All posts by h716a5.icu

Premier League football is finally back and there were plenty of talking points across the opening weekend – but what did you miss?Manchester City and Liverpool both demonstrated their quality once again. City top the table after a 5-0 thrashing of West Ham and the Reds emerged as comfortable 4-1 winners against newly-promoted Norwich City.Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made his mark on the 2019/20 campaign as his Manchester United side emphatically dispatched Frank Lampard’s Chelsea 4-0 – not the best start for the Blues boss.There were a few shocks along the way, too. Watford were favourites to beat Brighton & Hove Albion at Vicarage Road on Saturday but the Seagulls struck gold and won the game 3-0 to get Graham Potter’s reign off to the perfect start.The return of the Premier League mustered up some excellent moments, but what did you fail to spot? Here are 15 things you missed from the opening weekend of football from the top-flight:

#Glazersout banner over Old Trafford

Despite a summer spending spree of over £150million, the United fans continued to vent their frustration with the Glazers and took to the sky to do so.

A powerful banner flew across Old Trafford on Sunday while Avram Glazer was in attendance. A 4-0 win on the day was an excellent feeling for the supporters who endured a miserable 2018/19 campaign.

Gary Lineker’s hilarious tweet

Lineker is often producing humorous tweets and this is another example. Former United manager Jose Mourinho was working as a pundit at the match and this hilarious tweet gained plenty of attraction on social media.

The Red Devils have got off to a flying start and they will be hopeful that things are starting to take shape under Solskjaer with top four the ambition for the season ahead.

Richarlison’s premature celebration

The 10-men of Everton were held to a goalless draw at Selhurst Park on Saturday and you would not have caught this on first viewing.

Richarlison thought he gave the Toffees all three points approaching the end of play but his left-footed shot curled just past the post – he thought otherwise and was already running towards the away fans…oops.

Jose Mourinho’s sly dig at Luke Shaw

Mourinho was known to publicly criticise his players while manager at Manchester United and he did not hold back when on punditry duties with Sky Sports.

Shaw was often the one that was slated by Mourinho last season and the Portuguese did the same again, insinuating Harry Maguire will have to learn this season that he will need to cover Shaw often – a sly dig at the England full-back.

Dani Ceballos – welcome to England

Arsenal started their 2019/20 Premier League campaign with a win and a clean sheet as they narrowly edged Newcastle United at St James’ Park.

However, new signing Ceballos tried to fit in with the celebrations after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gave the Gunners the lead – instead, he took a whack to the face…ouch.

Delia Smith’s celebration

Although the Canaries did not come away with any points from Anfield, there were certainly positives to take.

Delia Smith celebrated Teemu Pukki’s goal in hilarious fashion – clapping in the face of Alan Hansen.

Look away Chelsea fans…

Lampard was hoping to get off to a winning start with Chelsea but it wasn’t to be his day.

A 4-0 defeat leaves the Blues in 19th place as they suffered their heaviest opening day league defeat in history. Not the record Lampard wanted to put on the books…

Fan celebrates with steward

The Blades returned to the top-flight and earned a point against Bournemouth thanks to Billy Sharp’s 88th minute equaliser.

The goal sparked the away support into crazy celebrations; so crazy that one fan decided to celebrate with one of the stewards!

West Ham’s horrific stat continues

It was a day to forget for the Hammers fans and this is starting to become a reoccurring theme on the opening fixture.

West Ham have now lost their three previous opening day matches by a combined aggregate score of 13-0 and they have been bottom of the Premier League after the first match in the past three seasons – a devastating statistic…

A moment to remember for Daniel James

United enjoyed a special victory and there was no moment more special than this one for James.

The 21-year-old scored the fourth goal of the afternoon and his celebration for his Dad – who sadly passed away three weeks before James moved to United – captivated fans across the UK.

Football has witnessed multiple rivalries over the years with some over a century old – but which are the biggest in the world?

These matches possess a deeper feeling, a feeling that no other match can produce. The fight for the badge, the fight for the club and the fight for pride.

