Best Odds: 8/11
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Two sides who will be looking to take a giant leap towards booking a Europa Conference League ticket, Utrecht will welcome Sparta Rotterdam to the Stadion Galgenwaard on Thursday night.
FC Utrecht
Starting with the hosts, while Utrecht might have found themselves at the heart of a wobble on either side of opening the New Year, Ron Jans’ men came roaring back in a hugely impressive fashion. Last seen mounting a sensational second-half comeback away at AZ Alkmaar as they eventually clawed back a 3-3 stalemate, the Cathedral Citizens lost just one of their final seven Eredivise appearances. However, despite gaining a reputation from across Holland’s elite for their success on home soil, the former Twente boss is calling on his squad …
Another day of Premier League drama finished with Leicester City at the summit, unseating Tottenham while Liverpool were held.
Spurs had required a late winner at West Brom before the Foxes edged past Wolves, setting the stage for another mammoth meeting between Manchester City and the champions.
Sunday s action was not done there, though, as Aston Villa went to Arsenal and won in style.
Read on for the story of the day s play in our Opta-powered data dive.
West Brom 0-1 Tottenham: Kane leaves it late but keeps closing on the greats
Tottenham were made to wait at West Brom in the day s early game, but Harry Kane s 150th Premier League goal maintained their perfect away start to the season.
Spurs have now won each of their fir…
Roberto Mancini has no doubt in his Italy side s ability to improve during Euro 2020, despite the Azzurri starting their campaign in emphatic fashion.
Italy beat Turkey 3-0 in Rome on Friday in the tournament s opening match – Ciro Immobile and Lorenzo Insigne scoring after Merih Demiral had put through his own net.
The Azzurri have won their last nine games, keeping a clean sheet in all of those encounters, while Mancini is closing in on Vittorio Pozzo s record of 30 games unbeaten, with his Italy team just two shy on 28.
They will be looking to increase those respective records on Wednesday, with Switzerland next up at the Stadio Olimpico. Indeed, a win would be enough to ensure Italy s progression from Group A.
The Turkey game was difficult, Manci…
West Ham United are interested in signing Jack Clarke from Sunderland in the summer transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that Premier League club West Ham held talks with Championship outfit Sunderland over a January deal for Clarke, and that the London club are still keen on the former Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur winger.
Football Insider has reported that Sunderland are willing to sell Clarke, but the Black Cats are looking for more than £15 million in transfer fees for him. Clarke has turned down the offer of a new contract from Sunderland.
Clarke made 39 starts and one substitute appearance in the Championship for Sunderland last season. He scored 15 goals and gave four assists in those games. The 23-year-old English winger scored nine goals…
Saturday provided no shortage of talking points as the Premier League returned after the international break.
Manchester United suffered another heavy defeat, this time at the hands of Watford, and it will likely be one too humiliation too many for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
There was also a harsh dose of reality fed to Arsenal and Mikel Arteta, as they were given a bruising by Liverpool at Anfield.
But two new managers began their respective tenures with victories, as Aston Villa and Norwich City each hope to enjoy a prolonged new manager bounce .
Below, Stats Perform looks through the pick of Saturday s Opta facts…
Watford 4-1 Manchester United: Writing s on the wall for Solskjaer
Another week, another humiliating defeat for United and Sol…
Erling Haaland s penalty was not enough to rescue Borussia Dortmund as they crashed out of the DFB-Pokal following a shock 2-1 defeat by St Pauli.
The reigning champions title defence came to an abrupt end at Millerntor-Stadion, where the 2. Bundesliga leaders claimed a memorable victory.
Dortmund arrived in the tie having netted five goals without reply in their opening two matches of this season s DFB-Pokal, defeating Wehen Wiesbaden 3-0 and Ingolstadt 2-0.
Meanwhile, only Bayern Munich, Werder Bremen and Wolfsburg had beaten them in this competition since 2011.
Our Pokal campaign comes to an end
— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow)
However, they fell behind to Etienne Amenyido s fourth-minute strike, while an Axel Witsel own goal dou…
Wayne Rooney has moved to make former Manchester United midfielder Ravel Morrison his first international signing as D.C. United head coach.
Much-travelled Morrison scored four goals and assisted four more in 36 appearances playing under Rooney in the Championship last season.
A little over a week on from announcing the appointment of Rooney, who stepped down as Derby boss last month, United confirmed the arrival of free agent Morrison on Thursday.
The 29-year-old has signed for the MLS side until the end of the 2023 season, with the option of a further 12 months.
The full package
What is bringing to
— D.C. United (@dcunited)
Wayne worked closely with Ravel during his time as manager of Derby County, president of soccer ope…
Manchester United Women banished last year s FA Cup demons to lift the trophy for the first time in their history after smashing Tottenham Women 4-0 at Wembley Stadium.
United suffered a 1-0 defeat to Chelsea Women in the final of this competition last term but exacted revenge after Lucia Garcia scored twice in a comfortable win on Sunday.
Ella Toone s eye-catching strike in the first half set the tone before a goal for Rachel Williams and Garcia s double added gloss to a convincing scoreline, despite Beth England hitting the crossbar for Spurs.
We re shook.
— Manchester United Women (@ManUtdWomen)
Marc Skinner s side dominated the opening half as Millie Turner saw a header cleared off the line by Martha Thomas, while Williams headed over.
…
Harry Maguire says that tournaments are built on magic moments as England begin their preparations for Euro 2024.
Under Gareth Southgate, England s tournament record has vastly improved, with the Three Lions playing their first major tournament final at Euro 2020 since they won the 1966 World Cup.
They also reached the semi-final of the 2018 World Cup and the quarter-final in the 2022 edition but lost out to eventual finalists Croatia and France on those occasions.
Maguire has been a pivotal figure for England in their last three tournaments and admits that it is fine margins that can ultimately decide the result.
I think all three of the games we ve lost in those tournaments could have gone either way, Maguire told Sky Sports.
Playing a tournam…
Manchester United are ready to sell Phil Jones in the summer transfer window, according to . The report has named Jones among players the Red Devils are willing to listen to offers for, including Eric Bailly and Axel Tuanzebe.
Jones has been at United since 2011 and has made over 150 appearances in the Premier League for the Red Devils. The 30-year-old, who can also operate as a defensive midfielder, has won the Premier League, the FA Cup and the UEFA Europa League once each with the Red Devils.
The Englishman has had injury problems in recent years for United, and it is unlikely that he will get much playing time soon. A permanent move away from Manchester United would make sense for Jones.
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