high-quality recruits to bolster the squad with.
The Catalans want to…
Paulo Dybala must do more in the Champions League if he is to match the level of Lionel Messi, Juventus great Marco Tardelli has said.
The Argentina star has started the season in spectacular fashion, scoring 12 goals in his first eight appearances in all competitions.
Dybala, who has been tipped as a successor to compatriot Messi as his country s best player, scored twice against Barcelona in last season s Champions League quarter-finals but was a disappointment as Juve lost the final 4-1 to Real Madrid.
And Tardelli, who won the European Cup in 1985 to cap a glittering Juve career, says Dybala s performances in Europe remain short of the required standard.
He s improved a lot but I still expect more from him, the World Cup-winning midfielder told Corri…
The Czech Republic have announced they will not fulfil Monday s Nations League fixture against Scotland after a COVID-19 outbreak in the squad.
Jaroslav Silhavy s side beat Slovakia 3-1 in their opener in Group 2 of League B on Friday and were due to face Scotland in Olomouc.
With Tomas Soucek and Patrik Schick self-isolating after a staff member tested positive for coronavirus, though, and Slavia Prague requesting seven of their players withdraw from the squad, the Czechs have pulled out of the game.
A message on the Czech Republic s official Twitter page on Friday read: The national team will not play against Scotland on Monday due to representatives decision and the current situation with the COVID-19.
The national team ends current preparations wit…
Mohamed Salah scored inside two minutes against Tottenham on Saturday for the second fastest goal in Champions League final history.
Liverpool were awarded a penalty inside 30 seconds as Moussa Sissoko handled Sadio Mane s cross just inside the Spurs area.
And Reds star Salah thrashed in the spot-kick after just one minute and 48 seconds at the Wanda Metropolitano to put last season s beaten finalists in control early on.
The only goal in a Champions League final to be netted earlier came against Liverpool the last time they won the trophy in 2005.
AC Milan s Paolo Maldini struck after 50 seconds as Milan raced into a 3-0 half-time lead before collapsing in Istanbul.
01:48 – Mohamed Salah’s opener for Liverpool is the second fastest goal in a…
Phil Jones has began talks over a new contract with Manchester United, according to ESPN.
The England international has forced his way back into Jose Mourinho’s thoughts having not made too much of an impact last season, when he racked up just twenty-six appearances in all competitions.
That tally saw him play in less than half of the Red Devil’s league fixtures as they once again finished outside of the top four though he has been an ever present so far this term helping his side to their joint-best ever start to a Premier League campaign.
Since signing from Blackburn Rovers in the summer of 2011, Jones has played one hundred and seventy-six times in all competitions, scoring five goals while he has winners medals in the Premier League, FA Cup and the E…