Through generations upon generations, these rivalries have lived on and carried the same importance as they did when they first sparked. Whether it be ferocious violence or ambiance elevations in the stadium, rivalries are uncontested in the footballing world.

Winning a rivalry is more than just three points or advancing in a competition, it gives fans bragging rights for being victorious in the battle.

They are fuelled by rich emotion and passion from both the fans and players; the latter understand the demands and importance of winning the clash.

But where do they place? Here are our rankings for the top 20 rivalries in football…

20. Manchester City v Manchester United (Manchester Derby)

This highly-anticipated derby is a passionate affair between the two most successful clubs in Manchester.

City’s recent success has added more competition and importance to the match and the desire to become the best team in Manchester always provides a tasty clash.

19. Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur (North London Derby)

Two of the biggest clubs in London always produce an entertaining spectacle rife with competitive, attacking performances.

The fans have a strong detest with one another and the games often involve high-scoring encounters played at a fast pace.

18. AC Milan v Inter Milan (Derby della Madonnina)

Both city rivals share the same home stadium and when these two meet at the San Siro, fireworks go off.

Winning this clash holds great importance with both sets of fans desparate to stamp their authority on the city and obtain the bragging rights.

17. Liverpool v Everton (Merseyside Derby)

The battle on Merseyside is a fascinating spectacle and both sets of supporters are extremely passionate.

Liverpool inherit the greater success in terms of accolades and achievements, but when this fixture comes around, expect a thrilling encounter.

16. Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund (Der Klassiker)

The biggest rivalry in Germany always produces moments of chaos and madness, usually tightly contested.

Bayern Munich have endured more success that Dortmund over the years and the strong hatred between the two always makes this an explosive match-up.

15. Sunderland v Newcastle United (Tyne-Wear Derby)

This Tyne-Wear derby will let off sparks and surprises every time it is played – and the fans certainly add fuel to the fire.

The overwhelming sense of pride that comes with winning this match elevates the contest into a fascinating watch and is deservedly on this list.

14.  Aston Villa v Birmingham City (Second City Derby)

The battle of the blues and the claret and blues is a ferocious affair and the fans tend to clash whenever this fixture is played out.

Whether it be a pitch invader or a clash in the stands, fans exhibit their passion in several ways which adds to the feisty action unfolding on the pitch.

13. Liverpool v Manchester United (North West Derby)

This derby is played between arch-rivals Liverpool and United as two of the most successful clubs in England battle it out in tasty affairs.

This is always an unmissable event and you can feel the tension and importance just from watching at home.

12. West Ham v Millwall (London Derby)

This is a rare meeting these days but when it comes around, wow.

The Hammers and Millwall have a strong hatred towards each other and violence is often at the forefront of the news when these two teams meet. Regardless of the scoreline, police know to be on standby.

11. Ajax v Feyenoord (De Klassieker)

This is a violent-packed fixture where both sets of fans exemplify their passion in uncharacteristic ways.

If you are playing in this match, you do not want to lose and the players’ performances reflect the importance of the clash.

[ad_pod ]

Wolves have just two games standing in their way of the Europa League group stage beginning with a trip to Italy tonight.

The fixture is already their fifth in the competition after having to endure the qualification stages following a seventh-place finish in the Premier League last season.

Nuno Santo’s men only played on Monday night, holding a rampant Manchester United to a 1-1 draw at Molineux after they had previously thumped Chelsea by a four-goal margin on the opening day.

The Portuguese boss faces a tough dilemma with games coming thick and fast – Should he rotate? Who will come in? Will he even make any changes?

Torino will be their hardest challenge yet in the competition considering they play in the Italian top-flight, their opponents to date have been from the Northern Irish and Armenian leagues.

Here’s the team we think should line-up tonight.

It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Nuno rotate some of his squad but don’t expect anything major – they could do with keeping this game tight before taking it back to Molineux next week.

They host Burnley at the weekend and without disrespecting them, that would be a game you could arguably use more of your fringe players in ahead of the return leg.

The likes of club captain Conor Coady, Rui Patricio and Ruben Neves will all surely feature as Nuno faces key decisions on the right side of defence and in attack.

Watch Wolverhampton Wanderers Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Adama Traore has claims to keep his place at right wing-back after impressing in his 45-minute cameo against United on Monday.

The 5 foot 10 winger-turned-defender replaced Matt Doherty at half-time after the 27-year-old was withdrawn early.

He has since been declared fit to start this game but Traore surely deserves to remain.

That is if he remembers his passport this time.

Jesus Vallejo could be given a rare start having made just one appearance this season and certainly has more pedigree in Europe than Ryan Bennett – the Spaniard won the Champions League with Real Madrid in 2018.

Whilst in attack, it may be wise for Patrick Cutrone to be given a start having joined the club from Serie A outfit AC Milan this summer.

The 21-year-old also has a very strong record in the competition having scored ten goals in 18 appearances for his former club.

Diogo Jota might have to make way after a poor showing against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side – averaging a rating of 6.13. If the Portuguese didn’t play then it’s safe to say it would be an incredibly surprising omission.

However, that would mean Raul Jimenez, Joao Moutinho, Leander Dendoncker, Jonny and Willy Boly also all keep their starting places.

[ad_pod ]

[ad_pod ]

After suffering two losses in their first two games against Burnley and Liverpool, Southampton have started to get into their groove with back-to-back wins against Brighton in the league and Fulham in the Carabao Cup.

In those two wins, Ralph Hasenhuttl switched back to a four-man defence having opted for a 3-5-2 system in the first two league outings – the switch is certainly having the desired effect so far.

However, Manchester United may pose a bigger challenge at St Mary’s this weekend, whilst the former RB Leipzig boss has some injury concerns to deal with.

Let’s take a look at the XI that we think Hasenhuttl should put out against the Red Devils…

Hasenhuttl may be without three players when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side come to visit St Mary’s this Saturday.

The midweek Carabao Cup win at Craven Cottage saw Nathan Redmond, Moussa Djenepo and Michael Obafemi pick up injuries, meaning that the trio are likely to miss this weekend’s game as Hasenhuttl himself admitted.

In their place, we think the Austrian should hand Shane Long a first league start of the season due to the Irishman’s work rate off the ball, which will be important with United expected to have the bulk of the possession.

Behind him, Sofiane Boufal – who has enjoyed a mini-resurgence of late – may also be handed a first league start of the campaign next to Stuart Armstrong, who scored against United at St Mary’s last term – the former Celtic man is also yet to start a league game this term.

At the back, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg impressed at left-back against Fulham with Hasenhuttl praising the Dane for his performance, so we think he will continue in the position with 20-year-old centre-back Kevin Danso returning to a more natural position after playing at left-back against Brighton.

There is enough defensive solidity in this side to make life hard for United in attack, whilst there is also some inventiveness up top with Boufal’s creativity and Long’s industry to pose Harry Maguire and co. some problems.

[ad_pod ]

[ad_pod ]

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Since Laurent Koscielny walked out of the Emirates Stadium in rather controversial circumstances this summer, it was always going to be interesting to see who was named the new captain at Arsenal.

Four weeks into the new campaign and we are yet to have an answer from manager Unai Emery.

Granit Xhaka has been writing a view from the dressing room in the matchday programme, a role previously undertaken by Koscielny in what served as the captain’s notes.

Last term, Emery supposedly had five skippers to call upon, a decision in itself that was rather bizarre.

Taking on the roles alongside Koscielny were Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey, Petr Cech and Xhaka.

It appears as though the Swiss has been granted the privileges and extra responsibility this season, but whether he gets it permanently remains to be seen.

However, in one moment of madness, or rather many moments in his career at Arsenal, he’s proven why he cannot be granted the role.

With the Gunners 1-0 down in Sunday’s north London derby, they needed someone to stand up and be counted.

They needed a leader and someone to grab the game by the scruff of the neck. So what did Xhaka do? He characteristically slid in on Heung-min Son inside the area, leaving the only question to be how on earth he wasn’t booked.

It was a cynical and mistimed challenge that summed the 26-year-old up. For all the passes he can pick and his ability to dictate the tempo, there is always the fear of recklessness in him.

For that reason alone, Emery’s big decision mustn’t fall at the feet of the Switzerland international.

Instead, it must go to someone more reliable. There aren’t too many members in the squad like that, but someone must stand up and take on the role gleefully.

Xhaka has proven himself to be someone that lets the side down. The north London derby wasn’t the first time, nor will it likely be the last.

[ad_pod ]

Rangers’ Ryan Jack has been sent home from international duty due to injury.

What’s the word?

The negativity surrounding Scotland right now is palpable, with plenty of players getting absolutely crucified on social media after last week’s defeat to Russia.

Steve Clarke’s side threw away their lead against the 2018 World Cup hosts, losing 2-1, and have an almighty task facing them on Monday as well when they take on Belgium, who finished third in that tournament.

And the boss has revealed why Jack has been sent home, per The Scottish Sun: “Ryan has gone back to Rangers. He had a little bit of swelling on his knee on Friday and was prepared to sit on the bench.

“But on Saturday there was more swelling and Rangers decided to go safety first.”

Watch Rangers Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Blow for Gerrard

Rangers fans better be praying to whatever entity they believe in right now that this injury isn’t serious.

The Gers have plenty of midfield options, with the likes of Andy King, Glen Kamara, Joe Aribo, Scott Arfield and Steve Davies all fighting for a spot in Steven Gerrard’s side, but Jack might just be the best of the bunch.

Fans have constantly praised the 27 year-old for his performances in recent times, and he is clearly one of Gerrard’s most trusted lieutenants – he played the third-most minutes of any outfield player in the squad last term, and the most for a midfielder.

And after grabbing four goals and five assists in a whopping 46 showings last term, he has already featured 11 times this campaign, scoring once.

Aforementioned, central midfield is perhaps the position Gerrard has the most depth in, but if the swelling goes down and reveals a more serious issue for Jack, there’s no question it will be a big blow for the gaffer.

[ad_pod ]

[ad_pod ]

According to Sky Sports, Qatari outfit Al-Gharafa are considering launching ‘a substantial offer’ for Everton forward Cenk Tosun.

The 28-year-old has only scored nine times in 44 appearances for the Toffees since joining the club from Besiktas in January 2018.

Tosun has not played a single minute of Premier League football this season, meanwhile, and does not appear to be in the plans of head coach Marco Silva.

Watch one of the best freestylers in the world attempt some of football’s hardest skills with fruit in the video below…

According to Sky Sports, Al-Gharafa – managed by former Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic – are determined to sign the Turkey international before the Qatari transfer window closes on September 30.

As expected, a number of Everton fans have been on social media discussing the transfer report.

Watch Everton Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

And whilst there are those who would be happy to see the back of the striker, others feel that Tosun has not really been given the chance to show his true worth.

A selection of the Twitter reaction is available to view below:

[ad_pod ]

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Speaking on talkSPORT, Trevor Sinclair has revealed Raheem Sterling can be held in the same regard as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

What did he say?

The Manchester City winger enjoyed an impressive campaign last year for Pep Guardiola’s side, racking up 25 goals and 18 assists. His start to the current season has been similarly scintillating, with Sterling netting a hat-trick in the side’s opening Premier League game against West Ham.

Now, Sinclair has heaped praise on the England international, and made a huge claim about the kind of company the 24-year-old is keeping.

Watch Manchester City Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

He said: “Raheem Sterling is right at the top of the tree, for me. If he’s not worth £200m now, I’d be surprised. He’s the best player playing for England and he’s the first player on the team sheet for Pep Guardiola. The big question now is where do you put him with the likes of Messi and Ronaldo? I would put him right amongst them. He’s there now.

“If he continues in this form he’s showing, people are going to start talking about him being the best player in the world and I think he’s deserved that honour. His end product and decision making and productivity he brings to England and Manchester City is so consistent, he’s got to be regarded as one of the best players in the world.”

Bandwagon

So the conversation behind Sterling being considered one of the best players in the world is gaining traction. First it was Tony Cascarino who suggested the Englishman is better than Neymar, and now Sinclar has weighed in on the argument by going one step further with his level of comparison. Messi and Ronaldo? Seriously? As good as the City forward has been, it’s almost insulting to the Ballon d’Or winning duo to suggest he is in the same boat as them at the moment.

Watch how to cross the road like a boss with freestyler Ben Nuttall in the video below…

As always, consistency will be the key. If he can continue to perform at the high standards he has set himself in the past 12-18 months, then he will perhaps be more deserving of being mentioned in the same breath as Ronaldo and Messi. Until then, Sterling simply has to shut out the plaudits and focus on his football.

[ad_pod ]

Many Leeds United supporters have been reacting on social media, after Leeds Live claimed that Mateusz Klich and Luke Ayling are set to sign new contracts at the Elland Road outfit imminently.

The Whites have recently tied Kalvin Phillips down to a new five-year contract, and agreed terms with Liam Cooper and Stuart Dallas to pen new five and four-year deals respectively.

Klich is expected to follow his teammates in putting pen to paper in the coming days, and commit his long-term future to the Championship outfit currently topping the second-tier table on goal difference over Swansea City.

Poland international Klich has featured in all of the eight league games played so far this term (WhoScored), and has contributed one goal while assisting the opener at home to Nottingham Forest before Sabri Lamouchi’s men later equalised.

He had a chance to double his personal goal tally for the term from the penalty spot on Saturday when Phillip Cocu’s Derby County travelled to Elland Road, but rolled the ball the wrong side of Kelle Roos’ post before the Rams pulled level in stoppage-time.

Leeds are keen to cement Klich’s place in Marcelo Bielsa’s plans with a new deal, as his current terms are due to expire in the summer of 2020, and doubt remains over an alleged 12-month option to extend.

The West Yorkshire outfit are also said to be in talks with Ayling over a new contract, and an announcement of his continued future should follow that of Klich’s, as negotiations are believed to be progressing positively.

Ayling is yet to feature for the Leeds first-team so far this season as a result of his ankle surgery carried over the summer break, but continued to step up his rehabilitation process in the Under 23s last week as he completed 70 minutes for Carlos Corberan’s junior side against Hull City (Yorkshire Evening Post).

The London-born 28-year-old made 42 appearances for Leeds across all competitions last season (TransferMarkt), scoring twice and assisting six goals all in the regular Championship campaign.

Here are a few of the reactions shared to news that Ayling and Klich are in line to sign new, long-term contracts….

[ad_pod ]

This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…

Zinedine Zidane adopted quite a risky approach on matchday six when Real Madrid welcomed Osasuna to the Santiago Bernabeu.

The schedule in La Liga is definitely heating up and with games being really close to each other, Los Blancos decided to reshuffle the deck a bit and rotate the squad.

With that in mind, the French manager still decided to leave some of the regular first-teamers in the lineup to add balance – a decision that worked perfectly.

One of those experienced players that had to take on extra leadership responsibility was Toni Kroos, Real’s 29-year-old midfield maestro.

Watch Spanish Football Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

With Luka Modric still not with the team, it was up to the German to dominate and control the proceedings in the middle of the park, something he wasn’t able to do against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

After that display in Paris, Kroos was subjected to harsh criticism from many Real Madrid fans who were urging him to improve his performances.

If the latest bout with Osasuna is any indication, it seems the midfielder has heard their rallying cries and decided to step up his game. And step it up he did.

Kroos was Real Madrid’s Man of the Match according to Whoscored’s system, with a total rating of 8.11 under his name. He tallied one assist, three key passes and overall passing accuracy of a sublime 95.8%.

But Kroos was also contributing to the team’s defensive phase as well and worked hard off the ball. As a result, he recorded two tackles and two interceptions in the process, establishing his presence all over the pitch of the Santiago Bernabeu.

Needless to say, that was the Kroos we all know and that’s exactly what he’s capable of on his day.

Real Madrid are now back at the very top of the La Liga table and are intending to stay there but they will need their German maestro performing like that on a consistent basis if they want to achieve it.

Against Osasuna, Kroos was back at his brilliant best – but can he keep rising in form as the season goes on?